Aeronautics and astronautics – Kites
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-16
2001-09-18
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Aeronautics and astronautics
Kites
C244S154000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06290178
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to toy kites and, in particular, to an internal support structure for a windsock kite.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known in the art to provide a kite with a windsock-like body, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. D407,126 to Wang. This design patent discloses a kite having an airplane configuration, wherein the airplane kite K comprises (referring to
FIG. 1
) a windsock body element B which is generally cylindrically-shaped, wings W, and a tail T. Wings W are supported by semi-rigid or rigid cross-beam rods C and the windsock body B is supported internally by one or more semi-rigid or rigid rods R. Referring to
FIG. 2
, a pair of rods R are positioned lengthwise through the windsock body B. These rods R are slightly longer than the length of windsock body B and are crossed to form an X-shape to provide stability and support to windsock body B. Rods R are retained at their respective ends by a plurality of pockets P, with the ends of each rod R touching opposite sides of the windsock body.
A difficulty is encountered in such designs in providing an internal support structure which can simply but effectively maintain the open cross-sectional shape of the windsock body in spite of the tensile stresses placed on the kite body by the internal rods and the wing cross-beams. The lengthwise stresses provided by the internal support rods tends to flatten the cylindrical cross-section of the windsock and, likewise, the transverse or lateral tension induced by the wing cross-beam also tends to locally flatten the windsock. It has been found that the configuration of the rods R in
FIG. 2
is somewhat unstable and, further, does not adequately fill out the windsock shape, resulting in a somewhat limp or wrinkled appearance to the windsock body.
Accordingly, there is a need of an internal support structure for a windsock-like kite which overcomes these and other problems of prior art kites.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides in one aspect a kite comprising a fabric sleeve having a leading end, a trailing end and a generally longitudinal axis extending from the leading end to the trailing end, at least one wing member mounted to the sleeve, at least two resilient rods, each of the rods having a leading end and a trailing end, and a plurality of rod retainers for retaining the rods so that the rods add support to the sleeve, the rods, when retained in the rod retainers, having a curved configuration and extending generally longitudinally of the sleeve, wherein each rod contacts the sleeve at at least one region between the sleeve leading end and the sleeve trailing end, and wherein the rods intersect, at least twice, at least one plane defined by the general longitudinal axis and extending between the respective first ends of the rods.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides a kite comprising a fabric sleeve, at least one wing member mounted to the sleeve, at least two resilient rods for internally supporting the sleeve, and a plurality of rod retainers for retaining the rods interior of the sleeve in a curved condition, wherein the rods, when retained in the retainers, substantially intersect at least twice.
In a third aspect, the present invention provides a kite comprising a fabric sleeve having a leading end and a trailing end, at least one wing member mounted to the sleeve, at least a first and second resilient rods, each of the rods having a leading end and a trailing end, and a plurality of rod retaining members for retaining the rods in the sleeve, the rods, when retained in the rod retainers, having a curved configuration and extending generally longitudinally of the sleeve, wherein a vector defined from the leading end of the first rod to the leading end of the second rod has substantially the same direction as a vector defined from the trailing end of the first rod to the trailing end of the second rod.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 407126 (1999-03-01), Wang
patent: D. 428451 (2000-07-01), Wang
patent: D. 432187 (2000-10-01), Wang
patent: 671865 (1901-04-01), Mowrer
patent: 2394366 (1946-02-01), Chu et al.
patent: 2827252 (1958-03-01), Pohl
patent: 3092359 (1963-06-01), Pohl
patent: 3098634 (1963-07-01), Finklea
patent: 3193224 (1965-07-01), Williamson
patent: 3711045 (1973-01-01), Holland
patent: 4150804 (1979-04-01), Jackson
patent: 4830313 (1989-05-01), Cheng
patent: 4302863 (1994-08-01), None
Itemax International Inc.—Kite Biplane V packaging dated 1997.
Bereskin & Parr
Dinh Tien
Itemax International Inc.
Jordan Charles T.
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