Amusement devices: toys – Operated by relatively moving fluid or pressure differential – Including mouthpiece for blowing or sucking
Patent
1990-02-20
1992-05-05
Yu, Mickey
Amusement devices: toys
Operated by relatively moving fluid or pressure differential
Including mouthpiece for blowing or sucking
40439, A63H 3340, A63H 3700
Patent
active
051103168
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a practical joke device and more particularly to a device having a mouthpiece with a rolled-up portion, which portion can be unrolled and thereby extended, with air delivered thereto by way of the mouthpiece.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In such devices, the rolled-up portion generally comprises a long narrow paper tube, closed at one end, which is of flat section in the rolled-up state and held in the rolled-up state by means of a wire spring which extends the length of the tube. As air is delivered to the tube by way of the mouthpiece the tube is inflated and thereby unrolled to a fully extended position against the inherent spring resilience of the wire spring. Often the mouthpiece includes a pivotable diaphragm so that the unrolling action of the tube is accompanied by a kazoolike sound made by the air issuing past the diaphragm. On cessation of the delivery of air to the tube, the tube collapses and is returned to its original rolled-up state by way of said wire spring. The intentioned effect of the device is to induce surprise or joviality, usually in an unsuspecting observer. However, such devices have been in existence for many years and although they still may retain an element of fun such devices are well known so that their effects are not entirely unexpected, thereby,disadvantageously, tending to reduce the element of surprise or joviality and thereby, disadvantageously, tending to reduce the enjoyment level of the device.
It is an object of the present invention to alleviate one or more of the aforementioned disadvantages and/or to provide a practical joke device having a somewhat different or additional effect to the surprise effect already mentioned.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided a practical joke device comprising a mouthpiece, attached to a rolled-up (or deflated) display portion, which display portion can be unrolled (or inflated) and thereby extended by delivering air thereto by way of the mouthpiece, in order, in use, to display information carried on. The display portion, said portion comprises a panel adapted for carrying and displaying information and:
a) having such size and dimensions that, in the unrolled, extended (or inflated) state at least one dimension of said panel at least about 3 times greater than the width of the mouthpiece, said at least one dimension being arranged generally transverse to the extension direction of said display panel, and/or
b) being such that, in the unrolled, extended (or inflated) state the extension direction of the display panel is displaced from the axis of the mouthpiece.
Usually, said at least one dimension will be wide in relation to the width of the mouthpiece in order to be of sufficient width to accommodate a useful information content to an observer. The information content may comprise a message, slogan and/or pictures, for example of a humorous face, and/or advertising or promotional material. Preferably, the display panel will be generally circular or shaped like a "flat speech bubble" but could be square, rectangular or virtually any relatively large shape. Preferably, said at least one dimension is approximately the same as its extended dimension. The extended dimension could be much shorter than said at least one dimension. Said at least one dimension could be, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 20, or 30 or more times greater than the width of the mouthpiece.
The display panel will usually be arranged at an angle to the axis of the mouthpiece, in the extended position, in order to provide information at a suitable orientation for the observer, while, advantageously, facing the observer to be able to view his emotional reaction to the information displayed. Preferably, said display panel will be arranged at right angles to the mouthpiece, so that, in use, information on the display panel will be presented in a generally vertical plane facing an observer.
Preferably, the mouthpiece is connected to (preferably integral with) an angled tube porti
REFERENCES:
patent: 530909 (1894-12-01), Stone
patent: 2282056 (1942-05-01), Hoeflich
patent: 2486158 (1949-10-01), Haas
patent: 3729847 (1973-05-01), Chandos
patent: 4447250 (1984-05-01), Wolens et al.
patent: 4579826 (1986-08-01), Bolton et al.
Birch Christopher L.
Shaw David
Markva Neil F.
Shaw David
Yu Mickey
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