Tossable ring airfoil projectile

Details Tossable ring airfoil projectile Tossable ring airfoil projectile

2000-07-06

2001-04-24

Nguyen, Kien T. (Department: 3712)

Amusement devices: toys

Aerodynamically supported or retarded

Glider

C446S046000, C446S255000, C473S585000, C244S003240

Reexamination Certificate

active

06220918

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to ring airfoils. More particularly, this invention relates to tossable ring airfoil projectiles configured to adopt and maintain a flying orientation that generates lift. This lift causes the tossable ring airfoil projectiles to follow a nearly level trajectory having a longer flight time than characterizes standard ballistic motion.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Flying toys are popular amusement devices that include boomerangs, flying discs, kites, model airplanes, and ring airfoils. The popularity of flying toys arises in part because flying toys generate lift as they move through the air, giving them interesting and engaging flight characteristics.
Ring airfoils are relatively obscure flying toys that generally resemble hollow cylinders having open ends. The walls of these cylinders may have an airfoil shape. Ring airfoils “fly” when they generate lift by moving through the air in a flying orientation. Lift generated in flying orientations, combined with low aerodynamic drag, causes ring airfoils to follow nearly level trajectories. In contrast, nonflying toys, such as balls, follow parabolic ballistic trajectories. Nearly level trajectories ensure greater flight times than ballistic trajectories, enhancing the fun of playing with ring airfoils.
In a preferred flying orientation, a leading end of the ring airfoil points generally forward, in the direction of motion, and a trailing end points generally backward, away from the direction of motion. This orientation may be gyro-stabilized by imparting spin to the ring airfoil about a longitudinal symmetry axis connecting the leading and trailing ends.
Although known for many years, ring airfoils have failed to achieve the popularity of other flying toys. This failure may be due in part to difficulties inherent in inducing ring airfoils to move through the air in a flying orientation. In particular, because ring airfoils generally are launched by hand, they typically do not begin their trajectory in a flying orientation. Moreover, even if ring airfoils do begin their trajectory in a flying orientation, they typically do not have sufficient spin to gyro-stabilize that orientation, leaving them susceptible to pitching, yawing, wobbling, and/or tumbling during flight. The skill level necessary to overcome these difficulties effectively may place the use of ring airfoils outside the ability of casual players, or of children in general.
Previous attempts to improve the flight characteristics of ring airfoils have included adjusting the dimensions and mass distribution of the ring airfoils to improve lift. Yet, such improved lift cannot be exploited fully unless the ring airfoil is in a flying Orientation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention addresses these and other shortcomings by providing tossable ring airfoil projectiles configured to adopt and maintain a flying orientation. The tossable ring airfoil projectiles generally include (i) a ring airfoil having a trailing end, an aperture, and a longitudinal symmetry axis running through the aperture, and (ii) a tail associated with the ring airfoil and extending rearward beyond the trailing end.
The ring airfoil is substantially symmetric about the longitudinal symmetry axis and provides lift that allows the tossable ring airfoil projectile to follow a flying trajectory. The ring airfoil may be formed of a variety of materials, including deformable materials, and may be configured to be held in a hand.
The tail stabilizes the tossable ring airfoil projectile during flight and may provide a torque that biases the ring airfoil toward a flying orientation. The tail may be formed of a variety of materials, including deformable materials, and may extend substantially parallel to or along the longitudinal symmetry axis. The tail may have various geometries and dimensions. It may be symmetric, it may include at least one fin extending outward from the longitudinal symmetry axis, and it may be substantially at least as long as the ring airfoil. The tail may be movable or may have a substantially fixed orientation relative to the ring airfoil.
The tail may be associated with the ring airfoil in various ways. For example, the tail may be associated with the ring airfoil by a connection to the trailing end. Alternatively, the ring airfoil may have an inner surface, and the tail may be associated with the ring airfoil by a connection to the inner surface. The connection may include a plurality of flanges and a structure configured to join the flanges to the trailing end and/or inner surface. These flanges may be aligned with fins in the tail.
The nature of the invention will be understood more readily after consideration of the drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment that follow.


REFERENCES:
patent: 23538 (1859-04-01), Arnold
patent: 186255 (1877-01-01), Jenkins
patent: D. 279492 (1985-07-01), Eddins et al.
patent: D. 288216 (1987-02-01), Jensen
patent: D. 306894 (1990-03-01), DeMarco
patent: D. 337796 (1993-07-01), Sutyak
patent: D. 346001 (1994-04-01), Stillinger et al.
patent: D. 348907 (1994-07-01), Prentice et al.
patent: D. 350577 (1994-09-01), Giudice
patent: D. 355460 (1995-02-01), Routzong et al.
patent: D. 361811 (1995-08-01), Grimm et al.
patent: 1293869 (1919-02-01), Murray et al.
patent: 1296403 (1919-03-01), Kindle
patent: 1520131 (1924-12-01), Jacob
patent: 1718508 (1929-06-01), White
patent: 1976065 (1934-10-01), Forkner
patent: 2173382 (1939-09-01), West
patent: 2183152 (1939-12-01), Prensky et al.
patent: 2338719 (1944-01-01), Holt
patent: 2432209 (1947-12-01), Osgood
patent: 2494026 (1950-01-01), Anderson
patent: 2608027 (1952-08-01), Perker et al.
patent: 2611999 (1952-09-01), Mikolay
patent: 2691495 (1954-10-01), Chiroky
patent: 2759297 (1956-08-01), Lewis
patent: 2763958 (1956-09-01), Lemelson
patent: 2784711 (1957-03-01), Vaughn
patent: 2870570 (1959-01-01), Benson
patent: 3147011 (1964-09-01), Lemelson
patent: 3190654 (1965-06-01), Ross
patent: 3198526 (1965-08-01), Smith et al.
patent: 3225488 (1965-12-01), Goldfarb
patent: 3232285 (1966-02-01), Rasner
patent: 3256020 (1966-06-01), Smith
patent: 3264776 (1966-08-01), Morrow
patent: 3292879 (1966-12-01), Chilowsky
patent: 3373730 (1968-03-01), Jenison
patent: 3437340 (1969-04-01), Grise
patent: 3528662 (1970-09-01), Merchant et al.
patent: 3746334 (1973-07-01), Stubblefield
patent: 3877383 (1975-04-01), Flatau
patent: 3898932 (1975-08-01), Flatau et al.
patent: 3909976 (1975-10-01), Kirk
patent: 3951070 (1976-04-01), Flatau et al.
patent: 3982489 (1976-09-01), Flatau et al.
patent: 4003574 (1977-01-01), MacDonald et al.
patent: 4021041 (1977-05-01), Goldfarb et al.
patent: 4088319 (1978-05-01), Clarke
patent: 4109411 (1978-08-01), Wetherell et al.
patent: 4112613 (1978-09-01), Toplak
patent: 4151674 (1979-05-01), Klahn et al.
patent: 4154012 (1979-05-01), Miller
patent: 4246721 (1981-01-01), Bowers
patent: 4262911 (1981-04-01), Opresik et al.
patent: 4291663 (1981-09-01), Buck et al.
patent: 4294447 (1981-10-01), Clark
patent: 4335537 (1982-06-01), Walker
patent: 4339138 (1982-07-01), De Manno
patent: 4366936 (1983-01-01), Ferguson
patent: 4390148 (1983-06-01), Cudmore
patent: 4519613 (1985-05-01), Martin
patent: 4531737 (1985-07-01), Jacobson et al.
patent: 4537405 (1985-08-01), Cymbler
patent: 4657253 (1987-04-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 4736948 (1988-04-01), Thomas
patent: 4737128 (1988-04-01), Moormann et al.
patent: 4790788 (1988-12-01), Hill
patent: 4930777 (1990-06-01), Holenstein
patent: 4943066 (1990-07-01), Lathim et al.
patent: 4957092 (1990-09-01), Rhodes
patent: 5000451 (1991-03-01), MacDonald et al.
patent: 5045011 (1991-09-01), Lovik
patent: 5066017 (1991-11-01), Kurland
patent: 5067922 (1991-11-01), McMahon
patent: 5123645 (1992-06-01), MacDonald et al.
patent: 5152709 (1992-10-01), Johnson
patent: 5171021 (1992-12-01), Orak
patent: 5224464 (1993-07-01), Burnham et al.
patent: 5228690 (1993-07-01), Rudell et al.
patent: 5267735 (1993-12-01), Bushman
patent: 5269514 (1993-12-01), Adler et al.
patent: 5284341 (1994-02-01), Routzong

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Tossable ring airfoil projectile does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Tossable ring airfoil projectile, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Tossable ring airfoil projectile will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2550842