US20060225716A1

US20060225716A1 - Rocket Launcher Toy

Info

Publication number: US20060225716A1
Application number: US10/908,976
Authority: US
Inventors: Brian Lapointe
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-04-11
Filing date: 2005-06-02
Publication date: 2006-10-12

Abstract

An air pressure powered toy rocket launcher is herein disclosed. The launcher is comprised of a flexible plastic vessel attached to an assembly of rigid plastic tubes. A vertical section of the tube assembly has an open end. When water is poured into the open end, a closed cell foam plastic rocket, having a center bore, can be fitted over the vertical tube. With the launcher containing a measured amount of water and the rocket in place, a child jumps onto the flexible vessel to both fire the rocket and send a plume of water high into the air. The invention provides a satisfying visual experience while showering water down upon nearby spectators.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to projectile launching toys and more particularly to launched toy rockets, which can be used safely by children.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Toy rockets have been a familiar means of providing hours of visual entertainment, for children and adults alike for many years. However, several designs involving diverse mechanisms have revealed a need to provide children with a rocket launching system, which is safer and easier to use, but does not diminish the satisfaction of the toy by limiting the extent of the visual experience. U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,006 discloses a simple rocket launching toy, where the need for safety has been seriously compromised. The invention includes a rocket body comprised of soft open cell foam, such as urethane sponge material. A hard plastic tube insert is required to provide both mass to the rocket and an air tight seal between the rocket body and the launch mechanism. If the foam material were to tear, from repeated use or rough play, the hard plastic insert could become exposed posing a dangerous hazard to children, since the insert alone can be launched without the protective rocket shaped cover.
A similar rocket toy disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,993,297 reveals unique, but even more serious safety concerns than the previous example. By requiring the user to hold the launch tube during use, there is no way to insure that the rocket would not be fired into the face of a nearby child and cause serious eye injury.
Other types of rocket launching toys incorporate both air pressure and water in combination, to increase performance and visual excitement. The approaches disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,759,297 and 3,046,694 require that rockets containing water be pressurized before launching. These systems necessitate the need for rigid plastic rocket bodies, capable of withstanding high internal pressures without bursting. Such mechanisms are not easy for children to operate and pose a threat of injury to users and onlookers, when a hard plastic rocket returns to earth at high speed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,223,472 discloses a more elaborate air pressure rocket launching system. This toy requires the user to pressurize a separate chamber and then release the pressure into the rocket body by opening a valve. While this item addresses the need to provide a safe rocket, the complexity of the launcher itself presents a number of potential problems. The item is large and expensive to manufacture. The safety of the launcher is dependent upon several glue joints and plastic parts remaining in sound condition. If a child were to accidentally step on one of several plastic parts, a simple crack may destroy the integrity of the unit and compromise its ability to withstand high pressures safely.
The need exists for a safer and less expensive, rocket launching toy. It is therefore one object of this invention to provide a rocket launching system, which is simple and safe for unsupervised children to operate.
Another object of this invention, is to provide a rocket launching system, which utilizes lightweight, soft, foam rockets, which cannot be launched in the direction of spectators.
A further object of this invention, is to provide a rocket launching toy combining air pressure and water, without the need for storing high fluid pressures within a vessel and thereby eliminate any potential bursting hazard.
It is still another object of this invention, to provide a rocket launching toy, which involves a more skillful participation on the part of the user, to achieve a successful launch of the rocket and a maximum delivery of water into the air.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing and other objects of this invention are accomplished, by providing a rocket launching toy comprising a very simple construction, thereby eliminating the need for any moving parts. A lightweight rocket, constructed from one to two pound per cubic foot extruded closed cell polyethylene plastic foam, provides a safe rocket, which can be propelled to impressive heights using little energy. Because of the flexible and lightweight character of the projectile, there is no danger posed to on looking children as the rocket returns to the ground. The foam rocket body has an axial bore of approximately five inches in depth and a cone shaped tip to reduce aerodynamic friction. At least two flat wings are attached to the rear of the rocket body for the purpose of controlling the flight path.
The rocket launching apparatus comprises a bladder, rotationally molded from soft durometer PVC or blow molded from EVA plastic, which functions as a pressure generating bellows when jumped upon by the user. This vessel has a domed top surface for trapping air above a measured amount of water and a shape which gradually tapers towards a single outlet, in order to more effectively channel fluid to the outlet. A hard plastic tube is permanently attached to the vessel outlet and runs horizontally for a distance adequate to provide safe physical separation between the user and the launch vehicle. A curved elbow section joins the horizontal tube with a vertical section of equivalent internal diameter. The vertical tube is clear and has a length slightly greater than the bore depth in the rocket. The outside diameter of the vertical tube is approximately equal to the bore diameter in the rocket body, so as to achieve an adequately snug friction fit, when the rocket is fully mounted over the vertical tube. A measured amount of water is introduced into the launching apparatus through an open end of the vertical tube section. When the proper amount of water is loaded into the launcher, the liquid level within the bladder will be slightly above the height of the horizontal tube. The final step of launch preparation involves mounting the rocket. This is accomplished by fully inserting the vertical tube of the launcher into the bore in the rocket body. To launch the rocket, a single person jumps onto the bladder so that one or both feet make contact with the apex of the vessel. This results in a compression of air trapped above the water in the bladder and within the vertical tube of the launch apparatus. Compressed air within the vertical tube quickly launches the rocket while the compressed air in the bladder together with elastic expansion of the vessel plastic, provide stored energy to aid in expelling the water from the launcher in a tall vertical plume.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of the disclosed invention illustrating the launch apparatus, together with the rocket mounted and ready for launching.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the disclosed invention illustrating the actual launching of the rocket.
FIG. 3 is an aerial view of the launch apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a side view of the launch apparatus illustrating the proper water level within the launcher.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the launch vehicle illustrating the shape and construction of the rocket.
FIG. 6 is a side view of the launch apparatus illustrating the proper method for loading water into the rocket launcher.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the preferred embodiment, FIG. 1 discloses a side view of rocket launcher toy 1 showing rocket projectile 2 mounted, in position for launching. In a perspective view, FIG. 5 illustrates rocket projectile 2 in the preferred embodiment, constructed from lightweight, resilient, closed cell materials. Projectile body 8 is a solid round extrusion made from one to two pound per cubic foot density foamed polyethylene plastic, with five percent ethylene vinyl acetate added for increased elasticity. Any foamed plastic material having a density between two and eight pounds per cubic foot is sufficient for rear wings 9, which are attached to projectile body 8 by heat welding or adhesive. A bore 10 is drilled axially in body 8, to a depth of between five and six inches, at the end where rear wings 9 are attached. The diameter of bore 10 must not exceed the outside diameter of vertical tube 5 and should preferably be between five and fifteen thousandths of an inch smaller than the diameter of vertical tube 5, in order to create an appropriate snug fit when vertical tube 5 is wholly inserted into bore 10.
In the preferred embodiment, rocket launcher toy 1 is constructed from different types of plastic materials. A hollow flexible vessel 3 as shown in FIG. 2, is rotationally molded from soft durometer poly vinyl chloride or blow molded from ethylene vinyl acetate plastic material and functions as a pressure generating bellows when jumped upon by a user. Vessel 3 has a domed top surface for trapping air above a predetermined level of water 11 as shown in FIG. 4 and a shape, as illustrated in FIG. 3, which gradually tapers towards a single outlet 12, in order to more effectively channel fluid to outlet 12. Horizontal tube 4, elbow 6, and vertical tube 5, are injection molded or extruded from poly vinyl chloride or poly styrene plastic material, and comprise a permanent assembly within rocket launcher toy 1. Horizontal tube 4 is permanently glued to outlet 12 of vessel 3 at an end and permanently glued to elbow 6 at an opposite end; elbow 6 is also permanently glued to an end of vertical tube 5, such that rocket launcher toy 1, comprised of individual components is permanently joined together and cannot be disassembled. A stabilizing foot or cross member 13 shown in FIG. 3 is either a molded feature of elbow 6, or a separate component permanently attached to elbow 6.
Referring to FIG. 6, water 14 is poured into open end 7 of vertical tube 5 while tilting rocket launcher toy 1 back, allowing enough air to escape from vessel 3 to achieve water level 11 as shown in FIG. 4. Rocket 2 is fitted to vertical tube 5 by wholly inserting vertical tube 5 into bore 10 as shown in FIG. 1. By applying an external compressive force “A” to vessel 3, as shown in FIG. 2, rocket 2 along with most of water 14 contained within rocket launcher toy 1, is propelled upward in direction “B”.

Claims

1. An air pressure launched rocket toy comprising: an elongated soft foam rocket, said rocket having a cylindrical body composed of resilient closed cell foamed plastic material, said cylindrical body having a front portion and a rear portion, said rear portion having at least 2 lightweight foamed plastic wings for controlling the orientation of said rocket during flight, said cylindrical body having an axial bore in said rear portion; a flexible hollow vessel, said vessel attached to an assembly of tubes, said assembly of tubes having a means of viewing a space within said assembly of tubes, said assembly of tubes having a vertical section, said vertical section adapted at an open end for snugly inserting into said bore of said rocket, such that when a measured amount of a liquid is introduced into said assembly of tubes and said vessel, through said open end of said vertical section, and said vertical section has been wholly inserted into said bore of said rocket, and said vessel is acted upon by an external compressive force, said rocket and said liquid are propelled from said vertical section of said assembly of tubes.