Patent ID: 7927175
Filing Date: 2011-04-19
Classification: F41B

Abstract:
1. A water toy apparatus, comprising: a pump having a pump inlet and a pump outlet; a battery electrically connected to the pump; a water inlet in fluid communication with the pump inlet, wherein the water inlet is submerged in a water environment during use of the water toy; an accumulator having a predetermined pressure level, the accumulator having an accumulator inlet operatively coupled to the pump outlet and an accumulator outlet; an electrically-actuated water valve having a water valve control input, a water valve inlet operatively coupled to the accumulator outlet, and a water valve outlet; a water gun barrel operatively coupled to the water valve outlet; a trigger operatively coupled to the water valve control input; wherein the pump is configured to pull water through the inlet from the surrounding water environment, through the pump and into the accumulator when the pressure in the accumulator falls below the predetermined pressure level, whereby activation of the trigger causes water to discharge from the water gun barrel; a shield mounted on the water gun barrel; a powered hinge coupled to the shield and having a hinge sensor input, wherein an electrical signal provided to the hinge sensor input is operative to lower the shield; and a sensor disposed on the shield, wherein the sensor is operative to provide an electrical signal to the hinge sensor input to lower the shield when a stream of water contacts the sensor for a predetermined period of time.