Abstract:
A mechanized bubble making toy with enhanced spill resistance having a hand held housing and manually operated bubble making wand movable relative to an annularly shaped reservoir of bubble forming solution is provided. The wand and an associated ring are movable between operational and loading positions. The wand ring moves through a thin slot provided within the inner circumference of the annular reservoir to thereby limit the ability of the bubble forming solution to escape. If solution escapes, a drip gutter is provided around the inner circumference of the reservoir to direct the excess solution back to the reservoir, and if excess solution drips form the wand ring, a drip string is provided to directly communicate the solution from the wand ring to the reservoir. The reservoir includes a bay shaped to ensure both that a film of solution is formed, and that substantially all solution is used.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to toys, and more particularly relates to toys for making bubbles. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Bubble making toys have captivated the interest of children for years. Such devices can be as simple as a dipstick or a wand having a ringlike structure which can be dipped into a soapy solution, and either be waved back and forth, or be blown upon to generate bubbles. More specifically, surface tension causes the soapy solution to cling to the surface of the ring, and forms a film extending across a central opening of the ring. As air is moved against that film, for example, by directing a breath of air toward the film, the film bows away from the ring, eventually escaping the ring and forming a bubble. Examples of such devices are shown in La Fata, U.S. Pat. No. 4,481,731, and Cuccio, U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,649. While such devices are functional, they are not without drawbacks, which namely manifest themselves in the form of leakage, drippage, and general messiness. 
     Some prior art devices have therefore attempted to distance the device from the hand of the user, to thereby avoid unpleasant drippage. For example, La Fata, U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,693, provides a bubble making toy in the form of a multiple apertured reservoir tied to a string which can be swung in a circle, and thereby utilize centrifugal force to direct the soapy solution to the apertures to form films, and the air stream generated by the swinging action to generate the actual bubbles. Such a device therefore necessarily requires a relatively large amount of space, with the user actually having relatively little control over the bubble making process. 
     In addition, many prior art devices have required operator input in manipulating either the wand or the bubble forming solution to create the film necessary for forming bubbles. Such manipulation often proves difficult, especially for young children, and either leads to frustration or premature play stoppage. Some devices therefore provide a somewhat automated mechanism for creating the film of soapy solution and generating bubbles. Such devices can be provided in the form of toy guns, such as that disclosed in La Fata, U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,923, DeMars U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,890, or Lei, U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,469. However, such devices are often relatively complex with parts which are prone to fatigue or failure, and are also often reliant on batteries, motors, and fans for pumping solution to a wand ring and for generating an airstream to create bubbles. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the invention, a bubble maker is provided which may include a housing, a bubble forming ring and a trigger. The housing may have a substantially annular reservoir and a central opening, with the reservoir being adapted to retain bubble making solution. The bubble forming ring may be pivotally attached to the housing and be adapted to move from the reservoir to the central opening. The trigger may be operably attached to the bubble forming ring to move the bubble forming ring between the reservoir and the central opening. 
     In accordance with other aspects of the invention, the bubble making toy may include a spill gutter extending around an inner circumference of the housing proximate the central opening. A slot may be provided in the inner circumference of the housing to allow passage of the bubble forming ring. The bubble forming ring may include a drip string to facilitate communication of excess bubble forming solution from the ring back to the reservoir. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, a bubble maker is provided which may include a housing, a wand and a means for moving the wand. The housing may include a substantially annular reservoir, adapted to retain a volume of bubble making solution, and may also include a central opening. The wand may include a bubble forming ring at one end and be adapted to move from a first position in the reservoir to a second position in the central opening. The means for moving is adapted to move the wand between the first and second positions. 
     In another aspect, the present invention may be provided in the form of a manually operated, spill resistant bubble maker having a housing, a wand and a trigger. The housing is adapted to retain a volume of bubble making solution, while the wand includes a bubble forming end which is adapted to move from a first position in the reservoir, to a second position out of the reservoir. The trigger may be operably connected to the wand and be adapted to move the wand from the first position to the second position. 
     These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of a bubble maker embodying one form of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of FIG. 1 showing the wand in first and second positions; 
     FIG. 3 is an end sectional view of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of one half of the housing; 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a section of the housing and drip gutter; 
     FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the reservoir; 
     FIG. 7 is an end sectional view of FIG. 6; and 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of the wand. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, and with particular reference to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the present invention is shown as a bubble maker  20 . As shown therein, the bubble maker  20  may include a handle portion  22  and a reservoir portion  24 . As shown by FIGS. 4 and 6, the handle portion  22  and the reservoir portion  24  may be separately fabricated by, for example, injection molding or blow molding, and subsequently assembled together by way of, for example, a frictional coupling, or through the use of a suitable adhesive. 
     With regard to the reservoir portion  24 , FIGS. 6 and 7 show the reservoir portion  24  may include a substantially annular body  26  with a refill port  28  at its top, a bubble forming bay  30  at its bottom, and a central opening  31 . In the depicted embodiment, while a first side  32  of the annular body  26  forms a complete circle or annulus, a second side  34  includes an angular recess  36  which accommodates the movement of a wand  38 . More specifically, an outer diameter  40  and an inner diameter  42  of the first side  32  form a complete 360 degree circumference, and an outer diameter  41  and an inner diameter  43  of the second side  34  span only a partial circumference, in the depicted embodiment being approximately 270 degrees. An upper end  44  and a lower end  46  complete the reservoir on the second side  34  to facilitate fluid retention. In so doing, it will be noted, particularly from FIG. 6, that the second side  34  of the reservoir portion  24  appears to have a substantially “c” shape, as opposed to a complete ring or annular shape of the first side  32 . In an alternative embodiment, a sleeve (not shown) could be provided in the reservoir  26  between the first side  32  and second side  34  to accommodate the motion of the wand  38 , while enabling both sides to form complete circles. In a still further embodiment, the wand  38  could be provided with a jog (not shown) or contour such that is may move around and on the outside of a completely annular shaped reservoir (not shown). 
     It can therefore be appreciated that, as shown in FIG. 1 and 2, when the bubble maker  20  is held upright, gravity dictates that bubble forming or soapy solution  48  settles first to the bay  30 , and then proceeds to fill a base  50  of the body  26  before filling sides  52 ,  54 , and ultimately an upper region  56 . The bay  30  may be provided with a width sufficiently narrow and a height sufficiently long to ensure a thin expanse of the solution  48  is provide on both sides of the wand ring  82 . Since the volume of the bay  30  is therefore relatively small in comparison to the entire reservoir  26 , the bubble maker  20  ensures that substantially all of the solution  48  is used. 
     The cross-sectional view of the reservoir  24  depicted in FIG. 7 shows that the reservoir body  26  is substantially square in cross-section, as formed by the inner diameters  42 ,  43 , the outer diameters,  40 ,  41 , and the first and second outer sidewalls  32 ,  34 . A central wall  65  spans between end walls  44  and  46  in the area of the recess  36 . Inwardly directed from sidewalls  32 ,  34  are annular grooves  66 ,  68  formed by curved walls  67 ,  69 , respectively, which are adapted to mate with annular fingers  70 ,  72  of the handle portion  22 , as will be discussed in further detail herein. Proximate upper region  56 , the refill port  28  is provided as defined by an annular rim  74  which extends from flattened base  76 . When the refill port  28  is closed by a cap  78 , as shown in FIG.  2  and described in further detail herein, the reservoir body  26  is substantially imperforate, but for slot  80  provided in the inner diameters  42 ,  43  proximate base  50 . It is through the slot  80  that a ring  82  of the wand  38  passes in order to gain access to the solution  34  in bay  30 , and then back to central opening  31 . The ring  82  defines an interior opening  84  across which the film of bubble forming solution forms. 
     Turning now to the handle portion  22 , it can be seen in FIGS. 1,  2 , and  4  that the handle portion  22  includes a grip  85  which is adapted to be grasped by an operator, as well as a mating end  86  which is adapted to receive the reservoir portion  24  in the aforementioned interference or adhesive fit. More specifically, the grip  85  may include a plurality of contoured undulations  88  to facilitate grasping of the handle portion  22 . As shown in FIG. 5, the handle portion  22  may include first and second sides  90 ,  92  both having arcuate surfaces  94  and defining an opening  96  for receipt of the reservoir portion  24 . Supporting planes  98 ,  100  extend from the mating end  86  to the grip  84 , and may be integrally molded together. The first and second sides  90 ,  92  may be joined at a plurality of junction points  101  by suitable fasteners. 
     Proximate the mating end  86 , it will be noted that an opening  102  is provided in each side  90  and  92 , respectively. Air is passed through the central opening  102 , such as by a human breath of a fan generated air stream, to form a bubble from a soapy film extended across the ring  82  and its central opening  84 . Chamfered or beveled walls  104  taper the sides  90  and  92  inwardly toward openings  102 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the chamfered walls  104  also work in conjunction with the inner diameters  42 ,  43  of the reservoir body  26  to define a drip channel or gutter  106 , which serves to collect excess solution from the ring  82  and thereby reduces the likelihood of the solution dripping from the bubble maker  20  or coming into contact with the operator of the bubble maker  20 . Inwardly directed annular ledges  108  extend from the chamfered walls  104  to support and facilitate retention of the reservoir body  26 , as shown in FIG.  3 . Ledges  108  include complementary lips  109 ,  110  adapted to mate together as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. Eventually, the solution gathered within the drip gutter  106  will be directed via gravity to the slot  40  and thus back into the reservoir body  24 . 
     FIG. 2 shows that drip gutter  106  may extend around the entire inner diameters  42 ,  43  of the annular reservoir  26  in order to close off the drip gutter  106  and direct the solution  48  to the reservoir  26 . In such an embodiment, a slot (not shown) may be provided in the drip gutter  106  to accommodate movement of the wand  38 , or the slot may be an extension of the slot  80 . Alternatively, the drip gutter  106  may extend only around the inner diameter  43  of the second side  34 , and not extend across the recess  36 . In order to seal the drip gutter at ends proximate the recess  36 , suitable elastomeric dams (not shown) may be provided. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the wand  38 , and accordingly the ring  82 , are adapted to move from the operational position (solid lines) wherein the ring  82  is within the central opening  96 , and the reload position (dashed lines) wherein the ring  82  is within the bay  30 . In order to mechanize and somewhat automate the process, the wand  38  may be pivotally attached to the handle portion  22  at a pivot  120 , shown in FIG.  4 . As shown in FIG. 8, wand  38  may include an aperture  122  to allow wand  38  to be mounted to pivot  120 . As also shown in FIG. 8, a trigger  124  may be directly coupled to the wand  38  such that movement of the trigger  124  from the outward position to the inward position proximate the grip  85  causes movement of the ring  82  from the operational position to the loading position. 
     To facilitate operation, a biasing mechanism, preferably a torsion spring  125  (FIG.  2 ), may be provided about the pivot  120  to the bias wand  38  into the operational position. The wand  38  may include a recess  126  for receipt of a first leg  128  of the torsion spring  125 . A second leg  129  of the torsion spring  125  may be held against rotation by the junction point  101 . To allow for this range of motion, it will be noted that the wand  38  includes a short leg  130 , as well as a long leg  132  which are joined at a substantially orthogonal angle  134 . 
     In alternative embodiments a spring bias need not be employed. For example, the trigger  124  could be equipped with a magnet (not shown) which would be attracted to another magnet (not shown) provided on the wand ring  82 . Another embodiment could employ a rotatable dial with suitable gearing (not shown) to move the wand ring between positions. Such an embodiment could be provided in pendant form for hanging purposes in that a handle and trigger would not be required. 
     In operation, it can therefore be seen that when a user grasps the bubble maker  20  by the grip  85  and the trigger  124  through an opening  136 , and squeezes the trigger  124  toward the grip  85 , the wand ring  82  moves from the central opening  102  into the bay  30 . In such a loading position, the solution  34  adheres to the ring  82  and upon being pulled from the reservoir  24  through the slot  80 , forms a soapy film across the ring  82 . In order to be removed from the reservoir  24 , the user simply needs to release the trigger  124  which allows the torsion spring  125  to bias the wand  38  into the upper or operational position. The user can then either move the bubble maker  20  to cause ambient air to move toward the soapy film and thus create a bubble, or can direct a breath of air toward the soapy film to create the bubble. Either way, the bubble forming process is substantially mechanized and automated without reliance on the skill level of the operator, and results in substantially no leakage or spillage of the solution  34 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the refill port  28  of the reservoir body  26  is closeable in the preferred embodiment with the cap  78 . The cap  78  may have a low profile so that it substantially assumes the shape of the outer circumference  40 ,  41  of the annular reservoir body  26  when closed. Cap  78  may include arcuate top  137  with first and second curved sides  138 ,  140 . The refill port  28  of the reservoir body  26  may be sealed by an elastically deformable hub  142  and shoulders  144 , integrally formed with the cap  78  which snap into the refill port  28  of the reservoir  24 . An angled ribbon  146  may be used to connect the cap  78  to the handle portion  22  at hinge  147  (FIG. 2) to promote retention, and avoid loss of the cap  78 . 
     One other feature which lends itself toward making the bubble maker  20  spill resistant, is provided in the form of a drip string  148 . The drip string  148  may be provided in the form of a protrusion of plastic extending from the wand ring  82  into the grip gutter  106 . In so doing, excess liquid draining from the ring  82  is directed to a base  150  of the ring  82 , to the drip string  148 , and ultimately into the drip gutter  106  and back to the reservoir  24 . If not for the drip string  148 , excess solution might tend to migrate along the wand  38  or simply drip from the ring  82  onto the user. While the drip string  148  may be integrally molded with the wand ring  82 , it is to be understood that in alternative embodiments, separate drip strings, including monofilament lines, can be separately attached to the wand ring  82  to serve the same function. To maintain the shape and direction of the drip string  148 , the bay  30  may include a complementary shaped recess (not shown) to receive the drip string  48  during each downward stroke. 
     From the foregoing, it will therefore be noted by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention provides a mechanized bubble maker with enhanced spill resistance. The annular reservoir, in combination with the single slot and the drip gutter, form a complete channel for direction of excess fluid from the wand ring back to the reservoir. Moreover, by mechanizing the dipping process for the wand, once the solution is provided within the reservoir, the user need not come in contact with the solution, and can consistently create a bubble forming film. 
     While the present invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrative embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and have been described herein in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.