Abstract:
A rubber band powered toy vehicle uses the stored energy of a twisted rubber band to power a propeller during vehicle travel, either airborne flight or water borne travel. The vehicle has a slide tube attached to its underside which is slidably disposed along a main tube, the main tube having the rubber band passing therethrough. Prior to flight, the slide tube and its attached vehicle are slid rearwardly along the main tube until stopped by a positioning ring. Once the vehicle is released for travel, the rubber band untwists providing energy for rotation of the propeller. When the vehicle crashes, either during a crash landing into the ground or crashing in flight into an object, the slide tube and its attached vehicle slide forwardly along the main tube in order to act as a shock absorber for the crash in order to help protect the components of the toy.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a flying toy vehicle that uses a rubber band powered propeller and that has shock absorption capabilities for landing. 
     2. Background of the Prior Art 
     Flying toy airplanes using a rubber band as a power source has been enjoyed by kids (and adults) for many years. Basically, a toy airplane has a bearing laden shaft that holds propeller at the front with a rubber band having an end attached to the propeller and an opposing end attached proximate the aft of the airplane in appropriate fashion. The propeller is rotated in a direction opposite the direction of rotation of the propeller for flight, which rotation causes the rubber band to twist and thereby store energy. When the airplane&#39;s propeller is released and the airplane is sent aloft, the rubber band releases its stored energy by untwisting which causes the propeller to rotate and thereby power the airplane down range, allowing relatively long airborne times and flight distances to be achieved, especially for planes that use a quality, correctly sized rubber band. Once the airplane impacts an object or crash lands, the process is repeated. 
     Such powered rubber band airplane flying is considerable fun, however, certain shortcomings are noted. As it is the desire to keep the airplane airborne as long as possible, the airplane is kept as light as possible, typically being made with a thinly designed balsa wood, Styrofoam, etc. Once the airplane loses its ability to maintain level flight and to stay aloft, the airplane crashes into the ground or other surface. The impact of such a crash can be quite destructive due to a fast in air speed of flight, especially if a high altitude was achieved prior to the crash landing. Such crashes and crash landings impact considerable stress onto the airplane especially onto the flight control surfaces and the propeller shaft bent no longer spinning true, which often absorbs a large portion of the energy of the crash. Such stress can cause damage to the airplane. As these types of airplanes are made from lightweight materials the result is that the lifespan of many of these types of toys is not very long. 
     What is needed is a rubber band powered sport wing toy airplane that helps dissipate the energy of a crash landing or a crash into an object during flight so as to reduce the stress impacted onto the airplane&#39;s propeller and wing structure and thereby help increase the lifespan of the wing sport toy. Such an airplane must be made from lightweight materials so as not to adversely impact flight time and distance of the sport wing airplane toy and should be of relatively simple construction. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The rubber band powered toy vehicle of the present invention addresses the aforementioned needs in the art by providing a vehicle (which can be an airplane, a submarine for underwater use, a sports ball, a superhero sports figurine, etc.,) that uses a shock absorber to absorb the impact occasioned onto the toy during crash landings and crashes into other objects. The rubber band powered toy vehicle is lightweight yet sturdy, allowing relatively long flight times and flight distances to be achieved. The rubber band powered toy vehicle is of simple design and construction being produced using standard manufacturing techniques. The specific airplane body used with the present invention can quickly and easily removed from the engine of the toy and swapped out for a different aircraft body style or even to a different vehicle type such as a submarine body for use of the rubber band powered toy vehicle under water (the airplane body version of the vehicle can also be used under water). 
     The rubber band powered toy vehicle of the present invention is comprised of a main tube that has a forward end and an aft end. A notched connector tube is attached to the aft end of the main tube. A propeller is attached to the forward end of the main tube. A rubber band is attached to the propeller and is also attached to the connector tube, such that rotation of the propeller causes the rubber band to twist and thereby store energy. A slide tube is slidably disposed along the main tube. A vehicle is attached to the slide tube. A positioning ring encircles the main tube and is positioned between the slide tube and the aft end of the main tube and is capable of sliding along the main tube. A stabilizer tube is attached to the main tube proximate the aft end thereof while a fuselage tube is attached to the vehicle such that a portion of the stabilizer tube is received within the fuselage tube whenever the slide tube is slid toward the aft end of the main tube. The slide tube is attached to the vehicle via the fuselage tube. The vehicle may be attached to the slide tube via a clip which may be spring-loaded. A friction ring may encircle the slide tube. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the rubber band powered toy vehicle of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the rubber band powered toy vehicle with the propeller removed. 
         FIG. 3  is a lower perspective view, partially exploded, of the rubber band powered toy vehicle. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the fuselage of the rubber band powered toy vehicle using a dual ring to attach stabilizer tube to the rear connector tube. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the rubber band powered toy vehicle of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, it is seen that the rubber band powered toy vehicle of the present invention, generally denoted by reference numeral  10 , is comprised of a main tube  12  having a forward end  14  and an aft end  16 . A rear connector tube  18  having a notched portion  20  is removably attached to the aft end  16  of the main tube  12 . A stabilizer tube  22  is attached to the rear connector tube  18  in appropriate fashion such as via the use of an adhesive, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , or via a dual ring connector  24 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . A positioning ring  26  encircles the main tube  12  and is capable of sliding along the length of the main tube  12 . 
     A propeller assembly  28  has a hub  30  and a propeller  32  that is rotatably attached to the hub  30  via an appropriate bearing. A hook  34  is attached to the propeller  32  and rotates in lockstep with the propeller  32 . 
     A vehicle  36  which can have any desired form, such as the illustrated airplane (submarine, sports ball, etc.,), is provided such that a fuselage tube  38  is attached to the underside of the vehicle  36  in any appropriate fashion. A slide tube  40  is attached to the fuselage tube  38  in appropriate fashion proximate the forward end of the vehicle  36 . If the vehicle  36  is configured as an airplane  36 , I have found that the use of thin sheet flexible plastic works well for such a configuration. As the wings  42  of the aircraft tend to flop about during flight, an upper spar  44  is positioned overtop the wings  42  while a lower spar  46  is positioned underneath the wings  42 . The two spars  44  and  46  are held in close proximity to one another via the use of a small dual tubed connector  48  and are held onto the aircraft by passing the lower spar  46  through a pair of openings  50  located on the sides of either wing  42 . Of course, other airplane configurations can be used including swept wing, straight wing, bi-wing, etc. As noted earlier, the vehicle may have configurations other than an aircraft configuration such as a submarine for underwater use, a sports ball such as a football, a flying disk, etc., the main consideration be that the vehicle is relatively lightweight and aerodynamic for airborne flight or hydrodynamic for water travel. 
     The various tubes, including the main tube  12 , the connector tube  18 , the stabilizer tube  22 , the fuselage tube  38  and the slide tube  40  can be made from a thin plastic and can be made using ordinary straws with the connector tube  18  being an end of a typical spoon straw. The positioning ring  26  is a rubber O-ring. 
     In order to assemble the rubber band powered toy vehicle  10  of the present invention, the vehicle  36  is attached to the main tube  12  by sliding the slide tube  40  onto the main tube  12  via the main tube&#39;s forward end  14 . The vehicle  36  is slid along the main tube  12  until the fuselage tube  38  receives a portion of the stabilizer tube  22 . The positioning ring  26  acts as a stop for the vehicle  36  along the main tube  12 . A rubber band  52  is attached to the hook  34  of the propeller assembly  28  and the rubber band  52  passed through the main tube  12 . The propeller assembly  28  is attached to the forward end  14  of the main tube  12  by capping the hub  30  into the forward end  14  of the main tube  12  with the hook  30  and its attached rubber band  52  within the main tube  12 , the hub  30  being held within the main tube  12  via friction. The rear connector tube  18  is attached to the aft end  16  of the main tube  12  and the rubber band  52  is attached to the connector tube  18  in appropriate fashion, such as tying or twisting the rubber band  52  within the notch  20  of the connector tube  18 —it is expressly recognized that the rubber band  52  can be attached to the rubber band powered toy vehicle  10  via means other than the use of a connector tube  18 . The rubber band  52  is sized to correspond to the length of the main tube  12 . The rubber band powered toy vehicle  10  is ready for use. The propeller  32  is rotated in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the propeller  32  during flight. Rotation of the propeller  32  causes the rubber band  52  to twist and thereby store energy. Once the rubber band  52  is sufficiently twisted, the rubber band powered toy vehicle  10  is released, typically by throwing the rubber band powered toy vehicle  10  if it is being used for airborne flight or simply being released for water borne travel. As the rubber band powered toy vehicle  10  is released, the rubber band  52  begins to untwist causing the propeller  32  to rotate and thereby power the rubber band powered toy vehicle  10  through its travel. The stabilizer tube  22  being partially received within the fuselage tube  38  helps steady the vehicle  36  during travel and prevent vehicle roll about the main tube  12 . Once the rubber band powered toy vehicle  10 , in airborne flight, loses its lift it crashes to the ground or simply crashes into an object during flight. The impact of the crash causes the slide tube  40  and its attached mass of the vehicle  36  and the fuselage tube  38  to slide forward along the main tube  12  until stopped by the propeller assembly  28  (or even pushing the propeller assembly  28  out of its attachment with the main tube  12 ) thereby absorbing a sizable portion of the crash energy and helping protect the components of the rubber band powered toy vehicle  10 . The sliding of the slide tube  40  along the main tube  12  during the crash event also causes the fuselage tube  38  to frictionally slide along the positioning ring further helping dissipate the energy of the crash. Thereafter, the slide tube  38  is slid back along the main tube  12  toward the aft end  16  thereof, until stopped by the positioning ring  26 . The position of the positioning ring  26  can be adjusted as needed based on determining the ideal position of the vehicle  36  along the main tube  12  which can be determined via a few test flights. When the rubber band  52  breaks, the broken rubber band  52  is detached from the connector tube  18  and unhooked from the hook  34  of the propeller assembly  28  and replaced with a new rubber band  52 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 5 , in an alternate embodiment of the rubber band powered toy vehicle  110  of the present invention, a main tube  112  has a forward end  114  and an aft end  116 . A rear connector tube  118  having a notched portion  120  is removably attached to the aft end  116  of the main tube  112 . A positioning ring  126  encircles the main tube  112  and is capable of sliding along the length of the main tube  112 . 
     A propeller assembly  128  has a hub  130  and a propeller  132  that is rotatably attached to the hub  130  via an appropriate bearing. A hook  134  is attached to the propeller  132  and rotates in lockstep with the propeller  132 . 
     A vehicle  136  which can have any desired form, such as the illustrated paper airplane (submarine, sports ball, etc.,), is provided such that a fuselage tube  138  is attached to a slide tube  140  in appropriate fashion. A clip  154  is attached to the fuselage tube (strictly speaking, the fuselage tube  138  is not needed and the clip  154  can be attached directly to the slide tube  140 , however, the use of a fuselage tube  138  raises the vehicle  136  a sufficient height above the main tube  112  and helps prevent contact between the two during flight and during crashes). A friction ring  156  encircles the slide tube  140  and acts as a friction point to help control pre-set flight position. When the rubber band powered toy vehicle  110  crashes, the friction ring  156  controls the release impact inertia of the crash and helps prevent damage to the rubber band powered toy vehicle  110 . 
     The various tubes, including the main tube  112 , the connector tube  118 , the fuselage tube  138  and the slide tube  140  can be made from a thing sheet plastic and can be made using ordinary straws with the connector tube  118  being an end of a typical spoon straw. The positioning ring  126  and the friction ring  156  are each rubber O-rings. 
     In order to assemble the alternate embodiment of the rubber band powered toy vehicle  110  of the present invention, the vehicle  136  is attached to the main tube  112  by sliding the slide tube  140  onto the main tube  112  via the main tube&#39;s forward end  114  and clipping a vehicle  136  to the fuselage tube  138  (or to the slide tube  140 ) via the clip  154 . The vehicle  136  is slid along the main tube  112  until stopped by the positioning ring  126 . A rubber band  152  is attached to the hook  134  of the propeller assembly  128  and the rubber band  152  is passed through the main tube  112 . The propeller assembly  128  is attached to the forward end  114  of the main tube  112  by capping the hub  130  into the forward end  114  of the main tube  112  with the hook  130  and its attached rubber band  152  within the main tube  112 , the hub  130  being held within the main tube  112  via friction. The rear connector tube  118  is attached to the aft end  116  of the main tube  112  and the rubber band  152  is attached to the connector tube  118  in appropriate fashion, such as tying or twisting the rubber band  152  within the notch  120  of the connector tube  118 —it is expressly recognized that the rubber band  152  can be attached to the rubber band powered toy vehicle  110  via means other than the use of the connector tube  118 . The rubber band  152  is sized to correspond to the length of the main tube  112 . The rubber band powered toy vehicle  110  is ready for use. The propeller  132  is rotated in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the propeller  132  during flight. Rotation of the propeller  132  causes the rubber band  152  to twist and thereby store energy. Once the rubber band  152  is sufficiently twisted, the rubber band powered toy vehicle  110  is released, typically by throwing the rubber band powered toy vehicle  110  if it is being used for airborne flight or simply being released for water borne travel. As the rubber band powered toy vehicle  110  is released, the rubber band  152  begins to untwist causing the propeller  132  to rotate and thereby power the rubber band powered toy vehicle  110  through its travel. Once the rubber band powered toy vehicle  110  in airborne flight loses its lift, it crashes to the ground or simply crashes into an object during flight. The impact of the crash causes the slide tube  140  and its attached mass of the vehicle  136  and the fuselage tube  138  to slide forward along the main tube  112  until stopped by the propeller assembly  128  (or even pushing the propeller assembly  128  out of its attachment with the main tube  112 ) thereby absorbing a sizable portion of the crash energy and helping protect the components of the rubber band powered toy vehicle  110 . Thereafter, the slide tube  138  is slid back along the main tube  112  toward the aft end  116  thereof, until stopped by the positioning ring  126 . The position of the positioning ring  126  can be adjusted as needed based on determining the ideal position of the vehicle  136  along the main tube  112  which can be determined via a few test flights. When the rubber band  152  breaks, the broken rubber band  152  is detached from the connector tube  118  and unhooked from the hook  134  of the propeller assembly  128  and replaced with a new rubber band  152 . 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.