Abstract:
A flying disc of predetermined diameter and thickness, made of lightweight, deformable material, comprising flat surfaces whereby messages and images may be displayed, having a weight adjacent to its leading edge to direct the flight thereof and a stabilizing baffle near its trailing edge.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention relates generally to toys and amusement devices and more particularly to a toy flying disc which may be used to display advertising graphics and text. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Prior Art 
         [0005]    There is always a need for an effective and inexpensive marketing tool. A simple to produce and imprint, very lightweight flying disc, that maximizes the printable surface area while providing the excitement and attention getting properties of a flying toy fills that need. The disc is inexpensive to ship because of its light weight and the stackable nature of flat discs. The depending hook and weight can be shipped separately, and fixed upon the disc by the user. A further advantage of light weight is realized in that it minimizes damage to objects or harm to persons it might impact. The present invention provides a very lightweight flying disc which is easily manufactured and inexpensively shipped. It provides maximum surface areas for displaying text and graphics and is easily imprinted. When a flat magnet is used as its ballast, the disc can be attached to steel surfaces such as a refrigerator, thereby displaying the advertising message, and further enhancing the usefulness and value of my disc. 
         [0006]    Little attention has been given to providing improved advertising capabilities of flying toys. Flying disc toys described in the prior art or currently available have been improved for flight characteristics, which improvements complicate the imprinting of surfaces or reduce the area of the surfaces. Some improvements to flight characteristics complicate the manufacture of the object or increase packaging and shipping costs. 
         [0007]    There are references to such prior art including: 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,518 issued to LeBaron teaches an annular disc with an arcurate edge and whose preferred embodiment has the interior of the wing is removed, thereby creating an annular shape. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,885 issued to Morrow discloses a disc made of foamed resilient synthetic materials having a specific density and with the diameter being about six times the thickness with a beveled edge. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,672 issued to Milzoff et al. discloses a flexible flying disc constructed of various textile materials. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,226 issued to Stauffer teaches a flying disc toy of fabric material, whereby an advertising message or the like may be printed thereon, and a shape defining ring and rim. 
         [0012]    A commercially available product, the Geobat Sling Saucer www.geobat.com, relies on cutting out interior sections of the wing to achieve stable flight. 
         [0013]    LeBaron&#39;s disc most closely resembles my invention. Its manufacture is complicated by its knife edge periphery, which would require a mold or process for forming this tapering edge. When the disc comprises an annular shape, it requires a substantially different configuration and is unsuitable for advertising means. 
         [0014]    Their claimed central weight portion further complicates its manufacture as the weight would have to be incorporated internally during the process or added after the forming of the disc. This is certainly the case if the the body is dome shaped, to insure aerodynamic stability of the unit as described in one embodiment. The dome shape would require expensive molds to produce the requisite substantially smooth curves. Though it is not sufficiently explained, one presumes that the dome either encloses the weight required to stabilize the flight of the disc or is itself the weight. In any case, the disc would be heavier and bulkier than the disc of my invention. Distortion of the surface by a dome or added central weight is not advantageous for imprinting or for adhering self-adhesive labels. It is more expensive to ship because of the increased bulk and weight. The additional weight created by this central ballast also makes the disc more likely to damage objects or harm humans. In fact, the claimed weight at or near the forward edge of the craft is described as positioned slightly rearwardly of the leading edge of the craft to prevent damage to objects. 
         [0015]    Turning our attention to a fabric disc as taught by Milzoff and again by Stauffer it is quickly realized that fabric alone is too flexible to maintain a disc shape and requires a means of defining and maintaining a disc shape, such as a defining rim, which is more complicated to manufacture, requiring more parts and more processes. 
         [0016]    The addition of a rim further complicates the manufacture requiring forming of individual units or a process to attach a rim. All discs with a perpendicular rim are bulkier and therefore more expensive to ship and printing on the disc surface is made more complicated or may be limited to certain printing methods, such as silk-screening. Furthermore, discs using perpendicular rims rely on rotational energy to sustain flight and. 
         [0017]    Further, discs that rely on removal of interior sections of the wing to stabilize flight reduce the surface area available for imprinting or adhering labeling. 
         [0018]    Further considering LeBaron&#39;s embodiments, when the body is ring shaped then the surface area available for advertising messages is substantially reduced, making it unsuitable as a means for advertising. 
         [0019]    This technique of removing interior portions of a disc body to stabilize flight is discovered in other prior art references as well as Geobat Sling Saucer. 
         [0020]    The ability to print one or both surfaces prior to cutting the disc from a Styrofoam sheet makes the printing and fabrication processes simpler, requiring fewer steps and no molding, stitching or forming processes. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    The disc of my invention is a lightweight flying disc toy. Principal features of the invention include its circular wing configuration; a flat weight affixed to the top surface near the leading edge; and a baffle formed by bending the flexible, deformable material, near the trailing edge, transverse to the direction of flight. A depending hook can be attached or formed on a lower surface of the circular wing, at or near the forward or leading edge of the craft, if launching with an elastic band is desired. Directional stability is provided by the small forward weight and lateral stability is provided by the transverse baffle. 
       OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
       [0022]    Accordingly, objects and advantages of my invention are a flying disc: 
         [0023]    that is very lightweight, requiring only a small ballast to direct the path of flight; 
         [0024]    that is inexpensive to manufacture being easily to die-cut from Styrofoam sheet without forming or molding; 
         [0025]    that is easy to imprint prior to cutting; 
         [0026]    that provides a large surface area for imprinting or adhering advertising; 
         [0027]    that provides a flat surface to which printed, self-adhesive labels can be easily affixed without distortion; 
         [0028]    that can be affixed to a steel surface when a flat magnet weight is incorporated, thereby making it a valuable marketing device. 
         [0029]    that is inexpensive to ship, not requiring bulky packaging; 
         [0030]    that is simple to assemble in the field when a hook and launching means are desired, thereby reducing cost to the consumer; 
         [0031]    that is simple to operate; 
         [0032]    that can be deployed without a launching means by dropping from high rise buildings, rooftops, bridges or even aircraft; 
         [0033]    that can be repeatedly launched by hand with the addition of the depending hook and launching means; 
         [0034]    that does not require rotation to maintain stable flight; 
         [0035]    that can be a useful tool for examining characteristics of flying objects and may therefore be considered as a valuable teaching aid; 
         [0036]    Further objects and advantages are to provide a disc which is useful and valuable as an advertising means, novelty toy, and educational device. 
         [0037]    Accordingly, the preferred embodiments described herein fulfill these objectives. 
         [0038]    Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description. 
     
    
     
       DRAWING FIGURES 
         [0039]      FIG. 1  shows a top perspective view of various aspects of the craft showing the adhered weight, adhered hook, and linear indentation. 
           [0040]      FIG. 2  shows a bottom perspective view of various aspects of the craft showing the adhered weight, adhered hook, and linear indentation. 
           [0041]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view with deployed baffle. 
           [0042]      FIG. 4  shows a side elevation view with deployed baffle. 
           [0043]      FIGS. 5A &amp; 5B  show side elevation views of the craft with alternative means of affixing a hook. 
           [0044]      FIG. 6  shows the method of operation using an elastic band. 
       
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS 
       [0000]    
       
           8  craft 
           10  lower surface 
           12  upper surface 
           14  trailing edge 
           16  leading edge 
           18  hook 
           20  linear indentation 
           22  baffle 
           24  weight 
           26  elastic band 
           28  clasp assembly 
       
     
       DESCRIPTION 
     FIGS.  1 - 4 —Preferred Embodiment 
       [0056]    In the illustrated embodiment of  FIGS. 1-4 , there is shown a craft  8  having an upper surface  12  and lower surface  10 . At a point near the trailing edge  14 , a linear indentation  20  is formed in the upper surface  12  such that the rearmost portion of the disc can be bent upwardly, forming a baffle  22 , transverse to the direction of flight. In the preferred embodiment, a flat magnet, comprising the weight  24 , is affixed near the leading edge  16 , on the upper surface  12  of the craft  8 . 
         [0057]    In another embodiment, a depending hook  18  is positioned near the leading edge  16  of the craft  8  and attached to the lower surface  10  of the craft  8 , opposite the weight  24 . 
         [0058]    Although other suitable, lightweight materials could be used, it is presently preferred that the body of the craft  8  be made of Styrofoam, such as that commonly found in disposable dinnerware. 
         [0059]    In the preferred embodiment the disc is cut from a Hefty® Disposable Dinnerware Plate 2 mm thick. A self-adhesive depending hook  18  manufactured by 3M® is attached to one surface of the craft  8  near the leading edge  16 . On the opposite surface, near the trailing edge  14  of the craft  8 , and perpendicular to the axis of the depending hook  18 , a linear indentation  20  is formed across the surface. A small piece (approximately ¾ square inch×2 millimeters) of self-adhesive, magnetic material, serving as a weight  24  (such as that sold by Magnetic Specialty Co. of Marietta, Ohio) is attached on the upper surface  12  of the craft  8 , opposite to the the lower surface  10  which holds the depending hook  18 . 
       FIG.  5 - 6 —Alternative Embodiments 
       [0060]    In another embodiment, the depending hook  18  resembles jaws that grip the upper surface  12  and lower surface  10  of the craft  8  between the jaws. 
         [0061]    In another embodiment the depending hook  18  and weight  24  are formed integrally with the craft  8 . 
       FIG.  6 —Operation 
       [0062]    To use the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 1  the operator first slightly bends the baffle  22  hingedly upward at the linear indentation  20 . 
         [0063]    Secure an elastic band  26  to the depending hook  18 . Grasp the trailing edge  14  of the craft  8  with one hand, and the end of an elastic band  26  with the other hand. The hands can then be moved apart until the elastic band  26  is sufficiently stretched, at which time the craft  8  can be released. The retracting elastic band  26  will project the craft  8  such that the leading edge  16  is at all times forward. 
       CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE 
       [0064]    The reader will understand that the disc of the invention is useful as a novelty toy or, when bearing imprinted graphics and indica, can be advantageously used in advertising programs. For example, the simple embodiment might be launched where crowds may gather, dropping them from a height and allowing the disc to descend by gravity towards the crowd. Further excitement is created when the disc is launched by use of the preferred embodiment, where the disc is propelled from the hand using the elastic band. When assembled with a flat magnet affixed to the upper surface, the disc can be attached to a steel surface such as a refrigerator door, where the advertising message on the lower surface is always visible. The disc provides large surface areas for the display of advertising, whether printed directly on the disc or on self-adhesive labels. The disc is easily manufactured and inexpensively shipped unassembled. It is easily stored on a steel surface when a magnet is attached, and advertising remains advantageously visible. 
         [0065]    Although preferred forms of my flying disc have been herein disclosed, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is by way of example, and that variations are possible, without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, which subject matter I regard as my invention.