FLOATING TOY PROJECTOR

A floating toy projector with a buoyant main body that includes an upper portion that sits above a water line in a pool of water and a lower portion that sits below the water line in the pool of water, a watertight inner space defined within the main body, a plurality of transparencies distributed across the lower portion of the main body, a light source assembly positioned within the inner space, a power supply positioned within in the inner space and electrically connected to the light source assembly, an activation switch positioned on the upper portion of the main body and electrically connected to the light source assembly, the activation switch providing for manual activation of the light source assembly and the light source assembly projecting light through the plurality of transparencies once the activation switch manually activates the light source assembly.

FIELD

This application relates to a floating toy projector and, more specifically, to a floating toy protector shown as integrated within a floating toy plane.

BACKGROUND

Toys for children are designed to be used both indoors and outdoors and in various types of environments. One specialized area of children's toys are toys designed for use in water and, more specifically, toys designed for use in a bathtub. Such toys are often used as an inducement to get children to take baths regularly and to occupy them so a supervising adult can adequately wash them. Such toys must have several common attributes, including being resilient and not easily breakable with parts that fragment and splinter as well as being sufficiently fun to engage a young child fully. The prior art discloses several toys for use by small children.

Nonetheless, there remains a need for a portable, lightweight toy that remains buoyant in a bathtub or other body of water for the enjoyment of children.

SUMMARY

A floating toy projector is provided, the floating toy projector including a main body that is buoyant, the main body including an upper portion that sits above a water line in a pool of water, and a lower portion that sits below the water line in the pool of water. An inner space is defined within the main body that is watertight and a plurality of transparencies is distributed across the lower portion of the main body. A light source assembly is positioned within the inner space of the main body and a power supply is positioned within the inner space and is electrically connected to the light source assembly. An activation switch is positioned on the upper portion of the main body and is electrically connected to the light source assembly, the activation switch providing for manual activation of the light source assembly. The light source assembly projecting light through the plurality of transparencies once the activation switch manually activates the light source assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As mentioned above, this application relates to a floating toy projector, and more specifically, to a floating toy protector integrated within a floating toy plane.

The floating toy projector disclosed herein includes a buoyant main body that may be integrated within any of multiple toy like embodiments. In the present disclosure, the main body of the floating toy projector is shown integrated within a toy plane. The integration of the main body into the toy plane embodiment disclosed herein providing for a toy plane with the structural elements and functionality of a floating toy projector, as claimed herein. The floating toy projector providing for the projection of light through a plurality of transparencies positioned on a portion of the main body that is submerged below a water line in a pool of water.

FIG. 1is an upper perspective view of a floating toy projector100according to the embodiments disclosed herein. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 1, the floating toy projector100is embodied within a floating toy plane. Specifically, in the embodiment shown inFIG. 1, the main body102is shaped as a fuselage that is integrated within the floating toy plane100. In other embodiments, the main body102may take on different shapes that conform to structural components of other floating toys while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure. As an example, the main body102may be shaped as the cylindrical main body of a toy submarine while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure. As such, other toy-like embodiments that integrate the main body102as disclosed, in one form or another, still fall within the scope of the disclosed embodiments.

The main body102may include an upper portion104and a lower portion106. The upper portion104and the lower portion106are joined together as opposing sides of the main body102. The joined upper portion104and lower portion106define an inner space108fully encompassed within the main body102. The upper portion104and the lower portion106are joined in a manner such that the inner space108is watertight. As such, the main body102remains buoyant when placed in a pool of water. The upper portion104may include a battery compartment110and an activation switch112.

FIG. 2is a lower perspective view of a floating toy projector200according to the embodiments disclosed herein. The lower portion106may include a plurality of transparencies202. Each of the plurality of the transparencies202may have a different distinct shape, or they may all have a similar shape. The plurality of transparencies202may be distributed as a specific pattern or randomly across the lower portion106. The plurality of transparencies202is designed to allow light generated from within the inner space108to project outward through each of the plurality of transparencies202as a distinct shape.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of transparencies202is shaped like fish, whales, turtles, or any other animals commonly found in the ocean.

The main body102may be composed of and formed from any waterproof material known to one of ordinary skill in the art, including plastic and metal.

FIG. 3is an exploded view of a floating toy projector300according to the embodiments disclosed herein. The battery compartment110included on the upper portion104may include a depression302formed within the upper portion104that is sized and shaped to hold a plurality of batteries304. The depression302may include a pair of battery connectors306extending from within the depression302and into the inner space108. The battery connectors306are in electrical communication with the plurality of batteries304when they are positioned within the depression302. Accordingly, the pair of battery connectors306provides electrical access to the plurality of batteries304when placed within the depression302.

The battery compartment110may further include an O-ring308and a lid310. The O-ring308is designed to sit along a perimeter312of the depression302and is composed of waterproof material. The lid310is designed to sit over the O-ring308and is removably secured to the upper portion104. The lid310and the O-ring308together cooperate to make a watertight seal that enables the depression302to remain waterproof while main body102is floating in a pool of water.

The activation switch112may be a mechanical push button switch314with a pair of switch connectors316positioned within the inner space108. The activation switch112providing a temporary electrical closure between the pair of switch connectors316while the push button switch314is manually activated.

The activation switch112may further include a watertight plunger318coupled to the upper portion104, the watertight plunger318allowing for manual activation of the mechanical push button switch314.

The inner space108may include a light source assembly320that includes a plurality of light sources322. Each of the plurality of light sources322may be positioned within the inner space108so as to project light towards the plurality of transparencies202.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of light sources322is a light-emitting diode (LED), all of the light-emitting diodes emitting the same color of light or each emitting a different color of light.

The light source assembly320may further include a first set of electrical connections324that electrically connect the light source assembly320to the battery compartment110. The first set of electrical connections324providing electrical power to the light source assembly320from the plurality of batteries304positioned within the depression302of the battery compartment110.

The light source assembly320may further include a second set of electrical connections326that electrically connect the light source assembly320to the activation switch112. The second set of electrical connections326providing a temporary electrical closure between the second set of electrical connections326while the mechanical push button switch314is manually activated.

FIG. 4is a perspective view of a floating toy projector400floating on a pool of water402according to the embodiments disclosed herein. The pool of water402may be contained within a container404, the container404including a floor406and side walls408which define the space containing the pool of water402.

The floating toy projector400floats in the pool of water402such that a majority of the lower portion106of the main body102is submerged below a water line410. It follows that a majority of the upper portion104of the main body102sits above the waterline410.

As shown, each of the plurality of transparencies202is fully submerged below the water line410of the pool of water402and each of the plurality lights322is facing down towards the floor406of the container404. A such, light generated within the inner space108by the light source assembly320is projected outward through each of the plurality of transparencies202. The projected light412emitting from the plurality of transparencies202is projected downward towards the floor406of the container404. Once the projected light412hits the floor406of the container404, a series of images shaped like each of the plurality of transparencies202is then formed on the floor406.

FIG. 5is a schematic view of a light source assembly500according to the embodiments disclosed herein. The light source assembly500may include a controlled502, a first LED504, a second LED506, a third LED508, a switch510, a power supply512, and a ground514.

The first LED504, the second LED506, and the third LED508are representative of the plurality of light sources322discusses above. The power supply512is representative of the battery compartment110discussed above. Lastly, the switch510is representative of the activation switch112discussed above.

The controller502may be an integrated circuit with a plurality of individual electrical inputs502A-502H.

Each of the first LED504, the second LED506, and third LED508may include a first cathode504A, a second cathode506A, and a third cathode508A, respectively, as well as a first anode504B, a second anode506B, and a third anode508B, respectively.

The first anode504B, the second anode506B, and the third anode508B are each electrically connected to the power supply512. The first cathode504A is electrically connected to the input502F of the controller502. The second cathode506A is electrically connected to the input502G of the controller502. The third cathode508A is electrically connected to the input502H of the controller502.

The switch510may include a first pole510A, a second pole510B, and a push-button throw510C. The first pole510A is electrically connected to the ground514. The second pole510B is electrically connected to the input502C of the controller502.

The power supply512is further electrically connected to the input502A of the controller502. The ground514is further electrically connected to the input502E of the controller502.

The controller502controls the flow of current to each of the first LED504, the second LED506, and the third LED508in response to the manual actuation of the switch510. The flow of current thought each of the first LED504, the second LED506, and the third LED508may occur simultaneously or may occur in any predefined sequence. While the embodiment shown inFIG. 5includes only three LEDs, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that any number of LEDs may be electrically connected to any number of inputs on the controller502.

The foregoing description discloses only example embodiments. Modifications of the above-disclosed assemblies and methods which fall within the scope of this disclosure will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.

This disclosure is not intended to limit the invention to the particular assemblies and/or methods disclosed, but, to the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the claims.