Manually pivoting wings on a toy airplane

An embodiment of the invention includes a flying vehicle having a fuselage, a pair of wings, the ability to manually apply a force against a portion of the wings causing the leading edge of each wing to sweep outwardly, the ability to mechanically holding the wings in a predetermined swept position, and the ability to bias the wings towards an initial inwardly swept position. A launcher rod with a rubber band is used to launch the vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The background of the invention relates to flying toys. Flying toys have been developed for many years. Flying toys may have different flying characteristics, depending on the sweep of the wings. The wings can be slightly swept, moderately swept or highly swept. The slightly swept wing is designs to create more drag and is idea for gliding and slower speeds, the moderately swept wing designed for commercial jetliners and cruising airplanes, while the highly swept wing is designed for faster aircraft, like modern jet fights. The ability to have a single flying toy capable of various wing swept designs would be highly desirable and thus there is a need to provide for the same.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides for numerous embodiments, of which of few are summarized. Numerous other advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings.

In a first embodiment there is provided a flying vehicle having a fuselage, a pair of wings, a means for manually applying a force against the a portion of the wings causing the leading edge of each wing to sweep outwardly, a means for mechanically holding the wings in a predetermined swept position, and a means for biasing the wings towards an initial inwardly swept position.

The fuselage may be further defined to include a top fuselage section and a bottom fuselage section. The top fuselage section has a tail section and a head section. The tail section has a knob extending rearwardly therefrom, and the head section further includes a pair of rods extending between the top and bottom fuselage sections. The fuselage further including a means for securing the bottom fuselage section and the head section of the top fuselage section to each other.

The wings are defined to each have a leading edge and a front end extending from a portion of the leading edge. The front end includes an opening sized to receive a rod, of the pair of rods. The front end further includes a rack with teeth, wherein when the wings are positioned on the rods the teeth align to mesh with each other. The front end further includes a notch adjacent thereto positioned to accommodate the securing means therethrough. Each wing further includes a terminal edge defined about each front end of the wing. The means for manually applying a force against the terminal edges of each front end of the wings towards the tail section of the fuselage is provided such that the wings pivot about the rods, causing the leading edge of each wing to sweep outwardly.

The means for securing the bottom fuselage section and the head section of the top fuselage section to each other may be defined as providing a centered opening in the top fuselage sized to receive a pin extending from the bottom fuselage section.

In another embodiment of the present invention the bottom fuselage section may further include a base having the pin extending therefrom to secure to the top fuselage section and the pair of rods extending therefrom to secure through the openings in the ends of the wings. In addition thereto, the bottom fuselage section may include a curved sectional member positioned at one end of the base. The curved section member includes a pair of opposing flanges extending inwardly across a portion of base. The wings when secured about the pair of rods have the terminal edges of each wing extend into the curved sectional member.

The means for manually applying a force against the terminal edges of each front end of the wings towards the tail section of the fuselage may be defined as including a helix screw, a nose cone, and an intermediate nose section. The helix screw has a circular end and a helical thread extending from the circular end. The circular end is positioned in the curved sectional member of the bottom fuselage section adjacent the terminal edges of each wing. The helical thread includes a key portion extending therefrom. The nose cone has a notch sized to receive the key portion such that the helix screw and nose cone a secured to each other and rotate as a single component. The intermediate nose section is positioned between the circular end of the helix screw and the nose cone. The intermediate nose section also includes an intermediate end secured to the top and bottom fuselage sections and includes a circular section extending from the intermediate end. The circular section is bored there-through accommodating the helical thread. Internally, the circular section further includes a projection permitting the helical thread to ride upwardly and downwardly through the circular section. As such when the nose cone is rotated, the helix screw rides through the intermediate nose section such that the circular end applies a force against the terminal edges of the wings causing the leading edge of each wing to sweep outwardly.

The means for mechanically holding the wings in a predetermined swept position may be defined by having at least one groove positioned on an interior surface of the nose cone and a detent positioned on an exterior surface of the circular section of the intermediate nose section. When the nose cone is rotated the at least one groove moves to engage the detent setting the wings in a predetermined swept position.

The means for biasing the wings towards an initial inwardly swept position may be defined by having a pair of springs, separately positioned about a rod, of the pair of rods. Each spring has one end positioned against one of the flanges and having another end positioned against a rail extending downwardly from the leading edge of the wing.

The means for manually launching the flying vehicle may be defined as providing a hook extending downwardly from the bottom fuselage portion, a launcher rod having a handle and a tip extending from a top portion thereof; and an elastic band being positioned about the tip and about the hook. A user is able to hold the handle in one hand and grasp the knob of the vehicle in the other hand, is able to pull the two away from each other, and is able to release the knob launching the vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

While the invention is susceptible to embodiments in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described herein, in detail, the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the spirit or scope of the invention and/or the embodiments illustrated.

Referring now toFIGS. 1-12, there is shown an flying vehicle100assembled from various components that will be further discussed below. The flying vehicle100include manually pivoting wings110that may be manually adjusted and locked into a position before flying. The wings110once positioned will stay in their position during the duration of the flight and until the user manually pivots the wings to a different position. As noted above, the position of the wings110may be moved to different swept positions, such as, slightly swept110A, moderately swept110B, or highly swept1100. The highly swept110C may also be a position similar to a closed position used for storage or packaging in the stores because the profile becomes very streamlined narrow and easy to package and transport.

The vehicle110includes a top fuselage section120with a tail section122and a head section130. The tail section122has a pair of extending rear elevators124and a vertical stabilizer126designed conventionally to help stabilize the flight of the vehicle100. A flat knob128is further provided behind the tail section122designed to be grasped by a user while the wings are being moved and during launching of the vehicle. The head section130includes a pair of female receivers132adapted to accommodate male pins115extending from a bottom fuselage section140. It being well noted that the male and female components can be reversed without changing the scope of the invention, as these male and female components only serve as a means for pivotally capturing an end112of the wings. The head section130further includes a centered opening134sized to receive a pin142extending from the bottom fuselage section140to aid in securing the top fuselage section120thereto.

To pivotally capture each wing110, an end112of the wing includes an opening114sized to receive the male pins115extending. The end112of each wing further includes a rack116with teeth that mesh to wings110together, such that the movement of the wings are simultaneous and even helping to prevent one wing to be at a swept angle different then the other wing. Nearly adjacent to the end112of each wing is a notch118that permits each wing to pivot towards the center with a space to accommodate the pin142connecting the top fuselage section120to the bottom section member140.

The bottom fuselage section140includes a base144with the extending pin142to secure to the top fuselage section120and openings143to receive the male pins115which secure through the openings114in the wings110. At one end of the base144, the bottom fuselage section140further includes a curved sectional member146with a pair of opposing flanges148extending inwardly towards the base144. Lastly the bottom fuselage section140has a hook200extending from the lower end149thereof. The curved section member146of the bottom fuselage section140accommodates a portion of the circular end152defined in the helix screw150.

The helix screw150includes the circular end152and a helical thread154that extends around a finger156extending from the circular end152. The finger156further includes a key158sized to fit within a notch182in a nose cone180. The end159of the finger156is secured to the nose cone180with the projecting key158fitting within the notch182, such that when the nose cone180rotates the helix screw150also rotates. The nose cone180further includes a number of grooves184spaced around the perimeter thereof. The grooves184are positioned to engage a detent172extending from an intermediate nose section170.

The intermediate nose section170is positioned between the helix screw150and nose cone180and includes one end172secured to the top fuselage and bottom fuselage sections120and140. The intermediate nose section170includes a circular section174extending from the end172and bored through to accommodate the helical thread154of the helix screw150. Inside the bored circular section174is a projection176sized such that the thread154can ride around the projection176and move upwardly and downwardly through the intermediate nose section170. Externally positioned on the circular section174is a detent178which fits into the grooves184on the nose cone180when the nose cone180is rotated an alignment between one of the grooves184and the detent is achieved. This as explained below also locks the position of the wings in one of the predetermined swept positioned.

When assembly, the wings110are pivotally secured between the top and bottom fuselage sections with the racks116engaged with each other. As the nose cone180is turned, the helix screw150will turn and slide through the intermediate nose section180about the projection176that is internal to the circular section175. Moving through the intermediate nose section180, the helix screw180will also move the circular end152through the curved section member146of the bottom fuselage section140. The circular end152is also positioned against a terminal edge190at the end of the rack116. When the circular end152is moved towards the wings, the circular end152pushes the terminal edges190causes the wings to pivot to a greater swept position. Once the detent178is aligned with one of the grooves184in the nose cone180, the wings lock into position. With a slight force in the continued rotation, the detent178will move out of alignment and will be allowed to move to another groove.

While rotation in one direction will cause the circular end to move towards the wings, conversely, when the circular end is moved away from the wings, the terminal edge190needs to maintain contact with the circular end. This is accomplished with springs192separately biasing the wings towards the center, thereby acting to move the terminal edges towards the nose cone or the wings to its initial folded or highly swept position.

The springs192are positioned around the male pins extending from the bottom fuselage section140and include two opposing ends. The first end194is positioned against the opposing flange148defined by the curved sectional member146and the second end196is positioned against a rail198, which extends downwardly from a leading edge of the wing110.

When assembled, the user can rotate the nose cone to position the wings in a desired swept position. A launcher rod210is provided with a handle215and a tip220extending from the top portion. A rubber band225or elastic band can be positioned about the tip and the hook200. A user can hold the handle215in one hand and grasp the knob128in the other hand. Pulling the two away from each other, the rubber band225will stretch storing a large amount of potential energy. Once the knob is released, the rubber band225transfers the potential energy in the rubber band to kinetic energy of the flying vehicle allowing it to fly through the air.

It should be further stated the specific information shown in the drawings but not specifically mentioned above may be ascertained and read into the specification by virtue of a simple study of the drawings. Moreover, the invention is also not necessarily limited by the drawings or the specification as structural and functional equivalents may be contemplated and incorporated into the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concept of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific methods and apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.