Apparatus and method for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun

An apparatus for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun is provided. The apparatus includes a dart sensor lever, a linkage, a transmission mechanism between the dart sensor lever and the linkage, and a pivot attached to the gun body. The dart sensor lever is linked with the pivot so that it will swing around the pivot. The transmission mechanism is linked with the linkage, which causes the linkage to move. Other modifications and features suitable for practice therewith, and methods and means of operating the device, are also disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a), the instant application claims priority to prior Hong Kong application number 11104743.9, filed May 13, 2011; and People's Republic of China application number 201110124281.0, filed May 13, 2011.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a transmission apparatus and a transmission method, more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As toy guns loaded with foam darts are with fun and safety, they are popular with children. The foam darts usually have separate darts and barrels. After being loaded into the barrels, the darts together with the barrels are then loaded into the magazines. In the prior art, in order to re-load new darts, a player has to take out the magazine and release the barrel when all the darts have been fired. The solution has drawbacks that such cumbersome procedures may affect the game progress and emotion of the players when they are in the exciting game with the toy gun. However, since there are darts in the barrels or not, only barrels are not enough for the toy guns. If the barrels with darts are ejected, it will cost the waste of darts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun, which is capable of detecting whether or not there is a dart in the barrel, aiming at the drawbacks that darts can be wasted since a barrel with a dart may be ejected during the ejection of the barrel in the prior art.

An apparatus for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun is provided, which comprises a dart sensor lever, a linkage, a transmission mechanism between the dart sensor lever and the linkage, and a pivot attached to the gun body; wherein, the dart sensor lever is linked with the pivot to swing around it, and the transmission mechanism is linked with the linkage for driving the linkage to move.

In the apparatus for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun according to the embodiment of the present invention, a contacting end of the dart sensor lever is linked to the transmission mechanism while a free end of the dart sensor lever droops at the position where the head part of the dart in the barrel is located.

In the apparatus for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun according to the embodiment of the present invention, the contacting end of the dart sensor lever is provided with a hook and the transmission mechanism is provided with a corresponding groove coordinating with the hook.

In the apparatus for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun according to the embodiment of the present invention, the transmission mechanism is a connecting rod which is linked to the contacting end of the dart sensor lever.

In the apparatus for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun according to the embodiment of the present invention, the contacting end of the dart sensor lever leans to the transmission mechanism; and the contacting surface of the transmission mechanism is an inclined plane.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun, wherein, the above mentioned apparatus is utilized in the method; when a free end of a dart sensor lever is lapped with a dart, the method comprises the following steps:

the free end of the dart sensor lever is moved by the dart so that the dart sensor lever swings around a pivot;

a contacting end of the dart sensor lever presses a transmission mechanism linked therewith so as to move the transmission mechanism;

the transmission mechanism drives a linkage linked therewith to move so as to transmit the information whether or not there is a dart in the barrel.

The advantageous effects of the present invention are: with the apparatus and the method for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun according to the present invention, a barrel with a dart therein will not be ejected out by mistake, while just an empty barrel will be ejected out.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, in order to make the objectives, technical solution and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments herein are only provided for explanation purpose instead of limiting the present invention. Reference should now be made to the drawings, in which the same reference numerals are used throughout the different drawings to designate the same or similar components.

As shown inFIGS. 1 to 3B, only for illustrating purpose, an apparatus for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun and the toy gun with the apparatus for detecting the dart in a barrel thereof according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown inFIG. 1. Referring toFIG. 1, the apparatus for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun comprises a dart sensor lever10, a linkage20, a transmission mechanism30and a pivot40. Wherein, the pivot is fixed and attached to the gun body; the dart sensor lever10is linked with the pivot40to swing around it. The transmission mechanism30is arranged between the dart sensor lever10and the linkage20and is also linked with the linkage20for driving the linkage20to move.

The free end120, which is close to one side of the pivot40, of the dart sensor lever10droops freely at the position where the head part of the dart3in the barrel is located. The barrel2station in the magazine is located close to the barrel2station in the gun barrel1and is in front of the bullet station in the gun barrel1in the rotation direction of the magazine.

The contacting end110, which is corresponding to the free end120and close to the other side of the pivot40, of the dart sensor lever10is linked to the transmission mechanism30. The specific link type, which depends on the structures of both the transmission mechanism30and the corresponding contacting end110, can be contacting link, snap-fits or fixed connection, and so on.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B, a hook is provided at the tail end of the contacting end110of the dart sensor lever10, while a groove coordinating with the hook is provided in the transmission mechanism30. As the hook inserts into the corresponding groove, a snap-fits is formed between the contacting end110and the transmission mechanism30. As shown inFIG. 2A, when the free end120of the dart sensor lever10is not lapped with a dart3, the free end120droops freely without the effect of an external force. As shown inFIG. 2B, when the free end120of the dart sensor lever10is lapped with a dart3, the free end120may deviate from its original location and tilt upward with the dart3pressing against the free end120, so as to make the dart sensor lever10begin to swing around the pivot40. Then during the swing, the dart sensor lever10drives the contacting end110to press downward in order to make the hook arranged at the tail end of the contacting end110pull down the transmission mechanism30in the groove arranged in the transmission mechanism30. In the process of pulling down, the transmission mechanism30may move downward subsequently and its position may be lowered correspondingly, causing the linkage20linked therewith to move downward along with it finally. When the free end120of the dart sensor lever10is not lapped with a dart3again, the free end120of the dart sensor lever10may revert to the state of drooping freely, and the external force on the transmission mechanism30applied by the contacting end110has been removed. As a result, the transmission mechanism30may return to its original location; meanwhile, the linkage20may return to its original location as well.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, the transmission mechanism30is provided as a connecting rod, one end of which is linked with the contacting end110of the dart sensor lever10and the other end of which is linked with the linkage20. As shown inFIG. 3A, when the free end120of the dart sensor lever10is not lapped with a dart, the free end120droops freely. As shown inFIG. 3B, when the free end120of the dart sensor lever10is lapped with a dart, as described above, the pressure upward by the dart may be transmitted to the linkage20through the swing of the dart sensor lever10and the transmission of the transmission mechanism30as the connecting rod.

In the third embodiment of the present invention, as shown inFIGS. 4A and 4B, the contacting end110may be contacting linked with the transmission mechanism30and the contacting surface of the transmission mechanism30is an inclined plane. As shown inFIG. 4A, when the free end120of the dart sensor lever10is not lapped with a dart, the free end120droops freely and the contacting end110leans to the inclined plane of the transmission mechanism30. As shown inFIG. 4B, when the free end120of the dart sensor lever110is lapped with a dart, under the pressure upward by the dart, the free end120may deviate from its original location and tilt upward, so that the dart sensor lever10may begin to swing around the pivot40. Then during the swing, the contacting end110is driven to press against the inclined plane of the transmission mechanism30. As the contacting surface of the transmission mechanism30is an inclined plane, the pressure induced by pressing, which is perpendicular to the inclined plane, may have a component in the upward direction. Thus, under the pressure of the contacting end110, the transmission mechanism30along with the linkage20in fixed connection with it may move upward together. When the free end120of the dart sensor lever10is not lapped with a dart, the free end120of the dart sensor lever10droops freely, and the pressure on the transmission mechanism30applied by the contacting end110has been removed, so the transmission mechanism30and the linkage20may return to its original location, respectively.

Three kinds of exemplary structures of the transmission mechanism30have been illustrated above. Of course, other transmission mechanisms can be utilized for the apparatus for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun in the embodiment of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments described herein are provided for illustrative purpose, and not limiting. Other exemplary embodiments are possible, and modification may be made to the exemplary embodiments within the spirit and scope of the invention.

In a method for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun according to the embodiment of the present invention, when the free end120of the dart sensor lever10is lapped with a dart3, the apparatus for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun as described above may be utilized to perform the following steps:

the free end120of the dart sensor lever10is lifted upward by the dart3, so that the dart sensor lever10swings around a pivot40;

a contacting end110of the dart sensor lever10is driven to press downward a transmission mechanism30linked therewith so as to move the transmission mechanism30;

the transmission mechanism30begins to drive a linkage20linked therewith to move.

When the free end120of the dart sensor lever10is not lapped with a dart, each component may be in a free state without the effect an external force. As a result, no movements may occur.

It can be found from above that whether or not there is a dart3in a corresponding barrel2to be ejected can be detected by providing an apparatus for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun in the toy gun and utilizing the corresponding method for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun. Specifically, the dart3in the barrel2to be ejected may press against the dart sensor lever10so as to drive it to swing. After the effect of pressing has been transmitted to a transmission mechanism30linked with the dart sensor lever10through swinging, the transmission mechanism30may be driven to move correspondingly. During the moving, the transmission mechanism30may drive a linkage20linked therewith to move together with it. Finally, the information of which whether or not there is a dart in the barrel2to be ejected may be transmitted to other components in the toy gun, so that the ejection of the barrel2may be implemented. As a result, when the apparatus for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun has been provided in the toy gun and the corresponding method for detecting the dart in a barrel of a toy gun has been utilized as well, a barrel with a dart therein will not be ejected out by mistake.