Abstract:
The lower portion ( 12 ) of a water toy ( 10 ) is buoyant and floats on a body of water (FIG.  1 ). An upper portion ( 14 ) of the toy includes an inner cavity ( 32 ) sides to receive the head ( 34 ) of a user. The user sights through a sight opening ( 30 ) in the upper portion ( 14 ). The user&#39;s hands are on the controls ( 64 ) for a pair of water guns ( 38,40 ). When the user depresses the triggers ( 54 ) the water guns ( 38,40 ) pump water up through the water guns ( 38, 40 ) and discharge the water in the form of streams at some target selected by the user. The upper portion ( 14 ) is inflatable to give it stand up rigidity.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a water toy. More particularly, it relates to a water toy composed of a buoyant body adapted to receive the head of a user who is in the water below the toy, and at least one water gun that is controllable by a hand of the user that is in the water below the toy.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Example water toys having a buoyant body and at least one water gun are disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,847 granted Jul. 16, 1974, to Paul C. Wave, and by U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,951, granted Aug. 3, 1993, to Leon H. Tagar and William R. Storey. The water toys shown by these patents are in the form of a boat or raft in which a user sets or lays. A water gun is mounted on the buoyant body in front of the user and includes a hand operated water pump. There is a need for a water-gun type water toy that better stimulates the imagination of the user than do the prior art water toys. An object of the present invention is to provide such a water toy and make it look like a water animal, fish, bird, boat, submarine, or some other object, adding to the enjoyment of the toy&#39;s use and enhancing the entertainment its use provides to others.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The present invention relates to the provision of a buoyant body that has an inner cavity adapted to receive the head of a user. The user puts his/her head into the cavity from below the buoyant body. At least one water gun is mounted on a lower portion of the buoyant body. It includes a discharge portion above the water and a control portion in the water below the buoyant body. The upper portion of the buoyant body includes a sight opening through which the user can look while maneuvering the buoyant body and operating the water gun(s). In preferred form, the buoyant body simulates a water animal, such as an octopus, or a boat, or a submarine.  
         [0004]     The water toy of the present invention is basically characterized by a buoyant body having a lower portion that is adapted to float on a body of water, and an upper portion that is connected to the lower portion and extends upwardly from it. The upper portion includes top and side walls forming an inner cavity. The lower portion includes a bottom opening that provides an entrance into the inner cavity. The bottom opening and the cavity are sufficiently large to receive the head of a user. The upper portion includes at least one sight opening through which the user cavity can look. At least one water gun is mounted on the buoyant body. The water gun has a water-discharging portion above the water, a pump for pumping Water up to and out through the water-discharging portion, and a hand operated control portion positioned to be grasped by and operated by a hand of the user. The user can use the control to operate the pump to cause water to discharge from the water-discharging portion of the water gun.  
         [0005]     The lower portion of the buoyant body is an inflatable structure that includes the bottom opening. The upper portion has a lower end that is connected to the lower portion substantially about the bottom opening. The lower portion is inflatable to make the buoyant body buoyant. The upper portion is inflatable to give it a stand up form whereby it stands up from the lower portion.  
         [0006]     In preferred form, the lower portion includes a second opening that is spaced laterally from the bottom opening. A water gun is situated in the second opening with its discharge portion above the lower portion of the buoyant body and its hand operated control portion positioned in the water below the buoyant body. If desired, the water toy may be provided with a second water gun that is on the second side of the buoyant body in a position to be operated by the user&#39;s other hand.  
         [0007]     In the preferred embodiment, the buoyant body is made to represent an octopus. The lower portion of the buoyant body includes simulated tentacles. The upper portion of the buoyant body includes a simulated octopus head.  
         [0008]     These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description of an example embodiment of the invention that follows. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     In the drawings, like reference numerals I refer to like parts throughout the several views, and:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a pictorial view of a water toy in the form of a floating octopus, said view being taken from above and looking towards the front and one-side of the toy, and showing two water guns, one on each side of the toy, and further showing streams of water discharging from the water guns;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the water toy shown by  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is another pictorial view of the water toy shown by  FIGS. 1 and 2 , such view looking LIP from below the toy towards the front end, one-side and bottom of the toy, and showing a bottom opening leading into a head-receiving cavity in the toy;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a pictorial view of an example water gun, such view being taken from above and looking towards the top, one-side and the front of the water gun;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a view like  FIG. 4  but with the foreground portion of the water gun removed for the purpose of illustrating the inner construction of the water gun;  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a fragmentary, partially in section and partially in side elevation, such view showing a way of attaching a water gun to the body of the water toy; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a fragmentary sectional view of a central region of the water toy shown by  FIGS. 1-3 , such view showing the head of a user positioned inside of the head-receiving cavity and showing the user&#39;s hand on the control for a water gun. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]      FIGS. 1-3  show an embodiment of the invention in which the water toy  10  simulates a floating octopus, having a lower portion  12  and an upper portion  14 . The lower portion  12  includes simulated tentacles  16  which extend somewhat radially out from a central region  18  that includes a bottom opening  20  ( FIG. 3 ). The opening  20  is positioned centrally of the lower portion  18 . Lower portion  18  is formed from a flexible plastic sheet material that forms a closed figure that can contain air under pressure in a chamber  22  ( FIG. 7 ). The inner chamber  22  is completely closed by the plastic sheet material and it includes a suitable inlet (not shown) through which inflation air may be introduced. The air enters into chamber  22 , filling it up, and also filling up the interior of the tentacles  16 . Inflation of the lower portion  12  makes the body  16 ,  18  buoyant. The upper portion  14  of the buoyant body is preferably also inflatable, but not for the purpose of providing buoyancy to the toy. It includes an air chamber  24  ( FIG. 7 ) which extends either partially or entirely around the upper portion  14  and over its top. When pressurized air is in the chamber  24 , the upper portion  14  is caused to stand up from the lower portion  12 . That is, pressurized air in the chamber  24  gives the upper portion stand up rigidity, causing it to take the shape shown by  FIGS. 1, 2 , and  7 .  
         [0018]     As shown by  FIG. 7 , the upper portion  14  is in the form of a dome. It is formed by side and top walls of the sheet plastic. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper portion  14  comprises an outer wall part  26  and an inner wall part  28 . The wall parts  26 ,  28  are joined at the bottom of the upper portion  14  at a lower edge  28 . Preferably, this lower edge  28  is connected to part  18  of the lower portion  12 , at a location within opening  20 , as shown by  FIG. 7 .  
         [0019]     In the illustrated embodiment, a window is provided at  30 . Window  30  includes a surrounding edge to which the wall parts  26 ,  28  are attached ( FIG. 7 ).  
         [0020]     Bottom opening  18  forms an entrance into a cavity  32  that is formed by and within the upper portion  14 . A user places his/her head in cavity  32  by inserting it through the opening  20  and then moving it upwardly into the cavity  32 . As shown by  FIG. 3 , when the user&#39;s head  34  is in the cavity  32 , the user&#39;s eyes  36  are positioned to look through the window  30 .  
         [0021]     One or two water guns  38 ,  40  are mounted on the buoyant body, preferably in the region  18  of the lower potion  12 . A vertical opening  32  is formed in the lower portion of the buoyant body to function as a mount for a water gun  38 ,  40 . At the location of each mounting opening, a wall part  44  of the flexible plastic material is adapted to form a vertical opening for receiving a portion of the water gun  38 ,  40 .  FIGS. 4 and 5  show a water gun  38 ,  40  detached from the buoyant body. As best illustrated by  FIG. 5 , each water gun  38 ,  40  may include a vertically elongated housing  42  in which a pump assembly  44  is located. The pump assembly  44  includes an inlet tube  46  and an outlet tube  48 , including a discharging portion  50  for the water gun  38 ,  40 . A finger operated pump  52  functions, in response to trigger  54  being depressed, moves water from the water inlet  56  upwardly through tubular portion  46 , then to the pump  52 , and then through the tubular portion  48  and then out from the discharge portion  50 . The construction of the pump is quite well-known and conventional and does not have to be described in any great detail. The principles of the pump operation are disclosed in the afore-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,847.  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  shows the tubular central portion  58  of the pump  38 ,  40  provided with a split collar  60 . The split bearing  60  can be opened up at the split  62  and then placed on to the tubular part  58 . The tubular bearing  60  is inserted into the vertical opening  44 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . A tight fit of bearing  60  in the vertical opening secures the pump  38 ,  40  to the opening  44 , causing it to assume the position shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  6  and  7 . The discharging portion of each water gun  38 ,  40  is positioned above the central part  18  of the lower portion  12  of the rotation body. The lower portion of the tubular structure  58  extends downwardly through the opening  44  and places the grip portion  64  of the water gun  38 ,  40  and the trigger  46  in the water below the lower portion  12  ( FIGS. 3 and 7 ). In the illustrated embodiment, two water guns,  38 ,  40  are provided, one on each side of the water toy  10 . Water gun  38  is positioned where it can be controlled by the right hand of the person whose head is in the cavity. The left hand of the same person grasps onto and controls the hand control for the second water pistol  40 . The tubular portions  58  of the water guns  38 ,  40  can rotate within the bearings  60 . The user  34  need only rotate the tube  38 , by movement of the hand control, in order to change the discharge direction of the water stream.  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , one or more handles  70  may be provided on the lower side of the lower portion  12  of the buoyant body. These handles  70  may be used when the toy is placed into or removed from the water, and for carrying the toy when it is out of the water. The handle  70  may also be used by the user for rotating the toy while it is floating in the water.  
         [0024]     The water toy of the invention may be made to simulate something other than an Octopus. For example, it may simulate a whale, a shark, a sea turtle, a sea serpent, a sea horse, a swan or other bird, or some other animal form. Also, the toy can be made to simulate a boat or a submarine or the like. Targets  72  may be provided on top of the toy, or at some other location on the toy.  
         [0025]     Although the preferred embodiment has been illustrated and described, and other embodiments have been described, it is to be understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention is addressed that various changes, modifications, additions and omissions in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and/or scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.