Abstract:
A bubble wand has a shaft and a plurality of separate bubble rings attached to the shaft. The bubble rings can include a plurality of first bubble rings attached to the shaft, and a plurality of second bubble rings attached to the shaft, with the first bubble rings having a different shape and size than the second bubble rings.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to bubble toys, and in particular, to a bubble producing toy which produces numerous bubbles at the same time.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     Bubble producing toys and devices are very popular with children. A wide variety of such bubble producing toys are now available in the market. Despite this widespread variety, the most basic form of a bubble producing toy is a wand that has a handle at one end and a single loop at a second end. The loop is dipped into a bubble solution (which is usually soap) so that a film of the bubble solution extends across the area of the loop. The child can then blow at the single loop to create bubbles.  
         [0005]     Unfortunately, the single loop does not generate many bubbles. Children are always craving for a large number of bubbles so that they can chase and catch these bubbles.  
         [0006]     There still remains a need for a simple bubble toy that produces a large number of bubbles and increases the entertainment value for children.  
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE  
       [0007]     It is an object of the present invention to provide a bubble toy that produces multiple bubbles.  
         [0008]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a bubble toy that generates multiple bubbles at the same time.  
         [0009]     The objectives of the present invention are accomplished by providing a bubble wand having a shaft, and a plurality of separate bubble rings attached to the shaft. The bubble rings can include a plurality of first bubble rings attached to the shaft, and a plurality of second bubble rings attached to the shaft, with the first bubble rings having a different shape and size than the second bubble rings.  
         [0010]     The present invention also provides a bubble toy that includes a bubble solution container, a cap removably coupled to the mouth of the container, and the bubble wand described above which is retained inside the interior of the container. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a bubble toy according to one embodiment of the present invention shown in use.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the bubble toy of  FIG. 1  shown before the wand is installed on the cap.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view illustrating the connection of the wand to the cap.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is an exploded front view illustrating the connection of the wand to the cap.  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the bubble toy of  FIG. 1  shown in use producing bubbles. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]     The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. In certain instances, detailed descriptions of well-known devices and mechanisms are omitted so as to not obscure the description of the present invention with unnecessary detail.  
         [0017]      FIGS. 1-4  illustrate one embodiment of a bubble toy  20  according to the present invention. The bubble toy  20  has a container  22 , a cap  24  and a wand  26 . The wand  26  is adapted to be retained inside the container  22 , and the cap  24  is adapted to be threadably connected to the mouth of the container  22 .  
         [0018]     The container  22  can take the form of any conventional bubble solution bottle that is commonly available in the marketplace, with one non-limiting example being the bubble solution bottles marketed under the trademarks PLACO BUBBLES™, TOOTSIETOY™ and MR. BUBBLES™ by Strombecker Corp. The container  22  has a generally cylindrical wall  28  which is typically made of a soft plastic material. The interior  30  of the container  22  is typically filled with bubble solution, and the internal threads  34  in the cap  24  are adapted to be threadably engaged to the threads  32  on the outer surface of the neck  36  of the container  22  to close the container  22 .  
         [0019]     The cap  24  can be made from a plastic material, and has a generally domed-shaped section  42  with a handle section  40  extending from the top of the dome-shaped section  42 . The handle section  40  has flat surfaces on opposing sides. The flat surfaces make it easier for a user to grip or hold the cap  24  during use of the bubble toy  20 .  
         [0020]     The wand  26  has a shaft  50  that has a generally rectangular cross-section. The shaft  50  has a transverse notch  52  provided adjacent a first end  54  of the shaft  50 , and a plurality of bubble rings  60  provided at an opposing second end  56  of the shaft  50 . The first end  54  and the notch  52  form a generally cross-shaped configuration that is adapted to be fitted into a cross-shaped fitting  58  provided at the center of the interior of the dome-shaped section  42  of the cap  24 . Thus, the user can secure the wand  26  to the cap  24  by inserting the first end  54  into the fitting  58 , and then use the wand  26  and the cap  24  as a unitary structure. In this manner, the user can hold and manipulate the wand  26  by gripping the handle  40 .  
         [0021]     A plurality of bubble rings  60  are provided at the second end  56  of the shaft  50 . Each of the bubble rings  60  has a generally annular body that defines an opening (which can be greater than one inch in diameter at its widest point) that allows air to pass unimpeded therethrough. The annular body can have a certain thickness so that it becomes somewhat cylindrical. The body of each bubble ring  60  is serrated such that ridges or bumps  62  are provided on the body. The ridges  62  function to hold the bubble solution against the body to form a solution film that is blown to form the bubble. The body can have any desired shape, such as circular (as shown), oval (as shown), square, rectangular, etc. As best shown in  FIG. 4 , the bubble rings  60  can be provided in different shapes and sizes. For example, there are pairs of smaller circular rings  60   a , a pair of elliptical or oval rings  60   b , and a larger circular ring  60   c . Even the smaller circular rings  60   a  can be provided in different sizes. These rings  60   a ,  60   b ,  60   c  can be directly connected to each other by attaching their respective bodies, or can be connected by spokes or shafts (not shown).  
         [0022]     The operation of the bubble toy  20  will now be described. First, the bubble toy  20  is packaged as shown in  FIG. 2 , with the wand  26  retained inside the container  22  and separate from the cap  24 . The user unscrews the cap  24  from the neck  36  of the container  22 , and then secures the first end  54  of the wand  26  to the fitting  58 . See  FIG. 3 . The user can then grip the handle  40  and dip the wand  26  inside the container  22 . See  FIG. 1 . The bubble solution in the container  22  forms a film of bubble solution across the opening of each bubble ring  60 . The user can then wave the wand  26  around, or blow air at the bubble rings  60 , to produce a plurality of bubbles  70 . See  FIG. 5 . Since the bubble rings  60   a ,  60   b ,  60   c  have different shapes and sizes, the bubbles  70  also have different shapes and sizes. The user can then dip the wand  26  back inside the container  22  to form another film of bubble solution across the openings of each bubble ring  60  again for further bubble production.  
         [0023]     Thus, the present invention provides a bubble toy  20  where multiple bubbles  70  of different shapes and sizes can be produced in a convenient and fun manner.  
         [0024]     While the description above refers to particular embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. The accompanying claims are intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the true scope and spirit of the present invention.