Abstract:
Embodiments disclosed herein may include a toy method and system configured to be displaced for generally long distances by a small force. The disc-like or ring-like device may utilize wind-related vortex forces to remain generally upright and moving for long distances. Furthermore, the system may comprise an aperture, and may have a aerodynamic configuration to achieve the movement and/or provide for use as a flying disc. The ring-like device may be configured as an annular wing having a symmetrical airfoil configuration and as such may be used both as a wind-driven rolling toy and as a hand-tossed flying ring.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/498,615, entitled VORTEX TOY, filed on Aug. 27, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Wind driven toys are quite popular. For instance, familiar wind driven toys may include kites, toy sailboats, and pinwheels, among others. Toys for use in the outdoors are very popular and may be increasing in popularity with the recent increase of people enjoying outdoor activities. Quite often, even the slightest breeze may bring out a number of kite fliers, flying everything from the simplest kite to very elaborate stunt kites. Additionally, pinwheels, and other such wind driven toys can be amusing to watch on breezy days.  
         [0003]     Wind-actuated toys may suffer from a serious drawback. Some wind driven toys may be static, in that the user of a kite or toy sailboat, for example, uses these devices while remaining substantially stationary. Such devices are incompatible with the desire to enjoy a breezy day while exercising. This drawback of these toys may be especially noticeable given the emphasis on activity and exercise prevalent in society today. It is quite well known that a sedentary lifestyle and maintaining a healthy body are mutually exclusive ideas. Therefore, it may be advantageous to have a toy, which would allow people to have fun on a windy day as kites, and other such devices allow, while also providing the opportunity for enjoying an aerobic workout. Such a toy may also encourage people to abandon indoor, sedentary habits and activities, such as video games, watching television, and the like.  
         [0004]     A drawback of many other popular toys may be that they require a power source of some sort, whether batteries or otherwise. Advantageously, with the increased emphasis on environmental friendliness in all aspects of peoples&#39; lives, a decrease in power consumption and/or disposable battery consumption may be beneficial and may be enjoyed by all. Therefore, it may be desirable to have a toy which does not require an outside, polluting power source. Furthermore, it may be advantageous to have a uniquely simple, nature-animated, non-polluting action toy.  
         [0005]     It may also be advantageous to have a toy that would travel relative long distances with little or no force imparted to it by a user. Yet further, it would be advantageous to have an inexpensive toy that can be easily replaced if broken. It may also be advantageous to have a toy that may be relatively easily constructed, assembled and used, so that a person of any age may use it.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006]     Embodiments disclosed herein may include a toy method and system configured to be displaced for generally long distances by a small force. The disc-like or ring-like device may utilize wind-related vortex forces to remain generally upright and moving for long distances. Furthermore, the system may comprise an aperture, and may have a aerodynamic configuration to achieve the movement and/or provide for use as a flying disc. The ring-like device may be configured as an annular wing having a symmetrical airfoil configuration and as such may be used both as a wind-driven rolling toy and as a hand-tossed flying ring. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of different sizes of an exemplary embodiment of a disc-like system.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of different sizes of an exemplary embodiment of a ring-like system.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a 3-dimensional exemplary embodiment of a system.  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a selectively expandable system according to an exemplary embodiment.  
         [0011]      FIGS. 5   a - d  are elevational views of various edge configurations according to exemplary embodiments. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0012]     The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of exemplary embodiments and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the embodiments may be constructed and/or utilized. The description also sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the exemplary embodiments in connection with the illustrated embodiments. However, it is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.  
         [0013]     Exemplary embodiments of a system are shown in  FIG. 1 , generally corresponding to systems  10   a - d . Referring to system  10   a  may include a body portion, which may include a particular thickness  14  as well as an edge portion  16 . Body portion  12  is shown generally as a disc with a thickness  14 , however other configurations may be utilized. Furthermore, body portion  12  may include an edge  16  which the system may travel upon on a support surface. The systems  10   a - d  may be designed to utilize vortex forces of the wind, breeze, and/or other forces to travel very long distances with very little force acting upon it. With this configuration, children and others may enjoy the use of this toy as it may travel very long distances with very little effort. Furthermore with a slight breeze, the child may direct it along edge  16  such that the force of the wind propels the system forward and the vortex effect of the wind automatically stabilizes the system, thus allowing the toy to travel relatively long distances.  
         [0014]     As shown by systems  10   b ,  10   c , and  10   d , the system may be in various sizes that may be limited by the vortex forces that may be created when a wind or slight breeze acts upon the particular configuration. With this configuration some systems that are too large or too small may not operate as desired. It will be appreciated that although a generally disc shape is shown for systems  10   a - d , other configurations may be utilized without straying from the concepts disclosed herein. Furthermore, although a generally flat edge  16  is shown in  FIG. 1 , other edge configurations may be utilized for different desired effects and characteristics of a system.  
         [0015]     System  10  may be made out of expanded polystyrene, polyethylene, light cardboard, balsawood, or other lightweight sturdy material, however other materials may be used, as desired. Furthermore, system  10  may be utilized as an advertising device where a company may put its logo or design on it. This may be an ideal configuration as system  10  may be very inexpensive to manufacture, thus allowing an advertiser to give away many at a low cost. Furthermore, many of these systems may be purchased by, or for, children. Therefore, these systems may become similar to trading cards, and the like.  
         [0016]     The Von Karman vortex may be a double trail of vortices formed alternately, on both sides of a device moving at right angles to its axis through a fluid or air. The vortices in one row may rotate in a direction opposite to that of the other row. This interesting action affects many structures and configurations in the flow of air or liquids. When the wind blows, a pair of vortices on either side of a system as disclosed herein, may lift and propel the system. These vortices may cause a wacky, wobbly, propulsion in a light breeze, and a faster propulsion with less wobble, at higher wind speeds.  
         [0017]     When a light breeze acts upon a system as disclosed herein, the system may be started moving with a very slight push and may continue to move in a wobbling and amusing manner, sometimes at improbable angles to the ground, as it proceeds. With a light breeze, the system may proceed at a leisurely pace. As the wind speed increases, the system may wobble correspondingly less, and move correspondingly faster, easily reaching a rapid running speed of a child or other user. Furthermore, the system may demonstrate an otherwise unseen environmental forces of wind as is provides for stabilization and propulsion of the rolling system.  
         [0018]     When used as a toy or promotional novelty, the vortex forces may affect the system and may allow a wobbling, rolling, and bouncing of the lightweight, low mass system. Furthermore, the size of the disc may be typically 3-12 inches in diameter, however other configurations and dimensions may be utilized, as desired. Each side of the system may be utilized to display various characters or graphic effects, such as advertisements, especially graphics that would be enhanced by a rolling movement, or designs that facilitate use on a generally round object.  
         [0019]     In another exemplary embodiment, system  10  may be irregularly shaped, such as, but not limited to, egg-shaped, or any other shape that may allow the disc to travel as described herein. Furthermore, other configurations may cause the device to travel in an irregular manner, and may provide animation effects, among others.  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  shows other embodiments of a toy system according to exemplary embodiments, generally at  20   a - c . System  20   a  may include a body portion  22  which may be generally annular, and/or ring-like. Body portion  22  may again include a certain thickness  24  as well as an edge  26 . In this embodiment body portion  22  includes an orifice  28 , which makes it generally ring-like in shape. Again the system may be of other sizes as shown by systems  20   b  and  20   c  and again certain sizes may be advantageous to enhance the characteristics of the overall system.  
         [0021]     As shown in this exemplary embodiment, systems  20   a - c  may be configured singularly or as concentric annular rings with or without a central disc. The rings may be configured with a symmetrical airfoil shape, which along with the system&#39;s generally low mass, may allow the ring to be alternatively utilized as a flying disc, as desired. Furthermore, this system may fly for a distance, then roll on the ground thereafter, propelled by the wind and stabilized by vortex effects. This may make the system more versatile and desirable for a potential purchaser, such as children and parents.  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  shows a system according to an exemplary embodiment, generally at  30 . System  30  may include a body portion  32  which may have an edge  36 . Furthermore body portion  32  may include ornamentalities  38 , such as a jack-o-lantern face or other graphics and/or configurations, as desired. It will be appreciated that although a 3-dimensional mask or face is shown for body portion  32 , many other 3-dimensional configurations may be utilized without straying from the concepts disclosed herein.  
         [0023]     System  30  may have a non-circular shape such as an egg shape as shown, however it will be appreciated that many other non-annular configurations may be utilized to modify the characteristics of the system to produce different effects, as desired. Edge  36  may have an irregular surface configured to contact a support surface, as shown. It will be appreciated that many other irregular configurations for edge  36  may be utilized to alter the characteristics of the system, including but not limited to, bumps, gaps, a zigzag configuration, wave configuration, etc. Furthermore, these different configurations may cause the system to travel in many different manners, and may be utilized to create different effects.  
         [0024]     Furthermore, the characteristics of each of a 3-dimensional system may enhance the characteristics of the overall system, which may make the system wobble and/or act irregularly when a force is acting upon it. This may enhance the play value of the system and may make the system very highly configurable for different uses as well as advertising and/or other configurations.  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  shows an exemplary embodiment of a system, generally at  40 . System  40  may include a body portion  42  as well as an edge portion  46 . In this embodiment, body portion  42  may be expandable by inflation and be made of mylar-type materials. Furthermore, system  40  may include an edge  46  to travel upon the support surface.  
         [0026]     In this embodiment, edge  46  is generally very thin and non-cylindrical and may not have a very thick, flat surface. With this configuration, many different graphics may be utilized upon body portion  42  and edge portion  46 . Edge portion  46  may be made of a plastic or other materials and/or combinations thereof such that the system may travel very long distances on a support surface with very little force acting upon it.  
         [0027]     System  40  may also be configured as a generally ring-like edge portion  46  and a thin film body portion  42 . System  40  may or may not be configured to be expandable and/or inflatable.  
         [0028]      FIG. 5   a  shows an edge  50  of a system according to an exemplary embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 5   a , edge  50  may be a generally flat surface that may be configured to contact a support surface to allow the system to travel.  
         [0029]      FIG. 5   b  shows another exemplary embodiment of an edge, generally at  60 . In this embodiment, edge  60  has a generally very narrow cross-section, and may be generally V-shaped configuration. This configuration may allow the system to travel faster and may allow less force to be exerted upon the system to allow it to move very long distances. Furthermore this configuration may change the characteristics of the overall system such that it may act differently than other configurations, when in use.  
         [0030]      FIG. 5   c  shows another embodiment of an edge  70 , of another exemplary embodiment. Edge  70  may be an overlapped configuration such that a rounded surface may contact the support surface. This configuration may alter the characteristics of the overall system and may produce different effects of the system when rolling, traveling, and moving and/or in use.  
         [0031]      FIG. 5   d  shows another exemplary embodiment of an edge  80 , according to an exemplary embodiment. In this embodiment edge  80  has a generally T-shaped configuration, which allows for a larger contact surface for which the system is contacting the support surface. Again this configuration may produce different effects and/or characteristics of the overall system than other edge configurations. Edges may be made of a plastic, metal, wood, polymers, or other materials, and/or combinations thereof, as desired.  
         [0032]     Although systems disclosed herein may have been described as being made from an expanded polystyrene or polyethylene-type material, it may also be manufactured as an inflatable device made of mylar-type material, plastic, or other materials, or combinations thereof, as desired.  
         [0033]     System disclosed herein may be configured with a surface area to weight ratio that may allow the system to operate better. That is, certain surface area to weight ratio may not operate properly or at all. Therefore the configuration of the system may be varied to alter the characteristics of the system to a certain extent. However, at certain high and low surface area to weight rations the system may not operate at all.  
         [0034]     Furthermore, the systems&#39; small size may allow it to be packaged, shipped, stored, and displayed in a smaller package such that it may be more appealing to retailers, among others. The systems may be in many different sizes, as needed for the particular application, as desired. Furthermore, the system may be manufactured and packaged as a printed die cut or molded disc and/or ring, in which one or more could be packaged together in a blister pack, or the like. It will be appreciated that many other packaging configurations may be used, such as, but not limited to, loose, with hang tags or other such packaging, as desired.  
         [0035]     Systems disclosed herein may be wind-driven, simple, non-mechanized, action toys, which require no batteries, and little, if any assembly. These systems may also provide amusing actions where a user may walk or run along with a system enjoying exercise. Furthermore, other observers may enjoy the wobbly actions and appearance of the graphics of the system as it moves. Moreover, the play value may be enhanced when the system includes graphics that display a tumbling object such as a clown, acrobat, stunt car, surfer, or the like.  
         [0036]     Furthermore, the systems or graphics may be glow in the dark or have other effects, as desired. It will be appreciated that lights, noisemakers, and the like may be incorporated into the systems, as desired.  
         [0037]     In closing, it is to be understood that the exemplary embodiments described herein are illustrative of the principles of this disclosure. Other modifications that may be employed are within the scope of this disclosure. Thus, by way of example, but not of limitation, alternative configurations may be utilized in accordance with the teachings herein. Accordingly, the drawing and description are illustrative and not meant to be a limitation thereof.