Abstract:
Toy surfboard toys and methods of a figurine mounted on a surfboard with hydrofoil allowing the surfboard to ride incoming waves back to a shore. The hydrofoil can have a V or boomerang shape with side wings having ends extending rearward and out from the surfboard. Wing ends can be curved discs for stability. Optional stabilizing tail/fin/rudder can extend rearward from the hydrofoil. Games can include racing toys by tossing them simultaneously from the shore to see which one reaches the shore first.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This invention claims the benefit of priority to U.S. U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/647,910 filed May 16, 2012 and U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/447,627 filed Mar. 5, 2013. The entire disclosure of each of the applications listed in this paragraph are incorporated herein by specific reference thereto. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to toys, and in particular to a toy surfboard devices, apparatus and methods of playing a game with a figurine mounted on a surfboard and a hydrofoil rudder underneath the board for allowing the surfboard to ride incoming waves back to a shoreline. 
       BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART 
       [0003]    Popular marketed water toys over the years have generally included balls and blow up toys which may be fun to some but would have limited fun to surfers. Traditional many toys such as dolls and the like, may also sink in the water or float out to sea, both of which would not be desirable. The inventor is not aware of any marketed surfboard toys that would be popular with surfers and beachgoers that is able to take advantage of the direction and power of incoming waves found along ocean and large lake shorelines. 
         [0004]    A check of the U.S. Patent Office database has shown that some patents on toy type surfboards have been proposed in years past. See for example, U.S. Patents: Des. 312,491 to Roland; Des. 324,706 to Gibson, and 4,923,427 to Roland. 
         [0005]    Although both Roland patents reference having heavy keels/fins, these toys are primarily for show. The downwardly protruding keels/fins would have difficulty in balancing the toy surfboard and keeping the surfboard in an upright position in the water. 
         [0006]    Gibson &#39;706 shows a surfer doll on top of a toy surfboard. The large mass of the doll compared to the thin toy board and single fin would not be able to balance in the water and would top be able to ride waves coming to shore at a beach. The top heavy doll would undoubtably cause the toy capsize if used in the water without someone&#39;s hand holding the toy upright. 
         [0007]    Furthermore, there is a good chance that Gibson &#39;706 and possibly the Roland products would end up floating away and not being able to return to the shoreline which could result in the loss of these toys. 
         [0008]    Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    A primary objective of the present invention is to provide toy surfboard devices, apparatus and methods of playing a game with a figurine mounted on a surfboard and a hydrofoil rudder underneath the board for allowing the surfboard to ride incoming waves back to a shoreline. 
         [0010]    A secondary objective of the present invention is to provide toy surfboard devices, apparatus and methods of playing a game, having a buoyant surfboard with a weighted hydrofoil which offsets the weight of a figurine mounted on the board which is able to continuously float on water in an upright position. 
         [0011]    A third objective of the present invention is to provide toy surfboard devices, apparatus and methods of playing a game, having figurines that can interchangeably be mounted to the top of the surfboard. 
         [0012]    A fourth toy surfboard devices, apparatus and methods of playing a game with a figurine mounted on a surfboard and a hydrofoil rudder underneath the board, where players can simultaneously toss or throw respective surfboard toy devices, and determine a winner of the first surfboard toy to reach the shoreline. 
         [0013]    A fifth objective of the present invention is to provide toy surfboard devices, apparatus and methods, which turns right-side up, points toward the shore after being put into a incoming shore wave, and returns to the shore each time it is used where the toy surfs the wave to the shore. 
         [0014]    A sixth objective of the present invention is to provide toy surfboard devices, apparatus and methods, which takes advantage of the waves at a beach, instead of being overwhelmed, where a figurine on the toy stays upright and surfs the waves all the wave to the shore. 
         [0015]    Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments which are illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a top right perspective view of surfboard toy with mounted figurine and hydrofoil. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a top left perspective view of the surfboard toy of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a bottom left perspective view of the surfboard toy of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a bottom right perspective view of the surfboard toy of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the surfboard toy of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the surfboard toy of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the surfboard toy of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a view of the surfboard toy of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is a front view of the surfboard toy of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  is a top exploded perspective view of the surfboard toy of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  is a bottom exploded perspective view of the surfboard toy of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 12  shows a user on the back-swing of throwing a surfboard toy of  FIG. 1  into the breaking surf from a shoreline. 
           [0028]      FIG. 13  shows the person in  FIG. 12  throwing a toy into the breaking surf. 
           [0029]      FIG. 14  shows the toy of  FIG. 13  just after landing upside-down in the breaking surf. 
           [0030]      FIG. 15  shows the beginning the self righting ability of the toy in  FIG. 14 . 
           [0031]      FIG. 16  shows the toy of  FIG. 15  fully upright. Floatation zone in noted. 
           [0032]      FIG. 17  shows the toy of  FIG. 16  floating in the breaking surf with its side to the oncoming waves. 
           [0033]      FIG. 18  shows the toy of  FIG. 17  just being caught by a breaking wave. The front three quarters of the board float free of the water allowing the assembly to rotate about the floatation zone as the wave exerts its influence. This naturally points the nose of the floatation board in the direction of wave travel. 
           [0034]      FIG. 19  shows the toy of  FIG. 18  continuing to rotate influenced by the breaking wave. 
           [0035]      FIG. 20  shows the toy of  FIG. 19  has full oriented itself with its nose in the direction of wave travel and is “surfing” on the breaking wave. 
           [0036]      FIG. 21  is an enlarged view of an alternative figurine that can be mounted on the surfboard toy of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0037]    Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applications to the details of the particular arrangements shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. 
         [0038]    A list of the components referenced in the figures will now be described.
     10  Surfboard toy.     20  Floatation board.     22  front upwardly curving end(nose)     24  top surface     26  bottom surface     28  rear end     30  Surfer figurine.     40  Hydrofoil-generally V or boomerang shape(weighted)     42  left wing/vane     44  apex     46  right wing/vane     48  stabilizing tail/rudder     50  wing end stabilizers/weights(curved portions or disc shapes).     60  figurine mounting pegs.     70  figurine mounting holes in floatation board.     80  Keel/strut member     82 . mount tenon(male member).     90  Keel mount mortise in bottom of surfboard.     100  Shore surf.     110  Small breaking shore wave.     120  Person.     130  Water line.     140  Floatation zone of surfboard toy.     150  Pivot point around which Surfer Dude assembly rotates when acted upon by a breaking wave   
 
         [0063]      FIG. 1  is a top right perspective view of surfboard toy  10  having floatation board  20  with mounted figurine  30  and hydrofoil  40 .  FIG. 2  is a top left perspective view of the surfboard toy  10  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is a bottom left perspective view of the surfboard toy  10  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 4  is a bottom right perspective view of the surfboard toy  10  of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0064]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the surfboard toy  10  of  FIG. 1  with dimensions of a preferred embodiment.  FIG. 6  is a top view of the surfboard toy  10  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the surfboard toy  10  of  FIG. 1  with dimensions of a preferred embodiment.  FIG. 8  is a view of the surfboard toy  10  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 9  is a front view of the surfboard toy  10  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 10  is a top exploded perspective view of the surfboard toy  10  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 11  is a bottom exploded perspective view of the surfboard toy  10  of  FIG. 1 . 
       Surfboard  20   
       [0065]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-11 , the novel surfboard toy  10  can include a floatation board  20  having a front upwardly curving end  22  with rounded tip and a rear end  28  with rounded edge with a top side  24  and bottom side  26 . The floatation board  20  can be formed from injection molded foam, or foam rubber cut into a selected shape, or other lightweight material impervious to water. Alternatively, the board  20  can be formed from in injection molded plastic hollow housing with rubber placed inside the plastic shell. 
         [0066]    Referring to  FIGS. 5-7 , the surfboard  20  can have dimensions of approximately 10.23 inches in length from the front end  22  to the rear end  28 , and have a width of approximately 3.01 inches that tapers down at both the front end  22  and the rear end  29  to rounded tips. The thickness of the surfboard  20  can have a thickness of approximately 1.28 inches with the rear end  29  curving downward to an outer edge. The surfboard  20  has a generally flat bottom surface  26  that curves upward near the front end  22  in order to aid in lift of the surfboard when riding incoming waves. 
       Figurine  30   
       [0067]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-11  and mounted to the top surface  24  of the surfboard  20  adjacent to the rear end  28  can be surfer figurine  30  mounted thereon. The figurine  30  can have downwardly extending male members  60 , such as pegs, that are insertable into figurine mounting holes(female receptacles)  70  on the top surface  24  of the surfboard  20  adjacent to the rear end  28  of the surfboard  20  as shown in  FIGS. 10-11 . The pegs  60  can be locked into the mounting holes  70  with waterproof glue or cement and the like. 
         [0068]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the figurine  30  can be formed from injection molded plastic and the like, and have a height from a foot portion mounted to the top surface  24  of the surfboard  20  to the top of the head portion to be approximately 4.62 inches and a width of approximately 3.72 inches between ends of the outstretched hands. Additionally, the figurine  30  can be formed from a lightweight foam so that it will stay upright easily while being pummeled by waves as the toy  10  is being used in the surf of incoming waves. The figurine can be narrow thin stick figure turned sideways so the plane of the planar shaped body is in the same plane as the keel/strut member  80  mounted underneath the board  20 . The figurine  30  can be mounted almost directly above the keel/strut member  80 . 
       Hydrofoil  40  and Keel/Strut Member  80   
       [0069]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-11 , and mounted underneath the surfboard  20  adjacent to the rear end  28  can be a hydrofoil  40 . A generally rectangular and narrow diameter keel type strut member  80  can be turned so that one side edge faces forward and the opposite side edge faces rearward. The keel/strut member can have a upper male member (tenon) that fits into a mateable slit  90  on the bottom surface  26  of the surfboard  20  adjacent to the rear end  28  of the surfboard  20  can be locked with waterproof glue or cement and the like. 
         [0070]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the keel/strut member  80  can have a height of approximately 1.59 inches between the bottom surface  26  of the surfboard and the top of the generally flat left wing/vane (not shown) and right wing/vane  47  of the hydrofoil  40 . 
         [0071]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-11 , the hydrofoil  40  can have a generally V or boomerang shape with a generally flat thin left wing/vane  42  connected to a generally flat thin right wing/vane  46  by a rounded/curved tip apex portion  44 . The outer free ends of the left wing/vane  42  and right wing/vane  46  extend rearward from the apex portion and outward from the sides of the surfboard  20 , and end in additional stabilizer/weighted curved portions  50 . The wing end stabilizer/weighted portions  50  can be curve shaped and can include disc shapes and the like. The wing end stabilizer/weighted portions  50  can be slightly thicker with a slightly rounded top surface to add additional stabilizing weight to the hydrofoil  40 . Extending rearward from the apex portion  44  can be an optional generally flat stabilizing tail rudder  46  located between the left wing/vane  42  and the right wing/vane  46 . 
         [0072]    Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 7 , the hydrofoil  40  can have an overall length between outer ends of the of outer stabilizing weights to be approximately 6.03 inches, and a length from the apex portion outer edge  44  to the outer end of the tail/rudder member  48  to be approximately 3.25 inches. Each of the wings/vanes  42 ,  46  can have a width of approximately 0.61 inches, with a width of the tail/rudder member  48  being approximately 0.93 inches. Each of the wing end stabilizers/weights  50  can have a radius of approximately R.74, and the distance between center points of each wing end stabilizers/weights  50  from one another can be approximately 4.55 inches. 
         [0073]    The angle between the wings/vanes  42 ,  46  of the generally V shape or generally boomerang shaped hydrofoil  40  can range between approximately 10 to approximately 120 degrees. A narrower range can be between approximately 22 to approximately 60 degrees, and a narrower range of a preferred embodiment can range between approximately 35 to approximately 5 degrees. 
         [0074]    Both the keel/strut member  80  and the hydrofoil  40  can be formed from hardened plastic, that was injection molded, and can include metal layer imbedded within the plastic. The weight of the keel/strut  80  and hydrofoil  40  can be approximately 1.3 ounces, while the entire weight of the figurine  30 , surfboard  20  and keel/strut member  80  with hydrofoil  40  can be approximately 2.2 ounces. As such, the weight of keel/strut member  80  and the hydrofoil  40  can easily counter-balance the lighter weight of the figurine  30  to counter balance the figurine  30  in order to keep the surfboard toy  10  in an upright floating position. The plane of the wings  42 ,  46  of the hydrofoil to the generally flat bottom surface  26  of the surfboard can be slightly angled so that the bottom surface  26  of the surfboard  20  angles upward toward the front end  22  approximately 6 degrees. 
         [0075]    The figurine  30  can be mounted to be approximately perpendicular to the top surface  24  of the surfboard  20 . The generally flat top surface  24  of the surfboard  20  can have an angle of approximately 95 degrees relative to the flat wings  42 ,  46  of the hydrofoil  40 . 
         [0076]    The dimensions referenced in a preferred embodiment shown and described in relation to FIGS.  5 , 7 ,  21  and  22  are approximate. The term “approximately” can be +/−10% of the dimension numbers referenced for the preferred embodiment. The dimensions come from a preferred embodiment that has been tested in the ocean by the inventor to an effective working embodiment. 
         [0077]    While  FIGS. 5 ,  7 ,  21  and  22  show a preferred embodiment dimensions, the invention can use alternative dimensions when the toy is scaled up or scaled down to different sizes such as small as approximately 3 inches long as desired by the user. 
         [0000]    Method of Playing with the Surfboard Toy 
         [0078]      FIG. 12  shows a user  120  standing adjacent to a shoreline near the shore surf  100  and on the back-swing of throwing a surfboard toy  10  of  FIG. 1  into the breaking surf  110 .  FIG. 13  shows the user  120  in  FIG. 12  throwing the toy surfboard  10  into the breaking surf  110 . 
         [0079]      FIG. 14  shows the toy  10  of  FIG. 13  just after landing upside-down in the breaking surf and resting on the water line  130 .  FIG. 15  shows the beginning the self righting ability of the toy  10  in  FIG. 14 . The weighted keel  80  and hydrofoil  40  will always insure that the surfboard toy  10  stays upright.  FIG. 16  shows the toy  10  of  FIG. 15  fully upright. Floatation zone in noted where a rear portion of the bottom surface  26  of the surfboard  20  can float on the water line  130  with the weighted hydrofoil  40  below the waterline  130 . 
         [0080]      FIG. 17  shows the toy  10  of  FIG. 16  floating in the breaking surf  100  with its side to the oncoming waves. 110 . 
         [0081]      FIG. 18  shows the toy  10  of  FIG. 17  just being caught by a breaking wave  110 . The front three quarters of the board  20  float free of the water allowing the toy  10  to rotate about the floatation zone  140  as the wave exerts its influence. This naturally points the nose (front end)  22  of the floatation board  20  in the direction of wave travel and pivots at a pivot point  15 .  FIG. 19  shows the toy  10  of  FIG. 18  continuing to rotate influenced by the breaking wave  110 . 
         [0082]      FIG. 20  shows the toy  10  of  FIG. 19  has full oriented itself with its nose  22  in the direction of wave travel and is “surfing” on the breaking wave  110 . 
         [0083]      FIG. 21  is an enlarged view of an alternative figurine  30 F that can be mounted on the surfboard toy  10  of  FIG. 1 . The figurine  30 F can have similar dimensions to the previously described figurine  30 . 
         [0084]    Additional games that can take place with the novel surfboard toys  10  can include two or more players tossing or throwing generally identical surfboard toys  10  into the surf and determining a winner when the first surfboard toy  10  reaches the shoreline. 
         [0085]    While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it has presumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.