Abstract:
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a pneumatic pump in combination with a pneumatic toy vehicle powered by a refillable compressed chamber. The improvement of the pump is defined by having a pipe that has an aperture to exhaust air being pumped therefrom. The pump further includes a means for launching the vehicle from the pump. The toy vehicle includes a pneumatic motor that when activated utilizes air in the chamber to propel the vehicle and activation of the motor is achieved by moving the vehicle. The vehicle includes an air inlet valve sized to securely engage the pipe of the pump such that movement of the vehicle during filling of the chamber is prevented. When securely engaged by the pipe, the vehicle is positioned against the launching means. A user operating the launching means pushes the vehicle, which activates the motor, such that the vehicle launches away from the pump.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   The present invention is a Continuation in Part of Ser. No. 10/370,992 filed Feb. 24, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,036,307. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a pneumatic pump used to charge pneumatic operated devices and more particularly to a pneumatic pump that engages the device during filling and launches the device once the device is charged. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Pneumatic operated devices, such as vehicles, are known in the art. These vehicles require at the very least a chamber to hold a pressurized fluid and a pump of some kind to re-fill or charge the reservoir. The pumps are attached to an intake valve on the vehicle and then a reciprocating pump handle is used to charge the reservoir. Upon activated, virtually all of the pneumatic operated vehicles utilize substantially all of the air in the reservoir to move the vehicle. Moreover, most pneumatic operated vehicles are activated by pushing the vehicles across a surface. If the vehicle is unintentionally moved or pushed across a surface during filling the vehicle may prematurely launch. In these instances, the full potential of the vehicle&#39;s travel will not be realized and the user may become disinterested in playing with the vehicle. As such it is desirable to maintain or hold these vehicles stationary until the reservoir is filled and the user is ready to launch the device. 
   While some prior patents have attempted to solve this problem for flying vehicles, the prior art has not addressed the issue as it relates to wheeled vehicles. U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,954 is directed to an air pumping station for pneumatic planes that suspends the plane in the air to protect the structure of the plane and prevent the propellers from unintentionally rotating. U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,153 is directed to a pressurized rocket launcher that holds the rocket vertically until the user desires to launch the rocket. 
   A need, therefore, exists to improve upon the prior art to provide a pneumatic pump that prevent the pneumatic operated vehicle from prematurely launching and/or expelling the pressurized air held inside. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with the present invention there is provided a pneumatic pump in combination with a pneumatic toy vehicle powered by a chargeable compressed air chamber. The improvement of the pump is defined by having a pipe that has an aperture to exhaust air being pumped out of the pneumatic pump. The pipe further has a predetermined diameter. The pump further includes a means for launching the vehicle from the pneumatic pump. The launching means is defined by having a frame that selectively slides along the exhaust pipe. The frame includes at least one pin that extends outwardly from the frame, and includes a lever that abuts the frame and pivots when pressed downwardly to selectively slide the frame along the exhaust pipe such that the pin extends out of openings defined in the stabilizing base. The toy vehicle includes a pneumatic motor that utilizes compressed air in the chamber to propel the vehicle. The pneumatic motor upon activation continuously uses the compressed air in the chamber until the compressed air in the chamber is substantially exhausted. Furthermore, activation of the pneumatic motor is achieved by moving the vehicle with the pump lever. The vehicle further includes an air inlet valve sized to securely engage the pipe of the pump such that movement of the vehicle during filling of the chamber is prevented. When the vehicle is securely engaged by the pipe, the vehicle is positioned against the openings defined in the stabilizing base. 
   When the vehicle is securely engaged by the pipe of the pump and the lever defined by the pump is pushed downwardly, the pins extend out of the openings defined in the stabilizing base to engage and move the vehicle such that the pneumatic motor is activated and the vehicle launches away from the pump. 
   Numerous other advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A fuller understanding of the foregoing may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a pneumatic pump assembly in accordance with the present invention illustrated as attached to a toy car; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the pneumatic pump assembly from  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the pneumatic pump assembly from  FIG. 1  partially showing a means for locking a vehicle to the pneumatic pump assembly and a means for launching the vehicles from the pneumatic pump assembly; 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the pneumatic pump assembly from  FIG. 1  illustrating the means for launching the vehicles from the pneumatic pump assembly; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the pneumatic pump assembly and toy car from  FIG. 1  illustrating the car launched from the pneumatic pump assembly; 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the car used with the pneumatic pump assembly; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the pneumatic pump assembly in accordance with the present invention and a motorcycle illustrated with the motorcycle secured against the pneumatic pump assembly; 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the pneumatic pump assembly and motorcycle from  FIG. 7  illustrated with the motorcycle launched from the pneumatic pump assembly; and 
       FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the motorcycle from  FIG. 7 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
   While the invention is susceptible to embodiments in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described herein, in detail, the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the spirit or scope of the invention and/or claims of the embodiments illustrated. 
   With reference to the perspective view of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a pneumatic launching station may be seen to include a pneumatic pump  10  adapted for use with a pneumatic operated vehicle, such as a car  12 . The vehicle includes therein a rechargeable pneumatic power supply  14  such as a re-fillable/re-usable compressed air chamber. 
   The pneumatic pump  10  includes a two piece stabilizing base  22 . The stabilizing base includes a flat ground engaging horizontal bottom  24 . The stabilizing base  22  also includes horizontally outwardly projecting members  26  that are located on either side of the stabilizing base  22  and which are proportioned for placement underneath the feet of a user of the pneumatic pump  10 . 
   The pneumatic pump  10  further includes a fluid-tight vertical cylindrical housing  30  to which is secured the stabilizing base  22 . The cylindrical housing  30  includes a piston  32  which is situated in fluid-tight relationship to the interior walls of the cylindrical housing  30  via a piston o-ring  33 . A rod  34  connects the piston  32  to a hand grippable pumping means or handle  36  at the opposite end thereof. As such when the feet of the user are upon the projecting members  26  and the handle  36  is engaged by the hands of the user, an anatomic stability will exist as the handle  36 , the rod  34 , and the piston  32  are reciprocated relative to the cylindrical housing  30 . It is noted that cylindrical housing  30  includes a top cap  38  necessary to prevent the rod  34  and piston  32  from being extended out of the cylindrical housing  30 . 
   Air pushed through the cylindrical housing  30  travels through a nozzle  40  and out an air exhaust aperture  42 . Unlike typical pneumatic pumps, the present invention further includes a means for locking a vehicle to the pneumatic pump  10  and a means for launching the vehicles from the pneumatic pump  10 . 
   The means for locking a vehicle to the pneumatic pump is defined by having an external exhaust pipe  44 , which has the air exhaust aperture  42  defined thereon. The external exhaust aperture has a diameter slightly less than a diameter defined by an air inlet aperture  102  on the vehicle (shown in  FIG. 6 ). This permits the air exhaust pipe  44  to frictionally engage the air inlet  102  and thus securely hold the vehicle in place during charging of the vehicle. 
   The means for launching the vehicle from the pneumatic pump  10  is defined by having a frame  50  that selectively slides along the external exhaust pipe  44 . The frame  50  includes at least one pin  52  that extends outwardly from the frame  50 . The frame  50  abuts a lever  54  that pivots to slide the frame  50  along the exhaust pipe  44  such that the pin  52  extends out of the stabilizing base  22  when the lever  54  is pushed downwardly. 
   In operation,  FIG. 1 , the car  12  is attached to the pneumatic pump  10  by engaging or mating the inlet aperture  102  on the vehicle to the external exhaust pipe  44 . This will push any pins  52  on the frame  50  of the launching means into the stabilizing base  22 . Moreover, illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the frame  50  will slide backwardly such that it will abut the lower portion  56  of the lever  54 . The lever  54  pivots about a pivot point  58  defined in top front portion of the stabilizing base  22 . The pneumatic pump  10  is operated by a user as described above, such that the user pumps air into the car  12 . After the user is finished pumping air into the car  12 , the user may push (with a foot or hand) downwardly on the upper portion  60  of the lever  54 , illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . The lever  54  pivots pushing the frame  50  forward. As the frame  50  slides forward, the pins  52  extend out of the stabilizing base  22  and engage the car  12 . As the lever  54  is pushed further downwardly, the car  12  is forced off of the air exhaust pipe  44 . In addition, as explained below, once the wheels of the car  12  begin moving, the pneumatic motor in the car  12  initiates to help power the vehicle off of the air exhaust pipe  44 . Once free of the air exhaust pipe  44 , the car  12  launches itself away from the pneumatic pump assembly  10 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6 , in one of embodiment, the vehicle includes a pneumatic power supply  70 , such as defined in co-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/370,992 incorporated herein by reference. The pneumatic power supply  70  includes a first housing  72  and a second housing  74  and a seal  73  between the two, which when assembled forms a fluid tight chamber  75  therebetween. 
   The first housing  72  includes a motor receptacle  78  that is designed to accommodate a pneumatic motor  80 . The motor receptacle  78  also includes an opening (not shown) through the first housing  72 . The pneumatic motor  80  includes a motor housing  82  that fits into a seal  84  and rests in the motor receptacle  78  to create a fluid tight seal between the interior of the chamber  75  and the opening through the first housing  72 . The pneumatic motor  80  also includes a fluid inlet  86 . When the pneumatic motor  80  is placed in the motor receptacle  78 , the fluid inlet  86  is directly in communication with the interior of the chamber. Below the seal  84 , in the opening, the pneumatic motor  80  includes a motor gear  88  which is driven by the pneumatic motor, to rotate an axle gear  90  and axle  92 . A housing plate  94  is attached to the first housing  72  below the motor receptacle  78  to secure the axle and axle gear in place and cover the opening. The housing plate  94  further includes a channel  96  that receives a one-way inlet valve  98 . The one-way inlet valve includes an exit  100  open to the interior of the chamber and the inlet aperture  102  sized to engage the external exhaust pipe  44  on the pneumatic pump  10 . 
   The housing plate  94  when attached to the housing  72  creates a pair of exhaust cylinders  104 . The exhaust cylinders  104  are aligned such that the pins  52  on the pneumatic pump assembly  10  will push against the exhaust cylinder  104  when the lever  54  is pushed downwardly, such that the vehicle  12  will be launched from the pneumatic pump assembly  10 . 
   Still referring to  FIG. 6 , the chamber includes a pressure release valve  120  that is entirely disposed within the chamber. The pressure release valve  120  includes a valve housing  122  that is entirely disposed within and secured to the interior of the chamber  75 . The valve housing  122  includes an aperture  124 , which is open to the interior of the chamber  75 . The pressure release valve  120  also includes a spring  126 , a cap  128 , and a flapper valve  130  all of which is contained within the valve housing  122 . The spring  126  is secured on one end to a pressure release cover  132  that is secured to the underside of the first housing  72 . The spring  126  has a predetermined compression force that sets the optimum pressure allowed inside the chamber  75 . As the pressure within the chamber  75  reaches and exceeds the predetermined optimum pressure defined by the compression force preset by the spring  126 , the fluid pushes past the flapper valve  132  causing the spring  126  to compress. The fluid continues to move the cap  128  to allow air to seep around the cap  128  and vent; relieving the pressure in the chamber below the optimum pressure defined by the spring  126 . The spring  126  will then return the cap  128  to a position that prevents the flapper valve  132  from moving sealing off the chamber. 
   The pneumatic motor  80  in operation draws pressurized fluid from the interior of the chamber  75  through the fluid inlet  86  to drive the motor gear  88 . The pneumatic motor  80  will typically include a piston and valve that alternate or reciprocate to permit air into a piston chamber to rotate the piston, which opens the valve to allow more air into the piston chamber. The pressurized fluid used by the pneumatic motor  80  is vented by the pneumatic motor  80  below the plug through the motor receptacle  78  and allowed to vent through a motor vent (not shown) in the housing plate  94 . The pneumatic motor  80  uses the pressurized fluid to drive the axle  92  which extends out of the chamber and drives or rotates a first pair of wheels  110 . The first housing  72  also includes a second axle  112  that freely rotates a second pair of wheels  114 . Similar pneumatic motors and their operation are known in the art, such as commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,079, which is incorporated by reference. To initiate the pneumatic motor  80 , after the chamber is filled with air, the user begins to rotate one of the first pair of wheels  110 . The rotation of the first pair of wheels, turns the axle  92  and begins rotating the piston in the pneumatic motor which opens the valve to draw more air through the fluid inlet  86  of the pneumatic motor into the piston chamber and continues to rotate the piston which turns the axle  92 . Once the pneumatic motor is initiated, the motor cycles pressurized air into piston chamber to continuously rotate the axle  92 , such that the pneumatic motor will continue to operate and propel the vehicle until the pressurized air in the chamber is no longer capable of running the pneumatic motor  80 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 7 through 9 , the vehicle may also be a motorcycle  150 . The motorcycle  150  includes a first housing  152  and a second housing  154  with a seal  153  between the two such that when assembled a fluid tight chamber is formed between the housings. Outer housing elements  156  and  158  may be used to add features to the motorcycle  150 . 
   When the housings are assembled a motor receptacle  156  is defined to accommodate a pneumatic motor  80 . The pneumatic motor  80  includes a motor housing  82  that fits in the motor receptacle  156  to create a seal between the interior and exterior of the chamber. The pneumatic motor  80  also includes a fluid inlet  86 . When the pneumatic motor  80  is placed in the motor receptacle  156 , the fluid inlet  86  is directly in communication with the interior of the chamber. The pneumatic motor  80  includes a motor gear  88  that meshed to a gear train  160 . The gear train  160  drives an axle  162  that rotates a rear wheel  164 . A front axle  166  is also provided to freely rotate a front wheel  168 . 
   Attached to the housings are external exhaust cylinders  170  that are aligned such that the pins  52  on the pneumatic pump  10  will push against closed ends  172  of the exhaust cylinder  170  (when the lever  54  is pushed downwardly) such that the vehicle  12  will be launched from the pneumatic pump  10 . 
   The external exhaust cylinders  170  are hollow and in fluid communication with the chamber defined by the assembled housings. The external exhaust cylinders  170  further include inlets to receive a one way inlet valve  174 . The one-way inlet valve  174  includes a pair of exits  176 , each separately attached to the external exhaust cylinders  170  and the inlet aperture  178  is sized to securely engage the external exhaust pipe  44  on the pneumatic pump  10 . 
   When the motorcycle  150  is attached to the pneumatic pump  10  ( FIG. 7 ) the inlet aperture  178  will engage the external exhaust pipe  44  and securely fasten the motorcycle to the pneumatic pump assembly  10 . Air pumped into the motorcycle will travel out the pair of exits  176  on the one-way inlet valve  174  through the external exhaust cylinder  170  and into the chamber of the motorcycle  150 . When the user is done pumping air into the motorcycle  150  ( FIG. 8 ) the user presses the lever  54  downwardly, forcing the pins  52  out of the pneumatic pump  10  to engage the closed ends  172  of the external exhaust cylinders  170 . The pins  52  will push the motorcycle  150  off of the external exhaust pipe  44  which will also rotate the rear wheel  164 . The rotation of the rear wheel  164  will rotate the motor gear  88  and initiate the pneumatic motor  80  such that the motorcycle  150  will launch off of the pneumatic pump  10 . 
   From the foregoing and as mentioned above, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concept of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.