Abstract:
An aerodynamic flying disk, i.e. such as a FRISBEE®, comprises a circular disk body having a circumferential rim. A groove is provided in the rim. A plurality of light sticks are located in various sections of the groove. The light sticks are bent and snapped to activate a chemical light producing reaction and after such activation may be placed into the sections of the groove. Thereafter, during the time the light sticks continue to glow, the flying disk when thrown and flown through the air will have an illuminated circumferential rim, enhancing the user&#39;s enjoyment in using and/or playing with the flying disk.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to an aerodynamic flying disk, such as a FRISBEE®, which can be gripped by the rim and thrown by the user to cause the flying disk to fly through the air. More particularly, this invention relates to such a flying disk equipped with one or more light sticks for providing visual effects as the flying disk flies through the air. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Aerodynamic flying disks are widely known. The trademark FRISBEE® refers to one such flying disk. Flying disks of this type have a circular disk body bounded by a circumferential rim. The user can grip the flying disk by the rim and with a flick of the wrist and arm can throw the flying disk with a spinning motion. This spinning motion along with the impetus of the throwing action causes the flying disk to fly through the air, often over quite a long distance. Flying disks of this type are a popular play and entertainment device. 
     It has been suggested that the entertainment value of aerodynamic flying disks could be enhanced by adding lights to the flying disk. This has been done in the past, however, by attempting to use naturally phosphorescent or luminescent materials to make the flying disks. Such attempts have been unsatisfactory as the light given off by such materials is quite weak. In addition, such materials gradually lose their light emitting qualities, becoming ineffective after a time. 
     Other attempts to provide illuminated flying disks have involved adding light bulbs or LED&#39;s to the flying disks along with batteries to power them. Again, this involves various problems, such as the weight added by the batteries to the flying disk and the need to replace the batteries. Accordingly, flying disks equipped with such battery operated light emitting elements have not been commercially successful. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One aspect of this invention relates to an aerodynamic flying disk which comprises a circular disk body having a top wall and a circumferential rim. The disk body is capable of being thrown by gripping the circumferential rim of the disk body and by throwing and spinning the disk body to cause the disk body to fly through the air. At least one light emitting element is carried on the circumferential rim of the disk body. 
     Another aspect of this invention relates to an aerodynamic flying disk comprising a throwable disk body. At least one light stick is provided comprising a flexible plastic tube which produces a light when the tube is bent and snapped to activate chemicals contained inside the tube which chemicals produce light when activated. A groove is provided on the disk body for releasably retaining the light stick. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     This invention will be described hereafter in the Detailed Description, taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like elements or parts throughout. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a throwable aerodynamic flying disk according to this invention, particularly illustrating the flying disk with light sticks carried in the circumferential rim of the flying disk; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the flying disk shown in FIG. 1, illustrating the light sticks separated from the flying disk prior to assembly of the light sticks with the flying disk; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the flying disk shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the flying disk shown in FIG. 1, particularly illustrating the flying disk in an upright orientation and with the light sticks being installed in the groove sections; 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the flying disk shown in FIG. 1, particularly illustrating the flying disk in an inverted orientation and with the light sticks being removed from the groove sections for the purpose of clarity; 
     FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the flying disk shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged bottom plan view of that portion of the circumferential rim of the flying disk which is circled in FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the circumferential rim of the flying disk shown in FIG. 1, taken along lines  8 — 8  of FIG. 7; and 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the circumferential rim of the flying disk shown in FIG. 1, taken along lines  9 — 9  of FIG.  6 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An aerodynamic flying disk according to this invention is illustrated generally as  2 . Flying disk  2  to which this invention relates can be thrown by a person who grabs one side of flying disk  2  and throws flying disk  2  with a flick of the wrist and arm. This propels flying disk  2  with a spinning motion and causes flying disk  2  to fly for some distance. Such flying disks  2  are well known per se and some are often sold under the trademark FRISBEE®, which trademark is owned by Wham-O-Mfg. Co. 
     Flying disk  2  comprises a circular disk body  4  having a circumferential rim  6  which extends 360° around disk body  4 . Disk body  4  has a top wall  8  which may be relatively flat or slightly domed. Circumferential rim  6  terminates in a lower edge  9 . See FIG.  9 . The underside of disk body  4  is open to form an interior cavity  12  underlying top wall  8 . 
     The description of flying disk  2  given above is meant simply to set forth the general structure of a flying disk of the type to which this invention relates. The exact size and shape of flying disk  2  and how flat or domed top wall  8  of flying disk  2  might be are not important to this invention. All that is required is that flying disk  2  have a size and shape which allows a person to grab flying disk  2  and to throw flying disk  2  with a flick of the wrist and arm with such throwing motion causing flying disk  2  to spin and thus fly through the air. 
     Flying disk  2  of this invention has a radially outwardly facing groove  14  provided in circumferential rim  6  of flying disk  2 . Groove  14  is separated into three sections  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  extending around the circumference of disk body  4 . As shown in FIG. 3, groove sections  14   a ,  14   b , and  14   c  are provided by three ribs  16  which are basically nongrooved or solid portions of circumferential rim  6 . Ribs  16  may stick radially outwardly slightly from circumferential rim  6  as shown in FIG.  3 . 
     Openings  18  are provided in circumferential rim  6  leading into the rear of each separate section  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  of groove  14 . Since three sections  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  are provided in groove  14  by three ribs  16 , three openings  18  are also provided, each opening  18  leading into one of the sections. If more sections were provided in groove  14  by more ribs  16 , then more openings  18  would be used. It would also be possible for each groove section  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  to have more than one opening  18 . For example, there could be two circumferentially spaced openings  18  for each section of groove  14 . 
     The purpose of openings  18  will be described in more detail hereafter. However, openings  18  are basically present to provide access to the rear of groove sections  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  from interior cavity  12  of flying disk  2 . 
     Each groove section  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  carries a light stick  20 , which is also sometimes referred to as a glow stick. Light sticks  20  are themselves well known and comprise flexible plastic tubes which enclose a chemical carrying capsule. When light sticks  20  are bent and snapped, the capsule is broken to allow the chemicals to be mixed by shaking light sticks  20 . The chemicals then react to produce a vibrant light. 
     Light sticks  20  come in different lengths and can produce light of different colors. This light lasts for a number of hours once the chemical reaction begins. Light sticks  20  do not glow or give off light prior to the time they are activated or after the chemical light producing reaction ends. One type of light stick that may be used is that known as a Beaver Safety Light Stick manufactured by Clean-Cut Skin Enterprise Co., Ltd. in Taichung, Taiwan. 
     Each groove section  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  has a length which is chosen to approximately match the length of light sticks  20 . In other words, each light stick  20  can be inserted into a groove section  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  and when so inserted will extend over most or all of the length of groove section  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c . In addition, the cross-sectional shape of groove section  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  is chosen to slightly pinch or grip the outer diameter of light stick  20  with a frictional fit. Thus, when light sticks  20  are inserted into their respective sections of groove  14 , they are simply held therein with a press fit. This press fit must, however, be tight enough so that light sticks  20  will not become dislodged from flying disk  2  even when flying disk  2  has been thrown and is flying through the air. 
     FIG. 2 shows light sticks  20  prior to insertion into sections  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  of groove  14 . Light sticks  20  can be pushed into sections  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  of groove  14  as indicated by the arrows A in FIG. 2 until they are gripped and held in sections  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  of groove  14 . The user would, of course, first bend and snap light sticks  20  immediately prior to insertion in order to initiate the chemical reaction that produces the light. After light sticks  20  begin glowing, they can be inserted into sections  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  of groove  14 . The light provided by such light sticks  20  will then last for a number of hours. 
     Flying disk  2  of this invention will enhance the entertainment value in using or playing with flying disk  2 . The colored light given off from circumferential rim  6  of flying disk  2  will be quite pretty and will provide a dynamic visual appearance as flying disk  2  is flown, particularly when flying disk  2  is flown at dusk or night or in other low light conditions. In fact, flying disk  2  of this invention lends itself to being used at times when unlighted flying disks could not even be seen. This should encourage and increase use of flying disk  2 . 
     Because the light provided by the chemical reactions inside light stick  20  lasts only for a number of hours, light sticks  20  will eventually stop glowing. These depleted light sticks must be replaced if one wishes to continue to use flying disk  2  with the light emitting properties provided by light sticks  20 . The user can easily remove or dislodge depleted light sticks from sections  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  of groove  14  using openings  18 . The user simply puts a finger into interior cavity  12  of flying disk  2  and into and through opening  18  in a groove section  14   a ,  14   b  or  14   c  until the user&#39;s finger contacts the back of light stick  20 . The user can then simply push outwardly on the back of light stick  20 , as shown by the arrow C in FIG. 8, to push a depleted light stick out of that groove section  14   a ,  14   b  or  14   c  in which that light stick  20  had been held. 
     A number of original and replacement light sticks  20  will desirably be packaged and sold with flying disk  2  when flying disk  2  is sold. Even the original light sticks will probably not be pre-installed in their respective sections of groove  14  since such pre-installed light sticks  20  might accidentally be activated during shipment or sale of flying disk  2 . Instead, upon purchasing a flying disk  2  of this invention, the user would, upon initial use of flying disk  2 , take three of the packaged light sticks  20 , bend and snap them to initiate the chemical reactions that produce the light, and then insert light sticks  20  into sections  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  of groove  14 . At some time after these original light sticks are depleted, and immediately prior to the next use of flying disk  2 , the user would remove the depleted light sticks from sections  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  of groove  14  and insert replacement light sticks, after first bending and snapping the replacement light sticks to initiate the chemical light producing reaction. 
     As light sticks  20  can produce light in different colors, a number of light sticks  20  capable of producing different colors will desirably be packaged with flying disk  2 . The user can then select what colors are to be used in combination with one another according to the user&#39;s individual taste. 
     Various additional modifications of this invention are apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, groove  14  that holds light sticks  20  is desirably placed on circumferential rim  6  of flying disk  2  as this least disturbs the aerodynamic characteristics of flying disk  2 . However, other grooves holding light sticks could be placed on top wall  8  of flying disk  2 , either in addition to groove  14  in circumferential rim  6  or in place of such groove  14 . Moreover, the number of sections  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  of groove  14  used in circumferential rim  6  of flying disk  2 , and the angular extent of such sections of groove  14 , could obviously be varied. While it is preferred that groove  14  extend around the entire circumferential rim  6  of flying disk  2  in a substantially continuous manner so that the entire rim looks to be lighted when light sticks  20  are activated, sections  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  of groove  14  in circumferential rim  6  could be noncontinuous and could be separated by relatively long lands or solid sections. In this case, the light glowing from circumferential rim  6  would be a series of spaced sections of light and not a more or less continuous band of light. 
     Different ways of removing depleted light sticks from sections  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  of groove  14  could also be used. For example, rather than having openings  18  into the rear of groove  14  for popping light sticks  20  out of groove  14 , openings might be provided in top wall  8  of flying disk  2  adjacent groove  14  for allowing the insertion of a prying implement behind light sticks  20  to pop them out. Alternatively, interior cavity  12  of light sticks  20  could be provided with some type of push button that would engage against the back of a light stick received in groove  14  to allow the user to push in on the button so that movement of the button would push light stick  20  out of groove  14 . 
     While groove  14  in circumferential rim  6  is formed into different sections by ribs  16 , ribs  16  could be deleted so that groove  14  would be continuous all the way around circumferential rim  6  of flying disk  2 . Light sticks  20  could be laid in an abutting end-to-end relationship around such a continuous groove. In the event that a long enough and flexible enough light stick  20  is available, the entire groove  14  could be filled with a single light stick  20 . 
     Thus, this invention is to be limited only by the appended claims