Patent Publication Number: US-5839964-A

Title: Water toy release mechanism

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a toy water game that periodically releases water. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     There have been developed a number of water games which can be played outdoors and allow the participants to become wet. For example, Marchon and Wham-O marketed products under the trademarks CROCODILE MILE and SLIP N SLIDE, respectively, which included a long vinyl mat that was lubricated with water by a sprinkler head. The participants would slide across the wet mat. CROCODILE MILE and SLIP N SLIDE did not require any particular skill other than the ability to slide across a wet mat. 
     Larami Corp. marketed a product under the trademark SUPER SOAKER TWISTER which included a mat that contained a plurality of internal passages that provided fluid communication between a garden hose and a plurality of apertures in the mat. The participants played a game of &#34;TWISTER&#34; while water squirted up through the apertures of the mat. 
     Mattel Toys has marketed a game under the trademark WETHEAD which included a helmet that was worn by a participant. The WETHEAD contained a number of sticks that could be pulled out of the helmet. One of the released sticks would release water onto the participant wearing the helmet. U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,714 issued to Rudell et al. discloses a game shaped as an octopus which has a plurality of &#34;tenticles&#34; that can be pivoted into a down position. One of the activated tenticles releases a stream of water. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a water game that periodically releases a volume of water. The game includes a trough that is pivotally connected to a stand. The trough is in fluid communication with a source of water such as a garden hose that is attached to the stand. The hose provides water that fills the trough. The water trough has a cavity that is offset from the stand so that the trough pivots about the stand and releases a volume of water when the water reaches a certain level. The trough rotates back into an upright position and again becomes filled with water, wherein the process is repeated. The stand can support the trough above a mat. A game participant can slide across the mat as the trough releases water to simulate a &#34;riding of a wave&#34;. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a water game of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a trough of the water game; 
     FIGS. 3a-d show a trough being filled with water and pivoting about a stand to release a volume of water; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a participant sliding across a mat; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the trough and stand on a slide; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the trough and stand in a wading pool. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numbers, FIG. 1 shows a water game 10 of the present invention. The game 10 periodically releases a volume of water. The game 10 includes a trough 12 that is pivotally connected to a stand 14. The stand 14 includes a center bar 16 that is attached to a plurality of legs 18. In the preferred embodiment, the center bar 16 and legs 18 are constructed from hollow molded plastic tubes that each have an inner channel 19. The bar 16 and legs 18 can be joined together by T-shaped sections 20. One of the legs 18 has a garden hose connector 22 that can be attached to a garden hose 24. 
     As shown in FIG. 2 the center bar 16 has a plurality of openings 26 that allow water to flow into a cavity 28 of the trough 12. In the preferred embodiment the cavity 28 is separated into three separate chambers by walls 30. The walls 30 may have openings 32 to provide fluid communication between the chambers. The trough 12 rotates about a plurality of bearing collars 34 that are attached to the center bar 16. The bearing collars 34 may be constructed from a low friction material such as DELRIN. As shown in FIG. 1 the trough 12 may have a plurality of openings 36. The openings 36 allow water to flow out of the cavity 28 and provide an indication that the trough 12 will rotate about the stand 14. 
     FIGS. 3a-d show the operation of the trough 12. The cavity 28 is filled with water provided from the garden hose 24. When the water level reaches a certain level, the center of gravity of the water CG is offset from the center of the center bar CC so that the trough 12 rotates about the bar 16. Rotation of the trough 12 releases the water from the cavity 28. The openings 36 allow water to flow out of the cavity 28 to provide an indication that the trough 12 is about to tip over. The center of gravity of the trough 12 is such that the trough 12 will rotate back to the upright position when the water is released from the cavity 12. The cavity 28 is again filled with water and the process is repeated. 
     As shown in FIG. 4 the trough 12 can be supported above a long mat 38. The mat 38 can be constructed from a low friction vinyl or polyethylene sheet. The trough 12 releases water onto the mat 38 to provide a wet surface. A participant can slide across the slippery mat 38. The participant can time his slide so that he crosses under the stand 14 while the trough 12 is releasing water onto the mat 12 to simulate &#34;riding a wave&#34;. Water flowing from the openings 36 provide an indication of when the trough 12 will rotate so that the participant can accurately time his slide. 
     FIG. 5 shows the stand 14&#39; and trough 12 attached to a slide 40. The trough 12 can periodically release water onto the slide 40 to create a wet surface. FIG. 6 shows a stand 14&#34; and a trough 12 located above a wading pool 42. 
     While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad invention, and that this invention not be limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since various other modifications may occur to those ordinarily skilled in the art.