Patent Publication Number: US-2020300575-A1

Title: Toy gun

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2017/119067, filed Dec. 27, 2017, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to toy technology field and, more particularly, to a toy gun. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the related technology, the magazine and gun body of a toy gun are generally connected to each other through a buckle and a slot. When the magazine is being dismounted, the buckle is removed from the slot and the magazine is manually pulled out. When the magazine is being mounted, the buckle is set in the slot. The mounting and dismounting of the toy gun magazine are not convenient, the efficiency is low, and the user experience is poor. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with the disclosure, there is provided a toy gun including a gun body, a magazine, and a gun elastic member. The gun body includes one of a retractable latch and a convex edge. The magazine is slidably mounted at the gun body and includes another one of the latch and the convex edge. The latch is configured to abut against the convex edge to stop the magazine from sliding relative to the gun body. The gun elastic member is configured to be compressed when the latch abuts against the convex edge and drive the magazine to slide relative to the gun body when the latch is separated from the convex edge. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic structural diagram of a toy gun according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic structural diagram showing a magazine separated from a gun body according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is another schematic structural diagram showing the magazine separated from the gun body according to another embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic structural diagram of a toy gun magazine and a toy gun operation mechanism according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is another schematic structural diagram of the toy gun magazine and the toy gun operation mechanism according to another embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is another schematic structural diagram of the toy gun magazine and the toy gun operation mechanism according to another embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic perspective view of the toy gun operation mechanism according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic plan view of the toy gun magazine according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the toy gun magazine along line B-B in  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is another schematic plan view of the toy gun magazine according to another embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 11  is another schematic plan view of the toy gun magazine according to another embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a toy gun body according to an embodiment of the disclosure 
     
    
    
     Reference numerals for major components:
     Toy gun  100 , operation mechanism  110 , button  112 , pressing block  1122 , button groove  1124 , connection member  114 , bar-shaped protrusion  1142 , pillar  1144 , receiving groove  116 , pressing surface  1162 , through hole  1164 , button elastic member  118 , latch  10 , first vertical plane  12 , gun body  20 , gun body slide groove  24 , stopper  26 , inlet  28 , gun elastic member  30 , magazine  40 , bullet blocking member  41 , outlet  44 , convex edge  42 , second vertical plane  14 .   

     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The embodiments of the present disclosure will be described, and the examples of the embodiments are shown in the drawings. The same or similar reference numerals indicate the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The described embodiments are merely illustrative through the drawings, which are used to explain the present disclosure and cannot be considered to limit the present disclosure. 
     In the description of the present disclosure, the terms such as center, longitudinal, lateral, length, width, thickness, up, down, front, rear, left, right, vertical, horizontal, top, bottom, inside, outside, clockwise, counterclockwise, etc., are used to indicate location or position relationship based on the location or position relationship as shown in the drawings, which are merely to facilitate description of the present disclosure and to simplify descriptions, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation to the present disclosure. The terms first and second are merely used for description purpose and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features. The features associated with “first” and “second” may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present disclosure, the meaning of “plurality” is two or more, unless specifically defined otherwise. 
     In the description of the present disclosure, the terms “mounting,” “connection,” or “connected” should be understood in a broad sense, unless it is specifically stated and limited. For example, the terms may indicate a fixed connection, a removable connection, or an integral connection. The terms may also mean a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or mutual communication, may also mean a direct connection or an indirect connection via a medium therebetween, or may also mean a communication between inner spaces of two components or the interaction relationship of two components. Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand the specific meaning of the terms in the present disclosure according to a specific condition. 
     In the present disclosure, unless explicitly stated and limited otherwise, a first feature being above or below a second feature may include a direct contact of the first and second features or a contact through another feature therebetween such that the first and second features do not contact each other directly. The first feature being above, over, or on top of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or merely indicates that the first feature is higher in vertical direction than the second feature. The first feature being below, lower than, or under the second feature includes the first feature being directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or only indicates that the first feature is lower in vertical direction than the second feature. 
     The following disclosure provides many different implementations or examples for implementing different structures of the present disclosure. To simplify the description of the present disclosure, the components and settings of specific examples are described below. They are merely examples and are not intended to limit the disclosure. In different examples of the disclosure reference numerals and/or reference letters may be repeated and such repetition is for the sake of simplicity and clarity and does not indicate the relationship between the discussed various embodiments and/or settings. The present disclosure provides examples of various specific processes and materials, but those of ordinary skill in the art may be aware of the application of other processes and/or the use of other materials. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 - FIG. 9 , the present disclosure provides a toy gun  100 . The toy gun  100  includes a retractable latch  10 , a gun body  20 , a gun elastic member  30 , and a magazine  40  slidably mounted at the gun body  20 . One of the gun body  20  and the magazine  40  includes the latch  10 , and the other one of the gun body  20  and the magazine  40  is formed with a convex edge  42 . The latch  10  abuts against the convex edge  42  to stop the magazine  40  from sliding relative to the gun body  20 . When the latch  10  abuts against the convex edge  42 , the gun elastic member  30  is compressed. When the latch is separated from the convex edge  42 , the gun elastic member  30  drives the magazine  40  to slide out relative to the gun body  20 . 
     In the embodiment, the magazine  40  of the toy gun  100  can be quickly slid into the gun body  20  after pressing against the latch  10 , and the latch  10  can abut against the convex edge  42  to block the magazine  40 . When the latch  10  is retracted, the gun elastic member  30  can quickly separate the magazine  40  from the gun body  20 , so that the magazine  40  of the toy gun  100  is easy to be mounted and dismounted with a high efficiency and good user experience. 
     The latch  10  is a structure that can be operated to extend or retract to perform a fixing function. The latch  10  may be provided at one of the gun body  20  and the magazine  40 . The convex edge  42  may be provided at the other one of the gun body  20  and the magazine  40 . For example, the latch  10  is provided at the gun body  20 , and the convex edge  42  is provided at the magazine  40 . When the magazine  40  is being slidably mounted to the gun body  20 , the magazine  40  presses against the latch  10  to cause the latch  10  to retract. After the magazine  40  is mounted at the gun body  20 , the latch  10  extends and abuts against the convex edge  42  to stop the magazine  40  from sliding relative to the gun body  20 . 
     The extension and retraction of the latch  10  can be realized with various structures. For example, the latch  10  can be connected to a screw, and the screw can be manually or electrically driven to rotate, so that the latch  10  can extend and retract. For another example, the latch  10  can be connected to a convex block, which is pressed by a cam to move up and down so as to cause the latch  10  to extend and retract. For another example, the latch  10  can be connected to a rack, and the rack can be manually or electrically driven up and down to drive the latch  10  to extend and retract. For another example, the latch  10  can be connected to a button  112 . The button  112  can be pressed to retract the latch  10 , and the latch  10  extends and maintains in an extended status when the button  112  is not pressed. 
     The gun elastic member  30  may be provided at the gun body  20  or the magazine  40 . When the latch  10  abuts against the convex edge  42 , the gun elastic member  30  is compressed. That is, when the magazine  40  is mounted at the gun body  20 , the gun elastic member  30  is in a compressed status. When the latch  10  is operated, the latch  10  is retracted and separated from the convex edge  42 , and the gun elastic member  30  extends to drive the magazine  40  to slide relative to the gun body  20 . 
     In some embodiments, one, two, or more latches  10  may be provided. The one or more latches  10  can be provided on one or both sides of the toy gun  100 . The number and position of the one or more latches  10  are not restricted and can be set according to actual needs. 
     In some embodiments, the gun body  20  includes the latch  10 , the magazine  40  includes the convex edge  42 , and the gun elastic member  30  is provided at the magazine  40 . 
     In this way, the toy gun  100  is easy to operate and the gun body  20  and the magazine  40  can be easily disassembled. 
     When the magazine  40  slides into the gun body  20 , the convex edge  42  of the magazine  40  abuts against the latch  10  to retract the latch  10 . When the magazine  40  slides into the gun body  20 , the gun elastic member  30  is gradually compressed. After the convex edge  42  slides over the top of the latch  10 , the latch  10  of the gun body  20  extends to abut against the convex edge  42  to stop the magazine  40  from sliding relative to the gun body  20 . The gun elastic member  30  is in a compressed status in the magazine  40 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4 , and  FIG. 12 , in some embodiments, the gun body  20  includes a gun body slide groove  24 . The gun body slide groove  24  and the convex edge  42  cooperate with each other. When the magazine  40  is mounted at the gun body  20 , the convex edge  42  is engaged in the gun body slide groove  24 . 
     In this way, through the cooperation of the gun body slide groove  24  and the convex edge  42 , the magazine  40  can be easily mounted at the gun body  20 . 
     In an example, the gun body slide groove  24  may be a square groove, and the convex edge  42  is correspondingly a square protrusion that cooperates with the gun body slide groove  24 . In another example, the gun body slide groove  24  may be a V-shaped groove, and the convex edge  42  is correspondingly a V-shaped protrusion that cooperates with the gun body slide groove  24 . The shapes of the gun body slide groove  24  and the convex edge  42  can be designed correspondingly into other shapes according to actual needs and are not restricted here. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 12 , in some embodiments, the latch  10  is retractably located at the gun body slide groove  24 . The latch  10  is formed with a first vertical surface  12 , and an end surface of the convex edge  42  is a second vertical surface  14 . When the magazine  40  is mounted at the gun body  20 , the first vertical surface  12  abuts against the second vertical surface  14  to stop the magazine  40  from sliding relative to the gun body  20 . 
     In this way, the first vertical surface  12  and the second vertical surface  14  abut against each other to stop the magazine  40  from sliding relative to the gun body  20 , so that the magazine  40  sliding into the gun body  20  is short. It is beneficial for the latch  10  to maintain with a small structure, and the magazine  40  is more easily stuck at the gun body  20 . 
     Since opposing areas of the first vertical surface  12  and the second vertical surface  14  are relatively large, the force when they abut against each other is relatively large, so that when the magazine  40  is mounted at the gun body  20 , the magazine  40  can be limited to slide relative to the gun body  20  and is not easily separated from the gun body  20 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, the toy gun  100  includes an operation mechanism  110 . The operation mechanism  110  includes a button  112  and a connection member  114 . The button  112  includes a pressing block  1122 . The latch  10  is fixed to the connection member  114 . A receiving groove  116  is formed on a side of the connection member  114  and the receiving groove  116  includes a pressing surface  1162 . When the button  112  is operated, the button  112  presses the pressing surface  1162  through the pressing block  1122  to drive the connection member  114  and the latch  10  to retract. 
     When the button  112  is operated, the latch  10  can be controlled to retract quickly through the pressing block  1122  and the pressing surface  1162 , and the structure is simple. 
     When the latch  10  is provided at the magazine  40 , the operation mechanism  110  is provided at the magazine  40 , and when the latch  10  is provided at the gun body  20 , the operation mechanism  110  is provided at the gun body  20 . 
     When the button  112  is not pressed, at least part of the pressing block  1122  is at the receiving groove  116  and contacts the pressing surface  1162 . When the button  112  is pressed, the pressing block  1122  extends into the receiving groove  116  and the pressing block  1122  abuts against the pressing surface  1162  to drive the connection member  114  and the latch  10  to retract. When the button  112  is pressed, there is no false position. The user experience is good. 
     In some embodiments, as shown in  FIG. 5 , a through hole  1164  is provided a surface of the receiving groove  116  opposite to the pressing block  1122 . The through hole  1164  is in communication with the receiving groove  116 . When the button  112  is operated, the pressing block  1122  is at least partially located in the through hole  1164 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , with the through hole  1164  being provided at the surface of the receiving groove  116  opposite to the pressing block  1122 , the thickness of the connection member  114  is reduced. 
     Since the surface of the receiving groove  116  opposite to the pressing block  1122  includes the through hole  1164 , after the pressing block  1122  presses against the pressing surface  1162 , the pressing block  112  can extend into the through hole  1164 . As such, the entire thickness of the connection member  114  can be reduced while the pressing block  1122  is ensured to have enough moving space. 
     In some embodiments, one, two, or more through holes  1164  may be provided, and accordingly, one, two, or more pressing blocks  1122  may be provided. The area of the through hole  1164  is larger than the area of the pressing block  1122 . In the embodiment shown in the figure, the numbers of the through holes  1164  and the pressing blocks  1122  are both two. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, the connection member  114  is formed with a bar-shaped protrusion  1142 , and the button  112  is formed with a button groove  1124 . When the button  112  is operated, the bar-shaped protrusion  1142  is engaged with the button groove  1124  to guide the sliding of the pressed button  112 . 
     With the sliding of the pressed button  112  being guided by the engagement of the bar-shaped protrusion  1142  and the button groove  1124 , the operation of the button  112  is smoother and getting stuck can be avoided. 
     The bar-shaped protrusion  1142  and the button groove  1124  cooperate with each other, so that when the button  112  is pressed, the bar-shaped protrusion  1142  can be partially or completely engaged in the button groove  1124 . The bar-shaped protrusions  1142  can be provided at the receiving groove  116 , so that the overall thickness of the operation mechanism  110  can be reduced, and hence the overall weight of the toy gun  100  can be reduced. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, the gun body  20  includes the operation mechanism  110 . The operation mechanism  110  includes a button elastic member  118 . One end of the button elastic member  118  abuts against the bottom end of the connection member  114 . The other end of the button elastic member  118  abuts inside the gun body  20 . The button elastic member  118  is configured to be compressed when the button  112  is operated and to drive the latch  10  to extend out of the gun body  20  or maintain the extended status of the latch  10  when the button  112  is not operated. 
     The button elastic member  118  can be compressed when the button  112  is operated and quickly drive the latch  10  to extend out of the gun body  20  or maintain the latch  10  in the extended status when the button  112  is not operated, and the structure is simple. 
     In some embodiments, the button elastic member  118  can be a spring or an elastic member with a good elastic deformation ability. 
     In some embodiments, when the button  112  is operated, the latch  10  moves down so that the bottom end of the connection member  114  is pressed against the button elastic member  118  to compress the button elastic member  118  to generate a corresponding elastic deformation. When the button  112  is not operated, the button elastic member  118  drives the latch  10  to extend out of the gun body  20  or maintains the latch  10  in the extended status with the elastic force. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4-7 , in some embodiments, the connection member  114  includes a pillar  1144 , and the button elastic member  118  is at least partially sleeved on the pillar  1144 . 
     In this way, the pillar  1144  can maintain the shape of the button elastic member  118 , so that the button elastic member  118  does not easily displace radially when the latch  10  is retracted, and hence the lifetime of the button elastic member  118  and the stability of the retraction of the latch  10  can be improved. 
     The pillar  1144  can be provided at the bottom end of the connection member  114 , and the pillar  1144  and the latch  10  can be provided along the same center axis, so that an elastic force generated by the button elastic member  118  for the latch  10  can be enhanced. The pillar  1144  may be provided at an end side of the connection member  114  or at other positions of the connection member  114  according to actual needs. 
     The pillar  1144  can have a length according to a size requirement of a space in the gun body  20 . The pillar  1144  can be configured as a hollow structure, which can reduce the weight of the toy gun  100 . In the embodiment, the pillar  1144 , the connection member  114 , and the latch  10  are an integral structure. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 11 , in some embodiments, the magazine  40  includes a retractable bullet blocking member  41  and an outlet  44 . The bullet blocking member  41  is connected to the gun elastic member  30 , and the gun body  20  includes a stopper  26  and an inlet  28 . When the magazine  40  is separated from the gun body  20 , the bullet blocking member  41  closes the outlet  44 , and when the magazine  40  is mounted at the gun body  20 , the stopper  26  abuts against the bullet blocking member  41  to retract the bullet blocking member  41  and open the outlet  44 , so that the outlet  44  is connected to the inlet  28 . 
     In this way, when the magazine  40  is separated from the gun body  20 , the bullet blocking member  41  closes the outlet  44  to prevent the bullets from dropping out of the magazine  40 . When the magazine  40  is mounted at the gun body  20 , the stopper  26  abuts against the bullet blocking member  41  to retract the bullet blocking member  41  and open the outlet  44 , so that the bullets in the magazine  40  can enter the gun body  20  through the outlet  44  and the inlet  28 , and the structure is simple. 
     The gun elastic member  30  is provided at the magazine  40 . In this way, when the magazine  40  slides into the gun body  20 , the outlet  44  can quickly be opened by retracting the bullet blocking member  41 , so that the bullet can quickly fall into the gun body  20  through the inlet  28 . 
     In some embodiments, the bullet blocking member  41  may be a sheet shape, and the end of the bullet blocking member  41  is connected to the gun elastic member  30 . When the magazine  40  slides into the gun body  20  with a certain distance, the bullet blocking member  41  will be blocked by the stopper  26 . As the magazine  40  continues to slide in, the bullet blocking member  41  is retracted backward to compress the gun elastic member  30  until the magazine  40  is stuck by the latch  10 . When the latch  10  is retracted, the magazine  40  is not stuck by the latch  10 , the gun elastic member  30  pushes the bullet blocking member  41  to extend, the magazine  40  is ejected, and the bullet blocking member  41  closes the outlet  44 . 
     In the specification, the description with reference to the terms of “one embodiment,” “some embodiments,” “exemplary embodiments,” “examples,” “specific examples,” or “some examples,” etc., indicate that in combination with specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in the embodiments or examples are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. In the specification, the schematic expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same example or embodiment. The described specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined appropriately in any one or more embodiments or examples. 
     Although the embodiments of the disclosure are shown and described in detail, one of ordinary skill in the art should understand that various modifications, changes, replacements, or deformations can be made to the implementation methods without departing the principles and purposes of the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by claims and their equivalents.