Patent Publication Number: US-2015079868-A1

Title: Flying toy

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to the field of toys and, more particularly, toys suitable for dogs, cats, or other domesticated animals. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Toys for playing with by domesticated dogs and cats have been known since dogs and cats animals were first domesticated. Video recordings of a dog chasing a ball or frisbee, or of a cat playing with a ball of yarn, are ubiquitous and demonstrate that the engagement of humans and pet animals playing with toys is virtually worldwide. This invention is a kit that may be assembled to make spring-assisted flying toy that may be launched by a human, and will be chased and played with by a dog or cat. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of the invention nor delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. 
     The assembled toy is an elastic loop that may be extended by stretching the loop and having, at the leading end, a rectangular double-width felt “cockpit” and, at the trailing end, an “empennage,” or tail section of an “airplane.” In a preferred embodiment, the body, of “fuselage” may be doughnut-shaped loop in which an elastic cord or rubber band is situated, along with a soft filler. The doughnut-shaped loop may have an external covering of any suitable covering that is flexible, compressible, and resistant to chewing. In a preferred embodiment, the cockpit may be filled with a filler or stuffing, and the empennage may be constructed of felt, although any suitable soft and flexible material may be used. It is preferable that any material used for the flying toy be non-toxic, and have sufficient strength to be resistant to chewing. 
     The components for making the flying toy may be provided in a kit, or may be constructed from items found in many homes, although some sewing may be necessary or desirable. In a preferred embodiment, the actual pieces to be used in the flying toy may be provided. In other embodiments, the kit may comprise patterns for cutting the various parts from a sheet of felt or other suitable material. Elastic cord or rubber bands may also be provided, along with filler material. 
     The assembled toy may be “launched” by placing the finger of one hand within the loop, preferably behind or near the back of the “cockpit,” while the other hand grasps the empennage or loop in the vicinity of the empennage and stretches the elastic fuselage. From the extended position, the hand grasping the empennage will release the toy, which will then spring away, forward, from the finger on the other hand, and will take flight. As the toy is neither designed nor intended to act as an airfoil, it may hurtle through the air in a tumbling or non-aerodynamic manner before landing, at which point it may be seized by an interested animal and either returned to the person who launched it, or may be taken elsewhere while the animal plays with it. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows an assembled flying toy. 
         FIG. 2  is a cutaway view showing the elastic element in the torus of the flying toy. 
         FIGS. 3   a  through  3   g  depict the components of the kit used to assemble the flying toy. 
         FIG. 4  shows the method of assembling the components from the kit for the flying toy. 
         FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of the assembled flying toy. 
         FIG. 6  depicts the assembled flying toy being readied for launch. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following detailed description and the appended drawings describe and illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention solely for the purpose of enabling one of ordinary skill in the relevant art to make and use the invention. As such, the detailed description and illustration of these embodiments are purely exemplary in nature and are in no way intended to limit the scope of the invention, or its protection, in any manner. It should also be understood that the drawings are not to scale and in certain instances details have been omitted, which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention, such as conventional details of fabrication and assembly. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the flying toy of the invention. A “cockpit”  2  is fashioned from a sheet of material and is attached to the “fuselage”  4  by sewing or any other suitable attachment method. The fuselage  4  forms a flexible torus within which is an elastic cord  6 , that may be a commercial elastic product or that may be one or more rubber bands attached at their ends to form a loop. An empennage is formed of a “tail”  10  and “horizontal stabilizers”  8 . The horizontal stabilizer has a tab (not shown) that fits into slot  18  in torus  4 . A stitch  19  may be taken to hold the stabilizer tab within torus body  4 . 
       FIG. 2  depicts the flying toy with the torus  4  shown in cross section. An elastic cord  6  consists of three rubber bands tied end to end with knots  22 . Alternatively, a single elastic cord may be used and may be provided as a continuous loop or may be provided as a single strand that must be attached end to end, by tying or some other common attachment method. In a preferred embodiment, a filler  12  is spread about the interior of the torus to provide shape to the torus. When the toy is to be launched, the person doing the launching may grab the empennage  8 ,  10  with one hand, extend a finger of the opposite hand to hold the inner part of the torus  4  just behind the “cockpit”  2 , separate the two hands to create tension on the elastic  6  inside the torus  4  while holding the “cockpit” higher than the empennage, and release the toy by releasing the empennage. The elastic will snap the empennage toward the cockpit, and the energy of the elastic will be released in the form of forward motion of the toy. When a launching takes place in front of a dog or cat, a common response is often that the dog or cat will chase the flying toy. 
       FIGS. 3   a  through  3   g  depict the separate, disassembled components of the flying toy that, in a preferred embodiment, would be included in a kit. The torus  4  is shown in  FIG. 3   a  as it would be included in a kit. A slit  18  is provided for the tab  20  of the empennage to be fitted and secured with stitching. The horizontal tail  8  is depicted in  FIG. 3   b,  and has a tab  20  that will secure the empennage to the torus  4 , and a slit  14  through which tab  16  of the vertical stabilizer  10  will be fitted. The vertical stabilizer  10  is depicted in  FIG. 3   c.    FIG. 3   d  comprises two identical pieces  2  that are stitched together form the “cockpit.”  FIG. 3   e  shows three elastic strands which may be attached end-to-end to form a single circular elastic strand  6 , as shown in  FIG. 3   f.  Although any suitable attachment method will be acceptable, it is contemplated that the elastic strands will be rubber bands that may be tied end-to-end. Alternatively, any complete elastic loop may be used, and it is not required that separate strands be attached end-to-end. A filler  12  is shown in  FIG. 3   g,  and may be used to provide substance to the torus  4  and a portion may also be used to fill out the “cockpit”  2 . 
     The method of assembly of the kit is depicted in  FIG. 4 . In  FIG. 4 , the unassembled torus  4  is folded to make a torus into which filling  12  will be introduced. The assembled torus  4  will then be fitted around elastic strand  6  to enclose the elastic strand wholly within the torus. A “cockpit”  2  will be fashioned of two identical pieces that will be stitched together to form a volume into which additional filling  12  may be stuffed. The empennage is assembled using a vertical stabilizer  10  and fitting tab  16  into slot  14  of the horizontal stabilizer  8 . Tab  20  from the horizontal stabilizer  8  is then fitted into slit  18  in torus  4 , and may be secured there with stitching. As thus assembled, a flying toy is able to be launched. 
       FIG. 5  depicts a front view of the assembled flying toy, and  FIG. 6  shows the toy being readied for launch. In  FIG. 6 , a first hand grasps the empennage while a second hand raises a finger to hold the front part of the elastic torus. As the first hand grasps and pulls the empennage, the elastic stretches and tension is placed on the toy and the second hand that is resisting the tension. When the first hand releases the empennage, the elastic contracts, and the toy is launched upwards and forward, and will follow an arc until it hits the ground or is intercepted in mid-flight by an animal.