Patent Publication Number: US-7712461-B1

Title: Air propelling toy

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to toy guns and more particularly pertains to a new toy gun for directing a quantity of air in a desired direction. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of toy guns is known in the prior art. While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a device that has certain improved features that allow a trigger of the device to be pulled multiple times in succession to allow multiples quantities of air to be ejected by the device. Additionally, the device should include an actuating assembly that is fully actuated by the pulling of the trigger and does not need to be cocked between each pull of the trigger. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a housing being graspable by a person. The housing includes a perimeter wall that defines an interior space of the housing. The housing has an outlet port that extends through the perimeter wall and is in fluid communication with the interior space. The outlet port is positioned adjacent a adjacent a front end of the housing. A diaphragm is coupled to the housing and positioned in the interior space of the housing. The diaphragm divides the interior space into an air space and a mechanism space. The air space is in fluid communication with the outlet port. An actuating assembly is operationally coupled to the housing and the diaphragm. The actuating assembly is actuated to draw the diaphragm into the mechanism space to draw air into the sir space through the outlet port and quickly release the diaphragm to force the air out of the air space and out the outlet port. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an air propelling toy according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the present invention taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is the cross-sectional view of the present invention shown in  FIG. 3  as a trigger is being slid from a forward position to a retracted position. 
         FIG. 5  is the cross-sectional view of the present invention shown in  FIG. 3  as the trigger reaches a retracted position. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 5  thereof, a new toy gun embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 5 , the air propelling toy  10  generally comprises a housing  12  being graspable by a person. The housing  12  includes a perimeter wall  14  that defines an interior space  16  of the housing  12 . The housing  12  has an outlet port  18  that extends through the perimeter wall  14  and is in fluid communication with the interior space  16 . The outlet port  18  is positioned adjacent a front end  20  of the housing  12 . The housing  12  is approximately gun shaped. The housing  12  has a length of approximately 9 inches and width of approximately 2⅖ inches. 
     A diaphragm  22  is coupled to the housing  12  and positioned in the interior space  16  of the housing  12 . The diaphragm  22  divides the interior space  16  into an air space  24  and a mechanism space  26 . The air space  24  is in fluid communication with the outlet port  18 . The diaphragm  22  is comprised a comprised a flexible material. The diaphragm  22  is positioned approximately horizontal and approximately parallel to a longitudinal axis of the air space  24 . The approximate horizontal position of the diaphragm  22  inhibits solid objects placed in the air space  24  from being launched out of the outlet port  18  by the diaphragm  22 . 
     An actuating assembly  28  is operationally coupled to the housing  12  and the diaphragm  22 . The actuating assembly  28  is actuated to draw the diaphragm  22  into the mechanism space  26  to draw air into the sir space through the outlet port  18  and quickly release the diaphragm  22  to force the air out of the air space  24  and out the outlet port  18 . A trigger  30  is slidably coupled to the housing  12 . The trigger  30  is slid from a forward position to a retracted position to actuate the actuating assembly  28 . The trigger  30  is slid into the mechanism space  26  when the trigger  30  is slid from the forward position to the retracted position. 
     A pivot rod  32  is coupled to the trigger  30  and is moved forward or rearward with the trigger  30 . A lever  34  is pivotally coupled to the housing  12 . The lever  34  is positioned adjacent to the trigger  30  and the pivot rod  32 . The lever  34  is pivoted by the pivot rod  32  when the pivot rod  32  engages the lever  34  as the pivot rod  32  is moved forward or rearward with the trigger  30 . A cable  36  is coupled to the lever  34  and the diaphragm  22 . The cable  36  pulls the diaphragm  22  into the mechanism space  26  when the trigger  30  is being slid from the forward position to the retracted position and the pivot rod  32  pivots the lever  34 . The cable  36  is positioned adjacent a rear edge  38  of the lever. 
     The pivot rod  32  abuts a front edge  40  of the lever adjacent to a top edge  42  of the lever  34  when the trigger  30  is in the forward position. The pivot rod  32  forces the rear edge  38  of the lever  38  to pivot downwardly to pull the cable  36  and thereby draw the diaphragm  22  into the mechanism space  26 . The pivot rod  32  slides, by a raised portion  44  of the lever  34  to release the cable  36  from tension and allow the diaphragm  22  to advance into the air space  24  and force air out of the outlet port  18  when the trigger  30  is in the retracted position. The pivot rod  32  slides along a portion of the top edge  42  of the lever  34  when the trigger  30  is slid from the retracted position to the forward position. A plurality of guide pins  36  is coupled to the housing and is positioned in the mechanism space. The cable  36  is positioned on the guide pins  48  to retain the cable  36  in a taut condition. 
     In use, the housing  12  is gripped by the person with the fingers of the person positioned on the trigger  30 . The person then directs the outlet port  18  in the desired direction. The trigger  30  is then slid from the forward position to the retracted position and the diaphragm  22  is drawn into the mechanism space  26  and then quickly released to allow the diaphragm  22  to advance into the air space  24 . As the diaphragm  22  enters the air space  24  it forces a quantity of air out of the outlet port  18  in the desired direction that the outlet port  18  is pointing. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.