Patent Publication Number: US-7582003-B1

Title: Illuminatable aerodynamic disc or saucer

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Light emitting aerodynamic discs have been suggested in the past to enable disc throwing and catching during dusk and even nighttime hours. These have included phosphorous light emitting coatings for the disc and more frequently have included discs that have receptacles for removably mounting chemiluminescent tubes. These tubes are fairly standard in construction and contain a flexible outer tube and an inner frangible wall that separates the tube into two compartments, each containing one of the chemiluminescent compositions that when mixed emit light for four or more hours depending upon the volume and strength of the chemiluminescent compositions. 
   One drawback with the plastic discs that have compartments to hold the removable chemiluminescent tubes is that they affect the aerodynamics of the discs and because the discs frequently are abused by hitting fixed objects, such as trees and buildings, the chemiluminescent tubes are likely to fall out of the discs. 
   A more significant problem in these prior flying discs that carry light emitting devices is that they do not illuminate the entire disc as it spins, and while this is not particularly significant for purposes of throwing the disc, it does interfere with catching the disc because the catcher cannot determine the location of the outer rim of the disc which is usually utilized for catching, as well as for throwing purposes. 
   Another comment on these prior illuminatable discs is that they are far too complicated and costly for the flying disc market. 
   The following is a list of United States Patents resulting from a prior art search: 
   
     
       
         
             
             
             
             
           
             
                 
                 
             
           
          
             
                 
               Inventor 
               Patent No. 
               Issued 
             
             
                 
                 
             
             
                 
               Peterson, et al. 
               3,720,018 
               Mar. 13, 1973 
             
             
                 
               Michael 
               3,948,523 
               Apr. 6, 1976 
             
             
                 
               Strawick 
               4,086,723 
               May 2, 1978 
             
             
                 
               Psyras 
               4,132,031 
               Jan. 2, 1979 
             
             
                 
               Miller, et al. 
               4,135,324 
               Jan. 23, 1979 
             
             
                 
               Sampietro 
               4,145,839 
               Mar. 27, 1979 
             
             
                 
               Boatman, et al. 
               4,207,702 
               Jun. 17, 1980 
             
             
                 
               Gould 
               4,254,575 
               Mar. 10, 1981 
             
             
                 
               Gudgel 
               4,301,616 
               Nov. 24, 1981 
             
             
                 
               Kutnyak 
               4,431,196 
               Feb. 14, 1984 
             
             
                 
               O&#39;Riley 
               4,607,850 
               Aug. 26, 1986 
             
             
                 
               Riccardi, et al. 
               5,348,509 
               Sep. 20, 1994 
             
             
                 
               Stamos 
               5,536,195 
               Jul. 16, 1996 
             
             
                 
               Trichak 
               5,882,239 
               Mar. 16, 1999 
             
             
                 
               Chiang 
               6,402,342 
               Jun. 11, 2002 
             
             
                 
               Komuro 
               6,554,093 
               Apr. 8, 2003 
             
             
                 
                 
             
          
         
         
             
          
             
               Patent Application Publication 
             
             
                 
             
          
         
         
             
             
             
          
             
                 
               Peterson 
               Publication No. U.S. 2003/0162470 
             
             
                 
                 
               Publication Date: Aug. 28, 2003 
             
             
                 
                 
             
          
         
       
     
   
   The Boatman, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,207,702, shows a saucer-shaped toy that has a plurality of central clips 32 that hold a straight chemiluminescent light stick. In this design, the light stick can fall out of the disc and illuminates only a small central portion of the disc. 
   The Strawick, U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,723, shows a design similar to Boatman, et al. 
   The Gould, U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,575, shows an aerodynamic flying saucer with a chemiluminescent ring tube that when positioned in an annular ring, fits within the disc. This configuration, when the chemiluminescent tube is activated and the disc is thrown, illuminates only a small part of the perimeter of the disc so that the disc appears as a thin lighted ring. 
   The Stamos, U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,195 shows an illuminated flying disc having a flexible chemiluminescent tube threaded through apertures in the top of the disc. 
   The O&#39;Riley, U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,850 shows a lighted sport disc having what appears to be a planar uninterrupted lower surface. The battery 20 is inserted from the top as seen in FIG. 7, which provides power to radially spaced lighting devices 14, which are diodes. 
   This patent states in column 4, “Since the light emitting diodes, the conductive pairs, the power source and associated electrical contacts are contained within the sport article itself, the inner surface contours of the article are not altered and thus do not effect the flight characteristics nor the ability of the recipient to grasp or feel the tossed sport article.” Thus, this patent is relevant to that extent. The difference is that O&#39;Riley does not support the four radial chemiluminescent devices on the top surface of the disc and does not suggest that the disc be translucent. 
   The Psyras, U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,031 and the Michael, U.S. Pat. No. 3,948,523, show battery powered lights in rotating discs, but in both there are elements that protrude downwardly below the lower surface of the discs. 
   The Peterson publication, US2003/0162470 A1 shows a disc having arcuate lighting elements snapped into the rim of the disc, which do not appear to affect flight aerodynamics. This device, however, appears to require custom tooling for the light 6. 
   The Chiang, U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,342, shows a battery powered lighting system for an aerodynamic disc that does not appear to protrude down into the cavity. However, the device is very complicated and requires clamshelling two disc parts together. 
   It is a primary object of the present invention to ameliorate the problems noted above in flying aerodynamic discs having chemiluminescent means for illuminating the disc. 
   SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
   According to the present invention, an illuminatable aerodynamic translucent plastic disc is provided that spins in flight when thrown including chemiluminescent tube receiving clips that extend radially across the disc so that when the disc spins in darkness, the entire disc appears illuminated. 
   The central disc portion has a smooth lower surface that not only improves aerodynamics but also enhances finger spinning. 
   An important aspect of the present invention is that the chemiluminescent clips and tubes are on top of the discs and can be seen while the disc is spinning from below the disc because the disc itself is made out of a translucent, as opposed to opaque, plastic. Mounting the chemiluminescent tubes on top of the discs not only improves the aerodynamic characteristics of the disc, but more importantly provides a smooth surface on the bottom of the disc which is essential for competitive disc catching in which the disc is caught and spun on the receiver&#39;s finger like a basketball from underneath in gyroscopic spinning configuration. 
   Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a cross section of the aerodynamic disc according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a top view of the aerodynamic disc illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a fragmentary exploded view of one of the clips with the chemiluminescent tube shown prior to entry, and; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-section taken generally along line  4 - 4  showing one chemiluminescent tube mounted inside one of the clips. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to the drawings and particularly  FIGS. 1 to 4 , an annular or circular aerodynamic illuminatable disc is designated generally by the reference numeral  10  in the drawings according to the present invention and is seen to include a one-piece plastic molding  11  having a central disc portion  12  and an annular downwardly depending annular rim portion  14 . The central disc portion  12  is slightly arcuate in all directions (that is, in any plane passing vertically through disc center axis  16  designated in  FIG. 2 , and has a smooth uninterrupted lower surface  18  and a parallel upper surface  19 . 
   As seen in all the drawings, there are four integral chemiluminescent clips  21 ,  22 ,  23 , and  24 , that extend radially and spaced 45 degrees apart from one another on the top of the disc. The chemiluminescent tubes  26  held in position by the clips  21 ,  22 ,  23 , and  24 , are shown as solid cylindrical members in the drawings but in fact are tubular in configuration with a central frangible wall  28  that is broken to activate chemicals in separate chambers  32  and  33 . 
   The clips are all identical so the description of clip  21  with respect to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , is understood to apply to the clips  22 ,  23  and  24  as well. 
   The clips  22  include upwardly and inwardly converging side walls  35  and  36  formed integrally with central disc portion  12 , and end walls  38  and  39  integral with central disc portion  12  as well as the side walls  35  and  36 . End wall  38  prevents the chemiluminescent tube  26  from exiting the clips under centrifugal force, and the tube  26  is assisted in being held in the clip recess  40  by tabs  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45 ,  46  and  47 , formed integrally with and projecting inwardly over recess  40 , and each being integral with one of the side walls  35  and  36 . The tabs  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45 ,  46 , and  47  are formed by a core piece in the shape of the cavity or recess  40 , and these tabs are flexible enough to permit the withdrawal of that core piece from the recess  40  after the molding cycle for the disc  10  is completed.