Patent Publication Number: US-2013252508-A1

Title: Air swimming toy with steering device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to a remote controlled flying toy, and more particular to an air swimming toy, wherein a steering device of the air swimming toy directly transmits a reciprocating power to the toy body to steer and propel the toy body. 
     2. Description of Related Arts 
     A plurality of air-floating toys are known which are capable of self-floating in to the air and propelling in the air via a remote control. In particular, the air-floating toys are driven via a steering mechanism by means of a wiggling motion. However, the conventional air-floating toy is hard to be controlled its direction and elevation. An improved air-floating toy generally comprises a toy body, a driving mechanism and a steering mechanism to control the altitude and the direction of the air-floating toy respectively via a remote controller. 
     One type of steering mechanism is provided underneath the air-floating toy to control the direction and propelling movement thereof, wherein the steering mechanism comprises a propelling unit for generating an air propelling force to drive the air-floating toy forward or backward. In particular, the steering mechanism comprises a plurality of airfoil-shaped blades supported at a bottom side of the air-floating toy, such as the airship propelling mechanism, wherein when the blades are driven to rotate at one direction, the blades generate a forward propelling force to drive the air-floating toy forward. When the blades are driven to rotate at an opposed direction, the blades generate a backward propelling force to drive the air-floating toy backward. However, such steering mechanism cannot provide a life-like swimming motion for the air-floating toy. 
     Another type of steering mechanism is provided at a tail portion of the air-floating toy to control the direction and propelling movement thereof, wherein the steering mechanism comprises a motor for generating a sideward moving force to move the tail portion of the air-floating toy sidewardly and a spring, such as a coil spring, for generating an opposed spring force to move the tail portion of the air-floating toy back to the original position. In other words, a wiggling motion of the tail portion of the air-floating toy is formed via the sequent order of the sideward moving force and the spring force. However, the sideward moving force and the spring force are unevenly applied to the tail portion. In particular, the sideward moving force will move the tail portion of the air-floating toy generally while the spring force will move the tail portion of the air-floating toy rapidly. As a result, the wiggling motion of the tail portion of the air-floating toy cannot provide a life-like swimming motion for the air-floating toy. In addition, the spring can be easily detached from the tail portion of the air-floating toy when the air-floating toy is drastically dropped on the floor or by any strong impact. In other words, the alignment of the spring will be off due to the impact such that tail portion of the air-floating toy will not be smoothly moved in such wiggling motion. Furthermore, the wiggling angle of the tail portion of the air-floating toy is limited by the spring. When the wiggling angle is increased, the spring must provide enough restoring force to push the tail portion of the air-floating toy back to its position. Therefore, the life span of the spring will be shortened. If the wiggling angle is minimized to prolong the life span of the spring, the wiggling motion of the tail portion of the air-floating toy may not able to propel the air-floating toy. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The invention is advantageous in that it provides an air swimming toy, wherein a steering device of the directly transmits a reciprocating power to the toy body to steer and propel the toy body. 
     Another advantage of the invention is to provide an air swimming toy, wherein the steering device comprises a motorized unit to generate the reciprocating power to steer and propel the toy body. 
     Another advantage of the invention is to provide an air swimming toy, wherein the reciprocating power is transmitted by a gear unit to the tail body of the toy body to generate the wiggling motion thereof. 
     Another advantage of the invention is to provide an air swimming toy, wherein the tail body of the toy body is coupled with a swing shaft to generate the wiggling motion through the reciprocating power. Therefore, the wiggling angle of the tail body of the toy body can be maximized and the tail body of the toy body can be evenly moved at two sides thereof. 
     Another advantage of the invention is to provide an air swimming toy, wherein no spring force or resilient force is directly applied to the tail body of the toy body to prevent the steering device being detached from the toy body accidentally or the malfunction of the steering device. 
     Another advantage of the invention is to provide an air swimming toy, wherein the size of the steering device is relatively small to minimize the installation space at the tail body of the toy body so as to keep the aesthetic appearance of the air swimming toy. 
     Another advantage of the invention is to provide an air swimming toy, wherein only the motorized unit is driven to create the propelling force to minimize the noise from the steering device during operation. 
     Another advantage of the invention is to provide an air swimming toy, which does not require to alter the original structural design of the toy body, so as to minimize the manufacturing cost of the air swimming toy incorporating with the steering device. 
     Another advantage of the invention is to provide an air swimming toy, wherein no expensive or complicated structure is required to employ in the present invention in order to achieve the above mentioned objects. Therefore, the present invention successfully provides an economic and efficient solution for providing a stable and silent operation for the steering device to steer and propel of the air swimming toy. 
     Additional advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, and may be realized by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particular point out in the appended claims. 
     According to the present invention, the foregoing and other objects and advantages are attained by an air swimming toy which comprises: 
     a toy body arranged for being floated in the air, wherein the toy body comprises a floating body and a tail body movably coupled with the floating body; 
     a steering device which comprises motorized unit for generating a reciprocating power transmitting to the tail body so as to generate a wiggling motion thereof, and 
     a remote controller remotely controlling the steering device to operate the motorized unit, wherein said motorized unit is activated to directly drive the tail body to move in order to steer and propel the toy body. 
     Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings. 
     These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an air swimming toy according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the steering device being controlled by a remote controller. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the steering device of the air swimming toy according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the steering device of the air swimming toy according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the gear unit of the steering device of the air swimming toy according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3  of the drawings, an air swimming toy according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, wherein the air swimming toy comprises a toy body  10 , a driving device  20 , a remote controller  30 , and a steering device  40 . 
     The toy body  10  comprises a floating body  11  and a tail body  12  movably coupled with the floating body  11 , wherein the floating body  11  is filled with a particular gas, such as helium, in order to float in the air. In particular, the toy body  10  further comprises a valve  13  provided at the floating body  11  for filling the gas thereinto. The floating body  11  is made of high quality, durable nylon material that will stay inflated for a relatively long period of time, such as a week. The gas can be refilled to the floating body  11  via the valve  13  to inflate the floating body  11 . 
     Accordingly, when the tail body  12  is moved in a wiggling motion, the toy body  10  will move forward slowly and smoothly as the swimming motion in the air. The tail body  12  is also formed as a steering member of the toy body  10  that when the tail body  12  is moved sidewardly, the toy body  10  will turn correspondingly. 
     The driving device  20  of the present invention is used for controlling an altitude of the toy body  10  but not the forward driving movement thereof. In other words, the driving device  20  of the present invention is arranged for controllably elevating the toy body  10  and for controllably dropping down the toy body  10 . The driving device  20  is coupled at a bottom side of the floating body  11  to elevate or drop down the air swimming toy so as to control the up and down movement thereof. 
     The steering device  40  provided at a connection between the floating body  11  and the tail body  12  to drive the tail body  12  to move in a wiggling motion. In other words, the steering device  40  not only forms a movable joint to connect the tail body  12  to the floating body  11  but also forms a propelling unit to drive and steering the toy body  10  forward. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 to 4 , the steering device  40  comprises a motorized unit  41  for generating a reciprocating power transmitting to the tail body  12  so as to generate a wiggling motion thereof. Accordingly, the motorized unit  41  is a DC motor and is controlled to generate a reversible rotating power as the reciprocating power to drive the tail body  12  to swing in a reciprocating manner with respect to the floating body  11 . The motorized unit  41  comprises an output shaft  411  being driven to rotate in a reciprocating manner. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the steering device  40  further comprises a gear housing  42  supported at the floating body  11  and a gear unit  43  received in the gear housing  42 , wherein the gear unit  42  is operatively coupled to the motorized unit  41  for directly transmitting the reciprocating power to the tail body  11 . In particular, the gear unit  43  is coupled at the output shaft  411  of the motorized unit  41  for transmitting the reciprocating power therefrom. 
     According to the preferred embodiment, the gear unit  43  comprises a plurality of driving gears having different diameter sizes to transmit the reciprocating power from the motorized unit  41 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the driving gears are configured to convert the rotational speed of the output shaft  411  of the motorized unit  41  into a swinging motion and to control the wiggling angle of the tail body  12 . In other words, when the output shaft  411  of the motorized unit  41  is rotated at a predetermined angle, the tail body  12  is precisely driven to wiggle at a predetermined wiggling angle with respect to the floating body  11 . Therefore, the wiggling angle of the tail body  12 , i.e. the angle of the tail body  12  being wiggled from one side to the other side, will be maximized. In addition, through the gear unit  43 , the reciprocating power from the motorized unit  41  can be evenly and smoothly transmitted to the tail body  12  so as to smoothly wiggle the tail body  12  from one side to the other side. Furthermore, the toy body  10  can be steered via the direction of the tail body  12  via the motorized unit  41  that when the tail body  12  is driven to wiggle at one side via the rotational power of the motorized unit  41 , the toy body  10  will turn at the corresponding direction. 
     The steering device  40  further comprises a base frame  44  affixed to the floating body  11  to support the motorized unit  41  thereat and a wiggling frame  45  coupled to the tail body  12 , wherein the wiggling frame  45  is movably coupled with the base frame  44  via the gear unit  43 . In particular, the wiggling frame  45  is operatively driven by the motorized unit  41  to drive the tail body  12  moving in a wiggling motion. 
     According to the preferred embodiment, the base frame  44  has a circular shape and is coupled at a rear portion of the floating body  11 , wherein the gear housing  42  is coupled at the center of the base frame  44 . The steering device  40  further comprises a motor housing  46  supported at the base frame  44  at a position adjacent to the gear housing  42 , wherein the motorized unit  41  is received at the motor housing  46 . The output shaft  411  of the motorized unit  41  is extended from the motor housing  46  to the gear housing  42  so as to operatively couple with the gear unit  42  therewithin. 
     The motor housing  46  is coupled at the base frame  44  at a position that the output shaft  411  of the motorized unit  41  is radially extended with respect to the base frame  44  in order to couple with the gear unit  42 . 
     It is worth mentioning that the motorized unit  41  and the gear unit  43  are received at the motor housing  46  and the gear housing  42 , which are supported at the base frame  44 . In other words, the overall weight of the motorized unit  41 , the gear housing  42 , the gear unit  43 , and the motor housing  46  are supported at the base frame  44  via the floating body  11 . Therefore, the overall weight at the wiggling frame  45  will be minimized to enable the reciprocating power from the motorized unit  41  transmitting to the wiggling frame  45  effectively. 
     In order to couple the wiggling frame  45  to the gear unit  43 , the steering device  40  further comprises a swing shaft  47  extended through the gear housing  42  to operatively couple with the gear unit  43 , wherein the swing shaft  47  is driven to rotate reciprocatingly by the reciprocating power of the motorized unit  41  through the gear unit  43 . In particular, the wiggling frame  45  is coupled at the swing shaft  47 , such that when the swing shaft  47  is driven to rotate in a reciprocating manner, the wiggling frame  45  is moved in a wiggling motion. 
     According to the preferred embodiment, the wiggling frame  45  comprises a U-shaped retention member  451  and two elongated retention arms  452  inclinedly extended from the retention member  451  to form a V-shaped configuration. Accordingly, the retention member  451  has two coupling ends coupled at two end portions of the swing shaft  47  respectively, wherein the gear housing  42  is positioned between the two coupling ends of the retention member  451  to minimize the distance between the base frame  44  and the wiggling frame  45 . 
     The tail body  12  is coupled at the wiggling frame  45  via the retention arms  452 , wherein two side edges of the tail body  12  are detachably coupled with the retention arms  452 , such as by clipping, respectively so as to securely couple the tail body  12  with the floating body  11  via the steering device  40 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the driving device  20  further comprises a battery compartment  24  for replaceably receiving a battery thereat to electrically connect to the motorized unit  41  via a connection cable. The battery compartment  24  is provided at the bottom side of the toy body  10 . 
     According to the preferred embodiment, the remote controller  30  is remotely controlling the driving device  20  and the steering device  40 . In particular, the remote controller  30  is wirelessly control the driving device  20  and the steering device  40 . Therefore, the remote controller  30  is arranged to control the altitude of the toy body  10  via the driving device  20 , and is arranged to control the steering and propelling of the toy body  10  via the steering device  40 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the remote controller  30  comprises a handheld control  31  and a remote receiver  32  wirelessly connected to the handheld control  31 , wherein the remote receiver  32  is housed in the driving device  20  and is operatively linked to the motorized unit  41  to control an operation of the motorized unit  41 . Preferably, the handheld control  32  is wirelessly linked to the remote receiver  32  via radio frequency (RF) connection, Infrared (IF) connection or other wireless connections. Accordingly, the remote receiver  32  comprises a control circuit and a remote antenna electrically coupled thereto, wherein the motorized unit  41  is operatively coupled at the control circuit of the remote receiver  32 . Therefore, when the remote receiver  32  receives a control signal from the handheld control  31 , the motorized unit  41  is activated to control the operation of the motorized unit  41 . In addition, the driving device  20  is also operatively linked to the control circuit of the remote receiver  32 , such that when the remote receiver  32  receives a control signal from the handheld control  31 , the driving device  20  is activated to control the altitude of air swimming toy. 
     It is worth mentioning that the rotational speed of the output shaft  411  of the motorized unit  41  can be controllably adjusted via the remote controller  30 , wherein when the rotational speed of the output shaft  411  is increased, the tail body  12  will be correspondingly driven faster in a wiggling motion. 
     One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting. 
     It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. It embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.