Abstract:
A launching device is disclosed which launches snap caps against a hard surface, such as a wall or ceiling, with sufficient force so as to “pop” the caps like tiny firecrackers. In one embodiment, the launcher simultaneously launches confetti into the air so as to create an effect of both sight and sound.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     An entertainment product called “Snap Caps” or “Snappers” has been long known. Such “caps” comprise tissue paper wrapped around chips impregnated with a compound which make a “snapping” or “popping” sound when they are impacted, such as by stepping on them, or by throwing them downwardly very forcefully against a solid floor. However, they are too lightweight to pop if thrown upwardly to a ceiling, or if thrown horizontally against a surface such as a wall unless the wall is only a few feet away. In addition, such caps do not produce any visual effect, only a sound effect. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention makes it possible to activate such caps against a ceiling or wall from many feet away, and to produce both an audible sound as well as an accompanying visual display. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of one embodiment of the present invention utilizing a clear plastic tube for clarity; and 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevational view of a second embodiment also illustrated with a clear plastic tube. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the invention as comprising a hollow launching tube  10  which may be composed of clear or opaque plastic, cardboard, rolled paper or other lightweight material. Tube  10  contains a plurality of caps such as 10 or more per layer in at least one or more layers such as layers  12  and  12 ′. In addition, tube  10  preferably contains one or more layers of confetti such as layers  14  and  14 ′. 
     Depending upon the length of the tube portion  10  containing the caps and confetti, the tube may also include a lower or handle portion  16 , and portion  16  may or may not be separated from the upper portion by a plug or stopper  18 . For example, the entire tube may be as short as 6″ without a stopper and with the lower part used as a handle portion. Alternatively, in one preferred embodiment, the cap-containing portion  10  may have an empty lower tube portion  16  such that the total tube comprises a total length in the order of 10 to 20 inches. In a further preferred embodiment, lower tube portion  16  may be filled with one or more additional layers of caps and confetti which may be launched after the caps and confetti in upper tube portion  10  have been launched as will be further described hereinafter. 
     In use, the tube is grasped at its lower or handle portion, and the tube is waved sharply with the forearm and wrist such as to create a substantial centrifugal force. This substantial force propels the caps, and the confetti, out of the tube at a very high velocity which is much greater than the velocity of throwing the lightweight caps by hand. As a result, the caps hit a designated solid surface with great impact such that they produce repeated sounds of “popping”, and the confetti is also ejected from the tube which creates an accompanying visual effect. For example, the caps may be projected with such velocity as to hit a ceiling over 15 feet high, or a distant wall which may be 20 or more feet away from the user. 
     Launching tube  10  may have parallel walls  11  as illustrated in FIG. 1, or it may have diverging walls  11  as illustrated and further described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,319 which is hereby incorporated by reference. If the tube comprises both an upper portion  10 , and a lower portion  16  also containing caps and/or confetti, the user may grasp a first end of the tube and launch the caps from the other end. Then, the user may reverse the tube and grasp the other end and launch the caps from the first end, such as further described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,225 hereby incorporated by reference. 
     While various types of confetti may be used, the most preferred embodiment is to use FLUTTER FETTI® brand of confetti such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,352,148, 5,643,042 and 5,709,584 which are hereby incorporated by reference. Such confetti is rectangular in shape and may be inserted into the tube with or without end wrappers such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,584. For maximum fluttering action it has been determined that the rectangular confetti should have length and width dimensions such as those disclosed in the above-referenced patents, and preferably, the confetti bundles should be partially wrapped as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,584. 
     While the use of confetti along with the caps has been described because of the dual effect of both sound and sight, the present invention includes the use of caps alone in the launch tube. That is, it has been discovered that the caps may be “popped” by ejection from the launch tube under substantial centrifugal force which is not in anyway possible by hand throwing. As a result, the caps may be popped against a ceiling in the range of 8 to 20 feet in height, and against a side wall which may be in the range of up to 40 feet away from the user. Obviously, this is clearly not possible with hand throwing. 
     Instead of confetti, or in addition to confetti, one or more layers of wound streamers  22  may be included in the tube as shown, for example, in FIG.  2  and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,227 which is hereby incorporated by reference. Preferably, the streamers are sized relative to the diameter of the tube so as to be compressed and exert a predetermined amount of frictional force against the inner walls of the tube as more fully described in Application Ser. No. 09/790,981 which is hereby incorporated by reference. As such, they constitute a “plug” such that they prevent the other components in the tube from falling out when the end of the tube is pointed downwardly. Moreover, the centrifugal force which is generated by waving the tube in an arcuate path must exceed this predetermined frictional force. Thus, the force and velocity of the caps exiting the tube may be predetermined, and may be made such as to “pop” the caps against ceilings or walls which are many feet away from the user. Instead of streamers forming a “plug” in the open end of the launching tube, stacks or bundles of confetti may be forced into the end of the tube so as to provide frictional resistance and constitute a plug. Alternatively, the plug may be composed of other resilient material such as foam plastic or rubber or the like. 
     From the foregoing description of several preferred embodiments, it will be apparent that numerous variations may be made in the invention by those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the foregoing description of several preferred embodiments is intended to be illustrative rather than exhaustive of the principles of the invention, and that the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited other than as set forth in the following claims interpreted under the doctrine of equivalents.