Abstract:
An aerodynamic toy ( 20 ) comprises a flight body ( 22 ) including an enlarged portion ( 30 ) and an airfoil portion ( 32 ); the body ( 20 ) is preferably generally samara seed-shaped. A launching device ( 24 ) is used to propel the body ( 22 ) into the air for spiral-type autorotation descent. In other forms, the body ( 22 ) may be equipped with a battery compartment ( 68 ) allowing insertion of a battery ( 74 ) in order to illuminate spaced lights ( 60 ) carried by the body. A whistle ( 82 ) or other noise maker may also be fixed to the body ( 22 ) to emit a sound during flight.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application is being filed contemporaneously with application for U.S. Design patent Ser. No. ______, entitled SINGLE-WINGED AUTOROTATING TOY GLIDER, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention is broadly concerned with improved aeronautical toys for the amusement of children and adults. More particularly, the invention is concerned with such toys which include a flight body including an enlarged portion and an airfoil portion, and wherein the preferred body is generally in the shape of a samara seed. The flight body may be launched or thrown into the air, and during descent the shape and weight distribution of the body induces a desirable spiral-like autorotation of the body towards the earth.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     Children have long enjoyed balsa wood or other types of toy airplanes and gliders which may be hand launched into the air. One such type of toy mimics an aircraft and has a balsa wood fuselage which is slotted to receive a wing. The wing may be adjusted fore and aft in order to increase or decrease possible altitude and/or length of flight. Such toys may be simply thrown into the air or may be launched by a stretched rubber band.  
         [0006]     Additionally, some prior toys have wing or tail sections which deploy after launching. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,817 describes a folding wing toy glider having complemental wing sections which are folded together for launching and which deploy thereafter, creating a desired flight effect.  
         [0007]     These prior toy gliders and the like are not constructed to provide a predictable flight pattern. Indeed, the sometimes unpredictable flight pattern of the prior toys can cause the toys to overfly a playground or other designated area, which can be troublesome. For example, if a toy airplane is launched and inadvertently flies beyond a playground into a roadway where auto traffic is present, a dangerous condition may be created. There is accordingly a need in the art for an improved aerodynamic toy having a predictable return flight characteristic.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention overcomes the problems outlined above and provides an aerodynamic toy comprising a body formed of a synthetic material and presenting a forward section, a rear section, an enlarged portion and an airfoil portion. The body has a curvilinear outer defining edge in plan configuration, and is most preferably in the general shape of a samara seed. The enlarged portion of the flight body forms the forward section thereof and includes a trailing segment extending towards the rear section. The airfoil portion extends laterally from at least the trailing segment of the body and defines the corresponding part of the curvilinear defining edge.  
         [0009]     The preferred samara-shaped toys of the invention may have a number of additional or alternative features. For example, the airfoil may include a removable part which will change the flight characteristics thereof. Also, the body may carry one or more lights along with a battery pack for illumination thereof, and/or the body may have a luminescent outer surface or coating. A whistle or other type of noise maker may be secured to the body so as to create a noise during flight thereof. The preferred toy also includes a launching device, preferably in the form of a handle and a stretchable rubber band.  
         [0010]     In use, the body is grasped and affixed to the launcher rubber band. The band is then stretched and the body is released, thereby propelling the body into the air. During descent of the body it autorotates in a nose-down, predictable spiral fashion.  
         [0011]     Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawing figures. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is an exploded isometric view illustrating the various components of a preferred aerodynamic toy in accordance with the invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the preferred toy, including the launching device;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the toy, wherein the preferred peripheral lighting apparatus is illustrated in phantom;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the toy;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is another side view of the toy, opposite that shown in  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is an end view of the toy, viewing from the forward end thereof;  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is an end view of the toy, viewing from the rearward end thereof;  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a vertical sectional view taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 3 , and illustrating the details of a preferred lighting arrangement;  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a sectional view taken along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 3 ; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is a top view similar to that of  FIG. 3 , but illustrating an alternative embodiment making use of a different type of launching tang. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0023]     Turning now to the drawings, an aerodynamic toy  20  in accordance with the invention includes a body  22  adapted for flight, and a propulsion device  24  ( FIG. 2 ). Broadly speaking, the body  22  presents a forward section  26 , a rear section  28 , an enlarged portion  30  and an airfoil portion  32 . Overall, the body  22  mimics or has the general shape of a samara seed, such as those produced by certain types of maple and elm trees. As such, the body  22  has a curvilinear outer defining edge  34  in plan configuration, namely an edge part  36  defined by the enlarged portion  30 , and an opposed edge part  38  defined by airfoil portion  32 .  
         [0024]     In more detail, it will be seen that the enlarged portion  30  effectively defines forward section  26  and is in the form of a smoothly arcuate head  40  having a leading nose  42 . Additionally, the overall enlarged portion  30  includes a trailing segment  44  extending towards rearward section  28 . The segment  44  is smoothly tapered and is of decreasing width and thickness from the head  40  to its termination at rearward section  28 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the inner margin  46  of the portion  30  progressively extends from head  40  towards rearward section  26  along the length of the body  22 . Also, the portion  30  is symmetrical in a vertical plane, i.e., as shown in  FIG. 4  the portion  30  is preferably formed by mating half-sections  30   a  and  30   b  along a center line  48 .  
         [0025]     The airfoil section  32  extends laterally from the trailing segment  44 , and is in the form of a substantially flat plate-like element  50  which is secured to the portion  30  and, as indicated, defines edge part  38 . The interconnection between the element  50  and portion  30  is best depicted in  FIG. 8 , where it will be seen that the half-sections  30   a ,  30   b  cooperatively define an elongated, inner groove  52  along the length thereof, with the element  50  being situated within groove  52  and adhesively or otherwise secured therein.  
         [0026]     The preferred airfoil section  32  is equipped with a part  54  which is removable from the element  50  as a whole, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . That is to say, the part  54  is cut out from the element  50  and is normally secured in place via a simple tongue and groove connection  56  (see  FIG. 9 ). However, if desired, the part  54  may be detached from the element  50  leaving a recess  58 . As explained more fully below, removal of the part  52  significantly affects the flight characteristics of the body  22 . It will be appreciated that alternative releasable forms of connection may be provided for part  54  (e.g., mechanical fasteners, adhesive, lines of weakness, etc.), although it is most preferred that the connection permit the part to be reinstalled as part of the section  32 .  
         [0027]     In preferred forms, the body  22  is equipped with a plurality of lights  60  along the length thereof, which can be illuminated during flight. Preferably, the lights  60  are provided along the length of the segment  44 . Referring to  FIG. 8 , it will be seen that each of the lights includes a vertically extending lens  62  which is situated within opposed apertures  64  provided in the parts  30   a ,  30   b . A diode  66  is coupled with lense  62  and is operable for directing light through both ends of the lens. In order to provide electrical power to the respective diodes  66 , the head  40  of the portion  30  has a battery case or compartment  68  formed therein. The compartment  68  includes a pair of battery contacts  70 ,  72  for deriving electrical power from a small watch battery  74  which may be placed within the chamber  68 . To this end, a removable, bifurcated battery clip  76  is provided which receives the battery  74  and snaps into the compartment  68 ; the compartment  68  has endmost shoulders  78  which cooperate with clip  76  to hold the battery  74  in place. A series of electrical leads  80  are provided between the battery contacts  72 ,  74  and the individual diodes  66 , so as to provide lumination power thereto. If desired, the lights  60  may be continuously illuminated or a timer circuit may be used to intermittently turn the lights on and off so as to “blink” during flight. Because of the flight characteristic of the toy  20  and the spacing of the lights along the length body  22 , the light pattern emitted during descent will have the appearance of a number of concentric circles. Preferably, adjacent lights are colored differently to further enhance this visual effect.  
         [0028]     An additional feature of the invention is the provision of a noise maker carried by the body  22  to emit sounds during flight. In the embodiment shown, an air whistle  82  is mounted on the trailing segment  44 , near the center line  48 . The whistle  82  is designed to create a whistle sound as air passes through it during flight of the body  22 . Of course, other air or power-operated noise makers can be used in lieu of the whistle  82 .  
         [0029]     The body  22  is also equipped with a launching fixture  84  preferably located on the enlarged portion  30 . The fixture  84  is preferably a rearwardly extending clip or tang  86  as shown.  
         [0030]     The overall toy  20  includes the propulsion device  24  which is cooperable, with fixture  84 , for propelling body  22  into the air for return flight to the ground. The device  24  is very simple and includes a handle  88  with a rubber band  90  secured thereto and presenting an endmost bight  92 . Alternative suitable propulsion devices (e.g., pneumatic launcher) may be used, or the toy may simply be thrown manually into the air.  
         [0031]     The body  22  is preferably formed of conventional synthetic resin materials such as polyester or polycarbonate, or may be formed of composite materials such as those used in the fabrication of aircraft components. Generally, the body  22  should have a length of at least about four inches and is preferably longer, e.g., at least about eight inches. Because of the construction of the body  22 , it will be appreciated that enlarged portion  30  and especially head portion  40 , form the heaviest part of the body. However, a more equal weight distribution can be provided if desired.  
         [0032]     In the use of toy  20 , a battery  74  is loaded into compartment  68  and maintained in place therein via clip  76 . This causes the lights  60  to become illuminated as previously described. Next, the bight  92  of rubber band  90  is positioned over fixture  84  and the band is stretched to close to its elastic limit by grasping the body  22  and pulling rearwardly from handle  88 . The body is then released, and the latter is launched into the air by the stretched band  90 . Once the body reaches its full height and distance owing to the propulsion provided by the band  90 , the airfoil portion  32  comes into play, causing the body  22  to rotate or spiral downwardly towards the earth, normally in a nose-down orientation.  
         [0033]     If it is desired to alter the flight characteristics of the body  22 , the part  54  may be removed from the element  50 . This creates a more rapid descending flight of the body  22 , and may cause it to gyrate and move in a somewhat different fashion. Although not shown, it will be appreciated that a variety of flight characteristics can be imparted to the body  22  by differently configuring the airfoil element  50 . For example, axial or transversely extending ridges may be provided on the element  50  which would have the effect of changing the descending flight characteristics of the body.  
         [0034]      FIG. 10  illustrates a body  22   a  in accordance with the invention which is in many respects identical with the body  10 , similar or identical parts are identically numbered except for the use of a differentiating letter “a.” In this case the fixture  84   a  is in the form of a simple notch  94  formed in the head  40  of enlarged portion  30   a , instead of the outward projecting tang  86 .  
         [0035]     The preferred forms of the invention described above are to be used as illustration only, and should not be utilized in a limiting sense in interpreting the scope of the present invention. Obvious modifications to the exemplary embodiments, as hereinabove set forth, could be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0036]     The inventor hereby states his intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of the present invention as pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.