Abstract:
The invention discloses a colorful wind indicator toy, suitable for use by children, which will both educate and entertain them. The wind indicator toy comprises a tail section for catching the wind, a front section for indicating the direction of the wind, a tail mounting section for mounting the tail section, a joinder for joining the tail mounting section with the front section, and a pole upon which the assembly rotates.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention discloses a colorful wind indicator toy, suitable for use by children, which will both educate and entertain them. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In the past, there have been a number of inventions relating to amusement devices based on wind power. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,583,881 (J. Heberling) discloses a pinwheel having a relatively rigid metal center, flexible non-metallic blades fastened to the center, with each of the blades being individual and being cut as a blank separate from the remaining blades, of portion of each of the blades being curved over the metal center. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,669,748 (G. G. Greger) discloses a pin wheel having a wheel made from a blank provided with curved slits to form a plurality of tapering blades. The wheel has its central portion mounted on the pin with the blade tips brought together on the pin in spaced relation to the central portion of the wheel blank. A baffle on the pin rests against the edges of the gathered tip portions. 
     There have also been a number of patents 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,811,673 (Kwok et al.) discloses a wind direction indicator having a rotatable wind vane and a support for connection to the mast of a yacht. The vane is connected to the support by means of a gimbal mechanism and a stabilizing weight is connected to the gimbal mechanism diametrically opposite the vane. 
     U. S. Pat. No. 4,227,406 (Coffey) discloses a wind direction device for attachment to a boat shroud for indicating the direction of the wind relative to the direction of travel of the boat. The device includes several wraps of adhesive tape around a boat shroud to form an upwardly facing shoulder at a midpoint of the shroud of the boat, a bearing resting on the shoulder and having a hold through which is received the shroud, which bearing as a slit in one side and is and is sufficiently flexible and resilient so that the size of the slit can be varied to position the bearing around the shroud and retain the bearing on the shroud. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,358 (Galloway et al.) discloses an apparent wind direction indicator having a masthead device for sailboats. These marks can be adjusted with greater compass accuracy to allow several setting in each quadrant creating a series of reference points enabling one to more accurately determine the apparent wind angle from a center point and thus optimize sail trim, heading and boat speed. 
     There has been no device which both acts as an apparent wind direction indicator and which provides the amusement of a pinwheel. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The proposed invention discloses a colorful wind indicator toy, suitable for use by children, which will both educate and entertain them. The wind indicator toy comprises a tail section for catching the wind, a front section for indicating the direction of the wind, a tail mounting section for mounting the tail section, a joinder for joining the tail mounting section with the front section, and a pole upon which the assembly rotates. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the device front of the device is shaped like an animal. Both sections are brightly colored. In another embodiment of the invention, the back section may be shaped like a tail or a fin. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the ground stake; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the hollow doll; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the support for the back section of the invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of the tail; 
     FIG. 8 is a frontal view of one embodiment of the disk type structure; and 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the projection; and 
     FIG. 10 is a side view of another embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The wind indicator toy  1  has a ground stake  2 , preferably having a pointed end  3 , which can be pushed into the ground. An extension piece  4  can be attached to the top S of the ground stake  2  with the ground stake  2  and the extension piece  4  preferably having a male  6  and female  7  connector. At the top  8  of the extension piece  4  or at the top of the ground stake  2 , there should be a pivot doll  9 . The pivot doll  9  has a hole  10  drilled through its center  11  so that the pivot doll  9  can rotate atop the top of the stake  2  or the extension piece  4 . The hole is not drilled completely through the pivot doll  9 ; the end  12  of the pivot doll  9  prevents the doll from slipping down the stake  2 . 
     Attached to the pivot doll  9  is a front section  13  which holds a directional indicator  14 . The directional indicator  14  is a flat piece of material  50 , tightly stretched and supported by a frame  15 . The flat piece of material can be in the shape of a bird  16  , a dolphin  17  , a fish  18  , or any other identifiable form. The material  50  used can be nylon, silk, plastic, paper, cloth, or any other type of material which is flexible and durable. It is preferred that the material used be nylon. It is also preferred that the material  50  be made of, or dyed, with bright colors, making it more eye catching. 
     The frame  15  on which the material is shaped is made out of nylon, wood, or any other sturdy, flexible material. Additional flexible material can be added to outside of the frame to complete the image of the animal or object being portrayed. The frame  15  extends around the periphery or circumference of the material. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, there are two projections  30  and  31  at the end  32  of the frame  15 . These two projections  30   31 , which are preferably positioned close to each other, fit into holes  33  and  34  found on the pivot doll  9 . These two projections reside in the same vertical plane. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a rigid piece  22 , perpendicular and attached to the doll, supports a hollow rod  70  which supports at least one, and preferably several, wind catching tail(s)  23 . In a preferred embodiment, the hollow rod  70  slides over the rigid piece  22 . The hollow rod  70  is kept in place by means of a cap  71  which fits over the end of the rigid piece  22 . The hollow rod  70  preferably rotates freely about the rigid piece  22 . This hollow rod  70  has two disk type structures  24  and  25  attached to the proximal and distal ends of the rigid piece. Along the edge or circumference  73  of these disks are holes  72 . 
     The back section  20  serves to capture the wind and thus rotates the entire top structure  21 . In order to do this, at least one vane  80 , and preferably numerous vanes, in the form of tail-like structures, are affixed to the back section  20 , preferably attached to the two disk type structures  24  and  25 . The vain  80  comprises a piece of material  60 , tightly stretched and supported by a frame  40 . The piece of material can be in the shape of a tail, fin or any other identifiable form. The material  60  used can be nylon, silk, plastic, paper, cloth, or any other type of material which is flexible and durable. It is preferred that the material used be nylon. It is also preferred that the material be made of, or dyed, with bright colors, making it more eye catching. 
     The frame  40  on which the material is shaped is made out of nylon, wood, or any other sturdy, flexible material. Additional flexible material can be added to outside of the frame to complete the image of the animal or object being portrayed. The frame  40  extends around the periphery or circumference of the material. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, there are two projections  60  and  61  at the ends  62 ,  63  of the frame  40  of the vains  80 . These two projections  60  and  61  fit into holes  72  around the circumference  73  of these disk type structures  24 ,  25 . More specifically, one projection fits into the hole of one of disk type structures, and the other projection fits into the hole of one of the other disk type structures. In one embodiment of the invention, large headed grooves  90  are positioned in the disks, instead of holes, with the corresponding projection  91  having a bulbous end piece  92  to fit into the large headed grooves. 
     It should be noted that the holes or large headed grooves in the two disk type structures into which the two projections of the vains  80  do not have to be in alignment. Indeed, it may be preferable that the two projections  60 ,  61  at the ends  62 ,  63  of the frame  40  of the vains  80  not lie in the same plane with each other in relation to the plane of the hollow rod  70 , thereby twisting the vane  80 . This in turn allows the vain to catch the wind, and permits the hollow rod  70  about the rigid piece  22  to rotate and to direct the entire top structure  21 . 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the material  50  used to make up the fabric part of the structure is ripstop nylon, and the ground stake and extension piece is made out of fiberglass. It is also preferred that the front section have a main supporting rod  200  which makes up part of the frame structure. This gives the device strength, and durability. This supporting rod may be an integral part of the frame of the structure. 
     There may also be, in addition to the animal shaped structures, a pinwheel shaped device  100 , wherein there are four wheels. 
     Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be protected otherwise than as specifically described.