Abstract:
A water spraying amusement device for allowing a user to shoot water for entertainment purposes from a handgrip worn on the knuckles and connected to a pressurizing pump worn on the user&#39;s forearm. The pressurizing pump is connected to a pressurized water tank worn either on the user&#39;s back or around the user&#39;s midsection.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 60/618,534, filed Oct. 14, 2004, hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present invention generally relates to water amusement devices and more particularly pertains to a new water spraying amusement device for allowing a user to shoot water for entertainment purposes from a handgrip worn on the knuckles and connected to a pressurizing pump worn on the user&#39;s forearm. The pressurizing pump is connected to a water tank worn either on the user&#39;s back or around the user&#39;s midsection.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Water amusement devices are known in the prior art. The toy industry is extremely competitive with numerous and varying styles developed in an attempt to profit from the inherent popularity of water toys. The most traditional forms of water spraying amusement devices are water guns which are activated by a pumping action, either manually through a trigger or automatically through a battery operated motor. Because the volume of water expelled in such water guns is limited, there is a need for a water spraying amusement device that can hold a large volume of water in order to reduce the number of refill trips to a water source. There also is a need for a water spraying amusement device capable of allowing a user to increase and maintain pressure within the device because the range of water expelled from prior art devices is limited.  
         [0004]     Further, prior art devices require a user to grasp and hold on to a handle portion. These devices, however, may slip from a user&#39;s grip if the user is running around, potentially causing injury to the user or damage to the devices. There is a need then to provide a water spraying amusement device that is connected to the user&#39;s hand in such a way as to reduce the potential for injury or damage caused by the device slipping from the user&#39;s grip.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a water spraying amusement device capable of holding a large volume of water to reduce the number of refill trips to a water source.  
         [0006]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a water spraying amusement device capable of allowing a user to increase and maintain pressure within the device in order to increase the range of water expelled from the device.  
         [0007]     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a water spraying amusement device capable of being connected to the user&#39;s hand in such a way as to reduce injury to the user or damage to the device caused by the device slipping from the user&#39;s grip.  
         [0008]     The present invention is directed to a water spraying amusement device that comprises a handgrip, a pressurizing pump, and a water tank. Both the handgrip and the pressurizing pump are connected to the water tank via hoses. The handgrip fits around the knuckles of a user&#39;s hand in such a way as to reduce accidental slippage from the user&#39;s grip. The pressurizing pump increases and maintains water pressure as to improve the range of water expelled from the device. The water tank is capable of holding a large volume of water to reduce the number of refill trips to a water source. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The features of the present invention can be more readily understood from the detailed description below with reference to the accompanying drawings herein.  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a handgrip of a water spraying amusement device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a internal view of a handgrip of a water spraying amusement device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a side view of a handgrip of a water spraying amusement device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is an internal view of a handgrip of a water spraying amusement device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a handgrip of a water spraying amusement device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a pressurizing pump of a water spraying amusement device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a pressurizing pump of a water spraying amusement device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a water tank of a water spraying amusement device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a water tank of a water spraying amusement device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]     As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , handgrip  100  comprises finger holes  10 , a trigger  12 , a fitting  14 , a pressure setting knob  16 , spray nozzles  18 , an outer hose  20 , a first inner hose  22 , a second inner hose  24 , a spring  26 , a valve  28 , an inner chamber  30  and an outer chamber  32 .  
         [0020]     A user grips handgrip  100  by placing his or her fingers into finger holes  10 . Placing handgrip  100  over the user&#39;s knuckles reduces accidental slippage from the user&#39;s grip in comparison to conventional water gun handgrips. Water travels from a water tank (see  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9  below) to handgrip  100  via outer hose  20 . Fitting  14  connects outer hose  20  to handgrip  100 . Water travels from outer hose  20  through first inner hose  22  to outer chamber  32 .  
         [0021]     When trigger  12  is not depressed, water and pressure build up in outer chamber  32  because valve  28 , held in place by an opposing spring force exerted by spring  26 , prevents water from traveling beyond outer chamber  32 . When trigger  12  is depressed by the user&#39;s forefinger and middle finger, spring  26  compresses and allows valve  28  to open, allowing water to move from outer chamber  32  into inner chamber  30 . Water then moves from inner chamber  30  through second inner hose  24  until it is expelled through spray nozzles  18 .  
         [0022]     Water pressure is increased as the water travels through the various hoses because of decreasing hose diameters. Various diameters may be used for the hoses so long as the diameter of outer hose  20  is greater than the diameter of first inner hose  22  and the diameter of first inner hose  22  is greater than the diameter of second inner hose  24 .  
         [0023]     The user can control the degree to which water is expelled through spray nozzles  18 . Spray nozzles  18  may be adjusted to shoot varying sprays of water, anything from a fine mist to a strong, steady stream. The user may also modify water pressure entering handgrip  100  by adjusting pressure setting knob  16 , which increases or decreases the amount of water allowed to enter first inner hose  22  from outer hose  20 . The user may further increase water pressure by utilizing a pressurizing pump (see  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  below).  
         [0024]     As shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , handgrip  200  comprises finger holes  54 , a trigger  36 , a fitting  38 , a pressure setting knob  34 , spray nozzles  52 , an outer hose  20 , a first inner hose  42 , a second inner hose  44 , a spring  46 , a valve  56 , an inner chamber  50  and an outer chamber  48 .  
         [0025]     A user grips handgrip  200  by placing his or her fingers into finger holes  54 . Placing handgrip  200  over the user&#39;s knuckles reduces accidental slippage from the user&#39;s grip in comparison to conventional water gun handgrips. Water travels from a water tank (see  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9  below) to handgrip  200  via outer hose  20 . Fitting  38  connects outer hose  20  to handgrip  200 . Water travels from outer hose  20  through first inner hose  42  to outer chamber  48 .  
         [0026]     When trigger  36  is not depressed, water and pressure build up in outer chamber  48  because valve  56 , held in place by an opposing spring force exerted by spring  46 , prevents water from traveling beyond outer chamber  48 . When trigger  36  is depressed by a user&#39;s palm, spring  36  compresses and allows valve  56  to open, allowing water to move from outer chamber  48  into inner chamber  50 . Water then moves from inner chamber  50  through second inner hose  44  until it is expelled through spray nozzles  52 .  
         [0027]     Water pressure is increased as the water travels through the various hoses because of decreasing hose diameters. Various diameters may be used for the hoses so long as the diameter of outer hose  20  is greater than the diameter of first inner hose  42  and the diameter of first inner hose  42  is greater than the diameter of second inner hose  44 .  
         [0028]     The user may modify water pressure entering handgrip  200  by adjusting pressure setting knob  34 , which increases or decreases the amount of water allowed to enter first inner hose  42  from outer hose  20 . The user may further increase water pressure by utilizing a pressurizing pump (see  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  below).  
         [0029]     As shown in  FIG. 5 , handgrip  300  comprises hand hole  66 , a trigger  62 , a pressure setting knob  58 , spray nozzles  64 , and an outer hose  20 . The internal workings of handgrip  300  are the same as for handgrip  200  and can be understood by referring to  FIG. 4  and its detailed description above.  
         [0030]     Handgrips  100 ,  200 , and  300  may be molded from any conventional high-impact plastic. Such high-impact plastics may be colored by any conventional means to provide a wide variety of decorative color selections for the handgrips. Handgrips  100 ,  200 , and  300  may also be embedded with light emitting diodes (LED) so that users may utilize the present invention at night or in poorly lit areas. The inner and outer hoses of handgrips  100 ,  200 , and  300  may be made of any type of flexible elastomer, such as polyurethane.  
         [0031]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , pressurizing pump  400  comprises a pump body  68 , a fitting  70 , a pump handle  72 , and arm straps  74 . Pressurizing pump  400  is used to increase the water pressure in handgrips  100 ,  200 , and  300  by increasing the amount of air in a water tank (see  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9  below). Pump handle  72  is used to push air inside pump body  68  into fitting  70  which is connected to a hose (not shown) that runs directly to a water tank (see  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9  below). Arm straps  74  are used to hold pressurizing pump  400  on the user&#39;s forearm. Arm straps  74  are preferably made out of Velcro but also can be made out of any material that may secure pressurizing pump  400  to the user&#39;s forearm without discomfort.  
         [0032]     As shown in  FIG. 7 , pressurizing pump  500  comprises an upper pump body  80 , a lower pump body  84 , a pump body connector  78 , a pump handle  82 , arm straps  86 , and a pressure hose  76 . Pressurizing pump  500  is used to increase the water pressure in handgrips  100 ,  200 , and  300  by increasing the amount of air in a water tank (see  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9  below). Pump handle  82  is used to push air inside upper pump body  80  into lower pump body  84  via pump body connector  78 . Lower pump body  84  is connected to pressure hose  76  via a fitting (not shown). Pressure hose  76  runs directly to a water tank (see  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9  below). Arm straps  86  are used to hold pressurizing pump  500  on the user&#39;s forearm. Arm straps  86  are preferably made out of elastic but also can be made out of any material that may secure pressurizing pump  500  to the user&#39;s forearm without discomfort.  
         [0033]     Pressurizing pumps  400  and  500  may be molded from any conventional high-impact plastic. Such high-impact plastics may be colored by any conventional means to provide a wide variety of decorative color selections for the pressurizing pumps. Pressurizing pumps  400  and  500  may also be embedded with light emitting diodes (LED) so that users may utilize the present invention at night or in poorly lit areas. The hoses of pressurizing pumps  400  and  500  may be made of any type of flexible elastomer, such as polyurethane.  
         [0034]     As shown in  FIG. 8 , water tank  700  comprises waist tanks  94 , a belt  92 , buckles  96  and  98 , a pressure hose  76 , a connecting hose  88 , and an outer hose  20 . Waist tanks  94  hold an adequate amount of water to allow a user to utilize handgrips  100 ,  200 , or  300  with reduced trips to refill at a water source. Water is secured within waist tanks  94  by water caps  90 . Waist tanks  94  are secured to a user&#39;s waist by belt  92  and buckles  96  and  98 . Pressure hose  98  connects pressurizing pump  400  or  500  to water tank  700  (via a fitting, not shown). Connecting hose  88  connects waist tanks  94  together (via fittings, not shown), allowing for pressure to be maintained in water tank  700 . Outer hose  20  connects water tank  700  to handgrips  100 ,  200 , or  300  (via a fitting, not shown), thus transferring water to be expelled out of handgrips  100 ,  200 , or  300 . Numerous waist tanks and connecting hoses may be utilized to increase the amount of water the user can carry at any given time, limited only by the user&#39;s waist line. Belt  92  is preferably made of ballistic nylon but may be made out of any material that will secure water tank  700  to the user without discomfort.  
         [0035]     As shown in  FIG. 9 , water tank  800  comprises a back tank  102 , shoulder straps  106 , buckles  108  and  110 , a pressure hose  76 , and an outer hose  20 . Back tank  102  holds an adequate amount of water to allow the user to utilize handgrips  100 ,  200 , or  300  with reduced trips to refill at a water source. Water is secured within back tank  102  by water cap  104 . Back tank  102  is secured to a user&#39;s back by shoulder straps  106  and buckles  108  and  110 . Pressure hose  76  connects pressurizing pump  400  or  500  to water tank  800  (via a fitting, not shown). Outer hose  20  connects water tank  800  to handgrips  100 ,  200 , or  300  (via a fitting, not shown), thus transferring water to be expelled out of handgrips  100 ,  200 , or  300 . Shoulder straps  106  are preferably made of ballistic nylon but may be made out of any material that will secure water tank  800  to the user without discomfort.  
         [0036]     Water tanks  700  and  800  may be molded from any conventional high-impact plastic. Such high-impact plastics may be colored by any conventional means to provide a wide variety of decorative color selections for the water tanks. Water tanks  700  and  800  may also be embedded with light emitting diodes (LED) so that users may utilize the present invention at night or in poorly lit areas. The hoses of water tanks  700  and  800  may be made of any type of flexible elastomer, such as polyurethane.  
         [0037]     In describing exemplary embodiments, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity in this disclosure. The disclosure of this patent specification, however, is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner.  
         [0038]     In addition, the above specific embodiments are illustrative, and many variations can be introduced on these embodiments without departing from the spirit of the disclosure or from the scope of the appended claims. For example, elements and/or features of different illustrative embodiments may be combined with each other and/or substituted for each other within the scope of this disclosure and appended claims.