Patent Description:
Throwing objects such as Frisbees™ are popular to use for recreational purposes.

However, also other types of throwing objects have become of interest for such recreational purposes. One throwing object is the Gyroscopic flying device, which is disclosed in <CIT> and <CIT>.

This device which is provided in the form of a ring has also been used as a first element of a throwing object that is joined to a second element, where the second element is a nylon cloth. In this case the first element forms a front and the second element forms a tail of the throwing object.

A throwing object is also known from <CIT>.

The object functions well, however it would be of interest to improve on its behaviour in air.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing an improved throwing object comprising a hollow front and a hollow tail.

This is according to a first aspect achieved through a throwing object according to claim <NUM>.

The first distance d1 may be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM>. The second distance d2 may in turn be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM>.

The first thickness T1 may be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM>. The second thickness T2 may be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM>. The second thickness T2 may be higher than the first thickness T1. It may with advantage be <NUM> - <NUM> times higher and preferably <NUM> times higher than the first thickness T1.

The thickness of the second section may additionally be variable and increase in the axial direction away from the edge until a point of maximum thickness MT and thereafter decrease, thereby defining a bulge placed at a second distance d2 from the edge. The maximum thickness may be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM>. The maximum thickness may additionally be in the range <NUM>/<NUM> - <NUM> times thicker and with advantage <NUM> times thicker than the second thickness T2 at the edge. The maximum thickness may additionally be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM> times the first thickness T1.

The first distance d1 may be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> times longer than the second distance d2 and with advantage <NUM> times longer.

The diameter D of the second section at the edge may be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and may with advantage be <NUM>. The diameter at the edge may additionally be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and preferably <NUM> times higher than the second distance d2. It may additionally be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM> times higher than the maximum thickness MT of the second section. The diameter of the second section at the edge may furthermore be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and preferably <NUM> times higher than the sum of the first and second distances d1 and d2.

It is additionally possible that the sum of the maximum thickness MT of the second section and the first thickness T1 of the first section is <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM> times higher than the sum of the first and second thicknesses T1, and T2.

The third distance d3 may be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM>.

The sum of the maximum thickness MT of the second section and the first thickness T1 of the first section may be <NUM> - <NUM> and preferably <NUM> times higher than the third thickness T3. The sum of the first and second thicknesses T1 and T2 may be <NUM> - <NUM> and preferably <NUM> times higher than the third thickness T3.

A first expression may be <NUM> - <NUM> and preferably <NUM> times higher than a second expression, where the first expression may comprise the first distance d1 subtracted from a sum of the second and third distances d2 and d3 and the second expression may comprise the second distance d2 subtracted from the first distance d1.

The tail element may be a cloth made of a natural or synthetic fibre, where cotton and silk are examples of natural fibres and nylon and polyester.

The front element may be made of an elastomer, such as silicone, rubber, a thermoplastic elastomer or a thermoplastic rubber such as TPU. The front element may additionally have a shore A hardness in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and preferably of <NUM>.

The invention has a number of advantages. It provides a throwing object that is capable of gliding in the air with excellent aerodynamic properties.

The invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

<FIG> schematically shows a front view of a throwing object <NUM> that comprises a first and a second hollow element <NUM> and <NUM>, where the first element is a hollow front <NUM> and the second element is a hollow tail <NUM> attached to the hollow front <NUM>. The front may be ring-shaped, i.e. annular, or cylindrical and may be made of a material that is an elastomer, such as silicone, rubber, a thermoplastic elastomer or a thermoplastic rubber such as thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The material may additionally have a shore A hardness in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and preferably of <NUM>.

The tail <NUM> may in turn be made of a cloth, which cloth may be made of natural fibres such as cotton or silk or synthetic fibres such as nylon or polyester.

The throwing object <NUM> is supposed to be thrown by a user and when being thrown, it is intended to glide in the air and therefore the tail <NUM> is attached to the front <NUM>.

In the following an embodiment will be described where the tail is a nylon cloth and the front is a silicone front.

The structure of the front <NUM> of the embodiment can better be seen in <FIG> and <FIG>, which both show perspective views of the front <NUM> that has been cut in half.

As can be seen the front <NUM> comprises a first, second and third section <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, where each section has a cylinder shape and therefore each section has a diameter, where the diameter D of the second section at an edge <NUM> is shown in <FIG>. The first section <NUM> is additionally folded over the second section <NUM> at the edge <NUM>. Moreover, the first section <NUM> has a larger diameter than the second section <NUM>. The third section <NUM> is in turn joined to second section <NUM> via a cut <NUM>. Thereby a longitudinal axis A is defined through the centre of the front <NUM> and the sections <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> are centred around this axis A. Furthermore, the first section <NUM> is also concentric with the second section <NUM> and placed radially outside of the second section <NUM>. It can thereby also be seen that the front has a circular cross-section.

The first section <NUM> has a first thickness T1 and stretches a first distance d1 in the axial direction away from the edge <NUM>. The second section <NUM> in turn has a second thickness T2 at the edge <NUM>. There is also a second distance d2 associated with the second section <NUM>. The third section <NUM> has a third thickness T3 that is essentially the same as the first thickness T1. The third section <NUM> also stretches a third distance d3 away from the second section <NUM> in the axial direction.

Through this realization of the first and second sections <NUM> and <NUM>, a slot S is defined between them and this slot S is configured to receive and hold the tail <NUM>. When the throwing object <NUM> is assembled, the tail <NUM> is thus inserted and held in the slot S between the first and second sections <NUM> and <NUM> of the front <NUM>.

The thickness of the second section <NUM> is variable and increases in the axial direction away from the edge <NUM> until a point of maximum thickness MT. Thereafter the thickness of the second section <NUM> decreases until the section <NUM> is joined to the third section <NUM> via the slot <NUM>. This thickness variation is only observable in the interior of the front <NUM>, i.e. on a surface facing the axis A, but not on a surface facing the first section <NUM>. This means that an outer diameter of the second section <NUM> is fixed, while an inner diameter D of the second section <NUM> changes along the axis from the edge <NUM> towards the third section <NUM>. More particularly, the inner diameter decreases from the edge <NUM> towards the point of maximum thickness MT and then increases from the point of maximum thickness MT towards the slot <NUM>. The slope of the increase may be smaller than the slope of the decrease. The increase and decrease may be a linear increase and decrease. Therefore, the absolute value of the derivate of the diameter decrease may be smaller than the absolute value of the diameter increase.

The point of maximum thickness MT may be provided at the second distance d2 from the edge <NUM>. The third section <NUM> may in turn stretch a third distance d3 along the axis A away from the second section <NUM>.

Through the change of thickness there is a bulge <NUM> defined at the point of maximum thickness MT. The bulge is thereby placed on the second distance d2 along the axis A in a direction away from the edge <NUM>. This bulge <NUM> has the advantage of allowing a thin throwing object to made that retains its shaped when in use while at the same time also retaining itsaerodynamic properties.

The distance of this bulge <NUM> from the edge can be varied. However typically the bulge is placed at an upper end of the second section adjacent the third section, i.e. essentially as far away from the edge as possible.

The first distance d1 is typically in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM>. The second distance d2 is typically in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM>. The first thickness T1 is typically <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM>. The thickness of the second section <NUM> at the edge <NUM>, i.e. the second thickness T2, is typically in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM>. The maximum thickness MT of the second section <NUM> at the bulge <NUM> is in turn typically in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM>.

The inner diameter D of the second section <NUM> at the edge <NUM> is in turn typically in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM>.

With these dimensions it is additionally possible that the maximum thickness MT of the second section <NUM> is in the range of <NUM>/<NUM> - <NUM> times thicker and with advantage <NUM> times thicker than the second thickness T2 at the edge <NUM>. It may also be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM> times thicker than the first thickness T1.

The second thickness T2 is also higher (thicker) than the first thickness T1 and it is with advantage in the range <NUM> - <NUM> times higher (thicker) and with advantage <NUM> times higher (thicker) than the first thickness T1. The diameter D of the second section at the edge <NUM> is with advantage in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM> times higher than the second distance d2.

The diameter D of the second section at the edge <NUM> may additionally be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM> times higher than the maximum thickness of the second section <NUM>. The diameter D may furthermore be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and preferably <NUM> times higher than the sum of the first and second distances d1 and d2. It is possible that these relationships are not applicable for higher diameters.

The first distance d1 may additionally be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> times longer than the second distance and with advantage <NUM> times longer. The sum of the maximum thickness MT of the second section and the first thickness T1 of the first section may additionally be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM> times higher than the sum of the first and second thicknesses T1 and T2.

With these dimensions there is provided an annular or cylindrical front <NUM> that has good aerodynamic properties, where especially the size of the bulge and its placing along the axis A has been found to ensure that the throwing object can be thrown far, that it retains its shape and retains its aerodynamic properties. When the front is provided with a bulge in this way, it has been found that the circular cross-section is retained during use. The placing of the bulge at the second distance d2 from the edge in turn ensures that the aerodynamic properties of the front are retained. Thy are thus not degraded by the introduction of the bulge.

The third distance d3 is typically in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and with advantage <NUM>. The third thickness T3 is typically essentially the same as the first thickness T1. The sum of the maximum thickness MT of the second section <NUM> and the first thickness T1 of the first section <NUM> may additionally be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and preferably <NUM> times higher than the third thickness T3.

The sum of the first and second thicknesses T1 and T2 may be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and may preferably be <NUM> times higher than the third thickness T3.

The first, second and third distances d1. d2 and d3 may furthermore be used to form a first expression and the first and second distances d1 and d2 may be used to form a second expression. The first expression may more particularly be formed as the first distance d1 subtracted from a sum of the second and third distances d2 and d3, while the second expression may be formed as the second distance d2 subtracted from the first distance d1. The first expression may be in the range <NUM> - <NUM> and preferably <NUM> times higher than the second expression. The first expression thereby defines the amount of third section <NUM> that supports the part of the cloth <NUM> that faces the atmosphere, while the second expression defines an amount of overlap between the first and third sections <NUM> and <NUM>.

With these latter dimensions there is provided a front <NUM> with a structure that safely holds the tail <NUM> and keeps it smooth outside the third section <NUM>. This also has a beneficial influence on the aerodynamic properties of the throwing object <NUM>.

There are a number of variations that may be made to the invention apart from those already disclosed. It is possible with other types of thickness variations of the second section than linear. It is for instance possible to use exponential and/or parabolic thickness variations. It is also possible that there is no cut between the second and third sections.

Claim 1:
A throwing object (<NUM>) comprising a hollow front element (<NUM>) and a hollow tail element (<NUM>) attached to the front element (<NUM>), wherein the front element comprises a first and a second section (<NUM>, <NUM>), each section (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) being cylinder shaped, where the first section (<NUM>) has a larger radius than the second section (<NUM>) and is folded over the second section at an edge (<NUM>) between the sections, the first section having a first thickness T1 and stretching a first distance d1 in an axial direction away from the edge (<NUM>) and the second section having a second thickness T2 at the edge (<NUM>) and the tail element being inserted and held between the first and second sections,
characterised in that the throwing object further comprises a third section (<NUM>) joined to the second section (<NUM>),
wherein the third section (<NUM>) has a third thickness T3 that is essentially the same as the first thickness and stretches a third distance d3 away from the second section (<NUM>) in the axial direction.