Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority from Provisional Application No. 60/163,809, filed Nov. 5, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a toy rocket launcher and, more particularly, to a pressurized air launch assembly for launching a plurality of toy rockets in sequence, including a ratchet mechanism for advancing the to-be-launched rocket into position. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     For decades, toy rockets have been popular playthings for children of all ages. Such rockets have been made available in all shapes and sizes. Many models have been provided with their own propellant, such as pressurized water, air, or the like. In general, those propelled by air have been considered the “safest” for young children to use, in that combustible materials, gases and the like are not required to propel the rocket. An exemplary prior art “air propelled” toy rocket and launcher is disclosed us U.S. Pat. No. 2,993,297, issued to W. A. Bednar et al. on Jul. 25, 1961. In this arrangement, an aeronautically balanced missile projectile, cylindrical in shape, is used and provided with tail fins at its rear end. The rocket includes an “impact plug” and nose cone, advantageously formed of a yieldable material, such as sponge rubber, at its forward end. 
     The launching apparatus for the Bednar et al. apparatus comprises a tube over which the missile fits with a close fit, where the tube comprises a length such that it can be held and aimed by the hand of the operator with the missile in place. The launching apparatus also includes an impact bulb of tough, flexible material adapted to withstand a substantially instantaneous impact by the foot of the operator. Connecting this impact bulb with the launching tube is a flexible tube of sufficient stiffness and strength to withstand a sudden pressure pulse of compressed air without deforming. The Bednar et al. launching apparatus is intended to be used by placing the impact bulb on the ground, holding the launching tube in the hand, and subjecting the bulb to a sudden impact to flatten it and generate the pressure pulse which launches the missile. 
     A drawback to the Bednar et al. launcher is that the launching tube must be held by the user, limiting the length of the flexible and the potential distance between the impact bulb and the rocket to be launched, which ultimately limits the air pressure that may be available to launch the rocket. U.S. Pat. No. 3,046,694, issued to O. C. Holderer on Jul. 31, 1962, discloses a jet-propelled toy rocket where the launcher comprises a mechanism that rests on the ground. As shown in FIG. 3 of the Holderer et al. patent, a hand-operated air pump is connected to the launch assembly and is used to propel the rocket. The pump includes a cylinder and apertured end cap, with a plunger disposed through the aperture and into the cylinder. A unidirectional ball valve is also provided in the assembly. Thus, to fill the cylinder the plunger is pulled back and then quickly pushed in to launch the rocket. 
     While the use of a launch assembly as taught by Holderer et al. allows for “remote launching” by a user, a limitation remains in that the launcher is configured to hold and launch only a single rocket. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The need remaining in the prior art is addressed by the present invention, which relates to a toy rocket launcher and, more particularly, to a pressurized air launch assembly for launching a plurality of rockets in sequence, including a ratchet mechanism for advancing the to-be-launched rocket into position. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a pressurized air launch assembly includes a top deck which is formed to support a plurality of rockets, each rocket disposed over a launch tube, where an aperture through the top deck is formed at the base of each launch tube. A rotatable launch plate including a single aperture is disposed under the top deck and is configured to rotate with respect to the top deck such that the single aperture will align with sequential launch tube apertures as it is rotated. A base assembly is connected to the rotatable launch plate and comprises a ratchet mechanism for rotating the launch plate with respect to the top deck, where the base assembly also includes a connection to a launch tube and bellows for supplying the pressurized air for rocket launching. A molded stop is included in the base assembly and used to prevent the ratchet from reversing direction. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a guard ring is included in the rocket launch assembly and used to prevent a launch when an individual has come too close to the assembly and disturbed the guard ring. In particular, the guard ring includes a pole disposed through the center of the launch assembly, where the pole then rests upon a spring that will force the pressurized air to air to escape through a central opening in the launch plate aperture if the guard ring is disturbed. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the assembled combination of the top deck, launch plate and base assembly may be tilted so as to provide for an angled launch. 
     In operation, a piston is included within the launch tube and, as the air enters the base assembly, the piston will engage the ratchet and rotate the ratchet forward one position. The “stop” in the base assembly will prevent the rearward motion of the ratchet. The piece parts are aligned such that when the air is expelled through the tube it will pass through the launch plate aperture, through the launch tube disposed directly above the launch plate aperture and, therefore, launch the rocket. 
     It is to be understood that any desired number of rocket launch tubes (and associated apertures) may be formed on the top deck of the rocket launch assembly, as long as all of the tubes are disposed on a common circumference and include an aperture that will align with the launch plate aperture upon rotation without causing more than one launch tube to be disposed over the launch plate aperture. 
     Other and further aspects of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following discussion and by reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Referring now to the drawings, 
     FIG. 1 contains an isometric view of a rocket launch assembly of the present invention, where only a portion of each leg support is illustrated; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the rocket launch assembly of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 contains a top view an exemplary rocket launch assembly, with a portion of the top deck removed to particularly illustrate the ratchet-driven forwarding action of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a cut-away side view of the launch assembly, taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3, and particularly illustrating the action of the guard ring feature of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the launch tube and piston portion of the present invention, the view taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 6 is a cut-away view of the pressure valve included within the launch tube, the view taken along line  6 — 6  of FIG. 5; and 
     FIG. 7 illustrates two different check valve locations within the assembly of the present invention that allow for air to re-fill the bellows between launches. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An exemplary toy rocket launcher  10  formed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated isometrically in this view. It is to be understood that the plurality of legs  12 ,  14  and  16  which support launcher  10  are only partially illustrated for the sake of clarity, where legs  12 ,  14  and  16  are hingeable to allow for easy set up of the launcher. As will be described in greater hereinbelow in association with the remaining drawings, launcher  10  includes a launch subassembly  20  comprising a top deck  22 , a launch plate  24  (clearly illustrated in the other figures), and a base assembly  26 . A plurality of launch tubes  28  are disposed in a circular pattern on top deck  22  at a predetermined displacement from its periphery  30 . As can be seen clearly in the other views, each launch tube  28  includes a bottom opening that will be in communication with launch plate  24  to allow for the pressurized air to be expelled through tube  28  and launch a rocket  32 . 
     A plurality of rockets  32  are thus inserted over the associated plurality of launch tubes  28  where, as will be described in detail below, each rocket  32  may be launched in sequence. The pressurized air used to launch the rocket comes from a bellows  34 , connected to launch subassembly  20  by a launch tube  36 . In accordance with the present invention, and seen clearly in the following drawings, launch tube  36  includes a piston  38  that engages with launch subassembly  20  to rotate launch plate  24  within subassembly  20  and provide for the sequential launching of each rocket  32 . 
     Also illustrated in FIG. 1 is a guard ring  40  that may be included with rocket launcher  10  to prevent the launching of a rocket when an individual gets too close to launcher  10  and moves the guard ring. As will be described in detail below, as long as guard ring  40  remains in the upright position as shown in FIG. 1, the rockets will launch. However, if guard ring  40  is “bumped” and then is tilted to one side or the other, the launcher will not pressurize and a rocket cannot be launched. The action of an exemplary guard ring  40  of the present invention will be described below in association with FIG.  4 . 
     An exploded view of launcher  10  of the present invention is shown in FIG.  2 . Particularly evident in this view are the detailed components of launch subassembly  20 , and the interaction of subassembly  20  with piston  38  of launch tube  36 . Referring to FIG. 2, top deck  22  of launch subassembly  20  includes a plurality of mounts  42  for launch tubes  28 , where each mount  42  includes a central aperture  44 . As launch plate  24  rotates in a manner to be described below, a launch aperture  46  in plate  24  will align, successively, with each mount aperture  44 . Therefore, as launch plate  24  rotates (for example, in the counterclockwise direction indicated by the arrow in FIG.  2 ), each associated rocket  32  will be launched in sequence. 
     In accordance with the present invention, launch plate  24  is rotated by including a ratchet  47  in base assembly  26 , where ratchet  47  includes gear teeth  48  that will engage, in successive movements, piston  38  of launch tube  36 . A pin  50  formed on ratchet  47  will fit through a hole  52  formed in plate  24  to mate the two pieces together and allow for them to rotate together. A molded stop  54  is formed in base assembly  24  and is used to rearwardly engage gear teeth  48  so as to prevent backward motion of ratchet  47 . As bellows  34  is depressed and air flows through launch tube  36  and enters base assembly  26 , piston  38  pushes against an adjacent great tooth  48  and rotates the assembly such that launch aperture  46  will be aligned with the “next available” rocket  32  placed over a launch tube  28 . The pressurized air will flow through apertures  46  and  44  and thus launch rocket  32 . 
     Also illustrated in FIG. 2 are the remaining components used with guard ring  40  to prevent launch should an individual be too close to launch assembly  10 . In particular, a spring  56  is disposed in the central portion of base assembly  24  and, as shown in FIG. 2, is particularly located in the center of ratchet  47 . A post  58  is formed as a downward extension from guard ring  40  and extends through the center of the assembly, and through a sealing member  60  (to prevent the pressurized air from escaping through other apertures), where the bottom of post  58  is secured in a mounting element  62 . Mounting element  62  then fits through a central opening  64  in launch plate  24  and rests upon spring  56 . 
     A top view of launch assembly  10  of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 3, which illustrates, in phantom, the movement of piston  38  in to and out of launch tube  36 . As shown, when piston  38  exits tube  36  (moving to the left in the particular illustration), a push rod extension  39  on piston  38  will engage with gear tooth  48  to its left, thus rotating the combination of ratchet  47  and launch plate  24  counterclockwise (the rotation in counterclockwise in this example; it is to be understood that with proper re-alignment of the piece parts, a clockwise rotation can also be used). As mentioned above, molded stop  54  is used to engage the back side of a separate gear tooth  48  to prevent backward (in this case, clockwise) motion of ratchet  47 . 
     FIG. 4 contains a cut-away side view perspective of the arrangement of the present invention, taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG.  3 . Particularly evident in this view (and as shown in phantom), is the movement of guard ring  40  and the associated movement of mounting element  62  to prevent launch. As shown, if guard ring  40  is tilted to one side or the other, this movement will apply a bias to spring  56 , and mounting element  62  will also move, as shown in the illustration. In this case, the air-tight seal in the assembly will be broken, and any pressurized air entering base assembly  26  from tube  36  will escape through central opening  64  in launch plate  24 , as indicated by the direction of the arrow in FIG.  4 . Therefore, if an individual comes too close to the launch assembly and knocks guard ring  40  from its upright position, insufficient air will enter a launch tube  28  (since most of the air will escape through the central region) and rocket  32  will not launch. 
     A cut-away view of a portion of launch tube  36 , taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 3, is illustrated in FIG.  5 . Clearly evident in this view is a check valve  41  which is disposed within piston  38  and used to prevent the pressurized air from re-entering launch tube  36  and bellows  34 . As shown, the action of piston  38  may be controlled through a rod  66  connected to a spring  68 , where a base plate  70  of spring  68  receives the air expelled through bellows  34  (not shown). The movement of spring  68  thus results in moving piston  38  and push rod  39  and, in turn, allowing ratchet  47  to rotate and effect the launch of the rocket. An end view of the particular cruciform design of an check valve  41  is shown in FIG.  6 . 
     Various check valve arrangements may be used to provide for the quick “re-inflation” of bellows  34 . FIG. 7 illustrates two different arrangements, the first being a valve  72  disposed along launch tube  36 . Alternatively, a check valve  74  may be disposed at the back side  76  of bellows  34 . Other arrangements are possible and are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications and re-arrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described, except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

Technology Category: f