Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending application U.S. Ser. No. 11/325,662, filed Jan. 4, 2006 and also claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application U.S. Ser. No. 60/641,350, filed Jan. 4, 2005. The content of the aforementioned applications is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to toys for children, especially those used in bathtubs and pools. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Young children are often fascinated with running water. They see it running freely in streams, spraying out of the hose and discharging from the faucet into the kitchen sink and the bath tub. Playing with running water becomes an interesting curiosity for most children. However, playing with running water out of a faucet, whether in the sink or at bath time, can be wasteful, messy, and dangerous. 
     Currently, older children have the option of using outdoor water toys such as garden sprinklers and squirt guns. However, these options may not be available to particularly young children that require more direct supervision. Further, certain weather conditions, such as winter weather, may render such outdoor options unavailable. 
     Therefore, a means for children to explore their curiosity for running water in a controlled and safe manner is needed. Further, a means for children to explore their curiosity for running water while under direct supervision of an adult and that is not particularly dependent on outdoor weather conditions is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention, therefore, provides a water bath toy for children to safely explore their curiosity for running water while under direct supervision of an adult. The invention provides a pump that draws water from a bath tub or pool and discharges the water back into the source above the water. The pump is battery powered or hand powered. The invention includes a plurality of output options above the water and a selector for choosing the active output feature. These features may include a narrow spray nozzle, a wide spray nozzle, a flexible hose, and a cascade with configurable obstructions that affect the water flow. 
     More particularly, the invention includes a recirculating water bath toy comprising a liquid intake port below the water and means for outletting the liquid above the water in fluid communication with the intake port. A selector valve that is in fluid communication with the intake port and the outletting means directs the liquid to one or more of the outletting means. An actuator engages the selector valve and is operable to cause the selector valve to direct the liquid to different outletting means. A pump is in fluid communication with the intake port and the selector valve. The water bath toy may include an outer body that is shaped to fit over a sidewall of a liquid reservoir, such as a bath tub or a pool. The outer body includes means for attaching to a sidewall of the liquid reservoir, such as a plurality of suction cups. The pump may be hand operated or battery operated, in which case, the batteries are housed in a compartment that is substantially waterproof. The outletting means may include a cascade having reconfigurable obstructions, a narrow spray nozzle, a wide spray nozzle, a flexible hose, or a combination thereof. A cover that comprises a graphical representation of cartoon characters, comic book characters, television personalities, or other forms that are pleasing to children may be fixably joined to the outer body. The graphical form may be incorporated into the outletting means. 
     An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a means for children to explore their curiosity for running water in a controlled and safe manner. Further, the present invention provides a water bath toy that may be used by a child under direct supervision by an adult. Even further, the present invention may be used indoors and thus is not particularly dependent on the outside weather. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become apparent and be better understood by reference to the following description of one embodiment of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front isometric view of the recirculating water bath toy of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic illustrating the general water flow in the water bath toy of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a rear view of the water bath toy of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the water bath toy of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the water bath toy of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a second front isometric view of the water bath toy of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is rear isometric view of the water bath toy of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a front view with a cartoon figure attached to an outlet means. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The example set out herein illustrates one embodiment of the invention but should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings,  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate the recirculating water bath toy and an associated water flow schematic according to one embodiment of the present invention. The water bath toy  10  includes an outer body  12 , a pump system  14 , and an outlet system  16 . 
     The outer body  12  includes an interface portion  20 , a pump housing  22 , a pump inlet  24  ( FIG. 3 ), a battery compartment  26 , and mounting means  28 . The interface portion  20  houses the outlet system  16  including the associated controls. The pump inlet  24  is below the surface of the water and faces the wall of a bath tub or pool when the water bath toy  10  is properly installed. Thus the pump inlet  24  is not accessible to a child. The pump inlet  24  may include a screen or other means for preventing objects from being taken up into the pump inlet  24 . The battery compartment  26  is best shown in  FIGS. 3 and 7  and is a water resistant compartment in the present embodiment.  FIG. 4  demonstrates that the shape of the outer body  12  is configured to fit over the wall of a bath tub or pool. The mounting means  28 , shown in  FIG. 1 , aid in securing the outer body  12  to the wall of the bath tub or pool. The mounting means  28  may be rubber pads, adhesive pads, suction cups, clamps, or any combination thereof. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the pump system  14  includes a battery operated pump  30 , a pump inlet line  32 , and a pump outlet line  34 , The pump  30  is powered by batteries in the battery compartment  26  via electrical wires. Alternatively, the pump  30  is a hand operated pump. The pump inlet line  32  facilitates fluid communication between the pump inlet  24  and the pump  30 . The pump outlet line  34  facilitates fluid communication between the pump  30  and the outlet system  16 . The pump system  14  further includes a power toggle switch  36  ( FIG. 1 ) that penetrates the outer body  12 . In the present embodiment the power toggle switch  36  is remotely located in relation to the interface portion  20  and the water. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  5 , and  6 , the outlet system  16  is shown to include a selector valve  38 , a selector valve actuator knob  40 , and a variety of output features  42 . The selector valve  38  includes a valve inlet  44  in fluid communication with the pump outlet line  34  and a plurality of valve outputs  46  configured such that only one of the valve outputs  46  is open at any particular time. Each of the valve outputs  46  is in fluid communication with an output feature  42 . The selector valve actuator knob  40  is operable to select which of the valve outputs  46  is open. In the present embodiment, the output features  42  include a wide spray feature  48  having a wide spray nozzle  50 , a narrow spray feature  52  having a narrow spray nozzle  54 , and a waterfall feature  56  having a variety of configurable obstructions  58 . The output features  42  are disposed on the surface  64   a  of the front arm  64 . The obstructions  58  engage support holes  60  and may be moved around to change the affect of the obstructions  58  on the water exiting the water bath toy  10  through the waterfall feature  56 . Many further output features can be imagined that are within the scope of the invention, for example a directional hose-type outlet. 
     In use, the outer body  12  is mounted on a sidewall of a pool or a bath tub such that the mounting means  28  engages the sidewall. The distal end of front arm  64  of the outer body  12  is partially submerged in water such that the pump inlet  24  is at least partially submerged below water line  62  while outlet system  16  is disposed above water line  62 . Such a configuration permits the child to observe the water flowing from outlet system  16 . The back arm  66  is joined to the front arm  64  by connecting arm  68  that joints the arms at their respective ends. The water level  62  or the positioning of the outer body  12  may be adjusted to achieve this. A supervising parent activates the pump  30  by actuating the power toggle switch  36 .  FIG. 2  shows that the pump  30  draws water through the pump inlet line  32  and supplies pressurized water to the selector valve  38  via the pump outlet line  34 . A child or supervising parent selects the output feature  42  by turning the selector valve actuator knob  40  to a corresponding position having an appropriate label on the face of the interface portion  20 . The pressurized water travels through the selector valve  38  to the selected output feature  42 . The selected output feature  42  in  FIG. 1  is the waterfall feature  56 . The user may arrange the obstructions  58  and observe the affect that different shapes and configurations have on the water flow in the waterfall feature. To ensure the safe use of the bath toy the pump is configured to delivery water at a predetermined rate. This predetermined rate is selected to cause the water to gently trickle out of the outlet feature  42  without substantial pressure. In one embodiment, the rate of water delivery is less than about 200 mL per second. In another embodiment, the rate of water delivery is less than about 100 mL per second. In yet another embodiment, the rate of water delivery is less than about 50 mL per second. 
     Graphics that are pleasing to children, such as cartoon characters, comic book characters, and television personalities, may be included on the surface of the outer body  12 . Further, pleasing shapes such as cartoon characters may be incorporated into the output features  42  such that the liquid appears to be emitted from the graphic. For example, the graphic may in the shape of an elephant and the water may appear to be emitted from the elephant&#39;s trunk. The graphic may be fixably joined to the outer body using any conventional technique including adhesives or making the graphic monolithic with respect to the outer body. For example, in  FIG. 8 , a graphic of an elephant head is disposed over spray nozzle  54  (see  FIG. 5 ) such that water appears to be coming from a hole in the end of the elephant&#39;s trunk. In  FIG. 8 , the graphic is monolithic with the interface portion  20 . In the present embodiment, durable and corrosion resistant materials such as high impact plastics and elastomers are used whenever possible. 
     While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present invention using the general principles disclosed herein. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.

Technology Category: 1