GB2545802A

GB2545802A - An improved airborne toy

Info

Publication number: GB2545802A
Application number: GB1620068.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Connolly John
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-11-27
Filing date: 2016-11-28
Publication date: 2017-06-28
Anticipated expiration: 2036-11-28
Also published as: GB2577653A9; GB2577653B; GB2545802B; GB201620068D0; GB201918708D0; GB201520958D0; GB2577653A

Abstract

Airborne toy 100 comprises a toy body provided with means to help propel the toy upwards and means provided with sufficient weight to return the toy to the ground. The toy may comprise an air filled balloon 102 inside of which is a helium filled balloon 104. Neck 106 of the balloon 102 may be attached to a blower device 108. In use a user fills the balloon 102 with air by blowing air through the device 108. To propel the toy 100 into the air, the user holds the neck 106 and gently pulls on the device 108 to stretch the neck of the balloon. When the neck 106 is released the toy 100 is propelled upwardly by the contraction of the elastic material of the neck 106 and the release of air from the air filled balloon 102. The helium balloon 104 also assists in the upward travel of the toy 100 until all the air in the air filled balloon 102 is expelled and the weight of the device 108 causes the toy to fall back down to the ground under the force of gravity.

Description

AN IMPROVED AIRBORNE TOY

The present invention relates to an improved airborne toy. Airborne toys are very popular with children of all ages. However, they do suffer from the disadvantage that unless they are attached to a string or the like they do tend to be blown around or blown away altogether.

The object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple inexpensive airborne toy with significantly increased functionality compared to other toys of the same type and price range.

The present invention provides an airborne toy comprising a toy body with attachments to help propel the toy upwards and provided with sufficient weight to return the toy to the ground.

Ideally, the airborne toy includes an inflatable helium balloon, the neck of the balloon being stretched to exit the bottom of a toy capsule, the ring on the neck of the balloon being placed around the top of a stud, whereby when stud is pulled down and let go, it propels the toy body upwards. Using a different method it can be applied to the neck of the balloon using attachments as shown in Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8.

Advantageously, the knot of the helium balloon to be used is inside of the top of the toy capsule. This knot when it is extended becomes smaller, and when inside the capsule returns to its normal size, whereby the knot will give extra lift when it is pulled down and let go, as it hits the top of the capsule. The knot is kept inside the toy capsule. The stud also hits the bottom of the capsule to give extra lift.

Preferably, the capsule is provided with a light so that the toy can be visible in the dusk or in the dark. The light can be a battery powered light or a solar powered light which is powered up during daylight hours when the sun is shining.

Ideally the helium balloon is attached to the attachment as shown in Figure 3 inside of the toy capsule. This gives a better view of the capsule as the neck of the helium balloon is hidden inside of the capsule.

In respect of the use of the attachments, a string could be used, once tied around the knot on the balloon and when pulled down, propels the toy upwards. A string can be attached to the knot or the neck inside of the capsule. The thumb and index finger of the user holds the balloon until the attachment is let go.

By stretching of the neck of the helium balloon in this manner is a new innovative way to give thrust to propel the toys upwards.

Toy figures attached to the inflated helium balloon capsule and the weight of the capsule is such a weight as to get airborne, and weighs also heavy enough for a return of the toy to the user.

Using half a capsule as shown in Figure 4, a slight pull of the balloon neck gets the capsule airborne.

The size and weight of the toy can fluctuate to accommodate the lifting power of the inflated helium balloon. If the toy is fractionally heavier than the lifting power of the helium balloon, little thrust is required to make the capsule airborne. A small toy requires less helium than a larger toy i.e. if the toy is to get to a near or hovering position. Any of the attachments will produce the lift required to get the toy airborne and return to ground or the user. Exact helium in balloon is not essential as the attachments pick up any further thrust required to help the toy to get airborne. A variation of this toy is one which can use a balloon filled with air. All claims of the airborne helium balloon can also apply to an air inflated balloon, plastic material and poly styrene are used as best practice. Small figures made of any lightweight material is best used for this toy.

The stud can be shaped like a tapered blower to also give lift as shown in Figure 3. When air is released through the tapered blower, the helium balloon toy returns to the user. A returnable helium air toy returns to the user when the air is released from the air balloon. A helium balloon with toy capsule attached will return to the user, stretching of the neck of the helium balloon which is attached to the attachments listed in drawings No. 3.

The object of the toy is to return the inflated helium balloon to the user.

In use a person inflates the air balloon by blowing air into the air balloon via the tapered blower. The toy body is propelled upwards by a jet of air being expelled from the air balloon via the tapered blower until the air balloon deflates after which the weight of the toy balloon causes the toy to glide back to earth at least partially controlled by the weightlessness of the sealed inflated helium balloon. Reference is made to Figure 2.

Figure 3 is a returnable helium balloon with attachments as shown in Figures 5 to 8.

This invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show by way of example only a number of embodiments of the airborne toy in accordance with the invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows interlocked air and helium balloons with tapered blower.

Figure 2 shows a helium balloon inside an air balloon with a tapered blower and interlocking of both balloons at the centre of the air balloon.

Figure 3, shows a helium balloon with a toy capsule or toy. The neck of the helium balloon is stretched to a length that will pass through the capsule or toy. The neck of the helium balloon as it protrudes at the bottom of the capsule is placed around the stud or tapered blower. The stud or blower when engaged with the ring of the balloon creates a pressure on the stretched neck. Thrust comes by pulling down gently on the stud or blower. The blower and the air inside can also be captured by the thumb or cap.

Figure 4 shows interlocking balloons with the following variations; 4.1 Is tied teats. 4.2. Interlocking loops on the outside of balloons. 4.3. Two balloons in one, helium on the inside. 4.4. Ring of balloon placed inside of loop to interlock two balloons.

Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 show attachments 410, 420, 430 and 440

Figure 9 shows the neck is pulled down by a string. The knot on the balloon or ring of balloon is gently pulled down. The hole at the top of the capsule is to accommodate free movement of the neck of the balloon as to not escape from the top of capsule. The knot is made smaller by stretching and larger on release.

Figure 10 shows a helium balloon tied inside of air balloon with capsule and plastic figures or any light weight figures attached to capsule and a tapered blower to inflate the air balloon and;

Figure 11 is a view of a helium air balloon with a toy figure on a swing.

Referring to the drawings and in particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the airborne toy 100 in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention comprises an air filled balloon 102 inside of which is a helium filled balloon 104. The neck 106 of the balloon 102 is attached to a blower device 108. In use a user fills the balloon 102 with air by blowing air through the device 108. To propel the toy 100 into the air, the user holds the neck 106 and gently pulls on the device 108 to stretch the neck of the balloon. When the neck 106 is released the toy 100 is propelled upwardly by the contraction of the elastic material of the neck 106 and the release of air from the air filled balloon 102. The helium balloon 104 also assists in the upward travel of the toy 100 until all the air in the air filled balloon 102 is expelled and the weight of the device 108 causes the toy to fall back down to the ground under the force of gravity.

Referring to Figure 3, an airborne toy 200 comprises a single helium filled and closed balloon 204 having a neck 208 to which a toy device 210 is attached. The toy device 210 comprises upper and lower capsule parts 213 and 214 which connect together. Located between the two parts 213 and 214 is a holder 216 for two toy figurines 218. The neck 208 extends through the lower part 214 of the capsule and can be used to give an initial propulsion by releasing the elastic neck 208. The balloon 204 rises upwardly until the weight of the device 210 overcomes the upward thrust of the initial propulsion and gradually brings the toy 200 down to the ground. A modification of the embodiment 100 and 200 is shown in Figure 4. The modified embodiment 300 comprises two interlocking balloons 302 and 304 tied together with teats 303 and 308 and then turned inside out as shown in Figure 4.3 so that there are two necks 308 and 309 and the connection between the two balloons 302 and 304 is inside the balloons. To assist the balloons 302 and 304 being connected together a loop 307 is provided at the top of the balloon 302 so that the balloon 304 can be looped through it.

Different attachments to be attached to the balloons of the airborne toy of the invention are shown in Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8. In Figure 5, the attachment 410 is an elongate string which is tied to the neck of a balloon 402. The attachment 420 shown in Figure 6 is a plastic stud over which the neck of the balloon is attached. A user pulls on the plastic stud in order to get the balloon airborne. The attachment 430 shown in Figure 7 has a number of holes 431 through one of which the neck 408 of balloon 402 is inserted. The attachment 430 is pulled down and released in order to give lift to the balloon. The attachment 440 as shown in Figure 8 is an elongate tapered blower made of plastics material.

Figure 9 shows a variation of the airborne toy 200 in which the device 218 comprises an egg shaped capsule through which a string 219 extends through a hole 220 in the capsule 218. A variation of the airborne toy 100 is shown in Figure 10. A toy device 130 is attached to the double balloons 102 and 104. The toy device 130 comprises an elongate blower 131. Two toy figurines 133 and 134 are removeably attached to the capsule 132. In a variant shown in Figure 11, a toy figurine 133 is removeably attached to a swing 136 which is connected to the balloon 100 (not shown to scale).

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein which are given by way of example only, and the various modifications and alterations are possible without departing from the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An airborne toy comprising a toy body provided with means to help propel the toy upwards and means provided with sufficient weight to return the toy to the ground.

2. An airborne toy as claimed in Claim 1, in which the airborne toy includes a toy capsule and an inflatable helium balloon, the neck of the balloon being stretched to exit the bottom of the toy capsule, the ring on the neck of the balloon being placed around the top of a stud, whereby when the stud is pulled down and let go by a user, it propels the toy body upwards

3. An airborne toy as claimed in Claim 2, in which the knot of the helium balloon to be used is inside of the top of the toy capsule, so that when the knot is extended it becomes smaller, and when inside the capsule returns to its normal size, whereby the knot will give extra lift when it is pulled down and released as it hits the top of the capsule, the knot remaining inside the toy capsule, and the stud being adapted to hit the bottom of the capsule to give extra lift.

4. An airborne toy as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, in which the capsule is provided with a light means so that the toy can be visible in the dusk or in the dark, optionally the light is a battery powered light or alternatively a solar powered light which is powered up during daylight hours when the sun is shining.

5. An airborne toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the helium balloon is attached to the attachment inside of the toy capsule, in which the neck of the balloon is stretched to a length that will pass through the toy body and is placed around a stud or tapered blower.

6. An airborne toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which a string is tied around the knot on the balloon and when pulled down, propels the toy upwardly, the string being attached to the knot or the neck inside of the toy body, the thumb and index finger of the user holding the balloon until the attachment is let go, wherein by stretching of the neck of the helium balloon in this manner gives thrust to propel the toy upwards.

7. An airborne toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which one or more toy figures is attached to the inflated helium balloon capsule and the weight of the capsule is light enough to allow the balloon to get airborne, and heavy enough to provide for a return of the toy to the user, wherein the size and weight of the toy fluctuates to accommodate the lifting power of the inflated helium balloon, whereby if the toy is fractionally heavier than the lifting power of the helium balloon, little thrust is required to make the capsule airborne, a small toy requiring less helium than a larger toy, if the toy is to get to a near or hovering position.

8. An airborne toy as claimed in Claim 1, in which the toy including a balloon filled with air or a portion of a balloon filled with air and small toy figures made of any lightweight material are used with the air filled balloon.

9. An airborne toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the stud is shaped like a tapered blower to also give lift in which, when air is released from the balloon through the tapered blower, the helium balloon returns the toy to the user.

10. An airborne toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which in use a person inflates the air balloon by blowing air into the air balloon via the tapered blower, the toy body being propelled upwards by a jet of air being expelled from the air balloon via the tapered blower until the air balloon deflates after which the weight of the toy balloon causes the toy to glide back to earth at least partially controlled by the weightlessness of the sealed inflated helium balloon.

11. An airborne toy substantially in accordance with any one of the embodiments as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.