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Dynamic toy with inflatable bladder

a technology of inflatable bladder and dynamic toy, which is applied in the field of inflatable objects, can solve the problems of not being able to dynamically change the function, avoiding prior art toy products, and sports-related toys that are not well-suited to being modified, so as to achieve the effect of changing the surface dynamically, changing the weight distribution, and changing the flight characteristics

Inactive Publication Date: 2006-09-14
POLYWORKS
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] The present invention preserves the advantages of prior art objects, such as toy articles and related devices. In addition, it provides new advantages not found in currently available objects, toys and related devices and overcomes many disadvantages of such currently available objects, toys and related devices.
[0009] The invention is generally directed to a novel and unique dynamic object, such as a throwable toy. The object of the present invention includes at least one unique internal bladder that can be modified by the user to easily change the characteristics of the object.
[0010] An object with a dynamically changeable configuration is provided. The outer surface configuration and / or the weight displacement configuration can be dynamically changed to alter the characteristics of the object, which can be a toy, such as a football, baseball or flying disc. To change the outer configuration of the object, a cover having an outer surface and at least one aperture therethrough is provided. A surface changing member, such as a bladder, is urgable into the at least one aperture to dynamically change the outer surface of the object. To change the weight displacement of the object, the main body includes a first chamber and a second chamber therein where fluid, such as gas or liquid, can flow therebetween. The positioning of the fluid within the first chamber and the second chamber is controlled by a pump and valve system. As a result, the weight displacement of the object is dynamically changeable.

Problems solved by technology

Typically, a toy has a given shape and configuration that is static and cannot be modified.
The foregoing prior art toy products suffer from the problem that they cannot dynamically change their function where the characteristics of the operation and use of the toy are modified and made more unique and fun.
More specifically, sports-related toys are not well-suited to being modified as are the toys of the prior art.
In sports-related toys, additional parts cannot easily be added.
While it is possible to add a fin to a football or magnetic tape to a flying disc to alter their flight characteristics, such modification is cumbersome and can lead to unpredictable results.

Method used

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Examples

Experimental program
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Effect test

first embodiment

[0040] Referring first to FIGS. 1-5, the present invention is shown in detail to illustrate how the outer characteristics of a toy 10 can be dynamically changed in accordance with the present invention.

[0041] The example shown in FIGS. 1-5 shows a football toy 10, by way of example. It should be understood that many other different types of toys 10 can modified in a similar fashion. The present invention is intended to cover such other toys 10, such as baseballs, softballs and flying discs.

[0042] A front view of the a football 10, that employs the present invention, is shown in FIG. 1. The football 10 includes an outer cover 12 that has a number of apertures 14 therein. The cover 12 can be made of any type of material that is suitable for footballs and similar toys 10, such a leather, vinyl and plastic. The cover 12 can be molded out of polyurethane, polystyrene, EVA, TPEs, or any other suitable material and combinations thereof. For example, the cover 12 of the football of FIG. 1 ...

embodiment 400

[0061] The invention shown in FIGS. 1-7 generally shows a object that includes an inflatable bladder and an outer cover that includes apertures therein. When the bladder is inflated to a desired amount, it bulges through the apertures to change grip, flight or other characteristics. As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, it is also possible that the outer cover 402 has an elastic surface 404 with a bladder 406 beneath that can distort the outer cover 404. As seen in FIG. 14, a flying disc toy 400 is shown that has a particular airfoil configuration. A bladder 406 is contained fully under an elastic cover 404 of the flying disc 400. When the bladder 406 is inflated by the pump 408, the bladder 406 becomes larger and expands the flexible cover 404 to create a another surface profile. In FIG. 15, the flying disc 400 is shown with the newly created shaped-shifted airfoil 410. As above, the airfoil 410 can change the flight characteristics. In embodiment 400, the bladder 406 is fully contained wit...

second embodiment

[0072]FIG. 10 shows yet another implementation 150 of the present invention. A ball 150, such as a baseball or softball, is shown with a primary liquid storage chamber 152 and a secondary storage chamber 154. The primary storage chamber 152 is preferably located substantially at the center of the ball 150. Liquid 156 is controllably moved from between the primary storage chamber 152 and the secondary storage chamber 154, which is preferably located proximal to the outer surface of the ball 150. As seen in FIG. 11, a cross-sectional view through the line 11-11 of FIG. 10, liquid 156 can be easily moved using the pump mechanism 158 and release mechanism 160. For example, liquid 156 can be moved to the secondary storage chamber 154 to move the weight distribution of the ball 150 outward to change its ball flight characteristics. More specifically, a ball 150 can be made eccentric thereby altering the flight characteristics particularly when a spin is imparted thereon.

[0073] In FIG. 11,...

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Abstract

An object with a dynamically changeable configuration is provided. The outer surface configuration and / or the weight displacement configuration can be dynamically changed to alter the characteristics of the object, which can be a toy, such as a football, baseball or flying disc. To change the outer configuration of the object, a cover having an outer surface and at least one aperture therethrough is provided. A surface changing member, such as a bladder, is urgable into the at least one aperture to dynamically change the outer surface of the object. To change the weight displacement of the object, the main body includes a first chamber and a second chamber therein where fluid, such as gas or liquid, can flow therebetween. The positioning of the fluid within the first chamber and the second chamber is controlled by a pump and valve system. As a result, the weight displacement of the object is dynamically changeable.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority from prior U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 659,468 filed on Mar. 8, 2005.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention generally relates to inflatable objects. More specifically, the present invention relates to a new and unique toys that can be modified using inflatable bladders. [0003] In the prior art, various types of toys are very well known. Typically, a toy has a given shape and configuration that is static and cannot be modified. For example, a toy for throwing, such as a football or baseball, is of a fixed shape and configuration. Thus, each time that it is thrown, it exhibits the same general flight characteristics. In another example, a toy, such as an action figure, may have a given aesthetic appearance that can only be modified by adding or removing parts or reconstructing the parts at hand. In general, known toys are static in nature in that they cannot be altered to mak...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): A63B43/00A63B67/14A63B41/12A63B43/04
CPCA63B41/00A63B41/12A63B43/04A63H27/10A63H33/18A63H2027/1033A63H2027/1075
Inventor WYNER, DANIEL M.FOX, RICHARD B.LAFLAMME, ROGER J.
Owner POLYWORKS
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