Toy flying disc with baffle

Abstract

A flying disc of predetermined diameter and thickness, made of lightweight, deformable material, comprising flat surfaces whereby messages and images may be displayed, having a weight adjacent to its leading edge to direct the flight thereof and a stabilizing baffle near its trailing edge.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]Not applicable.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]This invention relates generally to toys and amusement devices and more particularly to a toy flying disc which may be used to display advertising graphics and text.[0004]2. Description of Prior Art[0005]There is always a need for an effective and inexpensive marketing tool. A simple to produce and imprint, very lightweight flying disc, that maximizes the printable surface area while providing the excitement and attention getting properties of a flying toy fills that need. The disc is inexpensive to ship because of its light weight and the stackable nature of flat discs. The depending hook and weight can be shipped separately, and fixed upon the disc by the user. A further advantage of light weight is realized in that it minimizes damage to objects or harm to persons it might impact. The present invention provides a very lightweight flying disc which is easily manufactured and ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is a lightweight flying disc toy that has several technical advantages. It is very lightweight, requires only a small ballast to direct the path of flight, and is easy to imprint and ship. It can also be easily assembled in the field, used as an advertising means, and is simple to operate. Additionally, it can be deployed without a launching means by dropping from high rise buildings, rooftops, bridges, or even aircraft. It does not require rotation to maintain stable flight. Overall, the invention provides a useful and valuable toy for advertising, education, and recreational use.

Problems solved by technology

Flying disc toys described in the prior art or currently available have been improved for flight characteristics, which improvements complicate the imprinting of surfaces or reduce the area of the surfaces.

Some improvements to flight characteristics complicate the manufacture of the object or increase packaging and shipping costs.

Its manufacture is complicated by its knife edge periphery, which would require a mold or process for forming this tapering edge.

When the disc comprises an annular shape, it requires a substantially different configuration and is unsuitable for advertising means.

Their claimed central weight portion further complicates its manufacture as the weight would have to be incorporated internally during the process or added after the forming of the disc.

The dome shape would require expensive molds to produce the requisite substantially smooth curves.

Distortion of the surface by a dome or added central weight is not advantageous for imprinting or for adhering self-adhesive labels.

It is more expensive to ship because of the increased bulk and weight.

The additional weight created by this central ballast also makes the disc more likely to damage objects or harm humans.

Turning our attention to a fabric disc as taught by Milzoff and again by Stauffer it is quickly realized that fabric alone is too flexible to maintain a disc shape and requires a means of defining and maintaining a disc shape, such as a defining rim, which is more complicated to manufacture, requiring more parts and more processes.

The addition of a rim further complicates the manufacture requiring forming of individual units or a process to attach a rim.

All discs with a perpendicular rim are bulkier and therefore more expensive to ship and printing on the disc surface is made more complicated or may be limited to certain printing methods, such as silk-screening.

Further, discs that rely on removal of interior sections of the wing to stabilize flight reduce the surface area available for imprinting or adhering labeling.

Further considering LeBaron's embodiments, when the body is ring shaped then the surface area available for advertising messages is substantially reduced, making it unsuitable as a means for advertising.

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