Bubble generating apparatus

An apparatus for generating bubbles comprising:

• a wheel that is rotatable about a first rotational axis;
• a reservoir for holding a supply of a bubble solution;
• a fan device operably coupled to the wheel by a gear assembly, the fan device and the gear assembly located within the wheel;
• a bubble generating assembly operably coupled to the wheel and located within the reservoir, the bubble generating assembly comprising at least one bubble generating device;
• wherein rotation of the wheel about the first rotational axis causes:
• (1) the fan device to rotate about a second rotational axis to generate an air stream;
• and (2) the bubble generating assembly to rotate about the first rotational axis to load the bubble solution onto the bubble generating device and then align the bubble generating device that is loaded with the bubble solution with the air stream to generate bubbles;
• and
• wherein the wheel rotates relative to the reservoir as the wheel is rotated about the first rotational axis.

A bubble generating toy comprising:

• a wheel that is configured to rotate about a first rotational axis, the wheel having an inner surface that defines an interior space;
• a hub assembly coupled to the wheel, the hub assembly comprising:
• a reservoir portion comprising a reservoir containing a supply of a bubble solution and a collar portion extending from the reservoir portion;
• an attachment portion that extends from the reservoir portion and wraps around a portion of the wheel so that the portion of the wheel is positioned between the attachment portion and the reservoir portion;
• and
• a cover plate coupled to the reservoir portion and forming a sidewall that at least partially bounds the reservoir, the cover plate comprising an opening that forms a passageway between the ambient environment and the reservoir;
• a handle assembly coupled to the attachment portion of the hub assembly so that movement of the handle assembly causes the hub assembly to rotate relative to the wheel, wherein the handle assembly is configured to be gripped by a user so that the user can push the bubble generating toy with the wheel in contact with a ground surface, thereby causing the wheel to rotate about the first rotational axis relative to the hub assembly around the collar portion of the hub assembly;
• a fan device located within the interior space of the wheel, wherein the fan device is operably coupled to the wheel by a gear assembly so that rotation of the wheel about the first rotational axis causes the fan device to generate an air stream;
• and
• a bubble generating assembly comprising a plurality of bubble generating devices located within the reservoir of the hub assembly, wherein the bubble generating assembly is operably coupled to the wheel so that rotation of the wheel about the first rotational axis causes the plurality of bubble generating devices to repetitively move:
• (1) into contact with the bubble solution in the reservoir to load the bubble generating devices with the bubble solution;
• and (2) into simultaneous alignment with the air stream generated by the fan device and the opening in the hub assembly to generate bubbles from the bubble solution loaded on the bubble generating devices and allow the bubbles to flow into the ambient environment.