Ring airfoil launcher

A toy for launching a projectile, the toy comprising:

• a member;
• a projectile support mounted on the member;
• a propelling element associated with the projectile support and configured to move the projectile support along the member from a first position to a second position;
• a channel in the member which interacts with the projectile support to cause the projectile support to spin as it moves from the first position to the second position;
• and
• a movable handle having a grip surface, operatively connected to the projectile support, where movement of the handle causes movement of the projectile support along the member from the second position to the first position.

A toy for launching a projectile, the toy comprising:

• a member;
• a projectile support mounted on the member;
• a propelling element associated with the projectile support and configured to move the projectile support along the member from a first position to a second position;
• a channel in the member which interacts with the projectile support to cause the projectile support to spin as it moves from the first position to the second position;
• a return element configured to move the projectile support along the member from the second position to the first position;
• and
• a housing substantially enclosing the member and projectile support between the first and second positions.

A toy for launching a ring airfoil, the toy comprising:

• a ring airfoil support adapted to contact the ring airfoil;
• a return element configured to move the ring airfoil support from a fired position to a cocked position;
• and
• a propelling element configured to accelerate and decelerate the ring airfoil support, wherein the contact between the ring airfoil support and the ring airfoil causes the ring airfoil to accelerate with the ring airfoil support as the ring airfoil support accelerates, and wherein the contact is overcome as the ring airfoil support decelerates, causing the ring airfoil to be launched from the ring airfoil support with forward motion;
• wherein the propelling element is selected so that the kinetic energy associated with the forward motion of the ring airfoil at launching is no more than 1.0 joule.

A toy for launching a predetermined projectile, the toy comprising:

• a member;
• a projectile support mounted on the member;
• a propelling element associated with the projectile support and configured to move the projectile support along the member from a first position to a second position;
• a channel in the member which interacts with the projectile support to cause the projectile support to spin as it moves from the first position to the second position;
• a housing adjacent the member;
• and
• a safety element configured to limit the ability of the launcher to launch projectiles other than the predetermined projectile, wherein at least a portion of the safety element extends toward the member from the housing.

A method for launching a ring airfoil, where the ring airfoil has an inner surface, the method comprising:

• providing a ring airfoil launcher configured to accommodate the ring airfoil;
• loading the ring airfoil onto the ring airfoil launcher so that the inner surface of the ring airfoil contacts the ring airfoil launcher;
• storing elastic energy in the ring airfoil launcher;
• and
• transferring at least a portion of the energy stored in the ring airfoil launcher to the ring airfoil, causing the ring airfoil to be launched from the ring airfoil launcher with forward motion.

A toy for launching a ring airfoil, where the ring airfoil has an inner surface, the toy comprising:

• a member;
• a ring airfoil support mounted on the member, the ring airfoil support having a support structure adapted to contact the inner surface of the ring airfoil;
• and
• a propelling element configured to move the ring airfoil support along the member from a first position to a second position;
• wherein the support structure includes ribs extending outwardly from an axis connecting the first and second positions, and where at least one of the ribs includes a leading end, and that leading end is sloped to facilitate loading the ring airfoil on the ring airfoil support;
• and
• wherein the contact between the ring airfoil support and the ring airfoil causes the ring airfoil to move with the ring airfoil support as the ring airfoil support moves, and wherein the contact is overcome as the ring airfoil support decelerates at the second position, causing the ring airfoil to be launched with forward motion.

A toy for launching a ring airfoil, the toy comprising:

• a member;
• a ring airfoil support mounted on the member, the ring airfoil support adapted to contact the ring airfoil;
• a propelling element configured to move the ring airfoil support along the member from a first position to a second position;
• and
• a trigger to hold the ring airfoil support in the first position, and to release the ring airfoil support to permit the ring airfoil support to move along the member to the second position;
• wherein the contact between the ring airfoil support and the ring airfoil causes the ring airfoil to move with the ring airfoil support as the ring airfoil support moves, and wherein the contact is overcome as the ring airfoil support decelerates at the second position, causing the ring airfoil to be launched with forward motion.

A toy for launching a projectile, the toy comprising:

• a member;
• a projectile support mounted on the member;
• a propelling element associated with the projectile support and configured to move the projectile support along the member from a first position to a second position;
• a channel in the member which interacts with the projectile support to cause the projectile support to spin as it moves from the first position to the second position;
• a trigger to hold the projectile support in the first position, and to release the projectile support to permit it to move along the member to the second position;
• and
• a housing substantially enclosing the member and projectile support between the first and second positions.

A toy for launching a projectile, the toy comprising:

• a member;
• a projectile support mounted on the member;
• an elastic propelling element associated with the projectile support and configured to move the projectile support along the member from a first position to a second position;
• a channel in the member which interacts with the projectile support to cause the projectile support to spin as it moves from the first position to the second position;
• and
• a housing substantially enclosing the member and projectile support between the first and second positions.

A toy for launching a predetermined projectile, the toy comprising:

• a member;
• a projectile support mounted on the member;
• a propelling element associated with the projectile support and configured to move the projectile support along the member from a first position to a second position;
• a channel in the member which interacts with the projectile support to cause the projectile support to spin as it moves from the first position to the second position;
• and
• a safety element configured to limit the ability of the launcher to launch projectiles other than the predetermined projectile, wherein the safety element includes an aperture through which the projectile must pass, and wherein the aperture has dimensions, the dimensions of the aperture serving to limit the dimensions of the projectile.

A toy for launching a predetermined projectile, the toy comprising:

• a member;
• a projectile support mounted on the member;
• a propelling element associated with the projectile support and configured to move the projectile support along the member from a first position to a second position;
• a channel in the member which interacts with the projectile support to cause the projectile support to spin as it moves from the first position to the second position;
• and
• a safety element configured to limit the ability of the launcher to launch projectiles other than the predetermined projectile, wherein the safety element includes at least a portion comprising tacky material.

A toy for launching a predetermined projectile, the toy comprising:

• a member;
• a projectile support mounted on the member;
• a propelling element associated with the projectile support and configured to move the projectile support along the member from a first position to a second position;
• a channel in the member which interacts with the projectile support to cause the projectile support to spin as it moves from the first position to the second position;
• and
• a safety element configured to limit the ability of the launcher to launch projectiles other than the predetermined projectile, wherein the safety element includes a flap configured to restrict the launching of projectiles other than the predetermined projectile.

A method for launching a ring airfoil, where the ring airfoil has an inner surface, the method comprising:

• providing a ring airfoil launcher configured to accommodate the ring airfoil;
• loading the ring airfoil onto the ring airfoil launcher so that the inner surface of the ring airfoil contacts the ring airfoil launcher;
• storing energy in the ring airfoil launcher;
• and
• transferring at least a portion of the energy stored in the ring airfoil launcher to the ring airfoil, causing the ring airfoil to be launched from the ring airfoil launcher with forward motion;
• wherein the step of storing energy includes pulling a handle;
• and
• wherein the step of transferring energy causes the ring airfoil to be launched from the ring airfoil launcher with both forward and spinning motion, the spinning motion occurring about an axis substantially parallel to the direction of forward motion.

A method for launching a ring airfoil, where the ring airfoil has an inner surface, the method comprising:

• providing a ring airfoil launcher configured to accommodate the ring airfoil;
• loading the ring airfoil onto the ring airfoil launcher so that the inner surface of the ring airfoil contacts the ring airfoil launcher;
• storing energy in the ring airfoil launcher;
• engaging a trigger to hold the ring airfoil launcher in a first configuration, in which the energy is stored;
• releasing the trigger to permit the ring airfoil launcher to relax to a second configuration, in which the energy is transferred;
• and
• transferring at least a portion of the energy stored in the ring airfoil launcher to the ring airfoil, causing the ring airfoil to be launched from the ring airfoil launcher with forward motion;
• wherein the step of transferring energy causes the ring airfoil to be launched from the ring airfoil launcher with both forward and spinning motion, the spinning motion occurring about an axis substantially parallel to the direction of forward motion.