Recreational foam float with squirting device
AssigneeKidpower, Inc.
InventorThomas J. O'Rourke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A water toy apparatus includes an elongated buoyant torso having first and second ends. A head is defined on the first end of the torso. First and second arms are connected to an intermediate location on the torso. The first and second arms include first and second manually squeezable pump bulbs each of which has an inlet and an outlet. A discharge conduit has a first end communicated with the outlets of the first and second pump bulbs, and has a second end terminating in the head, so that upon squeezing the pump bulbs water is squirted out of the head.
Claims16
A water toy apparatus, comprising:
- an elongated buoyant member having first and second ends and having a length defined between the first and second ends, the buoyant member having a flow path defined therethrough, the flow path including a suction inlet positioned at an intermediate location along the length of the buoyant member and an outlet positioned remote from the inlet;
- a manual pump chamber disposed in the flow path;
- a one-way valve disposed in the flow path between the suction inlet and the pump chamber, for allowing water to flow through the suction inlet into the pump chamber when the suction inlet is submerged in a body of water and for preventing flow back out of the suction inlet;
- and
- whereby upon squeezing of the pump chamber, water is forcibly expelled from the outlet, and upon releasing the pump chamber water is drawn through the suction inlet and into the pump chamber;
- wherein:
- the buoyant member includes an elongated torso, a head, and at least one arm;
- the manual pump chamber is located in the arm;
- the suction inlet is located in the arm;
- and
- the outlet is located in the head.
A water toy apparatus, comprising:
- an elongated buoyant torso having first and second ends;
- a head defined on the first end of the torso;
- first and second arms connected to an intermediate location of the torso, the first and second arms including first and second manually squeezable pump bulbs each of which has an inlet and an outlet;
- and
- a discharge conduit having a first end communicated with the outlets of the first and second pump bulbs, and having a second end terminating in the head, so that upon squeezing the pump bulbs water is squirted out of the head.
A method of operating a water toy comprising:
- (a) providing a water toy having an elongated flexible buoyant member, a head portion, first and second arms which serve as handgrips, a flow path defined through the buoyant member with an inlet at one end of the flow path and an outlet at the other end of the flow path in the head portion, and a manual pump chamber disposed in each arm of the toy and communicated with the flow path;
- (b) supporting a human upon the elongated flexible buoyant member in a body of water so that the inlet is submerged in the body of water and the outlet is located above the body of water, with the human astride the elongated flexible buoyant member with the human gripping the handgrips and with the head portion of the water toy extending above the body of water;
- (c) squeezing the manual pump chamber to squirt water out of the outlet in the head portion;
- (d) during step (c), preventing backflow of water out of the inlet;
- (e) releasing the manual pump chamber;
- and
- (f) drawing water through the inlet to refill the manual pump chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.