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US 6,079,398 AGranted
Ring airfoil and launcher
AssigneeOddzon, Inc.
InventorThomas H. Grimm
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A toy includes a ring airfoil and a launcher to launch the ring airfoil. The ring air foil is formed with a rigid body portion and an energy absorbing material disposed on a leading edge. The launcher is adapted to substantially simultaneously impart rotational launching energy and translational launching energy to the ring airfoil.
Claims20
A ring airfoil for launching from a launcher, the ring airfoil comprising:
- an annular body comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first portion comprising a thermoplastic elastomer having a first hardness, and the second portion comprising a thermoplastic elastomer have a second hardness greater than the first hardness;
- the first portion forming a leading edge of the ring airfoil and the second portion forming a trailing edge of the ring airfoil;
- and
- the annular body having a thickness tapering from a maximum thickness adjacent the leading edge to a minimum thickness adjacent the trailing edge.
1 more element
A toy comprising:
- a ring airfoil, the ring airfoil having an annular body comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first portion comprising a thermoplastic elastomer having a first hardness, the second portion comprising a thermoplastic elastomer have a second hardness greater than the first hardness, the first portion forming a leading edge of the ring airfoil, the second portion forming a trailing edge of the ring airfoil and the annular body having an inner diameter;
- and
- a launcher having an launching collar sized to engage the inner diameter, the launching collar coupled to a launching mechanism, the launching mechanism arranged to substantially simultaneously impart translational energy and rotational energy on the ring airfoil.
A toy comprising:
- a ring airfoil, the ring airfoil having an annular body comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first portion comprising a thermoplastic elastomer having a first hardness molded adjacent to and engaging the second portion, the second portion comprising a thermoplastic elastomer have a second hardness greater than the first hardness, the first portion forming a leading edge of the ring airfoil, the second portion forming a trailing edge of the ring airfoil and the annular body having an inner diameter and further having a thickness tapering from a maximum thickness adjacent the leading edge to a minimum thickness adjacent the trailing edge;
- and
- a launcher having an launching collar sized to engage the inner diameter, the launching collar coupled to a launching mechanism, the launching mechanism comprising a cocking mechanism and a trigger mechanism for setting and actuating the launching mechanism, respectively, the launching mechanism arranged to substantially simultaneously impart translation energy and rotational energy to the ring airfoil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.