# US 7,611,398 B2 · Toy sword > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,611,398 B2 - Document ID: US7611398B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/383,531 - Filed: 2006-05-16 - Published: 2007-11-22 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2006-05-16 - Assignees: Hasbro, Inc. - Inventors: Hampton Woodhouse - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7611398B2 ## CPC - A63H 33/009: {Toy swords or similar toy weapons; Toy shields} - A63H 5/00: Musical or noise- producing devices for additional toy effects other than acoustical (musical tops A63H1/28; {sound-producing dolls A63H3/28; musical toy vehicles A63H17/268; acoustical vehicle-signalling devices A63H17/32; whistling toy locomotive arrangements A63H19/14}; music, sound or noise production in general G10) - A63H 33/22: Optical, colour, or shadow toys ({puzzles with optical elements A63F9/0613}; kaleidoscopes G02B27/08) - A63H: TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS ## Abstract A toy sword is disclosed which more accurately replicates the functionality and appearance of fictional light sabers. The sword uses a plurality of telescoping tubes which are fully retractable into the hilt of the sword, and a spring movable between extended and active positions. The spring works in conjunction with a projectile which upon release launches with a smallest diameter tube of the plurality of telescoping tubes and advances same distally away from the hilt. The tubes are telescopingly manufactured so that as the smallest diameter tube reaches the end of its travel, it frictionally engages a distal end of the next smallest diameter tube and in so doing carries that tube distally. In so doing, the entire plurality of tubes is outwardly launched in a cascading fashion. When manually depressed back into the hilt, each of the telescoping tubes is entirely retracted into the hilt, thus not being visible to the user in the retracted position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A toy sword comprising: a hilt; a plurality of telescoping tubes mounted to the hilt, the plurality of telescoping tubes being movable between active and stowed positions, each of the plurality of telescoping tubes being substantially retracted into the hilt when in the retracted position, each of the plurality of telescoping tubes being extended from the hilt when in the active position; a spring mounted only in the hilt and adapted to move the plurality of telescoping tubes from the stowed position to the active position when released from a compressed state; and a projectile, the plurality of telescoping tubes having a smallest diameter tube, the projectile being launched with the smallest diameter tube when the spring is released, the projectile and smallest diameter tube carrying the plurality of tubes to the active position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The toy sword of claim 1, wherein the smallest diameter tube includes a closed end, the closed end holding the projectile when the plurality of tubes are in both the active and stowed positions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The toy sword of claim 1, further including a latch holding the projectile, spring, a telescoping tubes in the stowed position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The toy sword of claim 3, wherein the projectile includes a head and depending shaft, the depending shaft terminating in a shoulder, the latch having a hook adapted to engage the shoulder when the plurality of tubes are in the stowed position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The toy sword of claim 4, wherein the latch further includes a flange at an end opposite to the hook, the latch being pivotably mounted in the hilt between the flange and the hook. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The toy sword of claim 5, further including a release bar, the release bar being slidably mounted in the hilt and engageable with the latch flange to pivot the latch. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The toy sword of claim 1, wherein the plurality of telescoping tubes are each translucent and a light is mounted in the hilt. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The toy sword of claim 1, further including audio and visual electronics. ### Claim 9 A toy sword, comprising: a hilt; a plurality of telescoping tubes mounted to the hilt, the plurality of telescoping tubes movable between stowed and active positions; and a spring provided entirely within the hilt with no springs being provided within the plurality of telescoping tubes, the spring being movable between a compressed state wherein the plurality of telescoping tubes are in the stowed position, and a released state wherein the plurality of tubes are in the active position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The toy sword of claim 9, further including a projectile, the plurality of telescoping tubes having a smallest diameter tube, the projectile being launched with the smallest diameter tube when the spring moves from the compressed state to the released state. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The toy sword of claim 10, wherein the smallest diameter tube includes a closed end, the closed end receiving the projectile when the plurality of tubes are in both the active and stowed positions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The toy sword of claim 11, wherein the projectile includes a head and a depending shaft, and the plurality of telescoping tubes includes a largest diameter tube, a proximal end of the largest diameter tube being closed by a plate having an aperture, the depending shaft extending through the aperture, and the head engaging the plate when the plurality of telescoping tubes are in the stowed position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The toy sword of claim 12, further including a releasable latch holding the plurality of telescoping tubes in the stowed position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The toy sword of claim 13, wherein the depending shaft terminates in a bulb forming a shoulder, the latch including a hook engaging the shoulder. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The toy sword of claim 14, wherein the latch further includes a flange at an end opposite to the hook, the latch being pivotally mounted to the hilt between the flange and the hook. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The toy sword of claim 15, further including a release bar slidably mounted in the hilt and engaging with the latch flange. ### Claim 17 A toy sword, comprising: a hilt; a plurality of telescoping tubes mounted to the hilt, the plurality of telescoping tubes being movable between stowed and active positions; a spring movable between compressed and released positions, the spring launching the plurality of telescoping tubes from the stowed to the active position when released from the compressed state to the released state; a latch releasably holding the spring in the compressed state, the latch including a hook end and a latch end and being pivotally mounted to the hilt between the hook end and the latch end; and a projectile including a head and a shoulder, the head engaging the plurality of telescoping tubes against the spring in the compressed state, the hook end of the latch engaging the projectile shoulder when the spring is in the compressed state. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The toy sword of claim 17, further including a release bar slidably mounted to the hilt, the release bar engaging the latch flange and pivoting the latch when a release button attached to the released bar is moved. ### Claim 19 A toy sword, comprising: a hilt; a plurality of telescoping tubes mounted to the hilt, the plurality of telescoping tubes being movable between stowed and active positions; a spring provided entirely within the hilt and remaining in the hilt regardless of the position of the tubes, the spring being adapted to move the telescoping tubes from the stowed position to the active position; and a projectile, the plurality of telescoping tubes having a smallest diameter tube, the projectile being launched with the smallest diameter tube when the spring is released, the projectile and smallest diameter tube carrying the plurality of tubes to the active position. ### Claim 20 A toy sword, comprising: a hilt; a plurality of telescoping tubes mounted to the hilt, the plurality of telescoping tubes being movable between stowed and active positions; a spring provided entirely within the hilt and remaining in the hilt when the plurality of telescoping tubes are in the stowed position as well as when the plurality of telescoping tubes are in the active position; and a projectile, the plurality of telescoping tubes having a smallest diameter tube, the projectile being launched with the smallest diameter tube when the spring is released, the projectile and smallest diameter tube carrying the plurality of tubes to the active position.