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US 7,927,175 B2Granted
Water toy
OwnerLarry Coffeyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A water toy includes a pump and a water inlet in fluid communication with the pump, the water inlet being submerged in a water environment during use of the water toy. The water toy further includes a water gun barrel and a water gun trigger operatively coupled to the pump outlet. The pump is configured to draw water through the water inlet from the water environment, whereby activation of the trigger causes water to discharge from the water gun barrel. The water toy may also include a docking station for storage and battery recharging.
Claims21
A water toy apparatus, comprising:
- a pump having a pump inlet and a pump outlet;
- a battery electrically connected to the pump;
- a water inlet in fluid communication with the pump inlet, wherein the water inlet is submerged in a water environment during use of the water toy;
- an accumulator having a predetermined pressure level, the accumulator having an accumulator inlet operatively coupled to the pump outlet and an accumulator outlet;
- an electrically-actuated water valve having a water valve control input, a water valve inlet operatively coupled to the accumulator outlet, and a water valve outlet;
- a water gun barrel operatively coupled to the water valve outlet;
- a trigger operatively coupled to the water valve control input;
- wherein the pump is configured to pull water through the inlet from the surrounding water environment, through the pump and into the accumulator when the pressure in the accumulator falls below the predetermined pressure level, whereby activation of the trigger causes water to discharge from the water gun barrel;
- a shield mounted on the water gun barrel;
- a powered hinge coupled to the shield and having a hinge sensor input, wherein an electrical signal provided to the hinge sensor input is operative to lower the shield;
- and
- a sensor disposed on the shield, wherein the sensor is operative to provide an electrical signal to the hinge sensor input to lower the shield when a stream of water contacts the sensor for a predetermined period of time.
9 more elements
A water toy, comprising:
- a pump with a pump inlet and a pump outlet;
- a water inlet in fluid communication with the pump inlet, wherein the water inlet is submerged in a water environment during use of the water toy;
- a water gun barrel operatively coupled to the pump outlet;
- a water gun trigger operatively coupled to the pump;
- wherein the pump is configured to draw water through the water inlet from the water environment, whereby activation of the trigger causes water to discharge from the water gun barrel;
- a shield mounted on the water gun barrel;
- a powered hinge coupled to the shield and having a hinge sensor input, wherein an electrical signal provided to the hinge sensor input is operative to lower the shield;
- and
- a sensor assembly operatively coupled to the shield, wherein the sensor assembly is operative to provide an electrical signal to the hinge sensor input to lower the shield when a stream of water contacts the sensor assembly for a predetermined period of time.
6 more elements
A water toy, comprising:
- a buoyant water gun assembly having a water gun barrel, a water gun trigger, a retractable shield positionable at lowered and upright positions, and a powered hinge having a hinge sensor input, wherein an electrical signal provided to the hinge sensor input is operative to lower the shield, wherein the assembly is configured to float in a body of water, wherein the shield is connected to the assembly with the powered hinge;
- and
- a sensor disposed on the buoyant water gun assembly, wherein the sensor is operative to provide an electrical signal to the hinge sensor input to lower the shield from the upright position to the lowered position when the sensor is contacted by water for a predetermined period of time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.