WO2008124887A1

WO2008124887A1 - A submersible bouncing toy

Info

Publication number: WO2008124887A1
Application number: PCT/AU2008/000532
Authority: WO
Inventors: Craig Allan Nimmo; Keith Hall; Jeremy Smith; Anthony Ramsay
Original assignee: Pool Systems Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2007-04-16
Filing date: 2008-04-16
Publication date: 2008-10-23

Abstract

A submersible bouncing toy (10) having a substantially rigid elongate body (11) with a handle portion (12) at one end and a base at the other, the base having a foot support (13) and a rebound device (14) for allowing a user to rebound off a submerged surface, wherein the body and rebound device together have substantially neutral buoyancy.

Description

A SUBMERSIBLE BOUNCING TOY

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a submersible bouncing toy which enables a user riding the toy to bounce off a submerged surface.

Background of the Invention

There are a large number of aquatic toys available for use in a swimming pool.

Such things include inflatable floating toys which are typically available in a fun or novelty shape. Inflatable toys are generally of two types. The first type of toy supports a user above the water line. Such toys may be in the form of a float or chair for adult users or, in the case of children, have a novelty shape, a seat and a handle. Other types of toys enable a user to be at least partially submerged. These types of toys typically have a ring or similar shape.

Other types of toys are for use in the playing of games either above or below the water. These include water squirting toys, balls or other types of projectiles and the like.

The water toy market is one with a constant demand for new types of toys. The present invention is therefore directed toward a new type of aquatic toy.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention relates to a submersible bouncing toy having a substantially rigid elongate body with a handle portion at one end and a base at the other, the base having a foot support and a rebound device for allowing a user riding the toy to rebound off a submerged surface, wherein the body and rebound device together have substantially neutral buoyancy. The term "substantially rigid" means that the body is sufficiently rigid so as to maintain its elongate shape during use. Preferably, the body has a degree of torsional flexibility which enables it to absorb and/or resist forces that may be subjected to the body during use.

The body has a handle portion at one end. The handle portion may be in any suitable configuration. The handle portion may be of the handle bar type or may include a single central hand grip. Preferably, the handle portion is configured to provide the user with the option of using opposing handles for a two handed grip or a central single handed grip.

The toy has a base which includes a foot support. The foot support may also be in any suitable configuration such as a foot peg, foot plate or the like. A preferred foot support has an opposed pair of foot plate portions. Preferably, the foot plates allow for the passage of water therethrough so as to reduce drag.

The toy has a rebound device associated with the base for allowing a user to bounce or rebound against a submerged surface. The submerged surface will generally be either the floor or sidewalls of a swimming pool. However, it will be appreciated that the toy may be used in any suitable body of water and is not limited to artificially created water bodies sch as swimming pools.

The body and rebound device together have substantially neutral buoyancy which means that the toy will neither sink to the bottom of the body of water nor rise to the surface in the absence of a rider.

Typically both the body and rebound device each have neutral or close to neutral buoyancy. The body may be constructed of a material having neutral buoyancy such as a polymeric material having a specific gravity close to that of water. Especially preferred are plastic materials which may be injection moulded. Typical plastic materials have a specific gravity of between about 0.95 to about 1.05. The specific gravity of the plastics may be modified, if necessary, by the addition of fillers as appropriate. Alternatively and/or in addition to the body may have hollow or air filled pockets to compensate for a material having a specific gravity higher than that of water. Suitable plastics materials include but are not limited to Polyethylene (High Density), Polyethylene Cross Linkable, Polypropylene, Nylon 12 (Unfilled), ABS (High Impact), Nylon 11 (Unfilled), ABS (Medium Impact) and PVC .

Alternatively, one or the other of the body and the rebound device may each have positive and negative buoyancy which together provides substantially neutral buoyancy. In this case, the body may be formed of a plastics material having a specific gravity either lower or higher than that of water.

Preferably, the handle portion has positive buoyancy. This enables the toy to maintain an upright position in the water.

The rebound device may be of any suitable arrangement which enables a used to rebound from a surface. The rebound device may be in the form of a spring, pneumatic or similar mechanism. Such types of mechanisms would have a negative buoyancy, which may be offset by providing a body having a positive buoyancy.

An especially preferred rebound device is in the form of a resiliently deformable member. The member may be formed or filled with a resilient material such as an elastomeric foam. Alternatively, the member may be filled with a fluid. A preferred fluid is water which provides the member with desirable buoyancy. Alternatively, if the member is air filled, the member may be associated with a suitable counter weight to provide the desired buoyancy.

Brief description of the Figures

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred toy of the present invention, Figure 2 is n exploded view of Figure 1 and Figure 3 is a side view of the toy shown in Figure 1. Detailed description of the Figures

Figure 1 shows a preferred submersible bouncing toy 10 of the present invention. The toy 10 has an elongate body 11 with handle bars 12 at the upper end. The base of the toy has a foot plate 13 and a water filled bladder 14.

The body is made from a polypropylene that has a specific gravity close to one, thereby providing the body with substantially neutral buoyancy. The water filled bladder 14 is made from PVC and also has substantially neutral buoyancy.

The handle bars 12 are covered with a foam material 12a (shown in Figure 2) which provides a degree of comfort for a user together with providing a small positive buoyancy. The toy 10 also has a central foam covered handle 15 which enables a user to hold the toy with a single hand for use in a "bucking bronco" style of activity. The positive buoyancy of the handle enables the toy to float in an upright position. It will be appreciated that this may enable a person on the pool side to grasp the handle without having to enter the pool to pick up the toy.

The body 11 has a series of apertures 16 which reduce drag through the water when in use.

The foot plate 13 has a series of apertures 17 through which water passes. This reduces drag when in use. The foot plates also have a textured grip portion 18 which prevents a rider's feet from slipping.

The bladder 14 is shown more clearly in figure 2. The bladder 14 is formed from an elastomeric rubber material and is filled with water. The bladder 14 has an upper 19 and lower 20 sphere separated by a collar 21. The collar 21 is located within a complimentary aperture 22 on foot plate 13. It may be appreciated that this arrangement securely locks the bladder 14 in place within the foot plate 13. In use, the unfilled bladder 14 is inserted through aperture 22. The bladder 14 is then filled with water to an appropriate water pressure. It will be appreciated that the water pressure may be varied depending on the weight of the potential rider (for example a small child compared with an adult) or the degree of competency of the rider (for example a lesser pressure may be more suitable for beginners as the degree of bounce may be less than when the bladder is filled at a higher pressure).

In use, a rider places their feet on foot plate 13 and holds handlebars 12.

The rider can impart a jumping motion to the toy in any desirable direction. In this way, the rider may rebound from the sides or floor of a pool and may change direction by leaning backwards, forward or sideways.

Figure 3 is a side view of the toy 10. It may be seen that the body 11 present a convex face in the forward direction. This shape reduces drag when the toy is rebounding from a surface.

It may be appreciated that the toy of the present invention provides users with a submersible water toy which allows the user to perform a wide variety of stunt type activity below the water. This may be compared to floating toys which limits a user to above water play activities.

It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications maybe made to the invention as described and claimed herein, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A submersible bouncing toy having a substantially rigid elongate body with a handle portion at one end and a base at the other, the base having a foot support and a rebound device for allowing a user to rebound off a submerged surface, wherein the body and rebound device together have substantially neutral buoyancy.

2. The toy of claim 1 , wherein each of the body and the rebound device have substantially neutral buoyancy.

1. The toy of claim 2, wherein the body is formed from a plastics material having a specific gravity of between about 0.95 to about 1.05.

4. The toy of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the handle portion has a positive buoyancy such that when in the water, the toy floats in an upright manner.

5. The toy of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the foot support is a foot support plate for supporting two feet.

6. The toy of claim 5, wherein the foot support plate has a series of apertures through which water may pass.

7. The toy of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the rebound portion includes a resiliently deformable member.

8. The toy of claim 7, wherein the resiliently deformable member is a fluid filled bladder.

9. The toy of claim 8, wherein the fluid is water.

10. The toy of claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the bladder has an upper sphere and a lower sphere separated by a collar and in use the collar is received and held by an aperture located in the foot support.