US3518788A - Flashing light in a flying toy - Google Patents

Description

July 7, 1970 J. E. sum-:5 3,518,788

FLASHING LIGHT IN A FLYING TOY Filed July 24, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet l 44 ,7 afc'xweu [ca a J/c/eJ INVENTOR.

July 7, 1970 J. E. SIDES FLASHING LIGHT IN A FLYING TOY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 24, 1967 (ii me; [0 0/07 J INVEN United States Patent 3,518,788 FLASHING LIGHT IN A FLYING TOY James E. Sides, Dallas, Tex., assignor to UFO Corporation, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed July 24, 1967, Ser. No. 655,560

Int. Cl. A63h 27/12 US. C]. 46-75 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A reflective substance aflixed to portions of a rotating flying toy to reflect the light waves of the sun or other light sources. The reflective substance may be disposed so as to reflect through translucent materials of which other portions of the toy may be made. These translucent materials may be of various colors so as to give the appearance of flashing lights of various colors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention pertains to improvements in a flying toy or amusement device. More specifically it relates to construction of such a toy so as to create the appearance of flashing lights on the toy.

Background of the invention Recently there have been an increasing number of unidentified flying objects sighted by people all over the United States. These sightings have caused much speculation as to their origin and cause. The popular name for such objects is flying saucers.

The increasing frequency in the number of sightings has led to development of childrens toys made to resemble reported descriptions of these flying saucers. One such toy with which the applicant is familiar, actually flies and has a realistic appearance. This toy has an annular shaped body with a duct therethrough in which is mounted a model airplane engine and propeller. The body rotates at a relatively slow speed counter to the propeller rotation.

From those who have seen unidentified flying objects, it has been reported that they appear to have various colored lights thereon. However, as far as the applicant knows no one has attempted to create this lighting effect on a toy flying saucer.

SUMMARY The present invention discloses a construction for a flying toy which will give the effect of flashing lights. These lights may be of one color or a number of colors. The lighting effect is created by aflixing a reflective material to the inner and outer surface of the toys cylindrical duct. The body is covered with a material such as plastic which may be translucent, so that reflected light waves of the sun appear to be flashing lights attached to the toy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view looking toward the top of a flying toy with which the invention may be used;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view looking toward the top of framework for a flying toy such as shown in FIG. 1, exploded to show the upper half and lower half separated; and

FIG. 3 is an elevational view partially in section of a flying toy embodying the invention representatively show ing the reflection of light waves therefrom.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIG. 1, one embodiment of a toy flying saucer is depicted. It consists primarily of an annular body 1 With sloping upper surface 2 and under surface 3, a substantially cylindrical duct 4 through body I, and propulsion means comprising a propeller 5 and power source 6 mounted in duct 4 on an engine mounting 7. A grilled dome 8 is sometimes provided for safety and flight stabilization. While in flight, body 1 rotates counter to propeller 5 due to the resultant torque of engine 6. Various means such as fins, not shown, may be used to slow the rotation of body 1 so that it rotates at relatively low speeds, i.e. rpm. Due to air flow effects, the body may also wobble slightly as it rotates.

A framework construction for such a flying toy is shown in FIG. 2. An upper half 10 and a lower half 20 are separately formed of plastic or other material in a pressure molding process or by other means well known in the art. Upper half 10 has an outer ring 11 and a smaller inner ring 12 connected by downwardly and outwardly sloping radial strips 13, leaving windows 14 therebetween. Dome 15 may be integrally formed with upper half 10. The form and construction of the dome form no part of this invention, and therefore a detailed description thereof is not necessary. Lower half 20 has an outer ring 21 and a smaller inner ring 22 connected by upwardly and outwardly sloping radial strips 23 leaving windows 24 therebetween. Duct framework comprising lower ring 25 and upper ring 26, connected by vertical strips 27, leaving windows 28 therebetween, may be integrally formed with lower half 20.

The framework of upper and lower halves It] and 20 may be covered with suitable materials such as clear, colored or opaque plastic to provide smooth sloping surfaces such as 2 and 3 in FIG. 1. The duct framework of lower half 20 may also be covered, as for example with a reflective material, to provide a smooth wall wind tunnel of duct such as 4 in FIG. 1. Upper and lower half It] and 20 may then be attached to each other by adhesive or other means, lip 19 and lip 29 cooperating to from an interconnecting joint. Thus, the basic body and duct may be assembled.

In one embodiment of the invention it is desirable that the material covering upper and lower frameworks I0 and 20 be translucent. If colored lights are desired the material should also be colored. A number of different colors may be used. A reflective material may then be installed over windows 28. Preferably the reflective material should form a smooth surface so that light waves will be reflected efiiciently. Any suitable material may be used. A tensilized film of Mylar, a polyester material made by Du Pont has been found ideally suited for this application, although other reflective materials, ssuch as metal foils, may be used. The reflective surface may face outwardly or inwardly of the duct, or in both directions, depending on what effects are desired. This will be more fully described subsequently. For an inwardly facing reflective surface to be effective the reflective material must be used to form the surface of the duct, or a translucent material can form the surface with reflective material behind it. It is better for the reflective material to be on the exterior of the duct since it will not be as easily damaged.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the principles involved will be explained. Annular body 1 with translucent upper and lower surfaces 2 and 3 are shown. Engine 6 and propeller 5 are mounted in duct 4 on engine mount 7. Grill dome 8 covers the upper end of duct 4. The material covering the walls of duct 4 is also translucent. The cylindrical wall 9 forming the exterior of duct 4 and the interior of body 1 is covered with a material which is reflective on both sides. While the toy is in flight a light source 40, such as the sun, emits light waves 41 and 42 which are reflected by the reflective material on wall 9, emanating as shown at 43 and 44 to be seen by ground observers below. Since body 1 is rotating at a low speed, framework strips 23 and 27 (see FIG. 2) regularly interrupt light reflection so that a flashing effect is created. Wobbling of the flying object also creates a flashing effect when viewed from a fixed point on the ground. If windows 24 and 28 (see FIG. 2) are covered with different colored materials, flashing colored lights are seen on the ground.

It will be appreciated that flashing may be created in the duct only, by making the surface 4 inwardly reflective, and using no other reflective surfaces. In such an embodiment of the invention, the surfaces 2 and 3 may be opaque.

Conversely, an outwardly facing reflective surface 9, with translucent surfaces 2 and 3, will provide outwardly directed flashes without any flashes in the duct.

The term translucent as used herein means light transmitting to an extent suflicient for the light used to shine through one translucent covering to the reflector, and for its reflection to be seen through another translucent covering.

It is highly desirable that the reflective surfaces be vertical, or nearly so, when the toy is flying, so that the sun shining downwardly on the surfaces will be reflected downwardly to viewers on the ground. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the reflective surface is therefore most advantageously placed on the duct.

However, under favorable conditions a flashing light effect can be obtained if alternate panels of the upper surface 2 or the lower surface 3 are made of highly reflective material. When the sun is at a relatively low level, or if extremely wobbly flight is obtained, reflections from these surfaces may be seen from the ground.

From the foregoing description, one can understand the realism created by the invention. A person observing an actual flying toy with the flashing colored lights of the invention would almost assuredly be caught up in the excitement of such an occasion.

I claim:

1. A flying toy having an annularly shaped body with a cylindrical duct therethrough, propeller and means for driving said propeller mounted in said duct wherein the improvement comprises translucent material covering a portion of said body outwardly of the duct and a highly reflective material overlying the exterior of the walls of said duct so as to cause light entering said body through a portion of said translucent material to strike said reflecting material and be reflected through another portion of said translucent material.

2. A flying toy as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that said duct walls are composed of a translucent material, said reflective material being reflective on both sides so that light entering one end of said duct passes through its translucent walls and is reflected back through said translucent walls and the other end of said duct.

3. A flying toy as set forth in claim 2 characterized in that said translucent material through which said light is reflected is comprised of different colored sections, said translucent material and said reflective material both rotating about the axis of said duct but being stationary relative to each other.

4. A flying toy having an annular shaped body with a cylindrical duct therethrough, propeller and means for driving said propeller mounted in said duct wherein the walls of said duct are of a translucent material and a highly reflective material is aflixed to the exterior of said duct walls with a reflective surface facing inwardly of said duct to cause light entering one end of said duct to pass through said translucent walls and be reflected back through said translucent walls and out the other end of said duct.

5. A flying toy as set forth in claim 4 characterized in that said reflective material also has a second reflective surface facing outwardly from said duct, said body having a translucent upper surface and a translucent lower surface so that light entering through said upper body surface is reflected by said second reflective surface through said lower body surface.

6. A flying toy as set forth in claim 4 characterized in that said walls are divided into different colored areas which are stationary relative to said reflective surface but rotatable with the body of said flying toy.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 16,091 6/1925 Marten 353-82 2,659,178 11/ 1953 Van Hartesveldt. 2,938,298 5/ 1960 Apostolescu. 3,073,950 1/1963 Sliwa et al. 240-10.1 3,113,396 12/1963 Collins. 3,204,891 9/1965 Cline 46-74 XR D. 209,763 1/1968 Mueller 4675 XR 3,394,906 7/1968 Rogers 46-75 XR OTHER REFERENCES Cable Electric June 1962.

ROBERT PESHOCK, Primary Examiner J. A. OLIFF, Assistant Examiner

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