GB2199256A

GB2199256A - A Toy sword

Info

Publication number: GB2199256A
Application number: GB08630005A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tau-Yiah Lou
Original assignee: WONG SHUN FAN
Current assignee: WONG SHUN FAN
Priority date: 1986-12-16
Filing date: 1986-12-16
Publication date: 1988-07-06
Anticipated expiration: 2006-12-16
Also published as: GB2199256B; GB8630005D0

Abstract

The sword handle (10) contains a lamp bulb (20) selectively energised by batteries (17) and a switch to direct light along the longitudinal extent of the transparent or translucent blade (11). A manually settable rotatable carrier (26) supporting a plurality of filters of different oolour is disposed in front of the bulb (20) to change the colour of the light directed along the blade. The switch is operated by a slider (25) which urges spring leaf 24 from the position shown to a position in which the upper end of the leaf contacts the body of bulb (20). <IMAGE>

Description

A toy sword This invention relates to a toy sword and has as its object the provision of such a sword in a convenient form.

According to the invention there is provided a toy sword comprising a handle, a blade connected at one end to the handle and formed of transparent or translucent material, a battery compartment defined within the handle and a lamp mounted within the handle to direct light along the longitudinal extent of the blade.

Preferably, switch means are mounted on the handle for selectively completing and interrupting on electrical circuit between the lamp and a battery or batteries contained in the battery compartment.

Advantageously, a filter carrier is provided between the lamp and the one end of the blade, the carrier being movable to change the colour of light in use directed along the blade. In this case the carrier preferably supports two or more light filters of different colours and is rotatably mounted to move a selected filter in front of the lamp.

Detent means may be provided to releasably retain the carrier in a selected angular position relative to the lamp. In this case the detent means may comprise a pawl resiliently urged into engagement with a ratchet wheel on the carrier.

Conveniently, the blade is of undulated shape when viewed in transverse cross-section.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a toy sword according to the invention, with a cover part of the handle removed, Figure 2 is a section taken along line II-II of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a section taken along line III-III of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the toy sword shown therein comprises a handle 10 and a solid blade 11 of transparent, preferably colourless, plastics material, such as K resin polymer. The blade 11 is of undulated shape in transverse cross-section defining three generally parallel flutes 12a, 12b and 12c, the flutes 12a and 12c extending along opposite edges of the blade and the flute 12b extending along a central longitudinal axis of the blade. The blade 11 tapers slightly at one end towards a rounded tip 13 and at the other end has an integral portion 14 of uniform cross-section for attachment to the handle 10.

The handle 10 is hollow and consists of a base part 15 and a cover part (not shown) both moulded in opaque plastics material. A compartment 16 for two batteries 17 arranged end on is defined in the base part 15 and a mounting 18, together with a similar mounting in the cover part, supports a bulb holder 19. A lamp bulb 20 is mounted in the bulb holder 19 and is aligned with the central longitudinal axis of blade 11. One end of the batteries is connected to the end contact of the bulb 20 via a compression spring 21 and a resilient U-shaped contact 22. The other end of the batteries is connected to the outer metal casing of the bulb 20 via an L-shaped contact 23 and a spring contact leaf 24.A switch operating member 25 is slidably mounted in the base and cover parts of the handle 10 for movement between a first position (shown in Figure 1) in which th-e contact leaf 24 is out of contact with the bulb casing and a second position (not shown) in which the spring leaf 24 is urged into contact with the bulb casing to complete the electrical circuit between the bulb 20 and the batteries 17.

A filter carrier 26 is mounted for rotation in the handle 10 immediately in front of the bulb 20. The filter carrier 26 has four angularly spaced eircular windows 27. Coloured filters 28, e.g. red, yellow and blue filters, are mounted in three of the windows 27 whilst the other window is left open.

Detent means are provided in the form of a spring leaf pawl 29 fixed at one end to the base part 15 and a ratchet wheel 30 formed as an integral part of the carrier 26 to releasably retain the carrier in any one of four angular positions in which a selected filter 28 or open window 27 is aligned with the bulb 20.

The blade 11 and handle parts are fastened together by screw-threaded fasteners (not shown) which extend through apertures in the cover part of the handle and threadably engage in blind holes provided in posts 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d and 30e upstanding from the base part 15 of the handle 10, the portion 14 of the blade 11 having two apertures which receive the posts 30b and 30c as an interference fit.

Light from the bulb 20 is directed along the longitudinal extent of the blade 11. Internal reflection of light within the blade results in light being transmitted along the entire length of the blade 11 and some of the light emerges from the tip 13.

A segment of the filter carrier 26 projects through an opening 31 in the base part 15 of the handle and is rotatable by the action of a users thumb to change the colour of the light directed along the blade.

A removable cover (not shown) for the battery compartment 16 facilitates battery replacement.

Such a toy sword is of considerable entertainment value to children particularly when used in the dark or in dimly lit conditions.

The above embodiment is given by way of of example only and various modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims. For example, the blade could be of translucent rather than transparent material.

Claims

1. A toy sword comprising a handle, a blade connected- at one end to the handle and formed of transparent or translucent material, a battery compartment defined within the handle and a lamp mounted within the handle to direct light along the longitudinal extent of the blade.

2. A toy sword according to claim 1, wherein switch means are mounted on the handle for selectively completing and interrupting an electrical circuit between the lamp and a battery or batteries contained in the battery compartment.

3. A toy sword according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a filter carrier is provided between the lamp and the one end of the blade, the carrier being movable to change the colour of light in use directed along the blade.

4. A toy sword as claimed in claim 3, wherein the carrier supports two or more light filters of different colours and is rotatably mounted to move a selected filter in front of the lamp.

5. A toy sword as claimed in claim 4, wherein detent means are provided to releasably retain the carrier in a selected angular position relative to the lamp.

6. A toy sword as claimed in claim 5, wherein said detent means comprises a pawl resiliently urged into engagement with a ratchet wheel on the carrier.

7. A toy sword as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the blade is of undulated shape when viewed in transverse cross-section.

8. A toy sword as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the blade is solid and is of transparent plastics material.

9. A toy sword substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.