GB2226960A - Air propelled toy with balloon-inflating mouthpiece - Google Patents

Abstract

An air propelled toy comprises an inflatable balloon (1) the opening (2) of which is secured over a flanged end (4) of a tubular mouthpiece (3), the mouthpiece having a radial circular flange (5) spaced equally from the ends of the mouthpiece and of outside diameter of not less than 32 mm. This dimension is chosen so that the mouthpiece cannot be sucked into a child's mouth and become lodged in its throat blocking the windpipe. A helicopter type projectile (Figure 3) having a central hub (6) from which radially project helicopter blades (8) can be located on the non-balloon end of the mouthpiece for launching by air escaping from the balloon. The centre of the hub (6) may be provided with a whistle. <IMAGE>

Description

AN AIR PROPELLED TOY This invention relates to air propelled toys and more particularly to toys of the helicopter type comprising a rotatable bladed projectile launched from a hand held inflatable balloon.

Children's helicopter toys of this type are known which have a mouthpiece attached to the balloon on which a hub of the bladed projectile is seated and by means of which the balloon is placed between the child's lips and inflated.

These known mouthpieces have the disadvantage that they are unsafe in that the child, particularly an infant child, may suck on the mouthpiece instead of blowing causing the mouthpiece and balloon to be sucked into the mouth causing it to become lodged in their throat blocking the windpipe.

An aim of the present invention is to overcome this disadvantage and to provide a safety guard on the mouthpiece to prevent it being inadvertently sucked into the mouth and lodging in the child's throat.

According to the invention there is provided an air propelled toy comprising an inflatable balloon secured to one end of a mouthpeice on the other end of which is mounted a projectile, wherein the mouthpiece has a radial guard intermediate its ends, the outside dimension of which is not less than 32mm.

Preferably the guard is circular and is spaced equally between the ends of the mouthpiece.

Conveniently, the mouthpiece is tubular and has a flange at one end on which the opening of the balloon is secured.

The mouthpiece is conveniently moulded from a plastics material such as a rigid pvc.

An embodiment of the air propelled toy and improved mouthpiece according to the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a balloon and improved mouthpiece; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the mouthpiece shown in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a bladed projectile.

The air propelled toy comprises an inflatable balloon 1 the opening 2 of which is secured over one end of a tubular mouthpiece 3 moulded from a rigid pvc. The balloon is held on the mouthpiece by gripping a flange 4 formed at one end integrally with the mouthpiece. As shown in Figure 2 the mouthpiece has a radial flange 5 spaced an equal distance intermediate its ends and having an outside diameter of not less than 32 mm. This dimension is chosen so that the mouthpiece cannot be sucked into a child's mouth and become lodged in its throat blocking the windpipe.

Seated on the other end of the mouthpiece is a helicopter type projectile comprising a central hub 6 with three radially projecting spigots 7 spaced at 1200 from one another on which are mounted helicopter blades 8 moulded from a plastics material. The centre of the hub 6 may be provided with a whistle which sounds when the bladed projectile rotates through the air.

In operation the child places the free end of the mouthpiece 3 between its lips and blows air into the mouthpiece inflating the balloon. The air is held trapped in the balloon by pinching the neck of the balloon and the bladed projectile is seated on the free end of the mouthpiece. Air is allowed to escape from the balloon launching the projectile into the air under the power of the escaping air.

It will be understood that although the mouthpiece 3 and flange 5 are shown as an integral moulding the flange could equally be moulded separately and adapted to engage the mouthpiece in snap-fit relationship.

Claims (8)

CLAIMS:

1. An air propelled toy comprising an inflatable balloon, a mouthpiece one end of which is secured to the balloon opening, a projectile mounted on the other end of the mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece has a radial guard intermediate its ends the outside dimenison of the said guard being not less than 32 mm.

2. An air propelled toy as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the guard is circular and is spaced equally between the ends of the mouthpiece.

3. An air propelled toy as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the mouthpiece is tubular and has a flange at one end on which the opening of the balloon is secured.

4. An air propelled toy as claimed in 3, wherein the mouthpiece is conveniently moulded from a plastics material.

5. An air propelled toy as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the plastics material is a rigid pvc.

6. An air propelled toy as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the projectile is a bladed propeller.

7. An air propelled toy as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the bladed propeller has a central hub provided with a whistle which sounds when the bladed propeller rotates through the air.

8. An air propelled toy as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the central hub has radial projecting spigots on which the propeller blades are mounted.