Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE OF THE INVENTION
Bladder Water Gun, Improved Bladder and Nozzle
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
S The present invention is directed to expandable bladder toy water guns. More
specifically, the toy water gun of the present invention relies upon a
"pressurizable" bladder for
release of water wherein the water is first stored in a fill tank and is then
pumped into the bladder
and expands the bladder for pressurized bladder containment of the water until
subsequent trigger
release. The present invention also provides bladders having specific features
which permit
controlled expansion and subsequent, predictable contraction and water
ejection upon release.
Additionally, an ejection nozzle is provided for achieving more even,
consistent flow of ejected
water by reduction of turbulence in the barrel of the water gun within
proximity of the ejection
nozzle.
The following patents represent development in bladder-containing toy guns
(air
1 S and water) as well as other water guns:
United States Patent No. 5,529,525 to Deal describes a toy water bomb-mounted
water gun. By the attachment of the water bomb device to a toy gun the present
invention
provides new functionality of the toy gun by being able to simulate a water
"explosion". The
water bomb device has a main housing which includes a frontward and rearward
portion
rotatably connected to one another and a passageway through both the frontward
and rearward
portions for receiving a shut off_valve. The shut off valve is located within
the housing and
connected to both the frontward and rearward portions and adapted so that when
the frontward
and rearward portions are rotated relative to 'one another, the shut off valve
is moved from an
open position to a closed position. A locking mechanism releasably connects
the frontward and
rearward portions, such that rotation of the frontward portion relative to the
rearward portion will
close the shut off valve and the locking mechanism may then hold the shut off
valve in its closed
position until subsequently release by a trigger. An expandable bladder is
filled with liquid and
expends liquid when the device is activated and the shut off valve is opened.
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United States Patent No. 5,373,833 to D'Andrade describes a projectile-
shooting
air gun. It includes a main housing which has a barrel adapted for receiving a
projectile, a handle
and a trigger, as well as a high pressure, inflatable bladder connected to the
main housing, the
bladder has an inlet and an outlet. There is also a pressurizing mechanism for
providing air
pressure to the bladder to inflate it. The pressurizing mechanism is
physically connected to the
housing and functionally connected to the bladder inlet. There is a bladder
deflation valve
having an upstream side and a downstream side, and it is connected to the
bladder outlet at the
valve's upstream side, and is connected to the trigger for opening and closing
thereof, and is
connected to a projectile launch tube at the valve's downstream side for
launching a projectile
I 0 upon deflation of at least a portion of the bladder when it has been
inflated. The launch tube is
located in the barrel of the main housing and connected to the downstream side
of the bladder
deflation valve, and adapted for receiving and shooting a projectile. In
preferred embodiments,
the bladder has a predetermined expansion size to which it is capable of being
inflated, and an
enclosure is provided around the bladder, which is a size less than the
predetermined expansion
size to enhance a controlled pressurization of the bladder during inflation
and deflation.
United States Patent No. 5,322,191 to Johnson et aI. describes a toy water gun
having a housing with extended handle, a release mechanism and barrel. The
water gun is
connected to at least one water source external from and connected to the
housing. In preferred
embodiments, the water source is remote and has an indirect connection, e.g,
by tubing or hosing,
external of said housing and having a vent to surrounding ambient air so air
may enter
therethrough. Also included is a pressurized air and water storage tank
external from and
connectable to the housing. The pressurized tank has an orifice between said
pressurized tank
and said housing through which all liquids and gasses pass. There is also a
pumping means for
withdrawing air or water from the source or sources, and for depositing the
withdrawn air or
water into the pressurized tank. A plurality of one-way flow valves is
included wherein at least
one one-way flow valve prohibits water and air from flowing from the
pressurized tank to the
pumping means, at least another one said one-way flow valve prohibits water
and air from
flowing from the ptunping means to the source or sources of air and water.
There is a nozzle
with a wide orifice therethrough, which is affixed to the end of said barrel,
and an avenue of
'release connecting the nozzle to the pressurized tank. There is also a
controlling means for
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regulating the flow of water and air through the avenue of release, the
controlling means being
actuatable by a release mechanism.
United States Patent No. x,074,437 to D'Andrade et al. is directed toward a
toy
water gun which is operated by selectively releasing water from a water
reservoir that is
S pressurized with air. It is a one piece device formed in the general shape
of a gun that has a
manually operated air pump incorporated into the design. The air pump
pressurizes a water
reservoir and consequently pressurizes any water found therein. The
pressurized water has an
avenue of release that is regulated by the trigger mechanism of the invention.
when no force is
applied to the trigger, the pressurized water is held in the pressurized
container with no means of
release. When force is applied to the trigger, water is released from the
pressurized container and
is channeled through a narrow nozzle. The escape of the pressurized water
through the narrow
nozzle creates a stream of propelled water that lasts as long as the trigger
is engaged or until the
pressure of the water in the pressurized container equals ambient pressure.
United States Patent Nos. 4,991,84? and 4,890,838 to Rudell et al. both
describe a
timed water release toy. There is disclosed a ball having a foraminous outer
shell with an inner
membrane which forms an interior closure within the outer shell and with a
timer and a release
mechanism operative to open the inner membrane and release its contents after
the time an the
timer expires. The contents spill through the foraminous outer shell, wetting
the player who is
handling or catching the ball at the moment of release. The timer is activated
and the ball is used
in a game in which it is tossed between participants who seek to avoid
becoming wet when the
timer releases the water from the interior closure of the ball.
United States Patent No. 4,892,081 Randall Morrmann sets forth a compressible
ball launcher which relies upon a telescoping cylindrical gun to compress air
to force a ball out
of a nozzle. '
United States Patent No. 4,854,480 to Shindo describes a long range trigger-
actuated squirt gun. The squirt gun includes a hollow housing in the form of a
gun with a liquid
dispensing assembly within the housing. The liquid dispensing assembly
includes a rubber tube,
expandable upon being filled with liquid, which is connected to a rigid tube
with a nozzle at one
end, and will dispense liquid from the rubber tube through the nozzle. A
pivotable trigger is
mounted with one end located to squeeze the rubber tube against the housing. A
rigid coil
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around the rubber tube between the trigger and rigid tube restrains the rubber
tube from
expansion for the length of the coil. An adapter is provided which is
threadable on a faucet, for
filling the rubber tube in the squirt gun with water.
United States Patent No. 4,735,239 to Salmon et al. describes a liquid
projecting
device. The device uses an elastic tubular bladder for receiving liquid which
is expandable
radially generally spherically at a local segment until a fully-expanded cross-
section is achieved
at which time the expanded region begins to grow axially, thereby maintaining
a relatively
constant pressure independent of bladder volume. The device is provided with a
nozzle and a
valve for controlling and directing the flow of the projected liquid.
United States Patent No. 4,458,830 to Werding describes an appliance for
discharging a non-compressible liquid, creamy or pasty product under pressure.
The container of
rigid material comprises an appliance which employs the contractional force of
an expanded
rubber hose and an expanded product container for the discharge of a medium
stored therein. A
hollow body of elastic material located in the axis of a product container is
provided with a valve
at one end through which it is inflated. The shape of the inner walls for the
rigid container limits
a radial, diagonal-radial and axial expansion of the appliance in a
predetermined ratio, whereby
the medium acts upon the inflated hollow body in such a way that the volume of
the latter
decreases, whereby its inner pressure increases and gives it a tendency to
expand. If the
squeezing pressure exerted by the rubber hose and the product container upon
the medium
decreases, the hollow body can expand accordingly and thus compensate the loss
of contraction
pressure.
United States Patent No. 4,257,460 to Paranay et al. describes a water gun.
The
novel water gun is disclosed herein having a body formed with a central bore
opening at its
opposite ends to provide a discharge nozzle at one end of the body and a
storage compartment or
2~ reservoir end at the opposite end of the body. The storage compartment end
is adapted to
releasably hold the end of an inflatable member which when loaded with water
under pressure,
expands so as to stretch the membrane of the inflatable storage compartment.
Upon termination
of the loading pressure, the inflatable member collapses under its own
elasticity to discharge the
stored water via the nozzle end of the body. A clamping device is employed for
detachable
30: connection gate inflatable storage compartment to its respective end of
the body and a trigger
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mechanism may be employed for selectively releasing the pressurized water
within the storage
compartment.
United States Patent No. 4,212,460 to Kraft describes a hollow water-filled
game
toy. The hollow body is provided having rivo complementary parts releasably
joined about
5 interfitting rim portions. When the parts are joined, the hollow body may be
compressed to
partially deform a portion of the rim structure into an opening thereby
allowing the filling of
water into the body interior. After deformation the pans resume their original
shape. An
effective hermetic seal to retain the water within the interior is formed by
squeezing the body and
purging water through the vents in the rim portions. The water-filled body may
then be thrown
against a stationary object whereby the force of impact will release the seal
and allow the water
to become suddenly released causing a splashing action. The complementary
hollow parts may
be subsequently rejoined and refilled with water to repeat the throwing and
splashing action.
United States Patent No. 4,135,559 to Barnby describes a water squirt toy and
fill
valve combination. The water squirt toy apparatus includes a combination of a
water squirt toy
and a special filling valve which function together cooperatively. The water
squirt-toy includes a
resiliently expansible tubular member serving as a water reservoir and encased
within a rigid
tubular support member, and a manually operated, lever-type normally closed
valve mechanism
operatively associated with the expansible member for permitting or preventing
fluid discharge
therefrom by compressing or pinching the same. The frontward end of the
expansible member is
fixedly, but removably, secured to a discharge opening. The filling valve is
particularly
structured for fluidically mating with a conventional hose bib or hose as well
as with the
discharge opening in order to permit easy and xapid filling and refilling of
the expansible
member with water. The discharge opening may also mate directly with the hose
bib or hose
without the special valve. An injector is also provided for operative
connection to the filling
valve for injecting chemicals in to the water supply whereby the discharged
streams will coalesce
and exhibit reduced separation so as to be discharged over significantly
greater distances; and
amusement apparatus which is particularly adaptable for use with the water
squirt toy is also
disclosed. A weakened annular portion of the tubular member is utilized to
insure that the
expansion begins frontward and progresses rearwardly.
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United States Patent No. 3,486,539 to Candido Jacuzzi describes a liquid
dispensing and metering assembly. The liquid dispensing and metering assembly
in which an
expansible receptacle of a material adapted to maintain constant pressure
characteristics over a
substantial change in volume of liquid content of such receptacle, discharges
through a slow rate
metering-element to provide a uniform discharge flow at a low constant
pressure.
United States Patent No. 2,237,678 issued to Raymond Lohr et al describes a
repeating, cork shooting toy which utilizes a cork magazine which rotates
after each firing to
position the next cork in sequence for firing.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the prior art neither teaches nor suggests the
use
of an expanded bladder, pumped up by a pump an a toy water gun from a tank, to
release water,
as in.the present invention nor the use of the unique bladders in water guns,
or ejection nozzle for
consistent flow as in the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an expandable bladder toy water gun which includes a
main housing having a barrel and water ejection nozzle, a handle and a
trigger, as well as an
inflatable bladder connected to the main housing, the bladder having an inlet
and an outlet.
There is also a storage tank for supplying water thereto, as well as a hand
pump connected to
both the storage tank and the bladder. The pump is physically connected to the
housing and
functionally connected to the storage tank and the bladder inlet. There is a
bladder release valve
having an upstream side and a downstream side. The bladder release valve is
connected to the
bladder outlet at the valve's upstream side, and is connected to the trigger
for opening and closing
thereof, and is connected to the nozzle at the valve's downstream side for
subsequent water
ejection when the trigger is pulled. In preferred embodiments, the bladder has
a predetermined
expansion size to which it is capable of being expanded, and an enclosure is
provided around the
bladder, which is a size less than the predetermined expansion size to enhance
a controlled
expansion of the bladder during filling. In other preferred embodiments, the
nozzle can have an
extremely large diameter for a water gun, approximately I cm (three eighths of
an inch) or larger,
to create a shotgun type burst of water.
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In another aspect, the present invention provides a bladder for liquid
containment
and ejection, utilizing the elasticity of the bladder for the motive force for
liquid ejection. The
bladder is made of a hollow, tubular member which has a section of weakened
elastic strength
relative to the remainder of the tubular member. It also has a strength
gradient created by a
modified shape. In one embodiment, it has a variable diameter, larger at its
front end and smaller
at its back end. In another embodiment, it has a constant diameter with a wall
thickness gradient.
Combined variable diameters and wall thicknesses may be used.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a water ejection nozzle for
connection to an end of the barrel of a toy water gun, wherein the nozzle has
an ejection orifice
of a predetermined diameter, and there is included in the barrel a turbulence
control member in
proximity to the nozzle. This is for enhanced laminar flow ejection through
the nozzle. The
turbulence control member has a plurality of linear stream guidance walls. In
some
embodiments, optional screens) are included which are located contiguous to an
end or both
ends of the turbulence control member.
13
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention is more fully understood when the present specification
is taken in
conjunction with the drawings appended hereto, wherein:
Figure 1 shows a side cut view of a present invention toy water gun;
Figure 2 shows a partial side cut view of the present invention toy water gun
shown in Figure 1 with the bladder removed for presentation of the pump;
Figure 3 shows a side cut view of a bladder release valve which may be used in
the present invention toy water gun;
Figures 4 through 6 show partial side cut views of an enclosure and bladder
for a
present invention toy water gun wherein the bladder is shown in various
expansion stages;
Figure 7 shows a side cut view of an alternative embodiment present invention
toy ,
water shotgun;
Figure 8 shows a partial, bottom cut view of the present invention toy water
gun
shown in Figure 7 with the bladder removed for presentation of the pump valve
arrangement;
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Figure 9 shows a side cut view of a bladder release valve of the present
invention
toy water shotgun shown in Figures 7 and 8;
Figure l0A shows a side cut view of an embodiment of a present invention
bladder, which relies upon increasing wall thickness;
Figure l OB shows a side cut view of another embodiment of a present invention
bladder which relies upon variable diameter;
Figure 11 illustrates a side cut view of a present invention illustrating one
embodiment showing a turbulence control member;
Figure 12 shows a front view of the nozzle shown in Figure 11;
Figure 13 shows a front cut view of the turbulence control member shown in
Figure l l;
Figure 14 shows an oblique view of an alternative turbulence control member-
for
present invention toy water gun having internal linear stream guidance walls;
Figure 15 shows a front view of another alternative embodiment turbulence
control member with a plurality of fins having a predetermined geometric
pattern; and,
Figure 16 shows an oblique view of yet another alternative embodiment
turbulence control member having external linear stream guidance walls.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention toy water gun has been developed to provide high
powered,
safe shooting of water, while being fully self contained, i.e. without the
need for pressurized gas
canisters or batteries or external pressurizing means such as pressurized
water from a garden hose
or faucet. The toy water gun of the present invention also provides relatively
constant pressure
throughout the duration of the shot. It relies upon manual pumping to fill a
bladder with water
which will store the water under pressure created by elastic bladder expansion
for subsequent
firing. In some preferred embodiments, a significantly large nozzle opening is
provided to
achieve the aforesaid shotgun effect. This nozzle can have an extremely large
diameter
compared to all prior known water guns, the diameter being about 1 cm (three
eighths of an inch)
or larger.
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Referring now to Figure 1, the operation of the present invention embodiment
can
best be explained. Figure 1 is a side view of the present invention embodiment
toy water gun 1
with main housing 3, handle 5, and barrel 9 with nozzle 11.
Bladder 13 is located within enclosure 15. Bladder 13 has a front end 17 and
back
end 19 and is cylindrical, but could be of another shape and not exceed the
scope of the present
invention. Front end 17 acts both as an inlet and an outlet in this
embodiment, but the water gun
could be configured so the back end acts as the outlet or vice versa. Back end
19 includes clamp
22 and also includes bladder carriage 20 surrounding clamp 22. Clamp 22 holds
plug 24 in the
back end 19 of bladder 13 and connects back end 19 of bladder 13 to bladder
carriage 20.
Bladder carriage 20 moves towards the back of the gun as the bladder 13 is
expanded (filled) and
moves back to its rest position (shown in Figure 1) during release of the
bladder. Front end 17
has tube 21 connected thereto via clamp 23. Tube 21 is connected to a "y"
connection 25 which
is connected to tube 27, which is connected to a pump, described below.
Connection 25 is also
connected to tube 29 which is connected to a bladder release valve 31,
discussed below.
The operation of present invention toy water gun 1 is illustrated by reference
to
both Figures 1 and 2 simultaneously, with identical parts for,both figures
being identically
numbered. Figure 2 shows a partial side cut view, with the bladder 13 and
related housing
removed to show pump 45 and its operation. Toy water gun 1 is operated by
filling or partially
filling tank 33 with water through fill port 35 after removal of cap 37. Tank
33, as shown, is
connected to water gun main housing 3, as shown. By "connected" is meant
physically or
fluidly connected to the gun directly or indirectly or internally contained
therein or integrally
formed therewith. Cap 37 has a small vent hole (not shown) to allow air entry
but to discourage
water leakage to prevent a vacuum from being formed in tank 33. Tank-to-pump
tube 39 is
connected to pump 45 and includes one-way valve 41 which permits water to
enter into pump
cylinder 47, but not back into tank 33. Movement of the piston 57 within the
pump cylinder 47
forces movement of water to bladder 13 from tank 33. The piston 57 is operated
by the pump
rod 59 that connects the piston 57 to the slider handle 55. The pump rod 59 is
anchored to the
slider handle 55 and is slidably held in place by block 61.
The slider handle 55 is operated manually by the user. The user holds the
slider
3U handle 55 with one hand and the gun handle 5 with the other. The slider
handle 55 is then moved
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back and forth along the length of its path, with block 61 acting as a stop.
The back and forth
action is transferred to the piston S7, which draws water from tank 33 through
tubing 39 and past
one-way flow valve 41, into cylinder 47 on the outward stroke. On the inward
stroke, water in
cylinder 47 is forced (or pumped) through tubing 27, through "y" connection
25, into tubing 21
5 and into the bladder 13 for expansion and filling thereof. Water is pumped
to the bladder 13 via
pump 45 until the bladder 13 is filled. Water will also enter tube 29, but
will not eject through the
outlet tubing 6S and nozzle 1 I because release valve 31 will be closed until
trigger 7 is pulled.
Once under expansion, the water in bladder 13 is prevented from flowing freely
through the
outlet tubing 65 by valve 31.
10 Referring now to Figure 3, taken in conjunction with Figures 1 and 2 with
identical parts being identically numbered, details of release valve 31 are
shown in a side cut
view. Linkage trigger riser 7I is connected to trigger 7 via linkage 72
(Figures 1 and 2) and is
slidably attached to pull rod 73. Spring 75 and stop 77 work in conjunction
with trigger riser 71.
Stop 77 is securely attached to pull rod 73. Pull rod 73 has at its opposite
end a flexible
connection universal ball connector 83. This is slightly rotatable within
valve plug 84. When
the trigger 7 is pulled, linkage 72 causes trigger riser ?1 to compress spring
7S to the left and
pushes on stop 77 to move pull rod 73.and valve plug 84 with valve seal 85 to
the left. However,
spring 79 and water pressure within chamber 86 apply forces which tend to
maintain valve plug
84 and valve seal 85 in the closed, sealed position. When sufficient squeeze
pressure is applied
to the trigger, spring 75 pushes stop 77 to the left, thereby, valve plug 84
and valve seal 8S are
snapped to the left for rapid release and ejection of water motivated by
compressive forces of the
water-filled bladder 13. This creates the desired blasting effect and enhances
the rate and distance
of the ejected water.
Figures 4 through 6 show side, partially cut, simplified views of a present
invention toy water gun bladder 13 in various states of expansion. In this
preferred embodiment
arrangement, the bladder 13 has a predetermined inflated size and enclosure 15
has a size less
than that predetermined fully expanded size.
in Figure 4, bladder 13 is shown in its rest (unfilled, unexpanded) position,
with
identical parts being identically numbered, but with more bladder 13 detail
shown. The bladder
13 includes a preformed "bubble" portion 91, which is weaker than the rest of
the bladder and
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thus enhances expansion at that location. The bladder 13 preferably includes
wall 93 which is
tapered in the unexpanded state, with the wall having a smaller diameter
towards back end 19
and a larger diameter towards bubble 91 and front end 17. The smaller diameter
section requires
more pressure to expand than the larger diameter section. Thus, expansion
starts at the bubble 91
and progresses towards the back end 19. The bladder 13 first expands radially
and then expands
longitudinally to provide a more constant rate of flow when released.
Enclosure 15 acts as a bladder guide and limits expansion of the bladder 13 to
prevent bursting and to support water weight. The enclosure 15 may be
described relative to air
pressurization of the bladder. For example, in the preferred embodiment, the
bladder 15's
uninflated diameter may be approximately 1.9 cm (three quarters of an inch),
and fully inflated
with 25 psig, it may have a diameter of approximately 10.1 cm (four inches).
The total size or
volume of the bladder is based on the bladder length. Enclosure 15 may have a
diameter of, for
example, approximately 8.9 cm (three and one half inches). This enclosure
restricts over
expansion and helps to cause expansion and release to occur with consistency.
Thus, in Figure 4,
bladder 13 is at rest. In Figure 5, there is water pressure applied to cause
initial expansion. This
is created by the force of pump 45 pushing water into the bladder 13. First,
bubble 91 is
expanded as bubble 91', shown in Figure 5, and expansion occurs first at the
outlet end 17 and
does so radially. Next, as more water is added, the bladder 13 will expand
laterally down the
enclosure 15 at a fixed pressure, and rate, as shown as expanded portion 91"
in Figure 6.
Likewise, the contraction of the bladder 13 wil! cause the release of water,
and at a relatively
constant pressure for a constant rate of ejection will be achieved.
Figure 7 is a side view of another embodiment of a toy water gun 101 in
accordance with the present invention. The toy water gun 101 is similar to the
first embodiment
and includes main housing 103, handle 105, trigger 107 and barrel 109 with
nozzle 111. In this
embodiment, nozzle 111 is circular and has an opening of about 1.1 cm (seven
sixteenths of an
inch) in diameter.
Bladder 113 is located within enclosure 115. Bladder 113 has a front end 117
and
back end 119 and is generally cylindrical, but could be of another shape and
not exceed the scope
of the present invention. Front end 117 acts both as an inlet and an outlet in
this embodiment,
but the water gun could be configured so that back end 119 acts as the outlet
or vice versa. Back
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12 _
end 119 includes clamp 122 which holds plug 124 in the back end i 19 of
bladder 113, and also
includes bladder carriage 120 surrounding and connected to clamp 122. Bladder
carriage 120
moves towards the back of the gun as bladder 113 is expanded (filled) and
moves back to its rest
position (shown in Figure 7) during release of the bladder. Front end I 17 has
tube 121 connected
S thereto via clamp 123. Tube 121 is connected to chamber 125 which is
connected to tube 127,
which is connected to a pump, described below. Chamber 12S is also connected
to and contains
a bladder release valve 131, discussed below.
The operation of present invention toy water gun 101 is illustrated by
reference to
both Figures 7 and 8 simultaneously, with identical parts for both figures
being identically
numbered. Figure 8 shows a partial, cut, bottom view, with the bladder 113 and
related housing
removed to show pump not in Figure 7 or 8 and valuing arrangement. Toy water
gun 101 is
operated by filling or partially-filling tank 133 with water through fill port
13 S after removal'of
cap 137. Cap 137 has a small vent hole (not shown) to allow air entry but to
discourage water
leakage to prevent a vacuum from being formed in tank 133. Tank-to-pump tube
139 is
1 ~ connected to pump 14S and includes one-way valve 141 which permits water
to be drawn into
pump cylinder 147, but not back into tank 133. Movement of the piston 158
within the pump
cylinder 147 permits movement of water to bladder 113 from tank 133. The
piston 1 S8 is
operated by the pump rod 159 that connects the piston 158 to the slider handle
1 SS. The slider
handle 1 SS is operated manually by the user. The user holds the slider handle
1SS with one hand
and the gun handle 105 or the top handle 167 with the other. The slider handle
1 SS is then
moved back and forth along the length of its path. The back and forth action
is transferred to the
piston 158, which draws water from tank 133 through tubing 139 and past one-
way flow valve
141, into cylinder I47 on the outward stroke. On the inward stroke, water in
cylinder 147 is
forced past one-way valve 144 and into chamber 125, into tubing 121 and into
the bladder 113
2S for expansion and filling thereof. Water will not eject through nozzle ill
because release valve
13I will be closed until trigger 107 is pulled. Water is pumped to the bladder
113 via pump 14S
until the bladder 113 is filled.
Pressure release valve 146 prevents over pumping to bladder 113 by opening and
allowing water to pass from the pump 145 back to the tubing 139 and the tank
133 once a
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predetermined pressure is achieved. Once under expansion, the water in bladder
113 is
prevented from flowing freely through the outlet tubing 165 to nozzle 111 by
valve 131.
Referring now to Figure 9, taken in conjunction with Figures 7 and 8 with
identical parts being identically numbered, details of chamber 125 with
release valve 131 are
shown in a side cut vie~~~. Linkage trigger riser 171 is connected to trigger
107 via linkage 172
(Figure 7) and is slidably attached to pull rod 173. Spring 175 and stop 177
work in conjunction
with trigger riser 171. Stop 177 is permanently attached to pull rod 173. Pull
rod 173 has at its
opposite end a flexible connection universal ball connector 183. This is
slightly rotatable within
valve plug 184. When the trigger 107 is pulled, trigger riser 171 compresses
spring I75 to the
left and pushes stop 177 to move pull rod 173 and valve plug 184 with valve
seal 185. When
sufficient squeeze pressure is applied to the trigger, spring 175 pushes stop
177 to the left,
thereby, valve plug 184 and valve seal 185 and are snapped to the left for
rapid release and
ejection of water motivated by compressive forces of the water-filled bladder
113. This creates
the desired blasting effect and enhances the rate and distance of the ejected
water. In some
embodiments, the springs 175 and 179 are balanced so that once valve seal 185
is opened, it does
not close until the internal pressure is close to zero. This maintains a
single, quick, shotgun blast.
It should now be recognized that preferred embodiments toy water guns of the
present invention having the enclosure about the bladder, will allow for
repeat shots with the
same burst of water and thus consistency in firing, until the bladder is
substantially fully deflated.
Figure 10A illustrates another embodiment of a bladder 401 in accordance with
the present invention which is a hollow tubular member 403. It has a first end
411 and a second
end 405. Located in the area of first end 411 is a weakened section 413. Here,
weakened section
413 is in the general shape of a bubble, but could be otherwise shaped without
exceeding the
scope of the invention, e.g. an enlarged elongated or ovoid shape. This is the
starting or
initiating expansion point described in conjunction with Figure 4 above. Also,
the tubular
member 403 has a unique shape developed to encourage expansion, first,
radially at weakened
section 413, and then lengthwise from right to left (from first end 411 to
second end 405). In this
embodiment, bladder 401 has a thicker wall 409 at second end 405 and a thinner
wall 407 at first
end 411. First end 411 also has an expanded neck, as shown, for fitting over
an inlet/outlet tube
and, when attached as such, has no bearing on the foregoing.
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14
Figure lOB shows another alternative bladder 501, with weakened section 503,
first end 507 and second end 50~. Here, tubular member 509 has a tapered
(variable) diameter
with a larger diameter S I 1 at first end 507 and a smaller diameter 513 at
second end SOS.
Combinations of variable wall thicknesses shown in Figure l0A and variable
diameters shown in
Figure l OB may alternatively be used.
Figure 11 shows a partial side cut view of the water gun 1 with the main
aspects
of the water gun not shown except for a barrel and nozzle, While the barrel
and nozzle are
preferably used with the water gun 1 described above, it will be recognized by
the skilled artisan
from the present disclosure that the barrel and nozzle can be used in
conjunction with any
standard water gun. These would include pump up water guns such as is
described in the
information disclosure statement above, bladder water guns, reciprocal firing
water guns, and any
other water guns which are or may be available.
Also shown in Figure 11 is the outlet tube 65, which may be located within the
barrel of a toy water gun, or may comprise the barrel of any toy water gun, as
noted above, with
large diameter nozzle 11 contained in nozzle cover 209. The outlet tube 65 or
barrel has a front
section 211 which is specifically designed to receive a turbulence control
member 213.
Turbulence control member 213 is shown in its cut side view and has a bundle
of tubes such as
tubes 215, 217, and 219 which run parallel to the elongated length of outlet
tube 65 and act,as
linear stream guidance walls. This enhances laminar flow ejection of water
through nozzle 11.
Further enhancement is achieved by the optional use of screens such as screen
221 placed against
the rearward end of turbulence control member 2I3, screen 223 placed against
the front end of
turbulence control member 213, and screen 225 spaced away from screen 223 in
front of
turbulence control member 213 and against nozzle cover 209, as shown.
Figure 12 shows a front view of the nozzle shown in Figure I 1. Nozzle 11
contained in nozzle cover 209 reveals behind it screen 225, as shown.
Referring now to Figure I3, there is shown an enlarged cross-sectional view of
the
turbulence control member 213 shown in Figure 11. Thus, turbulence control
member 213 has an
outer hollow tube 214 and contains a plurality of hollow, elongated, parallel
tubes such as tubes
215, 217, and 219.
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15 -
Referring now to Figure 14, there is shown another embodiment of a turbulence
control member 251. This is unistructurally formed and includes a flanged
front section 253
which may include a nozzle orifice or may be placed within a similarly
structured barrel to that
described in connection with the first nozzle embodiment with a nozzle cover
located in front of
it. Additionally, optional screens may be included in front of, behind, or
both in front of and
behind turbulence control member 2~ 1. Elongated portion 255 has been formed
with a plurality
of linear stream guidance walls such as walls 257, 259, and 261, along with
others, as shown.
These linear stream guidance walls project radially inwardly and run parallel
to an imaginary
central axis for maximum turbulence control.
While the linear stream guidance walls shown in Figure 14 are linear and
project
inwardly toward a central axis, and the linear stream guidance walls of Figure
13 are comprised
of tubes, any reasonable geometry will aid in turbulence control as long as
the linear stream
guidance walls generally run substantially parallel to the central axis of the
barrel to settle the
flow of liquid to substantially reduce turbulence. This permits a more laminar
slug of water to
1 ~ exit the nozzle, which in turn keeps the water together for a longer
shooting distance. Thus, the
particular geometry selected may now come within the purview of the artisan.
For example, Figure 15 illustrates a front view of a turbulence control member
271 with a plurality of fins acting as linear stream guidance walls. It
includes an elongated outer
tube 273 and parallel fins represented by fins 275 and 277 and fins arranged
at right angles
thereto shown as fins 279 and 281. These fins all run parallel to the
elongated outer tube 273.
Likewise, Figure 16 shows turbulence control member 291 which may be
unistructurally formed and has a central core 293 with outwardly extending
radial fins such as
fins 295 and 297, as shown.
The Figure is exaggerated with regard to the thickness of central core 293 and
turbulence control member 291 may ideally be unistructurally formed and may
optionally be
used with one or more screens and inserted into a water gun barrel in
proximity to the nozzle.
Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are
possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore understood that
within the scope of the
appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically
described herein.
