Toy projectile launching assembly
View Patent ↗A toy projectile launching assembly for launching toy projectiles includes a platform defined by a rigid shallow “V-shaped” structure with a flat base portion. The flat base has an upper and lower surface including rigid left and right extensions having rigid left and right elastic supports and a rigid central region disposed between the left and right extensions, rigid interior left and right elastic supports situated between the rigid exterior left and right elastic supports, first and second elastic launching elements extending continuously from the left elastic support to the right elastic support, a handle, an arm support, and an arm support strap. Also disclosed are methods of making and using the toy projectile launching assembly.
1 . A toy projectile launching assembly for launching toy projectiles, comprising:
a platform defined by a rigid shallow “V-shaped” structure with a flat base portion, the flat base portion having an upper surface and a lower surface, including:
a rigid left extension having a rigid exterior left elastic support, a rigid right extension having a rigid exterior right elastic support, and a rigid central region defining the flat base portion disposed between the rigid left extension and the rigid right extension;
an interior left elastic support and an interior right elastic support situated between the rigid exterior left elastic support, and the rigid exterior right elastic support;
an upper first elastic launching element extending continuously from, and attached to, the upper portion of the left elastic support, then through the upper portion of the interior left elastic support and the upper portion of the interior right elastic support, and to the upper portion of the right elastic support; and
a lower second elastic launching element extending continuously from, and attached to, the lower portion of the left elastic support, then through the lower portion of the interior left elastic support and the lower portion of the interior right elastic support, and to the lower portion of the right elastic support;
wherein the left end of the upper first elastic launching element and the left end of the lower second elastic launching element are each removably attached to a first removable bracket situated within a cavity in the rigid exterior left elastic support, the right end of the upper first elastic launching element and the right end of the lower second elastic launching element are each removably attached to a second removable bracket situated within a cavity in the rigid exterior right elastic support, and each of the removable brackets is attached to the lower surface side of the rigid left elastic support and the rigid right elastic support, with the ends of the elastic launching elements situated in retention slots in the brackets.
2 . The toy projectile launching assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper first elastic launching element and the lower second elastic launching element are each independently removably attached to the rigid left elastic support and the rigid right elastic support.
3 . The toy projectile launching assembly of claim 1 , wherein both ends of the first elastic launching element and both ends of the second elastic launching element are each removably attached to two different removable brackets situated within and attached to the lower surface side of the rigid left elastic support and the rigid right elastic support.
4 . The toy projectile launching assembly of claim 1 , wherein both ends of the upper first elastic launching element and both ends of the lower second elastic launching element include a sub-assembly including a mated double-nippled bead and hollow elastic combination configured for attaching the ends of the launching elements to two different removable brackets through retention slots.
5 . The toy projectile launching assembly of claim 1 , wherein the interior left elastic support and the interior right elastic support each include an axle-roller assembly to accommodate freely reversible stretch, bend, run, or roll of the first and the second elastic launching elements about the roller-axle subassembly, and to reduce frictional wear of the first and second elastic launching elements during launching of a projectile.
6 . The toy projectile launching assembly of claim 5 , wherein each axle-roller assembly is reversibly attached to the interior left elastic support and the interior right elastic support.
7 . The toy projectile launching assembly of claim 5 , wherein each axle-roller assembly is permanently attached to the interior left elastic support and an interior right elastic support.
8 . The toy projectile launching assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a handle attached to the lower surface at the flat base portion.
9 . The toy projectile launching assembly of claim 8 , wherein the handle is reversibly attachable-detachable to the lower surface of the platform and extends substantially orthogonally downwardly from the lower surface of the flat base portion.
10 . The toy projectile launching assembly of claim 8 , wherein the handle is permanently attached to the lower surface to the platform.
11 . The toy projectile launching assembly of claim 8 , further comprising an arm support structure having a left side and right side that extends downwardly and rearwardly from the platform and the handle is attached to the lower surface at the flat base portion.
12 . The toy projectile launching assembly of claim 10 , further comprising an arm support strap attached to the left side and right side of the arm support structure.
13 . The toy projectile launching assembly of claim 12 , wherein the arm support strap includes a clasp to adjust the tension of the strap.
14 . The toy projectile launching assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first elastic launching element and the second elastic launching element are coplanar and extend substantially parallel relative to each other above the flat base portion.
15 . The toy projectile launching assembly of claim 1 , wherein rear edges of the platform include one or more press-fit fasteners for removably receiving and holding one or more toy projectiles.
16 . The toy projectile launching assembly of claim 8 , wherein the handle comprises a pistol grip.
17 . A toy projectile launching assembly for launching toy projectiles, comprising:
a rigid platform defined by a shallow “V-shaped” structure;
the rigid platform having an upper surface and a lower surface;
the rigid platform having a flat base portion;
the rigid platform having a left rigid extension and a right rigid extension, both left and right rigid extensions extend upwardly above the upper surface of the flat base portion and edges of the flat base portion, wherein the left rigid extension and the right rigid extension form respective upward left and right legs of the shallow “V-shaped” structure, and the flat base portion is situated at the vertex of the shallow “V-shaped” structure;
a distal end of the rigid left extension having a rigid exterior left elastic support, a distal end of the rigid right extension having a rigid exterior right elastic support, wherein the rigid exterior left elastic support and the rigid exterior right elastic support are attached to the rigid platform from below the upper surface;
the rigid platform having a rigid interior left elastic support and a rigid interior right elastic support that are situated between the rigid exterior left elastic support and the rigid exterior right elastic support, wherein the rigid interior left elastic support and the rigid interior right elastic support are attached to the rigid platform above the upper surface;
an upper first elastic launching element that extends continuously from the exterior left elastic support, through the interior left elastic support and the interior right elastic support, then to the exterior right elastic support, and the upper first elastic launching element is attached at one end to the left exterior elastic support and the other end to the right exterior elastic support;
a lower second elastic launching element, that is situated below the upper first elastic launching element, and the lower second elastic launching element extends continuously from the interior left elastic support, through the interior left elastic support and the interior right elastic support, then to the exterior right elastic support, and the lower second elastic launching element is attached at one end to the left exterior elastic support and the other end to the right exterior elastic support;
wherein the interior left elastic support and the interior right elastic support each include an axle-roller assembly to accommodate movement of the upper first and the lower second elastic launching elements about the roller-axle subassembly, and to reduce frictional wear of the upper first and lower second elastic launching elements when stretched and relaxed;
the rigid platform having a pistol grip handle attached perpendicularly to the lower surface near the underside of the flat base portion and extending angularly rearwardly;
the rigid platform having an arm support structure having a left side and a right side attached to the left side and the right side of the flat base, wherein the arm support extends downwardly and rearwardly from the rigid platform;
the rigid platform having an arm support strap attached to the left side and the right side of the arm support structure; and
wherein the rigid platform is a monolithic molded plastic.
18 . The toy projectile launching assembly of claim 17 , further comprising at least one aperture passing through the upper and lower surfaces of each of the left and right rigid extensions to increase the overall structural strength and reduce the overall weight of the launching assembly.
19 . The toy projectile launching assembly of claim 17 , wherein the underside of the assembly from beneath the interior left elastic support and the interior right elastic support to the rear of the rigid platform is hollow to increase the overall structural strength and reduce the overall weight of the launching assembly.