초록 ▼

A handheld balloon launcher includes a housing with an axially offset chamber formed therein. A vertically registered intake port defines a linear passageway in which filled water balloons are stacked. A launching plate is selectively adaptable along a longitudinal length of the chamber. A trigger m

A handheld balloon launcher includes a housing with an axially offset chamber formed therein. A vertically registered intake port defines a linear passageway in which filled water balloons are stacked. A launching plate is selectively adaptable along a longitudinal length of the chamber. A trigger mechanism activates the launching plate between a compressed and an extended position. A mechanism returns the launching plate to the compressed position while simultaneously depositing one of the water balloons in front of the launching plate. The returning mechanism includes a spring member with a diameter equal to a diameter of the chamber and anchored to a proximal end thereof, and extendable along the longitudinal length of the chamber. The launching plate maintains a static relationship with the returning mechanism, and the returning mechanism is independently operable from the triggering mechanism.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed as new and what is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: 1. A handheld balloon launching apparatus for assisting a user to propel a plurality of filled water balloons along a predetermined trajectory, said balloon launching apparatus comprising: a tubular hous

What is claimed as new and what is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: 1. A handheld balloon launching apparatus for assisting a user to propel a plurality of filled water balloons along a predetermined trajectory, said balloon launching apparatus comprising: a tubular housing having an axially offset chamber formed therein, said housing further having a vertically registered intake port defining a linear passageway in which the filled water balloons are vertically stacked; a launching plate selectively adaptable along a longitudinal length of said chamber; trigger means for activating said launching plate between a compressed position and a fully extended position; and means for returning said launching plate to the compressed position while simultaneously depositing a lowest one of said water balloons directly in front of and abutted distally to said launching plate such that an adjacent one of the water balloons seated on top of said lowest water balloon is prohibited from entering said chamber, wherein said returning means includes a deformably resilient spring member having a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of said chamber and being anchored to a proximal end of said chamber, said spring member being extendable along the longitudinal length of said chamber; wherein said triggering means comprises: a primary trigger pivotally connected to said housing and partially exposed exterior thereof; a rectilinear rod having a distal end directly anchored to said primary trigger and having a proximal end horizontally offset and sloped downwardly towards a proximal end of said housing; and an auxiliary trigger pivotally connected to said housing and directly mated with said proximal end of said rod, wherein said auxiliary trigger is directly and releasably engaged with a bottom portion of said launching plate while said returning means is maintained at the compressed position, wherein said pimary trigger rotates along a first arcuate path when depressed by a user to thereby cause said rod to linearly displace distally and thereby rotate said auxiliary trigger along a second arcuate path defined opposite to said first arcuate path. 2. The balloon launching apparatus of claim 1, wherein said triggering means further comprises: an anchoring bracket directly connected to an outer surface of said chamber; and a deformably resilient spring member having axially opposed ends directly connected to said bracket and said auxiliary trigger respectively, said spring member being expandable along a rectilinear path defined parallel to said chamber and therefore automatically causing said bracket to return along an arcuate path defined opposite to said second arcuate path until said spring member returns to an equilibrium position. 3. The balloon launching apparatus of claim 1, wherein said launching plate return means comprises: a segmented linear return plate having an opening formed therein and defining said plate into proximal and distal segments, said distal segment having a lever monolithically formed therewith and terminating exterior of said housing, said housing including a linear slot formed adjacent to a top edge thereof, said return plate being directly and monolithically coupled to said launching plate such that the user can manually position the return plate proximally along said chamber and thereby return said launching plate to the compressed position. 4. The balloon launching apparatus of claim 3, wherein said opening of said return plate becomes vertically aligned with the passageway for allowing the lowest one of the water balloons to fall through said opening and rest against said launching plate. 5. The balloon launching apparatus of claim 4, wherein said launching plate has a curvilinear shape conforming to an outer contour of the water balloon. 6. A handheld balloon launching apparatus for assisting a user to propel a plurality of filled water balloons along a predetermined trajectory, said balloon launching apparatus comprising: a tubular housing having an axially offset chamber formed therein, said housing further having a vertically registered intake port defining a linear passageway in which the filled water balloons are vertically stacked; a launching plate selectively adaptable along a longitudinal length of said chamber; trigger means for activating said launching plate between a compressed position and a fully extended position; and means for returning said launching plate to the compressed position while simultaneously depositing a lowest one of said water balloons directly in front of and abutted distally to said launching plate such that an adjacent one of the water balloons seated on top of said lowest water balloon is prohibited from entering said chamber, wherein said returning means includes a deformably resilient spring member having a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of said chamber and being anchored to a proximal end of said chamber, said spring member being extendable along the longitudinal length of said chamber, wherein said returning means is independently operable from said triggering means; wherein said triggering means comprises: a primary trigger pivotally connected to said housing and partially exposed exterior thereof; a rectilinear rod having a distal end directly anchored to said primary trigger and having a proximal end horizontally offset and sloped downwardly towards a proximal end of said housing; and an auxiliary trigger pivotally connected to said housing and directly mated with said proximal end of said rod, wherein said auxiliary trigger is directly and releasably engaged with a bottom portion of said launching plate while said returning means is maintained at the compressed position, wherein said primary trigger rotates along a first arcuate path when depressed by a user to thereby cause said rod to linearly displace distally and thereby rotate said auxiliary trigger along a second arcuate path defined opposite to said first arcuate path. 7. The balloon launching apparatus of claim 6, wherein said triggering means further comprises: an anchoring bracket directly connected to an outer surface of said chamber; and a deformably resilient spring member having axially opposed ends directly connected to said bracket and said auxiliary trigger respectively, said spring member being expandable along a rectilinear path defined parallel to said chamber and therefore automatically causing said bracket to return along an arcuate path defined opposite to said second arcuate path until said spring member returns to an equilibrium position. 8. The balloon launching apparatus of claim 6, wherein said launching plate return means comprises: a segmented linear return plate having an opening formed therein and defining said plate into proximal and distal segments, said distal segment having a lever monolithically formed therewith and terminating exterior of said housing, said housing including a linear slot formed adjacent to a top edge thereof, said return plate being directly and monolithically coupled to said launching plate such that the user can manually position the return plate proximally along said chamber and thereby return said launching plate to the compressed position. 9. The balloon launching apparatus of claim 8, wherein said opening of said return plate becomes vertically aligned with the passageway for allowing the lowest one of the water balloons to fall through said opening and rest against said launching plate. 10. The balloon launching apparatus of claim 9, wherein said launching plate has a curvilinear shape conforming to an outer contour of the water balloon. 11. A handheld balloon launching apparatus for assisting a user to propel a plurality of filled water balloons along a predetermined trajectory, said balloon launching apparatus comprising: a tubular housing having an axially offset chamber formed therein, said housing further having a vertically registered intake port defining a linear passageway in which the filled water balloons are vertically stacked; a launching plate selectively adaptable along a longitudinal length of said chamber; trigger means for activating said launching plate between a compressed position and a fully extended position; and means for returning said launching plate to the compressed position while simultaneously depositing a lowest one of said water balloons directly in front of and abutted distally to said launching plate such that an adjacent one of the water balloons seated on top of said lowest water balloon is prohibited from entering said chamber, wherein said returning means includes a deformably resilient spring member having a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of said chamber and being anchored to a proximal end of said chamber, said spring member being extendable along the longitudinal length of said chamber, wherein said launching plate maintains a static relationship with said return means during launching operations, wherein said returning means is independently operable from said triggering means; wherein said triggering means comprises: a primary trigger Pivotally connected to said housing and partially exposed exterior thereof; a rectilinear rod having a distal end directly anchored to said primary trigger and having a proximal end horizontally offset and sloped downwardly towards a proximal end of said housing; and an auxiliary trigger pivotally connected to said housing and directly mated with said proximal end of said rod, wherein said auxiliary trigger is directly and releasably engaged with a bottom portion of said launching plate while said returning means is maintained at the compressed position, wherein said primary trigger rotates along a first arcuate path when depressed by a user to thereby cause said rod to linearly displace distally and thereby rotate said auxiliary trigger along a second arcuate path defined opposite to said first arcuate path. 12. The balloon launching apparatus of claim 11, wherein said triggering means further comprises: an anchoring bracket directly connected to an outer surface of said chamber; and a deformably resilient spring member having axially opposed ends directly connected to said bracket and said auxiliary trigger respectively, said spring member being expandable along a rectilinear path defined parallel to said chamber and therefore automatically causing said bracket to return along an arcuate path defined opposite to said second arcuate path until said spring member returns to an equilibrium position. 13. The balloon launching apparatus of claim 11, wherein said launching plate return means comprises: a segmented linear return plate having an opening formed therein and defining said plate into proximal and distal segments, said distal segment having a lever monolithically formed therewith and terminating exterior of said housing, said housing including a linear slot formed adjacent to a top edge thereof, said return plate being directly and monolithically coupled to said launching plate such that the user can manually position the return plate proximally along said chamber and thereby return said launching plate to the compressed position. 14. The balloon launching apparatus of claim 13, wherein said opening of said return plate becomes vertically aligned with the passageway for allowing the lowest one of the water balloons to fall through said opening and rest against said launching plate. 15. The balloon launching apparatus of claim 14, wherein said launching plate has a curvilinear shape conforming to an outer contour of the water balloon.