HYDROFOIL TOY OPERATED BY A USER'S FINGERS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/745918, filed on January 16, 2025. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a small, water-based toy designed to simulate the motion of hydrofoil surfing, but on a miniature scale, allowing for finger-sized interaction in pools, lakes, baths or any other body of water. This hydrofoil toy is designed for use with one or more fingers.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

[0003] This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

[0004] The hydrofoil toy is a small, water-based toy designed to simulate the motion of hydrofoil surfing, but on a miniature scale, allowing for finger-sized interaction in pools, lakes, or baths. This hydrofoil toy is designed for use with the pointer and middle fingers or any other finger as well. The hydrofoil toy consists of a small surfboard-shaped platform with a hydrofoil system attached beneath it that provides lift to the platform out of the water when the toy is moved across the water by a user’s finger(s). The lift provided by the hydrofoil system opposes the downward force of the user’s finger(s) to provide continued finger to board engagement as the hydrofoil toy is propelled and turned through the water in constant contact with the user’s finger(s). c

[0005] The primary component of the hydrofoil toy includes: A small, thin mast (approximately 5-6 inches tall and ¼ inch wide) that supports the hydrofoil system, which remains submerged in the water during use. The main wing of the hydrofoil system, which is shaped in a slight dihedral curve, provides lift and stability to the hydrofoil toy as it glides across the water's surface. The wing tips of the main wing are slightly curved (similar to a rainbow shape when viewed from above). The fuselage connecting the main wing to the rear wing, is torpedo-shaped (tubular shaped with a round ed nose and tapers at the rear), designed for fluid movement through the water and to avoid injury during handling. The rear wing, also dihedral and slightly smaller, contributes to the lift and overall balance of the toy.

[0006] Foam padding can be provided for covering the top of the board platform to ensure comfortable handling to prevent the fingers from slipping, while the board is specifically sized and shaped to fit comfortably between the user's fingers.

[0007] The novelty of this design lies in the combination of the hydrofoil structure with a finger-sized board, allowing users to perform a miniature version of hydrofoil surfing (with lift out of the water) and without needing a full-sized surfboard or a large body of water. The hydrofoil toy replicates the feeling of hydrofoil surfing on a much smaller scale, making it ideal for children and for play in aquatic environments.

[0008] According to the principles of the present disclosure, a hydrofoil toy includes a platform. A mast extends from a bottom of the platform. A hydrofoil system

[0009]is disposed at a bottom of the mast, the hydrofoil system including a fuselage connected to the bottom of the mast, a main hydrofoil shaped wing extends from opposite sides of a forward end of the fuselage in a shape of a dihedral that is configured to provide lift and stability to the toy as it is pushed across water and a rear hydrofoil shaped wing extends from the opposite sides of a rearward end of the fuselage and is shaped in a dihedral.

[0010] According to a further aspect, the fuselage is torpedo-shaped for fluid movement through the water.

[0011] According to a further aspect, the rear wing is smaller than the main wing.

[0012] According to a further aspect, the platform, the mast and the hydrofoil system are formed from plastic.

[0013] According to a further aspect, the main hydrofoil shaped wing and the rear hydrofoil shaped wing are each snap fit in a corresponding aperture in the fuselage.

[0014] According to a further aspect, the fuselage is integrally formed with the mast from one-piece of plastic.

[0015] According to a further aspect, an upper end of the mast includes a first mating feature for engaging a second mating feature in the surfboard shaped platform.

[0016] According to a further aspect, the fuselage includes a first mating feature for engaging a second mating feature of the main hydrofoil shaped wing and the fuselage includes a third mating feature for engaging a fourth mating feature of the rear hydrofoil shaped wing.

[0017] According to a further aspect, the fuselage includes a first mating feature for engaging a second mating feature of the mast.

[0018] According to a further aspect, the main hydrofoil shaped wing and the rear hydrofoil shaped wing are integrally formed with the fuselage from one piece of plastic.

[0019] According to a further aspect, the platform is surfboard shaped and between 8 to 15 cm long.

[0020] According to a further aspect, the main hydrofoil shaped wing is between 15 to 22 cm long.

[0021] According to a further aspect, the rear wing is between 7 to 10 cm long.

[0022] According to a further aspect, the fuselage is between 7 to 13 cm long.

[0023] According to a further aspect, the mast is between 8 to 12 cm long.

[0024] According to a further aspect, components of the hydrofoil toy are injection molded from plastic.

[0025] According to a further aspect, the fuselage is tubular shaped with a rounded nose at a forward end.

[0026] According to a further aspect, a friction enhancing surface is disposed on a top surface of the surfboard shaped platform.

[0027] According to a further aspect, the main hydrofoil shaped wing is configured to impart a first lift force on the hydrofoil toy when the hydrofoil toy is pushed across the water.

[0028] According to a further aspect, the rear hydrofoil shaped wing is configured to impart a second lift force on the hydrofoil toy when the hydrofoil toy is pushed across the water.

[0029] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0031]FIG. 1 is a top-side perspective view of a hydrofoil toy operated by a user’s fingers according to the principles of the present disclosure;

[0032]FIG. 2 is a top-front perspective view of the hydrofoil toy shown in FIG. 1;

[0033]FIG. 3 is a top-rear perspective view of the hydrofoil toy shown in FIG. 1;

[0034]FIG. 4 is bottom-rear perspective view of the hydrofoil toy shown in FIG. 1;

[0035]FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of the hydrofoil toy shown in FIG. 1;

[0036]FIG. 6 is top plan view of the hydrofoil toy according to the principles of the present disclosure;

[0037]FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an example assembly process of the hydrofoil toy components.

[0038]FIG. 8A is a perspective view of a first alternative connection system for connecting the mast to the hydrofoil system;

[0039]FIG. 8B is a perspective view of a second alternative connection system for connecting the mast to the hydrofoil system;

[0040]FIG. 8C is a perspective view of a third alternative connection system for connecting the mast to the hydrofoil system;

[0041]FIG. 8D is a perspective view of a fourth alternative connection system for connecting the mast to the hydrofoil system;

[0042]FIG. 8E is a perspective view of a fifth alternative connection system for connecting the mast to the hydrofoil system; and

[0043]FIG. 8F is a perspective view of a sixth alternative connection system for connecting the mast to the hydrofoil system.

[0044] Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0046]With reference to FIGS. 1-7, a hydrofoil toy 10 is shown including a surfboard-shaped platform 12, a mast 14 extending from a bottom of the platform 12 and a hydrofoil system 16 at a bottom of the mast 14. The hydrofoil system 16 incudes a fuselage 18 connected to the bottom of the mast 14. The fuselage 18 can be torpedo-shaped (tubular shaped with a rounded nose at a forward end and a tapered rear end), designed for fluid movement through the water and to avoid injury during handling. A main hydrofoil shaped wing 20 of the hydrofoil system extends from opposite sides of a forward end of the fuselage 18 and is shaped in a slight dihedral curve (i.e., the angle between the left and right wings) that provides lift and stability to the toy as it glides across the water's surface. A front edge of the main wing 20 is slightly curved or angled rearward when viewed from above (see FIGS. 3 and 6). A rear hydrofoil wing 22 of the hydrofoil system 16 extends from sides of a rearward end of the fuselage 18 and is also dihedral (i.e., the angle between the left and right wings) and slightly smaller than the main wing. The rear wing 22 contributes to the lift and overall balance of the hydrofoil toy 10.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 1, foam padding 24 or other friction enhancing surface treatment can be provided on the top of the platform 12 to provide comfortable handling to prevent a user’s fingers from slipping as the hydrofoil toy 10 is pushed along the surface of the water by a user’s fingers, as shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the lift force “F” provided by the hydrofoil system 16 opposes the downward force “f” of the user’s finger(s) to provide continued unique finger to board engagement and control as the toy 10 is propelled and turned through the water in constant contact with the user’s finger(s).

[0048]The surfboard-shaped platform 12 is sized for engagement with the user’s fingers. Without intending to be limited by the specific example, the surfboard-shaped platform 12 can be approximately 8 to 15 cm long (approximately 11 cm, as shown) and 3 to 5 cm wide (3.3 cm as shown). The main wing 20 can be 15 to 22 cm in length (19.3 cm as shown) in a lateral direction and a 2 to 4 cm in width (3.1 cm as shown) along a longitudinal direction of the toy 10. The rear wing can have a length of 7 to 10 cm (8.7 cm as shown) in a lateral direction and a width of 1.5 to 3 cm (2.1 cm as shown). The fuselage 18 can have a length of 7 to 13 cm (10.1 cm as shown) and a width on the order of 1.0 to 1.7 cm that can vary along a length of the fuselage. The mast 14 can have a vertical length of between 8 to 12 cm (approximately 10.5 cm as shown). Although specific ranges and dimensions are shown and described, it should be understood that the hydrofoil toy 10 can be scaled larger or smaller depending upon the intended user (e.g., child or adult) as long as the toy is sized to be held in a user’s hand and operated by the user’s fingers.

[0049] The hydrofoil toy 10 can be made from plastic that can be injection molded, 3-D printed or otherwise formed. Alternatively, Styrofoam or other foam material can be utilized for one or more of the components of the hydrofoil toy 10.

[0050]With reference to FIG. 7, an example assembly of the hydrofoil toy 10 will be illustrated. The example assembly includes the platform 12 formed with a slot 26 formed in a bottom rear end of the platform 12. The slot 26 can be T-shaped in cross section for receiving a T-shaped flange 28 formed at a top of the mast 14. The fuselage 18 can be integrally formed as one-piece with the mast 14. A forward end of the fuselage 18 can be provided with a first aperture 30 and a rearward end of the fuselage 18 can be provided with a second aperture 32. The main wing 20 and the rear wing 22 can each be formed separately from the fuselage 18 and can each include a center snap fit region 20a, 22a, respectively, for snap fit engagement within the first aperture 30 and the second aperture 32, respectively.

[0051]Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 7, assembly of the hydrofoil toy includes a simple three step process of engaging the platform 12 to the mast 14 by sliding the T-shaped flange 28 into the T-shaped slot 26 as shown by arrow “A”. The main wing 20 is inserted into the first aperture as shown by arrow “B” until the center snap fit region 20a engages the first aperture 30. The rear wing 22 is inserted into the second aperture 32 as shown by arrow “C” until the center snap fit region 22a engages the second aperture 32. The assembly steps can be performed in any order.

[0052]Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 8A-8F, the main wing 20 and the rear wing 22 can be formed integrally with the fuselage 18 and the fuselage 18 can be assembled to the mast 14 by anyone of a number of mounting systems. FIG. 8A is a perspective view of a first connection system for connecting the mast to the hydrofoil system by a slot 40 formed at a bottom of the mast 14 and a post 42 formed on the fuselage 18 for snap fit engagement therebetween. The slot 40 can include recesses 40a and the post 42 can include protruding members for locking the post 42 within the slot 40.

[0053]FIG. 8B is a perspective view of a second alternative connection system for connecting the mast to the hydrofoil system by a longitudinal aperture 44 and latching members 46 formed at a bottom of the mast 14 and a post 48 and latching apertures 50 formed on the fuselage 18 for snap fit engagement therebetween.

[0054]FIG. 8C is a perspective view of a third alternative connection system for connecting the mast to the hydrofoil system by a pair of Christmas tree grommets 52 formed at a bottom of the mast 14 and a pair of apertures 54 on the fuselage 18 for snap fit engagement therebetween.

[0055] FIG.8D is a perspective view of a fourth alternative connection system for connecting the mast to the hydrofoil system by an expanding sleeve 56 formed at a bottom of the mast 14 and a corresponding recess 58 on the fuselage 18 for snap fit engagement therebetween.

[0056]FIG. 8E is a perspective view of a fifth alternative connection system for connecting the mast 14 to the hydrofoil system16 by an expanding sleeve 56 formed at a bottom of the mast 14 and a corresponding recess 58 on the fuselage 18 for snap fit engagement therebetween. A further anti-rotation protrusion 60 can be received in recess 62 for preventing rotation of the fuselage 18 relative to the mast 14.

[0057]FIG. 8F is a perspective view of a sixth alternative connection system for connecting the mast 14 to the hydrofoil system 16 by a locking lug 64 formed at a bottom of the mast 14 and a corresponding recess 66 with latching edges 68 on the fuselage 18 for snap fit engagement therebetween.

[0058] Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail.

[0059] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms "a,” "an," and "the" may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprises," "comprising," “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.

[0060] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on," “engaged to,” "connected to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," “directly engaged to,” "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0061] Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.

[0062] Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” "beneath," "below," "lower," "above," "upper," and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as "below" or "beneath" other elements or features would then be oriented "above" the other elements or features. Thus, the example term "below" can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

[0063] The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.