Hinged arm safety mechanism for foam dart launcher

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9435606-B2
Application number	US-201514697133-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2015
Priority date	Jun 4, 2013
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

A dart launcher comprises a housing, a safety arm, and a trigger. The housing includes a launching section configured to receive a dart having a minimum threshold length. The safety arm is movably attached to the housing and extends at least partially across the launching section. The safety arm is positioned so that the dart having the minimum threshold length engages at least a portion of the safety arm upon insertion into the launching section. The trigger is movable with respect to the housing and is operable to cause the dart having the minimum threshold length to launch from the launching section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dart launcher, comprising:
a housing including a launching section disposed along a linear path including an exit of the housing;
a safety arm movably attached to the housing at a threshold length along the launching section, the threshold length is less than the length of a standard dart;
wherein when a first object having a length less than the threshold length is loaded into the launching section or the launching section is empty, the safety arm extends at least partially into the launching section in an initial position, and
wherein when a first dart having at least the threshold length is loaded into the launching section, the safety arm is raised away from the first dart into a second position;
a biasing member engaged with the safety arm so that biasing member maintains a bias on the safety arm toward the initial position; and
a trigger movable with respect to the housing and in mechanical cooperation with a launching mechanism, wherein when the first dart is loaded into the launching section, actuation of the trigger causes the first dart to launch through the launching section.

2. The dart launcher of claim 1 , wherein the safety arm is pivotably attached to the housing.

3. The dart launcher of claim 2 , wherein the safety arm is pivotably attached to a post formed on the housing.

4. The dart launcher of claim 1 , wherein when the first object is loaded into the launching section, the safety arm in the initial position blocks movement of the first object through the launching section.

5. The dart launcher of claim 1 , wherein the launching mechanism comprises a piston tube configured to intake, store, and/or transmit pressurized fluids.

6. The dart launcher of claim 5 , wherein the piston tube is in fluid communication with the launching section.

7. The dart launcher of claim 6 , wherein the piston tube is pressurizable with air.

8. The dart launcher of claim 1 , wherein the safety arm comprises a hub attached to the housing and an elongate body extending away from the hub.

9. The dart launcher of claim 8 , wherein in the initial position the body of the safety arm extends into the launching section at an angle between and including 0 degrees and 90 degrees with respect to a top interior surface of the housing.

10. The dart launcher of claim 8 , wherein the hub comprises an opening to receive a pin.

11. The dart launcher of claim 8 , wherein the hub comprises a stop that contacts a corresponding ledge on the housing to limit a range of motion of the safety arm.

12. The dart launcher of claim 8 , wherein the body of the safety arm tapers along its length.

13. The dart launcher of claim 1 , wherein the safety arm has a cross-sectional configuration selected from the group consisting of: rectangular, circular, square, and triangular.

14. The dart launcher of claim 1 , wherein the safety arm is pivotable in a direction perpendicular to the linear path.

15. The dart launcher of claim 1 , wherein the safety arm is movable from the initial position to the second position by insertion of the first dart into the launching section.

16. The dart launcher of claim 1 , further comprising a magazine that contains a plurality of darts.

17. The dart launcher of claim 16 , wherein the magazine is in mechanical cooperation with the housing such that each dart of the plurality of darts is individually inserted into the launching section in sequence.

18. A dart launcher, comprising:
a housing including a launching section disposed along a linear path including an exit of the housing, the launching section receives one or more objects;
a safety arm pivotably attached to the housing at a threshold length along the launching section so that the safety arm is pivotable in a direction perpendicular to the linear path, the threshold length is less than the length of a standard dart;
wherein when a first object having a length less than the threshold length is loaded into the launching section or the launching section is empty, the safety arm extends at least partially into the launching section in an initial position, and
wherein when a first dart having at least the threshold length is loaded into the launching section, the safety arm is raised away from the first dart into a second position;

a biasing member engaged with the safety arm so that biasing member maintains a bias on the safety arm toward the initial position;
a strip comprising a plurality of darts in mechanical communication with the housing, each dart is individually insertable into the launching section in sequence; and
a trigger movable with respect to the housing and in mechanical cooperation with a launching mechanism, wherein when the first dart is loaded into the launching section, actuation of the trigger causes the first dart to launch through the launching section.

19. The dart launcher of claim 18 , wherein the safety arm is movable from the initial position to the second position by insertion of the first dart into the launching section.

Assignees

• Easebon Services Ltd

Inventors

• Chia Francis See Chong

Classifications

• F41B11/641 Primary

  the piston being hand operated · CPC title

• F41B11/89

  for toys · CPC title

• F41B11/70 Primary

  Details not provided for in F41B11/50 or F41B11/60 · CPC title