Aerial toy

Claim 2

An aerial toy including a body having upper and lower surfaces with an axis about which the body is adapted to rotate, said axis extending generally through the center of mass of said body and said upper and lower surfaces defining air foil surfaces including at least one first air foil surface portion for producing lift on said body due to rotation of said body about said axis and at least one second air foil surface portion generally at right angles to said first portion for producing lift on said body due to translation of said body through air in a direction generally perpendicular to the axis; and, a tether connected to said body at a point generally on said axis.

Claim 3

The aerial toy defined in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said tether is capable of substantial longitudinal elastic deformation.

Claim 4

The aerial toy as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second air foil surface portions are formed by a common surface.

Claim 5

The aerial toy as defined in claim 1 wherein said tether is connected at a point beneath the plane of rotation of said body and extends over the upper surface of said body.

Claim 6

The aerial toy as defined in claim 1 wherein said air foil surface portions are part of a continuous surface.

Claim 7

The aerial toy as defined in claim 1 wherein said tether is capable of substantial elastic deformation throughout a major portion of its length.

Claim 8

The aerial toy as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second air foil surface portions are on separate sections of said body.

Claim 9

The aerial toy as described in claim 1 wherein said body has at least two sets of said first and second air foil surface portions located symmetrically on said body.

Claim 10

An aerial toy comprising a disc-like body having upper and lower surfaces which define air foil surfaces capable of producing lift due to translation of the body through the air in a direction perpendicular to the plane of rotation; and, a tether capable of substantial elastic elongation connected to the body at a location generally on the axis and whereby the user can hold a free end of the tether and throw the body with a spinning action to cause it to spin with its plane of rotation generally horizontally and translate through the air until the tether overcomes the force imparted to the body to cause it to return to the user, the air foil surfaces combined with the gyroscopic action of the body causing it to maintain stable flight.

Claim 11

An aerial toy comprising a disc-like body having upper and lower surfaces which define air foil surfaces capable of producing lift due to translation of the body through the air in a direction perpendicular to the plane of rotation; and, a tether capable of substantial elastic elongation connected to the body at a location generally on the axis and whereby the user can hold a free end of the tether and throw the body with a spinning action to cause it to spin with its plane of rotation generally horizontally and translate through the air until the tether overcomes the force imparted to the body to cause it to return to the user, the air foil surfaces combined with the gyroscopic action of the body causing it to maintain stable flight.

Claim 12

The aerial toy as defined in claim 9 whErein said body includes at least two sets of air foil surfaces and wherein said axis passes through the center of gravity of said body.

Claim 13

The aerial toy as defined in claim 9 wherein said body has a generally oval shape with said air foil surfaces being at the narrow ends of oval.

Claim 14

The aerial toy as defined in claim 9 wherein said tether is connected at a location at or below the plane of rotation.

Claim 15

The aerial toy as defined in claim 9 wherein the body is symmetrical about a plane in which said axis lies.

Claim 16

The aerial toy as described in claim 9 wherein said tether passes over the upper surface of said body and is connected to said body through a swivel joint.