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US4418494A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Returning ball toy

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1981-01-14
•
Granted: 1983-12-06
•
Expires: 2001-01-14
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Abstract

Abstract The toy is a ball or similar projectile which may be thrown and then retrieved by a hand-held line. The line winds on a reel, as in a yo-yo. The reel is connected to the ball by a torsion spring which winds up as the ball is thrown and then unwinds, reeling in the line and returning the ball to the hand. The toy requires less skill than a yo-yo.

Inventors

  • 👤 Edmond Ghandour

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 18:57
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63H; A63H1/00; A63H1/30

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 166 words
A toy, comprising: (a) a hollow rotatable hub member; (b) a reel mounted on the hub member; (c) a rigid housing containing said hub member and reel; (d) a fixed axle rigidly mounted in the housing and supporting the hub member for relative rotation with respect to the housing, said axle having a free end located within the hub member; (e) a torsion spring located within the housing and having two ends, one end being operatively attached to the housing and the other end attached to the hub member so that relative rotation between the hub member and the housing is resisted by tension in the spring; and (f) a flexible cord having a first end attached to the reel and a second free end passed through the housing, said cord being adapted for being coiled about the reel so that when the cord is moved, the reel and hub member rotate about the axle relative to the housing, resisted by the tension in the spring.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 166 words
A toy, comprising: (a) a hollow rotatable hub member; (b) a reel mounted on the hub member; (c) a rigid housing containing said hub member and reel; (d) a fixed axle rigidly mounted in the housing and supporting the hub member for relative rotation with respect to the housing, said axle having a free end located within the hub member; (e) a torsion spring located within the housing and having two ends, one end being operatively attached to the housing and the other end attached to the hub member so that relative rotation between the hub member and the housing is resisted by tension in the spring; and (f) a flexible cord having a first end attached to the reel and a second free end passed through the housing, said cord being adapted for being coiled about the reel so that when the cord is moved, the reel and hub member rotate about the axle relative to the housing, resisted by the tension in the spring.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 28 words
A toy as in claim 1 wherein the end of the spring that is operatively connected to the housing is connected to the free end of the axle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 39 words
A toy as in claim 1 wherein the hub member includes a bearing pin attached thereto, said bearing pin being coaxial with the axle and supported with respect to the housing by a bearing element attached to the housing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
A toy as in claim 1 wherein the housing includes a spherically shaped outer wall fabricated from two mating hemispherical elements.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 26 words
A toy as in claim 1 wherein the housing includes an outer wall having the shape of a right circular cylinder with two planer end walls.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 15 words
A toy as in claim 1 wherein said cord is an organic polymer monofilament line.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

GB362694A Cited
US1963001A Cited
DE914829C Cited
US3287846A Cited
US3362101A Cited
US3724121A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1986-12-05 1987-06-06 1987-12-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1990-12-05 1991-06-06 1991-12-06 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1994-12-05 1995-06-06 1995-12-06 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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