Battery operated water gun with electronic power meter

Abstract

A toy water gun with a housing and a water tank located thereon is provided. An electric pump located on the housing forces compressed air into the water tank to provide a motive force for releasing water under pressure from the water gun. The water tank includes an outlet connected via an avenue of release to a nozzle. A valve is located along the avenue of release and is connected to a trigger so that upon actuation of the trigger by a user, the valve is opened and water under pressure from within the tank travels through the avenue of release and the valve and exits the water gun through the nozzle.

1 . An air-pressurized water gun comprising: 
 a housing having a water tank mounted thereon;    an air pump mounted on the housing and in fluid communication with the tank;    a battery connected to the housing and in electrical communication with the pump;    actuation means for providing power from the battery to the pump such that compressed air is transferred from the pump into the tank; and    an avenue of release between the tank and a nozzle, with a selectively actuatable valve located along the avenue of release to allow the discharge of pressurized fluid from within the tank.    
     
     
         2 . The water gun of  claim 1 , further comprising a manually operable trigger attached to the housing that actuates the selectively actuatable valve.  
     
     
         3 . The water gun of  claim 2 , further comprising a linkage that connects the trigger to the selectively actuatable valve, wherein when the trigger is moved in a first direction, the trigger moves the linkage in a first trigger direction that opens the selectively actuatable valve.  
     
     
         4 . The water gun of  claim 3 , wherein when the trigger is moved in a second direction, the trigger moves the linkage in a second trigger direction that closes the manually actuatable valve.  
     
     
         5 . The water gun of  claim 1 , wherein the actuation means is a switch operated by a trigger attached to the housing.  
     
     
         6 . The water gun of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure sensor that measures pressure within the tank.  
     
     
         7 . The water gun of  claim 6 , wherein when the pressure within the tank reaches a predetermined level, the air pump is deactivated  
     
     
         8 . The water gun of  claim 6 , further comprising a pressure meter attached to the housing that indicates pressure within the tank.  
     
     
         9 . The water gun of  claim 8 , wherein the pressure meter indicates pressure within the tank using multi-colored light emitting diodes.  
     
     
         10 . The water gun of  claim 8 , wherein the pressure meter indicates pressure within the tank using multiple light emitting diodes wherein an increased number of lighted diodes indicate more pressure in the tank.  
     
     
         11 . The water gun of  claim 1 , further comprising a manually operated master switch having an on state that allows the pump to operate and an off state that prevents the pump from operating.  
     
     
         12 . The water gun of  claim 1 , further comprising a battery holder attached to the housing that holds the batteries, the battery holder being located below, and being wider than, a handle attached to the housing.  
     
     
         13 . An air pressurized water gun comprising: 
 a housing having a tank for containing a fluid mounted thereon; and    a pressure meter that indicates a relative pressure within the tank.    
     
     
         14 . The water gun of  claim 13 , wherein the pressure meter comprises multicolored light emitting diodes, and different combinations of colors indicate the relative pressure within the tank.  
     
     
         15 . The water gun of  claim 13 , wherein the pressure meter comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes wherein the number of light emitting diodes illuminated corresponds to the pressure within the tank.  
     
     
         16 . An air pressurized water gun comprising: 
 a tank attached to a housing, the tank having i) a first outlet in fluid communication with a first passage that is also in fluid communication with a nozzle; and ii) a second outlet in fluid communication with a second passage that is also in communication with a pump;    the pump being activatable by electricity from a battery contained within the housing, and when activated, the pump draws ambient air and pumps said air into the tank through the second passage; and    a valve in the second passage that is selectively openable to release fluid from the tank through the valve and through the nozzle.    
     
     
         17 . The water gun of  claim 16 , wherein the valve is opened when a trigger connected to the valve is moved.  
     
     
         18 . The water gun of  claim 16 , further comprising a pressure sensor that measures pressure within the tank.  
     
     
         19 . The water gun of  claim 18 , further comprising a pressure meter attached to the housing that indicates pressure within the tank.