Toy Water Gun with External Reservoir Having a Gauge

Abstract

An auxiliary reservoir for use with a water toy includes an auxiliary reservoir housed separately from the water toy and arranged to hold an auxiliary supply of water, a gauge conduit in flow communication with the auxiliary reservoir, a float disposed in the gauge conduit and visible through at least a portion of the gauge conduit, the float arranged to shift within the gauge conduit in response to changes in the auxiliary supply of water in the auxiliary reservoir, and a supply conduit in flow communication with the auxiliary reservoir and arranged for flow communication with the water toy.

1 . A toy water gun system comprising: 
 a water gun having a primary reservoir, an outlet nozzle in flow communication with the primary reservoir, and an actuating trigger, the primary toy water gun adapted to discharge an output stream of water through the outlet nozzle in response to actuation of the trigger;    an auxiliary reservoir separate from the water gun and arranged to hold an auxiliary supply of water;    a gauge conduit in flow communication with the auxiliary reservoir;    a float disposed in the gauge conduit and visible through at least a portion of the gauge conduit, the float arranged to shift within the gauge conduit in response to changes in the auxiliary supply of water in the auxiliary reservoir; and    a supply conduit operatively coupling the auxiliary reservoir and the primary reservoir.    
     
     
         2 . The toy water gun system of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary reservoir includes an upper portion and a lower portion, and wherein the gauge conduit is in flow communication with the upper portion and the lower portion.  
     
     
         3 . The toy water gun system of  claim 1 , wherein the gauge conduit includes at least one screen, the screen positioned in the gauge conduit to maintain the float within the gauge conduit.  
     
     
         4 . The toy water gun system of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the gauge conduit is translucent.  
     
     
         5 . The toy water gun system of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the gauge conduit is transparent.  
     
     
         6 . The toy water gun system of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary reservoir is carried by a backpack.  
     
     
         7 . The toy water gun system of  claim 6 , wherein the auxiliary reservoir comprises a flexible bladder disposed within a pouch in the backpack.  
     
     
         8 . The toy water gun system of  claim 1 , wherein the float comprises a ball sized for insertion in the gauge conduit.  
     
     
         9 . The toy water gun system of  claim 1 , wherein the gauge conduit is in flow communication with an upper portion and a lower portion of the auxiliary reservoir, and including an upper screen and a lower screen, each of the screens arranged to prevent the float from passing into the auxiliary reservoir.  
     
     
         10 . An auxiliary reservoir for use with a water toy, the auxiliary reservoir comprising: 
 an auxiliary reservoir housed separately from the water toy and arranged to hold an auxiliary supply of water;    a gauge conduit in flow communication with the auxiliary reservoir;    a float disposed in the gauge conduit and visible through at least a portion of the gauge conduit, the float arranged to shift within the gauge conduit in response to changes in the auxiliary supply of water in the auxiliary reservoir; and    a supply conduit in flow communication with the auxiliary reservoir and arranged for flow communication with the water toy.    
     
     
         11 . The auxiliary reservoir of  claim 10 , wherein the auxiliary reservoir includes an upper portion and a lower portion, and wherein the gauge conduit is in flow communication with the upper portion and the lower portion.  
     
     
         12 . The auxiliary reservoir of  claim 10 , wherein the gauge conduit includes at least one screen, the screen positioned in the gauge conduit to maintain the float within the gauge conduit.  
     
     
         13 . The auxiliary reservoir of  claim 10 , wherein the portion of the gauge conduit is at least one of translucent and transparent.  
     
     
         14 . The auxiliary reservoir of  claim 10 , wherein the auxiliary reservoir is carried by a backpack.  
     
     
         15 . The auxiliary reservoir of  claim 14 , wherein the auxiliary reservoir comprises a flexible bladder disposed within a pouch in the backpack.  
     
     
         16 . The auxiliary reservoir of  claim 10 , wherein the float comprises a ball sized for insertion in the gauge conduit.  
     
     
         17 . The toy water gun system of  claim 10 , wherein the gauge conduit is in flow communication with an upper portion and a lower portion of the auxiliary reservoir, and including an upper screen and a lower screen, each of the screens arranged to prevent the float from passing into the auxiliary reservoir.  
     
     
         18 . An auxiliary reservoir for use with a water toy, the auxiliary reservoir comprising: 
 an auxiliary reservoir housed in a backpack and separated from the water toy, the auxiliary reservoir arranged to hold an auxiliary supply of water;    a gauge conduit in flow communication with the auxiliary reservoir and arranged to receive a quantity of water, the gauge conduit arranged such that at least a portion of the quantity of water in the gauge conduit is visible to a user, the gauge conduit further arranged to permit movement of the quantity of water in response to changes in the auxiliary supply of water in the auxiliary reservoir; and    a supply conduit arranged to operatively couple the auxiliary reservoir and the water toy.    
     
     
         19 . The auxiliary reservoir of  claim 18 , wherein a portion of the gauge conduit is constructed of clear plastic tubing.  
     
     
         20 . The auxiliary reservoir of  claim 18 , wherein the auxiliary reservoir comprises a flexible bladder disposed within a pouch in the backpack, and including an upper screen and a lower screen, and including a float disposed in the gauge conduit, each of the screens arranged to prevent the float from passing into the auxiliary reservoir.