Flying disc having dynamically changing properties

Abstract

The inventions are intended for the design, production and use of flying discs used in popular sports such as Ultimate and Disc Golf, incorporating a new set of mechanisms within the discs that provides a whole new range of capabilities, in particular, the ability to implement dynamic changes to the disc's flight characteristics throughout the course of its flight. These new mechanisms, and the resulting set of new effects they provide, are intended to be introduced into new flying disc designs, and also incorporated into existing designs to complement and enhance their performance.

1 . A flying disc assembly comprising:
 a central plate defining a top surface, a bottom surface, a center and a plate periphery;   an outer rim extending along said plate periphery away from said top surface; and   a mass disposed adjacent to said bottom surface, wherein at least a portion of said mass moves outwardly toward said plate periphery when said flying disc assembly spins about said center to enact dynamic changes to flight characteristics of said flying disc assembly as it spins and is flown.   
   
   
       2 . The invention in  claim 1 , including a fluid filled diaphragm disposed adjacent to said central plate having elastic properties, herein know as the “central reservoir”, wherein fluid inside said fluid filled diaphragm is the substance of said mass. 
   
   
       3 . The invention in  claim 2 , further containing near or within said outer rim, a distal fluid filled reservoir having elastic properties. 
   
   
       4 . The invention in  claim 3  further containing a set of portals and tubes that enable the transfer of fluid between the central and distal reservoirs, such that spinning the flying disc assembly around its center generates centrifugal forces that propel some of the fluid from the central reservoir toward the plate periphery of the flying disc assembly, and into the distal fluid filled reservoir, wherein the amount of centrifugal force generated is proportional to the rate of axial spin, thus, the faster the spin; the more fluid is shifted from the central fluid filled reservoir to the distal fluid filled reservoir and as the rate of spin for the flying disc assembly slows down, the elastic property of the distal fluid filled reservoir returns the displaced fluid back into the central reservoir. 
   
   
       5 . A flying disc assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said mass includes a plurality of mass portions each movable independently of the others. 
   
   
       6 . A flying disc assembly as set forth in  claim 5  including a central hollow cylinder directing the movement of each of said plurality of mass portions. 
   
   
       7 . A flying disc assembly as set forth in  claim 6  wherein each of said plurality of mass portions includes solid masses. 
   
   
       8 . A flying disc assembly as set forth in  claim 7  including a plurality of springs forcing each of said plurality of mass portions toward a center of said central plate. 
   
   
       9 . A flying disc assembly as set forth in  claim 8  including end stops fixedly secured to said bottom side of said central plate against which each of said plurality of springs applies a force to each of the plurality of mass portions such that said plurality of mass portions tend toward the center of the central plate when said plurality of springs overcome centrifugal force created during flight of said flying disc assembly. 
   
   
       10 . A flying disc assembly comprising:
 a central plate defining a top surface, a bottom surface, a center and a plate periphery;   a slot fixedly secured to said bottom surface extending down away therefrom;   an outer rim extending along said plate periphery away from said top surface; and   a plurality of masses each removably securable to said central plate within said slot, wherein each of said plurality of masses defines a different characteristic such that each of said plurality of masses may be used with said flying disc assembly independently of the other of said plurality of masses whereby selection of which of said plurality of masses to secure to said central plate is based on a defined flight characteristic of the particular one of the plurality of masses chosen.   
   
   
       11 . A flying disc assembly as set forth in  claim 10  wherein each of said plurality of masses is cigar-shaped. 
   
   
       12 . A flying disc assembly as set forth in  claim 11  wherein each of said plurality of masses includes an elastic end. 
   
   
       13 . A method of controlling a flight of a flying disc assembly having a central plate spun about its center and a mass movable in relation to the central plate, the method comprising the steps of:
 throwing the flying disc assembly into the air in a manner that imparts spin thereon about its center;   moving a portion of the mass with respect to the central plate to alter the characteristics of the flight of the flying disc assembly during the flight; and   returning the portion of the mass that was moved back toward its original position as the flight ends.   
   
   
       14 . A method as set forth in  claim 13  wherein the step of moving the portion of mass changes a distribution of weight with respect to the center of the central plate. 
   
   
       15 . A method as set forth in  claim 14  wherein the step of moving the portion of mass includes the step of changing rotational inertia of the flying disc assembly. 
   
   
       16 . A method as set forth in  claim 13  wherein the step of moving the portion of mass includes changing the shape of the mass. 
   
   
       17 . A method as set forth in  claim 13  wherein the step of returning the portion of mass back toward its original position includes the step of changes a distribution of weight with respect to the center of the central plate. 
   
   
       18 . A method as set forth in  claim 14  wherein the step of returning the portion of mass back toward its original position includes the step of changing rotational inertia of the flying disc assembly. 
   
   
       19 . A method as set forth in  claim 13  wherein the step of returning the portion of mass back toward its original position includes the step of changing the shape of the mass.