Racket toy ball launcher

Abstract

A racket toy for launching a ball includes a handle and a rim connected to the handle. The rim defines a central opening. A drumhead material covers the central opening. An arm is connected to the rim and extends towards a center of the central opening. A ball holder cup is positioned on the arm and features a central aperture sized to receive and hold a projectile ball by friction in contact with a front side of the drumhead material. A launching ball attached to the rim by an elastic strap in proximity to a back side of the drumhead material so that said launching ball may be pulled away from the back side of the drumhead material so as place the elastic strap in tension. When the launching ball is released, it strikes the back side of the drumhead material which causes the front side of the drumhead material to launch the projectile ball positioned in the ball bolder cup. The drumhead material produces a sound when it is struck by the launching ball.

1 . A racket toy for launching a ball comprising:
 a) a handle;   b) a rim connected to the handle and defining a central opening;   c) a drumhead material covering the central opening;   d) an arm connected to the rim and extending towards a center of the central opening;   e) a ball holder cup positioned on said arm and featuring a central aperture sized to receive and adapted to hold a projectile ball in proximity to a front side of the drumhead material;   f) a launching ball attached to the rim by an elastic strap in proximity to a back side of the drumhead material so that said launching ball may be pulled away from the back side of the drumhead material so as place the elastic strap in tension so that when the launching ball is released, it strikes the back side of the drumhead material which causes the front side of the drumhead material to launch a projectile ball positioned in the ball holder cup.   
     
     
         2 . The racket toy of  claim 1  wherein the drumhead material produces a sound when it is struck by the launching ball. 
     
     
         3 . The racket toy of  claim 1  wherein the elastic strap includes a first elastic strap and a second elastic strap with distal ends of the first and second elastic straps attached to the launching ball and the proximal ends attached to the rim. 
     
     
         4 . The racket toly of  claim 1  wherein the elastic strap passes through a bore formed in the launching ball and has ends attached to the rim. 
     
     
         5 . The racket toy of  claim 1  wherein the arm includes a proximal end attached to the rim and a distal end attached to the ball holder cup. 
     
     
         6 . The racket toy of  claim 1  wherein the rim includes a front half and a back half with a circumferential edge of the drumhead material secured there between. 
     
     
         7 . The racket toy of  claim 6  wherein the handle and at least one of the front half or back half of the rim are molded as a single piece. 
     
     
         8 . The racket toy of  claim 6  wherein the handle, at least one of the front half or back half of the rim, the arm and the ball holder cup are molded as a single piece. 
     
     
         9 . The racket toy of  claim 1  wherein the handle includes a finger grip portion. 
     
     
         10 . The racket toy of  claim 1  wherein the drumhead material has a thickness in the range of 0.10″ to 0.25″. 
     
     
         11 . The racket toy of  claim 1  wherein the central aperture of the ball holder cup is adapted to hold a projectile ball by friction. 
     
     
         12 . The racket toy of  claim 11  wherein the central aperture features a “+” shape. 
     
     
         13 . The racket toy of  claim 1  wherein the launching ball has a diameter in the range of 1″ to 4″. 
     
     
         14 . The racket toy of  claim 1  further comprising a projectile ball removably positioned in the central aperture of the ball holder cup. 
     
     
         15 . The racket toy of  claim 14  wherein the projectile ball is constructed from foam. 
     
     
         16 . The racket toy of  claim 14  wherein the projectile ball has a diameter in the range of 1″ to 4″. 
     
     
         17 . The racket toy of  claim 1  wherein the ball holder cup is positioned so as to hold a projectile ball in contact with a front side of the drumhead material. 
     
     
         18 . The racket toy of  claim 1  wherein the ball holder cup is positioned so as to hold a projectile ball in close proximity to, but not in contact with, the front side of the drumhead material. 
     
     
         19 . The racket toy of  claim 1  wherein the drumhead material is transparent. 
     
     
         20 . A method of launching a projectile ball for play comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a racket toy with a handle and a head, the head including a ball holder cup on one side of a drumhead material and a launching ball attached to the head by an elastic strap on the other side of the drumhead material;   b) positioning the projectile ball in the ball holder cup;   c) pulling the launching ball away from the drumhead material so that the elastic strap is placed in tension; and   d) releasing the launching ball so that it travels towards and strikes the drumhead material so that the drumhead material launches the projectile ball from the ball holder cup and a sound is produced.