Illuminated toy projectile

Abstract

A toy projectile for firing from a toy gun includes a body, a battery located within the body, a light emitter and a sensor adapted to trigger a provision of electrical energy from the battery to the light emitter upon firing from the toy gun.

1 . A toy projectile comprising:
 a body;   a battery located within the body;   a light emitter; and   a sensor adapted to trigger a provision of electrical energy from the battery to the light emitter upon acceleration of the projectile.   
     
     
         2 . The projectile of  claim 1 , wherein the body is light-transmissive and wherein the light emitter is located internally of the body and illuminates the body internally. 
     
     
         3 . The projectile of  claim 2 , wherein the body is of soft tubular form having a hollow cavity within which the light emitter is located. 
     
     
         4 . The projectile of  claim 1 , wherein the body is soft and has a hollow cavity, and further comprising a battery compartment located within the hollow cavity and housing the battery. 
     
     
         5 . The projectile of  claim 4 , wherein the battery compartment comprises a PCB upon which the light emitter is mounted. 
     
     
         6 . The projectile of  claim 5 , wherein the PCB comprises positive and negative electrical connections each connected to a respective pole of the battery to form a circuit therewith. 
     
     
         7 . The projectile of  claim 6 , wherein the battery compartment further comprises a contact terminal connecting one pole of the battery to one of the electrical connections of the PCB via a wire or other electrical conduit, and an electrically conductive spring connecting the other pole of the battery to the other electrical connection of the PCB. 
     
     
         8 . The projectile of  claim 7 , wherein said sensor adaptation is provided in that the battery moves under its own inertia within the battery compartment against the spring with which it maintains contact and in that the contact terminal momentarily disengages from said one pole of the battery to momentarily open said circuit. 
     
     
         9 . The projectile of  claim 8 , wherein the PCB comprises timing circuitry to provide power to the light emitter for a finite duration and wherein said duration commences upon closing of said momentarily open circuit. 
     
     
         10 . The projectile of  claim 7 , wherein the PCB comprises timing circuitry to provide power to the light emitter for a finite duration and wherein said sensor adaptation is provided in that the battery moves within the battery compartment under its own inertia against the spring and in that the PCB further comprises a contact pin with which the battery momentarily engages to initiate said provision of power. 
     
     
         11 . The projectile of  claim 10 , wherein the contact terminal is spring biased against said one pole of the battery so as not to electrically disengage therefrom. 
     
     
         12 . The projectile of  claim 1 , further comprising an electrically conductive spring engaging the battery for conducting current from the battery to the light emitter, and further comprising a contact terminal for completing a circuit between the battery and the light emitter, and wherein said sensor adaptation is provided in that the battery moves in use under its own inertia against the spring with which it maintains electrical contact and in that the contact terminal engages with and disengages from the battery to make and break said circuit. 
     
     
         13 . The projectile of  claim 1 , further comprising a timing circuit, and an electrically conductive spring engaging the battery for conducting current from the battery to the light emitter for a duration set by the timing circuit, the projectile further comprising a contact terminal, and wherein said sensor adaptation is provided in that the battery moves in use under its own inertia against the spring with which it maintains electrical contact and in that the contact terminal engages with and disengages from the battery to trigger the timing circuit. 
     
     
         14 . A toy projectile for firing from a toy gun, comprising:
 a body;   a battery located within the body;   a light emitter; and   a sensor adapted to cooperate with the toy gun to trigger a provision of electrical energy from the battery to the light emitter upon firing from the toy gun.   
     
     
         15 . The projectile of  claim 14 , wherein the body is light-transmissive and wherein the light emitter is located internally of the body and illuminates the body internally. 
     
     
         16 . The projectile of  claim 15 , wherein the body is of soft tubular form having a hollow cavity within which the light emitter is located. 
     
     
         17 . The projectile of  claim 14 , wherein the body is soft and has a hollow cavity, and further comprising a battery compartment located within the hollow cavity and housing the battery. 
     
     
         18 . The projectile of  claim 17 , wherein the battery compartment comprises a PCB upon which the light emitter is mounted. 
     
     
         19 . The projectile of  claim 18 , wherein the PCB comprises positive and negative electrical connections each connected to a respective pole of the battery to form a circuit therewith. 
     
     
         20 . The projectile of  claim 19 , wherein the battery compartment further comprises a contact terminal connecting one pole of the battery to one of the electrical connections of the PCB via a wire or other electrical conduit, and an electrically conductive spring connecting the other pole of the battery to the other electrical connection of the PCB. 
     
     
         21 . The projectile of  claim 20 , wherein said sensor adaptation is provided in that the battery moves under its own inertia within the battery compartment against the spring with which it maintains contact and in that the contact terminal momentarily disengages from said one pole of the battery to momentarily open said circuit. 
     
     
         22 . The projectile of  claim 21 , wherein the PCB comprises timing circuitry to provide power to the light emitter for a finite duration and wherein said duration commences upon closing of said momentarily open circuit. 
     
     
         23 . The projectile of  claim 20 , wherein the PCB comprises timing circuitry to provide power to the light emitter for a finite duration and wherein said sensor adaptation is provided in that the battery moves within the battery compartment under its own inertia against the spring and in that the PCB further comprises a contact pin with which the battery momentarily engages to initiate said provision of power. 
     
     
         24 . The projectile of  claim 23 , wherein the contact terminal is spring biased against said one pole of the battery so as not to electrically disengage therefrom. 
     
     
         25 . The projectile of  claim 14 , further comprising an electrically conductive spring engaging the battery for conducting current from the battery to the light emitter, and further comprising a contact terminal for completing a circuit between the battery and the light emitter, and wherein said sensor adaptation is provided in that the battery moves in use under its own inertia against the spring with which it maintains electrical contact and in that the contact terminal engages with and disengages from the battery to make and break said circuit. 
     
     
         26 . The projectile of  claim 14 , further comprising a timing circuit, and an electrically conductive spring engaging the battery for conducting current from the battery to the light emitter for a duration set by the timing circuit, the projectile further comprising a contact terminal, and wherein said sensor adaptation is provided in that the battery moves in use under its own inertia against the spring with which it maintains electrical contact and in that the contact terminal engages with and disengages from the battery to trigger the timing circuit. 
     
     
         27 . The projectile of  claim 14 , wherein the sensor comprises a mechanical switch that bears against a part of the toy gun when the projectile is loaded in the toy gun. 
     
     
         28 . The projectile of  claim 27 , wherein the mechanical switch comprises a push-OFF microswitch adapted to release to an ON position upon disengagement from said part. 
     
     
         29 . In combination with the projectile of  claim 27 , a toy gun comprising said part engaging with said mechanical switch. 
     
     
         30 . The combination of  claim 29 , wherein said part comprises an air nozzle extending into the projectile. 
     
     
         31 . The projectile of  claim 14 , wherein the sensor comprises an air pressure switch configured to receive an air blast from the toy gun. 
     
     
         32 . In combination with the projectile of  claim 31 , a toy gun comprising said part and in which said part comprises an air nozzle extending into the projectile adjacent to the air pressure switch. 
     
     
         33 . The projectile of  claim 14 , wherein the sensor comprises a magnetic switch which passes through a magnetic field provided by the toy gun. 
     
     
         34 . In combination with the projectile of  claim 33 , a toy gun comprising a magnet creating a magnetic field through which the projectile must pass when fired from the toy gun.