Water toy with bellows

Abstract

A squirting toy is comprised of a cylindrical housing and a bellows that compresses in response to an outside force in order to expel water therefrom. The ends of the squirting toy may provide buoyancy sufficient for the toy to float in water.

1 . A squirting toy, comprising:
 a bellows having a closed end and an opening end, the bellows capable of being compressed;   a squirting end attached to the opening end of the bellows and having an outlet aperture, the squirting end comprising:
 a tube longitudinally extending from the opening end of the bellows to the outlet aperture in the squirting end which provides fluid communication between the bellows and the outside environment; 
   wherein compression of the bellows causes air and/or fluid to be exhaled through the outlet aperture, and   wherein expansion of the bellows after compression causes air and/or fluid to be inhaled through the tube.   
     
     
         2 . The squirting toy of  claim 1  further comprising a handle attached to the bellows at the end opposite the bellows' open end, the handle comprising a gripping portion, wherein movement of the handle away from the squirting end causes the bellows to expand, and movement of the handle towards the squirting end causes the bellows to contract. 
     
     
         3 . The squirting toy of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the handle is covered by a foam shell which provides buoyancy and imparts a safe soft outer surface. 
     
     
         4 . The squirting toy of  claim 1 , wherein the bellows is made of ethylene-vinyl acetate and polypropylene. 
     
     
         5 . The squirting toy of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet aperture has an inside diameter of substantially 4 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The squirting toy of  claim 5 , wherein the tube has an inner diameter approximately equal to the inside diameter of the outlet aperture. 
     
     
         7 . The squirting toy of  claim 2 , further comprising a cover around the tube. 
     
     
         8 . The squirting toy of  claim 7 , at least a portion of the cover is covered by a foam shell which provides buoyancy and imparts a safe soft outer surface to the toy. 
     
     
         9 . The toy of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the bellows and the squirting end has a cylindrical-like shape. 
     
     
         10 . The toy of  claim 8 , the cylindrical-like shape has a cross-sectional shape that is at least one of round, polygonal, elliptical, oval, and some combination of shapes including generally polygonal with rounded sides. 
     
     
         11 . A squirting toy, comprising:
 a bellows having a closed end and an opening end, the bellows capable of being compressed;   a squirting end attached to the opening end of the bellows and having an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture, the squirting end comprising:
 a first tube extending axially from approximately the opening end of the bellows to the outlet aperture which provides fluid communication between the bellows and the outside environment; 
 a second tube extending axially from approximately the opening end of the bellows to the inlet aperture which provides fluid communication between the bellows chamber and the outside environment; 
 a securing element attached to the bellows chamber so as to form a substantially airtight seal, the securing element securing the first tube and the second tube; 
 a valve connected to the securing element; 
 a housing element surrounding the first tube, second tube, securing element and the valve, the first tube, the second tube, the securing element, and the valve are substantially enclosed in the housing unit; 
   wherein compression of the bellows causes the valve to be in a substantially closed position such that air and/or fluid is prevented from being exhaled through the second tube, and compression of the bellows causes air and/or fluid to be exhaled through the first tube, and   wherein expansion of the bellows causes the valve to be in a substantially open position and causes air and/or fluid to be inhaled through at least one of the first tube and second tube.   
     
     
         12 . The squirting toy of  claim 1  further comprising a handle attached to the bellows at the end opposite the bellows' open end, the handle comprising a gripping portion, wherein movement of the handle away from the squirting end causes the bellows to expand, and movement of the handle towards the squirting end causes the bellows to contract. 
     
     
         13 . The squirting toy of  claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the handle is covered by a foam shell which provides buoyancy and imparts a safe soft outer surface. 
     
     
         14 . The squirting toy of  claim 11 , wherein the bellows is made of ethylene-vinyl acetate and polypropylene. 
     
     
         15 . The squirting toy of  claim 11 , wherein the outlet aperture has an inside diameter of substantially 4 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The squirting toy of  claim 15 , wherein the first tube has an inner diameter approximately equal to the inside diameter of the outlet aperture. 
     
     
         17 . The squirting toy of  claim 11 , the housing element comprises a foam shell which provides buoyancy and imparts a safe soft outer surface to the toy. 
     
     
         18 . The toy of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the bellows and the squirting end has a cylindrical-like shape. 
     
     
         19 . The toy of  claim 18 , the cylindrical-like shape has a cross-sectional shape that is at least one of round, polygonal, elliptical, oval, and some combination of shapes including generally polygonal with rounded sides. 
     
     
         20 . The squirting toy of  claim 11 , wherein the inlet aperture has an inside diameter of substantially 5.75 mm. 
     
     
         21 . The squirting toy of  claim 20 , wherein the second tube has an inner diameter approximately equal to the inside diameter of the inlet aperture.