Smoke Emitting Toy

Abstract

A toy gun in the form of a breech loading rifle is provided which is capable of firing a projectile such as a dart as well as simultaneously or near simultaneously emitting smoke from the muzzle of a barrel of the gun after the dart has been discharged from the muzzle. The toy gun has first and second rechargeable air pumps. A first one of the air pumps automatically discharges stored air into a breech part of the barrel in order to propel a loaded projectile from the gun's barrel. A second one of the air pumps expels stored air through a flow restriction device which doubles up as a pressure switch for actuating a smoke generator located adjacent to the muzzle of the gun. The second air pump also provides a low flow rate of air through the smoke generator to expel smoke from the smoke generator. The second air pump expels stored air much more slowly than the first air pump. The first and second air pumps are simultaneously triggered to release stored air by user actuation of a trigger of the gun. The smoke generator has an outlet in gaseous communication with the muzzle portion of the barrel such that smoke emitted by the generator passes into the muzzle portion of the barrel prior to exhausting from the muzzle.

1 . A toy gun comprising:
 a barrel;   means for discharging a projectile from a muzzle of the barrel; and   a smoke generator arranged to emit smoke when the discharging means has been actuated to discharge a projectile from the muzzle.   
     
     
         2 . The toy gun of  claim 1 , wherein the smoke generator has an outlet in gaseous communication with a portion of the barrel such that smoke emitted by the smoke generator passes into the portion of the barrel. 
     
     
         3 . The toy gun of  claim 1 , wherein the smoke generator is arranged to be on for a predetermined period of time from a point in time when the discharging means is actuated, or from a point in time a short period of time after the discharging means is actuated. 
     
     
         4 . The toy gun of  claim 1 , wherein the means for discharging comprises a first gas storage device for discharging gas into a rear portion of the barrel to cause a projectile loaded in the barrel to be discharged at speed from the muzzle of the barrel. 
     
     
         5 . The toy gun of  claim 4 , wherein the smoke generator has a housing, the housing having an inlet and an outlet, and the toy gun further comprises;
 a second gas storage device having an outlet connected to the inlet of the housing;   means for automatically expelling some gas from the second gas storage device in response to a trigger event whereby at least some of said released gas is conveyed to the inlet of the housing, said released gas passing into the housing via the inlet and exiting the housing via the outlet, said gas exiting the housing carrying with it some smoke generated by the smoke generator.   
     
     
         6 . The toy gun of  claim 5 , wherein the first and/or second gas storage device is a manually rechargeable gas storage device and wherein the or each gas storage device comprises a pump and the or each pump comprises a cylinder housing a piston, the piston being adapted for movement within the cylinder to expel air from the cylinder through a pump outlet and wherein the or each pump is rechargeable with air by drawing the piston away from the pump outlet causing air to be drawn into the cylinder via a pump inlet. 
     
     
         7 . The toy gun of  claim 6 , wherein the or each pump is arranged such that, once the piston is withdrawn away from the outlet to a pumped charged position, a latching means holds the piston in its pump charged position against a biasing force of a biasing means whereupon, in response to a trigger event, the latching means releases the piston, which, under a force exerted by the biasing means, moves towards the pump outlet thereby expelling air stored in the cylinder through the pump outlet. 
     
     
         8 . The toy gun of  claim 7 , wherein the biasing means of the first gas storage device is adapted to exert a substantially larger biasing force than the biasing means of the second gas storage device. 
     
     
         9 . The toy gun of  claim 5 , wherein it further comprises a gas flow restriction device in a gas passageway connecting the outlet of the second gas storage device to the inlet of the smoke generator housing, whereby the gas flow restriction device controls the flow rate of released gas into the housing of the smoke generator. 
     
     
         10 . The toy gun of  claim 9 , wherein the gas flow restriction device has a moveable member arranged such that gas pressure exerted on said moveable member by released gas causes said member to move from a first position to a second position. 
     
     
         11 . A smoke emitting system for a toy, comprising:
 a smoke generator having a housing, the housing having an inlet and an outlet;   a gas storage device having an outlet connected to the inlet of the housing;   means for automatically expelling some gas from the gas storage device in response to a trigger event whereby at least some of said released gas is conveyed to the inlet of the housing, said released gas passing into the housing via the inlet and exiting the housing via the outlet, said gas exiting the housing carrying with it some smoke generated by the smoke generator.   
     
     
         12 . The smoke emitting system of  claim 11 , wherein the rechargeable gas storage device is a manually rechargeable gas storage device and wherein the gas storage device comprises a pump and the pump comprises a cylinder housing a piston, the piston being adapted for movement within the cylinder to expel air from the cylinder through a pump outlet and wherein the pump is rechargeable with air by drawing the piston away from the pump outlet causing air to be drawn into the cylinder via a pump inlet. 
     
     
         13 . The smoke emitting system of  claim 12 , wherein the pump is arranged such that, once the piston is withdrawn away from the outlet to a pumped charged position, a latching means holds the piston in its pump charged position against a biasing force of a biasing means whereupon, in response to a trigger event, the latching means releases the piston, which, under a force exerted by the biasing means, moves towards the pump outlet thereby expelling air stored in the cylinder through the pump outlet. 
     
     
         14 . The smoke emitting system of  claim 11 , wherein a same trigger event triggers automatic release of some gas from the gas storage device and automatically switches on the smoke generator to cause the smoke generator to start generating smoke. 
     
     
         15 . The smoke emitting system of  claim 11 , wherein it comprises a gas flow restriction device in a gas passageway connecting the outlet of the gas storage device to the inlet of the smoke generator housing, whereby the gas flow restriction device controls the flow rate of released gas into the housing of the smoke generator. 
     
     
         16 . A smoke generator for a toy, comprising:
 a housing;   a wick; and   a heating element arranged close to a portion of the wick within the housing such that when the heating element is actuated and becomes sufficiently hot it causes oil in the wick to smoke;   wherein the housing is adapted to receive a smoke oil container and another portion of the wick is positioned relative to the housing to enter the container to draw smoke oil therefrom by a wicking action and the housing has means for piercing a seal of the smoke oil container as said smoke oil container is being received at the housing.   
     
     
         17 . The smoke generator of  claim 16 , wherein the portion of the wick positioned to enter the smoke oil container when it is being received at the housing is enclosed by the piercing means. 
     
     
         18 . A gas flow restriction device for a toy, comprising:
 a housing having an inlet and an outlet, said housing defining a gas flow passageway between said inlet and said outlet; and   a moveable member arranged in the gas flow passageway such that pressure of gas entering the inlet exerted on said moveable member causes said member to move from a first position to a second position against the action of a biasing means which normally holds the moveable member in its first position.   
     
     
         19 . The gas flow restriction device of  claim 18 , wherein the moveable member includes a sealing member which slidingly engages an internal surface of the housing. 
     
     
         20 . The gas flow restriction device of  claim 18 , wherein a separate restrictor member is provided in the gas flow passageway to restrict gas flow through said passageway.