Aerial toy

Abstract

An aerial toy includes a body and a wing. The body has a spine mated with a frontal portion. An upper edge of the spine is planar in a single plane at least in the vicinity where the spine mates with the frontal portion. The frontal portion is enlarged relative to the spine. The frontal portion has a top surface that is aligned with the plane of the spine. The wing extends downwardly from and is coupled to the spine adjacent the frontal portion, but is not coupled to the frontal portion. An aerial toy system includes a launching tool.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aerial toy comprising:
 a body that includes a spine mated with a frontal portion, with an upper edge of the spine being planar in a single plane in at least the vicinity where the spine mates with the frontal portion;   with the frontal portion being enlarged relative to the shape of the spine, with the frontal portion having a top surface that is aligned with the plane of the spine;   a wing coupled to the spine and extending downwardly therefrom, the wing be coupled to the spine adjacent the frontal portion, but not coupled to the frontal portion.   
     
     
         2 . The aerial toy of  claim 1 , wherein the plane of the spine and the frontal portion is the same along the entire top surface of the spine and frontal portion;
 or the plane of the spine and the front portion is the same in the vicinity of where the top surface of the spine and frontal portion mate, but the spine bends downwardly towards the rear of the spine such that it is no longer in the plane of the spine and frontal portion.   
     
     
         3 . The aerial toy of  claim 1 , wherein the body is made of a polyurethane foam material. 
     
     
         4 . The aerial toy of  claim 1 , wherein the wing has a thickness that is thinner than the spine and the frontal portion and the wing, spine and frontal portion are integrally molded. 
     
     
         5 . The aerial toy of  claim 1 , wherein the wing is formed separately from the body and the body includes a left side and a right side, and the wing is trapped between the left and right sides of the body and further including an adhesive positioned between the left and right sides of the body and the wing. 
     
     
         6 . The aerial toy of  claim 1 , wherein the frontal portion includes a notch, said notch facing rearwardly towards the wing, with the notch being a recessed formed in a surface of the frontal portion. 
     
     
         7 . The aerial toy of  claim 5 , wherein a space is provided below the spine, behind the frontal portion and in front of the wing for engaging with an elastic band for use in launching the aerial toy. 
     
     
         8 . The aerial toy of  claim 1 , wherein the body is formed of a material that maintains its shape during flight and play, but is flexible, and the wing is flexible and easily bendable. 
     
     
         9 . An aerial toy comprising:
 a spine made of a substantially rigid but bendable foam material;   a head portion coupled to the spine and made of a substantially rigid foam material;   a wing coupled to the spine and extending downwardly therefrom, the wing being made of a flexible material;   a notch formed in the head portion adjacent the wing and spine;   wherein the spine is coupled to the head portion, and the spine and head portion together form an upper planar continuous surface where the spine and head portion meet.   
     
     
         10 . The aerial toy of  claim 9 , wherein the head portion has a thickness and the spine has a thickness, and the thickness of the head portion is greater than the thickness of the spine. 
     
     
         11 . The aerial toy of  claim 9 , wherein the spine has varying thickness between a front end and a rear end of the spine; or
 the spine has a greater thickness adjacent the head portion than at a rear end of the spine; or   the spine has a thickness that varies in steps from a greater thickness at the head portion to a smaller thickness at the rear end of the spine; or   the spine has a constant thickness along its length.   
     
     
         12 . The aerial toy of  claim 10 , wherein the wing has a length that is one of shorter than or longer than the spine; and
 the wing has a height that is one of taller than or shorter than the head portion;   
     
     
         13 . An aerial toy system comprising:
 the aerial toy of  claim 1 ; and   a launching tool, with the launching tool including an elastic band attached thereto for engaging with the aerial toy and for launching the aerial toy when the elastic band is stretched and released, said launching tool including a handle.   
     
     
         14 . The aerial toy system of  claim 13 , wherein the elastic band of the launching tool is coupled to the tool so as to provide a slingshot. 
     
     
         15 . The aerial toy system of  claim 13 , wherein the launching tool includes an open net portion that is sized to permit the entry of at least part of the aerial toy therein in order to trap the aerial toy in the net during play. 
     
     
         16 . The aerial toy system of  claim 13 , wherein the launching tool includes a frame having a substantially Y-shaped or U-shaped upper portion, with the elastic band coupled between legs of the Y or U-shape, and an opening defined in the frame below the Y or U-shape, with a net coupled to the opening to define a recess for receiving at least part of the aerial toy through the opening during play. 
     
     
         17 . The aerial toy system of  claim 16 , wherein the frame further comprises at least one storage element on the frame of the launching tool, with the storage element being configured for attaching aerial toys to the launching tool for storage. 
     
     
         18 . The aerial toy system of  claim 17 , wherein the storage element is a substantially upwardly opening notch positioned on an edge of the upper portion of the frame for holding the aerial toy in the notch. 
     
     
         19 . The aerial toy system of  claim 13 , wherein the launching tool is a stick-shaped member having an elastic loop coupled to one end thereof, with an opposite end serving as a handle and being grippable by a user.