Paper Airplane Launcher Toy

Abstract

The present invention relates to a toy which holds and launches multiple paper airplanes. It utilizes a user input device, such as a trigger or button, to initiate firing. On initiation one or more paper airplanes are advanced into a spinning wheel, which is powered by an electric motor, that accelerates the paper airplanes out of the toy. Upon leaving the toy, the paper airplanes fly through the air to their target.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A paper airplane launcher toy comprising:
 a channel,   a user input device,   a pushing mechanism,   a wheel, and   an electric motor,   wherein:
 a) the channel holds a plurality of stacked paper airplanes; 
 b) the user input device actuates the pushing mechanism; 
 c) the pushing mechanism synchronously or asynchronously moves the plurality of paper airplanes into contact with the wheel; 
 d) the wheel is driven by the electric motor; and 
 e) the wheel accelerates paper airplanes fed by the pushing mechanism out of the launcher. 
   
     
     
         2 . The paper airplane launcher toy of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a guide fin, 
 wherein:
 a) the guide fin penetrates the lengthwise crevice on the top surface of paper airplanes; and 
 b) the guide fin maintains crosswise stability during the pushing mechanism's movement of paper airplanes to the wheel. 
 
 
     
     
         3 . The paper airplane launcher toy of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a rate-limiting structure, 
 wherein:
 a) the rate-limiting structure physically blocks a proper subset of paper airplanes being synchronously moved by the pushing mechanism; 
 b) the remaining paper airplanes being synchronously moved by the pushing mechanism:
 i. are not blocked, 
 ii. are moved into contact with the wheel by the pushing mechanism, and 
 iii. are accelerated out of the launcher by the wheel. 
 
 
 
     
     
         4 . The paper airplane launcher toy of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a guide fin, and 
 a rate-limiting structure, 
 wherein:
 a) the guide fin penetrates the lengthwise crevice on the top surface of paper airplanes; and 
 b) the guide fin maintains crosswise stability during the pushing mechanism's movement of paper airplanes to the wheel. 
 c) the rate-limiting structure physically blocks a proper subset of paper airplanes being synchronously moved by the pushing mechanism; 
 d) the remaining paper airplanes being synchronously moved by the pushing mechanism:
 i. are not blocked, 
 ii. are moved into contact with the wheel by the pushing mechanism, and 
 iii. are accelerated out of the launcher by the wheel. 
 
 
 
     
     
         5 . The paper airplane launcher toy of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a detection sensor, 
 wherein:
 a) the detection sensor is toggled by the presence or absence of paper airplanes; and 
 b) a state of paper airplane absence interpreted by the sensor interrupts or prevents:
 i. the user input device's actuation of the pushing mechanism 
 ii. the pushing mechanism's movement of paper airplanes into contact with the wheel, and/or 
 iii. the wheel's acceleration of paper airplanes out of the launcher. 
 
 
 
     
     
         6 . The paper airplane launcher toy of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a detection sensor, 
 wherein:
 a) the detection sensor is toggled by the presence or absence of paper airplanes; and 
 b) a state of paper airplane absence interpreted by the sensor interrupts or prevents:
 i. the user input device's actuation of the pushing mechanism 
 ii. the pushing mechanism's movement of paper airplanes into contact with the wheel, and/or 
 iii. the wheel's acceleration of paper airplanes out of the launcher. 
 
 
 
     
     
         7 . The paper airplane launcher toy of  claim 3  further comprising:
 a detection sensor, 
 wherein:
 a) the detection sensor is toggled by the presence or absence of paper airplanes; and 
 b) a state of paper airplane absence interpreted by the sensor interrupts or prevents:
 i. the user input device's actuation of the pushing mechanism 
 ii. the pushing mechanism's movement of paper airplanes into contact with the wheel, and/or 
 iii. the wheel's acceleration of paper airplanes out of the launcher. 
 
 
 
     
     
         8 . The paper airplane launcher toy of  claim 4  further comprising:
 a detection sensor, 
 wherein:
 a) the detection sensor is toggled by the presence or absence of paper airplanes; and 
 b) a state of paper airplane absence interpreted by the sensor interrupts or prevents:
 i. the user input device's actuation of the pushing mechanism 
 ii. the pushing mechanism's movement of paper airplanes into contact with the wheel, and/or 
 iii. the wheel's acceleration of paper airplanes out of the launcher. 
 
 
 
     
     
         9 . The paper airplane launcher toy of  claim 5  further comprising:
 a feed-blocking structure, 
 wherein:
 a) the feed-blocking structure physically blocks all paper airplanes being moved by the pushing mechanism; 
 b) the feed-blocking structure is retracted, such that it will not physically block all paper airplanes being moved by the pushing mechanism, if the detection sensor interprets a state of paper airplane presence. 
 
 
     
     
         10 . The paper airplane launcher toy of  claim 6  further comprising:
 a feed-blocking structure, 
 wherein:
 a) the feed-blocking structure physically blocks all paper airplanes being moved by the pushing mechanism; 
 b) the feed-blocking structure is retracted, such that it will not physically block all paper airplanes being moved by the pushing mechanism, if the detection sensor interprets a state of paper airplane presence. 
 
 
     
     
         11 . The paper airplane launcher toy of  claim 7  further comprising:
 a feed-blocking structure, 
 wherein:
 a) the feed-blocking structure physically blocks all paper airplanes being moved by the pushing mechanism; 
 b) the feed-blocking structure is retracted, such that it will not physically block all paper airplanes being moved by the pushing mechanism, if the detection sensor interprets a state of paper airplane presence. 
 
 
     
     
         12 . The paper airplane launcher toy of  claim 8  further comprising:
 a feed-blocking structure, 
 wherein:
 a) the feed-blocking structure physically blocks all paper airplanes being moved by the pushing mechanism; 
 b) the feed-blocking structure is retracted, such that it will not physically block all paper airplanes being moved by the pushing mechanism, if the detection sensor interprets a state of paper airplane presence. 
 
 
     
     
         13 . The paper airplane launcher toy of  claim 5  wherein:
 a) the detection sensor is a depressable detector switch; and 
 b) the detector switch is depressed by the wing or base surface of paper airplanes loaded in the channel or being moved by the pushing mechanism. 
 
     
     
         14 . The paper airplane launcher toy of  claim 6  wherein:
 a) the detection sensor is a depressable detector switch; and 
 b) the detector switch is depressed by the wing or base surface of paper airplanes loaded in the channel or being moved by the pushing mechanism. 
 
     
     
         15 . The paper airplane launcher toy of  claim 7  wherein:
 a) the detection sensor is a depressable detector switch; and 
 b) the detector switch is depressed by the wing or base surface of paper airplanes loaded in the channel or being moved by the pushing mechanism. 
 
     
     
         16 . The paper airplane launcher toy of  claim 8  wherein:
 a) the detection sensor is a depressable detector switch; and 
 b) the detector switch is depressed by the wing or base surface of paper airplanes loaded in the channel or being moved by the pushing mechanism. 
 
     
     
         17 . The paper airplane launcher toy of  claim 13  further comprising:
 an elastic containment structure, 
 wherein:
 a) the elastic containment structure applies pressure against the opposite side of the paper airplane surface which depresses the detector switch; and 
 b) the elastic containment structure includes a cavity for the detector switch such that the detector switch is exclusively depressed by objects between the elastic containment structure and the detector switch and not the elastic containment structure itself. 
 
 
     
     
         18 . The paper airplane launcher toy of  claim 14  further comprising:
 an elastic containment structure, 
 wherein:
 a) the elastic containment structure applies pressure against the opposite side of the paper airplane surface which depresses the detector switch; and 
 b) the elastic containment structure includes a cavity for the detector switch such that the detector switch is exclusively depressed by objects between the elastic containment structure and the detector switch and not the elastic containment structure itself. 
 
 
     
     
         19 . The paper airplane launcher toy of  claim 15  further comprising:
 an elastic containment structure, 
 wherein:
 a) the elastic containment structure applies pressure against the opposite side of the paper airplane surface which depresses the detector switch; and 
 b) the elastic containment structure includes a cavity for the detector switch such that the detector switch is exclusively depressed by objects between the elastic containment structure and the detector switch and not the elastic containment structure itself. 
 
 
     
     
         20 . The paper airplane launcher toy of  claim 16  further comprising:
 an elastic containment structure, 
 wherein:
 a) the elastic containment structure applies pressure against the opposite side of the paper airplane surface which depresses the detector switch; and 
 b) the elastic containment structure includes a cavity for the detector switch such that the detector switch is exclusively depressed by objects between the elastic containment structure and the detector switch and not the elastic containment structure itself.