Buoyant Water-Inflatable Toy

Abstract

A buoyant, water-inflatable toy with a flexible main body with a hollow interior that is configured to be partially or fully filled with and contain water, wherein the buoyancy of the toy is based in part on the amount of water held in the body interior, a top portion comprising a buoyant material that is less dense than water, and a bottom portion comprising a dense material that is denser than water.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A buoyant, water-inflatable toy, comprising:
 a flexible main body with a hollow interior that is configured to be partially or fully filled with and contain water, wherein the buoyancy of the toy is based in part on the amount of water held in the body interior;   a top portion comprising a buoyant material that is less dense than water; and   a bottom portion comprising a dense material that is denser than water.   
     
     
         2 . The toy of  claim 1  in the shape of an article that is found in the water selected from the group consisting of a fish, a boat, and an amphibious animal. 
     
     
         3 . The toy of  claim 1  wherein the top portion is separated from the main body by a water-tight seam. 
     
     
         4 . The toy of  claim 1  wherein the top portion comprises a top hollow chamber that is directly adjacent to the main body. 
     
     
         5 . The toy of  claim 4  wherein the top hollow chamber is partially or fully filled with the buoyant material. 
     
     
         6 . The toy of  claim 5  wherein the buoyant material comprises an expanded polymer foam material. 
     
     
         7 . The toy of  claim 1  wherein the bottom portion is separated from the main body by a water-tight seam. 
     
     
         8 . The toy of  claim 1  wherein the bottom portion comprises a bottom hollow chamber that is directly adjacent to the main body. 
     
     
         9 . The toy of  claim 8  wherein the bottom hollow chamber is partially or fully filled with the dense material. 
     
     
         10 . The toy of  claim 9  wherein the dense material is metal or sand. 
     
     
         11 . The toy of  claim 1  wherein the main body further comprises a valve through which water can be added to the hollow interior. 
     
     
         12 . The toy of  claim 11  wherein the valve comprises an outer hinged plug that is configured to seat on and seal to a ring on the outside of the body. 
     
     
         13 . A buoyant, water-inflatable toy, comprising:
 a flexible main body with a hollow interior that is configured to be partially or fully filled with and contain water, wherein the buoyancy of the toy is based in part on the amount of water held in the body interior;   a top portion that is separated from the main body only by a water-tight seam and comprises a top hollow chamber that is at least partially filled with a buoyant material that is less dense than water; and   a bottom portion that is separated from the main body only by a water-tight seam and comprises a bottom hollow chamber that is at least partially filled with a dense material that is denser than water.   
     
     
         14 . The toy of  claim 13  in the shape of a fish with a top fin at the top of the main body and a bottom fin at the bottom of the main body, wherein the top hollow chamber is ion the top fin and the bottom hollow chamber is in the bottom fin. 
     
     
         15 . The toy of  claim 14  wherein the buoyant material comprises an expanded polymer foam material. 
     
     
         16 . The toy of  claim 15  wherein the dense material comprises at least one of metal and sand.