Article and method using pressurized air to provide motive power for toys

Abstract

An article comprises a body, wherein a portion of the body is hollow. A pressurized gas is disposed within the hollow portion of the body. The hollow portion of the body has at least one opening defined therein. The opening is adapted to enable the pressurized gas to escape from the hollow portion of the body, such that the escaping gas provides energy to an associated object operatively associated with the body. The article and method of pressurizing hollow toys may provide a plurality of objects that are interchangeably and operatively associated with the body of the article.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An article, comprising: 
 a body, a portion of said body being hollow;    a pressurized gas disposed within said hollow portion of said body, said hollow portion having at least one opening defined in said hollow portion of said body, said opening adapted to enable said pressurized gas to escape from said hollow portion of said body, such that pressurized gas escaping from said hollow portion of said body provides energy to an associated object operatively associated with said body.    
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein said article is a toy.  
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressurizing mechanism operatively connected to said body.  
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 3 , wherein said pressurizing mechanism is a fan.  
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein said hollow portion of said body has an aperture disposed therein, said aperture being adapted to allow pressurized gas to escape from said hollow portion of said body.  
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 5 , wherein said aperture is adapted to allow for said pressurized gas to escape from said hollow portion of said body.  
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1 , further comprising a sealing mechanism for sealing said opening defined in said hollow portion of said body.  
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 7 , wherein said sealing mechanism is a sliding cover in pivotal association with said body, said sliding cover adapted to pivot over a part of said opening.  
     
     
         9 . A pressurized toy, comprising: 
 a hollow body member, said hollow body member defining a volume therein, said hollow body member having at least one opening in said hollow body member;    a pressurizing mechanism;    a gas disposed within said volume, said pressurizing mechanism adapted to pressurize said gas, said opening adapted to permit said pressurized gas to escape from said volume; and,    an object, said object selectively and operatively associated with said hollow body member, wherein said gas escaping through said opening transmits energy to said object.    
     
     
         10 . The pressurized toy of  claim 9 , wherein said body is a toy kitchenette.  
     
     
         11 . The pressurized toy of  claim 9 , wherein said object comprises; 
 an object body having a hole defined therein for said pressurized gas to pass therethrough;    
     
     
         12 . The pressurized toy of  claim 11 , wherein said object is a teapot.  
     
     
         13 . The pressurized toy of  claim 12 , wherein said teapot is adapted to whistle when said energy is transmitted to said teapot.  
     
     
         14 . The pressurized toy of  claim 13 , wherein said object further comprises at least one movable element in operative association with said object.  
     
     
         15 . The pressurized toy of  claim 14 , wherein said object is at least one selected from the group of blender, frying pan, toaster, dishwasher, baking item, icemaker, or bubble machine.  
     
     
         16 . The pressurized toy of  claim 15 , wherein said movable element of said blender is a plurality of particulate matter, said particulate matter adapted to circulate within said body of said object.  
     
     
         17 . The pressurized toy of  claim 15 , wherein said movable element of said frying pan is a pivotable plate attached thereto.  
     
     
         18 . The pressurized toy of  claim 15 , wherein said movable element of said toaster is at least one slice of toast, said toaster body having at least one elongated slot, said slice of toast adapted to pass through said elongated slot when said toaster is in operative association with said hollow body member.  
     
     
         19 . The pressurized toy of  claim 15 , wherein said object body of said dishwasher comprises at least one transparent wall to view said movable element, said movable element being a plurality of particulate matter, said particulate matter adapted to circulate in said object body.  
     
     
         20 . The pressurized toy of  claim 15 , wherein said object body of said baked food item is a pan, said movable element being a piece of expanding material operatively connected to said pan, said foil and pan defining a cavity, said foil adapted to expand as said gas fills said cavity.  
     
     
         21 . The pressurized toy of  claim 15 , wherein said movable element of said icemaker is at least one imitation ice cube.  
     
     
         22 . The pressurized toy of  claim 21 , wherein said icemaker further comprises a dispenser for releasing gas into said object body to chum said ice cube.  
     
     
         23 . The pressurized toy of  claim 15 , wherein said movable element of said bubble machine is a rotation mechanism.  
     
     
         24 . The pressurized toy of  claim 15 , wherein said movable element of said bubble machine is a bubble formation device.  
     
     
         25 . The pressurized toy of  claim 23 , wherein said object body of said bubble machine comprises: 
 an interior wall, said interior wall defining an interior space with said body; and,    a disk operatively connected to said body within said interior space, said disk having a first opening defined therein, said disk also having a disk edge, a portion of said disk edge forming a sealed connection with said interior wall to form a separate cavity.    
     
     
         26 . The pressurized toy of  claim 23 , wherein said rotation mechanism further comprises: 
 an axle disposed through a hole in said disk; and,    paddles operatively connected to said axle beneath said disk, said paddles adapted to rotate said axle as said gas passes through said interior space of said object body.    
     
     
         27 . The pressurized toy of  claim 26 , wherein said bubble machine further comprises a bubble formation device operatively connected to said axle.  
     
     
         28 . The pressurized toy of  claim 27 , wherein said bubble formation device comprises at least one bubble wand, said bubble wand having a first end operatively connected to said axle, said bubble wand further comprising a second end distal from said first end, said second end having an opening.  
     
     
         29 . The pressurized toy of  claim 9 , further comprising a sealing mechanism for preventing said gas from escaping from said opening.  
     
     
         30 . The pressurized toy of  claim 29 , wherein said sealing mechanism is a plug.  
     
     
         31 . The pressurized toy of  claim 29 , wherein said sealing mechanism is a slidable cover.  
     
     
         32 . An object utilized with an associated pressurized toy, said object comprising: 
 a base, said base having a hole defined in said base for an associated gas to pass therethrough from the pressurized toy; and,    a body operatively connected to said base, the gas adapted to transmit energy to said object.    
     
     
         33 . The object of  claim 32 , wherein said object is a teapot, such that transmitted energy causes said teapot to whistle.  
     
     
         34 . The object of  claim 32 , further comprising: 
 a movable element operatively connected to said base, wherein transmitted energy sets said movable element into motion when the gas passes through said hole.    
     
     
         35 . The object of  claim 34 , wherein said object is at least one selected from the group of blender, frying pan, toaster, dishwasher, baking item, icemaker, or bubble machine.  
     
     
         36 . The object of  claim 35 , wherein said movable element of said blender is a plurality of particulate matter, said particulate matter adapted to circulate within said body.  
     
     
         37 . The object of  claim 35 , wherein said movable element of said frying pan is a pivotable plate attached thereto.  
     
     
         38 . The object of  claim 35 , wherein said movable element of said toaster is at least one slice of toast, said toaster body having at least one elongated slot, said slice of toast adapted to pass through said elongated slot when said toaster is in operative association with said hollow body member.  
     
     
         39 . The object of  claim 35 , wherein said movable element of said dishwasher is a plurality of particulate matter, said particulate matter adapted to circulate in said object body.  
     
     
         40 . The object of  claim 35 , wherein said object body of said baked food item is a pan, said movable element being a piece of expanding material operatively connected to said pan, said foil and pan defining a cavity, said foil adapted to expand as said gas fills said cavity.  
     
     
         41 . The object of  claim 35 , wherein said movable element of said icemaker is at least one imitation ice cube.  
     
     
         42 . The object of  claim 41 , wherein said icemaker further comprises a dispenser for releasing gas into said object body to chum said ice cube.  
     
     
         43 . The object of  claim 35 , wherein said movable element of said bubble machine is a rotation mechanism.  
     
     
         44 . The object of  claim 35 , wherein said movable element of said bubble machine is a bubble formation device.  
     
     
         45 . The object of  claim 43 , wherein said object body of said bubble machine comprises: 
 an interior wall, said interior wall defining an interior space with said body; and,    a disk operatively connected to said body within said interior space, said disk having a first opening defined therein, said disk also having a disk edge, a portion of said disk edge forming a sealed connection with said interior wall to form a separate cavity.    
     
     
         46 . The object of  claim 43 , wherein said rotation mechanism further comprises: 
 an axle disposed through a hole in said disk; and,    paddles operatively connected to said axle beneath said disk, said paddles adapted to rotate said axle as said gas passes through said interior space of said object body.    
     
     
         47 . The object of  claim 46 , wherein said bubble machine further comprises a bubble formation device operatively connected to said axle.  
     
     
         48 . The object of  claim 47 , wherein said bubble formation device comprises at least one bubble wand, said bubble wand having a first end operatively connected to said axle, said bubble wand further comprising a second end distal from said first end, said second end having an opening.  
     
     
         49 . A method for utilizing a toy; 
 providing a pressurized toy comprising a body, a portion of said body being hollow; said hollow portion of said body having an opening, said opening adapted to enable pressurized gas to escape from said hollow portion of said body;    pressurizing said hollow portion of said body;    releasing said gas through said opening and into operative engagement with an associated object, said released gas transferring energy from said body to the associated object.    
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising the step of: 
 emitting sound from the object.    
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the object further comprises at least one movable element in operative association with the object, the method further comprising the step of: 
 moving the movable element.    
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said hollow portion of said body is pressurized through a pressurizing mechanism.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein said pressurizing mechanism is a fan.  
     
     
         54 . A toy system, comprising: 
 a toy body, comprising: 
 a hollow body member, said hollow body member defining a volume therein;  
 a gas disposed within said volume;  
 a pressurizing mechanism; and,  
 a plurality of apertures disposed in said hollow body member, said plurality of apertures adapted to permit said pressurized gas to escape from said volume; and,  
   a plurality of objects selectively and interchangeably in operative association with said body, such that said pressurized gas escaping from said hollow portion of said body provides energy to said selected object.    
     
     
         55 . The article of  claim 3 , wherein said pressurizing mechanism comprises: 
 a fan; and,    a manifold, said fan being in operative association with said manifold.    
     
     
         56 . The article of  claim 55 , wherein said manifold further comprises: 
 a manifold body; and,    at least one port extending from said manifold body, wherein said port and said manifold body define a continuous passageway for said pressurized gas to flow.    
     
     
         57 . The article of  claim 56 , wherein said body further comprises a plurality of openings defined in said body.  
     
     
         58 . The article of  claim 57 , further comprising a plurality of pressurizing mechanisms, each of said plurality of pressurizing mechanisms being selectively positioned in operative association with at least one of said plurality of openings.