Levitating toy with an air-stream generator and a flying prop

Abstract

A flying toy has an airstream generator with a handle. The air stream generator has an air duct with a multi-blade propeller operatively coupled to a motor. The handle has a compartment to accommodate one or two batteries to power the motor. When the motor is turned on, the propeller produces an airstream out of the air duct. On top of the air duct, a cover with a stud is provided. The stud is dimensioned to fit a hole in the bottom section of a bowl-shaped body. The bowl-shaped body has a rim section connected to the bottom section. The rim section has a plurality of fins oriented such that when the airstream is produced by the propeller, the airstream interacts with the fins, causing the bowl-shaped body to spin while the bowl-shaped body is moving away from and hovering above the air duct.

1 . A toy comprising:
 an air duct; and   a handle connected to the air duct, wherein the air duct comprises an air duct body having a first end and an opposing second end, and a propeller located inside the air duct body, the propeller coupled to a motor for rotational motion configured to provide an air stream through the first end, and wherein the handle is located on the second end of the air duct and comprises a battery compartment configured to store one or more batteries for powering the motor, and a switch for controlling said powering, and wherein the air duct further comprises a cover on the first end of the air duct body, the cover comprising a stud centrally located on the cover.   
   
   
       2 . The toy of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a bowl-shaped flying body having a bottom section and a rim section connected to the bottom section, wherein the bottom section comprises a centrally located hole dimensioned to fit the stud on the air duct, and the rim section comprises a plurality of fins such that when the air stream is provided by the air duct, the air stream interacts with the fins, causing the bowl-shaped flying body to spin while the bowl-shaped flying body is moving away from the first end of the air duct body.   
   
   
       3 . A toy, comprising:
 a rim section; and   a bottom section connected to the rim section, wherein the rim section comprising a plurality of fins and the bottom section comprises a hole centrally located on the bottom section.   
   
   
       4 . The toy of  claim 3 , wherein the fins comprises curved surfaces oriented such that when the toy is encountered an air stream coming toward the bottom section and then the rim section, the air stream interacts with the curved surfaces of the fins, causing the toy to spin about a rotational axis. 
   
   
       5 . A method of operating a flying toy, comprising:
 providing an air duct comprising an air duct body having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end comprising a cover having a centrally located stud dimension to receive an object with a hole; and   locating a propeller in the air duct body, the propeller coupled to a motor such that when the motor is powered, the propeller is caused to provide an air stream through the first end of the air duct around the stud and away from the first end of the air duct.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 placing a bowl-shaped body on the first end of the air duct, the bowl-shaped body having a rim section connected to a bottom section, the bottom section having a centrally located opening dimensioned to fit the stud; and   providing a plurality of fins on the rim section of the bowl-shaped body such that when the propeller is caused to provide the air stream through the first end of the air duct, the air stream interacts with the fins, causing the bowl-shaped body to spin about a rotational axis and to move away from the first end of the air duct.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 powering the motor so as to cause the propeller to provide the air stream through the first end of the air duct;   placing a ball in the air stream at a distance from the first end of the air duct.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  7 , further comprising:
 placing an object in the air stream at a further distance from the first end of the air duct, away from the ball.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the object comprises another ball. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the object comprises a bowl-shaped body having a rim section connected to a bottom section, wherein the rim section comprises a plurality of fins configured to interact with the air stream, causing the bowl-shaped body to spin about a rotational axis.