Extreme Distance/Velocity Projectile Throwing Toy

Abstract

A long-distance projectile throwing toy. A launching section is hingedly attached at one end to a handle section. The distal end of the launching section includes a ball holder for releasably securing a ball/projectile loosely enough to allow the ball to come flying out of the ball holder when the device is whipped by the user. The device is configurable into at least two configurations by selectively moving an angular delimiter on one section into or out of engageability with various ramped portions of the other section. A throwing configuration keeps the launching section at a minimum angle to maximize the force imparted to the projectile and thus its distance and speed. A collapsed configuration enables the launching section to be substantially parallel with the handle section thereby enabling the device to be stored or shipped more easily. The ball holder imparts backspin to the projectile to maximize flight.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A projectile throwing toy, comprising:
 a handle section adapted to be held by a user;   a launching section having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end hingedly attached to said handle section and said distal end including a ball holder adapted to releasably hold a projectile; and   an angular delimiter disposed on one of a distal end of said handle section and said proximal end of said launching section and engageable with a first ramped portion disposed on the other of said distal end of said handle section and said proximal end of said launching section,   wherein when said angular delimiter is engaged with said first ramped portion, said launching section is placed in a cocked position at an angle to said handle section neither parallel to nor collinear with said handle section.   
     
     
         2 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 1 , wherein said angle is approximately 40-50°. 
     
     
         3 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 1 , wherein said angle is substantially 45°. 
     
     
         4 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 1 , wherein said handle section and said launching section are substantially the same length. 
     
     
         5 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 1 , said angular delimiter comprising a slidable stopper switch slidably disposed in a groove in one of said launching section and said handle section and selectively slidable into and out of engageability with said first ramped portion. 
     
     
         6 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 5 , said first ramped portion being disposed on a hub formed on the other of said distal end of said handle section and said proximal end of said launching section. 
     
     
         7 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 1 , said ball holder comprising a first distal prong having a first ball engaging surface and a second proximal prong having a second ball engaging surface. 
     
     
         8 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 7 , said first ball engaging surface being rougher than said second ball engaging surface. 
     
     
         9 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 7 , said first distal prong being longer than said second proximal prong. 
     
     
         10 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 7 , said first ball engaging surface including teeth. 
     
     
         11 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 7 , wherein said first and second prongs point in a direction greater than perpendicular to an overall axis of said launching section. 
     
     
         12 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 11 , wherein said first and second prongs point in a direction approximately 10-20° greater than perpendicular to an overall axis of said launching section. 
     
     
         13 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 7 , wherein said launching section is curved so that said first and second prongs point in a direction greater than perpendicular to an overall axis of said launching section. 
     
     
         14 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 7 , said second ball engaging surface having a beveled profile canting downwards from the middle to the sides. 
     
     
         15 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 6 , said slidable stopper switch being slidable between a first position in which said slidable stopper switch cannot come in contact with said first ramped portion to allow said launching section to lie substantially parallel with said handle section in a collapsed configuration and a second position in which said slidable stopper switch can come in contact with said first ramped portion to allow said launching section to enter into said cocked position with respect to said handle section in a throwing configuration. 
     
     
         16 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 15 , said hub having a second ramped portion and said slidable stopper switch being slidable into a third position in which said slidable stopper switch engages said second ramped portion to fix said launching section with respect to said handle section in an extended position. 
     
     
         17 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 1 ,
 said first ramped portion being disposed on said launching section, and   said angular delimiter being disposed on said handle section and spring-biased into engageability with said first ramped portion.   
     
     
         18 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 17 , said angular delimiter including a boss portion at a delimiter distal end engageable with said first ramped portion. 
     
     
         19 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 18 , said angular delimiter including a trigger mechanically coupled to said boss portion adapted to allow the user to retract said angular delimiter proximally against said spring bias out of engageability with said first ramped portion. 
     
     
         20 . A projectile throwing toy, comprising:
 a handle section adapted to be held by a user; and   a launching section having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end hingedly attached to said handle section and said distal end including a ball holder adapted to releasably hold a projectile, said ball holder comprising a first distal prong having a first ball engaging surface and a second proximal prong having a second ball engaging surface.   
     
     
         21 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 20 , said first ball engaging surface being rougher than said second ball engaging surface. 
     
     
         22 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 20 , said first distal prong being longer than said second proximal prong. 
     
     
         23 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 20 , said first ball engaging surface including teeth. 
     
     
         24 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 20 , wherein said first and second prongs point in a direction greater than perpendicular to an overall axis of said launching section. 
     
     
         25 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 24 , wherein said first and second prongs point in a direction approximately 10-20° greater than perpendicular to an overall axis of said launching section. 
     
     
         26 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 20 , wherein said launching section is curved so that said first and second prongs point in a direction greater than perpendicular to an overall axis of said launching section. 
     
     
         27 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 20 , said second ball engaging surface having a beveled profile canting downwards from the middle to the sides. 
     
     
         28 . A projectile throwing toy according to  claim 20 , further comprising a projectile adapted to be disposed in and released from said ball holder, said projectile being dimensioned slightly larger than a gap between said first and second prongs and being made from a conformable material.