Projectile launcher and method of operating the same

Abstract

A toy projectile launcher configured to launch projectiles therefrom. The toy projectile launcher having: a housing; a handle portion rotatably received within the housing; a trigger mechanism located in the handle portion, wherein a portion of the projectile launcher in the housing is configured to be transitioned from a first position to a second position as the handle portion rotates with respect to the housing from a first position and a second position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toy projectile launcher configured to launch projectiles, comprising:
 a housing;   a handle portion rotatably coupled to the housing; and   a trigger mechanism located in the handle portion, wherein a portion of the projectile launcher in the housing transitions from a first position to a second position as the handle portion rotates with respect to the housing from a first position and a second position.   
     
     
         2 . The toy projectile launcher as in  claim 1 , wherein the an outer periphery of the handle portion includes several teeth and the teeth engage and activate a gear train in the housing as the handle portion is rotated from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         3 . The toy projectile launcher as in  claim 2 , wherein the gear train includes several gears and one of the gears engages a rack such that as the one of the gears rotates due to rotation of the handle portion, the rack moves linearly from a first position to a second position. 
     
     
         4 . The toy projectile launcher as in  claim 3 , wherein movement of the rack from its first position to its second position causes a spring located in a cylinder of the housing to be compressed by a piston operatively coupled to the rack. 
     
     
         5 . The toy projectile launcher as in  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a locking member configured to retain the rack in the second position.   
     
     
         6 . The toy projectile launcher as in  claim 5 , wherein the locking member is operatively coupled to the trigger mechanism. 
     
     
         7 . The toy projectile launcher as in  claim 6 , wherein the locking member engages a slot located on a surface of the rack in order to retain the rack in its second position. 
     
     
         8 . The toy projectile launcher as in  claim 6 , wherein the trigger mechanism includes a trigger, which when actuated causes a tab member to move upwardly from the handle portion and contact the locking member and disengage the locking member from the rack in order to allow the rack to move from its second position to its first position due to the spring located in a cylinder of the housing, wherein movement of the rack from its second position to its first position causes compressed air to be forced out of a nozzle opening of the cylinder. 
     
     
         9 . The toy projectile launcher as in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a release mechanism configured to retain the handle portion in either the first or second position with respect to the housing and wherein the release mechanism further comprises a button which when actuated allows the handle portion to rotate with respect to the housing.   
     
     
         10 . A toy, comprising:
 a housing;   a handle portion rotatably mounted to the housing for movement between a first position and a second position, wherein movement of the handle portion between the first position and the second position causes a rack to move from a first position to a second position and, wherein movement of the rack from the first position to the second position causes a spring located in a cylinder of the housing to be compressed by a piston operatively coupled to the rack; and   a trigger mechanism located in the handle portion, wherein actuation of the trigger mechanism releases the rack from the second position and causes a dart to be launched from the toy.   
     
     
         11 . The toy as in  claim 10 , wherein the an outer periphery of the handle portion includes several teeth and the teeth engage and activate a gear train operatively coupled to the rack as the handle portion is rotated from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         12 . The toy as in  claim 11 , wherein movement of the rack from the first position to the second position causes a spring located in a cylinder of the housing to be compressed by a piston operatively coupled to the rack. 
     
     
         13 . The toy as in  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a locking member configured to retain the rack in the second position, wherein the locking member is operatively coupled to the trigger mechanism; and   a release mechanism configured to retain the handle portion in either the first or second position with respect to the housing and wherein the release mechanism further comprises a button which when actuated allows the handle portion to rotate with respect to the housing.   
     
     
         14 . The toy as in  claim 10 , wherein movement of the rack from the first position to the second position causes a spring located in a cylinder of the housing to be compressed by a piston operatively coupled to the rack. 
     
     
         15 . The toy as in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a locking member configured to retain the rack in the second position, wherein the locking member is operatively coupled to the trigger mechanism; and   a release mechanism configured to retain the handle portion in either the first or second position with respect to the housing and wherein the release mechanism further comprises a button which when actuated allows the handle portion to rotate with respect to the housing.   
     
     
         16 . The toy projectile launcher as in  claim 15 , wherein the locking member engages a slot located on a surface of the rack in order to retain the rack in its second position.