Toy Projectile Launching Assembly

Abstract

A toy projectile launching assembly for launching toy projectiles includes a platform defined by a rigid shallow “V-shaped” structure with a flat base portion. The flat base has an upper and lower surface including rigid left and right extensions having rigid left and right elastic supports and a rigid central region disposed between the left and right extensions, rigid interior left and right elastic supports situated between the rigid exterior left and right elastic supports, first and second elastic launching elements extending continuously from the left elastic support to the right elastic support, a handle, an arm support, and an arm support strap. Also disclosed are methods of making and using the toy projectile launching assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toy projectile launching assembly for launching toy projectiles, comprising:
 a platform defined by a rigid shallow “V-shaped” structure with a flat base portion, the flat base has an upper surface and a lower surface, including:   a rigid left extension having a rigid left elastic support, a rigid right extension having a rigid right elastic support, and a rigid central region disposed between the left extension and the right extension;   an interior left elastic support and an interior right elastic support situated between the rigid exterior left elastic support, and the rigid exterior right elastic support;   a first elastic launching element extending continuously from the left elastic support to the right elastic support, and a second elastic launching element extending continuously from the left elastic support to the right elastic support;   a handle attached to the lower surface at the flat base;   an arm support structure having a left side and right side that extends downwardly and rearwardly from the platform; and   an arm support strap attached to the left side and right side of the arm support structure.   
     
     
         2 . The toy projectile launching assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first elastic launching element and the second elastic launching element are each removably attached to the rigid left elastic support and the rigid right elastic support. 
     
     
         3 . The toy projectile launching assembly of  claim 2 , wherein both ends of the first elastic launching element and both ends of the second elastic launching element are each removably attached to two different removable brackets situated within and attached to the lower surface side of the rigid left elastic support and the rigid right elastic support. 
     
     
         4 . The toy projectile launching assembly of  claim 3 , wherein both ends of the first elastic launching element and both ends of the second elastic launching element include a sub-assembly including a mated double-nippled bead and hollow elastic combination configured for attaching the launching elements to the removable bracket through retention slots. 
     
     
         5 . The toy projectile launching assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the interior left elastic support and an interior right elastic support each include an axle-roller assembly to accommodate freely reversible stretch, bend, run, or roll of the first and second elastic launching elements about the roller-axle subassembly, and to reduce frictional wear of the first and second elastic launching elements during launching of a projectile. 
     
     
         6 . The toy projectile launching assembly of  claim 5 , wherein each axle-roller assembly is reversibly attached to the interior left elastic support and an interior right elastic support. 
     
     
         7 . The toy projectile launching assembly of  claim 5 , wherein each axle-roller assembly is permanently attached to the interior left elastic support and an interior right elastic support. 
     
     
         8 . The toy projectile launching assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the handle is reversibly attachable-detachable to the lower surface of the platform and extends substantially orthogonally downwardly from the lower surface of the central region. 
     
     
         9 . The toy projectile launching assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the handle is permanently attached to the lower surface to the platform. 
     
     
         10 . The toy projectile launching assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the arm support strap includes a clasp to adjust the tension of the strap. 
     
     
         11 . The toy projectile launching assembly of  claim 2 , wherein both ends of the first elastic launching element and both ends of the second elastic launching element are each removably attached to a removable bracket situated within a cavity and attached to the lower surface side of the rigid left elastic support and the rigid right elastic support with knots of the elastic situated in the retention slots. 
     
     
         12 . The toy projectile launching assembly of  claim 1 , the first elastic launching element and the second elastic launching element are coplanar and extend substantially parallel relative to each other above the central region. 
     
     
         13 . The toy projectile launching assembly of  claim 1  wherein the rear edges of the platform include one or more fasteners for removably receiving and holding one or more toy projectiles. 
     
     
         14 . The toy projectile launching assembly of  claim 1  wherein the handle comprises a pistol grip. 
     
     
         15 . A toy projectile launching assembly, comprising:
 a platform defined by a rigid shallow “V-shaped” structure with a flat base portion, the flat base has an upper surface and a lower surface, including:   a rigid left extension having a rigid left elastic support, a rigid right extension having a rigid right elastic support, and a rigid central region disposed between the left extension and the right extension;   an interior left elastic support and an interior right elastic support situated between the rigid exterior left elastic support, and the rigid exterior right elastic support;   a handle attached to the lower surface at the flat base;   an arm support structure having a left side and a right side that extends downwardly and rearwardly from the platform; and   an arm support strap attached to the left side and right side of the arm support structure.   
     
     
         16 . The toy projectile launching assembly of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a first upper elastic launching element extending continuously from the upper left elastic support, through the upper interior left elastic support and the upper interior right elastic support, and to the upper right elastic support; and   a lower second elastic launching element extending continuously from the lower left elastic support, through the lower interior left elastic support and the lower interior right elastic support, and to the lower right elastic support.   
     
     
         17 . A method of making the toy projectile launching assembly of  claim 1 , comprising:
 injection molding a suitable resin into a suitably configured mold to form the platform having the rigid shallow “V-shaped” structure having the flat base portion;   attaching components to the platform including: a roller-axle subassembly joined to the interior left elastic support and the interior right elastic support; a substantially orthogonally oriented handle to the lower surface of the platform; an adjustable arm support strap between the sides of the arm support; and one or more projectile fasteners; and   assembling components and attaching the assembled components to the platform including: threading each end of a first elastic launching element through upper left elastic support and the upper interior right elastic support and attaching the threaded ends to the upper attachment points of the left and right removable brackets, threading each end of a second elastic launching element through lower left elastic support and the lower interior right elastic support and attaching the threaded ends to the lower attachment points of the left and right removable brackets, and inserting the left and right removable brackets having the threaded and attached elastic elements into their respective rigid exterior left elastic support cavity, and the rigid exterior right elastic support cavity.