{
  "patent_number": "US 5305919",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How the Super Soaker's Pinch-Trigger and Built-In Tank Work",
  "original_title": "Pinch trigger hand pump water gun with non-detachable tank",
  "summary": "A 1994 patent by Lonnie Johnson for a high-pressure toy water gun featuring a built-in, non-detachable tank pressurized by a hand pump and controlled by a simple pinch-valve trigger.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent describes a high-pressure toy water gun that uses compressed air to shoot a continuous stream of water. A hand pump built into the gun's body forces air into a non-detachable external water tank, pressurizing the air and water inside. A flexible tube runs from the bottom of this tank, through the gun's barrel, to the nozzle. To keep the water from shooting out immediately, a spring-loaded metal bar pinches this tube shut. When you pull the trigger, it lifts the pinch bar off the tube, allowing the highly pressurized water to escape through the narrow nozzle in a powerful, steady stream.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover water guns with detachable water tanks that screw off to be refilled.",
    "Does not cover water guns that use motorized or electric pumps to pressurize the water.",
    "Does not cover trigger mechanisms that use traditional sliding piston valves instead of pinching a flexible tube.",
    "Does not cover pressurized water guns where the pressurized chamber is completely separate from the main water reservoir."
  ],
  "filed": "1992-04-23",
  "granted": "1994-04-26",
  "expires": "2012-04-23",
  "status": "expired",
  "holder": "Individual",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/individual",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Lonnie G. Johnson",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/lonnie-g-johnson"
    },
    {
      "name": "Bruce M. D'Andrade",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/bruce-m-dandrade"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 27,
  "tags": [
    "mechanical",
    "gaming"
  ],
  "abstract": "The present invention is a toy water gun which is operated by selectively releasing water from a water reservoir that is pressurized with air. The gun has amanually operated air pump which pressurizes a water reservoir and consequently pressurizes any water therein. The pressurized water has an avenue of release that is regulated by a trigger mechanism. When no force is applied to the trigger, the pressurized water is held at bay with no means of release. When force is applied to the trigger, water is released from the pressurized reservoir and is channeled through a narrow nozzle. The escape of the pressurized water through the narrow nozzle creates a stream of propelled water that lastas as long as the trigger is engaged or until the pressure on the water in the reservoir equals the ambient air pressure. Water is added to the present invention via at least one fill opening on the water reservoir. The reservoir itself is non-detachable from the gun housing. There is an orifice on the water reservoir separate from the fill opening which is connected to the housing and serves as both the entrance point of pressurized air from the air pump, and the exit point of the pressurized water.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5305919/super-soaker-water-gun",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5305919/super-soaker-water-gun/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US5305919",
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}