A toy dart includes a deformable cap that safely impacts a target. The cap includes two layers of substantially parallel hollow passages that provide spaces that allow the cap to deform. The lower layer, having two hollow passages, is supported by exterior posts and an interior wall between the two hollow passages. The upper layer, having three hollow passages, is supported by exterior posts and interior walls that are laterally offset from the interior wall of the lower layer. The upper and lower layers are separated vertically by a substantially flat divider. Due to the difference in the number of hollow passages and interior walls in each layer, the upper layer is more rigid than the lower layer such that the lower layer of the cap deforms more than the upper layer of the cap upon initial impact with the target.

A dart for a blowgun is provided with a hollow main shaft; a head releasably secured to a front end of the hollow main shaft; and a stabilizer formed with a rear portion of the hollow main shaft and including a plurality of flexible latches and a plurality of gaps each disposed between two adjacent flexible latches. The latches may expand or contract to be in a minimum friction contact with an inner wall of a blowgun in a launching operation.

A projectile to be fired from a slingshot. The projectile includes a pellet, a sheet adsorbent material and an adhesive. The sheet of adsorbent material is wrapped around the pellet so that a portion of the adsorbent material is exposed. The adhesive is positioned on a portion of the adsorbent material. A liquid scent is applied to the sheet of adsorbent material before or after the projectile is placed in the pouch of a slingshot so that the projectile can be launched from the slingshot to disperse the scent to location remote from the slingshot.

A projectile, such as a railgun-launched projectile, includes a single-piece body that is additively manufactured. The single piece body includes fuel within it, and one or more cavities for receiving an oxidizer. The body also defines one or more combustion chambers therein for combustion of the fuel and oxidizer as part of a divert thruster system. Thus the projectile is able to fully contain the divert thruster system within the single-piece body without using any hot gas seals as part of the system. The body may also define a cavity for receiving a pressurized fluid, used as part of a cold-gas attitude control system of the projectile. The body may also define passages between the pressurized fluid cavity and other parts of the attitude control system, such as valves and/or nozzles that are outside of the body, for example being aft of the one-piece body.

An improvised projectile checking housing assembly having latch button and first and second sidewalls with first and second catch apertures opening as a catch latch recess of elongated structure using an improvised projectile checking spring opening to receive a locking key structure based upon the projectile receiving opening to the improvised projectile checking housing assembly. Alternate rearward translating lock gauge at the backside of a dart drum uses a follower and engaging cam surfaces locking and unlocking a pathway for correct dart alignment. Alternate motorized, non-motorized and pneumatic structures are disclosed with apparatus launch operations moving between checking and non-checking positions.

A launcher and projectile system include at least one permanent magnet disposed on or within the launcher for charging a wire coil of the projectile to energize an initiator of the projectile, thereafter having a housing of the projectile rupture, disintegrate, separate or otherwise have an opening created therein after launch to release a payload. In another embodiment, an accessory for a launcher and projectile is provided, the accessory comprising a permanent magnet for charging a projectile that is launched by the launcher.

A toy dart includes a deformable cap that safely impacts a target. The cap includes two layers of substantially parallel hollow passages that provide spaces that allow the cap to deform. The lower layer, having two hollow passages, is supported by exterior posts and an interior wall between the two hollow passages. The upper layer, having three hollow passages, is supported by exterior posts and interior walls that are laterally offset from the interior wall of the lower layer. The upper and lower layers are separated vertically by a substantially flat divider. Due to the difference in the number of hollow passages and interior walls in each layer, the upper layer is more rigid than the lower layer such that the lower layer of the cap deforms more than the upper layer of the cap upon initial impact with the target.

The present disclosure relates to a launch system, a launch vehicle for use with the launch system, and methods of launching a payload utilizing the launch vehicle and/or the launch system. The disclosure can provide for delivery of the payload at a terrestrial location, an Earth orbital location, or an extraorbital location. The launch vehicle can comprise a payload, a propellant tank, an electrical heater wherein propellant, such as a light gas (e.g., hydrogen) is electrically heated to significantly high temperatures, an exhaust nozzle from which the heated propellant expands to provide an exhaust velocity of, for example, 7-16 km/sec, and sliding electrical contacts in electrical connection with the electrical heater. The launch vehicle can be utilized with the launch system, which can further comprise a launch tube formed of concentric electrically conductive tubes, as well as an electrical energy source, such as a battery bank and associated inductor.

A tactile reference attachment for releasable attachment to a sports equipment handle providing a user with tactile biofeedback. The attachment includes a tactile reference feature that extends longitudinally along an exterior body surface and is formed with dimensions specifically tailored to harness the user's natural attributes of sensibility, proprioception, and neuromuscular memory to improve a user's accuracy. The tactile reference attachment includes a flexible primary substrate having a plurality of attachment perimeter edges, an exterior surface, an interior surface having an adhesive, a thickness, and at least a first tactile reference projection having a plurality of perimeter edges, a projection width of no greater than 5.0 millimeters, a projection height of at least 0.5 millimeters, and an indentation length.

A threaded member has a discontinuous helical thread ridge 15 on which a plurality of dividing portions 14 are formed in the middle. At least one of the discontinuous portions of the thread ridge 15, which is interposed between the dividing portions 14, is a locking portion 18 which is configured such that a flank angle of one flank, out of flanks on both sides of the thread ridge 15, is smaller than a flank angle of a flank corresponding to a basic ridge profile and at least part of the flank is disposed on an outside of the flank corresponding to the basic ridge profile.