I was recently checking the Nerf Dart Gun on the internet and was surprised to see that no one knew who invented the first Nerf Dart Gun.
Actually I invented the first Nerf gun, i.e. the Nerf Sharpshooter, and sold it to Kenner. Howard Bollinger was the Vice President in charge of product submissions by inventors. He was the first one to recognize the potential of our dart gun.
Kenner was purchased by Hasbro. We have received nine different awards from both Kenner and Hasbro for our contribution to the Nerf Dart Gun line. Actually Hasbro is still making our original Nerf Sharpshooter, using the same mechanism, although they have changed the design of the housing. It’s called the N-Strike.
Actually I invented the first Nerf gun, i.e. the Nerf Sharpshooter, and sold it to Kenner. Howard Bollinger was the Vice President in charge of product submissions by inventors. He was the first one to recognize the potential of our dart gun.
Kenner was purchased by Hasbro. We have received nine different awards from both Kenner and Hasbro for our contribution to the Nerf Dart Gun line. Actually Hasbro is still making our original Nerf Sharpshooter, using the same mechanism, although they have changed the design of the housing. It’s called the N-Strike.
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Once the dart gun line became tremendously successful, Hasbro sued me to terminate my contract. We eventually settled.
We received the Inventor’s Awards at the New York Toy Fairs for the following Nerf Dart Shooters:
We received the Inventor’s Awards at the New York Toy Fairs for the following Nerf Dart Shooters:
- 1993 - Nerf Sharpshooter – Kenner
- 1994 - Nerf Bow and Arrow - Kenner
- 1994 - Nerf Sonic Stinger - Hasbro
- 1995 - Nerf Crossbow - Hasbro
- 1995 - Nerf Sharpshooter II - Hasbro
- 1995 - Nerf Max-Force Sawtooth - Hasbro
- 1995 - Nerf Max-Force Eagle Eye - Hasbro
- 2000 - Nerf Bungee Blaster - Hasbro
- 2000 - Nerf Double Blast - Hasbro
I’d also like to give credit to my model maker/designer Steve Tscech who worked on the details of a lot of the mechanisms we sold to Kenner and Hasbro.
My wife, Kay Hedeen and I are still inventing at Fun City Toys in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. We work with our own ideas and with other inventors. We have invented and sold numerous toy concepts over the years, including Micro Machines, the Silly Sam line, the Spider Ball line, and about 100 other toys and games.
Clemens V. Hedeen, Jr. and Kay Lee Hedeen
My wife, Kay Hedeen and I are still inventing at Fun City Toys in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. We work with our own ideas and with other inventors. We have invented and sold numerous toy concepts over the years, including Micro Machines, the Silly Sam line, the Spider Ball line, and about 100 other toys and games.
Clemens V. Hedeen, Jr. and Kay Lee Hedeen