EP1400268A1

EP1400268A1 - Flying top

Info

Publication number: EP1400268A1
Application number: EP02255680A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kuo-Ching Liu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-08-14
Filing date: 2002-08-14
Publication date: 2004-03-24

Abstract

A flying top is formed from a flat part and includes three blades (12,13,14) radially extended from a central portion (11) to equally space from one another. The blades are connected to the central portion via narrowed neck portions, at where the blades can be slightly twisted by an angle relative to a plane defined by the central portion. A short shaft (15) is downward extended from the central portion to serve as a spinning shaft. A long shaft (16) formed from overlapped upper and lower trapezoids is upward extended from the central portion opposite to the short shaft to serve as a control shaft. When the long shaft is twisted, the top could spin about the short shaft on a plane surface or fly while spinning in the air due to a propeller effect created by the angularly twisted blades.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a novel top, and more particularly to a top that is formed from a flat part having three radially extended blades and able to fly in the air while spinning.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional top usually has a conic body around which a thread can be wound for rotating the top. A currently very popular combat top is designed for playing within a large round plate. Players may rotate a plurality of combat tops with fingers and see which one of the combat tops rotates longer than other tops. That is, the currently popular tops are rotated with fingers instead of a thread.
There is still another type of combat top built up from a plurality of flat parts. However, it is not easy to assemble the flat parts and the assembled combat top tends to become loosened or even separated apart after being used to play for a period of time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a top that is formed from one single piece of flat part through folding the flat part at predetermined positions. The problems of difficult assembling or loosened or separated components of the top are therefore avoided.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a flying top formed from a flat part. The formed top could spin on a plane surface or be ejected to fly while spinning in the air to create more fun.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a flat base plate, to which a flying top of the present invention before being assembled is attached;
Fig. 2 is a top perspective view of a partially formed flying top of the present invention having been removed from the flat base plate;
Fig. 3 is another top perspective view showing a fully formed flying top of the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the fully formed flying top of the present invention; and
Fig. 5 shows the manner of operating the flying top of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to Fig. 1 that is a perspective view of a flat base plate 9, on which a flat part 1 for forming a flying top of the present invention is stamped with dies. The base plate 9 may be made of a cardboard, a plastic board, or other similar material. To form the flying top of the present invention with the flat part 1, simply apply a minor force against the stamped flat part 1 to remove the latter from the base plate 9.
Please refer to Fig. 2. The flat part 1 removed from the base plate 9 includes a central portion 11, three blades 12, 13, and 14 radially extended from the central portion 11 to space from one another at an equal angle, a short shaft 15, and a long shaft 16. Each of the blades 12, 13 and 14 is connected to the central portion 11 via a narrowed neck portion. The short shaft 15 is initially a part stamped on one of the three blades, for example, the blade 14, and can be bent at an end close to the central portion 11 to extend downward from the blade 14. The long shaft 16 is radially extended from the central portion 11 to located between the blades 12 and 13 and accordingly diametrically opposite to the blade 14 and the short shaft 15. The long shaft 16 includes lower and upper high trapezoids 161, 162 connected to each other end to end. A proximal end of the lower trapezoid 161 is integrally connected to the central portion 11 and serves as a folding line about which the long shaft 16 is bent and turned upward from the central portion 11, and a distal end of the upper trapezoid 162 is formed into a hook 17.
To form the flying top of the present invention, first remove the flat part 1 from the base plate 9, and upward turn the long shaft 16 about its proximal end to a position perpendicular to the central portion 11. Then, turn the short shaft 15 about a proximal end thereof to vertically project from an underside of the blade 14 and the central portion 11. The three blades 12, 13 and 14 are slightly twisted, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, to an angularly inclined position relative to the central portion 11 that is in a horizontal plane. Since the blades 12, 13, 14 are connected to the central portion 11 via the narrowed neck portions, it is not difficult to twist the blades. Thereafter, bend the long shaft 16 at a joint of the lower and the upper trapezoid 161, 162, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the upper trapezoid 162 overlaps the lower trapezoid 161 with the hook 17 clamped onto a portion of the lower trapezoid 161 near the central portion 11 to form a control shaft above the flying top. Fig. 4 is a bottom perspective view of a fully formed flying top of the present invention.
To play the flying top of the present invention, a player may pinch and twist an upper end of the control shaft 16 with two fingers 19, so that the top is ejected. With the three blades 12, 13 and 14, a balance effect is created to enable the whole top to spin about the short shaft 15 on a horizontal plane.
It is to be noted that the player may also twist the control shaft 16 while the whole top is suspended in the air. In this case, the three blades 12, 13, 14 function like propellers to create a lifting force for the spinning top to fly for a period of time before it slowly descends . The flying top creates another type of fun.
Moreover, to enable easy formation of the flying top of the present invention, folding lines 2 may be previously stamped at joints of the short shaft 15 and the central portion 11, the long shaft 16 and the central portion 11, and the hook 17 and the upper trapezoid 162, as shown in Fig. 1. A player may be guided by the folding lines 2 to easily complete the flying top.
The top of the present invention is able to spin on a plane or fly in the air while spinning to largely increase the fun of playing the top.

Claims

A flying top formed from a flat part, comprising a central portion, a plurality of blades radially extended from said central portion to space from one another at an equal angle, a short shaft vertically downward extended from one side of said central portion, and a long shaft vertically upward extended from another side of said central portion opposite to said short shaft; each of said blades being connected to said central portion via a narrowed neck portion, at where said blades being adapted to twist by a predetermined angle relative to a horizontal plane defined by said central portion; whereby when said long shaft is twisted while said top is positioned on a plane surface, said top is caused to spin about said short shaft on the plane surface, and when said long shaft is twisted while said top is suspended in the air, said top is ejected to fly while spinning due to a propeller effect created by said angularly twisted blades.
The flying top as claimed in claim 1, wherein said long shaft includes an upper and a lower long trapezoid connected to each other end to end, and said upper trapezoid being bent downward to overlap said lower trapezoid with a hook formed at a distal end of said upper trapezoid clamped onto a lower part of said lower trapezoid near said central portion to hold said upper and said lower trapezoid together.
The flying top as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flat part for forming said flying top is initially included in a flat base plate made of a rigidmaterial.
The flying top as claimed in claim 2, wherein folding lines are pre-stamped at joints of said short shaft and said central portion, said long shaft and said central portion, and said hook and said upper trapezoid.
The flying top as claimed in claim 1, wherein said blades are in the number of three.