US20110294392A1

US20110294392A1 - Return top

Info

Publication number: US20110294392A1
Application number: US12/825,406
Authority: US
Inventors: Man Pun Lee
Original assignee: SIMNEX INDUSTRIAL Ltd
Current assignee: SIMNEX INDUSTRIAL Ltd
Priority date: 2010-05-27
Filing date: 2010-06-29
Publication date: 2011-12-01
Also published as: DE202010010041U1; CN201760105U

Abstract

The present invention relates to a Return Top, comprising a disc (10), wings (20) installed on a front surface of the disc (10) which are rotatable about their tail ends (21) respectively so that their front ends (22) can be throw out of the disc (10) when the disc (10) is spinning, coupling members (30) connected to the tail ends (21) of the wings (20) respectively and rotated with the tail ends (21) of the wings (20), and springs (40) each having one end being fixed on the disc (10) and the other end being connected to the coupling member (30), wherein the springs (40) are stretched and strain the wings (20) on the disc (10) through the coupling members (30). The wings can be thrown out of the disc under the action of centrifugal force and spin with the disc when the disc is spinning; when the disc does not spin, the wings are drawn back to the initial position on the disc under the action of elastic force of the springs. Therefore, the addition of wings brings various changes for the shape of the Return Top. Moreover, whether the wings fly out or not, depends on the centrifugal force resulted from the spinning speed, thus the competitiveness for throwing Return Top is enhanced, and entertainment of the Return Top is improved.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a Return Top, more specifically, relates to a Return Top with rotatable wings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Return Top is a very common entertainment toy, which is operated easily by simply throwing it out. Therefore, Return Top is suitable for all ages of people. There is no special requirement neither for the players holding Return Top nor the playing areas. However, the conventional Return Top is just a dishing disc, which has simple structure and single play mode, thus entertainment of the conventional Return Top is not high.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Focusing on the disadvantages of the conventional Return Top having simple structure and single play mode, the present invention is intended to provide a Return Top having wings which are capable of spin with a disc of the Return Top to enhance entertainment of the Return Top.
In an aspect of the invention, a Return Top is provided, comprising a disc, wings installed on the front surface of the disc which are rotatable about their tail ends respectively so that the wings' front ends can be throw out of the disc when the disc is spinning, coupling members connected to the tail ends of the wings respectively and rotated with the tail ends of the wings, and springs each having one end being fixed on the disc and the other end being connected to the coupling member, wherein the springs are stretched and strain the wings on the disc through the coupling members.
Advantageously, the Return Top comprises three wings surrounding into a circle on the front surface of the disc through end to end overlap.
Advantageously, the tail end of each wing comprises a cubic protrusion vertical to the front surface of the disc, and a circular hole with a diameter lager than the cross-section of the protrusion is provided on the disc, the said protrusion passing through the said circular hole to connect the coupling member on a back surface of the disc.
Advantageously, the coupling member comprises a cubic hole on one end, the protrusion of the wing being inserted into the cubic hole to drive the coupling member rotating with the wing.
Advantageously, the other end of the coupling member is connected with the spring, extension rate of the spring is increased or decreased while the tail end of the wing rotates the coupling member.
Advantageously, the disc comprises a top shell and a bottom shell assembled together, the wings are arranged on a front surface of the top shell, and the coupling members and the springs are arranged in a cavity enclosed by the top shell and the bottom shell.
Advantageously, the Return Top further comprises LEDs which can be lighted when the disc is spinning and the front ends of the wings are thrown out of the disc.
The Return Top according to embodiments of the present invention comprises wings. The wings can be thrown out of the disc under the action of centrifugal force and spin with the disc when the disc is spinning; when the disc does not spin, the wings are drawn back to the initial position on the disc under the action of elastic force of the springs. Therefore, the addition of wings brings various changes for the shape of the Return Top. Moreover, whether the wings fly out or not depends on the centrifugal force resulted from the spinning speed, thus the competitiveness for throwing Return Top is enhanced, and entertainment of the Return Top is improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate one or more embodiments of the invention and, together with the written description, serve to explain the principles of the invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for the overall structure of a Return Top in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a structural diagram of the Return Top shown in FIG. 1 that is viewed from a front surface of the top shell, wherein the wings are detached;

FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of the Return Top shown in FIG. 2 that is viewed from a back surface of the top shell, wherein the bottom shell is detached;

FIG. 4 is a structural diagram of the Return Top shown in FIG. 1 during spinning, wherein the wings are thrown out.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the following drawings. It should be understood that the embodiments described here are only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed.
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a Return Top. Such Return Top is different from the conventional Return Top that, the Return Top according to embodiments of the present invention has wings 20, the wings 20 being thrown out during spinning to form a fan shape, thus entertainment of the Return Top is enhanced. In the preferred embodiment as described below, the Return Top comprises discs 10, wings 20, coupling members 30, springs 40 and LEDs. Each of the discs 10 comprises a top shell and a bottom shell assembled together to form a cavity in the central portion of the disc. The coupling members 30 and the springs 40 are received in the cavity.
In the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, the Return Top comprises three wings 20 surrounding into a circle through end to end overlap, wherein a tail end 21 of each wing 20 is installed on the shell, and the wing 20 can rotate about the end 21. When the disc 10 is thrown out and spins, a front end of the wing 20 is also thrown out under the action of centrifugal force and spins with the disc 10.
In particular, as shown in FIG. 2, each of the wings 20 is arranged with a protrusion on its surface that is opposite to the front surface of the top shell, and the protrusion has a cubic shape. Circular holes 210 are provided on the front surface of the top shell, having a diameter larger than a diagonal length of the cubic protrusions, thus the cubic protrusions can freely pass through the corresponding circular holes 210 to reach the back surface of the top shell.
As shown in FIG. 3, on the back surface of the top shell, one end of each coupling member 30 is provided with a cubic hole 220, which is matched with the cubic protrusion such that the cubic protrusion can be fixed into the cubic hole 220. In other embodiments of the present invention, the shape of the protrusion and the matched hole may not be cubic, as long as both of them are non-circular, the protrusion will drive the hole and the coupling member rotating when the protrusion is rotated. Alternatively, both of the protrusion and the hole may be circular, and positioned via a screw or a pin to realize coaxial rotating. Such structure also belongs into the protection scope of the present invention.
The other end of the coupling member 30 is connected to one end of the spring 40, and the other end of the spring 40 is a fixed end fastened on the back surface of the top shell. Since the wing 20 and the coupling member 30 is fixedly connected and rotated together, the wing 20 and the coupling member 30 can be designed as an integrated structure.
When people throws the Return Top out, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, each wing 20 is thrown out by the action of centrifugal force, then rotation of the tail end 21 drives the coupling member 30 rotating, causing the other end of the coupling member moving away the fixed end of the spring 40. Elastic force of the spring 40 increases with the extension of the spring 40. The front end 22 of each wing 20 will be thrown out when the centrifugal force is sufficient to overcome the current elastic force of the spring 40. When in a natural state, the spring 40 draws the coupling member 30, and then the coupling member 30 draws the tail end of the wing 20 rotating back to the initial position. That is, the wings surround on the disc 10 end to end, as shown in FIG. 1.
In order to increase entertainment and decorative quality of the Return Top, the disc 10 is further provided with LEDs R1. When the wings 20 are thrown out, the LEDs R1 are lighted; when the wings 20 are drawn back to the initial position, the LEDs R1 are turned off. FIG. 6 shows the circuit diagram, wherein the power supply G1, the spring switch S1 and the LEDs R1 are connected by wires and assembled on the disc 10 of the Return Top. When the wings fly out to generate vibration, the spring switch S1 is switched on, and the LEDs R1 are lighted; when the disc 10 stops spinning, the spring switch S1 is switched off, and the LEDs R1 are turned off.
In the Return Top in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, not only the disc 10 spins, but also the wings 20 together fly out, therefore entertainment of the Return Top is enhanced. Further, the addition of LEDs R1 increases the decorative quality of the Return Top. Whether the wings flying out or not depends on the spinning speed of the whole Return Top. If the spinning speed of the Return Top is not large enough, the centrifugal force is not enough to overcome the pulling force of the spring 40, then the wings 20 could not fly out. Therefore, the Return Top in accordance with embodiments of the present invention increases difficulty for throwing it, and enhances the competitiveness. People's interest for playing Return Top rises up.
Additionally, design for the wings 20 can be various. For example, different color can be provided for different wings, thus an effect of rotating windmill may be achieved when the Return Top spins. Further, for example, colored ribbons can be extended on the wings, and fly out together with the wings flying out, thus the Return Top can simulate the shape of jellyfish. Accordingly, various designs of the wings provide multiple shapes for the Return Top, which enhance entertainment and decorative quality of the Return Top. However, the present invention is not limited by the specific embodiments described here. As long as structure that can be thrown out with the spinning of the disc is added on the disc, such Return Top all falls into the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A Return Top, comprising a disc (10), wings (20) installed on a front surface of the disc (10) which are rotatable about the wings' tail ends (21) respectively so that their front ends (22) can be throw out of the disc (10) when the disc (10) is spinning, coupling members (30) connected to the tail ends (21) of the wings (20) respectively and rotated with the tail ends (21) of the wings (20), and springs (40) each having one end being fixed on the disc (10) and the other end being connected to the coupling member (30), wherein the springs (40) are stretched and strain the wings (20) on the disc (10) through the coupling members (30).

2. The Return Top according to claim 1, wherein the Return Top comprises three wings (20) surrounding into a circle on the front surface of the disc (10) through end to end overlap.

3. The Return Top according to claim 1, wherein the tail end (21) of each wing (20) comprises a cubic protrusion vertical to the front surface of the disc (10), and a circular hole (210) with a diameter lager than the cross-section of the protrusion is provided on the disc (10), the said protrusion passing through the said circular hole (210) to connect the coupling member (30) on a back surface of the disc (10).

4. The Return Top according to claim 3, wherein the coupling member (30) comprises a cubic hole (220) on one end, the protrusion of the wing (20) being inserted into the cubic hole (220) to drive the coupling member (30) rotating with the wing (20).

5. The Return Top according to claim 4, wherein the other end of the coupling member (30) is connected with the spring (40), and extension rate of the spring (40) is increased or decreased while the tail end (21) of the wing (20) rotates the coupling member (30).

6. The Return Top according to claim 1, wherein the disc (10) comprises a top shell and a bottom shell assembled together, the wings (20) are arranged on a front surface of the top shell, and the coupling members (30) and the springs (40) are arranged in a cavity enclosed by the top shell and the bottom shell.

7. The Return Top according to claim 1, wherein the Return Top further comprises LEDs (R1) which can be lighted when the disc (10) spins and the front ends (22) of the wings (20) are thrown out of the disc (10).