Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
  • A63H1/00—Tops
  • A63H1/30—Climbing tops, e.g. Yo-Yo

Definitions

• the present invention is related to yo-yos.
• the traditional yo-yo has two closely-spaced fly disks which have their axes of cylindrical symmetry aligned and are joined by a narrow axle along the axis of cylindrical symmetry.
• the axle is irrotatably attached to the fly disks.
• the yo-yo includes a string which is looped around the axle.
• the basic yo-yoing operation is the unrolling of the string about the axle as the yo-yo moves away from the operator, followed by the rolling up of the string about the axle as the yo-yo returns to the operator.
• Another basic yo-yoing operation performable with the traditional yo-yo is to make it "sleep," i.e., spin at the end of the unrolled string without immediately returning up the string.
• Making a traditional yo-yo sleep requires some skill and can typically be accomplished for only a few seconds.
• a free-axle yo-yo has an axle which is rotatable relative to the fly disks.
• a free- axle yo-yo can be made sleep considerably longer and considerably easier than a fixed- axle yo-yo. However, it is more difficult to induce a free-axle yo-yo than a fixed-axle yoyo to return along the string after sleeping.
• a centrifugal-clutch yo-yo provides the advantage of being easily induced to sleep like a free-axle yo-yo, and easily induced to return along the string like a fixed-axle yo-yo.
• a multi-function yo-yo having an axle, fly disks mounted at each end of the axle, and a rotatable axle sleeve.
• a rotational-speed governor which is spring-biased to an "inwards" position where a grip on the governor contacts the axle sleeve forcing the axle sleeve to rotate with the fly disk.
• the grip on the governor is not in contact with the axle sleeve and the axle sleeve may rotate independently of the axle and fly disks.
• a function control switch on the exterior of the yo-yo has three positions.
• the governor When the function control switch is in its first position, the governor is locked in a radially-inwards position and the yo-yo functions as a fixed axle yo-yo. When the function control switch is in the second position, the governor is locked in a radially-outwards position and the yo-yo functions as a free axle yo-yo.
• the function control switch When the function control switch is in the third position, the governor is thrown to the radially-outwards position when the yo-yo spins fast enough and the spring-biasing is overcome by centrifugal force, and is drawn to the radially-inwards position when the yo-yo spins slow enough and the spring-biasing force overcomes centrifugal force.
• the yo-yo functions as a centrifugal-clutch yo-yo, i.e., as a free-axle yo-yo when it is spinning sufficiently rapidly, and as a fixed-axle yo-yo when it is spinning sufficiently slowly.
• Figure IA is a plan view of the mechanism of the yo-yo of the present invention in a setting providing a fixed-axle yo-yo.
• Figure IB is an x-ray view of the plan view of FIG. IA.
• Figure 2A is a plan view of the mechanism of the yo-yo of the present invention in the setting providing a free-axle yo-yo.
• Figure 2B is an x-ray view of the plan view of FIG. 2 A.
• Figure 3 A is apian view of the mechanism of the yo-yo of the present invention in the setting providing a centrifugal-clutch yo-yo with no centrifugal force acting on the governors.
• Figure 3B is an x-ray view of the plan view of FIG. 3A.
• Figure 4A is a plan view of the mechanism of the yo-yo of the present invention in the setting providing a centrifugal-clutch yo-yo with centrifugal force acting to position the governors outwards.
• Figure 4B is an x-ray view of the plan view of FIG. 4 A.
• Figure 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the mechanism of the yo-yo of the present invention.
• Figure 6.1 is a plan view of the base of the mechanism of the yo-yo of the present invention.
• Figure 6.2 is a cross-sectional side view of the base shown in Figure 6.1.
• Figure 7.1 is a plan view of the switch chassis of the mechanism of the yo-yo of the present invention.
• Figure 7.2 is a cross-sectional side view of the switch chassis shown in Figure 7.1.
• Figure 8.1 is a plan view of the cover of the mechanism of the yo-yo of the present invention.
• Figure 8.2 is a cross-sectional side view of the cover shown in Figure 8.1.
• Figure 9.1 is a plan view of the governors of the mechanism of the yo-yo of the present invention.
• Figure 9.2 is a cross-sectional side view of the governors shown in Figure 9.1.
• the present invention is a yo-yo with a mechanism for switching between three modes of functioning: as a fixed-axle yo-yo, as a free-axle yo-yo, and as a centrifugal- clutch yo-yo.
• FIG. IA shows the mechanism of the yo-yo (100) of the present invention in a first setting, the "locked" setting, where the switch levers (310) are in the far-clockwise position.
• the grip pads (555) of the inner arms (550) of the governors (500) grip the portion of the axle (700) in contact with the string (900), forcing the portion of the axle (700) in contact with the string (900) to rotate with the body of the yo-yo (100), so that the axle (700) spins with the body of the yo-yo (100) and the yo-yo (100) operates as a fixed-axle yo-yo.
• FIG. 2 A shows the mechanism of the yo-yo (100) of the present invention in a second setting, the "open" setting, where the switch levers (310) are in the far- counterclockwise position.
• the grip pads (555) of the inner arms (550) of the governors (500) are not in contact with the portion of the axle (700) in contact with the string (900), so that the portion of the axle (700) in contact with the string (900) is freely rotatable relative to the body of the yo-yo (100) and the yo-yo (100) operates as a free-axle yo-yo.
• FIG. 3 A shows the mechanism of the yo-yo (100) of the present invention in a third setting, the "centrifugal-clutch" setting, where the switch levers (310) are in the central position.
• the grip pads (555) of the inner arms (550) of the governors (500) move away from contact with the portion of the axle (700) in contact with the string (900) due to centrifugal force when the body spins rapidly, so that the portion of the axle (700) in contact with the string (900) is freely rotatable relative to the body of the yo-yo (100) and the yo-yo (100) operates as a free-axle yo-yo.
• the governors (500) may be forced inwards so that the grip pads (555) of the governors (500) grip the portion of the axle (700) in contact with the string (900) and the yo-yo (100) operates as a fixed-axle yo-yo.
• FIGS. IB, 2B, 3B and 4B The mechanism of the present invention, and how the three settings produce the above-described modes of functioning, is now described in detail with reference to the x- ray plan views of FIGS. IB, 2B, 3B and 4B, the cross-sectional side view of FIG. 5, and the plan views and cross-sectional side views of the base, switch, cover and governors of FIGS. 6.1 and 6.2, 7.1 and 7.2, 8.1 and 8.2, and 9.1 and 9.2, respectively, as well as plan views, FIGS. IA, 2A, 3A and 4A, discussed above.
• 6.2, 7.2, 8.2 and 9.2 are views across cut-lines C-C, D-D, F-F and E-E of the plan views of the base (200), switch chassis (300), cover (400) and governors (500) of FIGS. 6.1, 7.1, 8.1 and 9.1, respectively
• the mechanism of the preferred embodiment has rotational three-fold symmetry, so there are three of each component of the base (200), switch (300) and cover (400), as well as three governors (500), three springs (600), etc.
• the three-fold symmetry provides various advantages in functionality and operation. It should be noted that, as shown in FIG. 5, one side (100A) of the yo-yo (100) of the present invention is a fly disk which holds the mechanism, and that is the side (100A) discussed in detail below.
• the other side (100B) of the yo-yo is a fly disk which does not contain moving parts (with the exception of the axle bushing (770), to the extent that it extends into that side (100B) of the yo-yo (100)), but has substantially the same weight, outer dimensions, and moment of inertia about the spin axis as the side (100A) with the mechanism.
• the present specification will sometime use the directional adjectives up, down, top, bottom, etc., and in such cases the adjectives are used with respect to the side view orientations of the parts shown in FIGS. 5, 6.2, 7.2, 8.2 and 9.2.
• the directional adjectives clockwise and counterclockwise are used with respect to the plan view orientations of the parts shown in FIGS. IA, IB, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 5, 6.1, 7.1, 8.1 and 9.1.
• the axial direction is the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the axle (700), i.e., perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIGS.
• the azimuthal direction is perpendicular to the axial and radial directions and through the point, i.e., for a point away from the longitudinal axis of the axle (700), the azimuthal direction is through the point and perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIGS. 5, 6.2 and 9.2.
• items are said to be cylindrically symmetric, substantially cylindrically symmetric, or to have an axis of substantial cylindrical symmetry or the like, when they function in terms of rotational dynamics, alone or in conjunction with adjoining items, equivalently to an item of cylindrical symmetry when rotated about the axis of cylindrical symmetry.
• items are said to be parallel, substantially parallel, or the like, when they function in terms of rotational dynamics, alone or in conjunction with adjoining items, when rotated about the axis of cylindrical symmetry equivalently to items which are parallel.
• the base (200) of the mechanism of the yo-yo (100) of the present invention is roughly bowl shaped, and has three spring screw wells (205), three pivot shafts (240), three switch reservoirs (210), and three selector switch detents (210).
• Each selector switch detent (212) has a detent well (213) in which a detent ball (214) rests on a detent spring (215). When the detent spring (215) is uncompressed, its top extends above the top of the well (213).
• the switch chassis (300) of the mechanism of the yo-yo (100) of the present invention has a substantially cylindrical frame (302) from which protrudes three switch levers (310) and three lock plates (320).
• Each lock plate (320) has a lock aperture (325) with a radially-wide central bay (326), an open notch (327) extending clockwise from the central bay (326) at the outside edge of the central bay (326), and a lock notch (328) extending counterclockwise from the central bay (326) at the inside edge of the central bay (326).
• Each switch lever (310) has three roughly spherical-section detent catches (312) in the lower surface thereof: a clockwise-most detent catch (312a), a central detent catch (312b), and counterclockwise-most detent catch (312c).
• the switch chassis (300) nests in the base (200) with the switch levers (310) in the switch reservoirs (210) and the cylindrical body (302) against the inside wall (202) of the base (200).
• the switch chassis (300) is rotatable within the base (200) from: (1) a far-clockwise position where the clockwise edges of the switch levers (310) abut the clockwise edges of the switch reservoirs (210) and the detent ball (214) rests within the counterclockwise-most detent catch (312c), to
• three switch levers (310) provides the advantage that rotation of the switch chassis (300) relative to the base (200) and cover (400) can be implemented by pushing one, two or three of the switch levers (310) according to what is most convenient and/or effective for the player given the orientation and position of the yo-yo (100) relative to the player.
• Multiple switch levers (310) located on a substantial portion of the circumference of the cover (400) also provide the advantage that when the yo-yo (100) returns along the string (900) to the hand of the player, at least one of the switch levers (310) is generally immediately within reach of one of the fingers of the player.
• each governor (500) has a pivot sleeve (540) from which extends an outer arm (560) and an inner arm (550).
• an outer arm (560) At the base of the inner arm (550) is a grip pad (555), and the inner arm has a spring docking peg (505) extending downwards from its lower surface roughly midway along its length.
• Extending downwards from the bottom of the outer arm (560) is a setting pin (525).
• the governors (500) are rotatably mounted on base (200) with the pivot shafts (240) through the pivot sleeves (540) and the setting pins (525) in the lock apertures (325).
• a metal ball is attached to or embedded in each outer arm (560) at the end opposite the pivot sleeve (540) to increase the tendency of the governors (500) to rotate outwards, i.e., clockwise, as a result of centrifugal force.
• the cover (400) is preferably transparent and, as shown in FIGS.
• 8.1 and 8.2 has three attachment shafts (440) and three wings (410), a positioning ring (445), and a axle- mounting nut (470) located at the center of the cover (400).
• the attachment shafts (440) are inserted into the pivot shafts (240) and the cover (400) is attached to the base (200) by screws (243) which are screwed into the attachment shafts (440) via the screw wells (242).
• the wings (410) of the cover (400) lie between the switches reservoirs (210) with the edges of the wings (410) roughly coincident with the edges of the switch reservoirs (210). As can be seen in FIGS.
• the bottom edge of the positioning ring (445) is adjacent the governors (500) and functions to help maintain their (500) positions and horizontal orientations at the bases of the pivot shafts (240) while not inhibiting rotation of the governors (500) about the pivot shafts (240).
• the axle (700) of the yo-yo (100) has an axle shaft (780) which is mounted in a mounting bushing (470) in the top half (100 A) of the yo-yo (100), and is screwed into a mounting nut (470') in the bottom half (100B) of the yo-yo (100).
• the axle bushing (780) is rotatably mounted on the axle shaft (770), and has a groove (782) centered in the gap between the halves (100A) and (100B).
• Encircling the axle bushing (780) adjacent the grip pads (555) of the governors (500) is an elastomeric grip ring (790).
• the switch levers (310) are in the far-clockwise position and the detent ball (214) is located in the counterclockwise-most detent catch (312c), stabilizing the setting of the switch levers (310).
• This position of the switch levers (310) forces the setting pins (525) into the locking notches (328) of the lock aperture (325).
• the switch levers (310) are in the far-counterclockwise position and the detent ball (214) is located in the clockwise-most detent catch (312a), stabilizing the setting of the switch levers (310). This position of the switch levers (310) forces the setting pins (525) into the opening notches (327) of the lock aperture (325).
• the switch levers (310) are in the central position and the detent ball (214) is located in the central detent catch (312b), stabilizing the setting of the switch levers (310).
• This position of the switch levers (310) locates the setting pins (525) in the central bays (326) of the lock aperture (325).
• the governors (500) can rotate from a clockwise-most orientation about the pivot shafts (240) where the grip pads (555) of the inner arms (550) of the governors (500) do not contact the grip ring (790) of the axle bushing (780), as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, to a counterclockwise- most orientation about the pivot shafts (240) where the grip pads (555) of the inner arms (550) of the governors (500) press against the grip ring (790) of the axle bushing (780), as shown in FIGS. 3 A and 3B.
• the governors (500) may be forced inwards so that the grip pads (555) contact the grip rings (790) and the yo-yo (100) operates as a fixed- axle yo-yo.
• the switch levers (310) in the central position the yo-yo (100) of the present invention operates as a centrifugal-clutch yo-yo.
• the two sides (10OA, 100B) of the yo-yo (100) are referred to as "disks" in the present specification or claims, and depicted as having substantially equal size, substantially cylindrical symmetry, being relatively flat (i.e., having a thickness-to-diameter ratio considerably less than unity), being roughly mirror images of each other, and of roughly equal exterior dimensions
• the "disks" (10OA, 100B) of the yo-yo (100) need not be disk shaped, or be of equal size, or have substantially cylindrical symmetry, or be relatively flat, or be roughly mirror images of each other, or be of roughly equal exterior dimensions.
• the sides (10OA, 100B) should be weighted and balanced so that their rotational dynamics are substantially equivalent to that of two disks of equal size and weight, so that the sides (10OA, 100B) will spin about the axle when "sleeping" at the end of the string without excessive wobbling.
• the string may be a single-filament or multi-filament, braided or wound string, thread, thin rope, or the like; and the axle need not be strictly cylindrical; the governors need not be bifurcated arms; the spring biasing may be accomplished with elastic bands or other spring biasing means; another system of detents for the switch may be used; the mechanism connecting the switch levers to the control of the governors may be different than that described; the mechanism may have a single governor, two-fold rotational symmetry, «-fold rotational symmetry where n is greater than 3, or no rotational symmetry; the function switching mechanism may have a construction otherwise different from that described in the detailed description or have variations other than those listed above; and so on. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of the invention is determined not by the embodiments illustrated or the physical analyses motivating the illustrated embodiments but, rather, by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

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• Toys (AREA)
• Electric Propulsion And Braking For Vehicles (AREA)
• Medicines Containing Material From Animals Or Micro-Organisms (AREA)

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• 2006
  • 2006-01-23 CN CNB2006800030119A patent/CN100571828C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-01-23 US US11/337,423 patent/US20060166595A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2006-01-23 AT AT06706349T patent/ATE400338T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2006-01-23 DE DE602006001736T patent/DE602006001736D1/de active Active
  • 2006-01-23 WO PCT/EP2006/000542 patent/WO2006077148A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 2006-01-23 EP EP06706349A patent/EP1850936B1/en not_active Not-in-force
• 2008
  • 2008-06-18 HK HK08106754.5A patent/HK1111929A1/xx not_active IP Right Cessation

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