U.S. patent application number 10/923962 was filed with the patent office on 2005-03-03 for toy yo-yo with selective enhanced rotation.
Invention is credited to Choh, Jinsei, Choh, Jintei, Osawa, Takashi.
Application Number | 20050048869 10/923962 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34213970 |
Filed Date | 2005-03-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050048869 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Osawa, Takashi ; et
al. |
March 3, 2005 |
Toy yo-yo with selective enhanced rotation
Abstract
A yo-yo includes a toy body formed by a pair of housings
connected by a rotatable connecting shaft. The toy body includes a
detecting unit that automatically detects the rotation of the toy
body and a motor that rotates the connecting shaft on the basis of
the detection result of the detecting unit. The detecting unit
detects the direction of rotation of the toy body and actuates the
motor to rotatingly drive the connecting shaft in the same
direction as the direction of rotation of the toy body.
Inventors: |
Osawa, Takashi; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Choh, Jinsei; (Tokyo, JP) ; Choh,
Jintei; (Chiba, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.
Attn: Joseph W. Price, Esq.
Suite 1200
1920 Main Street
Irvine
CA
92614-7230
US
|
Family ID: |
34213970 |
Appl. No.: |
10/923962 |
Filed: |
August 23, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
446/250 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H 1/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
446/250 |
International
Class: |
A63H 001/24; A63H
001/28; A63H 001/30 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 27, 2003 |
JP |
2003-302753 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A yo-yo comprising: a toy body including a pair of housings and
a rotatable connecting shaft connecting said pair of housings at
their respective central axis; and a string connected to said
connecting shaft and being windable around the connecting shaft,
with one end of the string being fixed to said connecting shaft,
wherein a reaction accompanying a rotation of said toy body is used
to cause said toy body to move up and down, wherein said toy body
includes detecting unit that detects the rotation of said toy body,
and a motor that rotates said connecting shaft on the basis of the
detection result of the detecting unit.
2. The yo-yo as claimed in claim 1, further including a
transmission assembly that transmits the rotational force of said
motor to said connecting shaft.
3. The yo-yo as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detecting unit
detects the direction of rotation of said toy body and actuates
said motor to rotatingly drive said connecting shaft in the same
direction as the direction of rotation of said toy body.
4. The yo-yo as claimed in claim 3, wherein said detecting unit
comprises fixed contacts disposed inside said toy body, two movable
contacts that come into selective contact with the fixed contacts,
and switch members that cause one of the two movable contacts to
come into contact with the fixed contacts, the movable contacts
being pivoted in the same direction as the direction of rotation of
the toy body due to an inertial force of the switch members and a
centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the toy body.
5. The yo-yo as claimed in claim 4, wherein said switch members
comprise weight members, each of said weight members being made of
a magnetic material.
6. A hand held string activated toy comprising: a rotable toy body;
an elongated string movably connected to the toy body and operative
to enable the toy body to rotate at one end of the string; a motor
assembly operatively mounted to enable a selective rotation of the
rotable toy body in one of a clockwise and counter-clockwise
rotation; and a detector unit connected to the toy body for
determining one of a static position and a rotational movement of
the rotating toy body and activating the motor assembly to rotate
the toy body in the same rotational movement when the rotational
movement is detected and stopping the motor assembly when the
static position is detected.
7. The hand held string activated toy of claim 6 wherein the
detector unit includes at least one actuator weight member
pivotally mounted in the toy body and a pair of movable contacts
operatively mounted for selective contact with the actuator weight
member to enable one of a clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation
of the toy body.
8. The hand held string activated toy of claim 6 wherein the toy
body has a releasable catch assembly operatively positioned
adjacent the attachment of the string to the toy body whereby
flexure of the string by the user during rotation of the toy body
at one end of the string will enable engagement of the string with
the releasable catch assembly to wind the string within the toy
body.
9. A toy electromechanical yo-yo comprising: a hand holdable body
member with a first and second housing interconnected by a
connecting shaft; a reversible electric motor assembly operatively
mounted within the body member for driving the connecting shaft; an
elongated flexible member connected to the connecting shaft and
controllable by the user whereby the body member can rotate
relative to the elongated flexible member; and a detector unit
mounted in the body member for automatically determining one of a
static position and a rotational movement of the rotating body
member and activating the motor assembly to rotate the connecting
shaft in the same detected rotational movement when the rotational
movement is detected and stopping the motor assembly when the
static position is detected.
10. The toy electromechanical yo-yo of claim 9 wherein the detector
unit includes at least one actuator weight member pivotally mounted
in the body member and a pair of movable contacts operatively
mounted for selective contact with the actuator weight member to
enable one of a clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation of the
body.
11. The toy electromechanical yo-yo of claim 10 wherein the body
member has a releasable catch assembly operatively positioned
adjacent the attachment of the string to the toy body whereby
flexure of the elongated flexible member by a user during rotation
of the body member at one end of the elongated flexible member will
enable engagement of the elongated flexible member with the
releasable catch assembly to wind the elongated flexible member
within the body member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a yo-yo, and more
particularly to a yo-yo configured to sustain selective rotation
with a controllable motor system.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Generally, a traditional yo-yo includes a toy body that is
formed by connecting a pair of discoid rotating bodies (housings)
with a shaft body. A string is wound around the shaft body, so that
when the toy body is lowered, the toy body rotates as the wound
string is unwound, and when the toy body rises, the string is
rewound around the shaft body due to the rotational force of the
toy body. Thus, the yo-yo is an instrument of play that can
repeatedly move up and down.
[0005] However, the rotation of the toy body reaches a maximum
speed at the lowermost end, and sometimes if the rotational force
becomes weak, the string cannot be rewound around the shaft body
and the yo-yo cannot be made to rise and return to the user when
the toy body is left as it is, so that youngsters and beginners who
cannot successfully control the timing at which to make the yo-yo
rise to rewind the string become unable to continuously play with
the yo-yo because the rotation becomes too slow. A yo-yo that can
improve the rotational force has been proposed. In this type of
yo-yo, paths are symmetrically formed in the diameter direction of
hollow disc bodies, a weight and a spring body are disposed in the
respective paths, and the weight moves to an outer peripheral side
to counter the spring body due to the rotational force of the
hollow disc bodies, whereby the center of gravity of the hollow
disc bodies is moved to the outer peripheral side and the
rotational force is increased (see, Japanese Patent Application
Laid-Open Publication No. 11-114232).
[0006] Although the aforementioned yo-yo can increase the
rotational force and somewhat prolong the time period of rotation
in comparison to a conventional yo-yo, the rotational force still
ends up decreasing and the yo-yo can fail to arrive at a
fundamental solution to the problem that conventional yo-yos
have.
[0007] Thus there remains a problem, particularly with young
children and inexperienced users that has not been adequately
addressed in the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide an
improved electromechanical yo-yo that solves the above-described
problem by forcibly causing a connecting shaft to rotate in the
same direction as the direction of rotation of the toy body and
which can easily be manipulated by youngsters and beginners.
[0009] In order to solve the above-described problem, a yo-yo
according to the present invention comprises a toy body that
includes a pair of housings and a rotatable connecting shaft that
connects the pair of housings. The toy body includes a detecting
unit that detects the rotation of the toy body, and an electric
motor that rotates the rotatable connecting shaft on the basis of
the detection result of a detecting unit. The detecting unit
detects the direction of rotation of the toy body and can actuate
the motor to rotatingly drive the rotatable connecting shaft in the
same direction as the direction of rotation of the toy body.
[0010] The detecting unit preferably comprises fixed contacts
disposed inside the pair of housings, two movable contacts that
come into selective contact with the fixed contacts, and switch
members that cause one of the two movable contacts to come into
contact with the fixed contacts, the movable contacts being pivoted
in the same direction as the direction of rotation of the toy body
due to the inertial force of the switch members per se and
centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the rotating
bodies.
[0011] According to the invention, when the toy body rotates, the
detecting unit detects the rotation and direction of rotation of
the toy body, and the motor automatically rotates on the basis of
the detection result so that the rotation of the toy body is
sustained. Thus, the rotational force of the toy body is forcibly
sustained and is not damped, whereby the invention can provide a
yo-yo that can be enjoyed by youngsters and beginners.
[0012] Additionally, the movable contacts are selectively brought
into contact with the fixed contacts by the switch members that are
pivoted by the inertial force of the switch members and centrifugal
force generated by the rotation of the toy body. Each of the switch
members comprises a weight member and the motor can cause the toy
body to selectively rotate in the rotate in a clockwise or a
counter-clockwise direction.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The objects and features of the present invention, which are
believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the
appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization
and manner of operation, together with further objects and
advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following
description, taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings.
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a yo-yo according to the
invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 an exploded perspective view of the yo-yo;
[0016] FIGS. 3A to 3C are explanatory views of the internal
configuration of the yo-yo and explanatory views of the operational
mode thereof;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a block diagram describing the electrical
configuration of the yo-yo;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view describing a transmission
mechanism of the yo-yo; and
[0019] FIGS. 6A to 6D are explanatory views of the use mode of the
yo-yo.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred
embodiments of the invention which set forth the best mode
contemplated to carry out the invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will
be described in conjunction with the preferred embodiments, it will
be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention to
these embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to
cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be
included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by
the appended claims. Furthermore, in the following detailed
description of the present invention, numerous specific details are
set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the
present invention. However, it will be obvious to one of ordinary
skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced
without these specific details. In other instances, well known
methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been
described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the
present invention.
[0021] FIG. 1 shows an example of an electromechanical yo-yo
according to the present invention. The yo-yo comprises a toy body
4, which is formed by connecting a pair of discoid rotating bodies
(housings) 1 and 2 with a connecting shaft 3, and an elongated
flexible member such as a string 5 fixed, one end thereof, to the
connecting shaft 3 connecting the rotating bodies 1 and 2. The
other end of the string is held by the user. Similar to a
conventional yo-yo, the yo-yo is configured so that one can play
with the yo-yo by lowering and raising the toy body 4 to repeatedly
unwind and rewind the string 5.
[0022] FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the yo-yo of
the present invention. The rotating body 1 is configured by a case
6 and a cover 7, and the rotating body 2 is configured by a case 8
and a cover 9. The covers 7 and 9 are respectively fixed to the
cases 6 and 8 with screws 10.
[0023] Connecting shaft housing portions 13 and 14 are formed in
centers of the cases 6 and 8 so as to protrude towards back surface
sides thereof. Convex-concave portions 15 are provided to enhance a
releasable catching and retention of the string 5 and are formed at
outer respective sides of the facing surfaces of the connecting
shaft housing portions 13 and 14 to form a releasable catch
assembly operatively positioned against the connecting shaft 3.
[0024] Struts 19, to which are fitted a battery housing 16, magnet
retainers 17 and a motor housing 18, are formed at an inner side of
the case 6. A detecting unit 20 that can detect the direction of
rotation of the toy body 4, a motor 21, a transmission mechanism 22
that transmits the rotation of the motor 21 to the connecting shaft
3, and a secondary battery 23 are housed inside the case 6.
[0025] The detecting unit 20 comprises a first detecting assembly
20a and a second detecting assembly 20b that are disposed at
symmetrical positions around the connecting shaft 3 inside the case
6.
[0026] The first detecting assembly 20a is configured by a fixed
contact 25 disposed in close contact with an inner peripheral wall
of the case 6, two movable contacts 26 and 27 disposed facing the
fixed contact 25, and an actuator weight member 28 that constitutes
a switch member and can selectively actuate the movable contacts 26
and 27. The second detecting assembly 20b is configured by a fixed
contact 30 disposed in close contact with the inner peripheral wall
of the case 6, two movable contacts 31 and 32 disposed facing the
fixed contact 30, and an actuator weight member 33 that constitutes
a switch member and can selectively actuate the movable contacts 31
and 32.
[0027] As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 4, the fixed contacts
25 and 30 are respectively connected to input terminals 21a and 21b
of the motor 21. The movable contacts 26 and 31 and the movable
contacts 27 and 32 respectively symmetrically disposed around the
center of the case 6 are electrically connected, and the movable
contacts 26 and 27 and the movable contacts 31 and 32 are connected
to a positive terminal 23a and a negative terminal 23b of batteries
23.
[0028] Each of the weight members 28 and 33, which constitutes the
switch member, is configured by a substantially square rod-shaped
magnetic material, such as steel, whose ends are formed in circular
arcs. Spindles 35 and 36 attached to the case 6 are passed through
shaft holes 28a and 33a formed in rear ends of the weight members
28 and 33, so that the weight members 28 and 33 can pivot around
spindles 35 and 36. When the toy body 4 is not rotating, as shown
in FIG. 3A, the weight members 28 and 33 are in a stationary state
where they are attracted, towards the center of the case 6, by the
magnets 37 retained in the magnet retainers 17 formed in the case
6. When the toy body 4 rotates, the weight members 28 and 33 will
rotate in the same direction as the direction of rotation of the
toy body 4 to try to stay in that position due to an inertial
rotational force, and are pushed against the movable contacts due
to that centrifugal force (see FIGS. 3B and 3C).
[0029] When the toy body 4 (case 6) rotates in a counter-clockwise
direction, as shown in FIG. 3B, the weight members 28 and 33 also
pivot in a counter-clockwise direction around the spindles 35 and
36, so that front ends of the weight members 28 and 33 push the
movable contacts 26 and 31 against the fixed contacts 25 and 30,
and the fixed contact 25 and the movable contact 26 and the fixed
contact 30 and the movable contact 31 become conductive. When the
toy body 4 (case 6) rotates in a clockwise direction, as shown in
FIG. 3C, the weight members 28 and 33 also pivot in a clockwise
direction around the spindles 35 and 36, so that the front ends of
the weight members 28 and 33 push the movable contacts 27 and 32
against the fixed contacts 25 and 30, and the fixed contact 25 and
the movable contact 27 and the fixed contact 30 and the movable
contact 32 become conductive.
[0030] As shown in FIG. 5, the transmission mechanism 22 that
transmits the rotation of the motor 21 to the connecting shaft 23
is configured by a pinion gear 39 fixed to a rotating shaft of the
motor 21 and a transmission gear 40. The transmission gear 40 is
configured by a first spur gear 41 that meshes with the pinion gear
39 and a second spur gear 42 that is fixed coaxial with the first
spur gear 41. Because the second spur gear 42 meshes with a gear 43
disposed around the periphery of one end of the connecting shaft 3,
the connecting shaft 3 rotates via the pinion gear 39 and the
transmission gear 40 when the motor 21 rotates.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 2, a cylindrical grove 44 around which the
string 5 is wound is disposed around the center of the peripheral
surface of the connecting shaft 3. The gear 43 that meshes with the
second spur gear 42 is disposed around the case 6 side end portion
peripheral surface of the connecting shaft 3. The connecting shaft
3 is sandwiched from both sides by shaft receivers 50 and 51 and is
rotatably housed inside the connecting shaft housing portions of
the cases 6 and 8 in a state where a hollow shaft body 52 has been
inserted therethrough. A screw 54 is passed from the rear surface
side of the case 6 through the shaft receiver 50, the connecting
shaft 3 and the shaft receiver 51, and fastened with a nut 56 via a
washer 55 from the rear surface side of the case 8, whereby a state
where the cases 6 and 8 are connected by the connecting shaft 3 can
be created.
[0032] With the cases 6 and 8 connected by the connecting shaft 3,
the batteries 23, 23, the fixed contacts 25 and 30, the movable
contacts 26, 27, 31 and 32, the weight members 28 and 33, the
magnets 37 and the transmission gear 40 (41, 42) are housed inside
the case 6. The motor housing 18 housing the motor 21 is fastened
with screws to the struts 19, and the cover 7 is attached thereto
with screws 10, 10. The cover 9 is fixed with the screw 10 after
balancers 57 (see FIG. 5) for balancing the entire toy body 4 have
been attached to inner peripheral wall surfaces of the case 8,
whereby the yo-yo can be formed.
[0033] Next, an operational mode of the yo-yo of the
above-described configuration will be described.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 6A, after the string 5 has been wound in a
counter-clockwise direction around the connecting shaft 3, a person
inserts his/her finger through an end portion of the string 5 tied
in a ring and grips the toy body 4. Because the toy body 4 is
stationary at this time, the weight members 28 and 33 are attracted
to the magnets 37 and do not act on the movable contacts, and the
motor 21 is not actuated.
[0035] Next, when the toy body 4 is strongly released downward, it
rotates in a counter-clockwise direction and falls downward as the
string 5 unwinds (see FIG. 6A). Because the rotation of the toy
body 4 grows faster at this time, the weight members 28 and 33 are
pivoted by an inertial force and a centrifugal force in the same
direction as the direction of rotation of the toy body 4
(counter-clockwise direction), so that the movable contacts 26 and
31 respectively push against the fixed contacts 25 and 30 (see FIG.
3B). When the movable contacts 26 and 31 and the fixed contacts 25
and 30 respectively become conductive, as shown in FIG. 4, a
current flows to the motor 21 in the direction of arrow a (called a
forward current) and the motor 21 begins forwardly rotating. When
the motor 21 forwardly rotates, the connecting shaft 3 rotates via
the transmission mechanism 22. Thus, the connecting shaft 3 rotates
due to the rotation of the motor 21 in addition to the rotation
resulting from the inertia of the toy body 4, so that the toy body
4 can sustain its rotation. The activation of the motor is
automatically performed by the controllable motor system without
requiring any skill by the user.
[0036] In a state where the rotation is sustained, the string 5 can
still catch on the string-catching convex-concave portions 15
formed at opposing surfaces of the cases 6 and 8 when flexure is
imparted to the string 5 by the user's hand movement to provide an
off-axis undulation in the same manner as a conventional yo-yo and,
as shown in FIG. 6B, the toy body 4 rises upward towards the
person's hand while the connecting shaft 3 rewinds the string 5 in
a counter-clockwise direction. When the toy body 4 rises up to the
person's hand and the person grips the toy body 4 with his/her
hand, the rotation of the toy body 4 is forcibly stopped, whereby
the centrifugal force acting on the weight members 28 and 33
ceases, the movable members 26 and 31 are freed because they are
attracted to the magnets 37 and become stationary, the current to
the motor 21 is blocked off and the motor 21 stops.
[0037] Next, when the toy body 4 is strongly released downward, it
rotates in a clockwise direction and falls downward as the string 5
unwinds (see FIG. 6C). Because the rotation of the toy body 4 grows
faster at this time, the weight members 28 and 33 are pivoted by an
inertial force and a centrifugal force in the same direction as the
direction of rotation of the toy body 4 (clockwise direction), so
that the movable contacts 27 and 32 respectively push against the
fixed contacts 25 and 30 (see FIG. 3C). When the movable contacts
27 and 32 and the fixed contacts 25 and 30 respectively become
conductive, as shown in FIG. 4, a current flows to the motor 21 in
the direction of arrow "b" (called a reverse current) and the motor
21 begins reversely rotating. When the motor 21 reversely rotates,
the connecting shaft 3 rotates via the transmission mechanism 22.
Thus, the connecting shaft 3 rotates due to the rotation of the
motor 21 in addition to the rotation resulting from the inertia of
the toy body 4, so that the toy body 4 can sustain its
rotation.
[0038] When flexure is imparted to the string 5 in a state where
the rotation is sustained, as shown in FIG. 6D, the toy body 4
rises upward towards the person's hand while the connecting shaft 3
rewinds the string 5 in a clockwise direction. When the person
grips the toy body 4 that has risen up to the person's hand with
his/her hand, the rotation of the toy body 4 is forcibly stopped,
whereby the centrifugal force acting on the weight members 28 and
33 ceases, the movable members 26 and 31 are freed because they are
attracted to the magnets 37 and become stationary, the current to
the motor 21 is blocked off and the motor 21 stops.
[0039] When the toy body 4 that has returned to the person's hand
is again thrown by the user, the toy body 4 rotates and falls
downward and the motor 21 also begins rotating. Thus, as shown in
FIGS. 6A to 6D, the toy body 4 can be moved up and down, and the
motor 21 rotates to sustain the rotation of the toy body 4 in
accompaniment with the up and down movement of the toy body 4.
Thus, as long as the rotation of the toy body 4 is not forcibly
stopped, the toy body 4 can be continuously rotated.
[0040] As described above, when the toy body 4 rotates, the weight
members 28 and 33 are actuated by the inertial force and
centrifugal force generated from the rotational force of the toy
body 4, and the movable contacts are brought into contact with the
fixed contacts to form the drive circuit of the motor 21. Thus, the
rotation of the toy body 4 can be sustained by the rotation of the
motor 21, and the toy body 4 can be manipulated without worrying
about a drop in the rotational speed. Thus, a yo-yo appropriate for
youngsters and beginners can be provided.
[0041] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various
adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred
embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that,
within the scope of the amended claims, the invention may be
practiced other than as specifically described herein.
* * * * *