U.S. patent application number 12/231044 was filed with the patent office on 2009-11-05 for whistling spinning exercise toy.
Invention is credited to Bennett Roy Arnstein.
Application Number | 20090275261 12/231044 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41257405 |
Filed Date | 2009-11-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090275261 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Arnstein; Bennett Roy |
November 5, 2009 |
Whistling spinning exercise toy
Abstract
A design for a whistling spinning exercise toy is disclosed,
based on the traditional "button-on-a-string" toy, that is compact,
lightweight, portable, simple and easy to maintain, and makes a
pleasant whistling sound.
Inventors: |
Arnstein; Bennett Roy; (Los
Angeles, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Bennett Roy Arnstein;#535
3049 W. 8th St.
Los Angeles
CA
90005-1828
US
|
Family ID: |
41257405 |
Appl. No.: |
12/231044 |
Filed: |
August 29, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61049225 |
Apr 30, 2008 |
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
446/254 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H 1/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
446/254 |
International
Class: |
A63H 1/32 20060101
A63H001/32 |
Claims
1. I claim three pieces, a thin flat stiff round disc with at least
two holes near its outer periphery, and two round hubs, assembled
with the disc between the hubs and concentric with both hubs, and
rigidly connected, with two small holes near the center equally
spaced from the center that go straight through all three pieces,
to form a whistling exercise spinner.
Description
[0001] This application is a follow-up to Provisional Application
#61049225, filed Apr. 30, 2008.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The Whistling Spinning Exercise Toy is a variation of the
traditional Button-On-A-String spinning exercise toy. A loop of
string is placed through two holes in the button, near the center
and concentric with the center. Each end of the loop is held in one
hand, with the button approximately in the center of the loop. With
the ends of the loop held spaced so that the ends of the loop are
slightly closer than the length of the loop, with the button
hanging lower than the ends, the button is swung in a circle
causing the loop to become twisted. When the loop becomes twisted
it gets shorter. When the ends of the twisted loop are pulled
apart, the loop untwists as it becomes longer. This makes the
button spin, and when the loop has become untwisted the inertia of
the button keeps it spinning and it twists the loop in the opposite
direction. If the ends of the loop are now brought closer together
the loop will continue to twist in the opposite direction until the
button stops spinning. If the motion of the ends of the loop is
coordinated with the twisting and untwisting of the loop, moving
apart when the loop is untwisting and moving towards each other
when the loop is getting twisted, the oscillating motion of the
button may be continued indefinitely, until the user becomes tired
and needs to rest.
[0003] Buttons are ordinarily designed as an accessory for
clothing, and not for use as a spinning exercise toy. Variations of
this basic toy involve "buttons" that are specifically designed to
be used as a spinning exercise toy. Prior variations are big, heavy
and bulky requiring heavy expensive cord for the string loop, which
is attached to the spinner in a complicated manner that makes it
difficult or impossible to replace when worn out. Other prior
variations produce a whistling sound with an air chamber with a
narrow opening at the periphery of the spinner. This makes a loud
shrill unpleasant shriek rather than a pleasant whistling
sound.
[0004] The object of my invention is to make a whistling spinning
exercise toy that is compact, lightweight and portable, capable of
fitting in a shirt pocket, or a pocketbook, or a paper envelope, or
a shopping bag, or a desk drawer, or a briefcase, or an attache
case or a backpack, that uses cheap readily-available household
string, whose string loop can be simply and easily replaced when
the string gets worn out and frayed, and that makes a pleasant
whistling sound.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] My invention consists of a thin flat stiff disc with a
substantially thicker hub at the center. The disc has whistling
holes near its outer periphery, and the hub has two small holes
that go through everything near the center, for attaching the
string loop.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the spinner. "c" is the disc. "d"
is the female hub. "e" is the male hub. "f" is one of several
whistling holes in the disc. "g" is one of two holes that go
through everything for attaching the string loop. Section A-A is
shown in FIG. 5, and section B-B is shown in FIG. 4.
[0007] FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the spinner.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the invention being used.
The string loop and the handles are shown in phantom lines as they
are not part of the invention.
[0009] FIG. 4 is section B-B taken in FIG. 1. "k" is a square shaft
with chamfered corners on part "e" that fits through the square
hole "h" on part "c" shown in FIG. 11, and also fits through square
hole "n" on part "d" shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10. "l" is a
thin-walled portion on part "d". "m" is a thin-walled portion on
part "e".
[0010] FIG. 5 is section A-A taken in FIG. 1. The portion inside
the heavy black circle is shown enlarged in FIG. 6.
[0011] FIG. 6 is an enlargement of the portion of FIG. 5 inside the
heavy circle. "i" is a cam inside hole "n" on part "d". There are
two cams "i" on opposite sides of hole "n", shown in FIG. 9 and
FIG. 10. "j" is a flexible pawl on part "e". There are two pawls
"j" on opposite sides of shaft "k", shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8. "p"
is a slanted surface on cam "i". "q" is a slanted surface on pawl
"j".
[0012] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the male hub, part "e".
[0013] FIG. 8 is an elevation view of the male hub, part "e". This
part is symmetrical front to back and also left to right. The right
half is shown as a section taken through the center of FIG. 7.
[0014] FIG. 9 is a plan view of the female hub, part "d". "n" is a
square hole that fits around shaft "k" on part "e".
[0015] FIG. 10 is an elevation view of the female hub, part "d".
This part is symmetrical front to back and also left to right. The
right half is shown as a section taken through the center of FIG.
9.
[0016] FIG. 11 is a plan view of disc "c". The preferred embodiment
is three inches outside diameter and 0.020 inches thick. "h" is a
square hole with stress relief cutouts at each corner. "h" is
symmetrical about the center of the disc and has a
surface-to-surface fit with shaft "k" on part "e".
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] My invention consists of three pieces that are assembled and
rigidly connected to form a single rigid spinner. The three pieces
are a disc and two hub pieces. The disc is sandwiched between the
two hub pieces. There are many possible ways to rigidly connect the
three pieces after they have been assembled. The method drawn and
explained here is one possible embodiment of one possible method.
After being assembled, the two hub pieces are squeezed together
until they snap and remain permanently and rigidly connected to the
disc. Other possible methods involve the use of nuts and bolts, or
screws, or rivets, or glue, or soldering, or welding, or brazing,
or any heat treatment combined with high pressure, or any
combination of two or more methods mentioned or described.
[0018] The parts are assembled by first placing shaft "k" on part
"e" into hole "h" on part "c" as far as it will go. Then slide part
"d" onto shaft "k" until surface "p" on cam "i" on part "d" touches
surface "q" on pawl "j" on part "e" (see FIG. 6). As the hubs are
squeezed together both cams "i" on part "d" and pawls "j" on part
"e" will deflect until they snap to the position shown in FIG. 6.
Other parts of both hubs will also deflect, most notably the
thin-walled portions "l" on part "d" and "m" on part "e". The
thickness of these parts can be specifically sized to control the
residual forces in the hubs after snapping to the configuration of
FIG. 6.
* * * * *