Abstract:
A toy actuation device is disclosed which has a device body comprising a holding unit that holds a toy such as a stuffed toy. The holding unit including first detecting unit for detecting that the toy is held in the holding unit; and movable engagement members that are engageable with outer parts of the toy. An actuation mechanism actuates the engagement members. A user-holdable member is detachably disposed at the device body and includes a second detecting unit for sensing that the user is holding the user-holdable member in association with the toy; and a control unit that actuates the actuation mechanism on the basis of the detection results of the first detecting unit and the second detecting unit.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to a remote control toy top, and more particularly to a remote control toy top whose operating characteristics can be changed by remote control as the toy top is spinning. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Conventionally, playing with toy tops, where plural toy tops are spun on a game board and made to fight by bumping into each other, has become popular among many users. The spinning characteristics of the toy tops can be changed by recombining the parts configuring the toy tops. However, the spinning characteristics are set before the toy tops are spun, and cannot be changed once the toy tops are spinning. With respect thereto, a toy top has been proposed where the spinning characteristics of the toy top can be changed at will by the user while the toy top is spinning (e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication (JP-A) No. 2002-962). 
   The toy top disclosed in JP-A No. 2002-962 is disposed with two blades that are kept from opening by a swinging arm when the toy top is initially operated. When a signal causing the blades to open is transmitted to the toy top while the toy top is spinning, the swinging arm swings and the blades open in conjunction with the swinging of the swinging arm, whereby the spinning characteristics of the toy top can be changed while the toy top is spinning. 
   However, this conventional toy top has a drawback in that the spinning characteristics cannot be further changed once they have been changed, so that the spinning characteristics cannot be repeatedly changed. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore the object of the present invention to solve this problem by providing a remote control toy top whose spinning characteristics can be freely controlled as the toy top spins, whose operating mode can be freely changed, and in the operation of which a player can repeatedly intervene. 
   In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention provides a remote control toy top comprising the combination of a toy top and a remote controller device that changes the operating mode of the toy top by remote control, wherein the toy top includes a toy top body provided with a motor whose forward and reverse rotational directions and rotational speed are controlled by control signals transmitted from the remote controller device, and wherein the toy top includes a rotating shaft body that is rotatably supported at a bottom portion of the toy top body, the rotating shaft body rotating in conjunction with a motor shaft of the motor. 
   In a second aspect of the invention, the remote controller device comprises a rotation-instructing operational unit that instructs that forward and reverse rotation of the motor be conducted; and a change-instructing operational unit that instructs that a change of the rotational speed of the motor be conducted, the motor being rotated at a low speed when the rotation-instructing operational unit is operated, the motor being rotated at a high speed when the change-instructing operational unit is operated together with the rotation-instructing operational unit. 
   According to the first aspect of the invention, the rotating shaft body of the toy top is disposed at the motor shaft of the motor disposed inside the toy top, the will of a player can be reflected in the operating mode of the toy top by remotely controlling the forward and reverse rotational directions and the rotational speed of the motor with the remote controller device, and the player can thus enjoy playing with the toy top in a strategic manner that could not be enjoyed with a conventional toy top where the player simply looks on while attacks on and defense against an opponent&#39;s toy top were left to chance. 
   According to the second aspect of the invention, the remote controller device comprises the rotation-instructing operational unit that instructs that forward and reverse rotation of the motor be conducted and the change-instructing operational unit that instructs that a change of the rotational speed of the motor be conducted. Forward and reverse rotations of the motor at a low speed and forward and reverse rotations of the motor at a high speed can be controlled by the rotation-instructing operational unit and the change-instructing operational unit, so that changes in the operation mode of the toy top can be freely controlled by simple operations. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other objects, aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view describing the configuration of a remote control toy top pertaining to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view describing the configuration of the toy top; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view describing the configuration of a rotating shaft body; 
       FIG. 4  is a bottom side perspective view of the toy top; 
       FIGS. 5A to 5C  are front and plan views of a remote controller device; 
       FIGS. 6A and 6B  are block diagrams of the toy top and the remote controller device; and 
       FIGS. 7A and 7B  are plan views describing the operating mode of the toy tops spinning on a game board. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   A remote control toy top of the invention is configured by a toy top and a remote controller device that changes the operating mode of the toy top by remote control. A rotating shaft body of the toy top is rotatable supported at a toy top body and rotates in conjunction with a motor. The motor is configured so that the forward and reverse rotational directions and the rotational speed of the motor are controlled by control signals transmitted from the remote controller device, so that the rotation of the rotating shaft body of the toy top can be controlled by the remote controller device. 
     FIG. 1  shows an example of a toy top A pertaining to the invention. The toy top A includes a toy top body  1  and an attack-use ring  2  attached to the toy top body  1 . The toy top A is spun on a game board  5  by using a starter mechanism  4  disposed in a remote controller device  3  to impart a spin to the toy top A, so that the toy top A can compete with other toy tops. 
   In  FIG. 1 , reference numeral  6  represents a rack belt that actuates the starter mechanism  4 . 
   The game board  5  has a game surface  7  that is curved in a convex mirror shape disposed thereon. The game surface  7  is configured so that when the spinning speed of the toy top A is high, the toy top A moves in the outer peripheral direction on the game surface  7  while spinning, and when the spinning speed of the toy top A is low, the toy top A moves towards the center of the game surface  7 . Thus, the toy top A can move without stopping at one point and contact other toy tops. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the toy top body  1  includes a base member  10  disposed with a motor  11 , a rotating shaft body  12 , a circuit board  13  disposed with a control circuit that controls the rotation of the motor  11 , and batteries  14  comprising secondary batteries. A lid  15  is integrally fixed to the base member  10  with screws  18 . A mount  16 , to which the attack-use ring  2  can be attached and from which it can be detached, is fixed to a top surface of the lid  15 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , the rotating shaft body  12  of the motor  11  is configured by a fixed shaft  21 , which is fixed to a motor shaft  20  of the motor  11 , and a movable shaft  24 , which includes an engagement recess  23  that engages with a shaft portion  22  of the fixed shaft  21  so as to be slidable up and down. The movable shaft  24  is constantly urged downward by a spring  25 . A buffer mechanism  26  is configured by the movable shaft  24  and the spring  25  so that when the toy top A is released from the starter mechanism  4  disposed in the remote controller device  3  and falls onto the game surface  7  of the game board  5 , the impact thereof is absorbed by the spring  25  and does not directly extend to the motor  11 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , a tip end portion  24   a  of the movable shaft  24  projects downward from an opening  27  formed in the bottom surface of the base member  10 . The toy top body  1  spins using the tip end portion  24   a  as an axis. 
   The fixed shaft  21  includes hooks  28  that are formed so as to project downward from both sides of the fixed shaft  21 . The hooks  28  are for ensuring that the movable shaft  24  can slide up or down with respect to the fixed shaft  21  without coming off of the fixed shaft  21 . The hooks  28  slidably couple together the fixed shaft  21  and the movable shaft  24  in a state where the spring  25  is accommodated therein. 
   The base member  10  is formed in a thin circular cylinder shape including a top surface that is entirely open and a bottom surface whose center is open. The periphery of the center opening  27  projects upward in a circular cylinder shape to form a housing  31  for the motor  11 . The circuit board  13 , the batteries  14  ( 14   a  and  14   b ) configured by secondary batteries (nickel cadmium batteries) and balancers  33  are housed between the housing  31  and an outer wall  32 . 
   A socket  37  disposed with two electrodes  36  is formed in the bottom surface of the base member  10  (see  FIG. 4 ). The electrodes  36  are used when the batteries  14  ( 14   a  and  14   b ) are charged, and are disposed so that they cannot contact a later-described charging terminal  56  disposed in the remote controller device  3 . 
   The lid  15  is a polygonal or circular discoid member. The mount  16  to which the attack-use ring  2  attaches is fixed to the center of the lid  15 . Arced insertion holes  17 , into which holding pieces  54  of the starter mechanism  4  are inserted, are formed at symmetrical positions in the lid  15  so that the mount  16  is disposed therebetween. 
   The lid  15  is fixed to the base member  10  by screwing the flat countersunk head screws  18  into screw holes  19  of the base member  10  in a state where the lid  15  is superposed on the base member  10  and where the circuit board  13 , the motor  11  and the batteries  14  are housed in the base member  10 . 
   The attack-use ring  2  is a discoid member that includes a substantially circular opening in the center and flared portions  40  formed at equidistant intervals around the periphery. The flared portions  40  flare outward from the peripheral surface of the attack-use ring  2  and are for attacking toy top opponents. Two flared pieces  41  are formed at opposite sides of an inner side of the opening in the center of the attack-use ring  2 . The attack-use ring  2  can be attached to and detached from the mount  16  formed on the lid  15 . The structure by which the attack-use ring  2  is attached and detached is publicly known from a prior application for a toy top filed by the present applicant, and the attack-use ring  2  can be attached and detached with a publicly known method. 
     FIGS. 5A and 5B  respectively show a front view and a plan view of the remote controller device  3 . The remote controller device  3  is formed in a pistol shape disposed with a grip portion  46  so that a device body  45  of the remote controller device  3  can be gripped with one hand. Batteries  62  are housed in the grip portion  46 . A trigger-like operational lever  47 , which can pivot forwards and backwards, is disposed at an upper portion of the grip portion  46 . A pushable push button  48  is disposed at a rear end of the device body  45 . 
   The remote controller device  3  is configured so that when the operational lever  47  is pivoted backward, a switch  49  is switched ON and a control signal R 1  that causes the motor  11  to rotate rightward is transmitted, and when the operational lever  47  is pivoted forward, a switch  50  is switched ON and a control signal L 1  that causes the motor  11  to rotate leftward is transmitted. 
   The remote controller device  3  is also configured so that when the push button  48  is pushed, a switch  51  is switched ON, but when the push button  48  is pushed while pivoting the operational lever  47 , a control signal R 2  or L 2  that causes the motor  11  to rotate at a high speed is transmitted. 
   The starter mechanism  4  that imparts an initial spin to the toy top A is disposed in the remote controller device  3 . The starter mechanism  4  may be configured as a publicly known starter mechanism. The starter mechanism  4  is configured so that a gear not shown meshes with the rack belt  6  when the rack belt  6  is inserted through a through-hole  52  that penetrates the right side surface of the device body  45  from front to back. This gear is rotated by pulling the rack belt  6 , whereby a rotating plate  53  disposed at a side surface of the device body  45  is rotated at a high speed. When the rack belt  6  is completely pulled out from the device body  45 , a ratchet not shown meshes with the gear so that the rotation of the rotating plate  53  is instantaneously stopped. 
   The two holding pieces  54  that hold the toy top A are formed at the rotating plate  53  so as to project from the rotating plate  53 . The toy top A held in the holding pieces  54  can be spun at a high speed by using the rack belt  6  to rotate the rotating plate  53 . When the rotating plate  53  suddenly stops, the toy top A continues spinning due to inertia, is released from the holding pieces  54  and spins independently. 
   As shown in  FIG. 5C , a plug  57  disposed with the charging terminal  56  is exposed when a cover  55  at a front side of the device body  45  is opened. By inserting the plug  57  into the socket  37  disposed at the rear side of the toy top A, the charging terminal  56  makes contact with the electrodes  36  so that the batteries  14  of the toy top A can be charged by the batteries  62  of the remote controller device  3 . 
     FIGS. 6A and 6B  show block diagrams describing the concept of the electrical configuration of the toy top A and the remote controller device  3 . 
   In  FIG. 6B , reference numeral  60  represents a control circuit that creates and transmits the control signals that remotely control the rotation of the motor  11  of the toy top A. The control signal R 1  that causes the motor  11  to forwardly rotate (rightward rotation) at a low speed is created by the switch  49  that is switched ON by pivoting the trigger-like operational lever  47 , the control signal L 1  that causes the motor  11  to reversely rotate (leftward rotation) at a low speed is created by the switch  50 , and the control signals R 2  and L 2  that cause the motor  11  to rotate at a high speed in a direction designated by the operational lever  47  are created by pushing the push button  48 , which is disposed at the rear end of the device body  45 , while pivoting the operational lever  47  to switch the switch  51  ON. The created signals R 1  to L 2  are transmitted to the toy top A from an antenna  61 . 
   The batteries  62  configure an operational power source for the remote controller device  3  and a charging power source that charges the batteries  14  of the toy top A. The control circuit  60  is actuated by only the battery  62   a , and at the time of charging, the batteries  14  of the toy top A are charged by the batteries  62   a  and  62   b.    
   The control signals R 1  to L 2  transmitted from the remote controller device  3  are received by an antenna  63  of the toy top A and converted by a receiving circuit  64  to signals that control a motor driver  65 , so that the forward and reverse rotational directions and the rotational speed of the motor  11  are controlled by the motor driver  65 . 
   When the receiving circuit  64  receives the control signal R 1 , the receiving circuit  64  controls the driver  65  so that the motor  11  is made to rotate rightward by only the battery  14   a . When the receiving circuit  64  receives the control signal L 1 , the receiving circuit  64  controls the driver  65  so that the motor  11  is made to rotate leftward by only the battery  14   a.    
   When the receiving circuit  64  receives the control signal R 2 , the receiving circuit  64  controls the driver  65  so that the batteries  14   a  and  14   b  are serially connected and the motor  11  is made to rotate rightward at a high speed. When the receiving circuit  64  receives the control signal L 2 , the receiving circuit  64  controls the driver  65  so that the batteries  14   a  and  14   b  are serially connected and the motor  11  is made to rotate leftward at a high speed. 
   Although a wireless radio controller is used for the transmission and reception of the control signals, an infrared remote controller using an infrared LED at the transmitting side and a light-receiving element (photodiode) at the receiving side in place of the antennas may also be used. 
   According to the remote control toy top of the above-described configuration, the batteries  14  of the toy top A are charged, then the toy top A is set in the remote controller device  3 , the rack belt  6  is inserted into the through-hole  52  of the device body  45 , then the right side of the remote controller device  3  is tilted downward so that the toy top A faces the game surface  7  of the game board  5 , and the rack belt  6  is then yanked out. 
   Because the rotating plate  53  rotates at a high speed in concert with the pulling of the rack belt  6 , the toy top A held by the holding pieces  54  disposed at the rotating plate  53  spins integrally with the rotating plate  53 . The rotating plate  53  stops suddenly when the rack belt  6  is completely pulled out from the through-hole  52  of the device body  45 , whereby the toy top A spinning due to inertia is released from the holding pieces  54  as it spins, falls onto the game surface  7  of the game board  5  and continues spinning on the game surface  7 . 
   When the toy top A falls onto the game surface  7 , the entire weight of the toy top A is placed on the rotating shaft body  12  and the rotating shaft body  12  receives a large shock, but the coil spring  25  absorbs this shock so that the shock is not directly transmitted to the motor shaft  20  of the motor  11 . Thus, trouble such as the motor  11  sustaining damage due to the shock can be prevented in advance. 
   The toy top A spins on the game surface  7  of the game board  5  curved in a convex mirror shape, but because the tip end portion  24   a  of the movable shaft  24  is flatly formed so that the toy top A stands upright due to a gyro effect, the corners of the tip end portion  24   a  of the movable shaft  24  contact the game surface  7 , the peripheral edge of the tip end portion  24   a  of the movable shaft  24  exhibits a function like a small wheel and the toy top A spins and moves (revolves) in an arc on the game surface  7 . The higher the number of revolutions, the larger the arc becomes. 
   At this time, when the operational lever  47  is pivoted backwards in a case where the initial rotation of the toy top A is a rightward rotation, the switch  49  is switched ON so that the control circuit  60  transmits the control signal R 1  that causes the motor  11  to rotate rightward (the rotational direction of the motor  11  is the same as that of the toy top A) during the time that the operational lever  47  is being pivoted. When the receiving circuit  64  of the toy top A receives the control signal R 1 , the receiving circuit  64  instructs the driver  65  to cause the motor  11  to rotate rightward by only the battery  14   a , and the driver  65  causes the motor  11  to rotate rightward at a low speed. When the motor  11  rotates rightward, the movable shaft  24  rotates rightward in concert with the motor shaft  20 , the rotational speed of the entire toy top A increases, the toy top A revolves and moves faster in a large diameter in a counter-clockwise direction and moves towards the outer side of the game surface  7  (see  FIG. 7A ). 
   When the push button  48  is pushed at this time, the switch  51  is switched ON. Thus, the control circuit  60  transmits the control signal R 2  causing the motor  11  to rotate rightward at a high speed. When the receiving circuit  64  of the toy top A receives the control signal R 2 , voltage is applied to the motor  11  in a state where the batteries  14   a  and  14   b  are serially connected and the receiving circuit  64  causes the motor  11  to rotate rightward at a high speed. 
   When the operational lever  47  is pivoted forward, the switch  50  is switched ON. Thus, the control circuit  60  transmits the control signal L 1  causing the motor to rotate leftward (the rotational direction of the motor  11  is the opposite of that of the toy top A) during the time that the operational lever  47  is being pivoted. When the receiving circuit  64  of the toy top A receives the control signal L 1 , the receiving circuit  64  instructs the driver  65  to cause the motor  11  to rotate leftward by only the battery  14   a , and the driver  65  causes the motor  11  to rotate leftward at a low speed. When the motor  11  rotates leftward, the movable shaft  24  rotates leftward in concert with the motor shaft  20 , the toy top A revolves and moves faster in a small diameter and moves towards the center of the game surface  7  (see  FIG. 7B ). 
   Movement stops when the rotational speed of the toy top A and the reverse rotational speed of the rotating shaft body  12  are made the same by pulling the operational lever  47 . When the reverse rotational speed of the rotating shaft body  12  is greater than the rotational speed of the toy top A, the toy top A can be made to revolve and move rightward. 
   When the operational lever  47  is pivoted forward in a case where the initial rotation of the toy top A is a leftward rotation, the control signal L 1  that causes the motor  11  to rotate leftward (the rotational direction of the motor  11  is the same as that of the toy top A) is transmitted during the time that the operational lever  47  is being pivoted. Thus, the movable shaft  24  is rotated leftward at a high speed in concert with the motor shaft  20  of the motor  11  to cause the toy top A to revolve in a clockwise direction in a large diameter. When the operational lever  47  is pivoted forward, the control signal R 1  that causes the motor  11  to rotate rightward (the rotational direction of the motor  11  is the opposite of that of the toy top A) is transmitted during the time that the operational lever  47  is being pivoted. Thus, the movable shaft  24  is rotated rightward in concert with the fixed shaft  21  of the motor  11 , the toy top A revolves and moves in a small diameter and moves towards the center of the game surface  7 . 
   As described above, by controlled the rotation of the movable shaft  24  of the toy top A rotating on the game surface  7  of the game board  5 , the toy top A revolving and moving on the game surface  7  can be made to move towards the outer side of the game surface  7  and towards the center of the game surface  7 , whereby the operating mode of the toy top A can be changed. Thus, a player can freely control, with his/her own will, the toy top A to avoid an attack by an opponent&#39;s toy top A′ or to attack the toy top A′, so that the player can enjoy play with the toy top A in which the will of the player is reflected. That is, unlike the conventional toy top, where fighting between toy tops on the game surface  7  of the game board  5  is left to chance and thus is not very enjoyable, the toy top of the present invention allows the player to intervene repeatedly in the operation. 
   While the illustrative and presently preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail herein, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed and that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such variations except insofar as limited by the prior art.