Abstract:
A system comprising a rotating device and a finger supported charging assembly for powering the rotating device. The rotating device has a housing with a base upon which the housing spins. An electric motor is contained within the housing that causes the housing to spin when the motor is activated. The finger supported charging assembly includes two contacts that are coupled to opposite terminals of a battery pack. The contacts are worn on opposing fingers and come into contact with the rotating device when the base of the rotation device is supported with the opposing fingers, when contacting the rotating device, the contacts on the opposing fingers provide electricity to the rotating device that powers the motor within the rotating device.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is a Continuation-In-Part of copending application Ser. No. 10/243,813, entitled Electric Toy Top Device with Support And Its Associated Method of operation, filed Sep. 16, 2002. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    Generally, the present invention relates to toy tops, gyroscopes and other rotating novelty devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to rotating novelty devices that contain internal electric motors that are periodically powered by a separate electric source that is remote to the rotating novelty device.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0005]    Tops, gyroscopes and other freely rotating devices share certain common functional features. Tops, gyroscopes and other rotating devices have a central axis around which they spin. The center of gravity associated with the rotating device passes through that central axis and the mass of the rotating device is evenly distributed around the central axis. As the top, gyroscope or similar device is put into motion, the device spins about its central axis. Since the mass of the rotating device is evenly distributed around the central axis, the device spins in a uniform manner, thereby enabling the device to be balanced at a point in line with the central axis. The device will spin in a stable manner until the rotational speed of the device falls below a certain threshold level. As the speed of the device decreases, its angular momentum decreases. Eventually, the presence of angular momentum is insufficient to overcome the forces of gravity and the rotating device tips over.  
           [0006]    Tops, gyroscopes and other rotating novelty devices have been in existence for generations. During that period of time, there have been many variations in design of the rotating novelty devices. In their simplest form, rotating novelty devices, such as tops and gyroscopes, are either directly manually spun or manually spun using a pull cord that is wound around the rotating novelty device. Such manual means to provide rotational energy are inexpensive, however the rotational energy provided is relatively small. Consequently, the top or gyroscope would only rotate for a short period of time before they tip over.  
           [0007]    The longer a top, gyroscope or other freely rotating device spins, the more play value it generally has. Consequently, in the prior art, attempts have been made to create tops, gyroscopes and other freely rotating devices that spin for extended periods of time. One popular method of creating a device that spins for a prolonged period of time is to place a motor within the structure of the device. The motor spins a weight, thereby producing the angular momentum needed to maintain a spinning motion for as long as the motor is powered.  
           [0008]    In the prior art, such devices are typically created by placing an electric motor in the center of the top or other freely rotating device. Batteries are then symmetrically placed around the electric motor so as to be balanced around the center of rotation. The batteries typically serve as the majority of the weight that is spun. As a result, the batteries both provide power to the electric motor and add significantly to the angular momentum of the device. Such prior art devices are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,628,285, to Murakami, entitled Gyroscopic Top Device.  
           [0009]    A problem associated with prior art tops and gyroscopes that contain internal motors and batteries is that great care must be taken in the manufacturing tolerances in order to maintain the proper balance. This raises the cost associated with manufacturing such devices. Furthermore, since the spinning object contains both an electric motor and batteries, the device is rather heavy. Such devices, therefore, have a tendency to become damaged if the commonplace happens and the device falls to the floor after spinning off a table edge or falls out of a child&#39;s hand.  
           [0010]    A need therefore exists for an improved type of drive system for a spinning top, gyroscope or other freely rotating device that provides rotational energy to the device, yet does not require that batteries be contained within the rotating device. This need is met by the present invention as described and claimed below.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    The present invention is a system comprising a rotating device and a finger supported charging assembly for powering the rotating device. The rotating device has a housing with a base upon which the housing spins. An electric motor is contained within the housing that causes the housing to spin when the motor is activated. The finger supported charging assembly includes two contacts that are coupled to opposite terminals of a battery pack. The contacts are worn on opposing fingers and come into contact with the rotating device when the base of the rotation device is supported with the opposing fingers. When contacting the rotating device, the contacts on the opposing fingers provide electricity to the rotating device that powers the motor within the rotating device. Furthermore, a magnet can be present on one or both of the finger contacts that creates a magnetic field and reinforces the magnetic field created by the motor in the rotating device. This causes the motor in the rotating device to spin faster than it would outside the effects of that magnetic field. The magnets in the finger contacts can also be used to lift the rotating device as it spins. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a system in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a selective cross-sectional view of the components of the system shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a side view of the present invention system where a magnet is being used to lift the rotating device as it spins. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]    Although the rotating device of the present invention system can be configured in many shapes and styles, such as a gyroscope or freely rotating toy, the rotating device of the present invention system is particularly well suited as a top. Accordingly, the illustrated example of the rotating device of the present invention system will be configured as a top in order to set forth the best mode contemplated for the invention. However, the choice of embodying the rotating device as a top should not be considered a limitation of the possible embodiments of the rotating device.  
         [0017]    Referring to FIG. 1, a toy top system  10  is shown. The toy top system  10  is comprised of a top  12  and a charging assembly  14  for the top  12 . The top  12  has a balance point  16  upon which it rests as it spins.  
         [0018]    The charging assembly  14  is worn on the hand. The charging assembly  14  consists of a battery pack  15  and two finger supported charging contacts  18 ,  20  that are coupled to opposite terminals of the battery pack  15 . In the shown embodiment, the two finger supported charging contacts  18 ,  20  are shown being attached to the thumb and the index finger, respectively. The charging contact  20  worn on the index finger is configured to include a small support platform  22  that extends from the index finger. The support platform  22  supplies a surface upon which the balance point  16  of the toy top  12  can spin. The opposite charging contact  18  is supported by the thumb. As such, by closing the thumb and index finger together, the charging contact  18  on the thumb can be can be made to touch the toy top  12  as the toy top  12  spins on the support platform  22  of the opposite charging contact  20 .  
         [0019]    Both the charging contacts  18 ,  20  are connected to the battery pack  15 . The battery pack  15  is worn either on the wrist or on the back of the hand. Flexible wires or ribbon cable connects the battery pack  15  to both finger supported charging contacts  18 ,  20 .  
         [0020]    As will be explained, the top  12  contains an internal electric motor. The internal electric motor causes the top  12  to spin. The internal electric motor is powered only when the balance point  16  of the top  12  is supported by the support platform  22  and the thumb charging contact  18  is brought into abutment with a specific region of the spinning top  12 . As a result, when the balance point  16  of the top  12  passes onto the support platform  22 , and the thumb charging contact  18  touches the proper region of the spinning top  12 , the internal electric motor is powered by the battery pack  15  and the rotational velocity of the top  12  increases. Once up to its maximum speed, the top  12  can again be released from the fingers.  
         [0021]    The movement of the top  12  is not limited to the confines of the support platform  22 . Rather, the top  12  can be flipped out of the support platform  22  onto any smooth surface. AS the top  12  eventually slows, the support platform  22  on the index finger charging contact  20  can be used to scoop up the spinning top  12 . The top  12  can then be contacted by the thumb charging contact  18 , where it will again increase to its maximum rotational speed.  
         [0022]    The index finger charging contact  20  contains a magnet  24  disposed below the support platform  22 . The magnet  24 , by being located below the support platform  22 , creates a magnetic field that extends above the support platform  22  and effects the top  12  when it is spinning on the support platform  22 . The magnetic field created by the magnet  24  reinforces the magnetic field created by the electric motor spinning within the top  12 . The result is that the electric motor in the top  12  will spin more rapid than if the magnet  24  were not present.  
         [0023]    Referring to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the top  12  is comprised of a housing  30  that defines a central chamber. Within the central chamber is a free floating electric motor  32 . Only the output shaft  34  of the electric motor  32  is rigidly connected to the housing  30 . Accordingly, the electric motor  32  can remain stationary as its output shaft  34  rotates the top&#39;s housing  30  around the motor  32 .  
         [0024]    The housing  30  has an outer ring section  36 . Within the outer ring section  36  is a weighted flywheel  38 . The flywheel  38  adds to the mass of the top  12  and provides the angular momentum needed to keep the top  12  stable as the top  12  spins.  
         [0025]    The bottom of the top&#39;s housing  30  forms the balance point  16  of the top  12 . At the apex of the balance point  16  is a conductive point contact  40  that is coupled to a first lead  42  of the electric motor  32 . Slightly farther up from the apex is a conductive ring contact  44 . The ring contact  44  leads to a wiping contact  46  that interconnects the ring contact  44  to a second lead of the electric motor  32 .  
         [0026]    At the apex  50  of the top&#39;s housing  30  is positioned either a magnet or a mass of ferro-magnetic material  52 . Accordingly, the apex  50  of the top&#39;s housing  30  will attract to an external magnet.  
         [0027]    The finger supported charging contacts  18 ,  20  are also an assembly of various components. The index finger charging contact  20  contains a ring structure  54  that can be worn around the index finger. The support platform  22  is connected to the ring structure  54 . On the support platform  22  is a depression. The material in the depression is conductive. The point contact  40  at the bottom of the toy top  12  therefore contacts the conductive material in the depression as the top  12  spins on the support platform  22 . The conductive depression on the support platform  22  is wired to one of the terminals of the battery pack  15 . Consequently, the conductive depression enables electricity to flow into the conductive point  40  of the top  12  when the top  12  is spinning on the support platform  22 .  
         [0028]    The thumb charging contact  18  is connected to a separate ring structure  56 . The thumb charging contact  18  contains a conductive strip of material  58  that is coupled to the opposite terminal of the battery pack  15 . When brought into contact with the side of the toy top  12 , the conductive strip of material  58  touches the ring contact  44  on the top  12 . The conductive strip of material  58  is wired to the battery pack  15  that is supported by the hand. Consequently, the thumb charging contact  18  transfers electricity to the ring contact  44  in the top  12  when these surfaces abut.  
         [0029]    It will therefore be understood, that as the top  12  is held on the support platform  22  and is contacted with the thumb charging contact  18 , the two contacts  40 ,  44  on the top  12  are connected to opposite terminals of the battery pack  15 . The contacts  40 ,  44  in the top  12  lead to the electric motor  32 . As a result, when the top  12  is held between the fingers wearing the charging assembly  14 , the electric motor  32  is powered and the top  12  will spin under the power of the electric motor  32 .  
         [0030]    The magnet  24  is positioned under the support platform  22  on the index finger charging contact  20 . When the electric motor  32  in the top  12  spins, it creates a magnetic field. Furthermore, the magnet  24  also creates a magnetic field. When the magnet  24  is present under the top  12 , the magnetic fields interact. The result is that the motor  32  spins significantly faster than it would if the magnet  24  were not present. Depending upon the strength of the magnet  24  used and the composition of the electric motor  32 , the rotational speed imparted to the top  12  by the electric motor  32  can be increased by nearly 100% due to the presence of the magnet  24 .  
         [0031]    From FIG. 2, it can be seen that the top apex  50  of the toy top  12  can contain another magnet or a mass of ferro-magnetic material  52 . Referring now to FIG. 3, it will be understood, that if the magnet  24  under the support platform  22  is brought into contact with the apex  50  of the toy top  12 , the apex of the toy top  12  will magnetically attach to the magnet  24 . The magnetic attraction between the magnet  24  and the apex of the toy top  12  is preferably large enough to support the weight of the toy top  12  as it is spinning. AS such, the support platform  22  can support the toy top  12  from its bottom balance point or from its top apex.  
         [0032]    It will be understood that the embodiment of the present invention system that is described and illustrated herein is merely exemplary and a person skilled in the art can make many variations to the embodiment shown without departing from the scope of the present invention. All such variations, modifications and alternate embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention. As defined by the appended claims.