Abstract:
A tethered top is provided with a construction by which it can be accelerated, controlled and/or manipulated using a tether that remains attached to one end of the top, top body, or spindle. The tether can optionally be used as a pull string to be wrapped around top or spindle to impart acceleration to the top. The tether remains attached to at least one end of the top via at least one low friction housing connector but does not substantially retard the top&#39;s rotation, either when spinning on a surface or as supported in the air by the attached tether, low friction housing connector, and/or spindle.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to spinning toys, particularly tops.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The background art describes tops but does not appear to provide or describe a top whose location, attitude and/or orientation can be manipulated, controlled or modified by a user without substantially disrupting or inhibiting the speed and/or stability of the top&#39;s rotation. Accordingly, there is a need to provide a top that can be remotely and/or mechanically manipulated to provide interaction between the user and the top while it continues to spin substantially unimpeded.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    A tethered top of the present invention comprises at least one top body, at least one spindle, at least one tether, and at least one low friction housing connector that is mounted for substantially free rotation along at least one axis of the at least one top body. When the tethered top spins, at least one low friction housing connected to at least one tether rotates within or without the top body at low friction. At least one tether is attached to at least one low friction housing connector operably associated with at least one spindle or top body having at least one tip for surface contact at one or both ends of the spindle and/or the top. The tether attachment to the spindle (e.g., a low friction housing connector) has low friction such that the attached tether does not interfere substantially with the spin of the top, such that the spindle can spin with sufficient centripetal force to continue spinning for several seconds to several or many minutes  
           [0004]    The top body optionally further comprises an internal or external tether receiving groove, shaft, tube, member, or indentation that allows the tether to be wound around or inside the top body or the tether attachment to optionally initiate the spin of the top by the unwinding of the tether. Alternatively, the tether can be wound inside the top body and can be unwound as the top is spun so that the tether optionally remains unwound while the top is spinning. The winding of the tether can be via an automatic winding mechanism (such as a spring or other suitable winder) or via a manual mechanism (such as using a winding crank or any other suitable mechanism).  
           [0005]    Once initiated, the spinning tethered top of the present invention can stand on a surface at or on either end while the tether remains attached to the low friction housing connector of the tethered top, or the spinning top can be supported by the user in mid-air by the tether itself as it attaches to the low friction connector housing. The user of the top can also manipulate the position or location of the spinning top by moving the attached tether, either when the spinning top is supported by a surface at the spindle tip, or when the spinning top is being suspended in mid-air by the tether.  
           [0006]    It is among the general objects of the invention to provide a top that can be manipulated once spinning, by the use of the tether that remains attached to the top.  
           [0007]    Another object of the invention is to provide a tethered top that displays high performance and long spinning times while remaining tethered.  
           [0008]    Another object of the invention is to provide a tethered top that is easily and quickly spun using the attached tether to optionally initiate the spin of the top.  
           [0009]    Another object of the invention is to provide a versatile amusement toy that is of simple, low, moderate or commercially viable cost and method of manufacture, assembly and/or construction.  
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    The foregoing and other objects and features of the invention will be appreciated more fully from the following further description and accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of one, non-limiting, example of a tethered top  10  according to the present invention, wherein the tethered top  10  is tethered by a tether  80  (having a tether handle  82 ) via fly wing  22  that connects to the tethered top  10  via an upper flanged bearing  18  and a lower flanged bearing  20  supported by a crush sleeve  24 , around an upper axle  12 . The lower spindle axle  14  (not shown) and the upper spindle axle  12  each comprise a spinning sphere tip ( 30  and  14 , respectively) that can contact the surface on which the top spins.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the tethered top shown in FIG. 1, with the upper spindle axle  12 , upper and lower flanged bearings  18  and  20 , fly wing  22 , and lower spindle axle  14  shown in exploded view with further aspects shown.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional illustration of the tethered top shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, further showing the detail illustrations of FIGS. 4 and 5.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a detail cross-sectional illustration from FIG. 3, showing the upper spindle axle  12  inserted into the center bore opening  74  of the upper top surface  70  of the tethered top  10 , with the crush sleeve  24 , lower flanged bearing  20 , fly wing  22 , and upper flanged bearing  18 , located around the upper spindle axle  12  between the upper top surface  70  and the spinning sphere tip  30  of the upper spindle axle  12 .  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a detail cross-sectional illustration from FIG. 3, showing the lower spindle axle  14  inserted into the center bore opening  76  of the lower top surface  72 , inserted up the spinning sphere tip  40  of the lower spindle axle  14 .  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a side view of the tethered top shown I FIGS.  1 - 5 , where the tethered top  10  is spinning on the spinning sphere tip  40  of the lower spindle axle  14  on a surface.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 is a side view of the tethered top shown in FIGS.  1 - 5 , where the tethered top  10  spinning on the spinning sphere tip  30  of the upper spindle axle  12  on a surface. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]    The present invention provides a tethered top that can be played with while the top is spinning to manipulate the position or orientation of the top while it is spinning as supported by a surface or as supported by at least one tether. The top can optionally spin on either end and can be flipped while it is spinning to spin on its opposite end or as supported by the tether. The utility of a tethered top is thus for recreation or play, or to observe or teach physical properties of spinning tops, such as centripetal forces.  
         [0019]    As shown in the drawings, the top includes at least one top body, at least one low friction housing, at least one spindle and at least one tether, which allows the spindle to rotate independently of the top body. The tethered top comprises at least one top body, having along at least one axis, at least one spindle having at least one spinning tip for surface contact at one or both ends of the tethered top, the spindle having at least one low friction housing connector operably connected near one end of the spindle to at least one tether, wherein the tether can be manipulated to modify the position of the top without substantially inhibiting the spinning of the top on a surface or hanging by the tether.  
         [0020]    The top can be made according to any known process using any suitable material, such as, but not limited to, at least one of plastic, a wood, a metal, a resin, a glass, a polymer, and a plant derived material. The material can be any color or combination of colors, such as but not limited to, white, black, blue, red, yellow, green, purple, orange, turquoise, pink, lime, sienna, gold, silver, copper, and the like, as well as fluorescent and glow in the dark colors, earth colors, metallic or neon colors. The material can be molded, machined, sculpted, shaped, carved, cut, blown, mixed, formed, reacted, polymerized, heated, cooled, and the like, as suitable for the particular material, part, component, use or commercial utility. Such materials and methods are well known in the art.  
         [0021]    The top body optionally comprises at least one external or internal member, groove or indentation that allows the tether to be wound around the top body or spindle to be used to optionally initiate spinning of the tethered top. The low friction housing connector can comprise at least one bearing of low friction connector, as know in the art. Alternatively or optionally, the spindle optionally further comprises at least one bearing or low friction connector, and/or where the at least one spindle is operably connected to the low friction housing connector. Alternatively or optionally, the spindle tip is operably connected to the top body.  
         [0022]    Preferably and optionally, the top body comprises a bore or center bore formed axially within the body and alternatively or optionally defining a spindle cylinder space for the spindle. The tethered top preferably comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of a plastic, a wood, a metal, a resin, a glass, a polymer, and a plant derived material. Alternately or optionally, the low friction housing connector comprises a fly wing that can spin substantially independently of the spindle and/or the body. The low friction housing connector further alternatively or optionally comprises at least one bearing or low friction connector. Alternatively or optionally, the low friction connector further comprises at least one tether attachment.  
         [0023]    The tethered top alternatively or optionally further comprises at least on tether handle at the end of the tether. The tether handle can facilitate the manipulation of the top&#39;s position by the tether. The handle can be any suitable shape or material, such as but not limited to, at least one of round, cylindrical, spherical, flat, tubular, rectangular, square, ring-containing, hook-like, rough, smooth, and the like, or any combination thereof. The handle material can also be any suitable material, e.g., as described herein or as known in the art.  
         [0024]    The top body alternatively or optionally further comprises at least one slot, groove, indentation, tube, or tunnel for winding or housing the tether or for initiating spinning of the top. The spinning tip can comprise at least one of a round, pointed, flat or tapered shape, or any combination thereof.  
         [0025]    A non-limiting example of the tethered top is also provided as a preferred embodiment (which the invention is not limited to, however), the top comprising a top body having along its longitudinal axis a center bore and defining a spindle cylinder space for a spindle, the center bore ending, respectively, at the center of both an upper surface and a lower surface of the top body, the top body further optionally comprising grooves or indentations for winding a tether to initiate the spinning of the top; an upper spindle and a lower spindle inserted into the center bore at the upper surface and the lower surface, respectively, each spindle having a spinning tip for surface contact at the respective ends of the tethered top, the spindle axle further comprising a spindle axle shaft and a spindle axle end opposite the spindle tip; a low friction housing connector comprising (i) a fly wing having a tether attachment, (ii) a lower flanged bearing, (iii) an upper flanged bearing, and (iv) a crush sleeve, the low friction housing connector operably connected around the upper spindle axle shaft between the upper spindle tip and the upper surface of the top body; at least one tether attached to the tether attachment of the fly wing; the tether optionally further comprising a tether handle at its end opposite to the tether attachment, wherein (a) the lower spindle is positioned into the center bore of the lower surface of the top body;(b) the upper spindle is positioned into the center bore of the upper surface of the top body; (c) the low friction housing connector spins substantially independently of the upper spindle; (d) the upper and lower spindles spin substantially connected to the top body; and (e) the tether is optionally manipulated to modify the position of the top without substantially inhibiting the spinning of the top on a surface or hanging by the tether.  
         [0026]    The present invention also provides packaging comprising at least one tethered top as described herein, such as 1-1,000,000, or any range or value therein. The packaging material comprising a tethered top of the present invention can include any suitable material used for storage, manufacture, shipping, exporting, importing, marketing, advertising, promoting or selling, or any other assembly, manufacture or commercial use. The packaging material can be any combination of any suitable material, such as but not limited to, at least one of a plastic (clear or opaque), a paper, a cardboard, a metal, a resin, a plant derived material, a glass, a wood, a wood/glue mixture and the like.  
         [0027]    The present invention also provided a method for making a tethered top according to the present invention, comprising assembling the tethered top comprising at least the components of the at least one top body, the at least one spindle, the at least one low friction housing and at least one tether. Such methods are well known in the art and any suitable method or method step can be used as part of the present invention.  
         [0028]    The present invention also provides a method for making a tethered top according to the present invention, comprising manufacturing the tethered top comprising at least the components of the at least one top body, the at least one spindle the at least one low friction housing and at least one tether. Such methods are well known in the art, and any suitable method or method step can be used as part of the present invention.  
         [0029]    In one non-limiting example of a tethered top of the present invention, a tethered top is provided that is described in at least one of FIGS.  1 - 7 . The tethered top can spin on either end, either as supported by a surface or by the tether. Once the top is spun it can spin on one end or be flipped while spinning to spin on the opposite end. In the non-limiting example, the top or any component thereof can be made of at least one of a wood, a plastic, a metal, a glass, a resin, a polymer, a plant derived material, or any other suitable material.  
         [0030]    As shown in FIG. 1, one example of a tethered top  10  according to the present invention comprises a tether  80  (having a tether handle  82 ) connected via a fly wing tether attachment  84  to a fly wing  22  to the top body  16  via an upper flanged bearing  18  and a lower flanged bearing  20  supported by a crush sleeve  24 , each around the upper spindle axle shaft  32  of the upper axle  12  which sits in the bearing housing surface  54  of the fly wing  22 . The end of the tether  80 , opposite the tether attachment  84 , is the tether handle  82  that allows the user to handle, hold or control the position or orientation of the top via the tether  80 . The lower spindle axle  14  and the upper spindle axle  12  each comprise a spinning sphere tip at their external ends ( 30  and  14 , respectively) that can contact the surface on which the top spins and support the top while it spins.  
         [0031]    An exploded view of the tethered top  10  shown in FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 2, where the upper spindle axle  12 , upper and lower flanged bearings  18  and  20 , fly wing  22 , and lower spindle axle  14 , are shown in exploded view. The upper spindle axle  12  comprises a spinning sphere tip at the top, operably attached to the upper spindle axle shaft  32  ending in the upper spindle lower end  34 . The upper-flanged bearing  18  comprises an inner race  50  and a bearing housing  52  comprising bearing. The upper flanged bearing inserts into the upper portion of the bearing housing surface  54  of the fly wing  22  which further comprises at least one fly wing tether attachment  84  for the tether  80 . The lower portion of the bearing housing surface  54  (of the fly wing  22 ) has inserted into it the lower flanged bearing  20 , comprising an inner race  56  and bearing housing  58  comprising bearings. The bearings can be free in the bearing housing or can be encased. Suitable low friction components can also be used instead of bearings as known in the art. The upper spindle lower end  34  of the upper spindle axle shaft  32  inserts through the upper flange bearing  18  and lower flanged bearing  20 , both housed in the bearing holding surface  54  of the fly wing  22 , continuing to insert through the crush sleeve  60 . After inserting through the upper flanged bearing  18 , fly wing  22 , lower flanged bearing  20 , and crush sleeve  24 , the upper spindle axle shaft  32  inserts into the top body  16  at the upper center bore opening  74  of the upper top surface  70 .  
         [0032]    As also shown in FIG. 2, the lower spindle axle  14 , comprising the spinning sphere tip  40 , the axle shaft  42 , and the lower spindle end  44 , inserts at the spindle end  44  into the enter bore opening  76  of the lower surface  72  of the top body  16   
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 3 is cross-sectional illustration of the tethered top shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, further showing the detail illustrations of FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 3 shows the insertion of the lower and upper spindle axles  12  and  14  into the top body  16 . FIG. 4 is detail cross-sectional illustration from FIG. 3, showing the upper spindle axle  12  (comprising the spindle sphere  30 , and the spindle axle shaft  32 ) inserted into the center bore opening  74  of the upper top surface  70  of the top body  16 , with the crush sleeve  24 , lower flanged bearing  20 , fly wing  22 , and upper flanged bearing  18 , located around the upper spindle axle shaft  32  between the upper top surface  70  and the spinning sphere tip  30  of the upper spindle axle  12 . The upper flanged bearing  18  and the lower flanged bearing  20  are shown with their respective inner races  50  and  56  around the upper axle shaft  32  and inside the bearing housing surface  54  of the fly wing  22 .  
         [0034]    The fly wing  22  thus spins substantially independent of the upper spindle axle  12 , which spins substantially the same as the spinning of the top  10 , thus allowing the tether  80  attached to the fly wing  22  to not wrap substantially around the top as the top spins. Therefore, the tether can be used to control the position of the top while it is spinning without substantially inhibiting the spin of the top. FIG. 5 is a detail cross-sectional illustration from FIG. 3, showing the lower spindle axle  14  inserted into the center bore opening  76  of the lower top surface  72 , inserted up to the spinning sphere tip  40  of the lower spindle axle  14 .  
         [0035]    Side views of the tethered top shown in FIGS.  1 - 5  are shown in FIGS.  6 - 7 . These views show how a top according to the present invention can be spun on either end. FIG. 6 is a side view of the tethered top shown in FIGS.  1 - 5 , where the tethered top  10  is spinning on the spinning sphere tip  40  of the lower spindle axle  14  on a surface. FIG. 7 is a side view of the tethered top shown in FIGS.  1 - 5 , where the tethered top  10  is spinning on the spinning sphere tip  30  of the upper spindle axle  12  on a surface.  
         [0036]    From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the invention provides a versatile, multi-use toy that provide a remote-manipulatable tethered top. The device is capable of a high degree of performance. It is inexpensive and simple to make and use.  
         [0037]    It should be understood, however, that the foregoing description of the invention is intended merely to be illustrative thereof and that other modifications and embodiments may be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from its spirit.