Patent Publication Number: US-9849393-B2

Title: Toy top

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a toy top. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A battle game using toy tops has been known in which toy tops are brought into collision with each other, and a player wins the game when an opponent toy top is knocked out or a pop-out member disposed on the body of an opponent toy top is popped out by the resultant impact force (for example, see JP H09-38337A and Japanese Utility Model No. 3109118). 
     The toy top disclosed in JP H09-38337A or Japanese Utility Model No. 3109118 includes a pop-out member that is engaged with the toy top (toy top main body) via an elastic member. The toy top is configured such that when the engagement is broken by the impact force of a collision with another toy top, the pop-out member pops up by a biasing force of the elastic member. 
     In the toy tops as disclosed in JP H09-38337A or Japanese Utility Model No. 3109118, the result of the game depends on the performance determined by the weight and the outer peripheral shape thereof. For this reason, in recent years, there have been some toy tops with variable performance, which is achieved by an interchangeable part that enables modification. 
     However, a problem with such toy tops is that, since the performance is determined by the interchangeable part, the interchangeable part must be changed in order to change the performance. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been made in view of the problem, and an object thereof is to provide a toy top with a performance that changes over time. 
     In order to realize the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toy top including: 
     a body; and 
     a shaft unit, 
     wherein the shaft unit includes a spinning shaft which includes projections that extend downward at a lower end of the spinning shaft. 
     Since the lower end of the spinning shaft of the shaft unit is composed of the projections that extend downward, the toy top spins on any one of the thin projections, and the individual projections become more likely to wear, fall down, break, etc. through friction, an impact, etc. during landing before a spin starts, or during the spin. 
     The toy top performs an unstable or irregular spin when some of the projections are lost. In this way, the performance of the toy top is changed over time without any modification. In a match between toy tops, this can make the result more unpredictable and thus make the match very amusing. 
     Preferably, the projections are arranged along concentric circles that are centered on an axis of the shaft unit. 
     Since the projections are arranged along the concentric circles which are centered on the axis of the shaft unit, when some projections fall down or are lost, an unstable or irregular spin is readily caused. 
     Preferably, the projections arranged along the concentric circles are configured such that an inner projection has a greater downward extension. 
     Since the projections arranged along the concentric circles are configured such that an inner projection has a greater downward extension, the toy top first spins on the projections along a small concentric circle, and when they fall down or are lost, the toy top then spins on the projections along a larger concentric circle. In this way, the spinning manner of the toy top is varied through usage. Therefore, the amusement from the toy top is improved. 
     Further, a match between toy tops is typically played on a dished board. In such cases, when the inner projections are lost and the outer projections are in contact with the board surface, a toy top moves actively and rapidly as it spins. Therefore, it becomes possible to enjoy a more intense game. 
     Preferably, at least one of the projections has a triangular cross section in a view from below. 
     Preferably, at least one of the projections has a polygonal cross section in a view from below. 
     In these configurations, each of the projections has corners. This makes the projections wear more easily and thus varies the manner of spinning. This brings more amusement. Furthermore, the manner of spinning is varied through falling down, breaking, etc. 
     Preferably, at least one of the projections has a circular cross section in a view from below. 
     Preferably, at least one of the projections has an oval cross section in a view from below. 
     With these configurations, the individual projections are less likely to wear, and the manner of spinning is varied mainly through falling down, breaking, etc. Further, mixing projections likely to wear and projections unlikely to wear makes a mixture of projections with a long life and projections with a short life. This makes a change in the manner of spinning more unpredictable, and brings more amusement. 
     Preferably, the projections are made of resin. 
     The projections made of resin are more likely to wear, falling down, break, etc., and the manner of spinning is changed in shorter cycles. This brings more amusement. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the appended drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates how to play a toy top according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the toy top according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded cross sectional perspective view of the toy top according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of a spinning shaft of a shaft unit of the toy top; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the spinning shaft of the shaft unit of the toy top; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the spinning shaft of the shaft unit of the toy top; 
         FIG. 7A  and  FIG. 7B  are operation views illustrating the engagement of a shaft unit, a body and a flywheel in the toy top according to the embodiment; and 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an example of a launcher for spinning the toy top according to the embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Though various technical limitations which are preferable to perform the present invention are included in the after-mentioned embodiments, the scope of the invention is not limited to the following embodiments and the illustrated examples. 
     General Configuration 
       FIG. 1  illustrates how to play a toy top according to an embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the toy top according to the embodiment, and  FIG. 3  is an exploded cross sectional perspective view of the toy top according to the embodiment. As used herein, the terms up-down, right-left and front-rear represent the respective directions as illustrated in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 . 
     The toy top  1  of the embodiment is of a type that can be used in a so-called “top battle game”. Specifically, the toy top  1  can be used in a battle game in which a player wins the game when an opponent toy top  1  is disassembled as illustrated in the right part of  FIG. 1  by the impact force of a collision between toy tops. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the toy top  1  is composed of a shaft unit  10  as the lower structure, and a performance changing ring  30  and a body  40  as the upper structure. 
     Detailed Configuration 
     1. Shaft Unit  10   
     The shaft unit  10  includes a spinning shaft  11  in the lower part, a flange  12  in the middle part and a cylinder  13  in the upper part. The spinning shaft  11 , flange  12  and cylinder  13  are made of synthetic resin. However, the material is not limited to synthetic resin, and at least one or all of them may be made of metal. The spinning shaft  11  is desirably made of a material such as soft synthetic resin or soft metal that is more likely to bend, fall down, break, wear, etc. than other components. 
     The lower part of the flange  12  narrows stepwise from the flange  12  toward the outer periphery of the spinning shaft  11  and is formed in an approximately inverted conical shape as a whole. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , two holes  14  are formed in the flange  12  and the cylinder  13 , which are mutually opposed in the front-rear direction across the axis of the spinning shaft  11 . Further, two protrusions  15  are formed in the cylinder  13  and the lower part of the flange  12  which are mutually opposed in the left-right direction across the axis of the spinning shaft  11 . The outer faces of the protrusions  15  are flush with the outer peripheral face of the flange  12 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , a cylindrical pillar  16  stands inside the cylinder  13 . The upper end of the cylindrical pillar  16  is located higher than the upper end of the cylinder  13 , although it is not limited thereto. In the upper end of the cylindrical pillar  16 , two hooks (second hooks)  17  are formed which are mutually opposed in the front-rear direction across the axis of the spinning shaft  11  and protrude outward in their respective radial directions. 
       FIG. 4  to  FIG. 6  are respectively a bottom view, a side view and a perspective view of the spinning shaft  11  of the shaft unit  10 . As illustrated in the figures, the lower end of the spinning shaft  11  is composed of downward projections  111 ,  112 , i.e. it is constituted by a set of projections. The projections  111 ,  112  are arranged along two concentric circles centered on the axis of the shaft unit  10 . 
     On the inner concentric circle, eight projections  111  are arranged at regular intervals, which have an isosceles triangle shape in the bottom view. Each of the projections  111  has an acute vertex that faces the center of the concentric circles. 
     On the outer concentric circle, fifteen projections  112  are arranged at regular intervals, which have a rectangular wedge shape in the bottom view. Each of the projections  112  has a rectangular wedge shape that narrows toward the center of the concentric circles. 
     The downward extension of the eight projections  111  arranged along the inner concentric circle is greater than that of the fifteen projections  112  arranged along the outer concentric circle. Accordingly, when the toy top  10  spins in a non-tilted position, the lower ends of the inner projections  111  are mainly in contact with the ground surface. 
     The above-described numbers of the projections are merely an example and may be suitably changed. Further, the arrangement of the projections is also merely a preferred example and may be suitably changed. 
     The shaft unit  10  includes a cylindrical movable member  18  that is disposed inside the cylinder  13  and surrounds the upper outer periphery of the cylindrical pillar  16 . In the lower end of the outer peripheral face of the movable member  18 , two protrusions  19  are formed which are mutually opposed in the front-rear direction across the axis of the spinning shaft  11  and protrude outward in their respective radial directions. As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the protrusions  19  are inserted in the holes  14 . The movable member  18  is movable in the up-down direction, but the upper edges of the holes  14  limit the upward movement of the movable member  18 . The movable member  18  is biased upward by means of a coil spring  20  that is wound around the cylindrical pillar  16 . In a normal state, the protrusions  19  are in contact with the upper edges of the holes  14 , and the upper end of the movable member  18  is located at the same height as the upper end of the cylinder  13 . 
     On the upper face of the movable member  18 , two ridges  21  are formed which are mutually opposed in the right-left direction across the axis of the spinning shaft  11  and extend in their respective radial directions. 
     2. Performance Changing Ring  30   
     In the embodiment, the performance changing ring  30  is constituted by a flywheel. The performance changing ring  30  has a plate shape. On the bottom face of the performance changing ring  30 , an annular step  31  is formed which can house the flange  12  of the shaft unit  10  from the lower side. Further, on the upper face of the performance changing ring  30 , two protrusions  32  are formed which are mutually opposed in the right-left direction across the axis of the spinning shaft  11  and protrude upward. On the lower parts of the protrusions  32 , recesses  33  are respectively formed which can house the protrusions  15  of the shaft unit  10  from the lower side. Further, on the upper face of the performance changing ring  30 , tongues  34  are formed which extend upward along the outer side of the respective protrusions  32 . The tongues  34  protrude higher than the protrusions  32 . Alternatively, the performance changing ring  30  may be constituted by a member that includes a protrusion on the outer peripheral face for facilitating an attack on an opponent toy top  1  or a member that includes a recess on the outer peripheral face for averting an attack from the opponent toy top  1 . Such a member may be provided instead of or integrally with a flywheel. 
     3. Body  40   
     The body  40  has a disk shape. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the body  40  includes a base  400  and a transparent cover  401  that has approximately the same shape as the base  400  in the plan view and is placed on the base  400 . 
     In the outer periphery of the body  40 , an uneven pattern  40   a  is formed. Further, at the center of the base  400 , a round hole  41  is formed. The upper opening of the round hole  41  is closed by means of the transparent cover  401 . In the bottom face of the body  40 , a circular recess  42  is formed which can house the protrusions  32  of the performance changing ring  30  from the lower side. The circular recess  42  is defined by an inner peripheral wall  43   a , and two hooks (first hooks)  44  are disposed on the lower end of the inner peripheral face of the inner peripheral wall  43   a , which are mutually opposed in the front-rear direction across the axis of the spinning shaft and protrude inward in their respective radial directions. Further, on the lower end face of the inner peripheral wall  43   a , grooves  45  are formed which extend radially at predetermined intervals in two locations mutually opposed in the right-left direction across the axis of the spinning shaft  11 . 
     Further, the circular recess  42  of the body  40  is also defined by a roof wall  43   b , and arc slits  46  are formed in the roof wall  43   b , into which the tongues  34  of the performance changing ring  30  can be inserted from the lower side. The arc slits  46  have such a length that allows the tongues  34  to move an adequate distance. 
     Assembling Method 
     Next, an example of the assembling method of the toy top  1  will be described. 
     First, the shaft unit  10  is fitted in the performance changing ring  30  from the lower side such that the protrusions  15  of the shaft unit  10  mate with the recesses  33  of the performance changing ring  30 . Subsequently, the assembly is brought toward the body  40  from the lower side. In this step, the tongues  34  of the performance changing ring  30  of the assembly are set to predetermined ends of the arc slits  46  of the body  40  ( FIG. 7A ). In this state, the hooks  17  of the shaft unit  10  do not overlap the hooks  44  of the body  40  in the vertical direction. This state is referred to as a coupling releasable state. Thereafter, the shaft unit  10  of the assembly is pushed toward the body  40 . Then the performance changing ring  30  firstly abuts the bottom face of the body  40 . When the shaft unit  10  of the assembly is pushed further toward the body  40 , the protrusions  19  of the shaft unit  10  are pushed down by the bottom face of the performance changing ring  30  against the biasing force of the coil spring  20 . In this state, the hooks  17  of the shaft unit  10  are pushed up higher than the hooks  44  of the body  40 . Subsequently, the shaft unit  10  together with the performance changing ring  30  is turned relative to the body  40  until the tongues  34  reach the other ends of the predetermined ends ( FIG. 7B ). This turn is a relative turn between the assembly of the body  40  and the performance changing ring  30  and the shaft unit  10 .  FIG. 7B  illustrates a state in which the shaft unit  10  has been already turned relative to the body  40  and the performance changing ring  30 . After this step, the hooks  17  of the shaft unit  10  are aligned with the hooks  44  of the body  40  in the vertical direction. This state is referred to as a coupling enabled state. When the shaft unit  10  is released, the lower face of the hooks  17  of the shaft unit  10  abuts the upper face of the hooks  44  of the body  40  by the action of the biasing force of the coil spring  20 , so that the shaft unit  10 , the performance changing ring  30  and the body  40  are coupled with one another. The toy top  1  is thus assembled. 
     How to Play 
     Next, an example of how to play the toy top  1  will be described. 
     In this example, a player spins a toy top  1  to battle with an opponent toy top  1 . 
     In such cases, a launcher  50  as illustrated in  FIG. 8  is used to apply a rotary force to the toy top  1 . The launcher  50  includes a disk (not shown) therein. The launcher  50  is configured such that when a string (not shown) wound around the disk is pulled by means of a handle  51  while a spiral spring biases the disk in a certain rotational direction, the disk is rotated, and a top holder  53  is rotated accordingly. The rotation of the top holder  53  is transmitted to the toy top  1  through forks  54  that protrude downward, so that the toy top  1  is rotated. When the forks  54  are inserted in the arc slits  46  of the body  40 , small protrusions formed on the inner side faces thereof engage with the lower edges of the arc slits  46  so as to hold the toy top  1  and keep it from falling. Then, when the handle  51  of the launcher  50  is completely pulled, the disk and the top holder  53  stop rotating while the toy top  1  continues rotating by the action of its inertial force. Accordingly, the tilted parts of the upper ends of the tongues  34  of the performance changing ring  30  come in contact with the tilted faces  54   a  of the forks  54 . This encourages the toy top  1  to move away from the top holder  53 , and the toy top  1  thus comes off from the launcher  50  while keeping the rotary force. In  FIG. 8 , the reference sign  52  denotes a rod that is retractable into the top holder  53 . When the toy top  1  is loaded in the top holder  53 , the rod  52  is pushed in the top holder  53  by the upper face of the toy top  1 . For example, the rod  52  is used for detecting attachment/detachment of the toy top  1 . 
     The toy top  1  thus launched is led to a predetermined field where it spins. When the toy top  1  collides with an opponent toy top  1 , the impact or friction of the collision produces a reaction force that acts in the body  40  in the direction opposite to the spinning direction of the shaft unit  10  and the performance changing ring  30  as illustrated in  FIG. 7B , and the body  40  thereby relatively turns in the direction opposite to the spinning direction of the shaft unit  10  and the performance changing ring  30 . 
     Then, the ridges  21  of the shaft unit  10  engage with the grooves  45  of the body  40  one after another and are successively held in the respective positions. When the ridges  21  reach the position as illustrated in  FIG. 7A , the hooks  44  of the body  40  are released from the hooks  17  of the shaft unit  10  so that the body  40  separates from the shaft unit  10  by the action of the biasing force of the spring  20 . Accordingly, the toy top  1  is disassembled as illustrated in the right part of  FIG. 1 . 
     In the toy top  1 , the lower end of the spinning shaft  11  of the shaft unit  10  is constituted by the projections  111 ,  112 , and the spinning shaft  11  is made of a soft material that is more likely to bend, fall down, break, wear, etc. than the other components. 
     Accordingly, the individual projections  111 ,  112  wear, fall down, break, etc. through the friction of a spin, the impact of landing from the launcher  50  and the like. Then they are eventually lost or lose contact with the ground. Further, while the toy top  1  is spinning, the individual projections  111 ,  112  sometimes wear, fall down, break, etc. 
     When some of the projections  111 ,  112  are lost, the toy top  1  spins with only the remaining projections  111 ,  112  in contact with the ground, which can give instability or irregularity to the spin. In this way, the performance of the toy top  1  can be changed over time through repetitive usages thereof. In a match between toy tops  1 , this can make the result unpredictable and thus the match becomes very amusing. 
     Variations of the Present Invention 
     While embodiments of the present invention are described, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments, and various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
     For example, in one above-described embodiment, the ridges  21  and the grooves  45  are formed respectively in the shaft unit  10  and the body  40  for producing a rotational resistance between the shaft unit  10  and the body  40 . Instead, they may be protrusions and recesses with different shapes. Further, the numbers of them are not limited to those in the above-described embodiment. Alternatively, the rotational resistance may be produced by a rubber or the like formed in the opposed faces of the shaft unit  10  and the body  40 . In this case, the shaft unit  10  and the body  40  gradually turn relative to each other in the direction of releasing the coupling by the action of an external impact force or the like. 
     The above-described embodiments illustrate an example in which the toy top  1  spins in the clockwise direction in the plan view. However, it should be understood well that the present invention is also applicable to a toy top  1  that spins in the anticlockwise direction in the plan view. In this case, in order to produce the toy top  1  that has a structure assembled by turning the body  40  relative to the shaft unit  10  and the performance changing ring  30  in the anticlockwise direction in the plan view, it is only required to change the body  40  while it is possible to use the same shaft unit  10  and the performance changing ring  30 . 
     The above-described embodiments illustrate an example in which a battle is fought between toy tops  1 ,  1  that spin in the clockwise direction in the plan view. Instead, a battle may be fought between toy tops  1 ,  1  that spin in the anticlockwise direction in the plan view. 
     Furthermore, it is also possible that a battle is fought between a toy top  1  that spins in the clockwise direction in the plan view and another toy top  1  that spins in the anticlockwise direction in the plan view. 
     In this case, a collision and a friction between the toy tops  1 ,  1  turn the body  40  relative to the shaft unit  10  in the direction from the coupling releasable state to the coupling enabled state. In other words, the body  40  and the shaft unit  10  are turned in the fastening direction thereof. Accordingly, the toy tops  1  are less likely to be disassembled by a collision and a friction. In this case, a battle may be fought with a rule in which a player wins when an opponent toy top  1  is knocked out for example. It is needless to say that a battle may be played among three or more toy tops  1 . 
     The above-described embodiment illustrates an example in which the structure of the spinning shaft  11  as illustrated in  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 6  is applied to the toy top  1  that is separable into the body  40  and the shaft unit  10  and that is used in a game in which a player wins or loses when they are separated from each other. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. 
     For example, it goes without saying that the structure of the spinning shaft  11  as illustrated in  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 6  is applicable to the spinning shaft of a conventional toy top that is used in a game in which spinning toy tops are brought into contact with each other, and a player wins when an opponent toy top is knocked out of a certain field, or when his toy top spins for a longer time. 
     The above-described embodiments illustrate an example in which the projections  111 ,  112  of the spinning shaft  11  have a triangular or rectangular shape in the bottom view. However, they may have a different shape such as polygonal shapes with more corners, a circular shape or an oval shape. 
     This U.S. patent application claims priority to Japanese patent application No. 2016-008042 filed on Jan. 19, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.