Abstract:
A toy top includes a pinion gear and a locking portion. A launcher includes a rack belt and a holder. The rack belt includes an elastically deformable belt portion on which rack teeth capable of intermeshing with the pinion gear are formed. The toy top is set to the holder by intermeshing the rack teeth with the pinion gear. A rotational force is then applied to the toy top by pulling the rack belt to rotate the pinion gear. A space is formed in the holder, which is disposed in a vicinity of an intermeshing portion of the rack teeth and the pinion gear. The space allows deformation of the belt portion so that the belt portion previously attached to the holder does not interrupt setting the toy top to the holder.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application claims priority to co-pending Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-172640, filed Sep. 5, 2016, and titled “TOY TOP SET AND LAUNCHER,” the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in the entirety. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a toy top set and a launcher. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Among toy top sets composed of a toy top and a launcher (toy top launching device), the one described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 563-91466A (microfilm of Japanese Utility Model Application No. S61-187193) has been known in the art. The toy top of the toy top set includes a pinion gear that is disposed on an input shaft having the same center axis with a rotation shaft and a locking portion that is disposed directly above the pinion gear on the input shaft and that protrudes outward in the radial direction of the input shaft to an extent approximately equal to the tooth tips of the pinion gear. 
     Further, the launcher includes a rack belt and a holder. The rack belt includes an elastic belt portion and rack teeth formed on one face of the belt portion. The holder is configured to hold the toy top such that the pinion gear intermeshes with the rack teeth directly below the locking portion of the toy top, and the belt portion thereby supports the locking portion from below. In the condition in which the toy top is held by the holder, when the rack belt is pulled in a predetermined direction, the pinion gear that intermeshes with the rack teeth is rotated to apply a rotational force to the toy top while the intermeshing of the pinion gear and the rack teeth is released so that the toy top is released from the holder. 
     The holder of the toy top set of JP S63-91466A has a U-shaped portion in the tip. Specifically, the tip of the holder includes upper and lower parallel plates that protrude horizontally in the operating position and a coupling portion that couples the upper and lower parallel plates with each other at their proximal ends. The inner surface of the coupling portion serves as a flat band guide face. The band guide face extends in the predetermined direction of the rack belt and is located in the part of the U-shaped portion that is opposed to the pinion gear. The band guide face is configured to abut the back face of the belt portion of the rack belt so as to guide the rack teeth to the intermeshing position with the pinion gear teeth and to maintain the intermeshed condition of the rack teeth and the pinion gear teeth. 
     However, the toy top set of JP 563-91466A is configured such that the pinion gear completely intermeshes with the rack teeth when the back face of the belt portion is in contact with the part of the band guide face opposed to the pinion gear. Therefore, the toy top cannot be set to the holder after the rack belt is attached to the holder. 
     Specifically, if an attempt is made to set the toy top to the holder after the rack belt is attached to the holder, the pinion gear cannot intermesh with the rack teeth since the locking portion abuts the belt portion in the course of the setting. 
     Therefore, in the toy top of JP S63-91466, it is necessary to insert the rack belt into the U-shaped portion with one hand while holding the toy top with the other hand in a position in which the rotation shaft of the toy top is inserted in a pinion gear insertion hole that is formed in the lower parallel plate, so as to intermesh the pinion gear with the rack teeth below the locking portion of the toy top. As a result, it has been troublesome to set the toy top to the holder. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problem, and an object thereof is to provide an easy-to-use launcher and a toy top set with the launcher. 
     According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toy top set, including: a toy top comprising a pinion gear which is disposed on an input shaft disposed on a body portion and having a same center axis with a rotation shaft, and a locking portion which is disposed directly above the pinion gear on the input shaft and which protrudes outward in a radial direction over a valley of the pinion gear; and a launcher comprising a rack belt comprising an elastically deformable belt portion on which rack teeth capable of intermeshing with the pinion gear are formed, and a holder to which the rack belt is attached, wherein the launcher is configured to launch the toy top such that the toy top is set to the holder by intermeshing the rack teeth with the pinion gear below the locking portion so as to fit the belt portion below the locking portion, a rotational force is then applied to the toy top by pulling the rack belt in a predetermined direction to rotate the pinion gear, and subsequently the intermeshing of the pinion gear and the rack teeth is released, wherein a space is formed in the holder, which is disposed in a vicinity of an intermeshing portion of the rack teeth and the pinion gear and which allows elastic deformation of the belt portion so that the belt portion of the rack belt previously attached to the holder does not interrupt setting the toy top to the holder, and wherein the holder comprises a belt guide which is configured to be in contact with an opposite face from the rack teeth of the belt portion to guide the belt portion so that the pinion gear and the rack teeth intermesh with each other by means of elasticity of the belt portion. 
     According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a launcher used for a toy top which comprises a pinion gear which is disposed on an input shaft disposed on a body portion and having a same center axis with a rotation shaft, and a locking portion which is disposed directly above the pinion gear on the input shaft and which protrudes outward in a radial direction over a valley of the pinion gear, including: a rack belt comprising an elastically deformable belt portion on which rack teeth capable of intermeshing with the pinion gear are formed; and a holder to which the rack belt is attached, wherein the launcher is configured to launch the toy top such that the toy top is set to the holder by intermeshing the rack teeth with the pinion gear below the locking portion so as to fit the belt portion below the locking portion, a rotational force is then applied to the toy top by pulling the rack belt in a predetermined direction to rotate the pinion gear, and subsequently the intermeshing of the pinion gear and the rack teeth is released, wherein a space is formed in the holder, which is disposed in a vicinity of an intermeshing portion of the rack teeth and the pinion gear and which allows elastic deformation of the belt portion so that the belt portion of the rack belt previously attached to the holder does not interrupt setting the toy top to the holder, and wherein the holder comprises a belt guide which is configured to be in contact with an opposite face from the rack teeth of the belt portion to guide the belt portion so that the pinion gear and the rack teeth intermesh with each other by means of elasticity of the belt portion. 
     According to such configuration, it is possible to set the toy top to the holder afterward by elastically deforming the belt portion while keeping the rack belt attached to the holder. Therefore, it is easy to handle the launcher. 
     Preferably, the space in the holder is formed next to the intermeshing portion of the rack teeth and the pinion gear to allow the belt portion to retract outward in a radial direction of the locking portion such that the belt portion of the rack belt which is previously attached to the holder does not overlap the locking portion in a vertical direction. 
     According to such configuration, it is possible to set the toy top to the holder afterward by retracting the belt portion while keeping the rack belt attached to the holder. Therefore, it is easy to handle the launcher. 
     Preferably, an upper face periphery of the locking portion of the toy top is formed in a beveled shape which expands in diameter toward a lower side. 
     According to such configuration, since the upper face of the locking portion of the toy top is formed in a bevel shape that expands in diameter toward the lower end, the belt portion is pushed by the beveled portion to retract outward from the locking portion when the toy top is pressed against the holder while keeping the rack belt attached to the holder. Therefore, it is easy to set the toy top to the holder. 
     Preferably, the toy top is positioned relative to the holder by fitting a protrusion and a recess, the protrusion being formed on one of the toy top and the holder, and the recess being formed on another of the toy top and the holder. 
     More preferably, the recess is formed in an upper face of the locking portion of the toy top, and the protrusion is formed on the holder. 
     According to such configuration, it is possible to position the toy top by fitting the protrusion into the recess in the vertical direction. Therefore, it is easy to set the toy top to the holder. 
    
    
     
       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  is a perspective view of a toy top set according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an input shaft of the toy top set of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a holder of the toy top set of  FIG. 1  from a certain direction; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the holder of the toy top set of  FIG. 1  from another direction; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the holder of the toy top set of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6A  to  FIG. 6C  illustrate the relationship between a pinion gear and a rack belt of the toy top set of  FIG. 1 , in which  FIG. 6A  illustrates the relationship between the pinion gear and the rack belt before the toy top is set,  FIG. 6B  illustrates the relationship between the pinion gear and the rack belt in the course of setting the toy top, and  FIG. 6C  illustrates the relationship between the pinion gear and the rack belt after the toy top is completely set; 
         FIG. 7A  and  FIG. 7B  illustrate the function of a chamber of the toy top set of  FIG. 1 , in which  FIG. 7A  illustrates the state of the rack belt in the course of setting the toy top, and  FIG. 7B  illustrates the state of the rack belt after the toy top is completely set; and 
         FIG. 8A  to  FIG. 8C  illustrate the relationship between a pinion gear and a rack belt of a toy top set according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which  FIG. 8A  illustrates the relationship between the pinion gear and the rack belt before the toy top is set,  FIG. 8B  illustrates the relationship between the pinion gear and the rack belt in the course of setting the toy top, and  FIG. 8C  illustrates the relationship between the pinion gear and the rack belt after the toy top is completely set. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, an embodiment 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 embodiment, the scope of the invention is not limited to the embodiment and the illustrated examples. 
     First Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a toy top set, illustrating the appearance thereof. 
     The toy top set  100  includes a toy top  10  and a launcher  50 . 
     The toy top  10  is configured to enable disassembly into several portions in the vertical direction. The toy top  10  roughly includes a shaft portion  11 , a body portion  12  and an input shaft  13 . 
     The shaft portion  11  is formed in an approximately reversed conical shape with a diameter that reduces stepwise toward a lower rotation shaft  11   a . The rotation shaft  11   a  is located at the center of the shaft portion  11 . 
     The body portion  12  is formed in a disk shape, and an uneven pattern is formed in the outer periphery. The uneven pattern can give variation to a battle game. 
     The input shaft  13  has the same center axis with the rotation shaft  11   a . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a pinion gear  14  is formed on the input shaft  13 , which has the same center axis as the input shaft  13 . Directly above the pinion gear  14 , a locking portion  15  is formed on the input shaft  13 , which protrudes to the tooth tips of the pinion gear  14  to cover the valleys of pinion gear  14  from above. An upper face periphery  15   a  of the locking portion  15  is formed in a beveled shape so that the diameter expands toward the lower side. The upper end of the input shaft  13  is formed in a flat shape, and a round hole  16  is formed at the center thereof. The hole  16  is provided to position the toy top  10 . 
     The launcher  50  is composed of a rack belt  60  and a holder  70 . 
     The rack belt  60  includes a belt portion  61  and an operation portion  62 . 
     The belt portion  61  is formed in a band shape, and rack teeth  63  are formed on one face thereof. Further, the belt portion  61  is elastically deformable at least in the protruding direction of the rack teeth  63 . 
     The operation portion  62  is provided in the proximal end of the belt portion  61 , which protrudes in both sides in the direction of the teeth height of the rack teeth  63 . The operation portion  62  is operable, for example, by hooking the index finger on one protrusion and the middle finger on the other protrusion. 
     The holder  70  is formed in a size that can be held in one hand. As illustrated in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the holder  70  has such a shape that a vertical side wall  70   b  is provided along the outer edge of a surface plate  70   a  having an approximately rectangular shape in a plan view. The surface plate  70   a  and the side wall  70   b  define a hollow that is open downward. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , on one side of the side wall  70   b  of the holder  70 , two insertion openings  71   a ,  71   b  are formed at a predetermined distance from each other in the width direction of the holder  70 . Both of the insertion openings  71   a ,  71   b  are in communication with the inner hollow of the holder  70 . The insertion openings  71   a ,  71   b  are provided to allow insertion and removal of the rack belt  60 . Further, on the opposite side of the holder  70 , two outlet openings  72   a ,  72   b  are formed at a predetermined distance from each other in the width direction as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Both of the outlet openings  72   a ,  72   b  are in communication with the inner hollow of the holder  70 . The outlet openings  72   a ,  72   b  are provided to guide out the tip of the rack belt  60  when the rack belt  60  is inserted. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , a receiver  73  for the toy top  10  is formed on the inner side of the holder  70 . The receiver  73  is in the shape of a cylindrical protrusion. The receiver  73  is formed in a size that can be inserted in the hole  16  of the toy top  10 . On the inner face of the holder  70 , a pathway  74   a  connecting the insertion opening  71   a  to the outlet opening  72   a  and a pathway  74   b  connecting the insertion opening  71   b  to the outlet opening  72   b  are formed. 
     The pathway  74   a  is defined by an inner wall  75   a  proximal to the receiver  73  and an outer wall  76   a  distal to the receiver  73 . The inner wall  75   a , which has a straight shape, is not present in the part opposed to the receiver  73 . The outer wall  76   a  has a curved portion that bulges outward in the width direction in an arc shape. Further, at the lower end of the outer wall  76   a , two support pieces  77   a  are formed in a predetermined distance from each other, which are configured to support the belt portion  61  from below. Among them, the rim of the insertion opening  71   a , the rim of the outlet opening  72   a  and the straight part of the outer wall  76   a  function as a belt guide for intermeshing the pinion gear  14  and the rack teeth  63  with each other. It is only required that the belt guide is configured to be in contact with the opposite face (back face) from the rack teeth  63  of the belt portion  61  so as to intermesh the pinion gear  14  and the rack teeth  63  with each other by means of the elasticity of the belt portion  61 , and the position, the number and the shape thereof are not limited. 
     The pathway  74   b  is defined by an inner wall  75   b  proximal to the receiver  73  and an outer wall  76   b  distal to the receiver  73 . The inner wall  75   b , which has a straight shape, is not present in the part opposed to the receiver  73 . The outer wall  76   b  has a curved portion that bulges outward in the width direction in an arc shape. Further, at the lower end of the outer wall  76   b , two support pieces  77   b  are formed in a predetermined distance from each other, which are configured to support the belt portion  61  from below. Among them, the rim of the insertion opening  71   b , the rim of the outlet opening  72   b  and the straight part of the outer wall  76   b  function as a belt guide that makes the pinion gear  14  and the rack teeth  63  intermesh with each other. It is only required that the belt guide is configured to be in contact with the back face of the belt portion  61  so as to intermesh the pinion gear  14  and the rack teeth  63  with each other by means of the elasticity of the belt portion  61 , and the position, the number and the shape thereof are not limited. 
     The holder  70  with the above-described configuration is configured such that two holders can be coupled with their backs to each other. 
     That is, in the side where the outlet openings  72   a ,  72   b  are formed, the holder  70  protrudes outward around the outlet opening  72   a  and recesses inward around the outlet opening  72   b . A hook  78   a  is formed on the outer wall of the protrusion  79   a , and a hook  78   b  is formed on the inner wall of the recess  79   b . Two holders  70 ,  70  can be coupled to each other by aligning the protrusion  79   a  and the recess  79   b  of one holder  70  respectively with the recess  79   b  and the protrusion  79   a  of the other holder  70  and fitting them to each other from the vertical direction. By using the two holders  70 ,  70  thus coupled, it is possible to launch two toy tops  10  at the same time. In this case, the rack belt  60  may be inserted into the insertion opening  71   a  or  71   b  of any one of the coupled two holders  70 ,  70 . Then, the insertion opening  71   a  or the insertion opening  71   b  of the other holder  70  serves as an outlet opening of the rack belt  60 . 
     Regardless of whether a single holder  70  or two coupled holders  70 ,  70  are used, it is possible to change the rotational direction of the toy top  10  by selecting which of the insertion opening  71   a  or the insertion opening  71   b  of the holder  70  is used. 
     Usage 
     Next, a usage of the toy top set  100  will be described. While the following description illustrates a case in which a single holder  70  is used, the usage is almost identical in a case in which two holders  70 ,  70  are used. 
     First, the tip of the rack belt  60  is aligned with the insertion opening  71   a , and the belt portion  61  is inserted into the holder  70 . In this condition, the tip of the belt portion  61  is guided out through the outlet opening  72   a  of the holder  70 . Then, the hole  16  of the toy top  10  is aligned with the receiver  73  of the holder  70 , and the toy top  10  is pushed in so that the receiver  73  is fitted in the hole  16  of the toy top  10 . In this step, the beveled surface of the upper face periphery  15   a  of the locking portion  15  of the toy top  10  comes in contact with the rack teeth  63  of the belt portion  61  ( FIG. 6A ). As the toy top  10  is pushed in, the beveled surface of the upper face periphery  15   a  of the locking portion  15  pushes the rack teeth  63  outward ( FIG. 6B  and  FIG. 7A ). Then, when the receiver  73  fits in the hole  16  of the toy top  10 , the belt portion  61  elastically returns to the original shape so that the rack teeth  63  and the pinion gear  14  intermesh with each other ( FIG. 6C  and  FIG. 7B ). As a result, the intermeshed portion of the rack teeth  63  and the pinion gear  14  is covered with the locking portion  15 . This prevents the toy top  10  from detaching from the holder  70  even when the toy top  10  is positioned downward. In other words, the toy top  10  is held by the holder  70 . 
     Then, the holder  70  is held in one hand, and the rack belt  60  is pulled with the other hand in the predetermined direction. This applies rotational force to the toy top  10 . Then, once the tip of the belt portion  61  passes through the pinion gear  14 , the toy top  10  loses the support of the locking portion  15 , and the rotating toy top  10  detaches from the holder  70  by its own weight. 
     Advantageous Effects of Embodiments 
     The toy top set  100  is convenient since it is possible to set the toy top  10  to the holder  70  even with the rack belt  60  attached to the holder  70 . In particular, since the upper face periphery  15   a  of the locking portion  15  is formed with a beveled surface, the rack belt  60  is deviated to the outer side of the pinion gear  14  of the toy top  10  just by pushing the beveled surface of the toy top  10  against the rack belt  60 . Therefore, the toy top  10  can be set more readily. 
     Second Embodiment 
       FIGS. 8A-8C  illustrate a second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the belt portion  61  is elastically torsional. The belt portion  61  is twisted when the beveled surface pushes the belt portion  61  while the toy top  10  is set to the holder  70 , ( FIG. 8A  and  FIG. 8B ). Thereafter, the pinion gear  14  and the rack teeth  63  intermesh with each other by means of the elasticity of the belt portion  61  ( FIG. 8C ). With this configuration, it is possible to set the toy top  10  to the holder  70  even after the rack belt  60  is attached to the holder  70 . In  FIG. 8 , the reference sign  65  denotes a belt guide. The belt guide  65  is positioned so as not to reduce the space for torsion of the belt portion  61 . 
     The space for deviation of the belt portion  61  is ensured only in the direction parallel to the axis of the locking portion  15  since the belt portion  16  is thin. In this case, the belt guide, which is configured to be in contact with the back face of the belt portion  61 , may also be formed in the part opposed to the pinion gear  14  of the toy top  10  set in the holder  70 . 
     The other portions are configured approximately the same as those of the first embodiment, and the illustration and the description thereof are omitted. 
     Variations 
     While embodiments of the present invention are described, the present invention is not limited to them, and a variety of changes may be made without departing from the features of the present invention. 
     For example, in the above-described embodiments, the portions curved in an arc shape are provided in the outer wall  76   a  defining the pathway  74   a  and the outer wall  76   b  defining the pathway  74   b . However, such curved portions may be omitted since they are provided to ensure the space for deviation of the belt portion  61 . That is, the only requirement is to have a space for deviation of the belt portion  61  that enables the toy top  10  to be set afterward. 
     In the above-described embodiments, in order to position the toy top  10 , the hole (recess)  16  is provided in the toy top  10  while the receiver (protrusion) is provided in the holder  70 . However, they may be interchanged with each other. Further, they may have any shape that enables positioning. 
     In the above-described embodiments, the upper face periphery of the locking portion  15  has a beveled surface. However, it may not have a beveled surface. Particularly in the second embodiment, the belt portion  61  of the rack belt  60  can be twisted by butting the pinion gear  14  even when the upper face is flat. 
     In the above-described embodiments, the belt portion  61  of the rack belt  60  is deformed by butting the pinion gear  14 . Instead, the belt portion  61  may be deformed manually by a user with his/her hand or a tool. 
     This U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application claims priority to co-pending Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-172640, filed Sep. 5, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein for correction of any incorrect translation.