Spinning top launching device

• US 10,639,558 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TOMY Company Limited
• Original Assignee: TOMY Company Limited
• Inventors: Horikoshi, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Bumgarner, Melba
• Assistant Examiner(s): Klayman, Amir A
• Application Number:
  US15/699,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20180214783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 1/02 with detachable winding devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 1/04 with string or band winding devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 31/06 Belt or string gear

Abstract

A spinning top launching device includes a casing; an operation member; a driving wheel being configured to be rotated around a shaft thereof as a center by operating the operation member; a holder being configured outside the casing to hold releasably a spinning top; a power transmission mechanism including a power transmission element, being connected with both the driving wheel and the holder, and being configured to transmit a rotation of the driving wheel to the holder; and a rotation direction switching member being configured to switch a rotation direction of the holder between a first direction and a second direction being opposite to the first direction by moving the power transmission element between a first revolution position and a second revolution position.

Claims

1. A spinning top launching device comprising:

a casing;

an operation member;

a driving wheel being configured to be rotated around a shaft thereof as a center by operating the operation member;

a holder being configured outside the casing to hold releasably a spinning top;

a power transmission mechanism including a power transmission element, being connected with both the driving wheel and the holder, and being configured to transmit a rotation of the driving wheel to the holder, the power transmission element including first and second gears; and

a rotation direction switching member being configured to switch a rotation direction of the holder between a first direction and a second direction being opposite to the first direction by moving the first gear on a plane between first and second points and moving the second gear on the plane between the third and fourth point,

the power transmission element including a third gear,

the power transmission mechanism being configured to transmit the rotation from the driving wheel to the holder via the first and third gears in order to rotate the holder in the first direction when the first gear is moved to be in contact with the third gear,

the power transmission mechanism being configured to transmit the rotation from the driving wheel to the holder via the second gear in order to rotate the holder in the second direction.

2. The spinning top launching device according to claim 1, wherein

the power transmission mechanism includes an input gear and an output gear,

the input gear is configured to be rotated coaxially and integrally with the driving wheel,

the output gear is configured to be rotated coaxially and integrally with the holder.

3. The spinning top launching device according to claim 2, wherein

the first and second gears are integrally formed with and always engaged with the input gear, and are rotatable around the shaft of the driving wheel as a center.

4. The spinning top launching device according to claim 2, further comprising

a lock mechanism being configured to restrict the first gear to be at the first point or the second point, and restrict the second gear to be at the third point or the fourth point.

5. The spinning top launching device according to claim 4, wherein

the rotation direction switching member includes an operating body, the operating body is connected to the input gear, and the lock mechanism locks the operating body.

6. The spinning top launching device according to claim 1, wherein

the driving wheel includes a coil spring,

the operation member includes a string being connected to the driving wheel at one end thereof, and

the string is wound on the driving wheel in a state in which an energizing force of the coil spring is stored.

7. The spinning top launching device according to claim 1, wherein

the operation member includes a rack belt having rack tooth and is detachable from the driving wheel, and a pinion gear being configured on the driving wheel to be engaged with the rack tooth, and

the driving wheel is configured to be rotated by operating the rack belt.

8. The spinning top launching device according to claim 2, wherein

the first gear is always engaged with the input gear.

9. The spinning top launching device according to claim 8, wherein

the third gear is always engaged with the first gear.

10. The spinning top launching device according claim 8, wherein

the third gear is always engaged with the output gear.

11. The spinning top launching device according to claim 1, wherein

the rotation of the driving wheel is transmitted to the holder via the power transmission element.

12. The spinning top launching device according to claim 1, wherein

the rotation direction switching member includes a switch part being slidably configured on an outer surface of the casing to move the first and second gears.

13. The spinning top launching device according to claim 1, wherein

the lock mechanism is configured to lock the operating body to prevent the holder from rotating in the first direction when rotating in the second direction is allowed.

14. The spinning top launching device according to claim 1, wherein

the holder is configured to be rotated in the first direction when the holder is viewed from a bottom side of the spinning top launching device on which a top is detachably attached, and

the holder is configured to be rotated in the second direction when the holder is viewed from the bottom side.