CORE WITH FINGER INDENTATION AND FORMED TO EXPEL AN OBJECT CONCEALED THEREIN

• US 20120058706A1
• Filed: 07/08/2011
• Published: 03/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jakks Pacific, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jakks Pacific, Inc.
• Inventors: Laurienzo, Dominic, McCafferty, Jim, Leong, Greg, DeLacy, Steven Douglas, Hudson, Jon, Wolfson, Jared, Padawer, Jeremy, Lee Chi Wai, Dennis, Tsui Ka Tim, Timmy
• Granted Patent: US 9,120,025 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/259
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 1/00 Tops diabolos or similar thrown and caught spinning tops or throwing and catching devices therefor A63B67/16; flying tops A63H27/12
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/003 Convertible toys, e.g. robots convertible into rockets or vehicles convertible into planes

Abstract

A rotatable core is described. The core includes a cylindrically-shaped housing having an indentation area. The indentation area is formed to guide a user where to place their finger for launching, such that by pressing down on the indentation area, the core is forced against a ground surface, which causes it to spin away from the user. Additionally, the core includes a housing with a cavity therein for receiving the object. A release mechanism is attached with the housing. The release mechanism includes a connector for connecting with a corresponding connector on the object and an expelling mechanism for expelling the object. Upon activation of the release mechanism, the connector releases the object and the expelling mechanism forces the object from the housing.

Claims

1. A rotatable core, comprising:

a housing, the housing having an external portion; and

an indentation area formed in the external portion, the indentation area being formed to guide a user where to place their finger for launching, such that by pressing down on the indentation area, the core is forced against a ground surface, thereby causing it to spin away from the user.

2. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 1, wherein the indentation area is formed off-center on the external portion of the housing.

3. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 2, wherein the indentation area is formed with concavity.

4. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 3, wherein the housing includes a cavity therein for receiving an object.

5. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 4, further comprising:

a release mechanism attached with the housing, the release mechanism including a connector for connecting with a corresponding connector on the object and an expelling mechanism for expelling the object, whereby upon activation of the release mechanism, the connector releases the object and the expelling mechanism forces the object from the housing.

6. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 5, wherein the connector of the release mechanism is a release trigger and the expelling mechanism is a spring-compressed platform, with the connector on the object being a clasp.

7. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 6, wherein the release mechanism further comprises a weighted pendulum that is operably connected with the release trigger, such that upon motion of the pendulum, the release trigger releases the clasp and, thereby, releases the object.

8. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 7, further comprising two raised rings running around a circumference of the core.

9. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 8, further comprising an expandable object with a clasp for positioning within the cavity of the housing.

10. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 5, wherein the connector of the release mechanism is a pair of clips and wherein the release mechanism further comprises an impact trigger that is operably connected with the pair of clips such that upon impact, the impact trigger causes the pair of clips to release the object.

11. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 10, further comprising an expandable object with a clasp for positioning within the cavity of the housing.

12. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 3, further comprising:

a release mechanism attached with the housing, the release mechanism including a pendulum with a magnet for magnetically connecting with an object positioned within the cavity, such that upon impact of the core with a surface, the pendulum is swung away from the object to break the magnetic connection with the object and release the object from the housing.

13. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 12, further comprising an expandable object with for positioning within the cavity of the housing, the expandable object being magnetically attracted to the pendulum with the magnet.

14. A rotatable core, comprising:

a housing, the housing having a cavity therein for receiving an object; and

a release mechanism attached with the housing, the release mechanism including a connector for connecting with an object, whereby upon activation of the release mechanism, the connector releases the object from the housing.

15. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 14, further comprising an expelling mechanism attached with the housing for expelling the object.

16. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 15, wherein the connector of the release mechanism is a release trigger and the expelling mechanism is a spring-compressed platform.

17. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 16, wherein the release mechanism further comprises a weighted pendulum that is operably connected with the release trigger, such that upon motion of the pendulum, the release trigger releases the object.

18. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 17, further comprising two raised rings running around a circumference of the core.

19. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 18, further comprising an expandable object with a clasp for positioning within the cavity of the housing.

20. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 14, wherein the connector of the release mechanism is a pair of clips and wherein the release mechanism further comprises an impact trigger that is operably connected with the pair of clips such that upon impact, the impact trigger causes the pair of clips to release the object.

21. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 20, further comprising an expandable object with a clasp for positioning within the cavity of the housing.

22. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 14, wherein the release mechanism includes a pendulum, with the connector being a magnet attached with the pendulum for magnetically connecting with an object positioned within the cavity, such that upon impact of the core with a surface, the pendulum is swung away from the object to break the magnetic connection with the object and release the object from the housing.

23. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 22, further comprising an expandable object with for positioning within the cavity of the housing, the expandable object being magnetically attracted to the pendulum with the magnet.

24. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 14, further comprising an expandable object for positioning within the cavity of the housing and attaching with the release mechanism, the expandable object having a connector for connecting with the release mechanism such that upon activation of the release mechanism, the object is expelled from the core.

25. The rotatable core as set forth in claim 24, wherein the expandable object includes at least one appendage and a collapsed state and an expanded state, such that when the expandable object is within the cavity, the at least one appendage is positioned in the collapsed state and, upon expulsion from the cavity, the at least one appendage is moved into the expanded state.