Toy including centrifugal switch

• US 4,867,727 A
• Filed: 11/10/1988
• Issued: 09/19/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Flambeau (TechnipFMC, plc)
• Original Assignee: Flambeau (TechnipFMC, plc)
• Inventors: Lanius, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Application Number:
  US07/269,588
• Time in Patent Office: 313 Days
• Field of Search: 446/242, 446/250, 446/251, 446/47, 446/485, 446/484, 362/802, 200/80 R
• US Class Current: 446/242
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 1/24 with illuminating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 1/30 Climbing tops, e.g. Yo-Yo
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/802 Position or condition responsive switch

Abstract

The invention provides a rotatable device including a body adapted to be supported for rotation about an axis of rotation. A resilient electrically conductive member is supported by the body for rotation with the body, and has first and second blades, the second blade being generally parallel and spaced radially inwardly of the first blade with respect to the axis of rotation of body. The first and second blades of the resilient electrically conductive member define a battery receiving area therebetween adapted to house a button type battery. A electrically operable device is mounted on the second blade of the resilient electrically conductive member and is centrifugally activated when the body is rotated about the axis.

Claims

1. A rotatable device comprising:

a body adapted to be supported for rotation about an axis of rotation;

a resilient electrically conductive member supported by the body, for rotation with the body, said resilient electrically conductive member having first and second blades, the second blade being generally parallel and spaced radially inwardly of the first blade with respect to the axis of rotation of said body, the first and second blades of said resilient electrically conductive member defining a battery receiving area therebetween, the battery receiving area being adapted to house a button type battery having a first terminal and a second terminal such that the first terminal of the button type battery is in electrical contact with the first blade of said resilient electrically conductive member, and such that the second blade of said resilient conductive member is spaced apart from the second terminal of the button type battery and resiliently movable toward the second terminal of the button type battery;

an electrically operable device having first and second electrical contacts, said electrically operable device being operable when electrically connected to the button type battery by the first and second electrical contacts, said electrically operable device being mounted to the second blade of said resilient electrically conductive member, the first electrical contact of the electrically operable device being electrically connected to the second blade of said resilient electrically conductive member, and the second electrical contact of the electrically operable device being normally positioned in spaced apart relation from the second terminal of the button type battery and movable with said second blade to engage the second terminal of the button type battery when the body is rotated about the axis thereby causing centrifugal force to move said second blade and said electrically operable device so that the second electrical contact moves into engagement with the second terminal of the button type battery when the button type battery is in place.

2. A rotatable device in accordance with claim 1 and further including a pair of button type batteries placed in electrical series in the battery receiving area.

3. A rotatable device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said resilient electrically conductive member is generally U-shaped.

4. A rotatable device in accordance with claim 3 wherein said resilient electrically conductive member is manufactured of conductive plastic.

5. A rotatable device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said electrically operable device is of the type having malleable wire contacts projecting therefrom.

6. A rotatable device in accordance with claim 5 further including a non-conductive cap on the end of the second blade of said resilient electrically conductive member to hold the first electrical contact of the electrically operable device in intimate relation and in electrical contact with the second blade of said resilient electrically conductive member.

7. A rotatable device in accordance with claim 6 wherein the other contact of the electrically operable device is bent over the non-conductive cap to be positioned in normally spaced apart relation from the second terminal of the battery, said electrically operable device thereby being mounted on said resilient electrically conductive member by the two malleable wire contacts.

8. A rotatable device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said electrically operable device is an illuminating device.

9. A rotatable device in accordance with claim 8 wherein said electrically operable device is a miniature light bulb.

10. A yo-yo comprising:

a body;

a resilient electrically conductive member supported by said body, said resilient electrically conductive member having first and second blades joined by a bite portion to generally form a U-shape, the second blade being generally parallel and spaced radially inwardly of the first blade with respect to the axis of rotation of said body, the first and second blades of said resilient electrically conductive member and said body defining a battery receiving area between the first and second blade, the battery receiving area being adapted to house a series pair of button type batteries, the series pair of button type batteries having a first terminal and a second terminal such that the first terminal of the battery is in electrical contact with the first blade of the resilient electrically conductive member and such that the second blade of said resilient electrically conductive member is spaced apart from the second terminal of the series pair of button type batteries and resiliently movable toward the second terminal of the series pair of button type batteries, when the series pair of button type batteries is in place;

a miniature bulb of the type having malleable wire contacts projecting therefrom, one of the malleable wire contacts of the bulb being clamped to the second blade of the resilient electrically conductive member by a non-conductive piece of heat shrink tubing, the other of the malleable wire contacts of the bulb being bent around the non-conductive piece of heat shrink tubing and being positioned in normally spaced apart relation from the second terminal of the battery, and being movable with said second blade to engage the second terminal of the series pair of button type batteries when the body is rotated thereby causing centrifugal force to move said second blade and said miniature bulb so that the contact bent around the non-conductive piece of heat shrink tubing moves into engagement with the second terminal of the series pair of button type batteries, said miniature bulb being attached to the second blade of the resilient electrically conductive member only by the malleable wire contacts.

11. A rotatable device comprising:

a body adapted to be supported for rotation about an axis of rotation;

a button type battery having a first terminal and a second terminal;

a resilient electrically conductive member supported by the body, for rotation with the body, said resilient electrically conductive member having first and second blades, the second blade being generally parallel and spaced radially inwardly of the first blade with respect to the axis of rotation of said body, said button type battery being housed between the first and second blades of said resilient electrically conductive member such that the first terminal of the button type battery is in electrical contact with the first blade of said resilient electrically conductive member, and such that the second blade of said resilient conductive member is spaced apart from the second terminal of the button type battery and is resiliently moveable toward the second terminal of the button type battery;

an electrically operable device having first and second electrical contacts, said electrically operable device being operable when electrically connected to the button type battery by the first and second electrical contacts, said electrically operable device being mounted on the second blade of the resilient electrically conductive member, the first electrical contact of the electrically operable device being electrically connected to the second blade of the resilient electrically conductive member, and the second electrical contact of the electrically operable device being normally positioned in spaced apart relation from the second terminal of the button type battery and movable with said second blade to engage the second terminal of the button type battery when the body is rotated about the axis thereby causing centrifugal force to move said second blade and said electrically operable device so that the second contact of the electrically operable device moves into engagement with the second terminal of the button type battery.

12. A rotatable device comprising:

a body adapted to be supported for rotation about an axis of rotation;

a resilient electrically conductive member supported by the body, for rotation with the body, said resilient electrically conductive member having first and second blades, the second blade being generally parallel and spaced radially inwardly of the first blade with respect to the axis of rotation of said body, the first and second blades of said resilient electrically conductive member defining a battery receiving area therebetween, the battery receiving area being adapted to house a button type battery having a first and second terminal, the second blade of the resilient electrically conductive member being resiliently movable relative to the first blade when the battery is in place;

an electrically operable device having first and second electrical contacts, said electrically operable device being operable when electrically connected to the battery by the first and second electrical contacts, said electrically operable device being mounted on the second blade of said resilient electrically conductive member, the first electrical contact of the electrically operable device being electrically connected to the second blade of said resilient electrically conductive member; and

a continuous electrical path provided between one of the electrical contacts of the electrically operable device and one terminal of the button type battery, when the battery is in place in the battery receiving area, and a selectively engageable electrical path provided between the other of the electrical contacts of the electrically operable device and the other terminal of the button type battery, the selectively engageable electrical path being selected when the body is rotated about the axis thereby causing centrifugal force to move the second blade of the resilient electrically conductive member and the electrically operable device relative to the first blade of the resilient electrically conductive member to cause contact between the first terminal of the button type battery and the first blade of the electrically conductive member to complete a circuit including the first terminal of the battery, said first blade, said first contact of said electrically operable device, said second contact of said electrically operable device, and said second terminal of said battery.