Strobe light effect yo-yo

• US 5,145,444 A
• Filed: 06/27/1991
• Issued: 09/08/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: VanKuiken, Jack C.
• Original Assignee: VanKuiken, Jack C.
• Inventors: VanKuiken, Jack C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Application Number:
  US07/721,937
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 446/242, 446/485, 446/48, 446/219, 446/250
• 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

Abstract

A rotatable toy in which a light emitting diode, positioned in one of the body halves, is connected to a solid state control circuit which includes a timer to periodically energize the LED and produce a stroboscopic effect.

Claims

1. A return top toy including a pair of spaced body halves having inner surfaces facing each other and outer surfaces facing away from each other;

a rim surface disposed between and connecting said inner and outer surfaces and forming the periphery of each of said body halves;

an axle disposed between and spacing apart said body halves;

at least one light emitting diode carried by at least one of said body halves;

a solid state control circuit carried by said body halves and connected to said light emitting diode, said circuit effective to cause said diode to flash on and off so as to produce a stroboscopic effect; and

, a power source carried by one of said body halves and connected to said control circuit to power said light emitting diode, means for securing said power source in one of said body halves, said means including a cover member which forms a portion of said outer surface of one of said body halves and encloses a chamber in said body half, said cover member including at least one aperture for allowing access to said power source.

2. A return top toy as in claim 1 including a transistor switch connected to said control circuit to turn said light emitting diode on and off.

3. A return top toy as in claim 1 in which said control circuit is operative to activate said LED at a plurality of predetermined frequencies.

4. A return top toy as in claim 3 in which said control circuit includes timing means operative at said plurality of predetermined frequencies to periodically energize said LED to produce said stroboscopic effect.

5. A return top toy as in claim 4 including a manually operated switch connected to said control circuit operative to determine the desired frequency of operation of said LED.

6. A return top toy as in claim 1 including an LED disposed in each body half.

7. A return top toy as in claim 1 in which each body half is formed of translucent material so as to display light emitted from said light emitting diode.

8. A return top toy as in claim 1 including a rotatable disc positioned between said cover member and said chamber said disc defining an aperture such that alignment of said disc aperture and said cover member aperture provides access to said power source.

9. A rotatable toy comprising a rotatable body;

an axis of rotation for said body;

at least one light emitting diode in said body spaced radially from said axis of rotation such that when said body is rotated, said diode rotates about said axis of rotation;

a solid state control circuit carried by said body and connected to said diode, said circuit including timing means to periodically supply power to said diode to cause said diode to flash so as to produce a stroboscopic effect;

a power source carried by said body and connected to said control circuit to power said light emitting diode, and means for securing said power source in said body, said means including a cover member with at least one aperture for allowing access to said power source, said cover member further forms a portion of said body, and encloses a chamber in said body.

10. A rotatable toy as in claim 9 including a transistor switch connected to said control circuit to turn said light emitting diode on and off.

11. A rotatable toy as in claim 9 in which said body consists of spaced body halves having inner surfaces facing each other and outer surfaces facing away from each other, a rim surface disposed between and connecting said inner and outer surfaces and forming the periphery of each of said body halves, an axle disposed between and spacing apart said body halves, said axis of rotation being coincident with said axle, and at least one light emitting diode carried by at least one of said body halves.

12. A rotatable toy as in claim 11 including an LED disposed in each body half.

13. A rotatable toy as in claim 11 in which each body half is formed of translucent material so as to display light emitted from said light emitting diode.

14. A rotatable toy as in claim 11 including a rotatable disc positioned between said cover member and said chamber said disc defining an aperture such that alignment of said disc aperture and said cover member aperture provides access to said power source.

15. A rotatable toy as in claim 9 in which said control circuit is operative to activate said LED at a plurality of predetermined frequencies.

16. A rotatable toy as in claim 15 in which said control circuit includes timing means operative at said plurality of predetermined frequencies to periodically energize said LED to produce said stroboscopic effect.

17. A rotatable toy as in claim 16 including manually operated switch connected to said control circuit operative to determine the desired frequency of operation of said LED.