Top launcher with positive top engagement

• US 6,089,946 A
• Filed: 02/22/1999
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yang, Chin-Long
• Original Assignee: Yang, Chin-Long
• Inventors: Yang, Chin-Long
• Primary Examiner(s): MUIR, DAVID N
• Application Number:
  US09/252,687
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 446/223, 446/256, 446/257, 446/259, 446/262, 446/263, 446/264
• US Class Current: 446/259
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 1/02 with detachable winding devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 1/16 Hopping, dancing, or curve-drawing tops

Abstract

A spinning top includes a driving device and a series of tops. The driving device includes a motor driving a clutch, and each top has a seat for temporary engagement with the clutch which drives the top to spin. The driving device comprises a control switch which links the power to the motor and the linking mechanisms to the clutch. By adjusting the control switch, the motor is started, which drives the clutch to spin. Pressing the control switch further disengages the top from the clutch so that the top will spin itself. Further, the top portion of the top is shaped with a concave portion for receiving another top stacked thereon, by engaging the concave portion with the seat of another top.

Claims

1. A spinning top comprising a driving device and a top, said driving device comprising an upper shell and a lower shall, and comprising a battery compartment, a conducting block, a motor, a transmitting shaft, a clutch, a knob, a sliding frame and a control switch,

said conducting block being mounted in a bottom portion of said lower shell within a sliding frame and urged by a spring;

said motor having a spindle with a gear meshing with a gear of said transmitting shaft, said transmitting shaft passing through said clutch;

said clutch having a round base with a left clamp and a right clamp on a back side of said round base, and a pushing plate, said transmitting shaft passing through said pushing plate, a support plate, and said round base, said left clamp and said right clamp each having an arc plate with gear teeth formed therein, said round base having a round recess and a pair of recesses corresponding to each other for said arc plates to respectively seat therein, said round base having limitators on the back side thereof for limiting displacement of said left clamp and said right clamp, said left clamp and said right clamp each having a hole at a center portion for said transmitting shaft to pass therethrough, a protuberance extends from one end of each of said clamps with a spring sleeved therebetween, said support plate having two notches formed therein, said pushing plate including a pair of slope plates respectively aligned with said two notches for urging said left clamp and said right clamp outwardly responsive to displacement of said pushing plate, said knob having one end extending against a back side of said pushing plate;

said control switch being mounted on said conducting block and having one inner end connected to said knob for displacing said knob and thereby displacing said pushing plate;

said top having a seat at a top end with a ring of teeth releasably engaged by said gear teeth of said left and right clamps.

2. The spinning top, as recited in claim 1, wherein said conducting block has a protuberance extending therefrom and said sliding frame has recesses formed in correspondence to said protuberance.

3. The spinning, top as recited in claim 1, wherein said top has a cone-shaped shaft at a bottom portion thereof, said seat having a concave portion formed therein.