Orbital spinning dancing light toy with connectors for mounting light emitting elements

• US 6,802,758 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2003
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Andrew Michael Somers
• Original Assignee: Andrew Michael Somers
• Inventors: Somers, Andrew Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Ackun, Jacob K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Francis, Faye
• Application Number:
  US10/386,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20030176145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 446/247-254, 446/397, 446/242, 446/485, 446/484, 362/295, 362/231, 362/276, 362/802
• US Class Current: 446/242
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 1/10 able to be spun by whirling the axis with both hands
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 1/22 Colour tops
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 1/24 with illuminating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 1/32 Whirling or spinning discs driven by twisted cords

Abstract

A toy with a plurality of lights that a user can suspend from his hands and spin, twirl, whirl, and otherwise manipulate to create amusing patterns of light. The toy consists of a hub (30), power supply (56), a plurality of light emitting elements (72) which are mounted on the hub using connectors (70), and an additional plurality of light emitting elements (92) which are mounted remotely on wires (170) using connectors (90) and attached to the hub (30) using connectors (52, 172) or (162). A tether (40) to suspend the toy from the users hands (48L, 48R), such as string which is passed though holes (42) in the hub (39). The user can then rotate, twist, wind up, spin, swing and otherwise manipulate the toy causing the light emitting elements (72, 92) to move in various circular and random patterns causing amusing displays of light.

Claims

1. A toy, for use by a user having a pair of hands, for creating displays of light, comprising:

A) a hub, in a shape of a disk, having a first side and a second side, a circumference, and an axis centrally located within the circumference and extending perpendicularly between the first and second sides;

B) a tether extending laterally from the first and second sides substantially parallel to the axis for allowing a user to support the hub while allowing the hub to spin substantially about the axis; and

C) at least one light emitting element within the hub, visible from outside the hub, for providing a visual display when the hub is spun; and

D) at least one satellite assembly comprising a cord connected to the hub on one end, and having a free end opposite therefrom, the satellite assembly further comprising a satellite light emitting element at said free end so that when the hub is spun the cord will extend radially from the hub and the satellite light emitting element will orbit substantially around the axis.

2. The toy as recited in claim 1, wherein the tether includes a pair of loops, one loop extending laterally from the first side and the other loop extending laterally from the second side, for allowing the user to suspend the hub between the hands of the user by inserting the hands within the loops.

3. The toy as recited in claim 2, wherein resilient material is provided on the loops to protect said user'"'"'s hands from chafing, bruising, or abrasions.

4. The toy as recited in claim 1, wherein the satellite assembly further comprises a wobbler assembly adjacent to the satellite light emitting element therein to cause said satellite light emitting element to fluctuate in its orbit.

5. The toy as recited in claim 1, further comprising a wind operated noise maker attached to satellite assembly to create sound when said toy is spun.

6. The toy as recited in claim 1, wherein means are provided to allow said user to add and remove light emitting element and the satellite light emitting element.

7. The toy as recited in claim 6, where said the means to add and remove the light emitting elements enforces consistent polarity upon removal and reconnection.

8. The toy as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

A) an electric generator, having an input shaft and output terminals, the generator mounted to the hub such that said input shaft is coaxial with said hub;

B) an inertial mass affixed to the input shaft such that said inertial mass is able to rotate independently with respect to said hub

whereby spinning said toy about said axis causes said generator to rotate, and said inertial mass resists such rotation causing said input shaft to resist such rotation such that said generator shall rotate relative to said shaft, causing said generator to provide electrical current.

9. The toy as recited in claim 8, where means are provided to rectify said electrical current from said generator such that direct current with voltage of a consistent polarity is provided to the light emitting element and the satellite light emitting element regardless of the direction of rotation of said generator'"'"'s input shaft.

10. The toy as recited in claim 9, where means are provided to store excess electrical current and subsequently supply said current to the light emitting element and the satellite light emitting element while said generator is not providing adequate current to illuminate the same.

11. The toy as recited in claim 1, wherein means are provided to cause the light emitting elements to perform one of strobing, blinking, or flashing at a predetermined rate.

12. The toy as recited in claim 11, where the rate of said strobing or flashing shall be fast enough such that moving the light emitting element shall create the appearance of a pattern of dots of light.

13. The toy as recited in claim 11, wherein means are provided to detect a mode of spin of said toy and alter the strobing, blinking, or flashing rate accordingly.

14. The toy as recited in claim 11, wherein said user has means to control the rate of said strobing, blinking or flashing.

15. The toy as recited in claim 1, wherein means are provided to cause the light emitting element and the satellite light emitting element to change color.

16. The toy as recited in claim 15, further comprising a user control which allows the user to set a rate of color change for the light emitting element.

17. The toy as recited in claim 1, wherein means are provided to allow said user to add and remove the satellite assembly to and from the hub.

18. The toy as recited in claim 1, wherein the circumference of said hub has a resilient material means that will prevent damage or injury if said hub is caused to impact another object, surface, or individual.

19. The toy as recited in claim 1 wherein the satellite light emitting element has a resilient material means that will prevent damage or injury if said light emitting element is caused to impact another object, surface, or individual.

20. The toy as recited in claim 1, wherein means to connect the satellite light emitting element at various distances from said hub uses a flexible insulated multi conductor wire cord.

21. The toy as recited in claim 20, wherein means to connect said satellite light emitting element to the flexible insulated multi conductor wire cord uses a connector comprising:

A) a dielectric body having an aperture that substantially encloses an end of said cord

B) means to latch said cord securely into said aperture

C) a plurality of electrically conductive terminals positioned within said dielectric body and able to be pressed into said aperture for the purpose of piercing the insulation of the cord and making electrical engagement with associated conductors of the cord, said electrically conductive terminals extending a predetermined distance outside of the body

D) a recess in the body for selectively holding a light emitting element securely therein

E) said electrically conductive terminals being pressable onto associated leads of said satellite light emitting element to make an electrical connection with the leads and the associated conductors of the cord; and

whereby said connector provides mechanical and electrical connection between the cord and the light emitting element.

22. The toy as recited in claim 1, wherein there is a plurality of light emitting elements in the hub.

23. The toy, as recited in claim 1, wherein there is a plurality of satellite assemblies.

24. A toy, for use by a user having a pair of hands, for creating displays of light, comprising:

A) a hub, in the shape of a disk, having a first side and a second side, a circumference, and an axis centrally located within the circumference and extending perpendicularly between the first and second sides;

B) a tether extending laterally from the first and second sides substantially parallel to the axis for allowing a user to support the hub while allowing the hub to spin substantially about the axis; and

C) at least one satellite assembly comprising a cord connected to the hub on one end, and having a free end opposite therefrom, the satellite assembly further comprising a satellite light emitting element at said free end so that when the hub is spun the cord will extend radially from the hub and the satellite light emitting element will orbit substantially around the axis.

25. The toy, as recited in claim 24, wherein there is a plurality of satellite assemblies.

26. The toy as recited in claim 25, wherein means are provided to cause the satellite light emitting elements to perform one of strobing, blinking, or flashing.

27. The toy as recited in claim 25, wherein means are provided to cause the satellite light emitting elements to change color.

28. The toy as recited in claim 25, wherein means are provided to allow said user to add and remove individual satellite assemblies to and from the hub.

29. The toy as recited in claim 24, wherein the tether includes a pair of loops, one loop extending laterally from the first side and the other loop extending laterally from the second side, of sufficient size to allow the user to suspend the hub between the hands of the user.

30. The toy as recited in claim 24, wherein the circumference of said hub has a resilient material means that will prevent damage or injury if said hub is caused to impact another object, surface, or individual.