GB2132100A - Yoyo - Google Patents

Abstract

A yoyo comprises two bodies 11 connected by an axle located in blind bores 21, each body having flanges 16 and 19 defining a tapered annular groove 18 in which a cap 24 is retained, each body also having a rubber washer 23 let into its inner face 14 for momentarily catching or snagging a slack yoyo string (not shown). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improved yoyo The present invention relates to yoyos and more particularly refers to a loose string yoyo having spinning characteristics which will enable the yoyo to spin for an extended period of time.

In the past, it has been determined that a yoyo should weigh between approximately 55 grams and 60 grams in order that it be of optimum weight for manipulation from a string. Generally speaking, however, no appreciable attention has been paid to the distribution of the weight so as to prolong the spin of the yoyo and thereby enable the user to perform numerous tricks which, otherwise would not be as successful because of this limited spin time. The present invention, by distributing a substantial part of the weight toward the periphery and flange of the parts of the body, enables the user to impart more energy to the spinning bodies and store this energy for subsequent dissipation as the yoyo spins at the end of the string.

Conventional yoyos have been made of two bodies joined by an axle, each body including a pair of body shells which are joined together to define a hollow interior. The outer shell or disc of each body usually contains, adjacent its periphery, a thickened part which will attempt to produce a fly-wheel effect.

Since the thickest part of a plastic shell or disc determines the cooling time for the plastic after injection and this is directly related to the rate of production, the amount of weight placed at the periphery has been limited. The present invention, through the provision of an outer flange and an intermediate flange of the circular disc and the groove formed between these two flanges adapted to receive the flange of the outer cap to form the circular hollow body, has eliminated the necessity for increasing the thickness of any part of the yoyo to produce this flywheel effect, and has reduced the cooling time by having parts of the circular segmented hollow body having approximately uniform cross-section.

In the past, it has generally been thought that yoyos required a relatively large diameter axle so that the axle may be received in the plastic parts and held,in place by friction. If the diameter of the axle were reduced appreciably, it would improve the spinning time by reducing friction; however, no way of retaining the axle in the plastic body was available. The present invention overcomes this problem by providing an integral hub provided with a blind bore on the circular disc, said bore adapted to receive the axle of the yoyo, and the axle used is made of metal preferably aluminum, with a reduced diameter at its center portion.

Prior art yoyos, generally speaking, have included smooth, flat, parallel inner abutting surfaces for the two opposed body parts. The axle spaces these inner surfaces apart sufficiently to enable the string to be passed therebetween and around the axle, in the usual way. With this narrow gap, any binding of the string, against one side of the other, has caused the yoyo to process and go into a flat spin, thereby ruining the trick intended to be performed.

Prior art yoyos have been provided with radially extending lands and grooves on the inner surfaces adjacent the axle which are for the purpose of engaging any slack string so that the string will then be gathered about the axle as the yoyo rolls up. The present invention instead of these lands and grooves provides a rubber washer adjacent the axle but slightly separated by a small flange on the inner face of each of the circular disc. The rubber washer is adapted to engage the strand of the yoyo string to snare the string to cause the string to wrap around the axle and cause a return of the yoyo to the player.

It is, therefore, the object of this invention to provide a yoyo which is inexpensive to manufacture, durable in structure and efficient in operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a yoyo which has superior long spin characteristics.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved yoyo which is beautiful, artistic and multicoloured.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a yoyo having parts which can readily and easily be injection molded and readily and easily joined together.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a yoyo having only one interfitting part.

Yet, another object of this invention is to provide a yoyo having a hub integral to the circular disc.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved yoyo having a pair of rubber washers adapted to snare the strand of the loose string.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved yoyo which, when the string is slack and the bodyoftheyoyo is spinning, will more readily and easily wind upon the string.

The present invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure lisa perspective exploded view of the improved yoyo constructed in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the improved yoyo shown in Figure 1.

Now referring to the drawings, there is shown in the present invention of an improved yoyo generally designated as 10. Yoyo 10 comprises a pair of opposed circular segmented hollow bodies 11 symmetrically centrally disposed on both ends of an axle 12, which joins the pair of bodies 11 together in spaced apart relation.

Each circular hollow body 11 consists of a circular disc 13 having a circular flat inner face 14 with a rounded peripheral edge 15 and an outwardly extending outer flange 16. The inside wall 17 of said outer flange 16 is inclined such that the annular grooves 18 opening is narrower at the outside 18' that at the inside 18".

Adjacent the groove 18 is the secondary flange 19 disposed normally of the face 14 of the disc 13 and is of substantially the same height and concentric with the outer flange 16. At the center of the circular disc 13 is the cylindrical hub 20 outwardly extending with a blind bore 21 at its center and is longer or higher than the flanges 16 and 19.

Adjacent and concentric with the bore is a shallow annular groove 22 for the reception of a rubber gasket or washer 23. This washer 23 helps in snaring the string when the string is slack and the bodies of the yoyo are spinning will easily wind upon the string to move upwards the yoyo. This washer 23 is disposed a little depressed from the inner face of the disc 13.

A small concentric annular ridge 23' on the inner face 14 of the disc 13 separates the washer 23 from the axle 12.

The circular hollow segmented body 11 further consists of an outer covering cap 24 having a flat circular outer face 25 with curving flange 26, its peripheral wall 27 extending axially parallel. Said covering cap 24 being force-fitted into the groove 18 of the disc 13 to form a hollow interior and the cap 24 is prevented from further inward movement or depressed by the height of the hub 20. When desired the cap 24 can be adhesively bonded on the disc, though this will not be necessary. It is only these parts that interfitting is needed, except of course the axle into the bore.

The pair of circular hollow bodies 11 are spaced apart joined together by an axle 12 provided with a reduced diameter central portion 28 and on both sides of this portion 28 of the axle is provided with axially disposed splines 29 circumferentially spaced apart. The axle's ends are rounded for easy insertion in the bore of the disc when assembling the yoyo.

The axle is made of metal preferably aluminum.

To assemble the yoyo, the covering cap 24 is first force-fitted into the annular groove 18 of the disc 13.

Then the rubber washer 23 is easily pressed in the shallow groove 22 and the ends of the axle are each inserted into the blind bore 21 to join the bodies to form the yoyo.

The length of the blind bore and the axle fixes the distance between the inner faces 14 or the yoyo.

An adhesive may be used to permanently secure the washer 23 into the shallow groove 22.

A string 30 is placed around the axle on its reduced-diameter central portion 28 in the usual conventional way of playing the yoyo.

The pair of circular segmented hollow bodies of the yoyo are made of moulded plastic. And to make the improved yoyo more attractive, the covering cap is coloured differently from the circular disc.

Claims (6)

1. A yoyo comprising an axle and a pair of opposed circular segmented hollow bodies centrally disposed, and spaced apart on said axle, each body consisting of a circular disc having a circular flat inner face, with a rounded peripheral edge and an outwardly extending outer flange, said outer flange having its inside wall inclined such that the outside opening of the annular groove formed between said outer flange and secondary flange is narrower than the inside opening of said annular groove, a secondary flange disposed normally and concentrically of said outer flange and adjacent said annular groove, a cylindrical hub with a blind bore and extending outwardly from said inner face, said hub being centrally disposed on said inner face of said disc, a shallow annular groove on said inner face concentrically disposed but spaced from said bore to form an annular ridge adjacent said bore, a rubber washer secured on said shallow groove, and an outer covering cap forcefittingly secured into the annular groove of said circular disc.

2. A yoyo as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axle has a reduced-diameter at its center portion and said axle being made of aluminum.

3. A yoyo as claimed in claim 1, wherein the segmented bodies are made of plastic and the circular disc is provided with an integral hub having a blind bore.

4. A yoyo as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer covering cap is made of coloured plastic of different color from that of the circular disc.

5. A yoyo as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer flange and secondary flange are of the same height while the hub is of longer height than said flanges.

6. Ayoyo substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.