Amusement devices: toys – Rotating or having visible rotating portion – Having attached cord for imparting rotation
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-15
2001-04-10
Nguyen, Kien T. (Department: 3712)
Amusement devices: toys
Rotating or having visible rotating portion
Having attached cord for imparting rotation
C446S261000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213838
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to yo-yos and particularly to yo-yos fabricated from metal.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Yo-yos most commonly are made from wood or from a molded plastic as the principal material of construction. Yo-yos made from different materials present a different feel to the yo-yo player, some players preferring the feel of one over the other. Some yo-yos have been made from metal which presents still another feel that may be preferred by some players. Few metal yo-yos have been commercialized, however, and, as to those, their availability has been limited possibly because the typical construction for such yo-yos is costly and is substantially more than that of a more conventional yo-yo made from plastic or wood. In one prior art construction, the metal yo-yo may be formed from aluminum by machining the yo-yo halves that will be assembled to form the yo-yo body in a milling machine from solid round aluminum bar stock. The entire yo-yo half is formed, in one piece, from the round aluminum bar stock. The end of the bar stock is milled to form the outer face of the yo-yo half by removing an annular region of material, leaving a center hub and a peripheral rim. The peripheral contour of the yo-yo half also may be milled, as may be the inner face of the yo-yo half. The milled piece then is cut-off from the round bar stock to a thickness appropriate for the yo-yo half. The inner face of the yo-yo half then is machined further by drilling and tapping a center hole along the central axis of the yo-yo half to accept the threaded end of an axle by which two yo-yo halves will be joined. After machining, the yo-yo halves then are individually polished and finished. Such one-piece yo-yo halves are made individually in a labor intensive process that is wasteful of material, all of which adds to the cost of the yo-yo.
Also among the desirable features of a yo-yo, especially for those users who wish to perform complex string tricks, is to provide a wide peripheral entry to the string slot between the yo-yo halves. Yo-yos having such a wide entry sometimes are referred to as having a “butterfly” configuration. While incorporating a butterfly configuration in a plastic injection molded yo-yo is simply a matter of configuring the mold for the yo-yo halves, the fabrication of a butterfly yo-yo from metal, using the prior art milling technique described above, presents additional difficulties in milling the peripheral surfaces as well as the inner surfaces of the yo-yo halves. Such milling results in still further waste of material and additional labor and other expenses attendant to finishing the surfaces of the yo-yo halves. The milled one-piece metal yo-yo involves a machining process that can be expected to leave marks and other irregular surface regions that should be finished to a smoother surface in order to accept a desired finish, such as anodizing or finishing graphics. The milled metal yo-yo halves do not lend themselves to mass finishing but, instead, must be finished individually, adding further to the cost of the yo-yo.
It would be desirable to provide a metal yo-yo embodying a construction and method of manufacture that would reduce substantially the cost and ease of manufacture while providing a metal yo-yo with desirable characteristics, including the ability to form a butterfly yo-yo.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, each yo-yo half is made in two pieces, including a die cut, stamped body and a central hub attached to the body, both components being formed from a suitable metal. The body is made by die cutting an annular disc from a flat sheet of metal, the disc having a central hole adapted to receive the hub. A plurality of such discs can be die cut simultaneously from a larger sheet. Each flat disc then is subjected to a drawing process in which the disc is deformed about its periphery to form a flared rim that, in an assembled yo-yo, may cooperate with another such disc to define a wide butterfly entry to the string slot. A plurality of the drawn discs can be polished together in a mass polishing machine together with a suitable polishing grit. After polishing, the central hub is attached to the drawn disc. The hub is configured to facilitate its assembly with a drawn disc by fitting it into the central hole in the disc and then deforming some of the metal of the disc to constrict securely about the hub. The hub is designed for mass production on conventional equipment. The inwardly facing side of the hub is provided with a threaded bore adapted to receive a threaded end of the yo-yo axle. The yo-yo halves then are assembled by attaching them to the threaded ends of an axle that may include additional axle assembly components, such as bearings, bearing surfaces or the like.
Among the objects of the invention are to provide a metal yo-yo and method for its manufacture that results in substantial economies; to provide a metal yo-yo in which each yo-yo half is formed from a separately formed disc and hub; to provide a metal yo-yo having a butterfly configuration; to provide a metal yo-yo in which the machining and finishing operations are minimized; and to provide a metal yo-yo construction in which the components of the yo-yo can be processed in batches and to provide a process for manufacturing such a yo-yo.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2579022 (1951-12-01), Spencer
patent: 2891351 (1959-06-01), Madras
patent: 3175326 (1965-03-01), Isaacson
patent: 3643373 (1972-02-01), Russell
patent: 3936974 (1976-02-01), House
patent: 3953936 (1976-05-01), Ennis
patent: 4895547 (1990-01-01), Amaral
patent: 5100361 (1992-03-01), Kuhn
patent: 5813897 (1998-09-01), Van Dan Elzen
patent: 197 31 087 A1 (1997-07-01), None
patent: 297 12 814 U1 (1997-09-01), None
patent: 197 31 087 (1998-05-01), None
patent: 2 087 453 (1971-12-01), None
patent: 2200853A (1988-08-01), None
Bookstein Arthur Z.
Nguyen Kien T.
LandOfFree
Metal yo-yo and method for manufacture does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Metal yo-yo and method for manufacture, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Metal yo-yo and method for manufacture will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2529251