Yo-yo with adjustable slot width

Details Yo-yo with adjustable slot width Yo-yo with adjustable slot width

1998-01-29

2001-04-24

Muir, D. Neal (Department: 3712)

Amusement devices: toys

Rotating or having visible rotating portion

Having attached cord for imparting rotation

C446S249000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06220920

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to yo-yos.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The typical construction of a tethered aerial top, commonly referred to as a yo-yo, includes an axle that joins a pair of spaced yo-yo halves and a string that is attached to the axle and can extend radially outwardly through the gap between the spaced yo-yo halves. The other free end of the string is controlled and manipulated by the user to perform various maneuvers and tricks. Many of such maneuvers rely on the ability of the yo-yo to “sleep”, that is, to spin while attached to the end of the string without winding the string about the axle and returning to the user. Toward the conclusion of the maneuver, when it is usually desired to cause the yo-yo to return to the user by winding the string about the axle, the user may jiggle the string in a manner that briefly releases the tension on the string. During the brief period that the string may be tension-free and is relatively loose within the gap between the yo-yo halves, the loose string can become frictionally caught between the inwardly facing surfaces of the yo-yo halves. The rotational inertia of the yo-yo halves then causes the yo-yo to climb along the string toward the user, winding the string about the axle as the yo-yo returns to the user. The physics and function of the yo-yo is described in a publication, “The Yo-Yo: A Toy Flywheel” by Wolfgang Büzger,
American Scientist
, Vol. 72, Par.-Apr. 1984, pp. 137-142.
The width of the gap between the yo-yo halves is critical to proper control of the yo-yo. If the gap is too small, the yo-yo may not sleep, tending, instead, to frictionally grip the string notwithstanding the presence of tension in the string. If the gap is too wide, the inwardly facing surfaces of the yo-yo halves may not be able to engage the string with sufficient friction. Additionally, the width of the gap between the yo-yo halves also affects the precision with which the yo-yo will tend to rotate in a plane. If the gap is too wide, the yo-yo may precess out of a desired plane, resulting in undesirable interference between one of the yo-yo halves and the string, often near the periphery of the yo-yo halves.
Even if the yo-yo gap is set to what might ordinarily be considered a proper gap, with all other components properly balanced and aligned, changing atmospheric conditions can affect the performance of the yo-yo. Most yo-yo strings are formed from cotton that tends to absorb moisture from the air. Consequently, the string may tend to swell in the presence of higher humidity and may tend to shrink in the presence of lower humidity. The humidity also may affect the surface characteristics of the string fibers that, in turn, may affect the frictional interaction between the string and the inner surfaces of the yo-yo halves.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a yo-yo in which the gap between the inwardly facing surfaces of the yo-yo could be adjusted in order to maximize the ability of the yo-yo to perform as desired in a particular environment. Adjustment of the gap may, in many cases, compensate for differences in frictional characteristics between the yo-yo string and the inwardly facing, string-engaging surfaces of the yo-yo, whether those characteristics are affected by the composition of the string, the inwardly facing surfaces, atmospheric conditions or any other influence that may affect yo-yo performance. The desirability of providing a yo-yo that is adjustable to compensate for such variations in conditions of use has been recognized and is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,361 (Kuhn). The Kuhn patent describes an arrangement in which the gap between the string-engaging surfaces of the yo-yo can be adjusted. The mechanism described in the Kuhn '361 patent requires that the yo-yo be disassembled in order to provide access to internally adjustable members, that are adjusted by the use of a tool, such as a screw driver. Disassembly to expose an internal, tool-adjustable mechanism presents considerable inconvenience to the user in that play must be interrupted for a considerable period of time. Moreover, even if an adjustment is made, it often may be desirable or necessary to make further fine adjustments to obtain optimum performance. Each such fine adjustment necessarily would require one or more subsequent disassemblies, readjustments and reassemblies of the yo-yo. It would be desirable, therefore, to provide an adjustable-gap yo-yo in which the gap can be adjusted immediately, without requiring disassembly, internal adjustment and reassembly of the yo-yo. It is among the general objects of the invention to provide such a device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is incorporated in a yo-yo having an axle with ends that are rotatably attached to the yo-yo halves. The location and spacing of the yo-yo halves is adjustable simply by rotating the yo-yo halves relative to each other. A mechanism is provided to maintain the angular position of the yo-yo halves while the yo-yo is in use but also allows the angular orientation to be adjusted. The mechanism causes the gap between the yo-yo halves to vary as a function of the relative angular position of the halves. In the illustrative embodiment, the connection is threaded. The threaded connection between the yo-yo halves and the axle causes the gap to widen or become narrower, accordingly. The relative angular orientation of the yo-yo halves on the axle and with respect to each other is maintained by an arrangement that applies a firm outward bias in an axial direction to the yo-yo halves, by which the yo-yo halves are urged continually outwardly along the axle. The engaged surfaces of the threads of the axle and the yo-yo half thus are continually pressed axially and firmly against each other. That pressure is applied in sufficient magnitude to develop sufficient friction so that the yo-yo halves will maintain their relative angular position on the axle as the yo-yo spins. The frictional force resulting from the outward bias can be overcome manually and easily simply by manually rotating the yo-yo halves with respect to each other. That enables coarse as well as very fine adjustments in the gap to be made, depending on the extent to which the halves are rotated. The adjustment can be made immediately and accurately with no significant interruption of play. There is no need to disassemble the yo-yo, or to expose its inner components. There is no need for tools.
In another aspect of the invention, the inner faces of the yo-yo halves are contoured so that the more radially inward portion of the gap will be more narrow than the radially outward portion. That enhances the ability of the string to be frictionally engaged when the tension on the string is released momentarily in order to cause the yo-yo to return. The outer region of the inner face is provided with a wider angle that facilitates performance of a certain class of tricks, commonly referred to as “string tricks”.
It is among the general objects of the invention to provide an improved yo-yo in which the gap between the yo-yo halves can be easily adjusted.
Another object of the invention is to provide a yo-yo having an adjustable gap that does not require the use of tools or disassembly of the yo-yo.
A further object of the invention is to provide a yo-yo having an adjustable gap in which the adjustment can be made immediately and in precisely controllable increments.
Another object of the invention is to provide a yo-yo that exhibits greater sensitivity to control for returning it from a sleeping condition yet which also enables string tricks to be performed.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a yo-yo in which the inwardly facing surfaces of the yo-yo halves define an inner annular band and an outer annular band wherein the angle defined by the facing inner annular bands is less than the angle defined between the radially outer annular bands.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a yo-yo wherein the yo-yo halves are rotatably threaded and restrained in a select

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