US 5,961,366 AGranted

Yo-yo having clutching device

OwnerHo-Sheng Weiinventor

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Abstract

The present invention relates to an improved yo-yo wherein a clutching device is disposed between the shaft and the disks such that the spinning stroke can be prolonged. The yo-yo includes first and second disks that are fixedly connected together by means of a shaft. A bushing is rotationally enveloped onto the shaft and is rotationally disposed within one of the disks. One of the disks is provided with a clutching device that is engaged with the bushing that is rotationally disposed therein by means of a resilient force. Wherein when those disks are spun, the centrifugal force generated thereof will overcome the resilient force such that the bushing will be released by the clutching device and the first and second disks and the shaft will spin independently to the bushing. When the spinning of the first and second disks and the shaft slows down, the clutching device engages the bushing again such that the bushing will spin with the first and second disks and the shaft jointly. By this arrangement, when the yo-yo is thrown downward and outward, the yo-yo will spin along the string. When the yo-yo reaches to the end of the string and by the function of the clutching device, the yo-yo will spin at the end of the string for a prolonged interval. When the spinning slows down, with the function of the clutching device, the yo-yo will spin upward along the string. By this arrangement, the player may conduct a plurality of acrobatic actions with the prolonged spinning interval.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A yo-yo having a clutching device, comprising:

a first disk having a hollow configuration and defining a mounting recess at an outer surface of said first disk and a shaft hole that is disposed centrally on said first disk;
a second disk having a hollow configuration and defining a mounting recess at an outer surface of said second disk, a bushing hole being disposed centrally on said second disk, said second disk defining a receiving groove therein;
a bushing being rotationally disposed with respect to said first disk and freely passing through said bushing hole of said second disk, said bushing having a passage centrally and lengthwise, said bushing further including a contact surface adjacent said second disk, wherein when said bushing is disposed within said second disk, said contact surface of said bushing is disposed within said receiving groove of said second disk;
a shaft that extends through the passage of said bushing, and which has a first and a second end;
a pair of braking rods being moveably disposed within said receiving groove of said second disk, one end of each of said braking rods being formed with a curved end surface to match the contour of the contact surface of said bushing, and each of said braking rods further including a weight recess for fixedly receiving a weight therein, the other end of each of said braking rods being further provided with a spring contact portion which is in contact with a respective one of a pair of biasing springs, wherein when said braking rods are disposed within said receiving groove, said contact surface of said bushing is clamped by the curved end surface of each of said braking rods due to the resilient force from each respective spring, and said braking rods being disposed within said receiving groove both when in contact with the contact surface of said bushing and when furthest displaced from the contact surface of said bushing due to a centrifugal force effect on said weights;
a pair of end covers being received by said first and second disks, respectively, said end covers being in engagement with said first and said second shaft ends, respectively.

3 more elements

A yo-yo device, comprising:

a first disk having a shaft hole;
a second disk having a bushing hole, and said second disk having an internal surface into which said bushing hole opens and two side-by-side side wall surfaces which border said internal surface so as to define a non-covered receiving groove;
a bushing being rotationally disposed with respect to said first disk and freely passing through said bushing hole of said second disk, said bushing having a passage centrally and lengthwise, said bushing further including a contact surface adjacent said second disk, wherein when said bushing is disposed within said second disk, said contact surface of said bushing is disposed within said receiving groove of said second disk;
a shaft which extends through the passage of said bushing and is supported by end covers;
a pair of braking rods being moveably disposed within said receiving groove of said second disk, one end of each of said braking rods being formed with a curved end surface shaped for complimentary contact with the contact surface of said bushing and each of said braking rods further including a weight recess fixedly receiving a weight member therein, the other end of each of said braking rods being further provided with a spring contact portion which is in contact with a respective one of a pair of biasing springs, wherein when said braking rods are disposed within said receiving groove and not subject to a displacing centrifugal force, said contact surface of said bushing is clamped by the curved end surfaces of said braking rods due to the resilient force from each respective biasing spring, and said braking rods being disposed within said receiving groove both when in contact with the contact surface of said bushing and when furthest displaced from the contact surface of said bushing due to a centrifugal force effect on said weights;
and said braking rods and springs being positioned for linear displacement within said groove, and for each of said braking rods the weight is positioned between a respective curved end surface and spring contact portion, and said curved end surface, weight and spring contact portion of each braking rod are aligned in a linear direction of displacement.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.