Toy top

Abstract: A toy top which is played against an opponent toy top on a playing board including an upper layer member for attacking an opponent toy top, an intermediate layer member for determining a height of the toy top, and a lower layer member for determining a manner of moving of the toy top on a playing board, the members being stacked. The upper layer member is formed with an opening through which a screw of a screw-like coupling member is inserted, the intermediate layer member is formed with a screw hole to receive the screw of the coupling member, and the upper layer member and the intermediate member are coupled by the coupling member. The lower layer member is fitted to a lower part of the intermediate layer member. (end of abstract)

Toy top description/claims

Brief Patent Description

Full Patent Description

Patent Application Claims

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. Section 119 of Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-2076, filed Apr. 4, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a toy top, and more specifically to a toy top in which members constituting the toy top can be disassembled and assembled easily.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, various toy tops which can be altered to have a different rotating characteristic easily by changing constituent members have been proposed and have been put to practical use by the assignee of the present application (for example, see Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3067318). The toy top includes a base member or a lowermost layer, an intermediate layer member disposed on an upper side of the base member, an upper layer member disposed on an upper side of the intermediate layer member, and a character display body disposed on the upper layer member, these four constituent members being arranged in a layered manner. The intermediate layer member is formed from metal to serve as a weight member heavier than the other members. The upper layer member is formed from synthetic resin such that its outer end projects beyond the base member and the intermediate layer member and an attacking force differs according to a shape of an outer edge portion of the upper layer member when the upper layer member hits an upper layer member of another toy top. Base members of different height and size of an area of a distal end of a rotating shaft can be used.

The abovementioned toy top is configured such that the intermediate layer member serves as a weight, the upper layer member serves to attack an opponent\'s top, an attacking force for which is changed by replacing the upper layer member with another upper layer member, and a moving characteristic and/or rotating characteristic of the toy top on a playing board can be selected according to a height of the toy top and a shape of a distal end of the rotating shaft by replacing the base member with another base member. However, since both the height of the base member and the shape of the distal end of the rotating shaft are set in advance, selection from a broad range of rotating characteristics and/or moving characteristics cannot be performed. Further, since when the upper layer member is fitted to the base member, they are coupled to each other in a state where the intermediate layer member is sandwiched therebetween, a problem arises in that backlash or play between these members occurs.

SUMARRY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of the abovementioned problem. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a toy top for which various attacking characteristics and rotating characteristics can be selected by increasing the degree of flexibility of a combination of constituent members and respective constituent members can be securely connected to one another without causing backlash between the constituent members.

There is provided a toy top which is played against an opponent toy top on a playing board. The toy top includes: an upper layer member provided with a function of attacking an opponent toy top; an intermediate layer member provided with a function of determining a height of the toy top; a lower layer member provided with a function of determining a manner of moving the toy top on the playing board, the upper layer member, the intermediate member and the lower layer member being stacked on one another in a layered manner; and a screw-like coupling member for coupling the upper layer member and the intermediate layer member to each other; the upper layer member having an opening formed in the center thereof through which a screw of the coupling member is inserted, the intermediate layer member having a screw hole formed therein into which the screw of the coupling member is screwed; and the lower layer member being detachably attached to a lower part of the intermediate layer member.

The upper layer member may be formed from metal so that the upper layer member is provided with a function of a heavy weight.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the upper layer member has fit projections formed thereon symmetrically regarding the opening, and the intermediate layer member has fit recesses formed therein so as to correspond to the fit projections of the upper layer member, so that the fit projections of the upper layer member are fitted in the fit recesses of the intermediate layer member, respectively.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the upper layer member is formed in a circular disc shape and includes an attacking portion projecting outwardly on an outer peripheral surface thereof, the upper layer member includes fit projections formed on a bottom thereof symmetrically regarding the opening, the intermediate layer member is formed in a cylindrical shape and includes a bulging portion formed on an upper outer peripheral surface thereof and fit recesses formed on the bulging portion so as to correspond to the fit projections, and the fit projections of the upper layer member are fitted in the fit recesses of the intermediate layer member, respectively.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the lower layer member has a shaft portion and arc-shaped openings formed on an outside of the shaft portion, and the intermediate layer member has engagement projections formed on a lower end lateral surface thereof so as to be respectively engaged with the arc-shaped openings of the lower layer member.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the lower layer member is formed in an inverted circular-truncated conical shape and has an approximately circular opening formed on an upper side thereof into which a cylindrical portion of the intermediate layer member is fitted, the lower layer member includes a shaft portion projecting downwardly, the lower layer member is formed with a pair of arc-shaped openings positioned across the shaft portion outside the shaft portion, the arc-shaped openings are each formed on an inner wall thereof with a protrusion, and the intermediate layer member is formed with a pair of engagement projections on a lower end lateral surface of the cylindrical portion, so that the engagement projections of the intermediate layer member are inserted into the arc-shaped openings of the lower layer member to be engaged with the protrusions formed on the inner walls of the arc-shaped openings of the lower layer member, respectively.

According to the present invention, a toy top which can achieve a flexible combination of constituent members, where the constituent members can be coupled to one another without causing backlash by coupling the upper layer member and the intermediate member utilizing a screw-like coupling member and simplification of the constituent members can be realized.

The upper layer member can be formed from metal so that unlike the conventional toy top in which a member for attacking is formed from synthetic resin, necessity for separately preparing a weight member for increasing a weight of the whole toy top is eliminated, and the number of constituent parts can be reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a toy top according to the present invention;

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Industry Class:
Amusement devices: toys

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