TOY WITH ROTATING BALLS

Abstract

A toy according to the invention includes a substantially linear rigid grip to which two spacers are hinged, each one of the spacers being provided with a small ball at an equal and constant distance from the grip and rotating around the grip in such a way that the two small balls rotate around the grip. Each spacer is provided with stop elements suited to limit the rotation of the spacers, to transfer the quantity of motion to the other spacer and to prevent contact between the two small balls. Support elements are provided for the application or insertion of a cardboard element aligned with the rotation axis of the spacers.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns toys, and in particular concerns a game or toy for a single player.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A game is known, usually called clackers, comprising two small balls fixed to the ends of a string configured as an upturned V. At the vertex of the overturned V formed by said string there is a grip, usually a ring. Since the two lengths of the V-shaped string are identical, the two small balls hang side by side. Holding the grip with a hand and oscillating it quickly from top to bottom and vice versa makes the balls oscillate from an upper position to a lower position and vice versa, noisily swinging together and inverting their motion from time to time.

According to another possible way to use said toy, in the start position both balls are hanging down and the string is vertical, then one ball at a time is made rotate on a vertical plane passing first above and then on the other side of the other ball, which keeps hanging down, so as to rotate said hanging ball and make it rotate in turn so that it passes first above and then on the other side of the first ball that has been hanging down since the impact.

The principle on which the toy is based is the conservation of the quantity of motion that causes the inversion in the rotation of the two balls, when both are rotated at the same time, or causes the rotation of the ball that was at rest and hanging down when the balls are rotated one at a time.

For the toy to be successfully used, the two lengths of the string must be tight, otherwise the two balls do not swing together at the top or at the bottom position and keep moving thus ending the game.

If the two balls fail to hit each other, either of them may hit the player's hand, causing hematomas, bruises and fractures.

This toy poses some drawbacks.

It is very noisy and after a while it becomes a nuisance for persons in the vicinity.

The balls may hit the player's hands.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The subject of the present invention is a new toy mainly comprising a grip to which two rigid spacers are hinged, each of said spacers being provided with a small ball at its end opposite the grip. Both ball-spacer pairs rotate freely around the axis of the grip.

One of the objects of the new toy is to prevent the two balls from swinging together at the top and bottom positions or to make them hit each other less violently.

A further object of the new toy is to reduce the emitted noise.

Another object of the invention is to allow a piece of cardboard to be applied to and if necessary removed from said spacers.

A toy according to the invention comprises a substantially linear rigid grip to which two spacers are hinged, said spacers being substantially orthogonal to said grip and provided with a small ball at the end opposite the grip.

Both of said spacers rotate around said grip, so that said small balls turn around the grip on the same plane orthogonal to the axis of said grip.

Each one of said spacers can have any shape, suited to maintain a constant distance between the corresponding ball and the grip.

Each spacer is provided with stop elements suited to limit the rotation of the spacers and to prevent contact between the two small balls.

Substantially said stop elements or parts of each spacer come into contact with the stop elements or parts of the other spacer, or with a portion of the other spacer, before the rotation of said spacers causes the small balls to come into contact with each other.

According to the invention, said stop elements or parts of said spacers can be rigid, so as to produce a louder noise, or said stop elements or parts of said spacers can be relatively soft, in such a way as to dampen the impact between the stop elements or parts and the spacers, and if necessary to allow the two balls to swing together without producing too much noise.

Said stop elements or parts can be removable, so that they can be applied and removed at the discretion of the player.

Each spacer is provided with seats or housings suitable for the application or insertion of a cardboard element aligned with the rotation axis of the spacers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics of the new toy will be highlighted in greater detail in the following description with reference to the attached drawings, which are provided by way of example without limitation.

FIG. 1 shows a view of the new toy with aligned spacers (D).

FIG. 2 shows a cross section a-a of the new toy in the position shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a cross section of the new toy with the spacers (D) near each other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A toy according to the invention comprises a substantially linear rigid grip (I) to which two spacers (D, D′) are hinged, each one of said spacers being substantially orthogonal to said grip (I) and being provided with a small ball (P, P′) at the end opposite the grip (I).

In this example the spacers (D, D′) have a linear shape, but they can have any shape suitable for serving the purpose of maintaining said small balls (P, P′) at a constant distance from the grip (I).

Both of said spacers (D, D′) rotate around said grip (I) so that said two balls (P, P) rotate around the grip (I) on the same plane, orthogonal to the axis of said grip (I).

Each spacer (D, D′) is provided with stop elements (D1, D1′) suited to limit the rotation of the spacers (D, D′) and to prevent any contact between the two balls (P, P′).

Said stop elements (D1, D1′) of each spacer (D) substantially come into contact with the stop elements (D1, D1′) of the other spacer (D) before the balls (P, P′) make contact with each other following the rotation of said spacers (D, D′).

In this example, the stop elements (D1, D1′) of each spacer (D, D′) make contact with specific portions or parts (D2′, D2) of the other spacer (D′, D).

Support elements (D3, D3′) are provided on each spacer (D, D′) for the application or insertion of a cardboard element (C) aligned with the rotation axis of said spacers (D, D′).

Said balls (P, P′) may be provided with a lightening hole (P1, P1′) substantially aligned with the corresponding spacer (D, D′).

Therefore, with reference to the above description and the attached drawings, the following claims are expressed.

Claims

1. A toy comprising:

a substantially linear rigid grip; and

two spacers hinged to the grip, both of said spacers being provided with a small ball at an equal and constant distance from the grip and rotating around said grip so that said two small balls rotate around the grip on a same plane orthogonal to an axis of said grip,

wherein each spacer is provided with stop elements suited to limit a rotation of the spacers, to transfer a quantity of motion to the other spacer and to prevent contact between the two small balls.

2. The toy according to claim 1, wherein said stop elements are suited to make contact with suitable portions of the other spacer.

3. The toy according to claim 1, wherein said stop elements are adjustable or removable from said spacers.

4. The toy according to claim 3, wherein one or more of hardness or elasticity of said stop elements is such to stop the rotation of each spacer (D, D′) towards the other spacer.

5. The toy according to claim 3, characterized in that the one or more of hardness or elasticity of said stop elements is such as to slow down the rotation of each spacer towards the other spacer.

6. The toy according to claim 1, wherein each spacer is provided with a seat or a housing suitable for application or insertion of a cardboard element aligned with a rotation axis of the spacers.

7. The toy according to claim 1, wherein each small ball is provided with a lightening hole in any position different from impact areas between the two small balls.

8. The toy according to claim 1, wherein said spacers have any shape suited to maintain the small balls at the same distance from the grip.