Spinner Device

Abstract

Technology is described for a spinner device. The device may include a spinner body. An inner wall of the spinner body may form a void in the spinner body. The inner wall may have an inner circumference configured to receive an elongated object in the void. The spinner body may have an outer wall wherein the outer wall joins together with the inner wall at a plurality of edges of the spinner body. The outer wall may have an increased thickness area when compared to the plurality of edges. The increased thickness area may be at a point between the plurality of edges.

Description

PRIORITY DATA

This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/389,872, filed Jul. 16, 2022 which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Staying focused during meetings or paying attention in class can be difficult for some people. Some individuals in these situations may have an overwhelming urge to fidget. Fidgeting may include tapping a foot, wiggling in a seat, or playing with a writing instrument. Many people engage in fidgeting now and then. In recent years, fidget toys have become quite popular and can occupy a person's hands or provide movement. Fidget toys are designed to spin, pop, click or offer other ways to keep hands busy during meetings, classes or in other locations. Such toys come in a wide range of styles and movement configurations to fit individual needs.

Many types of spinners have been used as fidget toys, and spinners are used for youth games and other games too. Spinners can be used for board games, parlor games, playground games, classroom games, and adult parlor games. Spinners might be used for any game where chance might be an element that is incorporated into the game. Most spinners are typically a black plastic pointer that is attached by a post to cardboard. A cardboard sheet may include any printed or raised elements of the game that are desired to be selected by chance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example side view of a spinner device with a spinner body.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example top view of a spinner body which may have designs, images or printing on or embedded in material of the spinner body.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example side view of a spinner body that may have an increased thickness area on an outer wall, which is a hemispherical bump.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example side view of a spinner body.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrates an example spinner body with a scalloped edge.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a perspective end view of the spinner body, where the pass through aspect of the void or channel is visible.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example lengthwise view of the spinner body where one edge of the spinner body is resting on a flat surface.

FIG. 8A illustrates an example of a spinner body that is ring shaped and has a bump.

FIG. 8B illustrates an example of a spinner body that is ring shaped and has a point.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a spinner body with an outer wall that has an increased thickness area which is angular and comes to a point.

FIG. 10A illustrates an example side view of a spinner body that is a cube with a void or channel through a central axis of the spinner body for holding an elongated object.

FIG. 10B is an example front view of the spinner body as in FIG. 10A.

FIG. 11A is an example illustration of a side view of a spinner body where the spinner body is curved on two or more sides.

FIG. 11B illustrates an example side view of a spinner body where a top piece attached to the spinner body is one solid piece.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example side view of a plurality of spinner bodies (e.g., two rings) where the spinner bodies are used to allow the elongated object to spin.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example spinner body and a material layer that is affixed to the spinner body.

FIG. 14A illustrates an example of a product cap that is joined together with the spinner body using a strut.

FIG. 14B. illustrates an example of the product cap, strut and spinner body after they have been placed on the elongated object.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made to the examples illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the technology is thereby intended. Alterations and further modifications of the features illustrated herein, and additional applications of the examples as illustrated herein, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the description.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of an example of a spinner device that may include a spinner body 100. An inner wall 102 can form a void 112 in the spinner body. This void 112 may also be considered a receiving channel. The inner wall 102 may have an inner circumference 110 configured to receive an elongated object 106 into the void area 112. The void area 112 may be sized to hold elongated objects, such as: a lip balm container, a lipstick container, a mascara container, a spray tube, a tooth paste tube, a pen, a pencil, a marker, a wooden rod, a metal rod, or another cylindrical object.

The spinner body 100 may have an outer wall 104, and the outer wall can join together with the inner wall 104 at a plurality of edges 108 of the spinner body 100. The spinner body 100 may be made of plastic, glass, ceramic, rubber, metal, composites or other materials that can be formed into a spinner body 100.

The outer wall 108 may have an increased thickness area 120, at one or more points between the plurality of edges. The increased thickness area 120 may be thicker than the plurality of edges 108. In other words, the plurality of edges 108 can be thinner than the outer wall between the plurality of edges. The increased thickness area 120 may be the same thickness around the entire outer circumference of the spinner body 100. Alternatively, the increased thickness area 102 may be localized in one area of the spinner body 100 (e.g., a bump on just one side or covering a limited sector of the spinner body 100 such as 27.5 degrees around the outer circumference).

In one example, the outer wall 104 may have a tapered thickness from the plurality of edges to the increased thickness area. The tapering may be linear, curved, non-linear, irregular, parabolic or logarithmic. More specifically, there may be a grade or curve between an edge 108 and the area of increased thickness 120.

As in the illustrated example, the increased thickness area may be at or near a mid-point of the spinner body between the plurality of edges. The mid-point area may provide better balance for spinning. However, if the increased thickness area not at the mid-point, then other weighting structures placed on an opposite face (e.g., top face) of the spinner body may be used to balance out the location of the increased thickness area.

FIG. 2 illustrates that the spinner body 100 may have designs or images printed or embedded in the material. In this case, the design may have a pointer with a front arrow 204 design and the back 206 of the arrow design. When the elongate object in the spinner body is spun by a person or user around an axis 212, as illustrated by the dotted lines 210, then the pointer can be used for a game or other entertainment. For example, the pointer 204 may stop at a certain location on a flat surface and that location may select a person, object or item in the game. A design may also include messages or characters that are printed onto or formed into the spinner body. The message on or in the spinner body may be the name of the game, inspirational quotes or other art work. For example, the message may be things like, “Just for Fun”, “Kiss Me”, “Beautiful”, “Love Potion #9”, or “Pretty” which may be more romantic messages. In another example, the messages may be: “Winner”, “Dude”, “Cool”, “Laugh” or other fun messages. Similarly, the designs may be popular cartoon characters, video game characters, or other similar artwork.

FIG. 3 illustrates that the spinner device may have an increased thickness area on an outer wall 104 that is a hemispherical bump 302. The increased thickness area may also be an angular bump, a raised geometric area, a raised circle, a raised square, a raised triangle, raised octagon, a raised polygon or an affixed material layer. The increased thickness area may be a protruding area from the spinner body that enables the spinner body to spin on a surface.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the spinner body with the elements discussed above. In this example case, the elongated object in the spinner body may be a container of mascara.

FIG. 5A illustrates a spinner body standing on one edge 504. This figure illustrates that the plurality of the edges of the spinner body may be various shapes. In this example, the edges 502 of the spinner body may be scalloped. The edges 502 may also have other patterns formed into them such as: zig zag shapes, S-shapes, arch shapes, geometric shapes, corrugated shapes, repeating designs or other shapes formed into the edge 502. FIG. further illustrates the scalloped edges.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example side edge view of the spinner body where the pass through aspect of the void can be seen. FIG. 7 illustrates a lengthwise view of the spinner body where one edge of the spinner body is resting on a flat surface.

FIG. 8A illustrates a spinner body 802 that is shorter in length than some other examples in this description and is generally ring shaped. The spinner body 802 may have an elongated object 804 that is inserted through the spinner body 802. The increased thickness area on this spinner body may be a rounded nub 806. The spinner body 802 may rotate on the rounded nub 806 to spin. The top face 810 of the spinner body 802 may have a plurality of elongated fingers 808 that are attached to and extend out from the spinner body 802. There may be 2, 4, 8 or more fingers. These two or more elongated fingers 808 may be balanced weight wise and/or shape wise to enable the spinner body to spin. The elongated fingers 808 may be in any ornamental shape or have ornamental shapes formed into the elongated fingers and the elongated fingers may be weight balanced or shape balanced for spinning. The fingers may also extend out at various angles like 30 degrees, 45 degrees or 90 degrees from one another.

FIG. 8B illustrates a spinner body 802 that is ring shaped. The spinner body 802 may have an elongated object 804 that inserted through the spinner body 802. The increased thickness area on this spinner body may be an angular protrusion 810 with a point on the end of it.

FIG. 9 illustrates a spinner body 902 with an increased thickness area that is angular 910 and comes to a point. The point can be used as the axis (e.g., center of balance) for spinning. The top face of the spinner body may have a weighted object 904 on the top face. This weighted object may be balanced to spin smoothly and evenly when the spinner body 902 is spun. The weighted object 904 may be any type of sculpture or shape but the weighted object can be weighted to allow for spinning.

Similarly, one side of the outer wall of the spinner body opposite the increased thickness area may have a design embossed on the top side that may be weight balanced to enable spinning of the spinner device. This may be any graphic design or message that a manufacturer desires to place on or in the top side of the outer wall. The design is preferably weight balanced around the spinning axis to enable the spinner body 902 to spin.

In one configuration, the spinner body may have a hinge 920 on the spinner body. This may allow the body to open using the hinge and the elongated object may be placed into the spinner body 902.

FIG. 10A illustrates a side view of a spinner body 1002 that is a cube with a channel or void through a center axis for the elongated object to be inserted through and reside in during spinning of the spinner. The spinner body 1002 may have a nub 1006 on the bottom that enables spinning of the spinner body 1002. On a top face of the spinner body 1002 a weighted piece 1008 may be formed or embossed to provide additional balanced weighting to the spinner. The weighted piece 1008 may also be formed into a decorative shape or an informational shape on the spinner as discussed earlier. FIG. 10B is a front view of the spinner body 1002 as in FIG. 10A. This front view illustrates a void or channel 1020 that is formed into the spinner body, which is shaped as a cube.

FIG. 11A illustrates a side view of a spinner body where the spinner body 1110 has edges 1112 with concave curves that curve into toward the center of the spinner body on two or more sides. The curves may be formed into the spinner body 1110 that is a ring, cube or any other spinner body shape. The curves may be bigger or smaller as desired.

FIG. 11B illustrates a side view of a spinner body where a top piece 1102 attached to the spinner body 1104 is one solid piece, such as a circle, a square, triangle, another geometric or a decorative shape. For example, the solid piece may be shaped into a sunflower, a soccer ball, a face or any other graphic or artistic elements.

FIG. 12 illustrates a side view of a plurality of spinner bodies 1202 where the spinner bodies are used to enable the elongated object to spin. The plurality of spinner bodies 1202 may be placed a small distance from each other. In addition, the plurality of spinner bodies 1202 may be rings or other spinner bodies.

FIG. 13 illustrates a spinner device that has a spinner body 1302. An inner wall 1310 may form a void or channel in the spinner body 1302, and the inner wall 1310 may have an inner circumference configured to receive an elongated object 1306. An outer wall 1308 of the spinner body may join together with the inner wall at a plurality of edges 1312 of the spinner body. In addition, a material layer 1304 can be affixed on the outer wall 1308 between the plurality of edges 1312. The material layer 1304 may have a thickness to enable the spinner body 1302 to spin using the material layer on a surface. The material layer 1304 may be glued or adhered to the spinner body 1302. The material layer 1304 may be made of: plastic, metal or paper, and have an adhesive on one side of the material layer 1304. The material layer 1304 may be flat as illustrated, or the material layer 1304 maybe a rounded protrusion, convex shape, ridges, or other shapes that are adhered to the spinner body 1302.

FIG. 14A illustrates an example of a product cap 1402 that is joined together with the spinner body 1404 using a strut 1410 or brace. The strut 1410 may be a joining structure such as a rod(s), a simple truss, a simple scaffolding, a spring, a rigid wire, or another bridging structure. The strut 1410 may be made of plastic, glass, ceramic, metal or another material. In many cases, the same material used for making the product cap 1402 and spinner body 1404 can be used for the strut 1410. The product cap 1402 may be for a product such as lip balm (as illustrated), sunscreen, lip stick, mascara, pen, pencils, markers, or other products that have a cap to go over an elongated object 1406. FIG. 14B illustrates an example of the product cap 1402, strut 1420 and spinner body 1404 after they have been placed on the elongated object 1406. This product cap 1402, strut 1410 and spinner body 1404 on the elongated object 1406 may then be used as a spinner.

Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more examples. In the preceding description, numerous specific details were provided, such as examples of various configurations to provide a thorough understanding of examples of the described technology. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the technology can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, devices, etc. In other instances, well-known structures or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the technology.

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or operations, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features and operations described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims. Numerous modifications and alternative arrangements can be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the described technology.

Claims

1. A spinner device, comprising:

a spinner body;

an inner wall that forms a void of the spinner body, wherein the inner wall has an inner circumference configured to receive an elongated object in the void; and

an outer wall of the spinner body, wherein the outer wall joins together with the inner wall at a plurality of edges of the spinner body and has an increased thickness area, at a point between the plurality of edges, as compared to the plurality of edges.

2. The spinner device as in claim 1, wherein the increased thickness area between the outer wall and the inner wall is at a mid-point between the plurality of edges.

3. The spinner device as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of edges are thinner than the outer wall between the plurality of edges.

4. The spinner device as in claim 1, wherein the outer wall has a tapered thickness from the plurality of edges to the increased thickness area.

5. The spinner device as in claim 1, wherein the increased thickness area is at least one of: a hemispherical bump, an angular bump, a raised geometric area, a raised circle, a raised square, a raised triangle or an affixed material layer.

6. The spinner device as in claim 1, wherein the elongated object may be at least one of: a lip balm container, a lipstick container, an eyeliner case, a wooden rod, a metal rod, or a cylindrical object.

7. The spinner device as in claim 1, further comprising a top side of the outer wall of the spinner body opposite the increased thickness area which has a design embossed on the top side and is weight balanced to enable spinning of the spinner device.

8. The spinner device as in claim 1, further comprising a strut joining a cap to the spinner body, wherein the cap covers a portion of the elongate object when the cap and the spinner body are placed over the elongate object.

9. A spinner device, comprising:

a spinner body;

an inner wall that forms a void for the spinner body, wherein the inner wall has an inner circumference configured to receive an elongated object in the void;

an outer wall of the spinner body, wherein the outer wall joins together with the inner wall at a plurality of edges of the spinner body; and

a material layer affixed on the outer wall between the plurality of edges, wherein the material layer has a thickness to enable the spinner body to spin on the material layer.

10. The spinner body of claim 9, wherein the material layer is glued or adhered to spinner body.

11. The spinner body of claim 9, wherein the material layer is at least one of: plastic, metal or paper, wherein the material layer has adhesive on one side of the material layer.

12. The spinner body of claim 9, wherein the outer wall has an increased thickness area at a point between the plurality of edges, as compared to the plurality of edges.