SPINNER COLLAR

Abstract

A spinner collar engages any suitable device to enable the device to spin about the bearing axis of the spinner collar. A device such as a lighter with a long axis is engaged about the long axis by the spinner collar such that the bearing axis of the spinner collar is perpendicular to the long axis of the lighter enabling rotation of the long axis of the lighter about the bearing axis of the spinner collar.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTIONS

The inventions described below relate to the field of tactile amusements such as spinners.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS

Many people engage in tactile amusement by twirling or spinning pens, pencils and other devices.

SUMMARY

The devices and methods described below provide for a spinner collar to engage any suitable apparatus such as a lighter to enable the lighter to spin about the bearing axis of the spinner collar.

Devices such as lighters with a long axis may be engaged about the long axis by a spinner collar with the bore axis of the spinner collar parallel to the long axis of the lighter such that the bearing axis or axis of rotation of the spinner collar is perpendicular to the long axis of the device, and the bore axis of the spinner collar, enabling rotation of the long axis of the device about the axis of rotation of the spinner collar. Alternatively, the axis of rotation of the spinner collar may be oriented at any other suitable angle relative to the bore axis of the spinner collar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front plan view of a spinner collar.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the spinner collar of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a back plan view of the spinner collar of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a left side view of the spinner collar of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a right side view of the spinner collar of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the spinner collar of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is an alternate perspective view of the spinner collar of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a cross-section view of the spinner collar of FIG. 1 taken along A-A.

FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of the spinner collar of FIG. 1 engaging a lighter.

FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view of the spinner collar of FIG. 1 engaging a lighter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONS

Spinner collar 1 of FIGS. 1 through 5 includes a collar 2 having a device bore 3 for engaging any suitable device such as a lighter. Device bore 3 has a bore axis 4 which is perpendicular to the collar axis of rotation 6 which is collinear with the axes of rotation of the bearings. Collar 2 includes slot 7 to enable collar 2 to frictionally engages a device in bore 3. Collar 2 may also include a reinforcement rib 12.

Referring to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, a first grip 8 engages a first bearing 10 and a second grip 9 engages a second bearing 11. First bearing 10 secures first grip 8 to collar 2 and second bearing 11 secures second grip 9 to collar 2 to enable grips 8 and 9 to rotate relative to collar 2. Bearings 10 and 11 are oriented with their axes of rotation, axes 10R and 11R respectively, collinear to form the collar axis of rotation 6.

In use any suitable device such as lighter 14 is frictionally engaged in bore 3 of collar 2 with the long axis of the device, long axis 15 parallel to the bore axis 4 of the collar as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. A first grip 8 and second grip 9 are engaged by a user. With the grips so engaged, bore axis 4 which corresponds to the long axis of the lighter may be rotated about the axis of rotation 6 of the collar.

While the preferred embodiments of the devices and methods have been described in reference to the environment in which they were developed, they are merely illustrative of the principles of the inventions. The elements of the various embodiments may be incorporated into each of the other species to obtain the benefits of those elements in combination with such other species, and the various beneficial features may be employed in embodiments alone or in combination with each other. Other embodiments and configurations may be devised without departing from the spirit of the inventions and the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A spinner collar comprising: a collar having a bore with a bore axis;a first grip engaging a first bearing which in turn engages the collar, the first bearing having an axis of rotation;a second grip engaging a second bearing which in turn engages the collar, the second bearing having an axis of rotation such that the axis of rotation of the first bearing and the axis of rotation of the second bearing are collinear forming an axis of rotation for the collar.

2. The spinner collar of claim 1 wherein the axis of rotation of the collar is perpendicular to the bore axis.

3. The spinner collar of claim 1 wherein the collar further comprises: a slot in the collar parallel to the bore axis.

4. The spinner collar of claim 2 wherein the collar further comprises: a slot in the collar parallel to the bore axis.

5. The spinner collar of claim 1 wherein the collar further comprises: a reinforcement rib parallel to the axis of rotation of the collar and perpendicular to the bore axis.

6. The spinner collar of claim 2 wherein the collar further comprises: a reinforcement rib parallel to the axis of rotation of the collar and perpendicular to the bore axis.