Patent Application
20240066417
This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-132508 filed on Aug. 23, 2022. The entire content of Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-132508 is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a top launching device.
Conventionally known as a top launching device is a top launching device comprising: an input unit having an input rotor in which rotational force is inputted by operation of an operating means; an output unit having an output rotor that holds the top in a state with its own central axis aligned with the central axis of a top and imparts rotational force to the top; and a coupling unit having a coupling rotor that couples the input rotor and the output rotor and transmits rotational force (see Patent Document 1).
According to this top launching device, by operation of the operating means, rotational force is inputted to the input rotor and the top is rotated together with the output rotor, and by releasing holding of the top by the output rotor during rotation of the top, the top is rotationally energized and launched.
Problems the Invention Is Intended to Solve
However, in the top launching device noted in the abovementioned Patent Document 1, the configuration is such that to change the rotation speed of the top being launched, the number of teeth of a coupling gear which is the coupling rotor is changed through exchanging of the coupling unit to change the gear ratio of the rotation transmitted from the input rotor.
However, for exchanging of the coupling unit, the work of removing the original coupling unit and also mounting a new coupling unit, etc., is required, and that work was troublesome. It was also necessary to prepare a plurality of bulky coupling units, so storage and carrying was difficult.
The present invention takes these points into consideration, and its main purpose is to provide a top launching device in which the gear ratio can be changed easily.
A top launching device for launching a top includes a device body and an operating belt. The device body includes first and second input rotors to rotate by rotational force, an output rotor configured to hold the top in a state with a central axis of the output rotor aligned with a central axis of the top and configured to rotate and impart the rotational force to the top, and a coupling rotor configured to transmit the rotational force from the input rotor to the output rotor. The operating belt is configured to be inserted in the device body, and to be engaged with either the first or the second input rotor when the operating belt is in the device body. The first and the second input rotors are configured to rotate by a user pulling the operating belt from the device body. The output rotor is configured to rotate the top, impart the rotational force to the top, and release the top. The first input rotor has a first gear ratio. The second unput rotor has a second gear ratio being different from the first gear ratio. The operating belt is configured to be selectively engaged with one of the first and second input rotors.
Hereafter, a top launching device according to embodiments of the present invention is explained.
The top launching device 100 includes a device body 10 and an operating belt 50 that is an operating means. The device body 10 is of a size that can be held in one hand, and the top 70 is held in a top holder (output rotor) 31 of this device body 10. Then, after a belt part 51 of the operating belt 50 is inserted in the device body 10, the top 70 is faced downward and the operating belt 50 is pulled out from the device body 10, the top 70 is rotationally energized, and is launched from the device body 10.
Hereafter, the top 70, the operating belt 50, and the device body 10 are described in detail in this order.
Top 70
The top 70 includes a shaft part 71 and a trunk part 72. On the top surface of the trunk part 72, one each of an arc-shaped groove 73 concentric with the rotation axis are formed at two positions facing opposite sandwiching the rotation axis (top axis) of the top 70. One end in the extension direction of the arc-shaped groove 73 has a narrow width. It is possible for a locking projection 31d of the device body 10 described later to get under the edge wall of a narrow-width part 73a. By the locking projection 31c getting under the edge wall of this narrow-width part 73a, the top 70 is held by the device body 10.
The narrow-width part 73a is provided at the clockwise direction side end of the arc-shaped groove 73 in the top 70 for clockwise rotation, and at the counterclockwise direction side end of the arc-shaped groove 73 in the top 70 for counterclockwise rotation. Also, the narrow-width part 73a is provided at both ends of the arc-shaped groove 73 in the top 70 for both rotations. The top 70 shown in
Operating Belt 50
The operating belt 50 includes an operating unit 52, and a belt part 51 coupled to the operating unit 52.
The operating unit 52 has finger hooking parts 52a, 52b for hooking the index finger or middle finger of the right hand, for example. The belt part 51 has many teeth 51b formed along the longitudinal direction of a rod-shaped base 51a.
Device Body 10
The device body 10 includes a housing 11. The housing 11 is configured from a lower side housing 11a and an upper side housing 11b. The upper side housing 11b has front and rear direction dimensions greater than those of the lower side housing 11a.
The front half of the lower housing 11a and the upper housing 11b are joined to each other by a screw (not illustrated). A portion of a mechanical parts housing part 12 and a belt passage 13 are formed in a space sandwiched by the lower housing 11a and the upper housing 11b front half. Also, the back half of the upper housing 11b that projects more to the rear than the lower housing 11a in a joined state constitutes a handle 14 that can be gripped with one hand, and a portion of the belt passage 13 is formed there.
On the front part of the housing 11, a belt insertion port 15 for insertion of the belt part 51 of the operating belt 50 is provided. Four rectangular (first, third, second, fourth) insertion holes 16L, 16R, 17L, 17R are formed distributed up and down and left and right in the belt insertion port 15. Of these, the insertion holes 16L, 16R are formed at the upper left and right of the belt insertion port 15, and the other insertion holes 17L, 17R are formed at the lower left and right of the belt insertion port 15. The distance between the insertion holes 16L, 16R corresponds to the diameter of a first input gear (rotor) 24 described later, and is set to be smaller than the distance between the insertion holes 17L, 17R corresponding to the diameter of a second input gear (rotot) 25. The belt part 51 of the operating belt 50 is selectively inserted in these insertion holes 16L, 16R, 17L, 17R.
Here, the upper insertion holes 16L, 16R are holes used to rotationally energize the top 70 at high speed, and the lower insertion holes 17L, 17R are holes used to rotationally energize the top 70 at low speed. Also, the left insertion holes 16L, 17L are holes for rotationally energizing the top 70 clockwise, and the right insertion holes 16R, 17R are holes for rotationally energizing the top 70 counterclockwise.
As shown in
The slide member 18 constitutes a portion of the hold release mechanism and does the work of separating the rotationally energized top 70 from the device body 10, and in the state with the operating belt 50 pulled out from the device body 10, does the work of inhibiting rotation of the top holder 31.
In the slide member 18, two insertion through holes 20L, 20R corresponding to the upper insertion holes 16L, 16R are formed at left and right. The upper wall lower surface of each insertion through hole 20L, 20R are inclined surfaces 21L, 21R. The incline direction is the direction of the slide member 18 being lifted upward in resistance to the urging force of the coil spring 19 by sliding contact of the belt part 51 on the inclined surfaces 21L, 21R when the belt part 51 of the operating belt 50 is inserted from the upper insertion holes 16L, 16R.
On the other hand, at the lower side of the slide member 18 as well, inclined surfaces 22L, 22R are formed corresponding to the abovementioned insertion holes 17L, 17R. The incline direction is the direction of the slide member 18 being lifted up in resistance to the urging force of the coil spring 19 by sliding contact of the belt part 51 on the inclined surfaces 22L, 22R when the belt part 51 of the operating belt 50 is inserted from the lower insertion holes 17L, 17R.
Furthermore, on the lower side of the slide member 18, a locking unit 23 is formed projecting downward between the inclined surfaces 22L, 22R.
The technical significance of the vertical movement of the slide member 18 and the technical significance of the locking unit 23 are described later.
In the interior of the housing 11, at the rear (back) of the slide member 18, the first input gear 24, the second input gear 25, and the coupling gear 26 are provided in this order from top to bottom. The first input gear 24, the second input gear 25, and the coupling gear 26 are provided on a shaft (first shaft) 27 extending in the vertical direction, and are configured to rotate integrally. The coupling gear 26 in this case constitutes a coupling rotor that couples the first input gear 24, the second input gear 25, and the top holder 31 described later.
Here, the diameter of the first input gear 24 is smaller than that of the second input gear 25, and the number of teeth is fewer by that amount. Teeth 51b of the belt part 51 of the operating belt 50 inserted from the upper insertion holes 16L, 16R mesh with the first input gear 24. Meanwhile, teeth 51b of the belt part 51 of the operating belt 50 inserted from the lower insertion holes 17L, 17R mesh with the second input gear 25. When inserting the operating belt 50 from insertion holes 16L, 17L, and when inserting the operating belt 50 from insertion holes 16R, 17R, it is necessary to change the direction of the operating belt 50.
Though not specifically limited, the second input gear 25 and the coupling gear 26 are configured integrally sandwiching a locked piece 28 with the same diameter and the same number of teeth. There are three locked pieces 28 provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction to overhang from the outer periphery of the second input gear 22 and the coupling gear 26. The locked pieces 28 constitute the hold release mechanism together with the slide member 18.
The gap between adjacent locked pieces 28, 28 is larger than the locking unit 23 of the slide member 18. Then, the locking unit 23 of the slide member 18 is configured to be able to enter between adjacent locked pieces 28, 28 from above by the urging force of the coil spring 19. When the slide member 18 drops and the locking unit 23 enters between adjacent locked pieces 28, 28, rotation of the first input gear 24, the second input gear 25, and the coupling gear 26 is stopped by the locking unit 23. That is, when the operating belt 50 is pulled out from the device body 10, rotation of the top holder 31 is stopped. As a result, it is possible to separate the rotationally energized top 70 from the top holder 31. Meanwhile, in a state with the slide member 18 raised, rotation of the first input gear 24, the second input gear 25, and the coupling gear 26 is allowed. That is, the top holder 31 is rotated until the operating belt 50 is pulled out from the device body 10. As a result, it is possible to rotationally energize the top 70.
In the interior of the housing 11, the coupling gear 29 that meshes with the coupling gear 26 is provided to the rear (back) of the first input gear 24, the second input gear 25, and the coupling gear 26. The coupling gear 29 is attached to a shaft 35. This coupling gear 29 is coupled with the top holder 31 with a meshing clutch 30 interposed.
Specifically, a shaft part 29a having undergone double D cutting in the central part is provided on the bottom surface of the coupling gear 29. This shaft part 29a is coupled to one rotation element 32 constituting the meshing clutch 30. The rotation element 32 includes a core body 32b in which is formed a fitting hole 32a in which the shaft part 29a fits, and a band-shaped elastic locking unit 32d that swells radially outward of the core body 32b and has a projection 32c at the outside of the center part. There are three of these elastic locking units 32d formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Meanwhile, a circular recess 31a in which the rotation element 32 sits is formed in the top holder 31. A large number of meshing teeth 31b are formed in the circumferential direction on the projection 32c on the peripheral wall of the circular recess 31a. The peripheral wall of the circular recess 31a on which the teeth 31b are formed constitutes the other rotation element. Then, the rotational force of the coupling gear 29 is transmitted to the top holder 31 by meshing of the projections 32c and the teeth 31b, and when an excess load acts on the top holder 31, meshing of the projections 32c and the teeth 31b is released.
As shown in
Next, a usage example of this top launching device 100 is explained.
The top 70 is mounted on the device body 10, and the belt part 51 of the operating belt 50 is inserted in one of the insertion holes 16L, 16R, 17L, 17R.
In this case, if the top 70 is a top for counterclockwise rotation, the belt part 51 is inserted in one of the insertion holes 16R, 17R so that the teeth 51b are positioned at the left of the belt part 51, and on the other hand, if the top 70 is a top for clockwise rotation, the belt part 51 is inserted into one of the insertion holes 16L, 17L so that the teeth 51b are positioned at the right of the belt part 51. Whether inserted in one of the insertion holes 16R, 17R or inserted in one of the insertion holes 16L, 17L is determined by whether one wishes to rotate the top 70 at high speed or rotate at low speed.
Then, when the belt part 51 of the operating belt 50 is inserted into one of the insertion holes 16L, 16R, 17L, 17R, the slide member 18 is lifted up in resistance to the urging force of the coil spring 19, and the first input gear 24 and the second input gear 25 are in a rotatable state.
In this state, the top 70 is faced down, and the operating belt 50 is vigorously pulled out from the device body 10. As a result, the top 70 is rotationally energized in the desired direction, and when the operating belt 50 is separated from the device body 10, the slide member 18 drops by the energizing force of the coil spring 19, and according to the rotation of the top holder 31, the locking unit 23 enters between adjacent locked pieces 28, 28. As a result, the rotation of the top holder 31 is stopped while the top 70 is rotated by inertial force, so the locking projection 31d sticks out from below the edge wall of the narrow-width part 73a of the arc-shaped groove 73, and the top 70 is launched from the device body 10.
The first point of difference between the top launching device 100A of the second embodiment and the top launching device 100 of the first embodiment is that a first input gear 111, a second input gear 112, and a third input gear 113 are provided in the device body 110, there are operating belts 150, 151, 152, and belt parts 150b, 151b, 152b of the operating belts 150, 151, 152 can be selectively inserted in an insertion hole 115 of one belt insertion port 114 of the device body 110.
The first input gear 111, the second input gear 112, and the third input gear 113 are attached to one shaft (first shaft) 116, and the diameter and number of teeth become greater in this order from top to bottom. That is, the first input gear 111, the second input gear 112, and the third input gear 113 have mutually different rotation gear ratios. The operating belts 150, 151, 152 correspond to the first input gear 111, the second input gear 112, and the third input gear 113.
The operating belt 150 is a belt that meshes with the first input gear 111 to rotate the top 70 at high speed, the operating belt 151 is a belt that meshes with the second input gear 112 to rotate the top 70 at medium speed, and the operating belt 152 is a belt that meshes with the third input gear 113 to rotate the top 70 at low speed. Ring-shaped finger hooking parts 150a, 151a, 152a are provided on the operating belts 150, 151, 152.
Here, in the operating belts 150, 151, 152, the belt parts 150b, 151b, 152b have mutually different shapes.
The belt part 150b of the operating belt 150 has a reverse L shape for the cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. In specific terms, the belt part 150b is constituted from a standing part 150c in which the right surface abuts the right wall of the insertion hole 115, and an overhang part 150d that overhangs leftward from the top end part of the standing part 150c and the top surface abuts the top wall of the insertion hole 115, and teeth 150e are formed on the free end surface of the overhang part 150d. The teeth 150e are meshed with the first input gear 111.
Also, a belt part 151b of the operating belt 151 is constituted from a standing part 151c in which the right surface abuts the right wall of the insertion hole 115, and an overhang part 151d that overhangs leftward from the center part in the vertical direction of the standing part 151c, and teeth 151e are formed on the free end surface of the overhang part 151d. The teeth 151e mesh with the second input gear 112.
Also, a belt part 152b of the operating belt 152 has a standing part 152c in which the right surface abuts the right wall of the insertion hole 115, and teeth 152e are formed on the bottom end part of the left surface of the standing part 152c. The teeth 152e mesh with the third input gear 113.
Also, the second point of difference between the top launching device 100A of the second embodiment from the top launching device 100 of the first embodiment is that the hold release mechanism 130 is constituted by a ratchet wheel 131 in which the periphery is in sawtooth form, a claw 132, and a spring (not illustrated) that urges the claw 132 in the direction that engages with the ratchet wheel 131.
According to this hold release mechanism 130, the claw 132 meshes with the gear 131 by the urging force of the spring (not illustrated). Then, when one of the operating belts 150, 151, 152 is inserted from the insertion hole 115 of the belt insertion port 114 of the device body 110, with pressing by the belt part 150b, 151b, 151c, the claw 132 is separated from the gear 131. Also, when the operating belts 150, 151, 152 are pulled out from the device body 110, they are meshed with the gear 131 by the urging force of the spring (not illustrated), and rotation of the first input gear 111, the second input gear 112, and the third input gear 113 is stopped.
Also, the third point of difference of the top launching device 100A of the second embodiment from the top launching device 100 of the first embodiment is that the center line of a shaft 116 of the first input gear 111, the second input gear 112, and the third input gear 113 match the center line of the shaft (not illustrated) of the top holder 130. Specifically, with the top launching device 100A of the second embodiment, gears correlating to the coupling gear 26 and the coupling gear 29 of the top launching device 100 of the first embodiment are not provided. Meanwhile, though not illustrated, with the top launching device 100A of the second embodiment, the first input gear 111, the second input gear 112, and the third input gear 113 are coupled with the top holder 130 by the same type of clutch as the clutch 30 of the top launching device 100 of the first embodiment.
Also, a fourth point of difference of the top launching device 100A of the second embodiment from the top launching device 100 of the first embodiment is that it is possible for the top holder 130 to mount only the top 70 for turning clockwise. Specifically, a hook 130d is formed on each of two insertion pieces 130c, 130c of the top holder 130, and after insertion of each insertion piece 130c in the arc-shaped groove 73 of the top 70, by doing relative rotation of the top 70 counterclockwise with respect to the top holder 130, the hook 130d gets under the end edge of the arc-shaped groove 73, holding the top 70 in the top holder 130.
A handle (not illustrated) is detachable with the device body 110 of the top launching device 100A of the second embodiment.
A first difference of the top launching device 100B of the third embodiment from the top launching device 100 of the first embodiment is that there is one insertion hole 212 of a belt insertion port 211 provided in the device body 210, and a second is that on a belt part 251 of one operating belt 250, teeth 253a, 253b that mesh selectively with the first input gear 24 and the second input gear 25 when the operating belt 250 is pulled out are formed at different locations in the longitudinal direction.
The belt part 251 of the operating belt 250 has a cross section that is a reverse L shape orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. In specific terms, the belt part 251 is constituted from a standing part 251 in which the right surface abuts the right wall of the insertion hole 212, and an overhang part 251b that overhangs leftward from the top end part of the standing part 251a, and on the left surface of the standing part 251a and the overhang part 251b, teeth 253a, 253b are formed at different locations in the longitudinal direction. In specific terms, teeth 253a that mesh with the second input gear 25 are formed on the base end side half of the belt part 251 of the left surface of the standing part 251a, and teeth 253a that mesh with the first input gear 24 are formed on the tip end side half of the overhang part 251b.
According to this top launching device 100B, in accordance with pulling out of the operating belt 250, first, by meshing with the teeth 253a of the belt part 251, the second input gear 25 is rotated, and after that, by meshing with the teeth 253b of the belt part 251, the first input gear 24 is rotated. As a result, it is possible to rotate the top 70 at a high speed with relatively small force.
Specifically, when the operating belt 250 is pulled out at the same speed, the case of moving the second input gear 25 having a larger diameter and number of teeth has a lower rotation speed of the top 70 compared to a case of moving the first input gear 24 with a smaller diameter and number of teeth, but it is accomplished with a smaller pulling force. In light of that, by moving the second input gear 25 first with smaller pulling force and giving a running start to the first input gear 24 that rotates integrally with the second input gear 25, the gear that inputs rotational force is switched to the first input gear 24. By doing this, the first input gear 24 is given a running start, and it is possible to rotate the first input gear 24 with a relatively small force, and also possible to rotate the top 70 at high speed.
In the embodiments noted above, the top 70 was held by the output rotor by doing relative rotation of the top 70 in one direction with respect to the output rotor, and by stopping the output rotor, by doing relative rotation of the top 70 in the other direction with respect to the output rotor, holding of the top 70 by the output rotor was released, but the hold release mechanism is not limited to this.
For example, it is also possible to use a claw that grips the outer periphery of the top 70, and to release holding of the top 70 by the output rotor by holding the top 70 and operating the claw using a button operation, or to hold the top 70 by fitting in the output rotor, and to release holding of the top 70 by the output rotor by pushing out the top 70 using a button operation.
Also, in the embodiments noted above, the input rotor was an input gear, but it is also possible to have rotational force inputted by friction with the operating belt as an input roller.
In the embodiments above, various structures were presented, but it goes without saying that it is possible to use various combinations of these structures in a scope that is not inconsistent.
According to the present invention, a plurality of individual input rotors having mutually different gear ratios are provided in a device body, an operating belt is selectively engaged with one of the plurality of individual input rotors, and by pulling out the operating belt from the device body, it is possible to easily change the rotation speed of the top being launched.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-132508 | Aug 2022 | JP | national |
