Flat shipped promotional spinning and flying toy

Abstract

A promotional toy ( 22 ) manufactured and shipped as a flat disc is provided as a substrate ( 28 ) printed as a flat member and having a plurality of cuts ( 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 ) therein forming a plurality of cantilever legs ( 46, 48, 50 ) each having a hinged end ( 52, 54, 56 ) attached to the substrate and extending to a distally opposite free end ( 58, 60, 62 ) separable from the substrate along the cuts such that the free ends are collectively and jointly grippable by fingers ( 70 ) of a user.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A promotional toy manufactured and shipped as a flat disc comprising a substrate printed as a flat member and having a plurality of cuts therein forming a plurality of cantilever legs each having a hinged end attached to said substrate and extending to a distally opposite free end separable from said substrate along said cuts such that said free ends are collectively and jointly grippable by fingers of a user in a plane spaced from the plane of said substrate such that twisting of said fingers gripping said free ends in a plane above said substrate imparts a spinning motion of said toy on a surface therebelow, and such that twisting of said fingers gripping said free ends in a plane below said substrate imparts a rotary flying motion of said toy followed by landing and spinning of said toy on said free ends on a surface therebelow.  
     
     
         2 . The invention according to  claim 1  wherein said disc is symmetrical about a center-point in the plane of said substrate, said center-point lying on the axis of rotation of said spinning motion and on the axis of rotation of said flying motion, said axis of rotation of said spinning motion being coincident with said axis of rotation of said flying motion, wherein said legs as defined by said cuts extend symmetrically and radially relative to said center-point to create a balanced rotation axis including after separation of said free ends, said balanced rotation axis being provided by symmetrical distribution of mass of substrate material between slots vacated by said legs.  
     
     
         3 . The invention according to  claim 2  wherein said hinged ends are interdigitationally spaced along a subperimeter having a center at said centerpoint.  
     
     
         4 . The invention according to  claim 3  wherein said legs are bendable about said hinged ends with said free ends meeting at a common point on said axis of rotation.  
     
     
         5 . The invention according to  claim 3  comprising a dimple protuberance in said substrate at said center-point providing a pointed tip upon which said toy spins on said surface therebelow.  
     
     
         6 . The invention according to  claim 3  wherein said disc is convexly bowed at said center-point upon separation and bending of said legs, the convex bowing being in a direction opposite to the direction of said bending of said legs, such that said disc spins on said convexly bowed center-point on said surface below said substrate in response to said twisting of said fingers gripping said free ends above said substrate.  
     
     
         7 . The invention according to  claim 3  wherein said hinged ends are equally interdigitationally spaced along said subperimeter symmetrically relative to said center-point.  
     
     
         8 . The invention according to  claim 3  wherein each leg is defined by a cut having sides frustoconically tapered relative to each other, the spacing between said sides being greatest at said hinged end and decreasing as said sides extend radially outwardly.  
     
     
         9 . The invention according to  claim 3  wherein each leg is defined by a cut having sides spaced from each other and extending radially outwardly and joined at an outer rounded tip defining said free end.  
     
     
         10 . A method for making a promotional toy for shipment as a flat disc, comprising providing a flat substrate, performing a printing operation on said substrate as a flat member, die-cutting said printed flat substrate to provide a plurality of cuts therein forming a plurality of cantilever legs each having a hinged end attached to said substrate and extending to a distally opposite free end separable from said substrate along said cuts such that said free ends are collectively and jointly grippable by fingers of a user in a plane spaced from the plane of said substrate such that twisting of said fingers gripping said free ends in a plane above said substrate imparts a spinning motion of said toy on a surface therebelow, and such that twisting of said fingers gripping said free ends in a plane below said substrate imparts a rotary flying motion of said toy followed by landing and spinning of said toy on said free ends on a surface therebelow.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10  comprising providing said disc as symmetrical about a center-point in the plane of said substrate, said center-point lying on the axis of rotation of said spinning motion and on the axis of rotation of said flying motion, said axis of rotation of said spinning motion being coincident with said axis of rotation of said flying motion, providing said legs as defined by said cuts extending symmetrically and radially relative to said center-point and creating a balanced rotation axis including after separation of said free ends, providing said balanced rotation axis by providing symmetrical distribution of mass of substrate material between slots vacated by said legs.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11  comprising interdigitationally spacing said hinged ends along a subperimeter having a center at said center-point.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12  comprising bending said legs about said hinged ends such that said free ends meet at a common point on said axis of rotation.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12  comprising forming a dimple in said substrate to provide a protuberance therefrom forming a pointed tip upon which said toy spins on said surface therebelow.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 12  comprising convexly bowing said disc at said center-point by separating said legs from said substrate and bending said legs about said hinged ends, the convex bowing being in a direction opposite to the direction of bending of said legs, such that said disc spins on said convexly bowed center-point on said surface below said substrate in response to said twisting of said fingers gripping said free ends above said substrate.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 12  comprising equally interdigitationally spacing said hinged ends along said subperimeter symmetrically relative to said center-point.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 12  comprising defining each leg by a die-cut having sides frustoconically tapered relative to each other, the spacing between said sides being greatest at said hinged end and decreasing as said sides extend radially outwardly.  
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 12  comprising defining each leg by a die-cut having sides spaced from each other and extending radially outwardly and joined at an outer rounded tip defining said free end.  
     
     
         19 . A method for forming a promotional toy manufactured and shipped as a flat disc comprising a substrate printed as a flat member and having a plurality of cuts therein forming a plurality of cantilever legs each having a hinged end attached to said substrate and extending to a distally opposite free end separable from said substrate along said cuts, said method comprising: 
 separating said free ends from said substrate and bending said legs away from said substrate about said hinged ends;    collectively and jointly gripping said free ends with one's fingers in a plane spaced above the plane of said substrate and twisting one's fingers when it is desired to impart a spinning motion to said toy on a surface therebelow;    collectively and jointly gripping said free ends with one's fingers in a plane spaced below the plane of said substrate and twisting one's fingers when it is desired to impart a rotary flying motion to said toy followed by landing and spinning of said toy on said free ends on a surface therebelow.