Games with adjustable spinning tops

Abstract

Toy top kits may include a spindle having a lower end configured to engage a surface, an upper end having a first coupling portion, and a plurality of mounting sites, one or more weight members each configured to be removably mounted to a mounting site, and one or more caps each having a top surface, a bottom surface, configuration indicia, and a second coupling portion adapted to releasably engage the first coupling portion. Tops may be assembled by engaging a randomly selected cap with the upper end of a spindle and mounting weight members to the spindle according to the configuration indicia of the selected cap. Assembled tops may be spun simultaneously on a play surface, and the score corresponding to the top that remains spinning longest may be incremented.

1 . A toy top kit, comprising: 
 a spindle, having 
 a lower end configured to engage a surface;  
 an upper end having a first coupling portion; and  
 a plurality of mounting sites;  
   one or more weight members, each weight member configured to be removably mounted to one or more mounting sites; and    one or more caps, each cap having a top surface, a bottom surface, configuration indicia, and a second coupling portion adapted to releasably engage the first coupling portion.    
   
   
       2 . The toy top kit of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the plurality of mounting sites is disposed on the spindle between the upper end and the lower end.  
   
   
       3 . The toy top kit of  claim 2  wherein the spindle further includes a plurality of annular ridges, and wherein each of the plurality of mounting sites is defined by at least one annular ridge.  
   
   
       4 . The toy top kit of  claim 1  wherein the configuration indicia is disposed on the top surface of the cap.  
   
   
       5 . The toy top kit of  claim 1  wherein the configuration indicia is adapted to indicate a method by which one or more weight members is removably mounted to one or more mounting sites.  
   
   
       6 . The toy top kit of  claim 5  wherein the method indicates one or more predetermined mounting sites to which one or more weight members are removably mounted.  
   
   
       7 . The toy top kit of  claim 5  wherein the method indicates one or more predetermined weight members to be removably mounted to one or more mounting sites.  
   
   
       8 . The toy top kit of  claim 1  wherein the second coupling portion is disposed on the bottom surface of the cap.  
   
   
       9 . The toy top kit of  claim 8  wherein the second coupling portion comprises a sleeve extending from the bottom surface, the sleeve including one or more ribs disposed on the interior of the sleeve, and wherein the first coupling portion comprises one or more detents configured to receive one or more of the ribs.  
   
   
       10 . The toy top kit of  claim 9  wherein the one or more detents are arranged to define a plurality of predetermined positions of the cap relative to a vertical axis of the spindle.  
   
   
       11 . The toy top kit of  claim 8  wherein the spindle further includes a projecting portion configured to be releasably retained in any of a plurality of predetermined positions relative to a vertical axis of the spindle, and wherein the first coupling portion is disposed on the projecting portion.  
   
   
       12 . The toy top kit of  claim 1  wherein each cap further includes categorizational indicia adapted to indicate that the cap is included in one of a plurality of predefined categories.  
   
   
       13 . The toy top kit of  claim 1 , wherein the toy top kit further comprises: 
 a length of string, and    a spinning device fastened to one end of the length of string, the spinning device including a handle and a brace configured to receive a portion of a spindle.    
   
   
       14 . A toy top play set, comprising: 
 the toy top kit of  claim 13;  and    a play structure, having 
 a play surface defined by a perimeter;  
 a launching site disposed at the perimeter of the play surface, the launching site configured to releasably receive a toy top and to release a toy top to which rotational force is imparted;  
 a wall extending upwardly from at least a portion of the perimeter, and  
 scoring means disposed on the play structure.  
   
   
   
       15 . The toy top play set of  claim 14  wherein the scoring means comprises a plurality of slots disposed on the retaining wall, each slot configured to receive at least a portion of a cap.  
   
   
       16 . The toy top play set of  claim 14  further comprising a plurality of pegs, and wherein the scoring means comprises a plurality of numbered holes, each numbered hole configured to receive a peg.  
   
   
       17 . A method of game play, comprising: 
 (a) providing a plurality of toy top components including a plurality of spindles, each having a lower end configured to engage a surface, an upper end, and a plurality of mounting sites; a plurality of weight members each configured to be removably mounted to a mounting site; and a plurality of caps each configured for releasable engagement with the upper end of a spindle, and each including configuration indicia adapted to indicate a manner in which one or more weight members is removably mounted to one or more mounting sites;    (b) assembling each of at least two toy tops by: 
 engaging a randomly-selected cap with the upper end of a spindle; and  
 mounting one or more weight members to the spindle according to the configuration indicia of the randomly-selected cap;  
   (c) spinning the assembled toy tops simultaneously on a play surface;    (d) incrementing the score corresponding to the top that remains spinning longest.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 (e) repeating (b) through (d) until the score corresponding to a top reaches a predetermined value.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein incrementing the score corresponding to the top that remains spinning longest includes removing the cap of the at least one other simultaneously spun top and associating the at least one removed cap with the scoring top.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising providing scoring means, and wherein wherein incrementing the score corresponding to the top that remains spinning longest includes modifying the scoring means to indicate the incremented score.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17 , 
 wherein each cap further includes categorizational indicia adapted to indicate that the cap is included in one of a plurality of predefined categories, including a first category and a second category; and    wherein incrementing the score corresponding to the top that remains spinning longest includes, if the cap is in the first category, removing the cap and associating it with the scoring top, or, if the cap is in the second category, transferring a previously associated cap of the first category from another top to the scoring top.