Yo-yo having a user-adjustable clutch mechanism

Abstract

The invention is a yo-yo in which at least one of the yo-yo's sides includes a user-adjustable clutch mechanism. The mechanism includes a cam and can be set by a user to cause the yo-yo, when it is spinning, to automatically return to a user's hand once the yo-yo's rotational velocity has decreased to a low level. A user can also set the mechanism to prevent the yo-yo from sleeping, or to enhance the yo-yo's ability to sleep at the end of the tether. A user-movable part of the clutch mechanism may be in the form of a knob or lever that extends from a side of the yo-yo.

1 . A yo-yo comprising: 
 first and second side portions secured together in a spaced-apart relation by an axle structure;    a spool secured to said axle structure in a manner whereby said spool is capable of rotating relative to said axle structure;    a tether secured to said spool;    a user-adjustable clutch mechanism that forms a portion of said first side portion, wherein said clutch mechanism comprises a movable weight, a clutch control unit, and a spool engagement member operatively connected to said weight and to said clutch control unit;    wherein when said weight is in a first position, the spool engagement member engages said spool in a manner whereby said spool is locked to, and rotatable with, said first side portion, and wherein when said weight is in a second position, said spool engagement member is spaced from said spool whereby said spool is rotatable relative to said first side portion;    wherein said clutch control unit has an operatively connected user-movable portion that can be moved by a user to either allow the spool engagement member to be moved via movement of the weight from said first position to said second position due to rotation of the first side portion, or to cause the spool engagement member to continually engage the spool, or to cause the spool engagement member to be continually spaced from said spool; and    wherein said user-movable portion of the clutch control unit extends outwardly from said first side portion in a direction away from a tether-facing surface of the first side portion.    
   
   
       2 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein said clutch control unit further comprises a movable plate having a slot and wherein said spool engagement member has a follower portion that is received within said slot.  
   
   
       3 . The yo-yo of  claim 2  wherein a side edge of said slot functions as a cam surface that engages said follower portion and can thereby cause an outward movement of said spool engagement member when the plate is rotated from a first position to a second position.  
   
   
       4 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein said second side portion includes a balance weight and weighs substantially the same amount as the first side portion.  
   
   
       5 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein said weight is spring-biased by a spring member toward a rotational axis of said yo-yo.  
   
   
       6 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein said spool engagement member is in the form of an elongated member that is pivotally secured at a first end to a body of the first side portion, and wherein said weight is secured to said elongated member proximate a second end of said elongated member.  
   
   
       7 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein the first side portion further includes a plurality of structures that act in combination with the clutch control unit to form a plurality of detents that cause the user-movable portion of the clutch control unit to stop whenever it is located in either a first position in which the clutch mechanism will function in a first predetermined manner or in a second position in which the clutch mechanism will function in a second predetermined manner that is different from said first predetermined manner.  
   
   
       8 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein a portion of the clutch control unit has a protuberance that can be located adjacent a portion of the first side portion that has a plurality of indentations, and wherein rotation of said clutch control unit can cause said protuberance to be received in one of said indentations to thereby create a locking engagement of said clutch control unit with said adjacent portion of the first side portion.  
   
   
       9 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  further comprising first, second and third indicia located on the yo-yo's first side portion, wherein said indicia facilitates a user being able to position the clutch control unit to cause the clutch mechanism to act in a predetermined manner, whereby said first indicia indicates a position to which the user-movable portion of the clutch control unit should be moved to allow the weight to be moved from said first position to said second position due to a rotative movement of the first side portion, wherein said second indicia indicates a position to which the user-movable portion of the clutch control unit should be moved to cause the spool engagement member to continually engage said spool, and wherein said third indicia indicates a position to which the user-movable portion of the clutch control unit should be moved to cause the spool engagement member to be continually spaced from said spool.  
   
   
       10 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein said weight is a first weight, wherein said first side portion also comprises a second weight that can move from a first position to a second portion, wherein when said second weight is in said first position, a spool engagement member operatively connected to said second weight engages said spool, wherein when said second weight is in said second position, said spool engagement member operatively connected to said second weight will be spaced from said spool, wherein movement of said second weight from said first position to said second position can occur due to rotational movement of the first side portion.  
   
   
       11 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein the user-movable portion of the clutch control unit extends outwardly from a center portion of said first side portion.  
   
   
       12 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein the user-movable portion of the clutch control unit is in the form of a knob.  
   
   
       13 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein the user-movable portion of the clutch control unit is in the form of a lever that has at least a portion located whereby it is capable of being touched by a finger of a user.  
   
   
       14 . A yo-yo comprising: 
 first and second side portions secured together in a spaced-apart relation by an axle structure;    a spool secured to said axle structure in a manner whereby said spool is capable of rotating relative to said axle structure;    a tether secured to said spool;    a user-adjustable clutch mechanism that forms a portion of said first side portion, wherein said clutch mechanism can engage said spool in a manner whereby said spool will rotate with said first side portion;    wherein said clutch mechanism comprises a movable weight, a spool engagement member operatively connected to said weight, and a clutch control unit;    wherein when said weight is in a first position, the spool engagement member operatively engages said spool, wherein when said weight is in a second position, said spool engagement member is spaced from said spool and does not engage said spool;    wherein said clutch control unit is operatively connected to said spool engagement member, has an operatively connected user-movable portion that extends outwardly from said first side portion, and has a cam portion having a guide surface to which is slidably engaged a follower member operatively connected to said spool engagement member, whereby when a user moves said user-movable portion in a predetermined manner, said guide surface will cause said follower member to also move in a predetermined manner; and    wherein said clutch control unit can be set by a user to either allow the spool engagement member to be moved via movement of the weight from said first position to said second position due to rotative movement of said first side portion, or to cause the spool engagement member to continually engage the spool, or to cause the spool engagement member to be continually spaced from said spool.    
   
   
       15 . The yo-yo of  claim 14  further comprising first, second and third indicia located on the yo-yo's first side portion, wherein said indicia facilitates a user being able to position the clutch control unit to cause the clutch mechanism to act in a predetermined manner, whereby said first indicia indicates a position to which the user-movable portion of the clutch control unit should be moved to allow the weight to be moved from said first position to said second position due to a rotative movement of the first side portion, wherein said second indicia indicates a position to which the user-movable portion of the clutch control unit should be moved to cause the spool engagement member to continually engage said spool, and wherein said third indicia indicates a position to which the user-movable portion of the clutch control unit should be moved to cause the spool engagement member to be continually spaced from said spool.  
   
   
       16 . The yo-yo of  claim 14  wherein the first side portion further includes a plurality of structures that act in combination with the clutch control unit to form a plurality of detents that cause the user-movable portion of the clutch control unit to stop whenever it is located in either a first position in which the clutch mechanism will function in a first predetermined manner or in a second position in which the clutch mechanism will function in a second predetermined manner that is different from said first predetermined manner.  
   
   
       17 . The yo-yo of  claim 14  wherein said weight is spring-biased by a spring member toward a rotational axis of said yo-yo.  
   
   
       18 . The yo-yo of  claim 14  wherein the guide surface at least partially defines a slot, wherein at least one side edge of said slot forms said guide surface, and wherein said slot has a medial portion that extends toward a rim portion of the yo-yo's first side portion.  
   
   
       19 . The yo-yo of  claim 18  wherein the slot has a first end and a second end and wherein said first end is closer to an axis of rotation of the yo-yo than is the slot's second end.  
   
   
       20 . The yo-yo of  claim 14  wherein said weight is a first weight, wherein said guide surface is a first guide surface, wherein said spool engagement member is a first spool engagement member, wherein said first side portion also includes a second weight that can move from a first position to a second portion, wherein when said second weight is in said first position, the second spool engagement member engages said spool, wherein when said second weight is in said second position, said second spool engagement member will be spaced from said spool, wherein movement of said second weight from said first position to said second position can occur due to rotational movement of the first side portion, and wherein said clutch control unit includes another guide surface to which is slidably engaged a follower member operatively connected to said second spool engagement member.  
   
   
       21 . A yo-yo comprising: 
 first and second side portions secured together in a spaced-apart relation by an axle structure to which a spool is rotatably secured, wherein said first side portion has a side surface that faces away from said second side portion;    a tether secured to said spool;    an adjustable clutch mechanism located in said first side portion, wherein a user can selectively set said clutch mechanism to operate in either a first, second or third mode of operation, wherein when said clutch mechanism is operating in said first mode, said clutch mechanism continually causes said spool to be locked to, and rotatable with, the first side portion, wherein when said clutch mechanism is operating in said second mode, said clutch mechanism will not cause said spool to be rotatable with the first side portion, and wherein when said clutch mechanism is operating in said third mode, said spool will be caused to rotate with said first side portion only when a movable weight associated with the clutch mechanism is in a predetermined position; and    wherein said clutch mechanism includes a user-movable portion operatively connected to a cam that determines the mode of operation of the clutch mechanism, and wherein said user-movable portion extends outwardly from said side surface of the yo-yo's first side portion.    
   
   
       22 . A yo-yo comprising: 
 first and second side portions secured together in a spaced-apart relation by an axle structure to which a spool is rotatably secured, wherein said first side portion has a side surface that faces away from said second side portion;    a tether secured to said spool;    an adjustable clutch mechanism located in said first side portion, wherein a user can selectively set said clutch mechanism to operate in at least two modes of operation, wherein when said clutch mechanism is operating in a first mode, said clutch mechanism continually causes said spool to be locked to, and rotatable with, the first side portion, and wherein when said clutch mechanism is operating in a second mode, said clutch mechanism will not cause said spool to be rotatable with the first side portion; and    wherein said clutch mechanism includes a user-movable portion operatively connected to a cam that determines the mode of operation of the clutch mechanism, and wherein said user-movable portion extends outwardly from said side surface of the yo-yo's first side portion.    
   
   
       23 . A yo-yo comprising: 
 first and second side portions secured together in a spaced-apart relation by an axle structure to which a spool is rotatably secured, wherein said first side portion has a side surface that faces away from said second side portion;    a tether secured to said spool;    an adjustable clutch mechanism located in said first side portion, wherein a user can selectively set said clutch mechanism to operate in at least two modes of operation, wherein when said clutch mechanism is operating in a first mode, said clutch mechanism continually causes said spool to be locked to, and rotatable with, the first side portion, and wherein when said clutch mechanism is operating in a second mode, said spool will be caused to rotate with said first side portion only when a movable weight associated with the clutch mechanism is in a predetermined position; and    wherein said clutch mechanism includes a user-movable portion operatively connected to a cam that determines the mode of operation of the clutch mechanism, and wherein said user-movable portion extends outwardly from said side surface of the yo-yo's first side portion.    
   
   
       24 . A yo-yo comprising: 
 first and second side portions secured together in a spaced-apart relation by an axle structure to which a spool is rotatably secured, wherein said first side portion has a side surface that faces away from said second side portion;    a tether secured to said spool;    an adjustable clutch mechanism located in said first side portion, wherein a user can selectively set said clutch mechanism to operate in at least two modes of operation, wherein when said clutch mechanism is operating in a first mode, said clutch mechanism will not cause said spool to be rotatable with the first side portion, and wherein when said clutch mechanism is operating in a second mode, said clutch mechanism will cause said spool to rotate with said first side portion only when a movable weight associated with the clutch mechanism is in a predetermined position; and    wherein said clutch mechanism includes a user-movable portion operatively connected to a cam that determines the mode of operation of the clutch mechanism, and wherein said user-movable portion extends outwardly from said side surface of the yo-yo's first side portion.