Yo-yo having quickly-adjustable responsiveness

Abstract

The invention is a yo-yo that includes movable shuttles that a user can quickly reposition between predetermined set points in order to adjust the yo-yo's responsiveness. Repositioning of the shuttles is accomplished via a cam surface connected to a rotatable dial. Preferably, the yo-yo also includes readily visible indicia associated with the shuttle's positioning apparatus so that a user can easily set and/or ascertain the yo-yo's responsiveness setting.

1 . A yo-yo comprising:
 first and second side portions secured together in a spaced-apart relation by an axle structure, and wherein a string gap is located between said side portions;   a tether at least partially located in said string gap and secured to a portion of said axle structure; and   wherein said first side portion comprises a body member, a shuttle and a shuttle positioning dial, wherein said body member has an inwardly-facing surface that faces said string gap and an outwardly-facing surface that faces away from said string gap, wherein said shuttle includes a portion that faces said string gap and has a tether engagement surface capable of engaging said tether, wherein said shuttle is movably secured to said body member, wherein said dial is rotatably secured to said body member and is operatively connected to said shuttle via a multi-level cam surface in a manner whereby rotation of said dial in a first direction for a predetermined distance can cause said shuttle to move from a first predetermined position to a second predetermined position, wherein when said shuttle is in said first predetermined position, said tether engagement surface of said shuttle will be located a first distance from a center of said string gap, wherein when said shuttle is in said second predetermined position, said shuttle's tether engagement surface will be located a second distance from said center of said string gap and wherein said first and second distances are non-equal.   
     
     
         2 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein said shuttle and said dial are operatively connected together via said cam surface and an engagement member, wherein said cam surface includes first and second plateaus, wherein said first plateau has a different height than said second plateau, wherein when said shuttle is in said first predetermined position, said engagement member will be contacting said first plateau, and wherein when said shuttle is in said second predetermined position, said engagement member will be contacting said second plateau. 
     
     
         3 . The yo-yo of  claim 2  wherein said cam surface is connected to said dial, and wherein said engagement member is connected to said shuttle. 
     
     
         4 . The yo-yo of  claim 2  wherein when said engagement member is contacting said first plateau and said dial is rotated in said first direction for said predetermined distance, said engagement member will slide on said cam surface whereby said engagement member will slide off said first plateau and onto a first angled ramp surface whereby said engagement member will then slide on said ramp surface and then move onto said second plateau. 
     
     
         5 . The yo-yo of  claim 4  wherein when said engagement member moves onto said second plateau, it does so by dropping down to said second plateau whereby an audible sound is created that is capable of alerting a user that said shuttle has moved to its second predetermined position. 
     
     
         6 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein said shuttle is connected to a retainer that functions to secure said shuttle to said body member, and wherein said shuttle and said retainer are spring-biased in a direction away from said string gap. 
     
     
         7 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein said shuttle has a plurality of legs that extend in a direction away from the shuttle's tether engagement surface and pass through apertures in said body member, and wherein at least one of said legs is connected to a retainer that functions to secure said shuttle to said body member. 
     
     
         8 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein said first side portion includes indicia visible to a user and that function in combination with said dial to provide a user with an indication that said shuttle is in one of a plurality of predetermined positions. 
     
     
         9 . The yo-yo of  claim 8  wherein said first side portion also includes a member that is secured to said body member and functions to hold said dial to said body member, wherein said member that secures said dial includes an aperture, wherein said indicia are located on said dial and wherein a portion of said indicia is visible through said aperture. 
     
     
         10 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein said tether engagement surface of said shuttle includes adaptations that facilitate a snagging engagement between said surface and said tether. 
     
     
         11 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein said first side portion further includes a removable weight ring operatively connected to said body member. 
     
     
         12 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein said first and second side portions are substantially identical. 
     
     
         13 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein when said shuttle is in said second predetermined position, said dial can be rotated a predetermined distance in said first direction and thereby cause said shuttle to return to its first predetermined position. 
     
     
         14 . A yo-yo comprising:
 first and second side portions secured together in a spaced-apart relation by an axle structure;   a tether secured to a portion of said axle structure; and   wherein said first side portion comprises a body member, a shuttle and a shuttle positioning dial, wherein said body member has an inwardly-facing surface that faces toward said second side portion, wherein said shuttle has a portion that can be positioned against said inwardly-facing surface of said body member and includes a tether engagement surface capable of engaging said tether, wherein said shuttle is movably secured to said body member, wherein said dial is rotatably secured to said body member and located whereby it is accessible to a user, wherein said dial is operatively connected to said shuttle via an engagement member that travels on a cam surface whereby when the shuttle is in a first predetermined position whereby its tether engagement surface is a first distance away from said second side portion, said engagement member will be located at a predetermined first position on said cam surface, wherein when the shuttle is moved to a second predetermined position via a rotation of said dial, said shuttle's tether engagement surface will be located at a second distance away from said second side portion and said engagement member will be located at a predetermined second position on said cam surface whereby movement of said engagement member on said cam surface causes said first distance to differ from said second distance.   
     
     
         15 . The yo-yo of  claim 14  wherein said first side portion includes indicia that is visible to a user and functions in combination with said dial to provide a user with an indication of a responsiveness setting of said yo-yo determined by the position of said shuttle. 
     
     
         16 . A yo-yo comprising:
 first and second side portions secured together in a spaced-apart relation by an axle structure;   a tether secured to a portion of said axle structure; and   wherein said first side portion comprises a body member, a shuttle, a retainer and a dial, wherein said body member has an inwardly-facing surface that faces said second side portion, wherein said shuttle is movably secured to said body member by said retainer and has a tether engagement surface capable of engaging said tether, wherein said dial is rotatably secured to said body member and is operatively connected to said shuttle in a manner whereby a predetermined amount of rotation of said dial in a first direction causes a movement of said retainer that causes a repositioning of said shuttle between a first predetermined position and a second predetermined position, and wherein when said shuttle is in its second predetermined position, the shuttle's tether engagement surface is located closer to said second side portion than when the shuttle is in its first predetermined position.   
     
     
         17 . The yo-yo of  claim 16  wherein said shuttle also includes at least one leg that extends in a direction away from said tether, and wherein said leg passes through an aperture in said body member and is connected to said retainer. 
     
     
         18 . The yo-yo of  claim 16  wherein said first side portion also comprises a member that is secured to said body member and functions to hold said dial to said body member. 
     
     
         19 . The yo-yo of  claim 16  wherein said first side portion includes indicia positioned and viewable to a user in a manner whereby when said shuttle is in its first predetermined position, a user can ascertain via said indicia that said shuttle is in said first predetermined position, and wherein when said dial is rotated so that said shuttle is in said second predetermined position, said user can ascertain via said indicia that said shuttle is not in said first predetermined position. 
     
     
         20 . The yo-yo of  claim 16  wherein said retainer is spring-biased in a direction away from said second side portion. 
     
     
         21 . The yo-yo of  claim 16  wherein said dial is operatively connected to said shuttle via a cam surface that features a plurality of plateaus of different heights, wherein when said shuttle is in said first predetermined position, an engagement member operatively connected to said retainer will be contacting a first of said plateaus, and wherein when said shuttle is in said second predetermined position, said engagement member will be contacting a second of said plateaus wherein said second plateau has a different height than said first plateau. 
     
     
         22 . The yo-yo of  claim 16  wherein when said shuttle is in said second predetermined position, continued rotation of said dial in said first direction can cause said shuttle to return to said first predetermined position.