Teeter totter

Abstract

In one example, a teeter totter is provided that includes four support arms spaced apart at substantially equal angular intervals, with a seat being attached to each of the support arms. A hub of the teeter totter includes top and bottom plates which cooperate to at least partly define four sockets, and each of the sockets receives an end of a corresponding support arm. A plastic receiver is connected to the hub, and a plastic pivot is rotatably engaged with the receiver such that the pivot and the receiver cooperate to enable simultaneous movement of the seats in three dimensions. Finally, a base is provided that supports the pivot.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A teeter totter, comprising:
 a plurality of support arms;   a plurality of seats, each of the seats connected to a respective support arm;   a hub in which an end of each support arm is received;   a receiver at least partly residing in the hub;   a pivot rotatably engaged with the receiver, wherein the pivot includes an upper ball portion, a lower portion, and a tapered portion that extends between the upper ball portion and the lower portion, wherein the pivot and the receiver cooperate to enable simultaneous movement of the seats in three dimensions; and   a base to which the pivot is mounted.   
     
     
         2 . The teeter totter as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the receiver substantially comprises plastic and the pivot substantially comprises plastic. 
     
     
         3 . The teeter totter as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the upper ball portion of the pivot has a non-solid construction. 
     
     
         4 . The teeter totter as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the hub includes a pair of plates which cooperate to at least partly define a plurality of sockets, each of the sockets receiving an end of a corresponding support arm. 
     
     
         5 . The teeter totter as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of seats includes first and second seats spaced apart about 180 degrees, and wherein the first and second seats are rotatable about an axis defined by the support arms to which the first and second seats are connected. 
     
     
         6 . The teeter totter as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the receiver defines a socket with which the upper ball portion of the pivot is engaged. 
     
     
         7 . The teeter totter as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the tapered portion includes an upper part adjacent to the upper ball portion and a lower part adjacent to the lower portion, and a diameter of the upper part is smaller than a diameter of the lower part. 
     
     
         8 . A teeter totter, comprising:
 a plurality of support arms;   a plurality of seats, each of the seats connected to a respective support arm;   a hub in which an end of each support arm is received;   a receiver substantially comprising plastic and at least partly residing in the hub;   a pivot substantially comprising plastic and rotatably engaged with the receiver, wherein the plastic pivot comprises a single piece of material with a non-solid construction, and wherein the pivot and the receiver cooperate to enable simultaneous movement of the seats in three dimensions; and   a base to which the pivot is mounted.   
     
     
         9 . The teeter totter as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the pivot defines a recess in which the base is partly received. 
     
     
         10 . The teeter totter as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the pivot comprises a ball portion that engages a corresponding socket defined by the receiver. 
     
     
         11 . The teeter totter as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the pivot includes a ball portion within which a plurality of one or more of slots, recesses, voids, holes, dimples, depressions, cutouts, or any combination of the foregoing, are formed. 
     
     
         12 . The teeter totter as recited in  claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the receiver is positioned inside the hub. 
     
     
         13 . The teeter totter as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the pivot includes an upper ball portion, a lower portion, and a tapered portion that extends between the upper ball portion and the lower portion, and a diameter of the tapered portion in its upper part adjacent to the upper ball portion is smaller than a diameter of the tapered portion in its lower part adjacent to the lower portion. 
     
     
         14 . A teeter totter, comprising:
 four support arms spaced apart at substantially equal angular intervals;   four seats, each of the seats connected to a respective support arm;   a hub that includes top and bottom plates which cooperate to at least partly define four sockets, each of the sockets receiving an end of a corresponding support arm;   a receiver substantially comprising plastic and at least partly residing in the hub;   a pivot substantially comprising plastic and rotatably engaged with the receiver and defining a recess, wherein the pivot and the receiver cooperate to enable simultaneous movement of the seats in three dimensions; and   a base partly received in the recess defined by the pivot.   
     
     
         15 . The teeter totter as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the pivot comprises a ball portion that is engaged with a socket defined by the receiver. 
     
     
         16 . The teeter totter as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the pivot has a single-piece integrated construction that includes an upper ball portion, a lower portion, and a tapered portion that extends between the upper ball portion and the lower portion, and a diameter of the tapered portion in its upper part adjacent to the upper ball portion is smaller than a diameter of the tapered portion in its lower part adjacent to the lower portion. 
     
     
         17 . The teeter totter as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the pivot includes a ball portion within which a plurality of one or more of slots, recesses, voids, holes, dimples, depressions, cutouts, or any combination of the foregoing, are formed. 
     
     
         18 . The teeter totter as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the receiver includes a plurality of internal vertical ribs. 
     
     
         19 . The teeter totter as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the pivot comprises a plurality of fins which facilitate prevention of rotation of the pivot relative to the base. 
     
     
         20 . The teeter totter as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the hub includes a plurality of webs, each of the webs positioned between a pair of adjacent support arms.