Yo-yo having twist-on releasable rims and yo-yo having twist-on gear-locked bodies

Abstract

The invention is an improved yo-yo that features two side assemblies that sandwich a center axle onto which the yo-yo's tether may be secured. According to a first embodiment, each of the side assemblies preferably includes a releasable, disk-shaped rim piece. By replacing one set of replaceable rim pieces with another, a user can quickly and easily change the yo-yo's shape, look and/or functionality. To remove a rim piece, one first removes a lock ring that is secured to the rim piece and blocks a number of openings that lead to grooves in a center-located hub. Next, one employs a twisting movement of the rim piece to cause a number of tabs attached to the rim piece to slide in the hub's grooves until the tabs are aligned with the openings. The rim piece can then be disengaged from 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 tether secured to a portion of said axle structure;   a center-located hub that forms a portion of said first side portion;   a disk-shaped rim member secured to said hub and forming a rim portion of the side portion, wherein the rim member is secured to the hub by at least one securement tab of said rim member that is received with a peripherally-located groove in said hub whereby said tab is located between two opposing sidewalls of said groove, wherein access to said groove is provided by an opening sized to allow passage of said tab whereby when a user wishes to remove said rim member from said hub, said user can rotate said rim member until said tab is fully located in said opening and can then pass through said opening and thereby cause said rim member to no longer be secured to said hub; and   a lock ring secured to said side portion and positioned whereby a follower tab of said lock ring is received within said opening in a manner whereby said securement tab cannot exit said groove via said opening.   
     
     
         2 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein said rim member includes at least one lock tab that can engage said lock ring in a manner whereby said lock tab secures said lock ring to said rim member. 
     
     
         3 . The yo-yo of  claim 2  wherein said at least one lock tab is offset from said at least one securement tab. 
     
     
         4 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein said lock ring is made of a resilient material. 
     
     
         5 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein said rim member includes a plurality of securement tabs and wherein each of said securement tabs is received within an associated groove in said hub. 
     
     
         6 . The yo-yo of  claim 5  wherein said hub includes a plurality of openings that allows thru-passage of said securement tabs. 
     
     
         7 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein each of said side portions has a tether-facing surface adapted to facilitate engagement with said tether when a user is causing said yo-yo to return to a hand of said user. 
     
     
         8 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said side portions has a movable shuttle member secured to its hub and wherein said shuttle has a surface that faces said tether and may be engaged by said tether when a user is causing the yo-yo to return to a hand of said user. 
     
     
         9 . The yo-yo of  claim 1  wherein a user can change the shape of said first side portion by removing the side portion's rim member and in its place installing a rim member shaped differently than the removed rim member. 
     
     
         10 . The yo-yo of  claim 2  wherein said lock ring has at least 1 slot into which the lock tabs are at least partially received.