Toy spinning tops and launching devices

Abstract

A toy spinning top includes a main body having an upper portion and a lower portion and a vertical axis. A spinning tip extends from a lower portion of the main body. The upper portion has a two-dimensional shape having at least one corner point and the lower portion has the two-dimensional shape rotationally shifted about the vertical axis to form a helical groove. The groove is engaged with a die having a corresponding helical groove. Force applied to the main body along the vertical axis forces the main body through the die and imparts rotation to launch the main body spinning from the die.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toy spinning top comprising:
 a main body comprising an upper portion and a lower portion and a vertical axis; and   a spinning tip extending from a lower portion of the main body,   wherein the upper portion comprises a two-dimensional shape having at least one corner point and the lower portion comprises the two-dimensional shape rotationally shifted about the vertical axis.   
     
     
         2 . The toy spinning top of  claim 1 , wherein the two-dimensional shape is selected from a group consisting of square, pentagon, hexagon, flower, star and triangle. 
     
     
         3 . The toy spinning top of  claim 1 , wherein the main body comprises at least one helical thread extending from the corner point of the upper portion to the lower portion. 
     
     
         4 . The toy spinning top of  claim 3 , wherein a number of helical threads depends on a number of corner points on the two-dimensional shape. 
     
     
         5 . The toy spinning top of  claim 3 , wherein the two-dimensional shape of the lower portion is rotationally shifted about the vertical axis such that the main body is symmetrical about the vertical axis. 
     
     
         6 . The toy spinning top of  claim 5 , wherein the two-dimensional shape of the lower portion is rotationally shifted about the vertical axis in a multiple of 180 degrees 
     
     
         7 . A toy spinning top and launch system comprising:
 a spinning top comprising,
 main body comprising an upper portion and a lower portion and a vertical axis, and 
 a spinning tip extending from a lower portion of the main body, 
 wherein the upper portion comprises a two-dimensional shape having at least one corner point and the lower portion comprises the two-dimensional shape rotationally shifted about the vertical axis and wherein the main body comprises at least one helical thread extending from the corner point of the upper portion to the lower portion; and 
   a launch die comprising,
 a block of material having a hole extending therethrough and including at least one helical thread corresponding to and for receiving the at least one helical thread extending from the upper portion to the lower portion of the main body of the spinning top. 
   
     
     
         8 . The toy spinning top and launch system of  claim 7 , wherein the two-dimensional shape is selected from a group consisting of square, pentagon, hexagon, flower, star and triangle. 
     
     
         9 . The toy spinning top and launch system of  claim 8 , wherein a number of helical threads depends on the number of corner points on the two-dimensional shape. 
     
     
         10 . The toy spinning top and launch system of  claim 7 , further comprising a catch ring provided below the launch die for holding the spinning top in the launch die prior to launch. 
     
     
         11 . A toy spinning top bench comprising:
 a plurality of spinning tops each comprising,
 a main body comprising an upper portion and a lower portion and a vertical axis, and 
 a spinning tip extending from a lower portion of the main body, 
 wherein the upper portion comprises a two-dimensional shape having at least one corner point and the lower portion comprises the two-dimensional shape rotationally shifted about the vertical axis and wherein the main body comprises at least one helical thread extending from the upper portion to the lower portion; and 
   a bench comprising,
 a plurality of launch dies each having a hole extending therethrough and including at least one helical thread formed along an inside surface of the hole, the at least one helical thread corresponding to and for receiving the at least one helical thread extending from the upper portion to the lower portion of the main body of the spinning top. 
   
     
     
         12 . The toy spinning top bench of  claim 11 , wherein the two-dimensional shape is selected from a group consisting of square, pentagon, hexagon, flower, star and triangle. 
     
     
         13 . The toy spinning top bench of  claim 12 , wherein a number of helical threads depends on a number of corner points on the two-dimensional shape. 
     
     
         14 . The toy spinning top bench of  claim 11 , further comprising a catch ring provided below each of the plurality of launch dies for holding the spinning top in the launch die prior to launch. 
     
     
         15 . The toy spinning top bench of  claim 14 , wherein the catch ring comprises at least one flexible wing extending therefrom for holding the spinning top in the launch die prior to launch. 
     
     
         16 . The toy spinning top bench of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of spinning tops corresponds to one of the plurality of launch dies. 
     
     
         17 . The toy spinning top bench of  claim 16 , wherein each spinning top has a different shape. 
     
     
         18 . The toy spinning top bench of  claim 17 , wherein each launch die has a shape corresponding to one of the differently shaped spinning tops. 
     
     
         19 . The toy spinning top bench of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of spinning tops and the plurality of launch dies are correspondingly color coded. 
     
     
         20 . The toy spinning top bench of  claim 11 , further comprising a plunger for pushing the spinning tops through the launch dies.