Top Launcher

What is it? How is it used?

The Top Launcher is a simple toy that will spin a top. The top is placed into the launcher and is turned to wind the toy up. A button is then pressed, and the top drops down and begins spinning.

Physical Principles:

The top itself makes the child aware of ideas such as angular momentum, gravity, and gyroscopic forces. Differently shaped tops react differently because of these physical principles. The launcher also helps to give children a basic understanding of conservation of energy; the work they do on the top originally is stored as potential energy until released in the form of rotational kinetic energy.

Cost:

The cost of the Top Launcher can remain low due to its fairly simple design. The launcher would be made out of plastic. Inside there would be a ratchet mechanism that would allow the top to wind up, and then stay in this state. The top will be released when the button is pressed, both physically letting the top detach from the launcher and releasing the energy within a leaf spring inside the launcher.

Safety:

The toy will come with a variety of tops, all of which can be made mostly with plastic. The tip would be made with metal, to improve durability after many spins, and some tops would have a metal weight placed around the edge of the top. The simplicity of the tops will make them cheap to produce and safe for children.

The intended age for this product is for children 4 and up. The tops would be made light and durable, reducing the chance of injury if the top is thrown. The tips of the tops are also kept dull, further improving safety.