Magnetic spinner
View Patent ↗A spinner anchors to a variety of magnetic and non-magnetic surfaces. The spinner includes a base, a spinner arm rotatably coupled to the base, and an indicator coupled to the spinner arm. The base of the spinner is shaped to receive a coupling member, such as a cylindrical magnet, configured to anchor the spinner to a plurality of surfaces regardless of their orientation and maintain its location relative to the support surface while the spinner arm and indicator rotate.
1. A spinner couplable to a support surface, the spinner comprising:
a base defining a central axis;
a spinner arm coupled to and rotatable with respect to the base about the central axis; and
a coupling member to removably couple the base to the support surface, the coupling member sufficient to maintain the location of the base on the support surface regardless of the orientation of the central axis or the rotation of the spinner arm;
wherein the spinner arm further includes an indicator coupled thereto; and
wherein the indicator defines a center of mass, and the center of mass is substantially co-axial with the central axis.
2. The spinner of claim 1 , wherein the coupling member is a magnet.
3. The spinner of claim 1 , wherein the spinner arm is coupled to the base by a fastener.
4. The spinner of claim 1 , wherein the indicator includes pointing indicia and an image printed thereupon.
5. The spinner of claim 1 , wherein the spinner arm further includes one or more alignment pins and the indicator includes one or more alignment recesses each corresponding to a respective alignment pin.
6. The spinner of claim 1 , wherein the coupling member has a first length and the base has a recess in which the coupling member is received, the recess having a second length which is less than the first length.
7. A spinner couplable to a support surface, the spinner comprising:
a base defining a central axis;
a coupling member to removably couple the base and the support surface;
a spinner arm coupled to and rotatable with respect to the base about the central axis, the spinner arm including a first alignment mechanism; and
an indicator couplable to the spinner arm and defining a center of mass, the indicator including a second alignment mechanism engageable with the first alignment mechanism to position the indicator on the spinner arm such that the center of mass of the indicator when coupled to the spinner arm is substantially co-axial with the central axis.
8. The spinner of claim 7 , wherein the indicator includes pointing indicia.
9. The spinner of claim 7 , wherein the coupling member is a magnet.
10. The spinner of claim 7 , wherein the first alignment mechanism includes one or more alignment pins and the second alignment mechanism includes one or more alignment recesses.
11. The spinner of claim 7 wherein the base has first and second recesses, and wherein the coupling member fits within the recesses.
12. A spinner couplable to a support surface, the spinner comprising:
a base defining a central axis;
a spinner arm coupled to and rotatable with respect to the base about the central axis;
a coupling member to removably couple the base to the support surface, the coupling member sufficient to maintain the location of the base on the support surface regardless of the orientation of the central axis; and
an indicator couplable to the spinner arm and defining a center of mass, the indicator coupled to the spinner arm such that the center of mass is substantially co-axial with the central axis.
13. The spinner of claim 12 , wherein the coupling member is a magnet.
14. The spinner of claim 12 , wherein the spinner arm includes a first alignment mechanism and the indicator includes second alignment mechanism engageable with the first alignment mechanism.
15. The spinner of claim 12 , wherein the spinner arm is coupled to the base by a fastener.
16. The spinner arm of claim 12 , wherein the indicator has two opposing image-bearing surfaces.
17. The spinner arm of claim 12 , wherein the spinner arm has a first length and the indicator has a second length equal to or greater than the first length.