Toy Vehicle with Pivoting Action
A pivoting mechanism for a vehicle such as a radio control toy vehicle includes a rotating element loosely mounted on a wheel axle and extending slightly beyond the wheel radius. When the vehicle moves forward, the rotating element rotates up out of the way and does not create substantial friction with the ground. When the vehicle moves in reverse, the rotating element catches the ground, which causes the rotating element to kick up underneath the vehicle into a generally downward position, thus raising the vehicle up onto the rotating element rather its associated wheel, which causes the vehicle to turn sharply about the rotating element. A stop prevents the rotating element from rotating past its vertically downward position. When the vehicle moves forward again, the rotating element automatically rotates up again out of the way so that the vehicle drives forward in a substantially straight line.
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This application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/844,502 filed Sep. 13, 2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of toy vehicles. More particularly, this invention relates to the field of a toy vehicle with pivoting action.
2. Description of Related Art
Remotely controlled (RC) toy vehicles provide amusement for children and adults alike. Such toys usually includes the vehicle itself and a hand held controller/transmitter that transmits commands to the vehicle. Those commands sent to the unit usually include commands to drive forward and to drive in reverse, a steering command for causing the vehicle to turn to the left or to the right, and possibly other commands for speed control or for activating special features on the vehicle. The steering control on the hand held transmitter often includes a steering wheel type device, with the steering direction and the amount by which the vehicle's wheels turn being controlled by whether the user turns the steering wheel to the left or to the right, and by how far.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a mechanism for turning a toy vehicle such as a battery operated RC vehicle which is simple in both its construction and in its operation. The invention is particularly well suited for use in RC toy vehicles for very young children, for whom the controls should be very simple. According to the invention a simple pivoting mechanism allows the vehicle to move in one direction such as a forward direction, and to automatically perform a turn when moving in the opposite direction. In a preferred embodiment, the vehicle moves forward in a substantially straight line, and when placed in reverse the vehicle automatically pivots, thus turning the vehicle. In this way the RC transmitter unit can have simply forward and reverse drive commands, but does not need to include a separate steering command.
According to a preferred embodiment, depending upon the direction of vehicle motion, a mechanism with a contact member engages or disengages the surface over which the vehicle travels, creating a pivot point about which the vehicle rotates. The mechanism includes a rotating element loosely fixed to the body of the vehicle about one of the wheel axles next to the wheel. When the element rotates and engages the travel surface, it generates sufficiently high friction to pivot and turn the vehicle. This allows the vehicle to change directions without requiring the angle of the wheels relative to the vehicle body to change.
When moving in one direction, preferably the forward direction, the element rotates freely on the axle into a first position. In this position the element freely either rotates out of the way, or lightly contacts the travel surface without creating substantial friction. When moving in the opposite direction, the element rotates toward a second position herein referred to also as an engagement position. In this position, the element contacts the travel surface and generates a substantial amount of friction, much more relative to the first position.
The second position is determined by the presence and location of a fixed stop. The element rotates up to and against the fixed stop, which limits maximum rotation by its presence and location. The size, shape and location of the element will depend upon vehicle requirements and design factors. In a first embodiment the element is radial in shape, or generally pie-shaped, and having a rounded outer peripheral surface. When co-axially mounted, such element will have a radius slightly greater than the adjacent wheel and the contact surface of the element extends beyond the outer perimeter surface of the wheel. When rotated into and out of this second or engagement position, the contact surface of the element is rotated into and out of substantial frictional contact with the travel surface when the vehicle is moving. In the second position, the friction created causes a change in vehicle velocity. In addition, it causes a change in vehicle motion by creating a point of contact about which the vehicle turns. When in the second position, the outer perimeter contact surface of the wheel is lifted away from the travel surface.
The present invention provides a turning mechanism for a toy remotely controlled vehicle that is extremely simple and inexpensive to incorporate. It also provides a novel and amusing turning mechanism that presents unique challenges to users, such as the challenge of navigating the toy vehicle through a defined course using only the forward drive command and the reverse/turn command
Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be further described below with reference to the drawings.
Wheel 12 is depicted as a rim with a tire but could be any type of wheel. Wheel 12 has an outer peripheral surface 13 that contacts the travel surface. Rotating element 20 may be mounted on axle 26 with only an insubstantial amount of friction, which means the element rotates substantially freely about the axle. Axle rotation alone would not create sufficient friction by itself to consistently rotate the element about the axle. Alternatively, rotating element 20 may be mounted on axle 26 with enough friction that when vehicle 10 travels in the forward direction, rotating element 20 rotates up and off the travel surface as will be shown and explained further with reference to
In this embodiment, rotating element 20 rotates with the wheel associated about the wheel axle with sufficient friction such that rotating element 20 rotates about the axle for at least a portion of a revolution, until it bumps against first stop 22 in a first direction or against second stop 24 in a second direction.
Depending on design, the pivoting mechanism need not be located strictly adjacent to a wheel in order to perform and function.
The scope of the design function of this mechanism is not necessarily limited to only the embodiments described herein, but may be applied to other designs as well. For example, an embodiment of similar design may control rotation of a wheel such that it becomes a point of contact with the travel surface about which the vehicle turns. That is, the wheel automatically locks in the reverse direction, and spins freely in the forward direction. The wheel itself therefore would serve the same function as the rotating element. As another example, the design of the body may integrate the stop into it in such a fashion that the stop and its function may not be recognized as a separate entity. In additional embodiments, the rotating element may limit maximum rotation by use of matched parts and shapes, or possibly by simple detents in the body, or by locating the stop on the rotating element itself.
The term “present invention” used herein should not be construed to refer to a single invention comprised of a single or multiple elements. As used herein the term encompasses a number of distinct embodiments of the same invention. Although the present invention has thus been described in detail with regard to the suggested embodiments and drawings thereof, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various adaptations and modifications of the present invention may be accomplished without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention. Examples of this were detailed in the Summary above. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the detailed description and the accompanying drawings as set forth herein and above are not intended to limit the breadth of the present invention, which should be inferred only from the following claims and their appropriately construed legal equivalents.
Claims
1. A mobile toy vehicle with a pivoting apparatus adapted to move over a travel surface, the vehicle comprising:
- a body;
- a plurality of wheels rotatably attached to the body;
- a rotating element, mounted on an axle of at least one of said wheels, separate from said wheels and not biased toward any rotational position;
- wherein said rotating element is adapted to rotate from a first position to a second and engagement position in which it contacts the travel surface with sufficient friction to induce a change in vehicle motion.
2. The mobile toy vehicle of claim 1 further comprising:
- at least one fixed stop;
- wherein said rotating element, when rotated toward said engagement position, is limited to a maximum rotation by the presence and location of said stop.
3. The mobile toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein said rotating element has an insubstantial amount of frictional contact with said axle such that the rotating element, when in the first position, rotates freely on the axle to contact the travel surface.
4. The mobile toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein said rotating element has sufficient frictional contact with said axle such that the rotating element rotates with the wheel associated with said axle about the axle for at least a portion of a revolution.
5. The mobile toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein:
- said one of said wheels has an outer perimeter surface which contacts said travel surface; and
- said rotating element has a rounded contact surface which extends beyond the outer perimeter surface of the wheel and contacts the travel surface when rotated into said engagement position.
6. The mobile toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein said rotating element is radial in shape, having a radius between 1% and 10% greater than a radius of said one of said wheels.
7. The mobile toy vehicle of claim 1, in combination with a remote control transmitter for controlling operation of the vehicle, the transmitter having no control for controlling direction of the vehicle other than a forward control and a backward control.
8. A vehicle adapted to move over a travel surface, the vehicle having an apparatus for turning the vehicle comprising:
- a contact member which rotates about an axle of said vehicle, the contact member not biased toward any rotational position thereabout;
- wherein rotation of said contact device into and out of substantial frictional contact with said travel surface is controlled by direction of motion of said vehicle.
9. The vehicle of claim 8 wherein the contact member is rotated into substantial frictional contact with the travel surface when the vehicle is moving forward.
10. The vehicle of claim 8 wherein the contact member is rotated into substantial frictional contact with the travel surface when the vehicle is moving backward.
11. A vehicle adapted to move over a travel surface, the vehicle having an apparatus for turning the vehicle comprising:
- a frictional device loosely and rotatably mounted to the vehicle, the frictional device having a first position which creates a point of sufficiently high friction with the contact travel surface to turn the vehicle and a second position which creates a point of friction with the travel surface lower than the first position; and
- means for rotating said frictional device such that, when the frictional device is rotated into the first position, the vehicle turns about the point of sufficiently high friction between the vehicle and the travel surface;
- wherein rotation of the frictional device is controlled by direction of motion of the vehicle.
12. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein said frictional device is loosely and rotatably mounted to the vehicle about an axle.
13. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein said frictional device, when rotated into the first position, contacts the travel surface, creating the point of contact and sufficiently high friction about which the vehicle turns.
14. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein said frictional device, when rotated into the first position, causes a wheel of the vehicle to be the point of contact and sufficiently high friction with the travel surface about which the vehicle turns.
15. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein rotation of the frictional device between said first and second positions is the only means of directional control.
16. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the frictional device is rotated into the first position of sufficiently high friction with the travel surface when the vehicle is moving backward.
17. The vehicle of claim 11 further comprising at least one fixed stop, wherein said frictional device, when rotated into said first position, is limited to a maximum rotation by the presence and location of said fixed stop.
18. A radio control toy vehicle comprising:
- a vehicle body and a plurality of wheels for contacting the ground over which the vehicle travels;
- means for causing a frictional element to automatically contact the ground on one side of the vehicle when the vehicle moves in a reverse direction, the frictional element contacting the ground with sufficient friction to cause the vehicle to turn; and
- means for automatically causing the frictional element to substantially cease frictional contact with the ground when the vehicle moves in a forward direction, thus allowing the vehicle to move forward in a substantially straight line.
19. The radio control toy vehicle of claim 18 wherein:
- said frictional element is rotatably and coaxially mounted with one of said vehicle wheels, said frictional element having a radius slightly greater than a radius of said one of said wheels; and
- said vehicle has a detent which prevents rotation of said frictional element significantly past a vertical position when said vehicle travels in reverse.
20. The radio control toy vehicle of claim 19 wherein said frictional element is a generally pie-shaped piece mounted inside of said one of said wheels relative to the vehicle body.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 6, 2007
Publication Date: Mar 13, 2008
Applicant: MGA Entertainment, Inc. (Van Nuys, CA)
Inventor: Brady Lang (North Hollywood, CA)
Application Number: 11/850,731
International Classification: A63H 17/36 (20060101); A63H 17/39 (20060101); A63H 30/00 (20060101);