CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to and is based on U.S. Patent Application No. 61/701,175, filed Sep. 14, 2012, Attorney Docket No. 0621.1936P, entitled “Toy Vehicle and Launcher,” the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a toy vehicle and launcher, or more specifically, to a toy vehicle with a flywheel motor which may travel in a straight or arcuate pathway. The toy vehicle may travel on its sides, and the disposition of the vehicle may determine the pathway which the vehicle travels. Additionally, the vehicle's flywheel motor may be charged by a launcher which may include at least one charging mechanism.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various toy vehicles, including toy vehicles utilizing flywheel motors, are known. Similarly, toy vehicles which perform stunts, travel along various pathways or turn while driving are also known. Notably, one such toy vehicle that may travel or “drive” on its side is shown in FIGS. 1A-D. However, the prior art toy vehicle shown in FIGS. 1A-D provides limited play features because it can only travel in a single pathway when driving on its side and because it can only be charged by spinning or rotating one of its wheel assemblies, thereby restricting its ability to interact with various chargers and/or launchers.
Referring to FIG. 1A, the prior art vehicle 10 includes a body 100 with a front end 102, back end 104, first side 108, and second side 106. The toy vehicle also includes a front wheel assembly 130 and a rear wheel assembly 150. Each wheel assembly 130, 150 includes a first and second wheel, such that the first wheels of front and rear assembly 130 and 150 are both disposed on the first side 108 of vehicle 10 while the second wheels are both disposed on the second side 106 of vehicle 10. For example, in FIG. 1A first wheels 140 and 160 are both disposed on first side 108.
Now referring to FIG. 1B, but with continued reference to FIG. 1A, each wheel includes a cylindrical portion of a certain width and a conical portion extending therefrom. Thus, wheels 134 and 140, which are included on front wheel assembly 130, each have a width denoted by reference numerals 136 and 142 and a conical projection denoted by reference numerals 132 and 138, respectively. Similarly, wheels 154 and 160 of rear wheel assembly 150 each have a width (or cylindrical length) denoted by reference numerals 156 and 162 and a conical portion denoted by reference numerals 152 and 158, respectively. Notably, since the wheels of the prior art vehicle each include a conical projection 132, 138, 152, 158, the prior art vehicle is able to drive or travel “on its side,” insofar as the vehicle may drive on the exterior surfaces of the conical projections 132, 138, 152, 158 so that only two of wheels 134, 140, 154, and 160 are contacting a support surface when the vehicle is driving.
However, as seen in FIG. 1B, the dimensions of the cylindrical portions 136, 142, 156, and 162 and conical portions 132, 138, 152, and 158 are not dependent on which side of the vehicle that the wheel is disposed on. Instead, wheels 154 and 160 (the wheels included in rear wheel assembly 150) have the same dimensions and wheels 134 and 140 (the wheels included in front wheel assembly 130) have the same dimensions. Thus, the exterior surfaces of conical projections 152 and 158 have the same slope as each other and the exterior surfaces of conical projections 132 and 138 also have the same slope as each other. Consequently, the prior art vehicle will be traveling on the same pattern of exterior surfaces, regardless of which side it is driving on. Thus, placing the car on first side 108 instead of second side 106, or vice versa, will not change the path that the vehicle drives in, thereby limiting the play value of the prior art toy vehicle.
Now referring to FIG. 1B-D, the prior art vehicle is shown in various states of disassembly. As shown in FIG. 1B, the prior art vehicle includes a body 100, chassis 180, rear wheel assembly 150, front wheel assembly 130, and flywheel 126. Chassis 180 also includes an upper section 182 and a lower section 184. As best seen in FIG. 1C, upper chassis section 182 includes gears 124 that are operably coupled to both axle 170 and flywheel 126, such that gears 124 may transfer energy from the flywheel 126 to axle 170 in order to rotate axle 170 and vice versa to charge the flywheel. However, as shown in FIGS. 1C-D, once the gears 124, flywheel 126, and front wheel assembly 130 are installed in the upper section 182, chassis 180 may then be closed with lower section 184, in order to seal the gears 124 and flywheel 126 within the chassis 180. In order to complete the assembly of the prior art vehicle, body 100 is simply fitted atop of chassis 180, as is seen in FIG. 1A, but since the gears 124 and flywheel 126 are sealed within chassis 180, rotational energy may only be transferred to the flywheel 126 by rotating the rear wheel assembly 120 (thereby rotating rear axle 170). Accordingly, the prior art vehicle may only interact with a limited numbers of chargers (those which rotate axle 170), further limiting the play value of the prior art toy vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, a toy vehicle may include a body having a front end, a back end, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side, and a drive mechanism disposed within the body. The toy vehicle may also include a first wheel rotatably coupled to the body on the first side and a second wheel rotatably coupled to the body on the second side. The first wheel may include a first projection extending outwardly therefrom and the second wheel may also include a second projection extending outwardly therefrom. The toy vehicle may travel along a first pathway when riding on the first projection and a second pathway when riding along the second projection, the first pathway being different from the second pathway.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a toy vehicle may include a body having a front, a back, a first side, and a second side and a drive mechanism disposed within the body. The toy vehicle may also include a first set of wheels rotatably coupled to the body on the first side and a second set of wheels rotatably coupled to the body on the second side. Each of the wheels in the first set and second set of wheels may have a portion that is at least partially conical, the conical portions of the second set being different from the conical portions of the first set. Furthermore, at least one wheel of the first set of wheels is operably coupled to the drive mechanism and at least one wheel of the second set of wheels is operably coupled to the drive mechanism and the toy vehicle is configured to drive on only the conical portions of the first set of shaped wheels, only the conical portions of the second set of wheels, or both sets of wheels simultaneously.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a toy vehicle playset may include a toy vehicle includes a toy vehicle and a launcher. The toy vehicle may include a chassis including a first side and a second side and a drive mechanism including a flywheel. The toy vehicle may also include a first wheel assembly including a first wheel and a second wheel and a second wheel assembly, the second wheel assembly including a third wheel and a fourth wheel. The first wheel has a first projection and the second wheel has a second projection, the second projection being larger than the first projection; and the third wheel has the first projection and the fourth wheel has the second projection. The launcher is configured to cause the toy vehicle to drive on its side.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1A-D illustrate various views of a prior art toy vehicle.
FIGS. 2A-E illustrate side, front, rear, bottom, and top perspective views, respectively, of one exemplary embodiment of a toy vehicle according to an embodiment the present invention.
FIGS. 2F-G each illustrate a front view of one of the wheels of the toy vehicle of FIGS. 2A-E.
FIGS. 2H-I illustrates a front view of the toy vehicle of FIGS. 2 A-E, shown driving on a first side and a second side, respectively.
FIGS. 3A-C illustrate views of the components of the toy vehicle of FIGS. 2A-E.
FIG. 4 illustrates various perspective views of another exemplary embodiment of a toy vehicle according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a toy vehicle garage according to an embodiment of the present invention, including at least one charging mechanism.
FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of a another embodiment of the toy vehicle garage according to the present invention;
FIGS. 7A-B illustrate two perspective views of the charging mechanism of FIG. 5.
FIGS. 8A-B illustrate various views of the interior of portions of the toy vehicle garage of FIGS. 5 and 7A-B.
Like reference numerals have been used to identify like elements throughout this disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Throughout this specification, various terms or phrases may be used to describe a toy vehicle traveling or otherwise moving, but these terms are not intended to denote different features or aspects and, thus, may be used interchangeably. Any term describing the movement of the toy vehicle is only intended to mean that the toy vehicle is moving along a surface and implies no further meaning. Thus, the term driving does not necessarily require the toy vehicle to be releasing energy or otherwise powering itself while moving, the toy vehicle could instead be pushed by a user, gliding, or moving in any other desirable manner. Additionally, the toy vehicle may be referred to as driving, traveling or otherwise moving “on its side.” This term should also be loosely defined and may simply mean that the toy vehicle is traveling on less than all of its wheels, and preferably on two of its wheels. Thus, if the toy vehicle is “traveling on a first side,” the toy vehicle may be rolling on only the wheels disposed on the first side while the wheels disposed on the second side may be off the ground at any desirable angle. The term “on its side” does not require the toy vehicle to actually ride, drive or otherwise move on the side of its frame or body.
Generally referring to FIGS. 2A-8B, a toy vehicle and garage in accordance with the present invention are shown. Note that although FIGS. 2A-8B use the same reference numbers used in the description of the prior art toy vehicle of FIGS. 1A-1D, the use of these reference numbers in FIGS. 2A-8B refers solely to the toy vehicle in accordance with the present invention. The toy vehicle may include a body, two sets of wheels and a driving mechanism. The driving mechanism may be a flywheel motor and may, in accordance with methods known in the art, supply driving power to the front wheels, back wheels, or some combination thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the flywheel may only be operably coupled to the rear wheels. Further, they toy vehicle may move in a forward direction while in various dispositions, such as while riding on two or four wheels. The garage may interact with the toy vehicle in various manners. For example, the garage may “charge” the flywheel motor included in a toy vehicle, wherein “charge” simply means supplying energy, such as rotational energy, to the flywheel. The garage may also provide additional play features, such as tracks which may turn the toy vehicle from driving on four wheels to driving on just two of its wheels.
Now referring generally to FIGS. 2A-4, at least one exemplary embodiment of a toy vehicle in accordance with the present invention is shown. As mentioned, the toy vehicle of the present invention includes a drive mechanism which may provide for various types of play. For example, when all four of the toy vehicle's wheels are on the ground, the toy vehicle may, in some exemplary embodiments, drive in a generally straight direction once the rear wheels engage the surface without spinning, such that the toy vehicle may not stray substantially to the left or right. In some exemplary embodiments, the toy vehicle may run approximately forty feet when the flywheel motor is at capacity or, in other words, “fully-revved.” However, when the flywheel is spinning particularly fast, the vehicle may behave in an erratic manner and may randomly deflect off of objects, bounce on the floor, and/or not go straight. This behavior may add to the excitement of the toy vehicle.
With continued general reference to FIGS. 2A-4, the toy vehicle of the present invention may travel on its side. In some embodiments, the toy vehicle may travel in a circular or otherwise arcuate pathway when traveling on a first side and may travel in a substantially straight pathway while traveling on its second side. In other embodiments, the toy vehicle may travel in a first arcuate pathway when driving on a first side and may travel in a second, different, arcuate pathway when driving on its second side, such as circle of different radii. Further, in some embodiments, the gyro effect of the flywheel may allow the toy vehicle to balance, for at least a brief period of time, on certain parts of the toy vehicle's body, such as the front bumper, when the flywheel is spinning quickly.
Still referring generally to FIGS. 2A-4, toy vehicle 10 may include a body 100. Body 100 may have a front end 102, a back end 104, a first side 106 and a second side 108. Body 100 may be mounted on chassis 180 once any internal components are mounted within the car, such that body 100 and chassis 180 may form the exterior of vehicle 10 and at least partially enclose any internal components of toy vehicle 10, such as drive mechanism 120.
Now referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, in one exemplary embodiment, first and second sides 106 and 108 may each include wheel wells 107 and 109, respectively. Wheel wells 107 and 109 may each include two arcuate openings of any desirable size. The two openings may be of the same or different dimensions and may substantially encircle any desirable portion of any wheel included in wheel assemblies 130 and 150. Additionally, wheel wells 107 and 109 may, in some embodiments, allow body 100 to extend substantially between, behind, and in front of wheel assemblies 130 and 150 on both sides 106 and 108. In other words, in some exemplary embodiments, and when viewed with all four wheels contacting the ground, body 100 may appear to extend substantially adjacent to the ground.
Now referring to FIGS. 2A-E, in some exemplary embodiments, wheel assemblies 130 and 150 may each include two wheels. Wheel assemblies 130 and 150 may be located in any desirable position and may each be operably coupled to drive mechanism 120, if desired. However, in some exemplary embodiments, only rear assembly 150 may be operably coupled to drive mechanism 120. Each wheel included in wheel assemblies 130 and 150 may be any desirable size and shape which may allow vehicle 10 to operate in accordance with the scope of the present invention. For example, in one embodiment, the wheels included in wheel assemblies 130 and 150 may be cylinders of substantially the same shape.
Referring now to FIG. 2A-E, with particular reference to FIG. 2D, in this exemplary embodiment front wheel assembly 130 includes first wheel 134 and second wheel 140 while rear wheel assembly 150 includes first wheel 154 and second wheel 160. Wheels 134 and 154 are on first side 106 of vehicle 10 and each wheel 134, 154 includes a cylindrical portion 131, 151 that has a width 136 and 156, respectively. Similarly, wheels 140 and 160 are on the second side 108 of vehicle 10 and each wheel 140, 160 includes a cylindrical portion 141, 161 that has a width 142 and 162, respectively. In this embodiment, widths 136, 142, 156 and 162 extend between a proximate end of the cylindrical portions 131, 141, 151, 161, which may be disposed under, in, or closest to vehicle 10, and a distal end of the cylindrical portions 131, 141, 151, 161, such that each cylindrical portions 131, 141, 151, 161 is a solid cylinder. However, in other embodiments, cylindrical portions 131, 141, 151, 161 may be annular, ovular, or shaped as desired, as “cylindrical” is merely used to denote a portion of wheels 134, 140, 154, 160.
Still referring to FIGS. 2A-E, but now with particular attention to FIGS. 2A and 2D, cylindrical portions 131, 141, 151, 161 may be of any desirable size. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2A-D, vehicle 10 includes two unique sets of cylindrical portions. The rear wheel assembly 150 includes identical cylindrical portions 151, 161 and the front wheel assembly 130 includes two identically sized cylindrical portions 131, 141, but the rear cylindrical portions 151, 161 are slightly larger than front cylindrical portions 131, 141. Thus, the vehicle has a sporty, downward sloping appearance, as shown in FIG. 2A.
However, in other embodiments, different sets or groups of cylindrical portions may be used, if desired. For example, cylindrical portions 131, 151 may have substantially similar dimensions while cylindrical portions 141 and 161 may have substantially similar dimensions that differ from the dimensions of cylindrical portions 131, 151. In other embodiments, all of the cylindrical portions 131, 141, 151, 161 may be the same size, such that both the radii and widths 136, 142, 156, and 162 of each wheel are substantially equal. In still other embodiments all of the cylindrical portions 131, 141, 151, 161 may be different shapes and sizes.
Still referring to FIGS. 2A-E, again with particular reference to FIG. 2D, each of the wheels 134, 140, 154, 160 also includes a projection that extends beyond the distal end of the cylindrical portion 131, 141, 151, 161 of each wheel 134, 140, 154, 160, respectively. As shown in FIG. 2B-E, in this embodiment, a projection 132 extends from the distal end of cylindrical portion 131 of wheel 134, a projection 138 extends from the distal end of cylindrical portion 141 of wheel 140, a projection 152 extends from the distal end of cylindrical portion 151 of wheel 154, and a projection 158 extends from the distal end of cylindrical portion 161 of wheel 160. In this embodiment, projections 132, 138, 152 and 158 are each frustoconical projections, shaped from right circular cones whose bases may substantially cover the distal end of wheels 134, 140, 154 and 160. However, in other embodiments, projections 132, 138, 152, and 158, may be each be any desirable shape and size which may allow vehicle 10 to drive in accordance with the scope of this invention.
For example, as mentioned, in other exemplary embodiments cylindrical portions 131, 141, 151, 161 may be annular and, as such, projections 132, 138, 152, 158 may extend through the cylindrical portions 131, 141, 151, 161, respectively, essentially serving as hub caps, instead of extending from the distal ends of the cylindrical portion 131, 141, 151, 161. Additionally, in other exemplary embodiments, projections 132, 138, 152, and 158 may have bases of varying radii, such that each projection covers a different portion of the distal ends of each cylindrical portion. In still other embodiments, projections 132, 138, 152, and 158 may be substantially conical.
Still referring to FIGS. 2A-E, although the vehicle 10 is only shown with one configuration of wheels in FIGS. 2A-E, it is to be understood that any desirable combination of cylindrical portions and projection portions may be used to form the wheel assemblies 130, 150 of vehicle 10. In this particular embodiment, and as seen best in FIGS. 2A and 2D, the toy vehicle 10 is configured so that each of wheels 134, 154, 140, and 160 has a cylindrical portion that is similar to a first wheel and a projection that is similar to a second wheel. In particular, in this exemplary embodiment, the wheels on first side 106 (wheels 134 and 154) include a first projection (projections 132, 152) and the wheels included on second side 108 (wheels 140 and 160) include a second projection (projections 138, 158) that is different from the first projection. However, at the same time, wheel assemblies 130, 150 each include two wheels 134, 140 and 154, 160, respectively, with identical cylindrical portions 131, 141 and 151, 161. Consequently, while the wheels on either first side 106 or second side 108 have the same projection portion, they have different cylindrical portions.
As an example, wheel 134 includes a cylindrical portion 131 that is the same size and shape as the cylindrical portion 141 of wheel 140, but wheel 140 includes a projection 138 that extends further from body 100 than the projection 132 included on wheel 134 extends. Instead, wheel 134 includes a projection 132 that is substantially the same size as projection 152 of wheel 152 (but wheels 134 and 154 include differently sized cylindrical portions 131, 151).
However, it is to be understood that when the cylindrical portions or projections are described as “different” this term is not necessarily intended to mean different in only one dimension and may indicate that there are one or more dimensional differences. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2A-E, the cylindrical portions 131, 141 of the wheels 134, 140 included in the first wheel assembly 130 are not only different from the cylindrical portions 151, 161 of the wheels 154, 160 included in the rear wheel assembly 150 with respect to radius (as seen in FIG. 2A), but also with respect to the width (as seen in FIG. 2D). In particular, the front wheel assembly 130 includes wheels 134, 140 with cylindrical portions 131, 141 whose widths 136, 140 are larger than the widths 156, 162 of the cylindrical portions 151, 161 of the wheels 154, 160 included in rear assembly 150.
Now referring to FIGS. 2D and 2E, although the widths 136, 142 of cylindrical portions 131, 141 (front wheels) may be larger than widths 156, 162 of cylindrical portions 151, 161 (rear wheels), the distal ends of cylindrical portions 131, 141 do not necessarily extend further away from vehicle 10 than the distal ends of cylindrical portions 151, 161. In fact, in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2D, the distal ends of cylindrical portions 131, 141 are both nearly flush with the exterior edge of side 106. In contrast, the distal end of rear cylindrical portion 161 may protrude from the exterior edge of side 108 while the distal end of front cylindrical portion 141 may be flush with the exterior edge of side 108. In other embodiments, the wheels 132, 140, 154 and 160 may be aligned or configured as desired, however, the alignment of wheels 132, 140, 154, and 160 may determine how the projections 132, 138, 152, 158 are aligned with each other.
In particular, and as can be seen best in FIG. 2E, although projections 138 and 158 are substantially similar in shape and size to each other, projection 158 may appear to be larger than projection 138 from a top view. However, at the same time projections 132 and 152 are substantially similar in shape and size to each other (but different in size from projections 138 and 158) and appear the same from a top view. As discussed above, this appearance is merely a result of the distal end of cylindrical portion 161 extending further from frame 100 than the distal end of cylindrical portion 141. However, in other embodiments, projection 158 could simply be larger than projection 138, if desired. Regardless, and as will be discussed in detail below, it is to be understood that both the disposition of the wheels with respect to each other and the frame, and the size of the wheels are some of the relevant design factors (along with the location of the center of gravity of the vehicle), as each of these aspects may determine the pathway that a toy vehicle travels when driving on its side.
Now referring generally to FIG. 2A-4 again, regardless of how wheels 134, 140, 154, 160 are sized and configured, each projection 132, 138, 152, and 158 may be formed integrally with its respective cylindrical portion 131, 141, 151, 161 or formed separately and be subsequently coupled thereto. As an example, in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2A-E the cylindrical portions 131, 141, 151, 161 are simply molded, together with projections 132, 138, 152, and 158 as a solid plastic parts. However, in embodiments where the cylindrical portions 131, 141, 151, 161 are annular, each cylindrical portion 131, 141, 151, 161 may be formed separately and then fit over its respective projection 132, 138, 152, 158. In such embodiments, the cylindrical portions 131, 141, 151, 161 may be annular treads, perhaps formed from rubber or plastic, which may be snapped, welded, glued, or otherwise coupled in any desirable manner around the periphery of projections 132, 138, 152, and 158. In still other embodiments, each wheel 134, 140, 154, 160, or wheel assembly 130, 150 may be formed uniquely, if desired.
Furthermore, in some embodiments, each wheel 134, 140, 154, 160 may be formed with unique properties related to its function in its respective embodiment. For example, in some embodiments, only the rear wheel assembly 150 is operably coupled to drive mechanism 120 and, as such, each rear cylindrical portion 151, 161 may be formed from a soft, grippy material, such as thermoplastic elastomers (TPE). In other embodiments, any desirable wheels may include a traction band over molded onto at least one of the cylindrical portions 131, 141 and projections 152 and 158, respectively. The traction bands may be manufactured from any soft, grippy material, such that, any part or portion of one of wheels 134, 140, 154, 160 that is intended to be grippy may have the soft, grippy material applied thereto. For example the soft, grippy material a may have a hardness durometer of 90. By comparison, if front wheels 134 and 140 are not operably coupled to drive mechanism, they may not be intended to provide traction. As such, wheels 134 and 140 may include cylindrical portions 131, 141 made of the same material as the projections 152, 158, such as a hard plastic, and may simply differ in color from projections 132 and 138, respectively, in order to provide a durable color break. However, in other embodiments, any desirable combination of wheels may be coupled to the drive mechanism 120 and, as such, any wheels may incorporate any of the aforementioned features.
Now referring to FIGS. 2F-G, two exemplary wheels are shown including projections representative of projections 132, 138, 152, 158. While the projections shown in FIG. 2F-G are only shown extending from one version of a cylindrical portion, it is to be understood that these illustrations are representative of all of projections 132, 152, 138, and 158 and can be mounted on any desirable cylindrical portion. As is shown, in this embodiment, projections 132, 152, 138, and 158 are frustonconical projections of varying heights, such that the exterior surfaces 133, 153 and 139, 159 of the two frustoconical projections may have different slopes. For example, in the present embodiment, projections 132 and 152 have a central height which is substantially shorter than that of projections 138 and 158. Thus, as best seen in FIG. 2F, the exterior surface 133, 153 of projections 132 and 152 may extend upwards from the distal end (the side closest to the car body) of wheels 134 and 154 at approximately angle θ. By comparison, and as best seen in FIG. 2G, the exterior surfaces 139, 159 of projections 138 and 158 may extend upwards from the distal end (the side closest to the car body) of wheels 140 and 160 at approximately angle β. In some exemplary embodiments, θ may measure approximately sixty three and one half degrees, while β may measure between approximately forty three and approximately forty five degrees.
Now referring to FIGS. 2H-I, with continued reference to FIG. 2F-G, the inclusion of projections 132, 152, 138, and 158 may allow vehicle 10 to ride on its side. In fact, the inclusion of different sized frustoconical projections on first side 106 and second side 108, may enable vehicle 10 to travel in various pathways depending on which side it is riding on. Most notably, the height of the frustoconical projections may influence the path that vehicle 10 will travel when traveling on either side 106 or 108. Thus, by including frustoconical projections 132 and 152 with an exterior surface sloped upwards at angle θ and frustoconical projections 138 and 158 with an exterior surface sloped upwards at angle β, vehicle 10 may be able to travel in either in a substantially straight or arcuate direction depending upon which side it is traveling upon.
In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2H, since projections 138 and 158 include an exterior surface sloped upwards at angle β, the vehicle 10 is disposed at approximately angle β above the ground when driving on projections 138 and 158. Due to this angle and the disposition of the projections with respect to each other and the frame as well as the inertia of the flywheel motor and the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle, as discussed above with reference to FIGS. 2D and 2E, when vehicle 10 is driving on projections 138 and 158, the toy vehicle will travel in substantially arcuate pathway. For example, when riding on a smooth surface, toy vehicle 10 may traverse approximately two to four circles of approximately one to three feet while riding on projections 138 and 158. In contrast, and as illustrated in FIG. 2I, when vehicle 10 is driving on projections 132 and 152, the vehicle 10 may be disposed at angle θ above the ground and may travel along a straight pathway, once again due to the angle of inclination of vehicle 10 with respect to the support surface and the disposition of the wheels with respect to each other and the frame of the car as well as the inertia of the flywheel motor and the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle. In this position, toy vehicle 10 does not have to travel in any particular direction, but it will follow a substantially straight pathway, perhaps for approximately five feet. Since the toy vehicle 10 will travel along differing types of paths (straight or in circles) dependent upon which side wheels of the vehicle 10 are in contact of the supporting surface it allows the user to purposely select from two different “stunts” using the same toy vehicle, thereby enhancing the play value of the toy.
Now referring generally to FIGS. 3A-C, toy vehicle 10 is shown in various states of assembly or disassembly, such that drive mechanism 120 may be viewed. Drive mechanism 120 includes a gear train 124 that couples at least the rear axle to the flywheel 126, in accordance with methods known in the art, in order to allow the flywheel 126 to power vehicle 10. Thus, flywheel 126 may receive rotational energy or be “revved” by rotating rear wheel assembly 150. For example, the flywheel 126 may be revved by pushing the vehicle forward along a smooth, hard surface, thereby causing the rear wheels (or traction bands wrapped around the wheels) to engage the surface and rotate a rear axle 170. Additionally, the flywheel 126 may be revved by an electrical or mechanical launcher, such as garage 20, which will be discussed in further detail below.
Now referring specifically to FIG. 3A, in this exemplary embodiment, chassis 180 includes a lower section 184 which provides openings and cavities for front wheel assembly 130, rear wheel assembly 150, a gear train 124, and a flywheel 126. In this embodiment, the flywheel 126 is mounted in a fitted opening interiorly of chassis 180. Similarly, at least one gear of gear train 124, such as a bevel gear mounted on axle 170, is located interiorly of chassis 180. However, in other embodiments, flywheel 126, as well as the other parts or portions of vehicle 10, may be mounted in any desirable position in or on chassis 180. However, as seen in FIG. 3A, the drive mechanism 120 also includes an axle mounted gear 122 and lower section 184 is fabricated so that axle mounted gear 122 is disposed exteriorly of chassis 180 and free to rotate with rear axle 170 exteriorly of chassis 180.
Now turning to FIG. 3B, in some embodiments chassis 180 also includes a middle chassis section 183 that may be mounted atop of lower section 184. Then, any desirable components, such as additional parts of drive mechanism 120, may be mounted thereon. For example, various components of gear train 124, which may include a clutch, springs, and various gears, may be mounted on middle section 183. Most notably, in embodiments where the gear train 124 connects the flywheel 126 to the rear wheel assembly 150, gear train 124 may include a clutch, in accordance with methods known in the art, in order to protect the gears from damage during revving up of the flywheel 126 or whenever the vehicle wheels are stopped abruptly. The clutch may disengage the gear train 124 when the axles are rotating in a certain direction or if the vehicle is abruptly stopped or wedged downwards by an obstruction. In other embodiments, gear train 124 may include or incorporate any desirable gears, such as a series of spur and bevel gears. Furthermore, in other embodiments, chassis 180 may be formed without middle chassis section 183 and any additional elements of drive mechanism 120 may be mounted directly onto the lower section 184.
Now referring to FIG. 3C (which shows the vehicle 10 from a front view as opposed to the rear views of FIGS. 3A and 3B) once any desirable components are installed on lower and middle section 184 and 183, respectively, a top chassis section 182 may be coupled to middle section 183 and lower sections 184 in any desirable manner in order to form chassis 180. For example, screws may be used in order to secure sections 182, 183, and 184 together. However, it may be preferable to minimize the number of screws used in order to minimize the weight of vehicle 10. Top section 182 may, once coupled to sections 183 and 184, may substantially enclose a majority of drive mechanism 120 within chassis 180. However, notably, axle mounted gear 122 remains disposed exteriorly of chassis 180 such that it may receive rotational energy from external sources or chargers in order to provide energy to drive mechanism 120.
As shown best in FIG. 2C, once the chassis 180 is completed, the frame 100 may be coupled to chassis 180 in order to further seal drive mechanism 120 and provide an aesthetically pleasing toy vehicle 10. While frame 100 may be of any desirable shape and size, in some exemplary embodiments, frame 100 may leave chassis 180 exposed at rear end 104 and chassis 180 may include latch openings 186 which remain exposed. Latch openings 186 may be engaged by latches or various other securing devices, such as latches 234 included in at least one charging mechanisms 232 of garage 20, as will be further discussed below.
Now referring to FIG. 4, in some exemplary embodiments, frame 100 may be designed to resemble various famous vehicles, characters or other desirable entities. Thus, frame 100 may include various indicia 112, such as pictures, words, numbers, symbols, characters or some combination thereof. Additionally, frame 100 may include additional features, such as a rear spoiler 110. Regardless of additional features or indicia, toy vehicle 10 may still maintain the functionality and structure of the present invention, including drive mechanism 120, front wheel assembly 130 and rear wheel assembly 150.
Now referring to FIGS. 5-7B, a garage 20, or a portion thereof, is shown. Garage 20 includes a housing 200 and track sections 280. Housing 200 includes a top surface 210, bottom surface 230, front wall 244, rear wall 248, a first side 252 disposed between walls 244 and 248, and a second side 254 opposing first side 252. Housing 200 also includes at least one charging mechanism 232 which may interact with vehicle 10. The charging mechanism 232 is configured to charge the flywheel 126 of a toy vehicle and, thus when a vehicle 10 is released from the charging mechanism 232 of garage 20, the flywheel 126 of vehicle 10 may supply power to at least one of wheel assembly 130 and wheel assembly 150, thereby causing vehicle 10 to travel towards, onto, and around track sections 280. Garage 20 may also include secondary play elements, such as a lift, dyno, and air pump, in order provide further entertainment and play value.
Referring to FIG. 5, sides 252 and 254 may, together with walls 244 and 248 and surfaces 210 and 230 form housing 200, which may be an irregular cuboid. However, in other embodiments, housing 200 may be any desirable shape and size. In this embodiment, top surface 210 and bottom surface 230 hang or protrude beyond walls 244 and 248 and sides 252 and 254 such that surfaces 210 and 230 provide additional room for vehicles 10 to rest upon. For example, bottom surface 230 extends beyond front wall 244 in order to provide a surface that at least one charging mechanism 232 may be disposed on. Similarly, top surface extends beyond sides 254 and 252 as well as walls 244 and 248 to provide a “roof” or covering for bottom surface 230. Top surface 210 may also be substantially flat and may have a rim 224 extending around its periphery, such that top surface 210 may also serve as a storage area for any desirable number of vehicles 10. Further, top surface 210 may include an opening 211 configured to receive plunger 212.
Still referring to FIG. 5, and with reference to FIGS. 6A-C, top surface 210 may support plunger 212. Plunger 212 may include a handle 216 and an elongate member 214. Elongate member 214 may be extensible, expandable, or otherwise movable, and may extend through opening 211, such that plunger 212 may extend into the interior of housing 200 and may slidably engage top surface 210. As will be discussed in further detail, plunger 212 may allow a user to rev a vehicle 10 through the at least one charging mechanism 232.
Additionally, and with continued reference to FIG. 5, housing 200 may be coupled to or formed integrally with track sections 280, such that track sections 280 have a proximate end adjacent to bottom surface 230. In some embodiments, track 280 may be hingedly coupled to housing 200 such that it may fold upon housing 200, perhaps for storage. Such a connection may also allow a user to change the incline of tracks 280, such that tracks 280 may slope upwardly or downwardly away from housing 200 in order to increase the play value of garage 20. As will be described in more detail below, in this embodiment, tracks 280 includes two track portions and each track portion includes a bank curved, which may cause a toy vehicle driving thereon to switch from driving on four wheels to driving on its side (on two wheels).
Now referring to FIG. 6, another exemplary embodiment of a garage 20 is shown. As shown in this embodiment, garage 20 may support any desirable number of toy vehicles 10 and, in particular, track 280 may include a first track 282 and a second track 288 which may each receive at least one toy vehicle 10, as mentioned above. In order to delineate the two tracks, housing 200 may include an extension 222, which may extend between surfaces 210 and 230 and may substantially align with a division between first track 282 and second track 288. Each track 282 and 288 may include multiple track sections, which may be integrally or separately formed.
For example, in this embodiment, first track 282 includes a straight section 284 and a curved section 286 while second track 288 also includes a straight track section 290 and a curved section 292. In this embodiment, the straight sections 284 and 290 are substantially similar except that section 290 is slightly longer and the curved sections 286 and 292 are identical and each include a banked curve that will urge a vehicle 10 to depart the curved sections 286 or 292 on its side. However, in other embodiments, each section may be of any desirable size and shape provided it may support or guide a toy vehicle 10 along a desired pathway. For example, in other embodiments, curved sections 286 and 292 may curve in any desirable direction and may include a bank of any desirable angle.
Still referring to FIG. 6, garage 20 may include various indicia, play features, and speakers 220 to increase the play value of garage 20. For example, in this embodiment, front wall 244 includes indicia which may make housing 200 appear to be a garage and the housing 200 includes a toy air pump 255, a lift 242, and a dyno (not shown). Each of the play features may be interactive to any desirable extent, but in the present embodiment, the play features (toy air pump 255, lift 242, and dyno) are not truly operable and, instead, simply include indicia relating to that play element and actuate audio output when they are played with. For example, the dyno may include indicia resembling a tachometer or speedometer and may cause speaker 220 to produce revving sounds when the dyno is actuated. Similarly, when an air pump 255 is actuated, speaker 220 may emit audio output associated with an air pump. Each play feature may be actuated, and audio output may be subsequently emitted, in any desirable manner.
Still referring to FIG. 6, in addition to providing storage and play space, the top surface 210 of housing 200 also includes a release button 218. As will be discussed in further detail, release button 218 may, upon actuation, cause at least one charging mechanism 232 to release a toy vehicle 10 so that it may travel on tracks 280. In this embodiment, release button 218 is shaped as an arrow pointing in the direction the toy vehicles 10 will be released (see FIGS. 7A-B), but in other embodiments, release button 218 may be any desirable shape or size. By shaping release button 218 as an arrow, release button 218 may provide an indication of its function and, thus, may increase the play value of garage 20.
Now referring to FIGS. 7A-B, at least one charging mechanism 232 is shown from a perspective view. As is shown, in this embodiment, the at least one charging mechanism 232 is disposed on bottom surface 230 such that a vehicle 10 may, once released from the charging mechanism 232, travel from a position atop at least one charging mechanism 232 onto tracks 280. However, in other embodiments, the at least one charging mechanism may be disposed in any desirable location, such as on front wall 244. Regardless, the at least one charging mechanism 232 is configured to receive a toy vehicle 10 and may releasably secure a toy vehicle 10 placed thereon while energy is transferred to flywheel motor 126.
Referring specifically to FIG. 7A, in this embodiment, the at least one charging mechanism 232 includes a charging gear 236 and latches 234 housed within latch housings 235. In this embodiment, charging gear 236 and latches 234 are both disposed substantially beneath bottom surface 230, with only a portion of each protruding above surface. In contrast, latch housings 235 are primarily disposed atop of bottom surface 230, such that latch housings 235 may receive any portion of latches 234 which protrudes above surface 230. In other embodiments, charging gear 236 may be disposed as desired, provided that gear 236 is in a position in which it may interact with vehicle 10. Similarly, latches 234 and latch housings 235 may be disposed in any desirable position which allows the latches 234 to interact with toy vehicle 10.
Now referring to FIG. 7B, charging mechanism 232 is shown with a vehicle 10 disposed thereon. Generally, charging mechanism 232 may removably couple a toy vehicle 10 to housing 200 so that rotational energy may be delivered to flywheel 126 without the car moving. More specifically, once a vehicle 10 is placed in position over charging mechanism 232, at least one charging gear 236 may engage axle mounted gear 122 while latches 234 may engage latch openings 186 (see FIG. 2C). In particular, latch openings 186 allow a portion of vehicle 10 to slide into latch housings 235 where latches 234 may secure vehicle 10 in place, in accordance with methods known in the art. Once vehicle 10 is secured in place, charging gear 236 may rotate axle mounted gear 122, thereby imparting rotational energy to flywheel 126 via rear wheel assembly 150 without the vehicle 10 moving. Consequently, any energy transferred to flywheel 126 may be stored until the latches 234 are released. Upon release of the latches, any energy imparted to the flywheel 126 may be released and cause the vehicle 10 to launch out of the garage 20.
Now referring to FIGS. 8A-8B, the plunger 212 and at least a portion of the charging mechanism 232 are shown without housing 200 in order to demonstrate the interplay between these features. Notably, a substantial portion of these features are disposed interiorly of housing 200 in many embodiments, but, as mentioned, a few of these features are intended for user interaction and, thus, extend exteriorly of housing 200. Accordingly, housing 200 may include the appropriate openings or apertures where desired. Additionally, although the latches 234 have been referred to as part of the charging mechanism 232 it is to be understood that in some embodiments, the latches 234 may function separately from the actual charging gears 236, as is described below in more detail.
Referring now to FIG. 8A specifically, in this embodiment, plunger 212 is operably configured to allow a user to move plunger 212 vertically in order to actuate charging mechanism 232. More specifically, the plunger 212 includes an elongate member 214 that extends through and into housing 200 (see FIG. 5), and elongate member 214 includes a rack 215 disposed interiorly of housing 200. Rack 215 may, in turn, be operatively coupled to a series of gears 238 that are configured to deliver rotational movement to charging gear 236 in response to a vertical movement of plunger 212.
In this particular embodiment, a single vertical movement of the plunger 212 results in the rotation of two charging gears 236, however, it is to be understood that in other embodiments, vertical movement of the plunger may rotate any desirable number of charging gears 236. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the two charging gears 236 are each associated with a separate track (i.e. tracks 282 and 290 of FIGS. 6A-C), but in other embodiments these two charging gears 236 may be associated with any desirable number of tracks. For example, both charging gears 236 could be associated with a single track, such that a car with two axle gears 122 (perhaps one on either side) could have both axle gears 122 engaged at once. In still other embodiments, housing 200 may include multiple plungers 212, and each plunger 212 could rotate any charging mechanisms 232 associated with a particular track, such that different plungers 212 separately charge different vehicles 10 on different tracks.
Regardless of the number of charging gears 236, in some embodiments, it may be desirable to only rotate the charging gears 236 in a single direction. Accordingly, in some embodiments, gears 238 may include a clutch or other similar component or feature, such that the gears 238 only rotate the charging gear 236 when plunger 212 is pushed downwards. Consequently, that charging mechanism 236 in these embodiments is only rotated in one direction (i.e. counter-clockwise). However, in embodiments, such as embodiments like the present embodiment where the toy vehicle 10 includes a clutch to ensure that gears 124 (see FIGS. 3A-C) can only be rotated in one direction, gears 238 may not include a clutch or similar mechanism in gears 238, as it would not be necessary. Furthermore, in some embodiments plunger 212 may contain an internal biasing member, such as a spring (not shown), so that the plunger 212 is biased to remain in an upwards position. This may be particularly useful in embodiments where the plunger 212 only rotates the charging gears 236 when moving in a downwards direction. The biasing member could be a simple compression spring mounted internally in elongate member 214.
Now turning to FIG. 8B, the plunger 212 and charging assembly 232 are shown from a side perspective, with some further elements, such as release button 218, also included. As mentioned, although the features of the latches 234 and charging mechanism 232 seem to be intertwined, in some embodiments, such as the present embodiment, latches 234 may function independently from charging gears 236. In this embodiment, latches 234 are simply coupled to the release button 218 and, as such, the latches 234 are actuated when the release button 218 is actuated. As shown in FIG. 8B, actuation of release button 218 causes the release button (including the support which it is mounted to or formed on) to move generally in direction λ. Since the latches 234 are coupled to the release button 218 via two central posts, motion of the release button in direction λ may cause latches 234 to move in a similar path, which is generally denoted by directional arrow ψ. However, in other embodiments, actuation of release button 218 may cause the latches 232 to pivot about a central axis while still causing the front end of latches 234 (including the hook portions) to move generally in accordance with directional arrow ψ.
Still referring to FIG. 8B, when at least the front end of latches 234 (including the hook portions) moves generally in accordance with directional arrow ψ, any toy vehicle secured on latches 234 may be released. Consequently, if the toy vehicle 10's flywheel 126 is charged, upon actuation of the release button 218, the toy vehicle 10 will be drive out of the garage 20 and onto the tracks 280, giving the appearance that it was launched from the garage 20. Once the toy vehicle 10 leaves the garage 20, the user may take his or her hand off of release button 218 and a compression spring 219, may urge the release button 218 back to its original position outside of housing 200. Similarly, although not shown, another spring may be included beneath latches 234, in order to urge latches 234 back to their original position subsequent to actuation of the release button 218.
It is to be understood that terms such as “left,” “right,” “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “rear,” “side,” “height,” “length,” “width,” “upper,” “lower,” “interior,” “exterior,” “inner,” “outer” and the like as may be used herein, merely describe points or portions of reference and do not limit the present invention to any particular orientation or configuration. Further, terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., merely identify one of a number of portions, components and/or points of reference as may be described herein, and do not limit the present invention to any particular configuration or orientation. Similarly, the term “exemplary” is used herein to describe an example or illustration. Any embodiment described herein as exemplary is not to be construed as a preferred or advantageous embodiment, but rather as one example or illustration of a possible embodiment of the invention.
Although the disclosed inventions are illustrated and described herein as embodied in one or more specific examples, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the inventions and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. In addition, various features from one of the embodiments may be incorporated into another of the embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the disclosure as set forth in the following claims.
