Abstract: In one aspect, there is provided a toy vehicle that includes a vehicle body, at least one motor and a plurality of wheels. The at least one motor is mounted to the vehicle body, and is sized to have a selected amount of torque. The plurality of wheels includes at least one driven wheel which includes at least one flip-over wheel which has an axis closer to one end of the vehicle than the other end. In an upright orientation the vehicle body extends above the plurality of wheels. The toy vehicle has a centre of gravity that is positioned, such that, application of torque from the at least one motor causes the vehicle body to drive rotation of the vehicle body about the axis of rotation from an inverted orientation over to the upright orientation.

Abstract: A method for transforming track representations associated with a spatial position and movement of objects or features observed in an external environment surrounding a vehicle from a vehicle-centric spatial frame of reference, such as associated with a vehicle body or centerline, into a common vehicle movement spatial frame of reference such as may be associated with a vehicle thrust line or vehicle thrust angle.

Abstract: A system including an aerial vehicle having an airframe and a power source onboard the aerial vehicle, wherein the aerial vehicle includes a landing gear structure having a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, and a charging station having a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, wherein the aerial vehicle is programmed to dock with the charging station when the power source is in need of recharging, the docking being a mechanical engagement between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact of the aerial vehicle with the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact of the charging station is provided. A method for continuous surveillance utilizing the aerial vehicles and charging stations is also provided.

Abstract: A tram has a lead vehicle and one or more trailing vehicles coupled to it. Each vehicle has sets of front and rear wheels, both sets being steerable independently of the other. A manual controller provides signals to a processor in the lead vehicle, which in turn steers the front and rear wheels along a desired path. A processor on the first trailing vehicle controls front and rear servos to steer its wheels according to the path of the rear wheels of the leading vehicle. The second trailing vehicle has a processor that steers its front and rear wheels according to information provided by the first leading vehicle. Steering sensors on the vehicles sense distance to a steering rail while the vehicles are on a guideway and provide signals to the processors for automatic steering. While on a guideway, the tram uses power collectors to transfer power from the guideway.

Abstract: An improved track and vehicle system are provided for model electric vehicles. The track system includes a number of interconnectable panels having alternate portions of negative and positive polarity conductor strips defined on a top surface thereof. The conductive strips are separated by non-conductive portions. Each of the panels includes electrical and mechanical interlocking devices carried on each side thereof so that any one panel can have additional panels connected on each of its sides. The vehicles include a unique arrangement of contacts carried on a linkage underneath of the vehicle to ensure that the vehicle remains at all times in contact with the conductors, regardless of the direction of movement of the vehicle from the surface of the panels.

Abstract: A lightweight, remote-controlled, self-propelled equipment support and transport system is stabilized against unwanted angular deviation in each of three perpendicular axes and adapted for motion at high speed along a simple tubular monorail. The system can be quickly and efficiently ground-mounted on stands, suspended horizontally from brackets or from a variety of overhead supports, or vertically mounted alongside a mast or wall. The system includes an elongated drive car running on and partly surrounding a rail, and an equipment support associated with the drive car and configured so that the supported equipment is transversely and longitudinally spaced and balanced about a point just below the center of the rail. The equipment support is mounted in angular isolation relative to the drive car by a system of damped pivots about pitch and yaw axes.

Abstract: A lightweight, remote-controlled, self-propelled equipment support and transport system is stabilized against unwanted angular deviation in each of three perpendicular axes and adapted for motion at high speed along a simple tubular monorail. The system can be quickly and efficiently ground-mounted on stands, suspended horizontally from brackets or from a variety of overhead supports, or vertically mounted alongside a mast or wall. The system includes an elongated drive car running on and partly surrounding a rail, and an equipment support associated with the drive car and configured so that the supported equipment is transversely and longitudinally spaced and balanced about a point just below the center of the rail. The equipment support is mounted in angular isolation relative to the drive car by a system of damped pivots about pitch and yaw axes.

Abstract: An overhead suspended track mounted vehicle guidance system having an active on board station selection system and a passive non switching track. The slotted track includes an interiorly depending turn vane for guiding the guide wheel of the vehicle mounted guidance system. The system includes provision for fail safe operation wherein a mechanical interlock automatically assures next station selection in the event of guidance system failure.

Abstract: A transport system having a track made up of rail segments largely enclosing the self-propelled carriage which traverses the track. The track has no moving parts so that switching is effected by selectively bringing guide elements of the carriage into engagement with one or the other of branching rail segments.

Abstract: A percutaneous absorption accelerator and a precutaneous absorbent preparation containing the same and, more particularly, a percutaneous absorption accelerator containing ether derivatives of specific glycerols or polyglycerols and alcohols as effective components and a percutaneous absorbent preparation containing the percutaneous absorption accelerators and pharmaceutically effective components.

Abstract: A system to determine the instantaneous position of a vehicle (11) which is attached to a track (12) by a mast arm (13) includes sensors (17, 19) to determine the location of the point (A) at which the arm (13) is attached to the track (12). An additional sensor (32) provides a signal to a circuit (47) which also receives signals from sensors (17, 19) and then locates the lateral and longitudinal position of the vehicle (11) with respect to point (A). Once the instantaneous position of the vehicle (11) has been established, a signal representative thereof is compared with a reference signal and the vehicle is controlled accordingly.

Abstract: To permit lateral deflection of a transport vehicle or car (1) which receives electrical energy from an overhead system (56) and, additionally, is guided thereby by guide rails (6), a connecting element in form of a telescoping rod (4) or a tension spring (4a) connects the vehicle to the overhead system (56) to receive electrical energy and, additionally, guidance information. In accordance with the invention, a control guideway (12) is located, for example laterally adjacent the overhead system (56), the relative alignment of the guideway with respect to the control rails (6) being sensed by the roller (15) forming a reference element, which, upon change of level of the guideway with respect to the guide rails (6) causes deflection of a roller shaft (16) coupled to a joint (11), which deflection is measured in an angle measuring sensor (11a) and transmitted as an error signal to a comparator (101) which tends to reestablish a predetermined angular relationship, for example 90.degree.

Abstract: A toy-racing express motor road permitting a plurality of cars to be operated selectively as trackbound or freely steerable. The motor road includes track sections having across their entire length extension guide grooves, guiding edges, and current conductors. In the trackbound operation, a guide pin of the car catches in the guide groove. In the freely steerable operation, a guiding edge guides the car. The force-locking, or form-locking connection between the steering mechanism of a car and the driving mechanism of the car is interrupted in the trackbound operation as through the removal of a gear wheel. In a racing express motor road having several tracks with several current conductor pairs per travel track, different possibilities of play are possible as a matter of choice between an operation with only track-driven cars and an operation with only freely steerable cars.

Abstract: A steerable truck comprises a pair of wheelsets spaced apart along the longitudinal axis of the truck, each supporting a respective steering yoke. A main frame is supported by the yokes which are connected to the main frame to permit rotation of each yoke relative to the main frame about a respective vertical steering axis. A linear induction motor is located beneath the yokes for cooperation with a reaction rail to propel the truck. A suspension device suspends the motor from the yokes to maintain the motor a fixed height from the reaction rail. The thrust of the motor is transmitted to one of the yokes and a centering device is provided to inhibit lateral displacement of the motor relative to the yokes. The suspension device comprises three links each having universal connections at each end for connection to the motor and a respective one of the yokes.

Abstract: A toy vehicle game includes a relatively flat slotless track having spaced sidewalls defining a pair of lanes therebetween. A pair of toy vehicles each having a body, a reversible electric motor and means for steering and/or biasing said vehicle into one or the other of the lanes depending upon the polarity of current supplied to the vehicle are provided for use on the track. Current is selectively and independently provided to the toy vehicles through current supply strips on the track and control means allows independent reversal of current supplied to the vehicles. Current pick-ups are provided on the vehicles in predetermined relation to one another and to the current supply strips on the track so that each vehicle is respectively associated with only one of the current supply strips, regardless of the direction of travel of the vehicle on the track.

Abstract: A toy vehicle race game is disclosed which includes a relatively flat slotless track having at least two track portions, each of which defines separate paths of travel having inner and outer lanes. The track portions include unobstructed cross-over areas which are located adjacent to each other and define a cross-over being at least four lanes wide through which toy vehicles may pass from one track portion to another. The toy vehicles used in the game include a pair of controllable toy vehicles which can be selectively and independently controlled to cause them to switch lanes within a track portion and to cross from one track portion to another at the cross-over. A drone vehicle is also provided which is restrained for movement in one of the lanes of one track portion, thereby to provide an obstacle to vehicles crossing from one track portion into another.

Abstract: A toy vehicle game includes an endless track defining two generally parallel lanes along which toy vehicles including reversible rotary drive motors responsive to current polarity reversal are driven while being biased against one or the other of the side walls of the track depending upon the polarity of current supplied to the vehicle motor. Current is supplied to the track through contact strips and a control system which permits the operators to separately and independently control current to the contact strips. When the polarity of the current to one of the toy vehicles is reversed a boost in available average electrical power is made available to that toy vehicle for a first limited duration maximum period. After using the boosted average power the selected toy vehicle must return to its original lane to be operated there at a normal power level for a mimimum of a second limited fixed duration period before power boost is again available.

Abstract: An improved remotely controlled miniature vehicle, more particularly an electrically driven miniature car of the type operated on a track-way having contact strips through which power is supplied to the driving motor of the vehicle. Improved remote control is provided for controlling the miniature car for changing one lane to another. The front wheels are steerable by actuation of a steering post. The driving motor is mounted to move physically in response to additional driving torque applied through a gear train to the rear wheels. Mechanism is provided whereby the physical movement of the driving motor actuates the steering mechanism to turn the front wheels for changing from one lane to another. Provided in one form of the invention is a member having rollers that can contact a side wall of the track for positioning the front wheels and steering post to pre-determine the direction of turning in response to physical movement of the driving motor.