Abstract: A toy vehicle has a chassis, two axles, two pairs of wheels and four identical wheel support housings. Each wheel is mounted on a separate end of a separate one of the two axles by one of the wheel support housings. The wheels are mounted for rotation on the housings, which are mounted off center on the axles so as to rotate eccentrically around the axles with the wheels. Wheels on either lateral side of the chassis are driven by separate propulsion motors driving separate gear trains in the chassis to propel the vehicle. Collars around the axles and pairs of gears within the wheel support housings themselves couple the wheels with the gear trains. The axles are rotated together through a third shaft driven by a separate accessory motor to vary the eccentric position of the wheel support housings and thereby alter the appearance and performance of the vehicle. Slip clutches with angled, mating faces, effectively coupling the axles with the third shaft.

Abstract: A flexible thermally conductive stamp and material is fabricated of a support handle and a heat conductive member. The heat conductive member supports raised image portions which together with the heat conductive member are formed of a flexible resilient thermally conductive material. The thermally conductive material is preferably fabricated of a mixture of Plastisol and aluminum powder. Portions of the raised image area of the stamp include angled side surfaces which improve the thermal conductivity of the stamp.

Abstract: A housing includes a clip for attachment of the housing to the back surface of a doll or toy figure. Within the housing, an electronic circuit is operative under battery power to provide audible sounds when an on/off button is pushed. A plurality of light-emitting diodes are operatively coupled to the sound circuit and are energized in a flashing operation when the sound circuit is energized. A cape attachable to the doll upon which the housing is attached includes a reflective surface facing the light-emitting diodes of the housing to provide reflection of the light produced thereby. When the sound circuit is energized, audible sounds are produced and the interior surface of the cape is bombarded with flashing light energy to provide an amusing visual effect. The housing is removable from the host doll and may be worn on a convenient attachment such as a bracelet or the like by the user.

Abstract: A roll assembly for use on a child's ride-on vehicle including an elongate main bar and an elongate support bar with a first end abutting the main bar. The support bar is coupled to the main bar by a universal joint assembly including a bar cap coupled to the first end of the support bar and a retention shell disposed over the main bar adjacent the support bar with the retention shell being movably engaged to the bar cap.

Abstract: An adjustable fender assembly for use with a children's ride-on vehicle including a body and a wheel spaced apart from the body. A support structure extends between and connects the body and the wheel. The fender assembly includes a fender movably mounted to the support structure and disposed between the body and the wheel for motion toward and away from the wheel. A spacer assembly is disposed on the support structure adjacent the fender to fix the position of the fender on the support structure. By modifying the spacer assembly, it is possible to move the fender on the support structure to allow wheels of various diameters to be used.

Abstract: A gear box and motor mount assembly for non-rotatably holding an electric motor for driving a gear train in a children's riding vehicle includes an enclosure having two halves shaped to non-rotatably hold the motor therein, and a boss in the vehicle's gear box to non-rotatably receive the enclosure so that the motor, and more specifically a pinion thereon may drive the gear train. In the preferred embodiment, the halves are hingedly joined and define a clam shell-like enclosure, and the boss on the gear box is generally cylindrical and includes a cavity for receiving the enclosure. Key structure on the enclosure, and a complementary-formed slot adjacent the cavity in the boss for receiving the key structure ensures that the enclosure is non-rotatably secured in the boss for driving the gear train.

Abstract: A gear box assembly for automatically engaging and disengaging an output gear which is non-rotatably concentrically mounted on a driven axle shaft attached to plural wheels in a children's ride-on toy is described. The assembly includes an electric motor with a pinion driving plural driven gears, and a yoke which is pivotable between two positions and provides a mount for at least one of the plural driven gears. In one position, the yoke pivotally engages the output gear and drives the vehicle's wheels, and in another position, the yoke pivotally disengages the output gear thereby allowing the vehicle's wheels to freely rotate without driving or back-driving the motor or other gears. In the preferred embodiment, the yoke is counterbalanced for rotation about a defined axis. In alternative embodiments, the yoke includes a friction member for developing friction between one of the driven gears to rotate the yoke into engagement.

Abstract: A game includes the head of an animal having a pair of jaws therein which are movable from an opened condition to a closed condition. The jaws are adapted to close upon a play object tossed between them, and a conveyor returns fallen play objects back to the contestants play position. A contestants score is determined by the number of play objects caught between the teeth of the animal head during the play time of the game.

Abstract: A computer mouse supports a body configured to replicate a miniature automotive vehicle. The vehicle body includes a pair of push buttons for right and left operation. The mouse further includes a conventional trackball unit together with conventional right and left click switches. A selector switch supported upon the vehicle body configures the game play control for operation as a conventional computer mouse or a game play control unit. In the game play control position, a vibrating motor and sound system are operative to provide vehicle sounds and vibrations.

Abstract: A wheel-mounting assembly for use in a children's ride-on vehicle having a frame includes a cross member extending transversely of the frame providing a mount for two of the vehicle's opposed wheels, and frame-formed support structure in the form of two downwardly extending plates defining a slot for receiving the cross member and providing a mount on which the cross member is fastened. The plates have plural spaced apertures therein and the cross member has apertures which align with the apertures in the plates. Fastening mechanisms in the form of a bolt passing though the aligned apertures and secured in place by a nut, fix or mount the cross member to the plates. Pairs of vertically-spaced apertures in the wall structure enable the cross member to be selectively vertically positioned relative to the plates for accommodating different-sized wheels.

Abstract: An air-powered projectile launcher includes a housing defining a cylindrical launch tube for receiving a projectile and a cylindrical cylinder bore. A piston having an extending piston rod is sealingly movable within the cylinder bore and is coupled at its forward end to a coil spring. The piston rod extends rearwardly through a trigger and cocking mechanism which in turn is coupled to a pivotal pump handle. A ratcheting mechanism is operatively coupled between the pivoting pump handle and the piston rod to facilitate the incremental drawing motion of the piston rod and piston stretching the power spring. The trigger mechanism holds the piston rod against the force of the stretched spring until the user pulls the trigger into its release position. Thereafter, the stored energy of the spring drives the piston forward against the launch tube and projectile providing an air burst which launches the projectile.

Abstract: An improved bodyboard includes a core, an outer covering enclosing the core, and, according to one aspect of the invention, a separation-resistant terpolymeric intermediate layer disposed between and adhesively bonding at least a portion of the core and covering. Preferably, the intermediate layer is a terpolymer based on polyethylene vinylacetate and in the form of a thin, slit-film bonding adhesive. According to another aspect of the invention, a bodyboard core is formed from a plurality of elongate cells joined together in a manner defining a honeycomb structure. Preferably, the cells are extrusions of a polypropylene material. Methods for forming the above are described as well.

Abstract: A shifter design for a child's ride-on vehicle is described. The shifter allows for selection of various speeds and directions while precluding the selection of undesirable speeds and directions. Preferably the shifter includes a housing mounted on the body of the vehicle, a speed and direction switch mounted on the housing and an actuator on the housing for selectively contacting the switches. The switches are conventional rocker switches pivotable about a central axis to two settings. In the preferred embodiment, the actuator is pivotally mounted to the housing and a depending selection member with longitudinally-spaced annular structure pivots about an axis generally perpendicular to the pivot axes of the switches to contact the switches. In other embodiments, the actuator is slidably mounted to the housing. The rocker switches are provided with concave contact surfaces to ensure the desired speed and direction are selected.

Abstract: A toy vehicle playset includes a trackway having a vehicle launcher coupled to a looped track portion and a dual tank unit positioned within the travel path of the toy vehicle through the trackway. The trackway further includes an exit ramp on the opposite side of the dual tank unit from the track loop which is coupled to a toy vehicle catcher and a display area. The dual tank unit includes a pair of tank portions separated by an intervening wall. The dual tank unit is supported within the trackway travel path such that either tank portion is alternatively positionable within the travel path of the toy vehicle. The playset further includes a multiply articulated robot arm supporting one or more thermally conductive tools or stamps which are immersible within the proximate one of the dual water tanks and appliable to the surface of the toy vehicle when resting in the toy vehicle catcher.

Abstract: A product package includes a generally rectangular box having a front face which defines a viewing aperture on one side and an elongated aperture on the opposite side. A pivot pin is secured intermediate the two apertures and closer to the elongated aperture. A generally planar image support is pivotally secured within the package interior by the pivot pin and includes a pair of image areas movable into alignment with the viewing aperture in response to rotational position of the image support. A finger aperture is defined within the image support and is accessible through the elongated aperture to permit pivotal movement and control of the image support position. The images formed upon the image support depict alternative configurations of a multiconfiguration or transformable toy product packaged within the box.