Patents by Inventor Alfred T. Y. Lau

Alfred T. Y. Lau has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4575355
    Abstract: A toy vehicle has a seat with a simulated seat belt in the form of two semi-circular parts which are able to rotate between an opened and closed position, the closed position simulating fastened seat belts. A power release push button is centrally positioned on the vehicle so that it does not exert any unbalanced force on the vehicle when it is pressed. When the seat belt is opened, the push button is captured in a raised position so that the vehicle cannot run. When the seat belt is closed, the capture is released from the push button so that is can be pushed. Thereafter, the push button is pushed, the power is released, and the toy vehicle is propelled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1986
    Assignee: Zima Products, Ltd.
    Inventors: James S. W. Lee, Kwong-Wai Chow, Alfred T. Y. Lau, Ming-Ngar Chow
  • Patent number: 4547174
    Abstract: An inertia motor especially--but not exclusively--for a toy vehicle. A rear wheel axle extends through the housing and has a drive gear mounted thereon to turn unitarily therewith. A flywheel is rotatably mounted on the housing for spinning to store or to payout energy. First and second gear trains extend between the drive gear and flywheel. A movable control lever carries first and second movable gears, one of the movable gears being an idler mounted on and movable with a shaft which passes through a pair of oppositely disposed arcuate slots, the other movable gears being mounted on a shaft journaled in the lever arm. The arcuate slots are located so that the idler gear meshes with one of the gear trains when the lever arm is in one of its two positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1985
    Assignee: Zima Products, Ltd.
    Inventors: James S. W. Lee, Kwong-Wai Chow, Alfred T. Y. Lau, Ming-Ngar Chow
  • Patent number: 4541815
    Abstract: A toy vehicle has a gear box containing a clock spring which is wound by pushing the vehicle backward. A two part toggle-linkage system connects the gear box to the frame. When the clock spring is wound, the resulting spring bias urges the toggle-linkage system to one over center position which locks the gear box in order to preserve the energy stored in the wound spring. When the toggle-linkage system is pressed near its center, it moves over center to another position, which unlocks the gear box and releases the energy stored in the wound spring in order to propel the vehicle. When the vehicle is next moved backward, the toggle-linkage returns to the locked position which once again locks the gear box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1985
    Assignee: James S. W. Lee
    Inventors: James S. W. Lee, Kwong-Wai Chow, Alfred T. Y. Lau, Ming-Ngar Chow
  • Patent number: 4516954
    Abstract: A toy vehicle has a gear box containing a clock spring which is wound by pushing the vehicle backward. A two part toggle-linkage system connects the gear box to the frame. When the clock spring is wound, the resulting spring bias urges the toggle-linkage system to one over center position which locks the gear box in order to preserve the energy stored in the wound spring. When the toggle-linkage system is pressed near its center, it moves over center to another position, which unlocks the gear box and releases the energy stored in the wound spring in order to propel the vehicle. When the vehicle is next moved backward, the toggle-linkage returns to the locked position which once again locks the gear box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1985
    Assignee: James S. Lee
    Inventors: Kwong-Wai Chow, Alfred T. Y. Lau, Ming-Ngar Chow, James S. W. Lee