Patents by Inventor Edwin A. Nielsen

Edwin A. Nielsen 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: 4211409
    Abstract: A toy vehicle and toy vehicle game are disclosed in which a plurality of toy vehicles are provided that collect current from conductor strips in a slotless track and switch lanes when the current polarity is reversed. A toy drone car is used in the game which collects current from the strips associated with the other cars and it includes an electrical circuit which insures that current of only a predetermined desired polarity is supplied to the motor in the vehicle to propel the vehicle in a forward direction around the track. As a result the vehicle is driven about the track in a forward direction regardless of the polarity of current applied to the collector strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1980
    Assignee: Ideal Toy Corporation
    Inventor: Edwin A. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 4187637
    Abstract: A toy vehicle is provided for use in a toy vehicle game including an endless track defining at least two parallelly extending vehicle lanes in which two or more toy vehicles are adapted to be operated. The toy vehicle includes a reversible rotary drive motor and a transmission operatively engaged between the motor and two drive wheels for rotating one or the other of the drive wheels in response to the direction of rotation of the drive motor, thereby biasing the car against one or the other of the side walls of the track to guide the vehicle along its path of travel in one or the other of the lanes. The vehicle is used on a track which includes electrical contact strips which supply power to the drive motor of the vehicles through current collectors mounted thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1980
    Assignee: Ideal Toy Corporation
    Inventor: Edwin A. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 4141552
    Abstract: A toy vehicle and toy vehicle game are disclosed in which a plurality of toy vehicles are provided that collect current from conductor strips in a slotless track and switch lanes when the current polarity is reversed. A toy drone car is used in the game which collects current from the strips associated with the other cars and it includes an electrical circuit which insures that current of only a predetermined desired polarity is supplied to the motor in the vehicle to propel the vehicle in a forward direction around the track. As a result the vehicle is driven about the track in a forward direction regardless of the polarity of current applied to the collector strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1979
    Assignee: Ideal Toy Corporation
    Inventor: Edwin A. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 4109913
    Abstract: A toy vehicle is provided for use in a toy vehicle game including an endless track defining at least two parallely extending vehicle lanes in which two or more toy vehicles are adapted to be operated. The toy vehicle includes a reversible rotary drive motor and a transmission operatively engaged between the motor and two drive wheels for rotating one or the other of the drive wheels in response to the direction of rotation of the drive motor, thereby biasing the car against one or the other of the side walls of the track to guide the vehicle along its path of travel in one or the other of the lanes. The vehicle is used on a track which includes electrical contact strips which supply power to the drive motor of the vehicles through current collectors mounted thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1978
    Assignee: Ideal Toy Corporation
    Inventor: Edwin A. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 4106695
    Abstract: A toy vehicle track section for use with similar track sections to form an interconnected track for a toy vehicle includes a base formed of electrically non-conductive material having opposite ends with at least one of the ends having a plurality of generally wedge shaped projections extending longitudinally therefrom. The other of the track ends has a plurality of generally complementary wedge shaped recesses for receiving the projections of an adjacent track section. The recesses and projections have cooperating means formed thereon for resisting longitudinal engagement of the projections from the recesses of an adjacent track section and the base includes longitudinally extending conductive strips associated with opposed projections and recesses to provide a complete electrical circuit about the track in its assembled form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1978
    Assignee: Ideal Toy Corporation
    Inventors: Vincent Carella, Edwin A. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 4078798
    Abstract: A toy vehicle and toy vehicle game are disclosed in which a toy vehicle is used that is driven by an electric motor powered from a battery in the vehicle. The vehicle is operated on a track providing a current source therealong in the form of a plurality of current supply strips, and the toy vehicle includes an electrical circuit therein for collecting current from the track and trickle charging the battery. As a result the motor is continuously supplied with current from the battery and driven at a relatively constant rate of speed while the battery, in turn, is charged as the vehicle moves along the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1978
    Assignee: Ideal Toy Corporation
    Inventor: Edwin A. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 4045908
    Abstract: A toy vehicle game, for use with a powered toy vehicle having at least one driven wheel, includes a transport vehicle which is adapted to receive and support the powered vehicle on an associated track. The transport vehicle has means therein for locating the powered vehicle on the transport vehicle in a predetermined position, and includes at least one track engageable wheel rotatably mounted therein which is located in operative engagement with the driven wheel of the powered vehicle when the powered vehicle is in said predetermined position on the transport vehicle. As a result, the driven wheel of the powered vehicle rotates the track engageable wheel of the transport vehicle in order to propel the transport vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1977
    Assignee: Ideal Toy Corporation
    Inventors: Burt Ensmann, Edwin A. Nielsen, Edward Snyder, III, Frank D. Ventura