Patents by Inventor Joseph T. Moll
Joseph T. Moll 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).
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Patent number: 7905761Abstract: A vehicle toy combination includes a wireless controlled toy vehicle having a mobile platform configured to move over a surface. A central controller on the platform is configured to control at least one aspect of the toy vehicle. A hand-held manually actuable wireless controller is configured to remotely control user selected movement of the toy vehicle. Multiple vehicles can be controlled simultaneously with multiple wireless, manually operated controllers operating at the same frequency by initially synchronizing the controllers to transmit in non-overlapping windows.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2008Date of Patent: March 15, 2011Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Stephen Nicholas Weiss, LaVonne Erick Strand, Joseph T. Moll, Vikas Kumar Sinha, Justin Discoe, David Vincent Helmlinger, Gregory Nungester, Frank William Winkler, Charles Stewart McCall, Jesse Dorogusker
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Patent number: 7862400Abstract: A toy vehicle includes a plurality of wheels and an electric motor operably coupled to rotate at least one of the wheels. At least the one wheel and preferably each rotated wheel includes a hub and a tire mounted on the hub. The tire has an interior sufficiently hollow to make the wheel buoyant in water and the wheel is sufficiently sealed to prevent water penetration of the interior of the tire with the wheel immersed in water. The tire has a central portion surrounding the hub and a plurality of hollow lobes spaced from one another about the central portion. Each lobe has a pair of opposing outer sides at least one outer side being at least partially inwardly cupped to improve thrust caused by rotation of the wheel in water.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2008Date of Patent: January 4, 2011Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Justin Discoe, Joseph T. Moll, Kevin Pasko, Paulo Kang, Steven Verbera
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Patent number: 7794300Abstract: A toy vehicle includes a central housing having first and second oppositely disposed sides. A first wheel is rotatably mounted on the first side of the housing, and a second wheel is rotatably mounted on the second side of the housing. Each of the first and second wheels has a central hub and a plurality of individual vanes rotatably attached to the hub. Each hub has a center disposed along a first axis of rotation. Each vane is rotatable about a second vane axis extending transversely with respect to the first axis. An end of each vane distal to the hub forms a circumferential surface portion of one of the first and second wheels.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2007Date of Patent: September 14, 2010Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Joseph T. Moll, Vladimir Leonov, William Willett, Kenlip Ong
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Patent number: 7758399Abstract: A vehicle toy combination includes a wireless controlled toy vehicle having a mobile platform configured to move over a surface. A central controller on the platform is configured to control at least one aspect of the toy vehicle. A hand-held manually actuable wireless controller is configured to remotely control user selected movement of the toy vehicle. An optical receiver is attached to the platform to look downward on the surface and is coupled to the central controller. The receiver is configured to read a predetermined reflective pattern located on the surface over which the toy vehicle moves. Multiple vehicles can be controlled simultaneously with multiple wireless, manually operated controllers operating at the same frequency by initially synchronizing the controllers to transmit in non-overlapping windows.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2005Date of Patent: July 20, 2010Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Stephen Nicholas Weiss, LaVonne Erick Strand, Joseph T. Moll, Vikas Kumar Parkhie Sinha, Justin Discoe, David Vincent Helmlinger, Gregory Nungester, Frank William Winkler, Charles Stewart McCall, Jesse Dorogusker
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Patent number: 7662017Abstract: A toy vehicle comprises a lift mechanism which allows the toy vehicle to be lifted from a support surface in a lifting motion and roll end over end over end. The lift mechanism includes a lift arm pivotally mounted to a housing of the toy vehicle. A lift arm actuating motor is coupled to a lift arm drive screw that is in threaded engagement with a lift arm drive nut. A strut is coupled between the drive nut and the lift arm. In operation, the lift arm actuating motor drives the lift arm drive screw and causes the lift arm drive nut to drive the strut and move the lift arm into an extended position, causing the lift arm to engage a support surface to lift the toy vehicle. In the extended position, the toy vehicle is sufficiently rounded to permit the vehicle to roll end over end over end.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2006Date of Patent: February 16, 2010Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Joseph T. Moll, Justin Discoe, Vladimir Leonov, Nathan Bloch, John M. Clements, Gregory Garneau
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Publication number: 20090088046Abstract: A toy vehicle includes a plurality of wheels and an electric motor operably coupled to rotate at least one of the wheels. At least the one wheel and preferably each rotated wheel includes a hub and a tire mounted on the hub. The tire has an interior sufficiently hollow to make the wheel buoyant in water and the wheel is sufficiently sealed to prevent water penetration of the interior of the tire with the wheel immersed in water. The tire has a central portion surrounding the hub and a plurality of hollow lobes spaced from one another about the central portion. Each lobe has a pair of opposing outer sides at least one outer side being at least partially inwardly cupped to improve thrust caused by rotation of the wheel in water.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2008Publication date: April 2, 2009Applicant: MATTEL, INC.Inventors: Justin Discoe, Joseph T. Moll, Kevin Pasko, Paulo Kang, Steven Verbera
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Publication number: 20080290598Abstract: A vehicle toy combination includes a wireless controlled toy vehicle having a mobile platform configured to move over a surface. A central controller on the platform is configured to control at least one aspect of the toy vehicle. A hand-held manually actuable wireless controller is configured to remotely control user selected movement of the toy vehicle. Multiple vehicles can be controlled simultaneously with multiple wireless, manually operated controllers operating at the same frequency by initially synchronizing the controllers to transmit in non-overlapping windows.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2008Publication date: November 27, 2008Applicant: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Stephen Nicholas Weiss, LaVonne Erick Strand, Joseph T. Moll, Vikas Kumar Parkhie Sinha, Justin Discoe, David Vincent Helmlinger, Gregory Nungester, Charles Stewart McCall, Jesse Dorogusker
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Patent number: 7234992Abstract: A toy vehicle including at least an on-board power supply, a plurality of wheels supporting the vehicle for itinerant movement, at least one motor operably coupled to at least one of the wheels to provide at least part of an itinerant movement, at least one light and a controller circuit configured to selectively supply power from the power supply to the motor(s) in response to commands from a transmitter remote from the toy vehicle and to selectively supply power to the at least one light in response to a signal indicating the vehicle is performing a particular maneuver, for example, either a special stunt or a transformation or both.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2003Date of Patent: June 26, 2007Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Stephen N. Weiss, Eric D. Listenberger, Joseph T. Moll
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Patent number: 7217170Abstract: A toy vehicle includes a central housing having first and second oppositely disposed sides. A first wheel is rotatably mounted on the first side of the housing, and a second wheel is rotatably mounted on the second side of the housing. Each of the first and second wheels has a central hub and a plurality of individual vanes rotatably attached to the hub. Each hub has a center disposed along a first axis of rotation. Each vane is rotatable about a second vane axis extending transversely with respect to the first axis. An end of each vane distal to the hub forms a circumferential surface portion of one of the first and second wheels.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2005Date of Patent: May 15, 2007Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Joseph T. Moll, Vladimir Leonov, William Willett, Kenlip Ong
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Patent number: 7172488Abstract: A toy vehicle comprises a lift mechanism which allows the toy vehicle to be lifted from a support surface in a lifting motion and roll end over end over end. The lift mechanism includes a lift arm pivotally mounted to a housing of the toy vehicle. A lift arm actuating motor is coupled to a lift arm drive screw that is in threaded engagement with a lift arm drive nut. A strut is coupled between the drive nut and the lift arm. In operation, the lift arm actuating motor drives the lift arm drive screw and causes the lift arm drive nut to drive the strut and move the lift arm into an extended position, causing the lift arm to engage a support surface to lift the toy vehicle. In the extended position, the toy vehicle is sufficiently rounded to permit the vehicle to roll end over end over end.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2004Date of Patent: February 6, 2007Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Joseph T. Moll, Justin Discoe, Vladimir Leonov, Nathan Bloch, John M. Clements, Gregory Garneau
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Patent number: 6854547Abstract: A toy vehicle comprising a frame, a first wheel, a second wheel, and a turning mechanism including a rotatable arm mounted to the frame and a rotatable third wheel mounted to the arm. The arm is rotatable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein, in the extended position, the third wheel contacts the surface and lifts one of the first and second wheels off of the surface. The third wheel then rotates to rotate the vehicle about a remaining one of the first and second wheels in contact with the surface. The vehicle further comprises a motor mounted on the frame. The motor is operatively associated with one of wheels to propel the vehicle and with the turning mechanism to lift and turn the vehicle. The toy vehicle is controlled with a remote control unit which is shaped like a remote-vehicle-entry key chain.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2002Date of Patent: February 15, 2005Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Joseph T. Moll, Aritty J. Newton, Michael B. DiBartolo
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Patent number: 6780077Abstract: A toy vehicle combination includes a master toy vehicle and a slave toy vehicle. The master toy vehicle includes a transmitter configured to broadcast an IR tracking signal. The slave toy vehicle includes at least first and second directional IR receivers configured to receive the tracking signal from different directions around the slave toy vehicle and is configured to follow or evade the master toy vehicle, which is conventionally remotely controlled.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2002Date of Patent: August 24, 2004Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Chris T. Baumgartner, Joseph T. Moll, Truman J. Gilbert, Stephen N. Weiss, Nathan Bloch, David V. Helmlinger, Gregory Nungester
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Publication number: 20040092208Abstract: A toy vehicle including at least an on-board power supply, a plurality of wheels supporting the vehicle for itinerant movement, at least one motor operably coupled to at least one of the wheels to provide at least part of an itinerant movement, at least one light and a controller circuit configured to selectively supply power from the power supply to the motor(s) in response to commands from a transmitter remote from the toy vehicle and to selectively supply power to the at least one light in response to a signal indicating the vehicle is performing a particular maneuver, for example, either a special stunt or a transformation or both.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2003Publication date: May 13, 2004Inventors: Stephen N. Weiss, Eric D. Listenberger, Joseph T. Moll
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Patent number: 6688985Abstract: A system for racing an electrically powered toy vehicle over a defined course under operator control comprises a continuous track having at least one lane with a pit stop segment and an electrical path extending along the lane for providing electrical power to the vehicle. A control unit is operably connected to the electrical path. The control unit has first one control mechanism that can be manipulated by an operator to vary a speed of the electrical vehicle and another to perform at least one pit stop function such as a tire change or a vehicle refueling. A display is operably connected to the control unit for visually displaying a progression of the pit stop function in response to manipulation of the other control mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2002Date of Patent: February 10, 2004Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Stephen N. Weiss, Gerhart P. Huy, Dean C. Reisher, Joseph T. Moll, Gregory R. Nungester, Frank W. Winkler, Justin M. Discoe
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Publication number: 20030226701Abstract: The present invention is a toy vehicle comprising a frame, a first wheel, a second wheel, and a turning mechanism including a rotatable arm mounted to the frame and a rotatable third wheel mounted to the arm. The arm is rotatable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein, in the extended position, the third wheel contacts the surface and lifts one of the first and second wheels off of the surface. The third wheel then rotates to rotate the vehicle about a remaining one of the first and second wheels in contact with the surface. The vehicle further comprises a motor mounted on the frame. The motor is operatively associated with one of wheels to propel the vehicle and with the turning mechanism to lift and turn the vehicle. The toy vehicle is controlled with a remote control unit which is shaped like a remote-vehicle-entry key chain.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2002Publication date: December 11, 2003Applicant: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Joseph T. Moll, Aritty J. Newton, Michael B. DiBartolo
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Publication number: 20030114075Abstract: A toy vehicle remote control transmitter unit wirelessly controls the movements of a programmable toy vehicle. The toy vehicle includes a motive chassis having a plurality of steering positions. A microprocessor in the transmitter unit emulates manual transmission operation of the toy vehicle by being in any one of a plurality of different gear states selected by an operation of manual input elements on the transmitter unit. Forward propulsion control signals representing different toy vehicle speed ratios associated with each of the gear states are transmitted from the transmitter unit to the toy vehicle. The motive chassis has a steering feedback sensor with a plurality of defined steering positions to vary rate of steering position change to avoid overshoot.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2002Publication date: June 19, 2003Inventors: Joseph T. Moll, James M. Dickinson, Frank W. Winkler, David V. Helmlinger, Charles S. McCall, Stephen N. Weiss
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Publication number: 20030082987Abstract: A toy vehicle combination includes a master toy vehicle and a slave toy vehicle. The master toy vehicle includes a transmitter configured to broadcast an IR tracking signal. The slave toy vehicle includes at least first and second directional IR receivers configured to receive the tracking signal from different directions around the slave toy vehicle and is configured to follow or evade the master toy vehicle, which is conventionally remotely controlled.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2002Publication date: May 1, 2003Applicant: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Chris T. Baumgartner, Joseph T. Moll, Truman J. Gilbert, Stephen N. Weiss, Nathan Bloch, David V. Helmlinger, Gregory Nungester
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Publication number: 20020147050Abstract: A system for racing an electrically powered toy vehicle over a defined course under operator control comprises a continuous track having at least one lane with a pit stop segment and an electrical path extending along the lane for providing electrical power to the vehicle. A control unit is operably connected to the electrical path. The control unit has first one control mechanism that can be manipulated by an operator to vary a speed of the electrical vehicle and another to perform at least one pit stop function such as a tire change or a vehicle refueling. A display is operably connected to the control unit for visually displaying a progression of the pit stop function in response to manipulation of the other control mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2002Publication date: October 10, 2002Applicant: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Stephen N. Weiss, Gerhart P. Huy, Dean C. Reisher, Joseph T. Moll, Gregory R. Nungester, Frank W. Winkler, Justin M. Discoe