AUTONOMOUS, GRAVITY-ASSISTED MOTORIZED RACER CONFIGURED TO TRAVEL THROUGH NON-STRAIGHT TUBE SEGMENTS

Abstract

A portable, lightweight racer vehicle. The racer includes a body, a motor and a battery powering the motor, a motorized wheel, a first wheel, and a spring-loaded wheel to cause the motorized wheel to maintain contact with a surface upon which the motorized wheel rotates. The first wheel is larger than the motorized wheel and the spring-loaded wheel. A tube section includes a first half section having a pair of interlocking fingers and a pair of notches; and a second half section having a pair of interlocking fingers and a pair of notches. The two halves are removably snap-fit or press-fit together by joining the pair of interlocking fingers of the first half section with the pair of notches of the second half section while simultaneously joining the pair of interlocking fingers of the second half section with the pair of notches of the first half section. A splitter pipe includes a body having an input port and at least two output ports, and a remotely controlled valve between the input port and the at least two output ports. The splitter pipe is non-opaque, and an inner diameter of the input port does not exceed 2 inches.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/US2017/028565, filed Apr. 20, 2017, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/325,293, filed Apr. 20, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to autonomous, gravity-assisted motorized toy racers and tube assemblies through which the toy racers run.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Kids love to race cars. Conventionally, cars are raced on tracks, which can be assembled together to form a variety of configurations. The tracks are open, which means that the cars frequently come off the tracks, and there is a practical limit or constraint on how convoluted the track can be formed due to the reliance upon gravity and that the car can succumb to gravity and come off the track, particularly when ascending vertically, undergoing a twisting or rotational motion, or looping around a loop section of the track.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A tube assembly is disclosed that includes curved tubes or tube segments that are connected together, and they can be connected and rotated in virtually an unlimited number of configurations. Variations on the tube segments, as well as support post or structures to support the assembled tube configuration, are also disclosed. The tubes or tube segments can snap together to prevent horizontal sliding.

An autonomous, gravity-assisted motorized toy racer vehicle is also disclosed having a form factor and geometry that allows the vehicle to be able to navigate autonomously inside the tubes without getting stuck, while maintaining drive contact with the inside of the tubes surface (even if sideways or upside down relative to earth). By “autonomous” it is meant that the racer vehicle does not require any manual human energy to impart forward momentum to the vehicle. The autonomous vehicle disclosed herein can be operated by remote control, or it can be automatically controlled.

The tube segments are assembled together to form a tube assembly to form a desired racing path for the racer vehicle. Thus, there are at least two play components: construction and play. The tube assembly provides the construction component, and racing the motorized racer vehicle through the tubes provides the play component. The racer vehicle includes a battery and a motor powered by the battery. The motor is connected to a wheel that propels the racer vehicle through the tubes, but the racer vehicle also gains speed from gravity when heading in a direction back toward earth. The motorized component allows the racer vehicle to go in a direction opposite earth or transverse to earth.

The tubes can be closed loops or open ended. If the tubes are of the closed loop type, then an entry point can be used so that the vehicle can be inserted or retrieved without disassembling any part of the tube assembly.

The racer vehicle can include lights, such as one or more light emitting diodes, which can be powered (for free as it were, meaning without drawing any power from the battery) by the drivetrain, or by the battery.

Lights and sound will make this product even more innovative, fun and wild.

Because the tubes can be transparent or semi-transparent (non-opaque) and clear or in color, the illuminated racer vehicle is visible through the tube segments. Because sound travels well and bounces around in and through the pipes, the sound of the vehicle as it races through the tubes and around turns will provide an aural experience in addition to the visual experience due to the transparent tubes. The visual experience is enhanced when the racer vehicle is raced through the tube assembly in a darkened room.

The system disclosed herein is infinitely expandable with additional pipe (tubes), special feature sets, additional autonomous or remote-controlled racer vehicles, remote control valves in the pipes, to name a few examples.

An accelerometer connected to the lights and sounds controller can further enhance visual and aural and other sensory special effects. The system as a whole contributes to a fun, engaging, educational, and exciting (re)-construction and play experience.

The ability to race in the tube and also on the floor constrains the design of the body because the body must not interfere with tangency of adjacent wheels, which is required to run on the floor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates two example configurations of tubes connected together into a tube assembly, one called a “table runner,” and the other “flying twist”;

FIG. 2 illustrates an example support system for tube assembly configurations having portions thereof that require support on a horizontal surface to prevent buckling or collapsing of the tube assembly;

FIG. 3 illustrate a variety of example tube sections and support posts or base supports, as well as different collar examples that are used as interconnects between adjacent tube sections;

FIG. 4 illustrates further example tube sections, including straight and curved sections, as well as sections that are joined together as two halves;

FIG. 5 illustrates several examples of tube collars that form “half pipes” in either straight or curved sections, along with collar examples to join adjacent tube sections together;

FIG. 6 illustrates an example socket system that can be used to couple supports or posts to the tube sections themselves;

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of how support posts can be coupled to a support base section that rests on a horizontal surface;

FIG. 8 illustrates a “hurricane pipe” having an inner scored section to cause the racer vehicle to twist and spin through this section as it follows the inner score, and a splitter pipe with an optional remote control valve to direct the racer vehicle through one of multiple path options through the splitter pipe;

FIG. 9 illustrates several funnels that can be connected to tube sections to allow the racer vehicle to jump out of one end of a tube section and follow an arc dictated by gravity until it is caught by a catch funnel a distance away from the jump funnel to continue the racer's journey through the pipe assembly, and timer tubes that have sensors to allow time and speed of the racer through the tube assembly to be determined;

FIG. 10 illustrates an example form factor of a racer vehicle in the form of a space ship having multiple wheels and optional multi-colored LEDs;

FIG. 11 illustrates another example of a racer vehicle having three wheels, at least one of which is motorized, and multiple LEDs, with the vehicle's wheels making a racing sound as it whizzes through the pipes;

FIG. 12 illustrates a straight tube section formed by two halves that removably snap together as shown;

FIG. 13 illustrates a straight tube section having a collar at one end and formed by two halves that removably snap together as shown;

FIG. 14 illustrates a straight half pipe section formed by bottom and top pieces that removably snap together as shown;

FIG. 15 illustrates an example rendering of a tube assembly with a racer vehicle zipping through the pipes and jumping across an open space between two pipe sections, making racing sounds and illuminating the interior of the tube along the way with various colors;

FIG. 16 illustrates top and side views of an example vehicle and exemplary dimensions in inches;

FIG. 17 is a schematic showing various views of another example vehicle and exemplary dimensions in inches;

FIG. 18 illustrates maximum dimensions of a vehicle inside curved tube segments having various inner diameters and curve radii as shown;

FIG. 19 illustrates maximum dimensions of a vehicle inside curved tube segments having various inner diameters and curve radii as shown;

FIG. 20 illustrates various side views and first wheel options of an example vehicle; and

FIG. 21 illustrates side views of a vehicle inside a curved tube segment with wheels in different configurations.

FIG. 22 illustrates a vehicle featuring a helical gear drive.

FIG. 23 illustrates a side view of a vehicle having a spring-loaded compression wheel and a free, unpowered wheel.

FIG. 24 illustrates a connecting system for connecting two tube sections together.

FIG. 25 illustrates an example closed loop configuration in which the tube sections are connected to form a continuous, closed loop from end to end.

FIG. 2.6 illustrates a door in a tube section that can be opened to introduce the racer vehicle into a tube section, such as in the closed loop configuration shown in FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 illustrates a side view of a racer vehicle inside a straight tube segment with a different wheel configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an example configuration of tubes 102 connected together into a tube assembly 100, referred to as a “flying twist” configuration. Other configurations can be a table runner configuration, a long neck snail configuration, and a long loop smoke stack, so named for their resemblance to their description.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example support system 200 for tube assembly configurations 100 having portions thereof that require support on a horizontal surface 202 to prevent buckling or collapsing of the tube assembly 100.

FIG. 3 illustrates a variety of example tube sections 300, 302, 304, 306 and support posts or base supports 308, 310, as well as different collar examples 312, 314 that are used as interconnects between adjacent tube sections 102.

FIG. 4 illustrates further example tube sections 102, including straight 400, 406, 410 and curved sections 402, 404, 408, 412, as well as sections that are joined together as two halves 414, 416, 418, 420;

FIG. 5 illustrates several examples of tube collars 500, 502, 504, 506 that form “half pipes” in either straight or curved sections, along with collar examples 508, 510 to join adjacent tube sections 102 together.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example socket system 600 that can be used to couple supports or posts 602 to the tube sections 102 themselves. The sockets 604 can be molded open and shut in the mold without needing side actions. The cross section of the tube 606 shows the wall thickness of the tube section.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of how support posts 700 can be coupled to a support base section 702 that rests on a horizontal surface 704.

FIG. 8 illustrates a “hurricane pipe” 800, 802 having an inner scored section 804, 806 to cause the racer vehicle to twist and spin through this section as it follows the inner score 804, 806, and a splitter pipe 810 with an optional remote control valve 812 to direct the racer vehicle through one of multiple path options through the splitter pipe 810.

FIG. 9 illustrates several funnels 900, 902 that can be connected to straight tube sections 904, 906 to allow the racer vehicle to jump out of one end of a tube section 102 and follow an arc dictated by gravity until it is caught by a catch funnel a distance away from the jump funnel (see FIG. 15) to continue the racer's journey through the pipe assembly, and timer tubes that have sensors (e.g., at the “starting gate” and finish line) to allow time and speed of the racer through the tube assembly to be determined. While not shown, the time can be transmitted to a stopwatch display that displays time and speed, since the distance through the tubes is a known quantity.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example form factor of a racer vehicle 1000 in the form of a space ship having multiple sets of wheels 1002, 1004, 1006 (6 wheels total) and optional multi-colored LEDs 1008, 1010, 1012, 1014, 1016, 1018, 1020. The example dimensions are shown in inches. The vehicle 1000 has an outer diameter (measured to the point of contact of the wheels) of 1.45 inches, a height of 1.2 inches, and a length of about 3 inches. Each of the six wheels 1002, 1004, 1006 can be a non-slip driving surface, and can be driven by one battery-powered motor for constant speed. Alternately, fewer than six of the wheels, such as four wheels, can be powered, such as 2 wheels in the front and 2 wheels in the rear, powered by the same motor. The multi-colored LEDs 1008, 1010, 1012, 1014, 1016, 1018, 1020 can comprise 3 or 4 differently colored LEDs on the side and/or the rear of the vehicle 1000. Or, holes can be formed in the housing and the LEDs 1008, 1010, 1012, 1014, 1016, 1018, 1020 can be mounted internally so that fewer LEDs can be used thereby drawing less power. The view of the vehicle in the upper left corner is a front view, the view to the right of that one is a side view, and the view in the upper right corner is a rear view.

FIG. 11 illustrates another example of a racer vehicle 1100 having three wheels 1102, 1104, 1104, at least one of which is motorized, and multiple LEDs. The vehicle 1000 can include a speaker to make sound, or the vehicle can make its own racing sound as it whizzes through the tubes.

FIG. 12 illustrates a straight tube section 1200 formed by two halves 1202, 1204 that removably snap together as shown.

FIG. 13 illustrates a straight tube section 1300 having a collar 1302 at one end and formed by two halves 1304, 1306 that removably snap together as shown.

FIG. 14 illustrates a straight half pipe section 1400 formed by a bottom piece 1402 and top pieces 1404, 1406 that removably snap together as shown.

It should be noted that the support posts (vertical) and base supports (horizontal) can removably snap together to form an unlimited variety of “scaffolding” support structures to support any configuration of a tube assembly. The various curved tube sections can be coupled together by respective collars to produce an endless variety of angles and curves that are configurable in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example illustration of a two tube assembly 1500 with a racer vehicle 1000, 1100 zipping through the pipes 1502, 1504, making racing sounds and illuminating the interior of the tube along the way with various colors. The two pipe assemblies 1502, 1504 form a gap 1506 across which the racer vehicle 1000, 1100 exits the tube assembly 1502 and falls into a funnel tube section 1508 of the tube assembly 1504.

FIG. 16 illustrates top and side schematic views, respectively, of an example vehicle 1600 and exemplary dimensions of various radii in inches.

FIG. 17 is a schematic showing various views of another example vehicle 1700 and exemplary dimensions in inches.

FIG. 18 illustrates maximum dimensions of a vehicle 1800 inside curved tube segments 1802 having various inner diameters and curve radii (in inches) as shown.

FIG. 19 illustrates maximum dimensions of a vehicle 1900 inside curved tube segments 1902 having various inner diameters and curve radii (in inches) as shown.

FIG. 20 illustrates various side views and first wheel options 2002, 2004 of an example vehicle 2000. and the vehicle 2000 includes a free-wheeling front wheel 2006, a housing 2008, a spring 2010 biased against a free-wheeling spring-loaded compression wheel 2012, a battery-powered motor 2014, and a motor-driven wheel 2016 with a rubber traction surface. In this example, the unsprung height of the vehicle is about 1.6 inches, but when the spring 2010 is under compression when the vehicle 2000 is inserted inside a tube section 102, the spring 2010 compresses, collapsing the height of the vehicle 2000 to 1.5 inches. This creates opposing pressure forces against the opposing inner walls of the tube sections 102 as the vehicle 2000 races therethrough. In the lower left corner, a first front wheel option 2002 is shown, in which the front wheel 2006 has a ball-like shape, and the unsprung compression wheel 2012 compresses when inserted inside a tube segment as shown in the figure to the right. An example width of the housing 2008 is 1.4 inches. In the lower right corner, a second front wheel option 2004 is shown, in which the front wheel 2006 has the shape of a bicycle wheel instead of a ball shape.

FIG. 21 illustrates side views of a vehicle 2100 inside a curved tube segment 102 with wheels 2102, 2104, 2106, 2108, 2110, 2112 in different configurations.

The embodiments disclosed below in connection with FIG. 22 can use resilient rubber wheels to take up tolerance in the tube and provide traction force.

Embodiment 1) Helical Gear Drive is more normal in the tube and on the floor.

Embodiment 2) Belt Drive. It will be very strange on the ground as the spine will not be horizontal in many possible configurations. The belts can also be replaced with a train of idler gears if gears are preferred to belt.

FIG. 22 illustrates a vehicle featuring a helical gear drive 2200 (Embodiment 1), The helical gear drive embodiment features:

A) A central drive gear directly coupled to the motor 2206, and 3 equally spaced driven gears 2204.

B) The driven gears are over-molded with rubber tires that straddle the central gear.

C) The drive housing is split for assembly. The motor 2206 snaps into the drive housing and connects to the central gear.

D) The associated electronics, connectors, PCB, batteries, etc. can nest in the voids around the motor or on a cage frame around the motor.

E) This arrangement allows any two wheel tangencies to drive on a flat surface, and allows space within to house a modestly sized vehicle body. If a non-flat surface vehicle is created, the body area will increase accordingly.

F) We used actual gear sizes, the smallest of which is shown in FIG. 22. This allows larger diameter outboard gears to be used, keeping the space maximized. The grouping shown increases the inner diameter of the tube by 0.200″ to 1.700″.

G) This configuration can be used singly or in pairs, with a single or dual shaft motor. It applies to vehicle layouts 1, 3, 5 and 7.

H) Double shaft motor will drive 6 wheels. Single shaft motor drives 3 wheels. And the other 3 wheels free-wheel.

Alternately, a vehicle featuring a belt drive drivetrain is contemplated as Embodiment 2. The belts can also be replaced with a train of idler gears if gears are preferred to belt.

FIG. 23 illustrates a side view of a vehicle 2300 having a spring-loaded 2304 compression wheel 2302 and a free, unpowered wheel 2306, and a belt- or gear-driven front wheel 2308. The example dimensions are given in inches.

FIG. 24 illustrates a “twist to lock” connector system to connect two pipe sections 2400. Tabs 2402 on the connector of one pipe section are lined up with corresponding grooves 2404 on the connector of another pipe section. Once the tabs 2402 and grooves 2404 are aligned, one pipe section is twisted relative to the other pipe section to lock the two pipe sections together.

FIG. 25 illustrates an example of a closed-loop pipe assembly, where the racer vehicle, e.g., 1000, 1100, can traverse the inner pipes in a closed loop as many times as the vehicle's battery will allow. As shown in FIG. 26, a hinged door 2600 in one of the pipe sections 102 can be accessed to introduce the racer vehicle 1000, 1100 inside the pipe section 102 of the pipe assembly. FIG. 27 illustrates another racer vehicle 2700 in a straight tube 102.

Claims

1. A portable, lightweight vehicle, comprising:

a body;

a motor and a battery that powers the motor;

a motorized wheel mechanically coupled to the motor, the motorized wheel being spring-loaded to cause the motorized wheel to maintain contact with an inner surface of a tube upon which the motorized wheel rotates and to collapse an overall height of the vehicle to a collapsed height in response to the vehicle being inside the tube;

a plurality of free, unpowered wheels extending from the body;

wherein the collapsed height of the vehicle does not exceed 2 inches, and a length of the vehicle does not exceed 3 inches, and a weight of the vehicle does not exceed 8 ounces,

wherein the vehicle has dimensions that allow the vehicle to pass through a curved section of the tube having an inner diameter not exceeding 2 inches.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motorized wheel is a spring-loaded compression wheel.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein a height of the vehicle inside the curved section does not exceed 1.5 inches.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein a length of the vehicle does not exceed 2 inches.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the inner diameter does not exceed 1.7 inches or does not exceed 1.5 inches.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motorized wheel includes a second powered wheel.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motorized wheel is spring-loaded by a spring that compresses to collapse an overall height of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the overall height of the vehicle is collapsed about 0.1 inches.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, in combination with a tube assembly, comprising:

a plurality of straight tubes each of whose inner diameter does not exceed 2 inches;

a plurality of curved tubes each of whose inner diameter does not exceed 2 inches;

wherein at least one of the plurality of straight tubes and at least one of the plurality of curved tubes are transparent or semi-transparent or non-opaque;

wherein each of the plurality of straight tubes and each of the plurality of curved tubes are configured to be removably coupled together.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein a ratio between (a) a radius of one of the curved tubes measured to an inner curved surface thereof and (b) an overall height dimension of the vehicle is substantially 4:1.4.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein a ratio between (a) a radius of one of the curved tubes measured to an inner curved surface thereof and (b) an overall height dimension of the vehicle is substantially 5:1.4.

12. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the tube assembly further comprises a funnel configured to be connected to one of the plurality of straight tubes or the plurality of curved tubes to allow the vehicle to be caught by the funnel from outside the tubes.

13. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the tube assembly further comprises a funnel-shaped tube section having a first end and a second end, wherein a diameter of the first end is larger than a diameter of the second end or is at least twice as large as a diameter of the second end or is at least three times as large as a diameter of the second end.

14. The vehicle of claim 1, in combination with a remote control to operate the e.

15. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein each of the tubes comprise:

a first half section having at least a pair of interlocking fingers and a pair of notches;

a second half section having at least a pair of interlocking fingers and a pair of notches, wherein the two halves are removably snap-fit or press-fit together by joining the pair of interlocking fingers of the first half section with the pair of notches of the second half section while simultaneously joining the pair of interlocking fingers of the second half section with the pair of notches of the first half section.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the first half section has a first part and a second part separated by a distance from one another, the first part having a first of the interlocking fingers of the first half section and a first of the pair of notches of the first half section, and the second part having a second of the interlocking fingers of the first half section and a second of the pair of notches of the first half section.

17. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein a diameter of one of the free-unpowered wheels is larger than a diameter of the motorized wheel.

18. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein a single one of the plurality of free, unpowered wheels is at one end along the body opposite to a second end along the body, and the motorized wheel is at the second end.

19. An assembly, comprising:

a tube assembly, the tube assembly comprising: a plurality of straight tubes each of whose inner diameter does not exceed 2 inches; and a plurality of curved tubes each of whose inner diameter does not exceed the inner diameter of the straight tubes, wherein at least one of the plurality of straight tubes and at least one of the plurality of curved tubes are transparent or semi-transparent or non-opaque,

wherein each of the plurality of straight tubes and each of the plurality of curved tubes are configured to be removably coupled together;

the assembly further comprising a portable, lightweight vehicle, the vehicle comprising: a body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end; a motor and a battery that powers the motor; a motorized wheel at the first end and mechanically coupled to the motor, the motorized wheel being a spring-loaded compression wheel (a) to cause the motorized wheel to maintain contact with a surface upon which the motorized wheel rotates and (b) to collapse an overall height of the vehicle to a collapsed height that does not exceed an inner diameter of any of the tubes in response to the vehicle being inside the tubes; and a plurality of free, unpowered wheels extending from the body, wherein a length of the vehicle does not exceed 3 inches, and a weight of the vehicle does not exceed 8 ounces, wherein the vehicle has dimensions that allow the vehicle to pass through a curved section of any of the tubes having an inner diameter not exceeding 2 inches.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein a ratio between (a) a radius of one of the curved tubes measured to an inner curved surface thereof and (b) an overall height dimension of the vehicle is substantially 4:1.4 or 5:1.4.