Moveable Toy

1. Technical Field

This invention relates to toys and more particularly to a motorized moveable toy.

2. Background Art

Although no pertinent relevant prior art is known to applicant, toy devices are known which move back and forth along a track. U.S. Pat. No. 3,477,172 discloses a device in which a track also travels through the toy.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,402 discloses a vehicle running along a track in which a portion of the track is comprised of a carrier rotatably mounted between spaced apart end portions of the trackway. The vehicle moves into the carrier from one end portion, and by its momentum causes the carrier, with the vehicle, to be rotated to the other end portion. The vehicle then continues its movement along the trackway. In addition, a tower is positioned along the trackway. The tower has side portions provided with continuous racks engagable by rotating gears on the vehicle to propel the vehicle upwardly. The vehicle also includes other means to cause the vehicle to perform tricks, such as somersaults, as it moves upwardly on the tower.

Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,076 discloses a toy wheeled vehicle which moves along a trackway and performs various tricks. The vehicle may also be carried up and down a double inclined tower by means of gear portions extending out from the sides of the vehicle.

However, none of the prior art discloses a moveable toy of the type set forth in the present application wherein a vehicle moves along a track held on the toy, and wherein the track also moves relative to the vehicle, to allow both the toy and the vehicle to continue to move in a given direction.

In one aspect of the present invention there is provided a moveable toy having a base with two ends and a rotor means rotatably mounted at each end; a track having two ends is mounted to the base with each end of the track ending at a respective rotor means. A motor driven vehicle is removeably mounted on the track for travel along the track when the vehicle motor is actuated, whereby when the vehicle travels to either end of the track, the base on which the track is mounted will be caused to move by the vehicle to propel the moveable toy.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a moveable toy of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle to be mounted on the track of the moveable toy of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial exploded perspective view of the moveable toy of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the motor module of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a motor module of the present invention with batteries mounted therein;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the base of the motor module of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view, partially in section, of the base with the motor module shown in position at one end of the base so as to lift the other end of the base above the surface on which the moveable toy rests;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 7 showing a top plan view of one of the feet;

FIG. 9 is a partial top plan view of one end of the base, showing the base as it moves to various positions as the base is rotated, and the toy is propelled forward;

FIG. 10 is a partial bottom plan view of one end of the base with its foot removed, showing integral stop and holding means for the foot; and

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the moveable toy of the present invention with the motor module mounted on the track, and the module and the base in various positions, to simulate movement of the toy and the vehicle.

A preferred embodiment of the moveable toy of the present invention is illustrated in the attached drawings wherein like numerals used throughout the several views indicate like parts.

With reference to FIG. 1, there illustrated is a moveable toy 10 comprised of a base assembly 12 and a vehicle assembly 14. The vehicle may take any desired shape, such as the head of a dragon, and includes two halves 16, 18, forming a seat 20 therebetween to enable a toy figure or the like 22 to be placed in the seat and simulate the operation of the vehicle on the base, as by means of a control panel, handles and other means added to or formed on the vehicle adjacent the seat and the toy figure.

A motor module 24 is held within the vehicle 14, in any convenient manner, between the two halves 16, 18. As shown more clearly in FIGS. 2-6, the motor module is comprised of an upper portion 25, and a lower portion 27, and is substantially circular in shape. The interior of the module includes powered motor means, such as an electrical power source which may have one or more batteries 26, connected to an electrical motor 28. The motor drives a gear train through a worm gear 30 carried by the motor shaft 31, upon actuation of a switch means 32. The gear train is composed of gears 34, 36, 38, and 44 mounted on verticle shafts held in the module. Clutch means 40, 42 are disposed between gears 38 and 44 and operate in a well known manner. As shown in FIG. 6, the final drive or spur gear 44 extends outwardly from the base 45 of the motor module. And, as shown in FIG. 9, drive gear 44 meshes with a track 46 on base 15, to drive the vehicle 14, along the track, as explained more fully below.

The track 46, is supported on or formed integrally with the top surface 47 of base 12 and has a plurality of teeth 48 formed on the outer surface thereof, preferably extending in the vertical direction, perpendicular to surface 47. The vehicle 14 is driven along the track, within a groove 50. The teeth 48 essentially form an endless rack around the track, with groove 50 extending centrally of the track. A projecting member or blade 52 (See FIGS. 6 and 9) is formed on the base 45 of the motor module and is captured in the groove 50, to guide the travel of the vehicle along the groove.

The track has an open, substantially round portion 54, formed at each end thereof. The endless track or rack together with teeth 48 extends entirely around each of these openings, forming rounded track ends. Rotatably captured, for limited movement within the openings 54, are a pair of retaining members or rotor means 56, each of which has a pair of upwardly extending notches 58 formed thereon. The notches 58 are positioned so as to capture the blade 52 of base 45 therebetween when the blade leaves groove 50 (See FIG. 9). That is, as the vehicle leaves the groove and enters one of the openings 54, blade 52 will enter and be captured or held between opposed vertical surfaces formed on the notches and the vehicle will stop its forward movement. However, since the drive gear 44 continues to rotate in the direction of arrow 49 (FIG. 9), and the teeth 48 of the track 46 are meshed with gear 44, the track and supporting base 12 will be rotated around a foot or support means 60 underlying the rotor means 56 at that end of the base, as explained more fully hereinafter.

The supporting means 60, located at both ends of the base 12 may take any desired shape. However, in the preferred embodiment shown, are in the shape of dragon type feet having three, evenly spaced, extending toe portions 62. The rotors 56 are coupled to the supporting means or feet 60 for rotation therewith, as by a key and slot arrangement, with keys 61 fixed to shafts 63 of rotors 56, and slots 65 formed adjacent to central openings 67 extending through each foot. The shafts 63 of the rotors 56 extend through holes 69 formed centrally of the openings 54 at the ends of the track, and include enlarged end portions 71 which fixedly hold the rotors to the feet 60, but allow the feet to rotate with respect to the base 12.

As shown in FIG. 10, the lower surface 73 of the base, at either end thereof, is provided with a stop means 75 adjacent the opening 69. The ends 77, 79 of this stop means, coact with ends 81, 83 of a corresponding stop means 76 formed in each of the feet 60, to limit rotational movement of the rotors and feet, as described below.

The operation of the device will now be more fully explained. The vehicle 14, with motor module 24, and any covering or housing materials, such as 16, 18, forming the dragon, is placed on the track 46 with the blade 52 in the groove 50. The drive gear 44 engages or meshes with the teeth 48 along the outside of the track. As shown more clearly in FIGS. 6 and 9, the base or bottom 45 of the motor module 24 also includes a rounded outside guiding member 64 having a substantially straight internal wall 66. This guiding member 64 is captured within a guiding slot 68 formed between an outside wall 97 extending around the base 12 and the teeth 48 on the track 46. The guide 64 and straight wall 66, as well as the groove 50, prevent the entire vehicle 14 from being rotated with respect to the base, and allow the vehicle to be smoothly guided along the track, in the direction of arrows 59 (FIG. 9), and the rounded ends of the track to be guided as the track and base to which it is fixed are being rotated about a foot 60 by the drive gear 44.

The entire base 12, including the track 46 is rotated substantially 180.degree., to the broken line position shown in FIGS. 9 and 11. The rotation of the base by the vehicle is explained more fully hereinafter, and is more easily accomplished due to slanted feet holding portions 70 formed on the lower surface 73 of the base 12. That is, at the opposite ends of the base, each foot 60 is attached to the lower surface 73 of the base at any desired angle, such as approximately 5.degree.. In this manner, when the vehicle 14 is over, and is being guided around either rounded end of the track, the weight of the vehicle will cam the entire base of the toy about the inner toe 62 of the supporting foot 60. That is, the toe of the foot extending in the direction toward the other end of the base. Therefore, the end of the base on which the weight of the vehicle is pressing will move downward so as to rest on all three toes 62. This in turn causes the other end of the base to be lifted upwardly, from a floor or surface 72 on which it is travelling, in the direction of the arrow 74 (FIG. 7).

Each of the supporting means or feet 60 includes the stop mean 76 formed in an opening 78 on the top surface thereof. As described above, the ends 81, 83 of stop 76, cooperate with the ends 77, 79 of the stop means 75 formed on the lower surface of base 12, in different positions of the feet. A cylindrical return spring 80 is also contained in each foot 60, and cooperates with a holder 85 formed at each end in the lower surface 73 of the base 12, and in a similar holder 86 formed in each of the feet 60. That is, extending tabs 82 formed on the spring 80 are held in the holding means, 85, 86 and allow each of the feet to be rotated and then returned to its normal resting or starting position with the stop means in contact. The return to the starting position occurs after the base is rotated, the vehicle reaches the other end of the base, and the foot that has previously had the base rotated around it, lifted from the floor or surface. The forward direction of the toy and vehicle is shown by arrow 87 in FIGS. 1, 7, 9 and 11. The base 12 is rotated around a foot 60 in the clockwise direction, when looking at FIGS. 9 and 11 of the drawings. After the base is rotated, and the vehicle reaches the other end of the base, the foot 60 is lifted off the surface 72 (FIG. 7). The foot 60, off of the surface will be returned to its normal or starting position by its return spring 80 (see arrow 89, FIGS. 7 and 11).

After the full rotation of the base, and the inner toe 62 of each foot 60 is again resting on the surface 72, pointing toward the other end of the base, the vehicle will continue to travel along the groove 50. When the vehicle arrives at the other end of the track, the vehicle will stop its forward motion, the base will tilt, and the base will again be rotated forward, in front of the vehicle, to allow the vehicle to continue its forward motion.

In summary, the invention herein disclosed comprises two basic pieces, namely, a vehicle 14 and a base 12. The base 12 has its feet or supports 60 placed on a floor or surface, and the vehicle 14 is placed on the base, in a track 46 formed on or secured to the top surface of the base. The vehicle motor is started, as by actuation of the switch 32 so that the drive gear 44 drives the vehicle about the teeth 48 formed on the rack or track 46, guided in the grooves 50 and 68. The forward movement of the toy 10 and vehicle 14 is shown by the arrow 87. The vehicle moves along the track until it reaches one of the openings 54 formed at either end. The vehicle then moves into the opening with the lower blade 52 leaving the groove 50 and entering the aligned space defined by the notches 58 formed in opposite positions on the rotors 56. The forward motion of the vehicle is then stopped, but the drive gear 44 continues to rotate. Therefore, the cooperation of the rotating drive gear 44 with the teeth 48 of the track 46 causes the rounded end of the track as well as the entire base to be rotated about the underlying foot. The supporting means or foot 60 over which the base is being turned is in the start position, with the respective stop means 75, 76 having one of their respective ends abutting against each other. Therefore this foot will not turn. However, since the rotor 56 has the blade 52 of the vehicle captured therein, the entire base is caused to rotate against the action of the spring 80, until the other ends of the stop means abut each other, approximately 180.degree. from the start position. At the same time, the weight of the vehicle over the respective foot 60, causes the foot to pivot down from a single toe 62, onto all three toes. This pivoting of the foot raises the other end of the base upwardly, thereby picking up the other foot 60, at the opposite end of the base, from the surface 72 on which the moveable toy is travelling. The raised foot is rotated back to its normal or starting position with respect to the base 12, by the action of the return spring 80 unwinding (arrow 89). This pivoting of the base from the supporting surface also allows the entire base 12, to be more easily rotated about the foot on which it is pressed, in the direction of the arrows 84 (FIGS. 9 and 11). The rotation of the base 12, about the respective foot 60 continues until the ends of stop means 75, 76, make contact, that is, approximately 180.degree.. The base and track will then be pointing in substantially the same direction the toy and vehicle had been pointing or travelling before. However, the base with the track thereon will now be stretched out ahead of the vehicle, that is, approximately 180.degree. from its former position.

The vehicle then continues its travel along the track, with base 52 guided in the groove 50, and the guiding member 64 guided in slot 68, as described previously, until the vehicle reaches the opening 54 at the other end of the track. The vehicle enters the other opening 54, stops its forward motion, and causes the base to be rotated about the foot 60, in the same manner as described above. That is, the base 12 will be rotated in the direction of the arrow 84', (FIG. 11), by the drive gear 44 moving the rounded end of the track or endless rack. This movement of the base enables both the toy and the vehicle to keep moving forward, in the direction of arrow 87. That is, the toy will keep moving because the base is moved, and the vehicle will continue to move along the track on the base until it reaches one of the openings at the ends of the track on the base. Each time the vehicle reaches an end of the track on the base the base is rotated forward around the respective foot, again moving the toy. The toy and the vehicle will continue their forward motion until stopped, the batteries within the motor module lose power, or until the motor module is lifted off the track.

The particular form of the invention described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings is a preferred embodiment, and various changes in the size, shape, materials and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the attached claims.