Playset with obstacles and lane switches

[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/733,558 filed on Nov. 4, 2005, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

[0002] Playsets and accompanying toy vehicles are a source of entertainment to persons using them. Playsets can include track sections and apparatuses that guide the motion of one or more toy vehicles. Various types of motion are possible on a playset including linear and rotational motion. Different vehicle propulsion means can be used, such as storing energy for propulsion in the vehicle, drawing energy for propulsion from an external power source, or manually propelling the vehicle. Toy vehicles may maintain contact with a playset due to gravity, magnetic forces, and/or mechanical attachment of the vehicle to the playset.

[0003] The following patents and patent application publications disclose examples of toy playsets, and are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference for all purposes: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,315,632; 3,377,958, 3,496,674, 3,572,711, 3,712,615, 3,970,309, 4,094,089, 4,251,949, 4,295,649, 4,330,127, 4,364,566, 4,383,688, 4,415,157, 4,513,966, 4,715,843, 5,038,685, 5,125,010, 5,174,569, 5,299,969, 5,542,668, 5,767,655, 6,089,951, 6,109,186, 6,179,686, 6,575,809, 6,676,480, 6,951,497, and U.S. Publication No. 2005/0148281 and 2005/0191940.

[0004] The present disclosure is directed to a playset for use with a toy vehicle, the playset including an elongate track defining at least one travel path. In some examples, the playset includes a switching mechanism for switching a toy vehicle between different travel paths. In some examples, the playset includes an obstacle mechanism for selectively deploying an obstacle in at least one travel path. In some examples, the playset includes an indicator mechanism, such as an active indicator mechanism and a passive indicator mechanism.

[0012] An exemplary and non-exclusive example of playset 10 for use with a toy vehicle 12 is shown in FIG. 1. Playset 10 may include an elongate track 14, a booster mechanism 16, a switching mechanism 18, an active indicator mechanism 20, an obstacle mechanism 22, and a passive indicator mechanism 24. Toy vehicle 12 may travel along track 14 and interface with the aforementioned mechanisms.

[0013] An elongate track 14 may provide a surface 26 on which toy vehicle 12 may move about playset 10. Elongate track 14 may also include guide rails 28 bounding surface 26 to maintain toy vehicle 12 on the track 14. Single lane and multiple lane elongate track sections may be used to define various travel paths 30 that toy vehicle 12 may take. Elongate track 14 may extend various distances and form various shapes, such as a circle, a figure-eight, or an oval. Elongate track 14 may comprise a combination of level and banked sections.

[0014] To propel vehicles around track 14, booster mechanism 16 may be provided. Booster mechanism 16 may be positioned at any of various positions along the elongate track. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, booster mechanism 16 may comprise a pair of spaced apart, rotating booster wheels 32 disposed on opposite sides of travel path 30. Booster wheels 32 may operate in conjunction to engage toy vehicle 12 from both sides and impart energy and acceleration to the vehicle in a forward direction D. Booster mechanism 16 may also comprise a flywheel (not pictured) to store rotational energy.

[0015] Booster wheels 32 may employ disc-shaped members formed of a resilient material to provide frictional engagement with the passing toy vehicle 12 to an extent sufficient to allow the rotating booster wheel 32 to accelerate toy vehicle 12. Booster wheels 32 may be selected to resiliently deform to accommodate a variety of differently sized and shaped toy vehicles 12. Frictional engagement of toy vehicle 12 may be facilitated by selecting a material for an engagement surface 34 of booster wheel 32 that has a desired coefficient of friction.

[0016] In some embodiments, booster wheel 32 rotation may occur by human power. Booster mechanism 16 may include an actuator (not pictured) that a user may actuate to rotate the booster wheels 32. Various actuation methods are contemplated, including depressing, rotating, sliding, or pulling the actuator.

[0017] In one example, booster wheel 32 rotation occurs by electrical power. As shown in FIG. 3, booster mechanism 16 may include a motor 36 connected to booster wheels 32 through booster gears 38. Motor 36 may be powered by a power supply. The power supply may be an external power source, such as an electrical wall outlet, or it may be an electricity storage means, such as a battery. Booster wheel 32 rotation may be turned completely on and off by closing and opening a switch 42, respectively. Further, the speed in which booster wheels 32 rotate may be controlled by varying the current or voltage supplied to the motor.

[0018] A display platform 44 may be connected to booster mechanism 16 and rotate while supporting toy vehicle 12 thereon. Display platform 44 may include a display platform gear 45 and a vehicle support surface 46 on which toy vehicle 12 may rest. Display platform 44 may mount to display platform gear and rotate concurrently with rotation of display platform gear 45.

[0019] An extension shaft 48 and an extension gear 49 may couple vehicle display platform gear 45 to booster gears 38. Extension shaft 48 may extend from booster gears 38 such that it terminates substantially in the same plane in which display platform gear 45 lies. Further, extension shaft 48 may transfer motion from booster gears 38 to extension gear 49, such as rotational motion. Extension gear 49 may engage display platform gear 45 and cause it to rotate.

[0020] Switching mechanism 18 may operate to direct toy vehicle 12 towards different travel paths 30. Switching mechanism 18 may be provided in a position on the travel path in direction D forward of booster mechanism 16. As can be seen in FIG. 2, switching mechanism 18 may include a chute 50 and an actuator 52.

[0021] Chute 50 may include two, spaced apart members or sidewalls 54 that cooperatively direct toy vehicle 12 towards direction portions of track 14 by forming a channel 56. Sidewalls 54 may be spaced apart a distance slightly wider than the width of toy vehicle 12. Sidewalls 54 may each be pivotally mounted at ends 54A and pivot between a first position and a second position when actuated by actuator 52. As shown in FIG. 3, sidewalls 54 may be coupled together by a slidably mounted coupling member 58 that is attached pivotingly to sidewalls 54 at positions spaced from ends 54A.

[0022] A lip 60 may be provided along an upper edge or top 62 of each sidewall 54 and project into channel 56 over track 14. Lip 60 may help to maintain toy vehicle 12 in a substantially horizontal travel path after it passes through booster mechanism 16. Booster mechanism 16 may occasionally cause the front end of toy vehicle 12 to lift off of surface 26 and lip 60 may direct it back toward surface 26.

[0023] Actuator 52 may include a handle 64 for use by a user to move sidewalls 54 between the first and second positions. In the non-exclusive example shown in FIG. 2, actuator 52 includes two handles 64 spaced apart and connected by a linking shaft 66. In the example with two handles 64, two users may concurrently participate in actuating sidewalls 54. A single handle, more than two handles, or no handle may be provided in alternative examples.

[0024] Playset 10 may include an active indicator mechanism 20 that a user may selectively activate. Active indicator mechanism 20 may include a pivotally mounted indicator flag 68 and an activator 70. Indicator flag 68 may pivot between a rest position (shown in solid lines in FIG. 2) and an activated or upright position (shown in dashed lines in FIG. 2). Indicator flag 68 may be biased into the rest position by a biasing member, such as a spring (not shown).

[0025] Indicator flag 68 may include an indicator shaft 72 and a flag 74 slidably mounted to indicator shaft 72. Flag 74 may loosely surround indicator shaft 72 and freely slide around it when indicator 68 pivots between the rest position and the activated position. Flag 74 freely sliding around indicator shaft 72 is depicted in FIG. 2 by flag 74 in solid lines juxtaposed with flag 74 in dotted lines.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 3, engaging activator 70 may pivot indicator flag 68 between the rest and activated positions. Activator 70 may be a button, a lever, a slider, or a dial in addition to other common activators. In the non-exclusive example shown in FIG. 3, a user may press activator 70 to pivot indicator flag 68, for example, to indicate when it is the final lap.

[0027] Vehicle 12 traveling along track 14 may encounter obstacle mechanism 22 configured to selectively deploy an obstacle 76 in an intermittently obstructed travel path 77. Obstacle mechanism 22 may deploy obstacle 76 into all travel paths or into a subset of the total number of travel paths. For example, the obstacle mechanism depicted in FIG. 4 includes a single potentially obstructed travel path 77 although there are two travel paths. Deploying obstacle 76 into a subset of the total number of travel paths provides for one or more unobstructed travel paths 78, which may impart an element of skill into use of playset 10. For example, a user may seek to direct vehicle 12 into unobstructed travel path 78 through operation of switching mechanism 18.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, obstacle 76 may pivot between a deployed position and a stowed or recessed position. In the deployed position, obstacle 76 may obstruct vehicle 12 when vehicle 12 travels in travel path 77 when obstacle 76 is in the deployed position. In the stowed position, obstacle 76 may reside within an obstacle mechanism compartment or housing 80 and may leave intermittently obstructed travel path 77 unobstructed. Obstacle 76 may present vehicle 12 with an inclined surface 82 on which vehicle 12 may travel causing it to potentially launch into the air. In some examples, obstacle 76 presents vehicle 12 with a substantially vertical surface, which may cause vehicle 12 to come to an abrupt stop when it collides with obstacle 76.

[0029] Deployment of obstacle 76 may occur after a set number of activations of a counter mechanism 84. Counter mechanism 84 may include a first trigger 86 fixedly secured to a counter mechanism shaft 88 having a transmission gear 90 fixedly attached thereto. First trigger 86 may be positioned to pivot through an aperture 91 into surface 26 of track 14 when it is contacted by vehicle 12. Pivoting first trigger 86 may in turn cause counter mechanism shaft 88 to rotate. Rotational energy may be transferred throughout counter mechanism 84 and to obstacle mechanism 22 by intermeshing gears as further described below.

[0030] Counter mechanism 84 may optionally include a change gear 92 meshed with transmission gear 90 to change the gear ratio of counter mechanism 84. Meshing transmission gear 90 with change gear 92 may cause change gear 92 to rotate as transmission gear 90 rotates and decrease the number of times first trigger 86 must be engaged to cause obstacle 76 to deploy. Change gear 92 may be mounted to a common shaft with a one-way mechanism 93 configured to limit rotation of the common shaft to a preferred direction.

[0031] One-way mechanism 93 may include a one-way gear 94 and a one-way member 96. As shown in FIG. 5, one-way gear 94 may be a spur gear with teeth configured to engage one-way member 96. One-way member 96 may be made of a resilient material and may be fixedly secured on a first end and rest on the teeth of one-way gear 94 near a second end. The second end of one-way member 96 may deflect upwards as one-way gear 94 rotates in the permissible direction. The resiliency of one-way member 96 may cause the second end to slide down a backside of each tooth as it rotates past the second end, thus preventing reverse rotation of one-way gear 94. In this manner, one-way mechanism may permit rotation of one-way gear 94 in one direction and restrict rotation in the other direction.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 5, change gear 92 may also be mounted to a common shaft with a cam 98 such that cam 98 rotates as change gear 92 rotates. Cam 98 may engage a crankshaft 100 as it rotates and cause crankshaft 100 to move. Crankshaft 100 may link counter mechanism 84 with obstacle mechanism 22 as described more fully below.

[0033] In the example shown in FIGS. 4-6, crankshaft 100 includes a first projection 102, a second projection 104, and a third projection 106. Cam 98 may engage first projection 102 and second projection 104 as it rotates in turn with change gear 92. Cam 98 engaging each of first projection 102 and second projection 104 may cause crankshaft 100 to move, such as to rotate as shown in FIG. 5. Rotation of crankshaft 100 typically causes third projection 106 to rotate.

[0034] Rotation of third projection 106 may bring it into contact with an interface member 108 of obstacle mechanism 22 as shown in FIG. 5. Interface member 108 may project from obstacle 76 which is pivotally mounted to obstacle mechanism housing 80. In the example shown in FIG. 5, rotation of third projection 106 causes it to engage interface member 108 and pivot obstacle 76 between the deployed position and the stowed position. Thus, in some examples the relative sizing between the gearing associated with the counter mechanism 84 and the obstacle mechanism 22 may determine how many times first trigger 86 must be depressed to pivot obstacle 76 between the deployed and stowed positions.

[0035] In the example shown in FIGS. 4-6, counter mechanism 84 includes first trigger 86 and a second trigger 110 However, more or fewer triggers 86 may be provided, such as a number of triggers 86 corresponding to an available number of travel paths. In the example shown in FIGS. 4-6, first trigger 86 is disposed in intermittently obstructed travel path 77 and second trigger 110 is disposed in unobstructed travel path 78. Additionally or alternatively, different types of triggers 86, such as motion sensors, magnetic sensors, or pressure sensors may be used.

[0036] Counter mechanism 84 may include a lock mechanism 112 for locking counter mechanism 84 in a non-counting position where first trigger 86 and second trigger 110 are retracted into first aperture 91 and a second aperture 118, respectively of surface 26. Lock mechanism 112 may include a selector tab 114 linked to a wedge 116. Selector tab 114 may be slidably mounted and allow a user to engage or disengage lock mechanism 112 by sliding it between a lock position and an unlock position. Sliding selector tab 114 into the lock position may slide wedge 116 under second trigger 110 and cause it and first trigger 86 to retract below surface 26 of track 14 in a non-counting position where they are not contacted by toy vehicles traveling on track 14.

[0037] In some examples, playset 10 may include an obstacle flag assembly 120 configured to pivot into a warning position when obstacle 76 is deployed. Obstacle flag assembly 120 may include a pivotally mounted sleeve 122, an obstacle flag 124 rotatably mounted within sleeve 122, and a linking member 126 linking sleeve with obstacle 76. Linking sleeve 122 to obstacle 76 with linking member 126 typically causes sleeve 122 and obstacle flag 124 to pivot into an upright warning position shown in FIG. 5 when obstacle 76 is in the deployed position. When obstacle 76 is in the stowed position, linking member 126 typically causes sleeve 122 and obstacle flag 124 to pivot into a non-warning position shown in dotted lines in FIGS. 4 and 6.

[0038] Playset 10 may include passive indicator mechanism 24 for indicating when vehicle 12 passes by a specific location on track 14. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, passive indicator mechanism 24 may be mounted to track 14 in a position near an outside edge of a banked section such that it will be triggered by vehicle 12 passing near the outside edge. However, passive indicator mechanism 24 could be placed in numerous other positions along track 14, such as an inside lane, near a finish line, or at regularly spaced intervals.

[0039] As shown most clearly in FIG. 7, passive indicator mechanism 24 may include a passive indicator flag 128, a spring member 130, and a lever arm. 132 pivotable about a fulcrum 133. Passive indicator flag 128 may be a rigid member shaped to resemble a flag and may generally extend above track 14. Spring member 130 may pass through an opening in an end 132A of lever arm 132 and couple to passive indicator flag 128 on a distal end and couple to track 14 on a proximal end. In some examples, a sleeve (not shown) may be attached to the distal end of spring member 130 with the shaft of passive indicator flag 128 supported loosely in the sleeve. Such an arrangement may allow passive indicator flag to rotate within the sleeve as spring member 130 moves.

[0040] Lever arm 132 may attach to track 14 at fulcrum 133 with an end 132b extending through a track aperture 134 formed in surface 26. Lever arm 132 may thus extend into a particular travel path 30 of vehicle 12. Vehicle 12 may contact lever arm 132 when it travels in the particular travel path 30 and impart motion to lever arm 132 about fulcrum 133 and to spring member 130. Motion of spring member 130 may in turn cause passive indicator flag 128 to wiggle or wobble in a fashion similar to a flag waving. In some examples, spring member 132 is a coiled spring and made from a resilient material. In this case, spring member 130 may move for a relatively long time after having motion imparted to it by fulcrum 130 until its motion dampens out.

[0041] Playset 10 may be played with in numerous ways. One method of use includes propelling vehicle 12 along track 14 with booster mechanism 16. A user may direct vehicle 12 into one of a plurality of travel paths 30 by pressing handle 64 of switching mechanism 18 to actuate chute 50 into a desired position.

[0042] Playset 10 provides numerous desired positions for chute 50 depending on a result a user may wish to obtain. For example, one such desired position may be a position that directs vehicle 12 into intermittently obstructed travel path 77, in which obstacle 76 may be deployed and cause vehicle 12 to collide with. Another desired position may be a position that directs vehicle 12 into unobstructed travel path 78 to avoid a potential collision with obstacle 76. Another example of a desired position would be a position that directs vehicle 12 towards a particular travel path 30 that lever arm 132 of passive indicator mechanism 24 extends into to cause passive indicator flag 128 to wiggle or wobble.

[0043] As vehicle 12 travels around playset 10 it may engage first trigger 86 of counter mechanism 84. When first trigger 86 is engaged a sufficient number of times as determined by the relative gearing size of counter mechanism 84, obstacle mechanism 22 may deploy or stow obstacle 76. In addition, obstacle indicator mechanism 120 may pivot into a warning position.

[0044] Numerous other methods of using playset 10 should be apparent to those skilled in the art from the structure described. For example, vehicle 12 may be placed on display platform 44 to observe vehicle 12 as vehicle 12 rotates. In addition, a user may press activator 70 to pivot indicator flag 68.

[0045] Another example of a playset 10 for use with a toy vehicle 12 comprises an elongate track 14 having a plurality of travel paths 30 in which toy vehicle 12 may travel, a switching mechanism 18 mounted to elongate track 14 for switching toy vehicle 12 between the plurality of travel paths 30, a trigger 86 extending into at least one of the plurality of travel paths 30, trigger 86 being configured to be engaged by toy vehicle 12 moving in the at least one travel path 30; and an obstacle mechanism 22 mounted to elongate track 14 with an obstacle 76 operatively connected to trigger 86, wherein obstacle 76 moves relative to at least one of the plurality of travel paths 30 when trigger 86 has been engaged a set number of times.

[0046] A further example of a playset 10 for use with a toy vehicle 12 comprises a track 14 having a surface 26 that provides a travel path 30 for toy vehicle 12, and an indicator mechanism 24 mounted to track 14, indicator mechanism 24 including a spring member 130, a rigid indicator 128 coupled to spring member 130, and a lever arm 132 mounted for pivoting relative to track 14 and having a first end 132A coupled to spring member 130.

[0047] Another example of a playset 10 for use with a toy vehicle 12 comprises a track 14 providing a travel path 30 for toy vehicle 12, and a first module mounted to track 14, the first module including a booster mechanism 16 in travel path 30 for accelerating toy vehicle 12 along travel path 30 in a given direction D, a switching mechanism 18 mounted along track 14 in given direction D from booster mechanism 16 and that is manually operable for selectively directing toy vehicle 12 to different portions of travel path 30; and a display platform 44 for rotating toy vehicle 12 when toy vehicle 12 is supported thereon, display platform 44 being mounted adjacent to travel path 30 and drivingly connected to booster mechanism 16.

[0048] While embodiments of a playset for use with a toy vehicle have been particularly shown and described, many variations may be made therein. This disclosure may include one or more independent or interdependent inventions directed to various combinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties, one or more of which may be defined in the following claims. Other combinations and sub-combinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed later in this or a related application. Such variations, whether they are directed to different combinations or directed to the same combinations, whether different, broader, narrower or equal in scope, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the present disclosure. An appreciation of the availability or significance of claims not presently claimed may not be presently realized. Accordingly, the foregoing embodiments are illustrative, and no single feature or element, or combination thereof, is essential to all possible combinations that may be claimed in this or a later application. Each claim defines an invention disclosed in the foregoing disclosure, but any one claim does not necessarily encompass all features or combinations that may be claimed.

[0049] Where “a” or “a first” element or the equivalent thereof is recited, such recitations include one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. Further, ordinal indicators, such as first, second or third, for identified elements are used to distinguish between the elements, and do not indicate a required or limited number of such elements, and do not indicate a particular position or order of such elements unless otherwise specifically stated.

[0050] Inventions embodied in various combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements, and/or properties may be claimed through presentation of claims in a related application. Such claims, whether they are directed to different inventions or directed to the same invention, whether different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the other claims, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the present disclosure.