Patent Application
20230083148
The present invention relates generally to the field of toys. More specifically, the invention relates to a steering wheel toy for vehicles. The toy is specifically designed to hang from the back of a driver or passenger side seat allowing children and/or adults sitting in the backseat to play with the toy. The steering wheel toy is designed to be a non-working prototype of a vehicle's steering wheel and includes the functionality of a steering wheel enabling users to pretend to drive the vehicle and thus offering a way to entertain users in the vehicle. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices and methods of manufacture.
By way of background, often times individuals take road trips with families and/or friends. Generally, passengers enjoy the scenic beauty and chat with fellow passengers, while the driver enjoys driving the vehicle. However, it can be difficult to keep children busy and entertained during road trips. Children tend to get bored easily during road trips, which leads to children crying and creating noise. Thus, children usually end up distracting the driver and other passengers, which can make the road trip an ordeal.
Individuals tend to carry numerous toys in their vehicle to keep children entertained. However, children can become bored of such toys quickly and may ask to drive the vehicle. Further, passengers who love to drive may want to drive the vehicle and thus, may become bored while sitting idle in the backseat. Thus, there is a need for a device and toy that can keep children and adults entertained in a vehicle during a road trip.
Therefore, there exists a long felt need in the art for a fun and unique device that can be used for entertaining adults and children in a vehicle. There is also a long felt need in the art for a unique device that allows users to pretend that they are driving the vehicle. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a toy that prevents children from asking to drive the vehicle. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for a toy that can be used by users, while sitting in the backseat of the vehicle. Further, there is a long felt need in the art for a fun toy that is in the form of a non-functioning rear seat steering wheel for a vehicle. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a toy that offers a way to keep users entertained in a vehicle, allowing them to pretend that they are driving the vehicle.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a rear seat steering wheel toy for a vehicle. The rear seat steering wheel toy is configured to be installed on the backside of a driver or passenger seat in a vehicle. The steering wheel toy further comprises a wooden board, a drawstring looped through a pair of holes disposed in the wooden board for hanging on the back of a seat of the vehicle, a bushing connected to the wooden board, a central hub rotatably coupled to the bushing, and a circular rim attached to the central hub through a plurality of spokes, wherein each spoke extends from the hub to the rim. The plurality of spokes includes a right turn signal, a left turn signal and a headset jack. Further, the right turn signal and the left turn signal are configured to be pressed to illuminate a corresponding signal indicating a right turn or a left turn, and the rim is configured to be rotatable 360 degrees.
In this manner, the backseat toy steering wheel of the present invention accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives and provides users with a non-functioning rear seat steering wheel device for a vehicle, that offers a way to keep users entertained in the vehicle and allows them to pretend like they are driving the vehicle. The toy has signal lights, a horn and a headset to allow a user to communicate with other backseat drivers. The toy is removable and can be hung from the back of any driver or passenger seat.
The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a rear seat steering wheel toy device for a vehicle. More specifically, the steering wheel toy device includes a wooden board, a drawstring looped through a pair of holes disposed in the wooden board, a bushing connected to the wooden board, a central hub rotatably coupled to the bushing, and a circular rim attached to the central hub through a plurality of spokes, wherein each spoke extends from the hub to the rim. A first spoke includes a right turn signal, a second spoke includes a left turn signal, a third spoke includes a headset jack for connecting a headset, and wherein the right turn signal and the left turn signal are configured to be pressed to illuminate a corresponding signal indicating a right turn or a left turn, and the rim is configured to be rotatable 360 degrees.
In yet another embodiment, the steering wheel toy device has a speaker configured to play engine sounds when a push button positioned on the central hub is pressed and configured to play a horn or a customized audio sound when a speaker button positioned on the central hub is pressed.
In yet another embodiment, the customized sound can be one or more of police siren, ambulance siren or a horn.
In yet another embodiment, the toy device has a built-in memory for storing rhymes, songs or other media that can be played by the speaker or through the headset.
In yet another embodiment, a Bluetooth module is configured to connect the toy device to another toy steering wheel device deployed in the vehicle for enabling communication and connection to the dashboard of the vehicle, enabling the speaker and/or the headset to play selected songs and enable communication between the devices.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a Backseat Toy Steering Wheel device for a vehicle is disclosed. The toy steering wheel device is a non-functional steering wheel which is comprised of plywood, a plastic ring, a bushing and a drawstring. The plywood is configured to be hung on a back of a seat of the vehicle using the drawstring, wherein the length of the drawstring can be adjusted to adjust the height of the plywood. A bushing is attached to the plywood for rotating the steering wheel 360 degrees, wherein the rim of the steering wheel is held by a user. Further, the toy steering wheel device has a battery for providing power, a speaker for playing audios, LEDs for indicating a right turn signal and a left turn signal and a circuit board for connecting the battery to the speaker and the LEDs.
In yet another embodiment, the battery and the speaker are disposed inside a central hub of the toy device.
In yet another embodiment, the LEDs are positioned inside a pair of opposite spokes of the toy device, and configured to indicate a right turn and a left turn.
In yet another embodiment, the battery is removable and can be one of three AA or two AAA batteries, etc.
In yet another embodiment, the central hub, the plurality of spokes and the rim are integral and manufactured as one unit, removably connected to the bushing.
In yet another embodiment, a non-functioning rear seat toy steering wheel device for a vehicle is disclosed. The toy device is comprised of plywood, a plastic ring, a bushing, and a drawstring. Further, the toy device has signal lights for indicating a left turn or a right turn, a speaker for playing audio, and a removably attached headset to allow the user to communicate with other backseat drivers. Further, the toy device is designed to be hung from the back of a driver or passenger seat and used as a fun, entertaining toy device while a user is riding in the vehicle.
Numerous benefits and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains upon reading and understanding of the following detailed specification.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:
The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.
As noted above, there is a long felt need in the art for a fun and unique device that can be used for entertaining adults and children in a vehicle. There is also a long felt need in the art for a unique device that allows users to pretend that they are driving the vehicle. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a toy that prevents children from becoming bored while riding in a vehicle. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for a toy that can be used by users while sitting in a backseat of the vehicle. Further, there is a long felt need in the art for a fun toy that is in the form of a non-functioning rear seat steering wheel device for a vehicle. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a toy device that offers a way to keep users entertained in a vehicle, allowing them to pretend that they are driving the vehicle.
The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is a novel non-functioning rear seat toy steering wheel device for a vehicle. The toy is comprised of a wooden base with two holes, a plastic rim attached to a central hub using a plurality of spokes, a bushing and a drawstring. Further, the toy comprises signal lights for indicating a left turn or a right turn on two of said plurality of spokes, a speaker for playing audio, and a removably attached headset to allow the user to communicate with other backseat drivers. The toy device is designed to be hung from the back of a driver or passenger seat and is used as a fun, entertaining toy that allows users to pretend that they are driving the vehicle.
Referring initially to the drawings,
Additionally, the backseat toy steering wheel device 100 comprises a bushing 110 attached to the base 102, preferably at the center of the base 102, which is used for rotation of the steering wheel rim 112. The steering wheel rim 112 rotates 360 degrees. Specifically, a central hub 114 is rotatably connected to the bushing 110, wherein the central hub 114 is connected to the steering wheel rim 112 using three spokes 116, 118, 120, however any suitable number of spokes can be used as is known in the art depending on the needs and/or wants of a user.
In use, a user holds the steering wheel rim 112 and rotates the rim 112 in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction to pretend to steer the vehicle. The central hub 114 then rotates using the bushing 110 to allow a smooth and low friction rotation of the steering wheel rim 112 to 360 degrees. Further, the central hub 114 has electronic components (as shown in
Further, the hub 114 of the toy steering wheel device 100 comprises a push button 128 for activating the toy device 100, thus the push button 128 is a power button which turns the device 100 off and on. Additionally, the right turn signal 122 and the left turn signal 124 are configured to be pressed by a user and illuminate upon being pressed. The toy device 100 further comprises a speaker button 130 for sounding an integrated horn or other suitable audible sound, thereby providing a simulation of the horn of a conventional vehicle.
The steering wheel rim 112, the hub 114 and spokes 116, 118, 120 are preferably manufactured from a smooth, BPA free and durable plastic, that may have a texture similar to a conventional vehicle's steering wheel or can be manufactured of any other suitable material as is known in the art. The steering wheel rim 112 typically has a diameter in the range of approximately 20-25 cm and the base 102 typically comprises the dimensions of approximately 20×20 cm or 25×25 cm, or any other suitable dimensions as is known in the art depending on the needs and/or wants of a user. Furthermore, the toy device 100 is designed to be an interactive and educational simulation steering wheel toy for kids, as well as an entertainment toy for adults.
Additionally, the electronic components comprise a removably placed battery 208 that is used for providing power to the LEDs 204 and to the speaker 202. Typically, the backseat steering wheel toy device 100 requires three AA batteries in one embodiment or two AAA batteries in an alternative embodiment for providing power. However, the backseat steering wheel toy device 100 can be powered via any suitable type of battery as is known in the art. Further, the LEDs 204 and the speaker 202 are connected to the battery 208 using the control circuitry 206 to selectively receive electric power from the battery 208. The control circuitry 206 can be in the form of a printed circuit board or any other suitable control circuitry known in the art, thereby minimizing the complexity of the circuit.
Further, the electronic components comprise a built-in memory 210, which is used by the toy device 100 to store rhymes, songs or other media and that can be played by the speaker or through the headset. The memory 210 in the present embodiment is configured to store up to 500 Mega Bytes of media, however there is no limit to the storage capacity of the memory 210. The Bluetooth module 212 is configured to connect the toy device 100 to other toy steering wheels deployed in the vehicle to enable communication between the toy devices 100 and also the toy device 100 can connect to the dashboard of the vehicle (via the vehicle's Bluetooth), enabling the speaker 202 or the headset to play songs and enable communication with the vehicle.
The steering wheel toy device 100 of the present invention has a realistic design. The toy device 100 has the basic functions that most conventional vehicle steering wheels have, such as the left and right turn signals, and a horn. The left and right turn signals are also illuminated. The non-functioning rear seat steering wheel device 100 can be hung on any seat of a vehicle, enabling a user to easily play and simulate driving. The rim 112 is configured to comprise 360-degree rotation. Further, the steering wheel toy device 100 comes in a variety of colors and sizes. Further, the rim 112 and the hub 114 can have various designs, cartoon character images, etc., or any other suitable designs as are known in the art depending on the wants and/or needs of a user.
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “steering wheel toy device”, “backseat toy steering wheel device”, “toy device”, “non-functioning rear seat steering wheel device” and “toy steering wheel device” are interchangeable and refer to the backseat toy steering wheel device 100 of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, the backseat toy steering wheel device 100 of the present invention can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that it accomplishes the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the backseat toy steering wheel device 100 as shown in
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/244,382, which was filed on Sep. 15, 2021 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63244382 | Sep 2021 | US |
