Patent Application
20090291616
The present invention relates to R/C Model Cars and Trucks and their body mounting system and attachment method. The present invention allows for easy and quick attachment and removal of the plastic body with a push button release fixture.
Prior known techniques in design are typically utilize pins that extend through the body with a single hole through which a wire clip is attached. The problem with this type of design is that wire clips are difficult to install and remove and are easily lost They also tend to cause damage to the finish on the plastic body as the R/C vehicle is operated.
It would be beneficial to provide a body attaching method that allows the user to more quickly and securely install and remove the body. The advantage of the design of the preferred embodiment of the invention is that the retaining ring that holds the body down can be removed with one hand. The prior art required that on had to hold the body with one hand and remove the wire clip with the other hand. Another advantage of the preferred embodiment of the invention is the speed with which the retaining rings can be removed. Because only one hand is needed to remove the push button release retainer, the amount of physical effort is greatly reduced and the plastic body can be removed more quickly. Yet another advantage is that, the preferred embodiment's design of the retaining ring has a hole such that it can be wire retained to the body. This ensures that the retaining ring will not be lost during the removal of the body.
Briefly, the present invention provides a mechanism to firmly attach and easily remove an R/C car body. The quick release mechanism comprises a lower stem that contains a retention ball, the upper retainer and the car body that is contained between the lower stem and the upper retainer. The lower stem provides a surface on which the car body rests. The lower stem also has a lower diameter that is used to fit the quick release mechanism to the main vehicle. This lower diameter fits onto a shaft that is part of the body. A wire clip is used to fix the stem to the vehicles shaft through a hole provided in the lower stem. The lower stem contains a ball bearing, a pin, a spring and an inner plug. The ball bearing is contained in a hole in the outer diameter of the stem. When the pin is in its normal position the larger diameter of pin is biasing the ball to its most outward position. This outward position of the ball bearing is protruding through the surface of the stem. The spring and the inner plug normally bias the pin to its upper normal position. The upper retainer has a mating diameter to that of the stem. It also has an undercut in this diameter that accepts the protrusion of the ball bearing from the stem. The upper retainer is firmly secured to the lower stem by the protrusion of the ball bearing out of the lower stem.
In order to remove the body from the vehicle the user must push down on the pin in the lower stem. Once the pin is its lower position or removal position the ball is allowed to retract into the stem. A smaller diameter in the stem allows for the retraction of the ball bearing. Once the ball bearing is retracted the upper retainer can then be easily be removed. Once the upper retainer is removed the pin can be released and it and the ball bearing return to its normal position. By releasing the pin the spring biases the pin back to its upper normal position. With the upper retainer removed the car body can then be removed from the lower stem. In order install and secure the car body the user reverses the said above procedure.
The method of manufacturing for the body quick release mechanism comprises of the following: The lower stem is a machined component that can be made out of aluminum or steel. The pin can be machined form aluminum or steel or be molded of plastic. The spring is steel and is constructed using normal wire winding. The ball is a bearing. The inner plug is a molded plastic part but it could also be machined metal. The upper retainer is machined aluminum or steel. The retaining feature of the stem on the ball bearing is done by spinning the surface creating a smaller diameter at outer edge of the hole. This ball retention method is defined in U.S. Pat. No. 2,399,581. The assembly of the stem is the following: the ball is place into the hole of the stem after the outer surface is spun. The pin is loading into the stem and a step in the upper surface of the stem retains the pin. The spring is loaded into the stem then the inner plug is pressed into the stem.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and constitute part of this specification, illustrate the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the features of the invention. In the drawings:
In the R/C car and truck industry, the vehicle typically is covered by a poly-carbonate or Lexan body. The body is frequently vacuum formed into the desired body shape. In prior art, the body is affixed to the frame with pins, which protrude through the car's body. Wire retainer clips affix the body to the said frame pins. The preferred embodiment is an improvement to the attachment with a quick release mechanism.
As used herein, like numerals indicate like elements throughout. Referring now to
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A method of manufacturing the quick release mechanism 10 will now be described. The stem 11, the retainer 12, and the push-pin 14, are machined components. Those skilled in the art will recognize the type of material used to construct the stem 11, the retainer 12, and the push-pin 14 could include aluminum, steel, brass, plastic or any other malleable material. The ball 13 is a ball bearing. The spring 15 is made of wound wire spring. The spring retainer 16 is made of molded plastic. The stem 11 is deformed, such that it retains the ball at the outer surface. This is done by spinning the surface 24 across the ball hole as defined in U.S. Pat. No. 2,399,581.
The method of manufacturing the quick release mechanism 10 further includes placing the push-pin 14 into the stem 11, placing the spring 15 behind the push-pin 14 then pressing the spring retainer 16 into the stem 11. The ball 13 is then placed into the stem 11. Those skilled in the art also understand the methods of making such a press.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiment described without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.
