Patent Application
20090117821
1. Technical Field
The present principles relate to toy models. More particularly, they relate to an apparatus for catching and launching toy models such as toy cars.
2. Description of Related Art
Toy car launching devices are known and have been employed in toy car or model racing tracks. Examples of such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,052,972, 6,695,675 and 3,590,524.
According to one aspect of the present principles, the combined toy model catcher/launcher includes a catching chute for receiving a toy model traveling in a first direction, a drive mechanism in communication with the catching chute for receiving the toy model and applying accelerating forces to the same, a launching chute in communication with said drive mechanism and configured to enable the toy model to be ejected from the launching chute in a second direction that is different than the first direction, and a control mechanism connected to the drive mechanism for selectively activating said drive mechanism.
The drive mechanism can include a drive wheel having a drive gear centered about a rotation axis and a circumferential toy model engaging surface, and a motor having at least one gear in communication with the drive gear and being in electrical communication with the control mechanism.
The body includes internal sides defining an internal semi-circular track, where the semi-circular track is in communication on one side with the catching chute and in communication on the other side with the launching chute. The drive mechanism is configured within the body to tangentially impart acceleration forces on the toy model as it moves around the semi-circular internal track.
The control mechanism can include handle fixedly connected to the body, and a trigger disposed on the handle and configured so as to selectively activate the drive mechanism.
According to one implementation, the first direction and the second direction are opposite directions. According to another implementation, the second direction is in a range of 180-0 degrees with respect to the first direction.
According to a further aspect, the combined catcher/launcher includes a catching chute for receiving a toy model traveling in a first direction, a launching chute for launching the received toy model in a second direction different than said first direction, and drive means for accelerating a speed of the received toy model as it travels between the catching chute and the launching chute.
Other aspects and features of the present principles will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the present principles, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein.
In the drawings wherein like reference numerals denote similar components throughout the views:
In the implementation shown, the body 12 is not adjustable and is fixed in the semi-circular shape shown. This provides for a semi-circular internal track along which the toy model 44 (see
The trigger 20 is in communication with an electric switch 32 that provides power from the batteries 34 to the motor 30. The motor 30 has a gear (not shown) that drives a transmission gear 31, which is communication with the driver gear 29. During operation, the trigger 20 is activated by a user to rotate the drive wheel 26. A toy model entering the catching chute 14 will tangentially come into contact with the model engaging surface 28 of the drive wheel 26. Once activated, the semi-circular shape of the internal track formed by the body 12 will cause the toy model to travel along the same while increasing its speed. Once the toy model comes out of tangential contact with the drive wheel 26 it is launched out the launching chute 16. It will be clear to those of skill in the art that the rotational speed of the drive wheel 26 will have a direct effect on the speed at which the toy model is launched from the launching chute 16.
In other contemplated implementations, a speed switch 40 can be provided on body 12 and can include, for example, a low and hi setting. The speed switch 40 can electrically alter the speed of motor 30 and/or have a transmission changing effect on gear 31 such that the user's activation of trigger 20 results in a corresponding speed translation to drive gear 26. Examples of a low and high setting could be a 100 rpm for low and 200 rpm for high. However, those of skill in the art will recognize that the rpm values can be changed based on the toy model or desired operation of the combined catcher/launcher and are not provided as a limitation of the present principles.
Referring to
It will be clear from the above description that upon catching the toy model in chute 14b, the subsequent launching out launching chute 16b will occur very quickly depending on the speed of the drive wheel 26, thus providing a fast action, fast paced game experience for the players. The devices 10a and 10b shown in
Another aspect of the present principles is that the catcher/launchers 10 are free form devices and are not fixed to or require any type of track or other guide means in order for the toy model to be received by the catching chute. As such, the users/players have complete freedom of operation of the devices in an open floor or space.
As shown, an angle A between one extreme position of the launching chute 16b and the other extreme position can be anywhere from 0-180 degrees (shown in
In this manner, more than two devices 10a, 10b, 10c can be used to provide fast paced action for 3, and potentially more, players. By changing the angular displacement of the launching (L) and catching (C) directions with respect to each other, the actual physical contact between the toy model 44 and the engaging surface 28 of the drive wheel 2G will be decreased from the above mentioned 180 degrees of contact provided in the fixed implementation. As such, those of skill in the art will recognize that the larger the angle A, the lower the amount of tangential (driving) contact the toy model will have with the drive wheel.
Although this idea of the adjustable device 10 shown in
While there have been shown, described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the present principles, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form and details of the methods described and devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the same. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the present principles. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or implementation of the present principles may be incorporated in any other disclosed, described or suggested form or implementation as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.
