Patent Application
20190336878
Various exemplary embodiments are directed to powered ride-on vehicles designed as children's toys.
Ride-ons are a category of children's toys that typically include a battery-powered, wheeled vehicle. The vehicle can include realistic, kid-sized features that allow a child to sit in or on the vehicle and control its speed and direction. Although many are designed as cars, ride-ons have expanded to cover battery-operated trucks, motorcycles, off-road vehicles, and different animals. As the design and operation of ride-ons evolve and expand, so does the need to provide adequate safety features to protect children as they play.
According to an exemplary embodiment, an electric toy vehicle includes a vehicle body having a front compartment and a rear compartment. A set of surface engaging members is rotatably connected to the vehicle body. A motor is operatively connected to the surface engaging members. A moveable divider is positioned between the front compartment and the rear compartment. The divider is moveable between a first position and a second position. A switch includes a first state and a second state. When the divider is in the first position the switch is in the first state, and when the divider is in the second position the switch is in the second state. When the switch is in the first state, the motor is prevented from operating the surface engaging members.
According to an exemplary embodiment, an electric toy vehicle includes a vehicle body having a front compartment and a rear compartment. A set of surface engaging members are rotatably connected to the vehicle body. A motor is operatively connected to the surface engaging members. A moveable divider is positioned between the front compartment and the rear compartment. The divider is moveable between a first position and a second position. A latch mechanism is positioned in the divider and configured to retain the divider in the first position or the second position.
According to an exemplary embodiment, an electric toy vehicle includes a vehicle body having a front compartment and a rear compartment. The front compartment includes a seating area and a vehicle control, and the rear compartment includes a kitchen area and a play space. A set of surface engaging members are rotatably connected to the vehicle body. A motor is operatively connected to the surface engaging members, and a battery supplies power to the motor. A moveable divider is positioned between the front compartment and the rear compartment, and the divider is moveable between a first position and a second position. A switch includes a first state and a second state. A controller is operatively connected to the switch, the battery, and the motor. When the divider is in the first position the switch is in the first state, and when the divider is in the second position the switch is in the second state. When the switch is in the first state the motor is prevented from operating the surface engaging members.
The aspects and features of various exemplary embodiments will be more apparent from the description of those exemplary embodiments taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The front section 14 includes a moveable hood 20, a set of headlights 22, and a front grill 24. The sides of the front section 14 include openings 26 that allow access to a kid-sized seating area and a set of kid-sized vehicle controls. The seating area is shown as containing a bench seat 28, but other or additional components can be used to support a child during operation of the vehicle. The vehicle controls include a steering wheel 30 and a pedal 32. The seat 28, steering wheel 30, and pedal 32 can be sized and positioned for simultaneous use by a child, for example so that a child sitting on the seat 28 can reach both the steering wheel 30 and the pedal 32. Other controls can be provided, such as a shift or transmission selector that allows a user to select between forward, reverse, or parked options for the vehicle 10.
The rear section 16 includes an interior kitchen area 34. The kitchen area 34 includes decorative or play kitchen components, such as side counters 36, a sink 38, stove 40, and cabinets 42. Positioned between the sides of the kitchen area 34 is a substantially open play space where children can stand to play at preparing and serving food. In the exemplary embodiment, the open play space of the kitchen area 34 is open to the driving surface, however, in other embodiments, a floor or other platform or support can be provided in the kitchen area 34 below the plane of a lowered divider 54, as described hereafter.
The rear section 16 also includes a number of food truck related exterior features including a service window 44 and a kitchen window 46. Moveable awnings 48 can retractably extend from the roof over the service and kitchen window 44, 46. A moveable counter 50 can retractably extend from the body 12 underneath the service window 44. A moveable door 52 extends from the rear of the body 12 and provides access to a kitchen area 34.
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The vehicle 10 will only move when the switch 72 is in the on position. Accordingly, the vehicle 10 is only capable of moving when the divider 54 is in the lowered position and is covering the open space of the kitchen area 34. When the divider 54 is raised, the switch 72 is in the off position and the vehicle will not move. Requiring the divider 54 to be lowered prior to movement helps prevent the vehicle 10 from moving while children are present in the kitchen area 34. To move the vehicle 10, any children in the kitchen area 34 would need to leave the open space so that the divider 54 can be lowered. Accordingly, the vehicle 10 cannot be moved forward or in reverse while the divider 54 is raised, which could pose a danger to children at play in the open space of kitchen area 34. Although the switch 72 is shown as an electro-mechanical switch 72, the switch 72 may include any suitable number and type of structures or devices for detecting or otherwise determining whether or not the divider 54 is in the lowered position. Non-exclusive examples includes optical switches or sensors, mechanical switches or sensors, magnetic switches or sensors, or other suitable devices.
Consequently, when vehicle is to be moved, the divider 54 must be in the lowered position so that the open space of the kitchen area 34 is covered by the divider and children cannot stand in the open area. When children choosed to stand in the open space of kitchen area 34 to play, the divider must be in the raised position, which prevents the vehicle from moving.
The foregoing detailed description of the certain exemplary embodiments has been provided for the purpose of explaining the general principles and practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. This description is not necessarily intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the exemplary embodiments disclosed. Any of the embodiments and/or elements disclosed herein may be combined with one another to form various additional embodiments not specifically disclosed. Accordingly, additional embodiments are possible and are intended to be encompassed within this specification and the scope of the appended claims. The specification describes specific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may be accomplished in another way.
As used in this application, the terms “front,” “rear,” “upper,” “lower,” “upwardly,” “downwardly,” and other orientational descriptors are intended to facilitate the description of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the structure of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure to any particular position or orientation. Terms of degree, such as “substantially” or “approximately” are understood by those of ordinary skill to refer to reasonable ranges outside of the given value, for example, general tolerances associated with manufacturing, assembly, and use of the described embodiments.
