Patent Application
20070087656
Not applicable
Not applicable.
The present invention relates to a developmental toy for children. More specifically, the present invention is an improvement on a very old children's game where a wheel is urged along with a sticks,
A Tavi Wheel is known in Mexican culture as a toy or game that involves a wheel that is caused to roll by guiding it and pushing it with a stick This toy has parallel expressions in other cultures and was known under various names, including “trundling the wheel” and “stick and hoop” however, the way the toy has been played over time has been surprisingly consistent The equipment is virtually universal where a wheel is constructed from simple and available materials and a stick is sized for use. The toy can be used individually where the wheel and stick are used by a single player who tries to keep the wheel upright and rolling for as long or as fast as he/she can. In other variations, two players may jointly try to accomplish the same thing in a game, keeping the wheel rolling, each of them with their own stick in hand working the same wheel or multiple wheels Also, two or more players may also compete against one another, where they each control and guide the wheel back to the other, perhaps in direct opposition or through an obstacle. One example of a “Tavi” type wheel is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,254,443 (Olson) where a rudimentary wheel and “stick” arrangement are detailed
The benefits of playing with Tavi wheels include the development of eye-hand coordination and perhaps other motor skills, It is also a toy/game that promotes being outside rather than sitting in front of the television or a game machine. The aerobic exercise that it can inspire is beneficial to children (and others) and is one way to encourage them to be active in a positive past time, A more modem version of the toy is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,069 (Overturf) where a hoop and guide stick have been designed to optimize the ability of the hoop to roll and to be guided by the accompanying stick One embodiment in this design incorporates the use of phosphorescent components within a transparent wheel to add to the enjoyment of use. There have been additional efforts in the prior art to enhance the basic and ageless toy, which have include the introduction of features such as intermittently glowing lights as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,541 (Mapp). In this version of the toy, the wheel has two independently turning rings that make intermittent electrical contact thereby causing lights embedded in the wheel assembly to go off and on.
In another somewhat similar version, a wheel with embedded lights is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,264 (Chao) where a battery powered string of lights is provided within a transparent wheel. This wheel resembles the Tavi type toy in a general way although it is not optimized for true Tavi-type game play,
The ageless and venerated toy represented by the Tavi wheel may well experience a resurgence of popularity if it is enhanced with features that bring additional excitement to its use by children (or adults). The benefits that flow from the use of this game cannot be understated and could operate as apart of the solution to the couch potato syndrome. These aspects of the present invention will be discussed in more detail herein,
An improved toy for children comprises a trundling wheel and stick, where the wheel and stick both include embedded lights that are activated by motion sensors. The stick is optimized for game play by using a shoe for guiding the wheel when it is being rolled,
The Tavi wheel of the present invention also includes an improved shoe for the stick that contains a roller bearing for assisting with the guiding and rolling of the wheel.
These and other attributes and benefits of the invention will be discussed in more detail within this specification.
A new version of the Tavi wheel toy is shown in
Additional detail is shown in
The usage of the Tavi wheel of the present invention follows the custom of “trundling the wheel” in which the wheel 14 is caused to roll through the use of the handle 12 which engages the wheel 14 with the shoe 26. The wheel 14 fits within the shoe slot 52 when the shoe 26 is aligned with the wheel 14, and when the rolling surface 44 of the wheel 14 reaches the rear portion of the shoe it contacts the roller bearing 36 which rolls with the rolling surface 44 as the roller bearing ends 76 are able to rotate within the roller bearing mounts 78. This reduces the potential for loss of forward motion when urging the wheel 14 along.
To further the enhancement of the Tavi wheel, the wheel battery 64 can be installed into the wheel battery case 42 to energize the wheel wiring harness 62. This causes the wheel motion sensors 60 to be activated which in turn will cause the wheel LEDs 40 to be lit when the wheel 14 is rolled. Similarly, the shoe battery 68 in installable into the shoe battery case 32 which will energize the shoe wiring harness 72, where the shoe wiring harness, 72 extends into the handle 12 at the wiring junction 74 where the handle mount 28 receives the bottom of the handle 12. The shoe wiring harness 72 is connected to the shoe motion sensor 70 and when motion is detected, as is the case above with the wheel motion sensor 60, the handle LEDs 22 will light up.
The handle 12 is angled somewhat to place the shoe 26 forward of the user. This provides a better position for use of the handle 12 and shoe 26 when engaging the wheel 14. The handle 12 is provided with a grip 20 that makes it easier for the user to hold on to the handle 12.
The wheel battery 64 and the shoe battery 68 can both be operated with an on/off switch (not shown) if desired, which may save battery life since the LEDs will light at times when it would not be desired, for example, if being carried in the trunk of a car where the motion will activate the LEDs. The LEDs that are used in the present invention can be uncolored (white) or they can be made up of one color, or they can be made up of different colors. The selection is up to the user, in part, since the Tavi wheels can be used in competitive play which may be enhanced by the use of handles 12 that are color-keyed to indicate teams. The wheel 14 may be configured as taught herein, or it may include spokes or a solid body, which may be used as alternate designs without departing from the functionality of the present invention.
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The Tavi wheel of the present invention is intended to be a beneficial toy for use by children in particular, although it may be used by person(s) of any age. The enhancements discussed and taught herein are meant to provide enjoyment to the traditional game and to inspire children to become more physically active. Nothing in this specification is intended to limit the scope of the invention being claimed, and it is asserted that the specific embodiment taught may be varied within the spirit of the invention without departing from the teachings herein.
