Patent Application
20200360828
This invention relates generally to accessories for toy vehicles, and in particular, to a track accessory for launching or propelling one or more toy vehicles.
Toy vehicles with wheels that roll and spin freely with minimal friction have long been a source of entertainment for children of all ages. A variety of tracks and playsets have also been developed for use with such toy vehicles. One popular feature often incorporated with these tracks and playsets is a mechanism that launches or propels a toy vehicle along a track or towards a target structure. While numerous toy vehicle launchers may be found in the art, there remains an opportunity to further enhance a child's play experience by providing new and unique accessories and mechanisms for launching and propelling toy vehicles.
A toy vehicle launcher that allows for the propulsion of both stationary and moving toy vehicles is disclosed herein. In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, the toy vehicle launcher comprises a housing, a guide track connected to the housing, and a slidable member movably engaged with the guide track. The housing includes a lever mechanism, wherein actuation of the lever mechanism causes the slidable member to move along the length of the guide track in a forward direction. One or more projections are pivotally mounted to the slidable member and protrude upwardly from the guide track. The one or more projections are configured to allow a toy vehicle to pass over the one or more projections only when the toy vehicle travels along the guide track in the forward direction.
In accordance with other embodiments of the present invention, the toy vehicle launcher comprises a housing that includes a lever mechanism, a straight guide track positioned beside the housing, and a slidable member movably engaged with the guide track and operatively coupled to the lever mechanism. A plurality of projections are pivotally mounted to the slidable member and protrude upwardly from the guide track. The plurality of projections is configured to allow a toy vehicle to pass over the plurality of projections when the toy vehicle travels along the guide track in a forward direction. Actuation of the lever mechanism causes the slidable member to move along the length of the guide track in the forward direction. Furthermore, actuation of the lever mechanism causes the plurality of projections to move with the slidable member and propel a toy vehicle engaged by one of the plurality of projections in the forward direction.
In one or more embodiments, the lever mechanism of the toy vehicle launcher includes a lever that is actuated by applying a downward force on the lever. Actuation of the lever mechanism causes the slidable member to move from a rearward position to a forward position. Typically, the slidable member is biased to the rearward position. In further embodiments, the toy vehicle launcher is configured such that the toy vehicle travels on a surface of the guide track and the slidable member moves underneath the surface of the guide track. In certain embodiments, the surface of the guide track has an elongate opening and the projections protrude through the elongate opening.
Each projection pivots between an upright position and a depressed position. Typically, the plurality of projections are biased to their upright positions. Each projection further has a front surface and a back surface. The front surface of the projection is configured to engage a rear end of the toy vehicle while the projection is in the upright position. The back surface of the projection is angled with respect to the guide track while the projection is in the upright position and coplanar with the guide track while the projection is in the depressed position. In certain embodiments, the toy vehicle launcher comprises three projections positioned in a line parallel to the length of the guide track.
In accordance with other embodiments of the present invention, the toy vehicle launcher comprises a housing and a straight guide track positioned beside the housing. The straight guide track has a track surface for a toy vehicle to travel along and an elongate opening positioned in the center of the track surface. A slidable member is movably positioned underneath the track surface. The housing includes a lever mechanism and the slidable member is operatively coupled to the lever mechanism. Actuation of the lever mechanism causes the slidable member to move in a straight line in a forward direction along the length of the guide track. Three or more projections are pivotally mounted to the slidable member and protrude upwardly through the elongate opening of the guide track. The three or more projections are configured to allow a toy vehicle to pass over the three or more projections when the toy vehicle travels along the guide track in the forward direction. Furthermore, actuation of the lever mechanism causes the three or more projections to move simultaneously with the slidable member and propel a toy vehicle engaged by one of the three or more projections in the forward direction.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the detailed description, drawings, and examples provided, while disclosing some embodiments, are given by way of illustration and not limitation. Many changes and modifications within the scope of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and the present invention includes all such modifications.
Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numbers represent corresponding parts throughout:
A toy vehicle launcher is provided that can easily receive and propel both stationary and moving toy vehicles. The toy vehicle launcher has a guide track and a lever mechanism that causes a slidable member to move along a portion of the guide track. The slidable member includes a plurality of projections that are used for propelling a toy vehicle placed on or traveling along the guide track. The plurality of projections are pivotally mounted onto the slidable member and allow toy vehicles to pass over the projections unidirectionally. The configuration of the projections allows the toy vehicle launcher to repeatedly receive and propel incoming toy vehicles, such as a toy vehicle performing continuous laps around a closed track.
Referring now to
The guide track 106 further includes an inlet track 122 that allows an additional track section or component to be coupled to the toy vehicle launcher 100. The inlet track 122 is positioned proximate to the front of the toy vehicle launcher 100 such that a toy vehicle entering the guide track 106 via the inlet track 122 bypasses the area of toy vehicle propulsion on the guide track 106. In other embodiments, the inlet track is positioned proximate to the center or rear of the toy vehicle launcher 100 such that a toy vehicle entering the guide track 106 via the inlet track is within or enters the area of toy vehicle propulsion on the guide track 106.
As shown in
The projections 128, 130, 132 are each pivotally mounted to the slidable member 126 and each pivot individually between an upright position A and a depressed position B (see, e.g.,
Typically, biasing members such as torsion springs 202, 204, 206 bias each projection 128, 130, 132 to its upright position A. The elongate opening 112 allows each of the projections 128, 130, 132 to pivot downwards to their respective depressed position B as well as travel forward and back with the slidable member 126 along the guide track 106. Additionally, each of projections 128, 130, 132 may have a limited range of rotation, such as a range spanning approximately 30 degrees, a range spanning approximately 45 degrees, a range spanning approximately 90 degrees, or any other range less than or equal to approximately 90 degrees. This range or rotation may be achieved with stops, biasing members, part geometries or any combination thereof. This limited range of rotation may ensure that a back surface of each projection 128, 130, 132 is positioned at an angle with respect to the track guide 110 when the projection 128, 130, 132 is an upright position, as is explained in further detail below.
Each projection 128, 130, 132 has a respective front surface 208, 210, 212 and back surface 214, 216, 218. In the upright position A, the front surfaces 208, 210, 212 are positioned to engage or contact the rear of a toy vehicle and are flat and substantially perpendicular or normal to the track surface 110 of the guide track 106. In other embodiments, the front surfaces 208, 210, 212 have a different shape or contour that better conforms to the rear of a toy vehicle. In the upright position A, the back surfaces 214, 216, 218 are positioned to engage or contact the front of a toy vehicle and are angled with respect to the track surface 110 of the guide track 106.
In at least one embodiment, when a toy vehicle traveling in a forward direction C along the guide track 106 contacts the back surface 214, 216 or 218 of a projection 128, 130 or 132 in the upright position A, the toy vehicle causes the contacted projection to pivot to its depressed position B. In the depressed position B, the contacted projection is sufficiently recessed so that it does not obstruct the movement of the toy vehicle as the toy vehicle continues to travel over the projection. In one instance, the front surface is underneath the track surface 110 and the back surface is substantially coplanar with the track surface 110 while the contacted projection is in the depressed position B. Finally, when the toy vehicle has moved past the contacted projection, the contacted projection returns to its upright position A.
Put generally, the projections 128, 130, 132 are configured to allow unidirectional movement of a toy vehicle through the toy vehicle launcher 100. That is, the projections 128, 130, 132 are configured to allow a toy vehicle to travel through the toy vehicle launcher 100 in a first direction (e.g., a forward direction) and to prevent a toy vehicle from traveling through the toy vehicle launcher in a second direction that is opposite the first direction (e.g., a reverse or backwards direction). In the depicted embodiment, this is achieved by providing back surfaces 214, 216, 218 of projections 128, 130, 132 that are angled to allow a toy vehicle to depress the projections 128, 130, and/or 132 as it contacts the projections 128, 130, and/or 132 while traveling in a forward direction C along the guide track 106 (i.e., so that the vehicle pushes the projections 128, 130, 132 to depressed positions B). Additionally, the front surfaces 208, 210, 212 of projections 128, 130, 132 are oriented to contact a toy vehicle and the combination of front surfaces 208, 210, and 212 and the limited rotation of projections 128, 130, and 132 prevent a toy vehicle from traveling in a reverse direction D along the guide track 106.
The housing 102 houses a lever mechanism 104 for moving the sliding member 126 (see, e.g.,
A first end 224 of the lever 220 extends beyond the perimeter of the housing 102. A second end 226 of the lever 220 is operatively coupled to the sliding member 126. The lever 220 rotates between a loading position (see, e.g.,
The lever mechanism 104 translates rotational movement of the lever 220 into a substantially lateral movement of the slidable member 126 and the projections 128, 130, 132 along the guide track 106. That is, when a user pushes down on the lever 220, the lever 220 transitions from the loading position to the launching position and the second end 226 of the lever 220 moves the sliding member 126 from a rearward position (see, e.g.,
The amount that the sliding member 126 moves may be limited by the movement of the lever 220, the dimensions or shape of the guide track 106, the length of the elongate opening 112 on the guide track 106, and/or an element such as rubber stop 230 within the guide track 106. When the lever 220 is released, the biasing element 228 causes the lever 220 to return to the loading position and the second end 226 of the lever 220 moves the sliding member 126 back to the rearward position. In the depicted embodiment, gravity also facilitates the movement of the slidable member 126 back to the rearward position because the slidable member 126 moves along an inclined track surface. In some embodiments, a biasing element such as a spring or elastic band further biases the slidable member 126 to the rearward position.
When the force applied by a user in the downward direction E to the first end 224 of the lever 220 is converted into a force in the forward direction C, the projections 128, 130, 132 can transfer this forward motion to a toy vehicle to propel the toy vehicle. Thus, the greater the force applied to the lever 220 (in direction E) results in the greater the velocity at which the toy vehicle is launched or propelled (in direction C). Furthermore, the toy vehicle launcher 100 allows for a toy vehicle to be launched or propelled from a stationary position or while the toy vehicle is in motion along the guide track 106.
One or more toy vehicles may be initially launched by the toy vehicle launcher 300. When the toy vehicle travels around the closed track 404 and completes a lap, the toy vehicle re-enters the toy vehicle launcher 300. The toy vehicle launcher 300 may then be actuated again to provide an additional boost to the toy vehicle. With recurring successful boosts, the toy vehicle is able to continuously perform multiple laps around the closed track 404. In the instance where the toy vehicle is not successfully boosted, the toy vehicle may consequently not have sufficient forward momentum to complete a full lap around the closed track 404.
Thus, a gameplay element is provided that requires a user to accurately time the actuation of the toy vehicle launcher 300 in order to successfully boost a moving toy vehicle. The user may try to see how many complete laps a toy vehicle can successfully travel around the closed track 404. The number of completed laps may be recorded with a lap counter (see, e.g., lap counter 124 in
Although the disclosed embodiments are illustrated and described herein as embodied in one or more specific examples, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the present embodiments and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
Moreover, it is to be understood that terms such as “left,” “right,” “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “rear,” “side,” “height,” “length,” “width,” “upper,” “lower,” “interior,” “exterior,” “inner,” “outer” and the like as may be used herein, merely describe points or portions of reference and do not limit the present embodiments to any particular orientation or configuration. Further, the term “exemplary” may be used herein to describe an example or illustration. Any embodiment described herein as exemplary is not to be construed as a preferred or advantageous embodiment, but rather as one example or illustration of a possible embodiment.
Finally, various features from one of the embodiments may be incorporated into another of the embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the disclosure as set forth in the following claims.
