Patent Application
20130023182
Examples of toy vehicle systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,410,682, 2,545,586, 2,591,376, 2,683,330, 2,733,699, 2,781,610, 2,918,751, 2,993,297, 2,996,880, 3,003,490, 3,046,694, 3,109,256, 3,229,417, 3,301,246, 3,577,677, 3,613,296, 3,621,607, 3,740,896, 3,844,557, 3,950,889, 5,004,441, 5,032,100, 5,188,557, 5,381,778, 5,429,030, 5,692,945, 5,711,695, 5,839,940, 5,852,889, 5,881,706, 6,315,629, 6,532,948, 6,568,170, 6,679,155, 6,926,579, 6,945,495, 6,957,526, 7,160,171, 7,476,103, 7,537,508, 7,549,416, and 7,617,818; U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. US20020020401, US20060089075, and US20070066180; and Great Britain Patent No. GB2130903A. The complete disclosures of the above patents and patent application publications are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.
The present disclosure is directed to a toy vehicle system. The system may, in some examples, include a toy vehicle and a launcher assembly. The toy vehicle may include a body, a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body, and a first elongate container attached to the body and having a first open end that is configured to receive a first reactant. The launcher assembly may include a base, and a second elongate container attached to the base and having a second open end that is configured to receive a second reactant. One of the first and second open ends may be configured to further receive the other of the first and second open ends such that the first and second elongate containers are in fluid communication with each other. The launcher assembly may additionally include a locking mechanism configured to secure the toy vehicle to the base, the locking mechanism including a trigger configured, when activated, to release the toy vehicle from the base. The first and second reactants may be configured to chemically react when the first and second elongate containers are in fluid communication with each other to build pressure within the first and second elongate containers allowing the toy vehicle to be propelled relative to the launcher assembly across a support surface when the trigger is activated.
The system may, in some examples, include a first reactant, a toy vehicle, a second reactant, and a launcher assembly. The toy vehicle may include a body, a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body, and a first elongate tube attached to the body and sized to contain the first reactant, the first elongate tube having a first open end. The launcher assembly may include a base and a second elongate tube attached to the base and sized to contain the second reactant. The second elongate tube may include a second open end. One of the first and second open ends may be configured to further receive the other of the first and second open ends such that the first and second elongate tubes are in fluid communication with each other. The launcher assembly may further include a locking mechanism configured to secure the toy vehicle to the base. The locking mechanism may include a trigger configured, when activated, to release the toy vehicle from the base. The locking mechanism may additionally include a surface lock configured to (a) detect whether the base is supported on a support surface, (b) prevent the trigger from being activated when the surface lock does not detect that the base is supported on a support surface, and (c) allow the trigger to be activated when the surface lock detects that the base is supported on a support surface. The first and second reactants may be configured to chemically react when the first and second elongate tubes are in fluid communication with each other to build pressure within the first and second elongate tubes allowing the toy vehicle to be propelled relative to the launcher assembly across a support surface when the trigger is activated.
The present disclosure is also directed to a method of propelling a toy vehicle across a support surface via a launcher assembly. The toy vehicle may include a body, a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body, and a first elongate container attached to the body and having a first open end. The launcher assembly may include a base, and a second elongate container attached to the base and having a second open end. One of the first and second open ends may be configured to further receive the other of the first and second open ends such that the first and second elongate containers are in fluid communication with each other. The launcher assembly may further include a locking mechanism configured to secure the toy vehicle to the base. The locking mechanism may include a trigger configured, when activated, to release the toy vehicle from the base.
The method may, in some examples, include adding a first reactant into the first elongate container through the first open end, and adding a second reactant into the second elongate container through the second open end. The method may additionally include attaching the toy vehicle to the base of the launcher assembly such that the other of the first and second open ends is received in the one of the first and second open ends, and activating the trigger to release the toy vehicle from the base of the launcher assembly.
The body may include any suitable structure configured to support one or more other components of toy vehicle 22. Additionally, body 26 may include one or more apertures 31 and/or other suitable structure(s) configured to interact with a locking mechanism of launcher assembly 24, as shown in
Wheel assembly 28 may include a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body and/or configured to support the body on one or more support surfaces S. For example, the plurality of wheels may include one or more front wheels 32 and one or more rear wheels 34, as shown in
First containment assembly 30 may include any suitable structure attached to the body and configured to contain at least a first reactant 36. For example, the first containment assembly may include a first elongate container 38, as shown in
As shown in
First elongate container 38 may be detachable from the body. Additionally, the first elongate container may be any suitable shape(s) and/or size(s). For example, first elongate container 38 may be tubular or cylindrical. When first elongate container 38 is tubular, it may be referred to as “first elongate tube 38.” Alternatively, the first elongate container may be a rectangular prism, a cube, a hemisphere, and/or other suitable shape(s).
Although first containment assembly 30 is shown to include first elongate container 38, the first containment assembly may include any suitable container, which may be a non-elongate container. Additionally, although first containment assembly 30 is shown to include a single elongate container 38, the first containment assembly may include two, three, four or more containers.
Launcher assembly 24 may include any suitable structure configured to launch and/or propel toy vehicle 22 across support surface S. For example, the launcher assembly may include a base 42, a second containment assembly 44, and a locking mechanism 46, as shown in
Base 42 may include any suitable structure configured to be supported on support surface S and/or to support one or more other components of launcher assembly 24. For example, base 42 may include a projecting portion 48, as shown in
Second containment assembly 44 may include any suitable structure attached to the base and configured to contain at least a second reactant 50 and/or a mixing fluid 52. For example, the second containment assembly may include a second elongate container 54, as shown in
As shown in
Second open end 56 and/or second elongate container 54 may be configured to receive first open end 40 and/or at least a portion of first elongate container 38 such that the first and second elongate containers are in fluid communication with each other, which may allow the first reactant, the second reactant, and/or the mixing fluid to mix and to chemically react to generate pressure within the first and second elongate containers. When the first open end and/or at least a portion of the first elongate container is received in the second open end and/or at least portion of the second elongate container, the first and second elongate containers may be configured such that the first and second longitudinal axes are aligned and/or co-axial.
Although second open end 56 and/or second elongate container 54 are shown to be configured to receive first open end 40 and/or at least a portion of first elongate container 38, the first open end and/or the first elongate container may alternatively be configured to receive the second open end and/or at least a portion of the second elongate container.
The first and second reactants (and/or the mixing fluid) may be configured to chemically react when the first and second elongate containers are in fluid communication with each other to build pressure within the first and/or second elongate containers. The first and second elongate containers may therefore be described as first and second parts that form a reaction chamber when in fluid communication with each other. The first and second reactants and the mixing fluid are further described below.
Second elongate container 54 may be detachable from the base. Additionally, the second elongate container may be any suitable shape(s) and/or size(s). For example, second elongate container 54 may be tubular or cylindrical. When second elongate container 54 is tubular, it may be referred to as “second elongate tube 54.” Alternatively, the second elongate container may be a rectangular prism, a cube, a hemisphere, and/or other suitable shape(s) complementary with the first elongate container.
Although second containment assembly 44 is shown to include second elongate container 54, the second containment assembly may include any suitable container, which may be a non-elongate container. Additionally, although second containment assembly 44 is shown to include a single elongate container 54, the second containment assembly may include two, three, four, or more containers complementary with the first elongate container(s).
Locking mechanism 46 may include any suitable structure configured to selectively secure and/or lock the toy vehicle to the base. For example, the locking mechanism may include one or more locking levers 58 and a trigger 60, as shown in
As shown in
Trigger 60 may be configured, when activated, to move locking lever(s) 58 from the locking position toward the unlocking position. For example, trigger 60 may include a user-actuable button 62 configured to be pushed down by a user to move the locking levers toward the unlocking position, as shown in
Connectors 68 may operatively connect one or more locking levers 58 with other locking levers, such as to allow the trigger to move one or more of the locking levers simultaneously, consecutively, and/or in any suitable order. For example, as shown in
In some embodiments, locking mechanism 46 may include a surface lock 70. The surface lock may include any suitable structure configured to (a) detect whether base 42 is supported on a support surface, (b) prevent trigger 60 from being activated when the surface lock does not detect that the base is supported on a support surface, and/or (c) allow the trigger to be activated when the surface lock detects that the base is supported on a support surface. For example, surface lock 70 may include a surface detector 72, a locking element 74, and a lock bias element 76, as shown in
Surface detector 72 may include any suitable structure configured to detect whether base 42 is supported on a support surface. For example, surface detector 72 may include a pin 78 movably connected to the base, as shown in
Locking element 74 may include any suitable structure configured to prevent trigger 60 from being activated when the surface lock does not detect that the base is supported on a support surface, and/or allow the trigger to be activated when the surface lock detects that the base is supported on a support surface. For example, locking element 74 may include a slider 80 configured to move between a proximal position P in which the slider contacts one or more connectors 68, and a distal position D in which the slider is spaced from the one or more connectors, as shown in
Lock bias element 76 may include any suitable structure configured to urge locking element 74 toward the proximal position and/or surface detector 72 toward the extended position. For example, lock bias element 76 may include one or more coil springs 82, as shown in
Although locking mechanism 46 is shown to include three locking levers 58, the locking mechanism may include one, two, four, five, or more locking levers. Additionally, although locking mechanism 46 is shown to include locking levers 58 and toy vehicle 22 is shown to include apertures 31, the locking mechanism may alternatively, or additionally, include the apertures and the toy vehicle may alternatively, or additionally, include the locking levers. Moreover, although apertures 31 and locking levers 58 are shown, the locking mechanism and toy vehicle may include any suitable locking elements that interact with each other to secure the toy vehicle to the launcher assembly.
In some embodiments, toy vehicle system 20 may include first reactant 36 and/or second reactant 50, as shown in
The first and second reactants may be in solid and/or liquid form. When the first and/or second reactants are in solid or powder form, mixing fluid 52, such as water or another aqueous-based solution, may be added to the first and/or second elongate container. The first and/or second elongate containers may be sized to contain the mixing fluid and the first and/or second reactants.
In some embodiments, toy vehicle system 20 may include a funnel 88, reactant cups 90, a mixing fluid cup 92, and a cleaner tool 94, as shown in
Cleaner tool 94 may include any suitable structure configured to clean the first and/or second elongate containers. For example, cleaner tool 94 may include a rod 96 and an o-ring 98, as shown in
To prepare the toy vehicle for launching or propelling by the launcher assembly, mixing fluid 52 may be poured into second elongate container 54 via mixing fluid cup 92, while funnel 88 may be positioned in the first open end of first elongate container 38, as shown in
Method 100 may include other steps. For example, when the first and/or second reactants are in solid form, the method may include adding a mixing fluid, such as water, into the first and/or second elongate containers prior to attaching the toy vehicle to the launcher assembly. Additionally, or alternatively, method 100 may include shaking the toy vehicle while attached to the launcher assembly, such as to promote mixing of the first and/or second reactants. Alternatively, or additionally, method 100 may include placing the base of the launcher assembly on a support surface, such as prior to activating the trigger (which may allow the trigger to be activated if the launcher assembly includes a surface lock as discussed above).
Alternatively, or additionally, method 100 may include applying pressure to a projecting portion of the launcher assembly to keep that assembly stationary relative to the toy vehicle when the trigger of the launcher assembly is activated. In some embodiments, applying pressure includes stepping on the projecting portion to keep the launcher assembly stationary relative to the toy vehicle when the trigger is activated.
It is believed that the disclosure set forth herein encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in its preferred form, the specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed herein.
Applicant reserves the right to submit claims directed to certain combinations and subcombinations that are directed to one of the disclosed inventions and are believed to be novel and non-obvious. Inventions embodied in other combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of those claims or presentation of new claims in that or a related application. Such amended or new claims, whether they are directed to a different invention or directed to the same invention, whether different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the original claims, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the inventions of the present disclosure. Where such claims recite “a” or “a first” element or the equivalent thereof, such claims should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.
