Patent Application
20090247044
The present invention relates to toy vehicles and, more particularly, to a trim adjustment for toy vehicle steering that is used to maintain a generally neutral or central position of the steering wheels of a vehicle when a user is not turning the vehicle.
Various conventional toy vehicles employ a steering arrangement that includes a single, rigid steering link or “tie rod” connecting together a pair of individually pivotally mounted, steerable front wheels. The front wheels are turned left or right by reversible operation of a power-converting device like a steering motor or solenoid for converting the direction of the front wheels between a straight or neutral direction and a right turn direction or a left turn direction. However, these direction-converting devices are difficult to maintain in a central or “straight” orientation when the user is not attempting to steer the toy vehicle. Moreover, parts of the steering arrangement are relatively easily damaged from aggressive play or accident and can be thrown out of alignment such that the toy vehicle moves in a turning direction when it should be moving in a straight line.
Therefore, it would be desirable to create an adjustable trim mechanism of a steering mechanism of a toy vehicle that overcomes the above-described disadvantage. Specifically, it would be desirable to create a trim adjustment of a trim mechanism of a steering arrangement for a toy vehicle that helps stabilize the steering arrangement of the vehicle to maintain a generally neutral or central position of the steering wheels of the vehicle when a user is not turning the vehicle and to adjust the steering arrangement when necessary to maintain the neutral or central position.
Briefly stated, the present invention is a trim adjustment for toy vehicle steering. The toy vehicles includes a chassis having opposing right and left sides and opposing front and rear end. A right steerable road wheel is located on the right side of the chassis and a left steerable road wheel is located on the left side of the chassis. A right turning member supports the right road wheel and a left turning member supports the left road wheel. Each of the right and left turning members are pivotally mounted to the chassis to pivotally support a separate one of the steerable road wheels from the chassis. A rigid steering link extends across the chassis in a width direction and has a right end, a left end and a central portion therebetween. The right and left ends of the steering link are operably connected to the right and left turning members, respectively. An actuator mounted onto the chassis moves the steering link linearly side to side on the vehicle. The right and left road wheels are pivoted by the motion of the steering link. An adjustable trim mechanism mounted to the chassis includes a bias member resiliently engaging a portion of the steering link to maintain a neutral position of the steering link when the actuator is not imparting motion on said steering link. A trim adjustment member is repositionably mounted on the chassis and modifies a position on the chassis at which the steering link and road wheels are maintained in the neutral position.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings three embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
In the drawings:
Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. Unless otherwise indicated, the words “right,” “left,” “upper,” and “lower” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The terminology includes the words above specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.
Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout, there is shown in
Further, the toy vehicle 12 includes means to propel the vehicle 12 on the steerable road wheels 11a, 11b. Toy vehicle 12 may include at least one drive wheel suggestedly located proximal a remaining end of the toy vehicle 12 and chassis 15 to propel the toy vehicle 12. The depicted toy vehicle 12 preferably includes two identical, spaced apart, coaxially aligned drive wheels 13a, 13b, on opposite sides 15a, 15b of the vehicle 12 and chassis 15 proximal the rear end 15d, again as is typically found in the prior art. As is conventional, the toy vehicle 12 may also be provided with an electric propulsion motor 14 drivingly coupled with the drive wheels 13a, 13b and electronic control circuitry, indicated diagrammatically at 16, for selectively connecting an electric power source 17 such as a battery pack or capacitor on the chassis 15 or rails under the chassis 15 running over electrified tracks (also not depicted) to the propulsion motor 14 and/or the steering arrangement 10.
As seen in
The steering arrangement 10 includes a steering link 22 preferably extending in at least a generally horizontal, width direction across the chassis 15 between the right and left turning members 21a, 21b. More particularly, right and left ends 22a, 22b, respectively, of the steering link 22 are operably pivotally connected with the right and left turning members 21a, 21b through the distal ends of each of the steering arms 72a, 72b, respectively. Steering link 22 operably connects together the right and left turning members 21a, 21b for simultaneous steering movement of the right and left steerable road wheels 11a, 11b, respectively. The steering link 22 further includes a central portion 22c between the ends 22a, 22b preferably configured for side to side gliding movement across the chassis 15, for example. The central portion 22c further includes a centrally located arch 22d with an at least generally vertically extending opening 73 which is operably coupled with an actuator subassembly 43 of the steering arrangement 10 that is mounted to the chassis 15.
Actuator subassembly (or simply “actuator”) 43 preferably includes a rotary-action solenoid (hereinafter simply “solenoid”) indicated generally at 43a with an armature in the form of a magnetic body 24 mounted in a magnet housing 26 so as to pivot on a pivot axis 26b (
Actuator 43 operably connects the solenoid 43a with the steering link 22 to convert rotational movement of the solenoid 43a into at least generally linear motion of the steering link 22. Preferably, this includes a crank 46 on the pivot axis 26b proximal to the steering link 22. A distal end portion 46b of the crank 46 is parallel to but displaced from the pivot axis 26b and is movably received in the opening 73 in the steering link 22 and converts rotational motion of the magnetic body 24 and magnet housing 26 into sideways gliding movement of the steering link 22. In this way, the crank 46 is connected by a crank arm 46a with the magnetic body 24 to pivot with the magnetic body 24 and with the steering link 22 to simultaneously move the steering link 22 side to side on the chassis 15 and toy vehicle 12. In operation, an electric current is passed in a selected direction through a coil 14, comprised of two halves 14a, 14b, of the actuator 43 and the magnetic body 24 is pivoted about the pivot axis 26b and thereby pivots the right and left steerable road wheels 11a, 11b from the neutral, straight ahead steering configuration shown in
Referring to
In the first preferred embodiment, the adjustable trim mechanism 140 is located rearward on the chassis 15 with respect to the steering link 22. However, it is understood by those skilled in the art that the location, shape, size and construction of the trim mechanism 140 is not limited to above-described configuration. For example, the trim mechanism 140 may be located in front of the steering link 22 on the chassis 15, such that the projection 29 would extend from or engage a front side of the steering link 22. Further, it is understood by those skilled in the art that the spring 123 is not limited to being mounted onto the 141 in a vertical configuration, but may be mounted at virtually any angle in which the spring 123 can maintain the steering link 22 in the neutral position or central position.
The adjustable trim mechanism 140 preferably includes a trim adjustment member 130 in the form of a lever that allows the user set the steering link 22 and road wheels 11a, 11b in the “neutral” position. The trim adjustment member 130 is repositionably mounted to the plate 141. Preferably, the trim adjustment member 130 is pivotally mounted to a “rear” side of the plate 141 in a vertical orientation. A lug-like portion or extension 130a on a “front” side or surface of the trim adjustment member 130 preferably extends through an opening 127 generally centrally located in the plate 141. When the trim adjustment member 130 and bias member 123 are mounted to opposing sides of the plate 141, the two rod portions 123b of the spring 123 are hung so as to further sandwich or partially surround the extension 130a. The rear side of the plate 141 may include a plurality of spaced-apart releasable engagement members, for example teeth or ridges (not shown), to releasably engage one or more members like other teeth or ridges (not shown) on the front side of the trim adjustment member 130. The releasable engagement members help to maintain the trim adjustment member 130 in the desired angular position. When mounted to the plate 141, a lower end of the trim adjustment member 130 extends through a lower wall of the chassis 15 such that a user can manually change the angular position of the trim adjustment member 130 on plate 141 from beneath the toy vehicle 12. It is understood by those skilled in the art that the trim adjustment member 130 is not limited to the size, shape and location described above, but may be modified in virtually any manner without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Further, those skilled in the art understand that the trim mechanism 140 is not limited to the inclusion of the trim adjustment member 130.
The shape of the steering link 22 and structure of the actuator 43 used in conjunction with the adjustable trim mechanism 140 of the first preferred embodiment are slightly different than that shown and described above for
Specifically, when viewed from the front or rear, the steering link 22 of
The steering arrangement 10 includes at least one coil fixedly attached to the chassis 15 generally proximate the magnetic body 24 and magnet housing 26. Preferably, the steering arrangement 10 of the present embodiment includes one coil 14 broken into first coil half 14a and a second coil half 14b that are fixedly mounted onto the chassis 15 in a spaced-apart configuration on opposite sides of the central axis 26b. In the present embodiment, the coil halves 14a, 14b are located in front of the steering link 22 and trim mechanism 140 and are each located on a lateral side of the magnetic body 24. However, it is understood by those skilled in the art that the coil halves 14a, 14b may be located behind the steering link 22 and trim mechanism 140. Alternatively, one coil half 14a may be located anywhere around the magnetic body 24, while the other coil half 14b is diametrically opposed with respect to the magnetic body 24 on opposite sides of axis 26b.
As is understood by those skilled in the art, the coil halves 14a, 14b are electrically connected to one another and the electronic control circuitry 16 such that an electric current may be passed simultaneously in the same direction through both of the coil halves 14a, 14b. The coil halves 14a, 14b shown in the drawings may each include a core. However, the coil halves 14a, 14b may be in the form of coreless (i.e., air core) coils. The purpose of using an air core coil is that the size of the toy vehicle 12 may be decreased and lightened by elimination the core. However, when using a coreless (air core) coil, a magnetic force generated by the coil is weaker than when using a coil having a core. Furthermore, while one coil split into two halves is preferred, it will be appreciated that 14a and 14b can be separately controlled coils. Additionally, a front cover 19 may be removably mountable to the chassis 15 proximate a front end of the chassis 15 to enclose and protect the steering arrangement 10.
In operation, the user sends a control signal to the toy vehicle 12, typically from a manually operated remote controller (not depicted), to turn the toy vehicle 12 in either the right (clockwise) or left (counterclockwise) direction. Upon this indication, the electronic control circuitry 16 passes an appropriate current through the at least one coil 14. As the coil 14 is charged, an attractive force is generated between the at least one coil 14 and one end of the magnetic body 24 and a repulsive force is generated between the coil 14 and the opposite end of the magnetic body 24. In the embodiment that includes both a first and second coil halves 14a, 14b, an attractive force is generated between one of the coil halves 14a, 14b and a first end and the magnetic body 24 while a repulsive force is generated between the other coil halves 14a, 14b and that same end of the magnetic body 24 to apply complimentary torsional forces from opposing sides of the magnetic body 24. As the magnetic body 24 pivots, the crank 46 and the distal end portion 46b of crank 46 are pivoted, pushing the steering link 22 across the chassis 15 in a width direction.
As the steering link 22 is moved across the chassis 15, the turning members 21a, 21b are pivoted on the chassis 15 in the same lateral direction and, in turn, change the direction of the right and left steerable road wheels 11a, 11b in either the clockwise (right turn) or counterclockwise (left turn) direction. When the current flow has ceased from the electronic control circuitry 16 through the coil 14 (typically initiated by the user releasing a steering actuator on the remote controller), there is no longer attractive/repulsive forces between the coil halves 14a, 14b and the permanent magnet 24. Since there is no longer attractive/repulsive forces, the inherent tension in the rod portions of the spring 123 pushes the steering link 22 back towards the “neutral position” established by the positioning of the trim adjustment member 130, since the spring 123 surrounds the projection 29 of the central portion 22c of the steering link 22. Thus, the turning members 21a, 21b and the right and left steerable wheels 11a, 11b are repositioned in the generally straight or neutral direction.
Referring to
A primary difference between the second and first embodiments is that the adjustable trim mechanism 240 of the second preferred embodiment is horizontally arranged and includes a first end located proximate the steering link 222 and a second end located proximate a mid-section of the toy vehicle 212. Specifically, the adjustable trim mechanism 240 is generally in the form of two spaced-apart beams 260 mounted to a pivot or pin 262 so as to orthogonally extend from the pivot 262 to a rear face of the steering link 222. The trim mechanism 240 generally extends parallel to the length of the chassis 215 of the toy vehicle 212. The free ends of beams 260 are located on either side of a lug portion 298 (in phantom) on a hidden side of steering link 222. A bias member 223, preferably in the form of a tension coil spring, is located between the first and second ends of the beams 260 of the trim mechanism 240, orthogonally extending between the beams 260. Spring 223 keeps the beams 260 clamped against a lug-like portion or projection 230a of a trim adjustment member 230, which is supported on the chassis 215 for side-to-side adjustment or adjustable positioning on the chassis 215. The coil spring 223, in combination with the beams 260, helps to keep the steering link 222 in a generally “neutral” position (
It is understood by those skilled in the art that the “neutral” position of the trim mechanism 240 may be modified or changed by change of the lateral position of the trim adjustment member 230 on the chassis 215. The trim adjustment member 230 preferably is slide mounted but might be pivotally mounted to the chassis 215. Lateral movements of the trim adjustment member 230 should be restricted in same conventional way such as the provision of releasably engaging structures (protrusions and recesses) on the facing surfaces of chassis 215 and trim adjustment member 230, or a frictional releasing engagement between the trim adjustment member 230 and chassis 215. The engagement should be sufficiently strong so that the trim adjustment member 230 is not moved by the beams 260 when either beam 260 is biased away from the other arm by movement of the steering link 222 through movement of the crank 246, yet not so strong to prevent the member from being manually moved by the user. A lug portion 298 (shown in phantom) can be extended from beneath the trim adjustment member 230 and through the chassis 215 beneath the trim adjustment member 230 in the figures, to be exposed beneath the chassis 215 for manual manipulation by a user. Those skilled in the art understand that repositioning the trim adjustment member 230 on the chassis 215 allows for the modification of the “neutral” position of the trim mechanism 240.
In operation, an appropriate current is passed through the coil halves 214a, 214b, and complimentary attractive and repulsive forces are generated between each coil half 214a, 214b and the magnetic body 224. As a result, the magnetic body 224 is pivoted on the chassis 215 with each end moving towards the coil half 214a, 214b that exhibits the attractive characteristics and away from the coil half 214a, 214b that exhibits the repulsive characteristics. In turn, the crank 246 is pivoted about ninety degrees and a distal end portion 246b of the crank 246 pushes the steering link 222 in a sideways direction across the chassis 215. This movement of the steering link 222 causes one of the two beams 260 to pivot away from the neutral or central position (
When the current flow is stopped to the coil halves 214a, 214b, there are no longer attractive/repulsive forces between the coil halves 214a, 214b and the magnetic body 224. The tension in the extend spring 223 causes the beam 260 that was pivoted away from projection 230a to pivot back in the opposite direction such that both beams 260 return to the neutral or central position. This movement of the extended and/or pivoted beam 260 pushes the steering link 222 back towards the neutral position. Thus, the turning members 221a, 221b and the right and left steerable wheels 211a, 211b are repositioned in the generally straight or neutral direction (
Referring to
The adjustable trim mechanism 340 of the third preferred embodiment is located beneath the chassis 315 of the toy vehicle 312 to stabilize the steering arrangement 310 and to help maintain the steering link 322 in the neutral or central position on the chassis 315 when the user is not turning the toy vehicle 312. As seen in
One difference between the steering arrangement 310 of the third preferred embodiment and that of the previously described embodiments is the specific structure of the steering link 322 and its location with respect to the other elements of the steering arrangement 310. The central portion 322c of the steering link 322, which is similar to that shown in
Additionally, the first and second coil halves 314a, 314b are positioned in a spaced-apart vertical arrangement, such that the coil halves 314a, 314b are respectively located above and below the magnetic body 324 when the toy vehicle 312 is positioned in a driving configuration with its road wheels on a support surface (not shown). “Driving configuration” is defined herein as any position of the toy vehicle 312 in which the toy vehicle 312 can propel itself forward in response to a user activation on a remote controller. An outer housing 370 partially encloses the magnetic body 324 and magnet housing 326 and fixedly suspends the second coil half 314b above the magnetic body 324. The first coil half 314a is preferably fixedly attached to a top surface of the chassis 315 and is located directly below the magnet housing 326. Similar to the third preferred embodiment described above, the magnetic body 324 may either extend through an opening (not shown) in the width of the magnet housing 326 such that a portion of each side of the magnetic body 324 is exposed to one of the coil halves 314a, 314b or the magnetic body 324 may be composed of two separate magnetic bodies (not shown), one on each side face of the magnet housing 326.
Protrusions (not shown), such as knobs or the like, are preferably provided on inner/upper sides of the tabs 330a, 330b of the trim adjustment member 330 that face the chassis 315. These protrusions are configured to releasably engage a series of appropriately configured recesses 386 located in the facing surface of the chassis 315 such that the angular orientation of the neutral position of the trim mechanism 340 and the lateral location of the neutral position of the steering link 322 can be manually adjusted by rotating the trim mechanism 340 on hub 381 using tabs 330a, 330b. Of course, the location of the recesses 386 and protrusions of the tabs 330a, 330b and chassis 315 can be reversed.
In operation, when an appropriate current is passed through either or both of the coil halves 314a, 314b, attractive and repulsive forces are generated between coil halves 314a, 314b and the magnetic body 324. As a result, the magnetic body 324 is pivoted on the chassis 315 with its distal ends moving towards the coil half 314a, 314b that exhibits the attractive characteristic and away from the coil half 314a, 314b that exhibits the repulsive characteristic. Consequently, a crank 346 (shown in phantom in
When the flow of current is cut to the coil halves 314a, 314b, there is no longer an attractive and/or repulsive force between the coil halves 314a, 314b and the magnetic body 324. Since these attractive and/or repulsive forces no longer exist, the inherent resilience in the spring beams 383a, 383b causes the one cammed beam to return to the neutral or central position. This movement of the spring beam pushes the steering link 322 back towards the neutral position. Thus, the turning members and the right and left steerable wheels are repositioned in the generally straight or neutral direction.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim(s).
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/041,007, filed on Mar. 31, 2008 and entitled “Steering Arrangement for a Toy Vehicle”, which is herein incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61041007 | Mar 2008 | US |
