TUBULAR RACETRACK

Abstract

A racetrack for toy vehicles is constructed from a racetrack set including closed track sections that reversibly snap together end-to-end. The inner surface of the closed track sections serves as the track for the toy vehicles. The closed track sections preferably include different shapes to provide building options to the user. In some embodiments, the closed track sections include fasteners, or loops for attaching fasteners, extending from the outer surfaces of the track sections to fasten the closed track sections to stationary objects for stability. In some embodiments, the racetrack set includes supports to elevate portions of the racetrack above a surface. In some embodiments, the racetrack set includes lighting reversibly attachable to the closed track sections or permanently attached to the walls of closed track sections.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention pertains to the field of toys. More particularly, the invention pertains to an enclosed racetrack set for toy vehicles.

2. Description of Related Art

Die cast toy vehicles have been known for decades. Although other brands of die cast toy vehicles are available on the toy market, the two most well-known brands are Matchbox® cars, first introduced in 1953 by Lesney Products (London, England), and Hot Wheels® cars, first introduced in 1968 by Mattel, Inc. (El Segundo, Calif., US). Both brands are currently owned by Mattel. These die cast toy vehicles are generally replicas of actual vehicles, most commonly cars, but also trucks and other wheeled vehicles, most commonly made at a scale of about 1:64 of the original vehicle. These die cast toy vehicles may be as small as about 1:100 scale or as large as about 1:43 scale or any size within that range.

Mattel also sells a line of Hot Wheels® Monster Jam® trucks. These die cast toy vehicles are generally at a scale of about 1:64 of actual monster trucks and are about four inches in height. These die cast toy vehicles may be as small as about 1:100 scale or as large as about 1:43 scale or any size within that range.

Although die cast toy vehicles typically have no propulsion mechanism, some die cast vehicles are able to store energy when a user rolls the vehicle backwards on a surface and release that energy to propel forward across a surface when the user releases the vehicle.

Racetracks for die cast toy vehicles are also known. The racetracks currently on the market typically have a pair of ruts or tracks in which the wheels run or a raised center section sized to be narrower than the width between the wheels and shorter than the height of the clearance below the bottom of the vehicle body. The ruts, tracks, and raised center section guide the toy vehicles on the tracks. Some of these racetracks have no side walls, while others have small vertical side walls. One problem with such racetracks is that even with tracks for the vehicle, the vehicle may still fly off the tracks before reaching the finish line or end of the racetrack. Although some of these racetracks have short tunnel sections or similar short enclosed sections, they are generally open on the top. These racetracks may be pre-constructed or may be custom-constructed by the user from a set of track sections. These racetracks may form a continuous loop or may have a starting section and a finish line section. Although these racetracks are typically free-standing and can be placed on the floor or any other sufficiently large flat horizontal surface, Mattel currently sells track building sets, under the name Hot Wheels® Wall Tracks®, supported by brackets designed to attach to a vertical surface, such as a wall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A racetrack for toy vehicles is constructed from a racetrack set including closed track sections that reversibly snap together end-to-end. The inner surface of the closed track sections serves as the track for the toy vehicles. The closed track sections preferably include different shapes to provide building options to the user. In some embodiments, the closed track sections include fasteners, or loops for attaching fasteners, extending from the outer surfaces of the track sections to fasten the closed track sections to stationary objects for stability. In some embodiments, the racetrack set includes supports to elevate portions of the racetrack above a surface. In some embodiments, the racetrack set includes lighting reversibly attachable to the closed track sections or permanently attached to the walls of closed track sections.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A schematically shows a straight track section.

FIG. 1B schematically shows a curved track section.

FIG. 1C schematically shows an S-shaped track section.

FIG. 1D schematically shows a looped track section.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a partially open track section.

FIG. 3A schematically shows a partial cross section of complementary ends of two track sections.

FIG. 3B schematically shows a partial cross section of complementary ends of two other track sections.

FIG. 3C schematically shows a partial cross section of complementary ends of two other track sections.

FIG. 4 schematically shows a racetrack running along the railing of a set of stairs.

FIG. 5A schematically shows a high track support.

FIG. 5B schematically shows a medium track support.

FIG. 5C schematically shows a low track support.

FIG. 5D schematically shows an adjustable track support.

FIG. 6 schematically shows a racetrack supported by track supports.

FIG. 7A schematically shows a track section with lighting in the wall of the track section.

FIG. 7B schematically shows a lighting strip with fasteners on the ends to wrap around a track section.

FIG. 8 schematically shows a vehicle with lights on the roof of the vehicle.

FIG. 9 schematically shows a cross sectional view of a vehicle in a track section.

FIG. 10 schematically shows a top view of a crash-out section in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 schematically shows a side view of another crash-out section in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 schematically shows a perspective side view of a track section with breakthrough walls.

FIG. 13 schematically shows a perspective side view of a track section with a flat bottom inner surface.

FIG. 14 schematically shows a cross sectional view of a rectangular closed track section.

FIG. 15 schematically shows a cross sectional view of a tunnel-shaped closed track section.

FIG. 16 shows a top perspective view of a closed track section with uneven track surface sections.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A racetrack set for toy vehicles preferably includes closed track sections with different shapes, which may include, but are not limited to, straight sections, curved sections, S-shaped sections, looped sections, and corkscrew sections. In some embodiments, the toy vehicles are die cast toy vehicles. The track sections are preferably tube-shaped with a substantially circular or oval cross-section. The track sections are preferably made of a transparent or translucent hard plastic. In some embodiments, the track sections are colored, but preferably still transparent, or at least translucent. In other embodiments, the track sections are clear. In other embodiments, the racetrack set includes track sections of different colors, which are preferably transparent or translucent and which may also include some clear track sections. In some embodiments, the racetrack set includes at least one soft plastic track section that is flexible to allow the user to adjust that track section to a custom shape in the constructed racetrack.

The enclosed surface of the track section on which the vehicles run is preferably concavely curved but otherwise smooth without any specific track feature or features to guide the vehicles through the track section. This allows the track sections to be useable in any orientation in the constructed racetrack. In preferred embodiments, the racetrack sections, being substantially or completely enclosed, overcome the problem of prior art racetracks that the vehicles tend to fly off the racetrack before reaching the end of the racetrack.

Although the track sections are preferably closed, the racetrack set may include one or more open track sections. In such embodiments, the open track sections are preferably no more than about half open, on the top, to allow a vehicle to be placed on the track or to be removed from the track along that section. The open track section may either be open along the entire length of the section or only in a central portion with the ends still being closed tubes to connect with closed track sections.

In some embodiments, the track sections are sized to form a racetrack for toy vehicles. In some embodiments, the racetrack set also includes toy vehicles for use on a racetrack formed from the track sections. In some embodiments, the toy vehicles are die cast toy vehicles. In some embodiments, the die cast toy vehicles are Matchbox® or Hot Wheels® vehicles. Die cast toy vehicles at a scale of about 1:64 of commercial cars and trucks have a length of about 3¼″, a height of about 1″, and a width of about 1¼″ with wheels about 7/32″ wide and about ¾″ between the wheels on an axle. Different designs of 1:64 die cast vehicles may have different dimensions. Lengths may vary within the range of about 3 to 4 inches. Heights may vary within the range of about ¾″ to about 2 inches. Widths may vary within the range of about 1⅛ to about 1⅜ inches. Wheel widths may vary within the range of about 3/16″ to about 5/16″. The distance between wheels may vary within the range of about 9/16″ to about ⅞″. Since the racetrack is preferably “trackless”, i.e. has no guiding structure, however, the racetrack may accommodate a relatively wide variation in die cast toy vehicle dimensions.

In some embodiments, the racetrack set includes the toy vehicles. In other embodiments, the racetrack set comes without toy vehicles but instead creates an innovative atmosphere for children to play with their Matchbox® or Hot Wheels® cars, self-propelled toy vehicles, or Hot Wheels® Monster Jam® trucks that the children may already have within their household.

Although the inside diameter of the track section is at least about 75% greater than the height of the tallest vehicle to use the track, the inside diameter of the track section is preferably at least about twice the height of the tallest vehicle to use the track to provide sufficient clearance. In some embodiments, the inside diameter of the track section is about twice the height of the tallest vehicle to use the track. In some embodiments, the inside diameter of the track wall is at least about two inches. In some embodiments, the inside diameter of the track is at least about three inches. In some embodiments, the inside diameter of the track wall is about two inches. In some embodiments, the inside diameter of the track is about three inches. In some embodiments, the inside diameter of the track is in the range of about 2 inches to about 3 inches. In some embodiments, the inside diameter of the track is about four inches. In some embodiments, the inside diameter of the track is in the range of about 2 inches to about 4 inches.

The lengths of the track sections in a racetrack set may all be the same or of similar lengths or may vary based on the type of track section or different lengths of the same type of track section may be provided. In some embodiments, the lengths of the track sections are in the range of about six inches to about two feet. In a preferred embodiment, the lengths of the track sections are in the range of about 12 inches to about 18 inches.

In other embodiments, the track sections are sized to form a racetrack for larger toy vehicles. In some embodiments, the larger toy vehicles have a height of about four inches. In some embodiments, the inside diameter of the track wall for such larger toy vehicles is at least about eight inches. In some embodiments, the inside diameter of the track is in the range of about 7 inches to about 9 inches.

A number of different coupling mechanisms may be used to reversibly attach two track sections together in building a track. In some embodiments, the track sections have complementary ends that slide together to form a smooth seam between the two sections on the inside surface of the track, whereas in other embodiments, the track sections have complementary ridges that reversibly snap together, so that one end of each track section couples to one end of the neighboring track section. In some embodiments, the track sections also include at least one latch that serves as a secondary attachment mechanism to assure that the complementary ridges remain snapped together during use of the racetrack. The latch may be a bendable strap attached to, or a rigid extension pivotably coupled to, one track section. The first part of a fastener at the far end of the strap or extension couples to a complementary second part of the fastener on the neighboring track section, after the two track sections have been snapped together. The fastener may be any fastener, including, but not limited to, a snap, a button/button hole, a hook and loop fastener, or a tab that extends into a recess. Each track section may include one or a plurality of such latches.

The walls of the track sections are preferably relatively thin to allow sufficient flexibility in the ends of the track sections to allow a user to put two track sections together and take the two track sections apart without the two sections falling apart during use of the constructed racetrack. The thickness of the walls of a track section is preferably less than about ¼″. In a preferred embodiment, the walls of a track section have a thickness in the range of about ⅛″ to about ¼″. The ends of the track sections preferably all have a circular cross section, and all of the track sections in a racetrack set preferably have the same inside dimensions so that they can all fit together with each other.

The racetrack set is preferably designed for a user to construct a racetrack where gravity provides the force to allow the toy vehicle to travel from a starting point on the track to a finishing point on the track. This may be accomplished by relying on the environment around which the racetrack is built, such as by using a staircase, a fence, or furniture to elevate some parts of the racetrack with respect to other parts. In some embodiments, a net is located at the end of the racetrack to catch a vehicle as it exits the racetrack. The net may be permanently attached to a finish line track section or may be reversibly attachable to any track section to be used as a finish line track section.

In some embodiments, the racetrack includes a launcher to provide momentum to the toy vehicle at the start of its travel down the racetrack. The launcher preferably contacts the vehicle and pushes the vehicle from behind to provide the momentum. The launcher is preferably spring-loaded or spring-biased and is preferably put into a loaded ready position by the user and then actuated, with the toy vehicle directly in front of the launcher, by pushing a lever or a button to release the spring, which drives a push bar outward toward the toy vehicle. The launcher may be permanently attached to a start track section or may be reversibly attachable to any track section to be used as a start track section.

In some embodiments, the racetrack set includes one or more crash-out sections. Each crash-out section receives two or more track sections, thereby causing multiple tracks to cross paths and provide the possibility of toy vehicles racing on different tracks crashing into each other. The crash-out section may be any shape, including, but not limited to, oval, round, octagonal, or hexagonal, depending on the number of track sections that may be attached to the crash-out section. The crash-out sections may have an uneven track surface shaped to simulate rough-road hazards, including, but not limited to, mudpits, potholes, crushed car areas, multiple tire sections, ditches, train tracks, pit stops, and mountain tunnel crossings. The crash-out section preferably includes at least one opening to allow a user to extract one or more toy vehicles from the crash-out section through the opening, in case the crash causes the toy vehicle to become stuck in the crash-out section. In some embodiments, this is accomplished by having a removable top to the crash-out section in order to reach in and get the toy vehicles out, after they crash together. The top may be twisted or unscrewed or popped off to remove it from the base of the crash-out section.

In some embodiments, a track section may include one or more bullseye-type flip-out breakthrough walls. The breakthrough wall is preferably attached on one or two spots of the tubular track. To create movement within and excitement to children, as they watch their toy vehicles fly through the enclosed track, when a toy vehicle contacts the bullseye, it triggers the breakthrough wall to flip out, with the toy vehicle preferably being ejected from the tubular track. The breakthrough wall may utilize any type of novel artwork on it, including, but not limited to, bullseyes and licensed super hero figure images.

In some embodiments, the racetrack set includes fasteners to couple the racetrack to a vertically-extending structure extending above a floor or the ground, which may include, but is not limited to, a banister, a stairs railing, a fence, or a piece of furniture, such as a table leg. In some embodiments, the fasteners are fixed to the track sections and wrapped around the banister or railing. In other embodiments, the fasteners wrap around both the track and the banister or railing. In other embodiments, the fasteners are vice grips with flexible straps that clip to the vertical structure. In other embodiments, the track sections have loops or extensions to attach the fasteners to the racetrack. In some embodiments, the fasteners are flexible straps that wrap around the banister. In some embodiments, the flexible straps are tied together to fasten the track to the banister or railing. In other embodiments, the flexible straps include complementary snaps, magnets, hook and loop fasteners, or buttons and button holes to fasten the track to the banister or railing.

In other embodiments, the flexible straps include an adhesive, suction, such as a suction cup, or a magnet, to attach the strap to a substantially flat surface, such as a wall or ceiling. In some embodiments, one magnet has an adhesive backing to stick the magnet to the flat surface, and a second magnet is attached to an end of the strap. The second magnet is attracted to the first magnet to hold the track section in place at the wall. The other end of the flexible strap may be tied around the track wall or through the loop on the outside of the track wall.

In some embodiments, however, the racetrack set includes one or more supports to elevate some parts of the racetrack. Such supports may include, but are not limited to, high-rise lifts, medium-rise lifts, and low-rise lifts to support the racetrack at different heights for different sections. Each support preferably includes a base with a flat bottom surface, a vertical section, and a supporting top section. In some embodiments, the top section has a U-shape to receive a track section. In some embodiments, the supports are height-adjustable, such as by two telescoping vertical sections. In other embodiments, removable or retractable extension poles may be used to adjust the height of the supports. In some embodiments, the racetrack set includes only height-adjustable supports that are all substantially identical to provide all of the supports at different heights needed to support a constructed racetrack. In some embodiments, a vice grip fastener may be used to clip the support to a vertical structure, such as a table leg or table edge, to provide additional stabilization to the support. In some embodiments, a vice grip fastener may be used to clip a track section to a lower portion of the support rather than having the track section rest in the top section of the support.

In some embodiments, at least one of the track sections includes lights. In some embodiments, the lights are light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The lights may be within the wall of the track section or on the inside or outside of the track section. In some embodiments, the lights are on a strip that runs along the length of the track section. In other embodiments, the lights are on a strip that is sized to wrap around the track section with fasteners on the ends to form a loop around the track section. The light for each track section may be self-contained with a separate power supply, preferably a battery, or sections may connect together to provide an electrical connection between two or more track sections, which may terminate in a cord that can be plugged into an electrical outlet to supply electricity to the lights. In some embodiments, one or more electrical switches on the track sections allow a user to turn the lights on or off. In other embodiments, the lights include a sensor that senses when a vehicle passes by the sensor and causes the lights to turn on for a predetermined amount of time. The predetermined amount of time is preferably in the range of about one second to about two seconds.

In other embodiments, at least a portion of the racetrack set glows in the dark. The glow in the dark is preferably in the form of photoluminescence and more preferably phosphorescence. Any portion of the racetrack set may glow in the dark within the spirit of the present invention, including, but not limited to, the track sections, the crash-out sections, the fasteners, the supports, the breakthrough walls, the nets, the launchers, and any parts thereof. In other embodiments, at least a portion of the toy vehicle glows in the dark. The glow-in-the-dark chemical may be incorporated into the material out of which the track sections or toy vehicle are made or it may be coated on the outside of the track section. Any phosphorescent chemical may be used to provide the glow-in-the-dark feature, including, but not limited to, zinc sulfide and strontium aluminate, within the spirit of the present invention. In some embodiments, the glow-in-the-dark feature forms a pattern, such as, for example, a spider web.

In some embodiments, one or more of the toy vehicles has one or more lights attached to it. In some embodiments, the light is a light strip reversibly attached to the vehicle. The light strip may be magnetic or may be reversibly attached to any part of the vehicle that does not affect the ability of the vehicle to travel through the track sections, including, but not limited to, a side of the vehicle, the front of the vehicle, the back of the vehicle, or the top of the vehicle, by an adhesive or by a fastener, including, but not limited to, complementary snaps, magnets, or hook and loop fasteners. In some embodiments, the light is permanently attached to the vehicle. In some embodiments, the light includes a switch to allow the user to turn the light off or on. In other embodiments, the light is activated only when the wheels of the vehicle are turning.

Although a tubular track design allows the greatest design flexibility in assembling the closed track sections, the closed track sections may alternatively be shaped to form non-tubular enclosures. Regardless of the shape of the enclosure, the enclosure itself preferably prevents the vehicles from flying off the track before completing a race from start to finish. In some embodiments, the inner surface is curved but oval rather than circular in cross section. In other embodiments, the outer surface of the track wall is still circular in cross section, but the inner surface that serves as the track has at least one flat or substantially flat portion to serve as the track for the toy vehicle. In other embodiments, the inner surface that serves as the track has at least one flat or substantially flat portion, and the outer surface of the track wall is not circular and may include at least one flat section. In some embodiments, more than one or all of the inner walls are flat. In some embodiments, the closed track sections have a flat bottom to them to create more of a tubular, tunneled, road look. These non-circular track sections, of course, attach together end to end, as well, with similar coupling mechanisms as the circular closed track sections.

A flat bottom track may also incorporate or create a road within the enclosure, or a terrain for the toy vehicles to navigate through as they venture through this unpredictable racetrack. These flat bottomed track sections may have uneven track surface sections shaped to simulate rough-road hazards, including, but not limited to, mudpits, potholes, crushed car areas, multiple tire sections, ditches, and train tracks.

FIG. 1A, FIG. 1B, FIG. 1C, FIG. 1D, and FIG. 2 show some track sections that may be included in a racetrack set. The track sections have different geometries to direct a toy vehicle along the track section.

In FIG. 1A, a straight track section 10 includes a substantially cylindrical track wall 12 forming a straight cylindrical enclosed space along which the toy vehicle travels. The first open end of the straight track section 10 has a first complementary shape 14 and the second open end of the straight track section 10 has a second complementary shape 16. The complementary shapes 14, 16 allow different track sections to be connected together to form a tubular racetrack. Loops 18 extending from the outer surface of the track wall 12 receive straps or other fasteners to support the track section in an assembled racetrack.

In FIG. 1B, a curved track section 20 includes a curved track wall 22, open ends with a first complementary shape 14 and a second complementary shape 16, and loops 18. The curved track section 20 redirects the toy vehicle about 180 degrees, although other curve track sections may be included that redirect the vehicle other angles between 0 and 180 degrees, including, but not limited to, about 30 degrees, about 45 degrees, about 60 degrees, about 90 degrees, about 120 degrees, and about 135 degrees.

In FIG. 1C, an S-shaped track section 24 includes an S-shaped track wall 26, open ends with a first complementary shape 14 and a second complementary shape 16, and loops 18. The S-shaped track section 24 directs the toy vehicle along an S-shape.

In FIG. 1D, a looped track section 28 includes a loop-shaped track wall 30, open ends with a first complementary shape 14 and a second complementary shape 16, and loops 18. The looped track section 28 directs the toy vehicle along a loop.

In FIG. 2, a partially open track section 32 includes a partially open track wall 34. The partially-open track wall 34 is preferably more than half-closed. The partially open track section 32 shown in FIG. 2 has an opening of about 100 degrees. The size of the opening is preferably in the range of about 60 degrees to about 150 degrees and more preferably in the range of about 90 degrees to about 120 degrees. The first complementary shape 36 has the same contour as the first complementary shape 14 in FIG. 1A through FIG. 1D, except that it only forms an arc rather than a full circle. The second complementary shape 38 has the same complementary contour as the second complementary shape 16 in FIG. 1A through FIG. 1D, except that it only forms an arc rather than a full circle. The partially open track section 32 shown in FIG. 2 has a curved shape similar to the curved track wall of FIG. 1B, but a less curved or a straight partially-open track section with a straight partially-open track wall similar to the substantially cylindrical track wall of FIG. 1A may also be used.

Contours of the first complementary shape 14 and the second complementary shape 16 of two ends of track sections are shown in FIG. 3A. The first complementary shape 14 includes a first ridge 40 that is inserted past a second ridge 42 of the second complementary shape 16 such that the two ridges 40, 42 interlock and hold the two track sections together. The two track sections form a substantially smooth inner surface at the junction between the two track sections when assembled in this way. The ends of the two track sections are preferably flexible enough to allow the two ridges 40, 42 to bend slightly to allow the first ridge 40 to slide past the second ridge 42 and to allow the user to disconnect the two track sections by squeezing on the ends of the two track sections.

Alternative contours of a first complementary shape 46 and a second complementary shape 48 of two ends of track sections are shown in FIG. 3B. The first complementary shape 46 includes first ridges 50 that are inserted past second ridge 52 of the second complementary shape 48 such that the two ridges 50, 52 interlock and hold the two track sections together. The ends of the two track sections are preferably flexible enough to allow the two ridges 50, 52 to bend slightly to allow the first ridge 50 to slide past the second ridge 52. The two track sections form a substantially smooth inner surface at the junction between the two track sections when assembled in this way. The ridges 50, 52 do not extend the whole way around the circumferences of the ends of the track sections. Instead, ridgeless sections 54 (not visible for the first complementary shape 46 in FIG. 3B) allow the user to disconnect the two track sections by rotating the two track sections to an angular position where the ridges 50, 52 do not interlock. Ramps between the ridged sections and the ridgeless sections 54 allow the user to twist the two track sections more easily before disconnecting the two sections.

Alternative coupling mechanisms for a first complementary shape 56 and a second complementary shape 58 are shown in FIG. 3C. A first tapered surface 60 on the first complementary shape 56 is inserted into the end of the other track section along a second tapered surface 62. At least one fastener on the outside walls of the ends of the track sections is fastened to hold the track sections together. Each fastener includes a first part 64, 66 on the outside wall near the end of the first track section and a complementary second part 68, 70 on the outside wall near the end of the second track section. The first parts include an extension 72, 76 and a first fastener half 74, 78 capable of fastening to its complementary second fastener half of the second parts 68, 70. The extension 68, 70 may be a flexible strap or a rigid arm pivotably connected to the track wall. Any type of fastening mechanism may be used, including, but not limited to, magnet, hook and loop, snap, latch and hole, and buckle.

In FIG. 4, sections of the racetrack are fastened to the posts 82 of a staircase railing 80 by fasteners 84 to stabilize the racetrack. The fasteners 84 include straps that attach to the loops 18 of the track sections 10 and extend around the posts 82. The fasteners 84 may be any type of fasteners, including, but not limited to, two ends of the straps tied together, hook and loop fasteners, snaps, and buttons/button holes. The racetrack includes straight track sections 10 and curved track sections 86, 87, 88, 90 coupled end-to-end to form a track extending along the bottom of the railing 80 and down to the floor below. A toy vehicle 92 is placed at the top of the track. A starter 94 provides momentum to the toy vehicle 92 to propel it along the track. The starter 94 includes a spring 96, a block 98 biased toward the back of the toy vehicle 94 by the spring 96, and a switch 100 to hold the spring 96 in an energized state and to activate the starter 94 by releasing the spring 96 to drive the block 98 against the back of the toy vehicle 94. A finish mat 102 at the bottom of the track receives the toy vehicle 94 and preferably quickly slows or stops the vehicle's movement upon contact with the mat.

FIG. 5A, FIG. 5B, and FIG. 5C show different track support designs for supporting track sections of an assembled racetrack at different heights, since gravity is preferably the primary force propelling the toy vehicles along the racetrack. A high track support 110 supports the track at or near the upper end; a medium track support 112 supports the track near the middle; and a low track support 114 supports the track at or near the bottom end. Each track support 110, 112, 114 includes a base 116 and an arm 118a, 118b, 118c extending from the base 116. A cradle 120 at the top of the arm 118a, 118b, 118c has a semicircular U-shape to receive and support a portion of the racetrack at the elevation of the cradle 120. In some embodiments, the semicircular U-shaped surface of the cradle 120 includes a high-friction material to prevent the track support from sliding in the cradle 120.

FIG. 5D shows an adjustable track support 122, which may be used in place of any of the low, medium, and high track supports. The adjustable track support 122 includes a base 116 and an arm 118d with a cradle 120 but also includes intermediate telescoping poles 124, 126 to adjust the height of the cradle 120 with respect to the base 116 to provide a range of support heights from low to high. The arm 118d and poles 124, 126 telescope up and down each within a certain range and may be locked in place by any locking mechanism, including, but not limited to, rotating to a locking position or aligning a pin to insert through a hole.

FIG. 6 shows a freestanding racetrack 130 with supports 110, 114 elevating the upper and middle portions of the racetrack.

FIG. 7A schematically shows a curved track section 140 with a strip of lighting 142 in the wall of the track section 140. The lighting is preferably LED or halogen lighting. The lighting 142 may be powered by one or more batteries housed within the track section 140 or the strip of lighting 142 may plug into a strip of lighting on an adjacent track section or to a cord (not shown) supplying power from an external source. Alternatively, a lighting strip 150 with lights 152 along the strip and with fasteners 154, 156 on the ends wraps around a track section to light the track section, as shown in FIG. 7B. The lights 152 are preferably powered by one or more batteries housed within the lighting strip 150, but alternatively or the strip of lighting 142 may plug into a cord (not shown) supplying power from an external source. Alternatively, a light 158 may be attached to the toy vehicle 92, as shown in FIG. 8, so that the car may be seen through the translucent walls of the racetrack sections.

FIG. 9 schematically shows a cross sectional rear view of a toy vehicle 92 in a track section 160 of a racetrack. The track section 160 has an inner diameter that is twice the height of the toy vehicle 92. This is preferably the largest vehicle height to wall diameter ratio to be used for the racetrack to prevent vehicles from getting stuck in the racetrack, especially for longer or wider vehicles and especially around curved or looped sections of the track. Toy vehicles 92 are conventionally designed to run on a substantially flat surface, and, as can be seen in FIG. 9, only the outer bottom edges of the wheels 162 of the toy vehicle 92 contact the track. In some embodiments, the axles or the wheels of a d toy vehicle 92 are modified to improve the rolling contact between the wheels 162 and the track as the toy vehicle 92 rolls down the tubular racetrack.

In other embodiments, a toy vehicle may be designed especially for racing in a tubular racetrack. In some embodiments, the vehicle body may have a more curved or even cylindrical shape than a conventional car or truck. In some embodiments, the vehicle may have wheels at different locations laterally around the vehicle body so that instead of flipping over in the tubular racetrack and getting stuck on its side or back with no wheels contacting the track, the vehicle always has more than two wheels contacting the track. In some embodiments, axles may have a single wheel each rather than each axle having two wheels on it as in conventional vehicles.

FIG. 10 shows eight track sections 170 attached to a crash-out section 172. At least two of the track sections 170 are preferably used to lead toy vehicles into the crash-out section 172, but all may be. The walls of the crash-out section 172 are preferably transparent. Toy vehicles entering the crash-out section 172 at about the same time are likely to crash into each other in the crash-out section 172 for added entertainment. A removable lid 174 has tabs 176 that insert into slots 178, and rotation of the lid 174 seats the lid 174 in the opening at the top of the crash-out section 172. The removable lid 174 allows access to remove crashed vehicles by hand from the crash-out section 172 without having to otherwise take the racetrack apart. Some of the track sections 170 may be used to direct toy vehicles exiting the crash-out section 172 to continue racing.

FIG. 11 shows a side view of two track sections 170 attached to a crash-out section 180. The removable lid 182 snaps into and out of the base 184 of the crash-out section 180.

FIG. 12 shows a perspective side view of a track section with two types of breakthrough walls 190, 200. The wall section 192 of the first breakthrough wall 190 pivots around two pins 194 to flip a toy vehicle out of the enclosure when the toy vehicle contacts a trigger 196 in the center of the inner surface of the wall section 192. The breakthrough wall 190 is preferably spring-loaded to pivot around the two pins when a toy vehicle supplies sufficient pressure to activate the trigger 196. The wall section 202 of the second breakthrough wall 200 is attached by a hinge 206 to the track wall 208. The hinge 204 is preferably spring-loaded to swing the wall section 202 out when a toy vehicle supplies sufficient pressure to the wall section 202. The breakthrough walls 190, 200 are preferably manually re-sent to the un-activated position after activation.

Since toy vehicles are typically designed to run on a fairly planar surface, the track section may have one or more planar inner surfaces to serve as the track, as shown in FIG. 13, FIG. 14, and FIG. 15. The outer surface 210 is still cylindrical in FIG. 13, but the track wall is built up in one section to form a planar inner surface 212 for toy vehicles to run on. The planar inner surface 212 is preferably oriented at the bottom of the track section in the constructed racetrack. Alternatively, FIG. 14 shows a closed track section 220 with only planar inner surfaces 222 and FIG. 15 shows a closed track section 230 with a tunnel shape having one planar inner surface 232 forming the enclosure with an arched inner surface 234.

FIG. 16 shows a top perspective view of a closed track section 240 with obstacles 242, 244, 246 providing an uneven terrain. The obstacles 242, 244, 246 are preferably formed integrally with the track wall and are irregularities that may be either bumps or pits or a combination of bumps and pits in the otherwise smooth track surface. The obstacles 242, 244, 246 preferably are shaped to look like obstacles a vehicle may encounter on a road or in an off-road situation.

Although the racetrack has been described primarily for use with toy vehicles with no propulsion mechanism, any wheeled toy vehicle of appropriate dimensions may be used with the tubular racetrack within the spirit of the present invention. In some embodiments, the wheeled toy vehicle is able to store energy when a user rolls the vehicle backwards on a surface and releases that energy to propel forward across a surface when the user releases the vehicle. In other embodiments, the wheeled toy vehicle is self-propelled by a battery in or on the vehicle rather than relying on gravity for propulsion.

Accordingly, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention herein described are merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Reference herein to details of the illustrated embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the claims, which themselves recite those features regarded as essential to the invention.

Claims

1. A racetrack set comprising: a plurality of closed track sections, each closed track section comprising a track wall having an inner surface forming a track enclosure having a first open end comprising a first coupling and a second open end opposite the first open end comprising a second coupling, the inner surface serving as a track, the closed track sections being sized to permit at least one wheeled toy vehicle to travel through the plurality of closed track sections;wherein the first couplings are complementary to the second couplings to reversibly couple the first open end of one closed track section to the second open end of another closed track section to construct a racetrack formed along the inner surfaces of the plurality of closed track sections.

2. The racetrack set of claim 1, wherein each first coupling comprises at least one first ridge and each second coupling comprises at least one second ridge complementary in shape to the first ridge such that when the first open end of one closed track section is inserted into the second open end of another closed track section and the first ridge is inserted past the second ridge, the first ridge interlocks with the second ridge to hold the closed track sections together.

3. The racetrack set of claim 2, wherein each first coupling further comprises first ridgeless sections flanking the first ridges and each second coupling further comprises second ridgeless sections flanking the second ridges such that when the first ridges are interlocked with the second ridges, rotating the first open end with respect to the second open end aligns the first ridges with the second ridgeless sections, thereby disengaging the first ridges from the second ridges to ease removal of the first open end from the second open end.

4. The racetrack set of claim 1, wherein the first coupling comprises a first tapered surface and at least one first external fastener half and the second coupling comprises a second tapered surface complementary to the first tapered surface and at least one second external fastener half complementary to the first external fastener half such that inserting the first tapered surface into the second open end along the second tapered surface and fastening the first external fastener half to the second external fastener half couples the first open end of one closed track section to the second open end of another closed track section.

5. The racetrack set of claim 4, wherein the first external fastener half of one closed track section and the second external fastener half of another closed track section fasten by a fastening mechanism selected from the group consisting of: magnets, hooks and loops, snaps, latches and holes, and buckles.

6. The racetrack set of claim 1, wherein the inner surface is concavely curved and each first open end and each second open end has a substantially circular cross section.

7. The racetrack set of claim 6, wherein the substantially circular cross section has an inner diameter in the range of about two inches to about four inches.

8. The racetrack set of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of closed track sections comprises a light source.

9. The racetrack set of claim 1, wherein each closed track section has a directional contour selected from the group consisting of: a straight contour;a curved contour;an S-shaped contour;a looped contour; anda corkscrew contour.

10. The racetrack set of claim 1 further comprising at least one track support comprising: a base;a vertical section extending from the base; anda support section extending from the vertical section, the support section being shaped to receive and support at least one of the plurality of closed track sections;wherein a height of the vertical section is adjustable to adjust a height of the support section with respect to the base.

11. The racetrack set of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the racetrack set glows in the dark.

12. The racetrack set of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of closed track sections further comprises at least one fastener extending from an outer surface of the track wall.

13. The racetrack set of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of closed track sections further comprises at least one loop extending from an outer surface of the track wall.

14. The racetrack set of claim 13 further comprising at least one strap to extend through the loop and to fasten the closed track section to at least one stationary object.

15. The racetrack set of claim 1 further comprising a starter comprising: a spring;a starter block biased by the spring toward an open end of one of the closed track sections; anda switch holding the spring in an energized state in a first position and activating the starter in a second position by releasing the spring to drive the block toward the open end of one of the closed track sections.

16. The racetrack set of claim 1 further comprising the at least one wheeled toy vehicle.

17. The racetrack set of claim 1, wherein the track wall of at least one of the closed track sections is translucent.

18. The racetrack set of claim 1 further comprising at least one crash-out section attachable to the first open end or the second open end of at least two of the closed track sections, the crash-out section comprising: a base having an inner surface; anda lid removable from the base to provide access to a crash-out enclosure formed by the base and the lid;wherein the crash-out section directs toy vehicles entering the crash-out section from the closed track sections to crash into each other in the crash-out enclosure.

19. The racetrack set of claim 1, wherein at least one of the closed track sections comprises at least one irregularity disrupting the shape of the inner surface of the closed track section.

20. The racetrack set of claim 1, wherein the track wall of at least one of the closed track sections comprises a breakthrough wall in a wall opening of the track wall, the breakthrough wall being coupled to the track wall to pivot when activated by contact with the toy vehicle racing along the inner surface to eject the toy vehicle from the track enclosure though the wall opening.