The present invention relates to a vehicle axle joint for a toy vehicle, and more specifically, a vehicle axle joint which may be readily angularly oriented in relation to a motor of the toy vehicle, and which further finds particular usefulness in a toy construction system which is employed by hobbyists.
Power in the form of force has been transferred from one location to another for thousands of years. From the first grist mills, the transfer of power between locations was made by using gears, and these gears remained stationary in relation to the power source, such as a paddle wheel, for example. However, the transfer of power between locations where one of the locations is not fixed, or may need to be relocated, presents challenges for those in the mechanical arts.
In the area of hobby crafts, such as in the assembly of remotely controlled model vehicles, and robots, the problems associated with the transfer of power from an engine to another location has been problematic. For example, many hobbyists enjoy building toys and model vehicles that are remotely controlled, and which are both realistic and easily modified. As part of this modification, for example, the hobbyist may interchange parts such as wheels so as to convert a toy vehicle such as a road racer to an off-road type vehicle. Such modifications of the toy vehicle requires the hobbyist to realign certain power transmission regions of the toy vehicle during the modification of the vehicle.
The inventors have variously disclosed in copending patent application Ser. Nos. 11/290,333; 11/443,556; 11/526,264; 11/724,422; and 11/827,547, a construction system, and components useful with a construction system. The teachings of these copending applications are incorporated by reference herein. This disclosed construction system, and its variations, provides a means by which a hobbyist can build robust articles of interest, such as toy vehicles and the like, in a manner not possible heretofore.
While the construction system, as disclosed in these pending applications, have worked with a great deal of success, an acute need has emerged to provide an assembly which will allow a hobbyist to rapidly modify toy vehicles in a manner whereby the relative angular positions of the motor and an axle may be easily changed. This will permit the hobbyist to construct an almost unlimited number of vehicular model arrangements, and thereby increase the versatility and usefulness of the aforementioned construction systems.
A vehicle axle joint for a toy vehicle which is useful in a construction system as disclosed in these earlier copending applications is the subject matter of the present invention.
A first aspect of the present invention relates to a vehicle axle joint for a toy vehicle which includes a socket portion; and a ball portion matingly cooperating with the socket portion, and defining a gear cavity, and wherein the ball portion defines at least two openings which are individually configured to receive at least one drive shaft, and another shaft configured to receive power from the drive shaft.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a vehicle axle joint for a toy vehicle and which is configured to provide rotational force from at least one rotating drive shaft to an axle of a toy vehicle, the vehicle including an outer portion which defines an internal cavity, and wherein the outer portion has a connector unit which matingly cooperates with at least one connector unit of a construction system; and an inner portion received within the cavity defined by the outer portion, and wherein the outer portion engages the inner portion so as to selectively orient the inner portion relative to the outer portion.
Still another aspect of the present invention relates to a vehicle axle joint for a toy vehicle and which includes a vehicle frame which has a length dimension as measured along a longitudinal axis, and a width dimension as measured along a transverse axis; a motor mounted on the vehicle frame; a drive shaft having a first end which is mechanically coupled to the motor, and a second end, and wherein the drive shaft is oriented substantially along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle frame; a gear assembly mechanically coupled to the second end of the drive shaft; an axle borne by the vehicle frame, and which is mechanically coupled to the gear assembly, and wherein the axle is located substantially parallel to the transverse axis of the vehicle frame; an adjustable ball portion defining a gear cavity that encloses the gear assembly; and a socket portion defining a housing which is releasably mounted on the vehicle frame, and which defines a cavity for receiving the adjustable ball portion, and wherein the adjustable ball portion can be selectively positioned within the cavity of the housing so as to orient the drive shaft in a range of angular relationships relating to the longitudinal axis of the toy vehicle.
Yet still another aspect of the present invention relates to a vehicle axle joint for a toy vehicle which includes a first portion which is substantially rigidly mounted on a frame of a toy vehicle; and a second portion moveably received within the first portion, and which has an X, Y, and Z axis, and which further defines an aperture for receiving an axle borne by the frame of the toy vehicle along the Y axis, and an aperture for receiving a drive shaft of the toy vehicle along the X axis, and wherein the second portion is selectively positionable within the first portion so as to position the aperture for receiving the drive shaft along an arcuately shaped path which is oriented along the Z axis.
These and other aspects of the present invention will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the following accompanying drawings.
This disclosure of the invention is submitted in furtherance of the constitutional purposes of the U.S. Patent Laws “to promote the progress of science and useful arts” (Article 1, Section 8).
A vehicle axle joint for a toy vehicle is generally indicated by the numeral 10 in
Referring now to
Referring now to
The vehicle axle joint 10 of the present invention includes a first socket portion which is generally indicated by the numeral 50, and which is further rigidly affixed to the vehicle frame 14 by means of a fastener body and a locking member similar to those described in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/290,333 which was filed on Nov. 29, 2005; and 11/443,556, which was filed on May 30, 2006, the teachings of which are incorporated by reference herein. The first socket portion 50 is comprised of first and second members 51 and 52 which are substantial mirror images of each other. The first and second members each have a main body 53 which is defined by an outside facing surface 54, and an opposite inside facing surface 55. The first and second members matingly cooperate so as to define a housing 55 which is releasably mounted on the vehicle frame 14. When assembled in an appropriate mating relationship, the first and second members 51 and 52 define a cavity 60 therein for receiving an adjustable ball portion which will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter. In the arrangement as seen in the drawings, this adjustable ball portion can be selectively positioned within the cavity 60 of the housing 55 so as to accommodate a range of angular relationships as measured between the drive shaft 25 and the longitudinal or X axis 31 of the toy vehicle 11 as earlier disclosed.
The main body 53 of the first socket portion 50 is defined by first, second, third and fourth sidewalls which are generally indicated by the numerals 61, 62, 63 and 64, respectively. As best seen by reference to
Still referring to
Referring again to
The main body 93 is defined by a curved sidewall 105, and a substantially planar sidewall which is generally indicated by the numeral 106. As seen in the drawings, the second and third openings 102 and 103 are defined by the substantially planar sidewall 106. As seen in the drawings, the sidewall 106 has a peripheral edge 110 which defines the respective second and third openings 102 and 103. Yet further, as seen in the drawings, a gear race 111 substantially surrounds the peripheral edge 110 defining the second and third openings 102 and 103, respectively, and is made integral with the sidewall 106. The gear race 111 is defined by a plurality of teeth. When the vehicle axle joint 10 is fully assembled, and as best seen by reference to
More specifically, the arrangement as seen in the drawings, shows a first portion 50 which is substantially rigidly mounted on a frame 14 of a toy vehicle 11, and a second portion 90 which is moveably received within the first portion and which has a X, Y and Z axis 31, 32, and 33, respectively. Further, the second portion 90 defines apertures or openings 102 and 103 for receiving an axle 24 which is borne by the vehicle frame 14 and which is oriented substantially parallel to the Y axis 32, and an aperture or opening 101 for receiving a drive shaft 25 of the toy vehicle 11, and which is oriented substantially along the X axis 31, and wherein the second ball portion 90 is selectively positionable within the first portion 50 so as to allow movement of the aperture or opening 101 for receiving the drive shaft 25 along an arcuately shaped path which is generally oriented along the Z axis 33. This is clearly seen by a study of
The operation of the described embodiment of the present invention is believed to be readily apparent and is briefly summarized at this point.
In its broadest aspect, the present invention relates to a vehicle axle joint 10 for a toy vehicle 11 and which includes a first socket portion 50; and a second ball portion 90 which matingly cooperates with the socket portion 50, and which defines a gear cavity 113 and wherein the second ball portion 90 further defines at least two openings 101 and 102 and which are individually configured to receive at least one drive shaft 25 and another shaft, such as a rear axle 24 and which is configured to receive power from the one drive shaft 25. In the arrangement as seen in the drawings, the socket portion 50 defines passageways or openings 65, 75 and 76, respectively through which the shafts, mentioned above, extend. In addition to the foregoing, the ball portion 90 defines, as earlier discussed, three openings 101, 102 and 103, respectively. In this arrangement, at least two of the openings 102 and 103 oppose or are coaxially aligned with each other and are configured to receive an axle 24 of the toy vehicle. In the arrangement as disclosed above, the ball portion 90 may comprise, in one form of the invention (
In the arrangement as seen in the drawings, the vehicle axle joint 10 for a toy vehicle 11 is operable to provide rotational force from at least one rotating drive shaft 25 to an axle 24 of a toy vehicle 1. In this arrangement, the vehicle axle joint 10 includes an outer portion 50 which defines an internal cavity 60 and wherein the outer portion 50 has at least one female connector unit 80 which matingly cooperates with at least one connector unit of a construction system; and an inner portion 90 which is received within the cavity 60 defined by the outer portion 50, and wherein the outer portion 50 engages the inner portion so as to selectively orient the inner portion 90 relative to the outer portion 50. In this arrangement, the outer portion 50 comprises at least two components or members 51 and 52, respectively, and which are configured to couple or otherwise matingly cooperate with each other, and wherein the components 51 and 52 are made integral with the connector units 80. As earlier discussed, the plurality of female connector units 80 are operable to cooperate with a construction system as described in the copending applications which are incorporated by reference herein.
More specifically, the vehicle axle joint 10 for a toy vehicle 11 includes a vehicle frame 14 which has a length dimension as measured along a longitudinal or X axis 31, and a width dimension as measured along a transverse or Y axis 32. The arrangement as shown in the drawings includes a motor 20 mounted on the vehicle frame 14, and a drive shaft 25 having a first end 26 which is mechanically coupled to the motor 20 and a second end 27. The drive shaft is oriented substantially along or is in the plane of the longitudinal or X axis 31 of the vehicle frame 14. The arrangement as shown in the drawings includes a gear assembly 40 which is mechanically coupled to the second end 27 of the drive shaft 25. An axle 24 is borne by the vehicle frame 14 and is mechanically coupled to the gear assembly 40. The axle 24 is located in substantially parallel relation relative to the transverse or Y axis 32 of the vehicle frame 14. An adjustable ball portion 90 defining a gear cavity 113 encloses the gear assembly 40. A socket portion 50 defining a housing 56 is releasably mounted on the vehicle frame 14 and defines a cavity 60 for receiving, supporting and allowing the movement of the adjustable ball portion 90. The adjustable ball portion 90 can be selectively positioned within the cavity 60 of the housing so as to accommodate a range of angular relationships as measured between the drive shaft 25 and the longitudinal or X axis 31 of the toy vehicle 11 (see
In the arrangement as seen in the drawings, the toy vehicle 11 is frequently remotely controlled by the hobbyist. Further, and as earlier discussed, the housing 56 comprises two members 51 and 52, which are substantially mirror images of each other, and which define the cavity 60 therebetween which is sized to receive and cooperate with the adjustable ball portion 90. As seen in
Therefore, a vehicle axle joint 10 for a toy vehicle 11 is described herein and which includes a first portion 50 which is substantially rigidly mounted on a frame 14 of a toy vehicle 11; and a second portion 90 moveably received within the first portion 50. As described herein, the toy vehicle 11 has an X, Y, and Z axis 31, 32, and 33, respectively. Still further, the second portion defines apertures 102 and 103 for receiving an axle 24 borne by the frame 14 of the toy vehicle 11 along the Y axis 32, and an aperture 101 for receiving a drive shaft 25 of the toy vehicle 11 along the X axis 31. The second portion 90 is selectively positionable within the first portion 50 so as to position the aperture or opening 101 for receiving the drive shaft 25 along an arcuately shaped path of travel which is oriented along the Z axis 33. In the arrangement as seen in the drawings, the axle 24 is drivingly coupled to at least one wheel 13 which engages an underlying supporting surface, such as the surface of the earth 12. In an alternative arrangement, the axle may be coupled to at least one rotating or reciprocating member which forcibly engages the underlying supporting surface 12. This may include, for example, a track, or other earth engaging element. A suitable track arrangement is seen in copending application Ser. No. 11/724,422, the teachings of which are incorporated by reference herein.
Therefore, it will be understood that the present invention provides a very convenient means by which a hobbyist may readily locate and otherwise position, a vehicle axle joint 10 for a toy vehicle 11 in a plurality of advantageous locations relative to a vehicle frame 14 so as to accommodate earth engaging wheels of various diameters and designs. Further, this invention permits a hobbyist to build toy vehicles 11 of various designs in a manner not possible heretofore. Additionally, the present invention can be used in combination with the construction systems described in the aforementioned copending patent applications which are now on file in the Patent Office and which have been filed by the inventors of record.
In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural and methodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown and described, since the means herein disclosed comprise preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.
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