Claims
- 1. A plural-speed miniature wheeled toy vehicle for use with electrical battery means that comprise an elongated dry-cell battery having a longitudinal axis, and for both generally conventional-toy operation at at least one speed on a generally flat surface and climbing-toy operation at at least one reduced speed with greater torque on a steep and/or irregular surface; said vehicle having, when such battery means are in use therewith, major weight components positioned to provide a generally symmetrical, compact, balanced and relatively low arrangement; said vehicle comprising:
- a chassis having walls defining an interior compartment;
- front wheel means and rear wheel means mounted to the chassis for rolling rotation about respective mutually parallel but spaced-apart front and rear axes;
- means mounted in the interior compartment to releasably support such electrical battery means in the compartment with such longitudinal axis of such battery means extending substantially front-to-back of the vehicle and extending at least substantially the full distance between the front and rear axes;
- an electric motor mounted in the interior compartment, and having a driveshaft;
- means on the chassis for electrically connecting such battery means, when supported in the supporting means, to the motor, so that such battery means power the motor driveshaft;
- a speed-reduction mechanism mounted in the interior compartment and connecting the motor driveshaft to both said front and said rear wheel means to transmit rotation from the driveshaft to the wheel means with a mechanical advantage; and
- means associated with the speed-reduction mechanism for selecting among a plurality of values of the mechanical advantage, including at least one value providing such generally conventional-toy operation for generally flat surfaces and at least one other value providing such climbing-toy operation with greater torque for steep and/or irregular surfaces;
- at least major portions of the motor and of such battery means, when such battery means are supported in the supporting means, being at approximately the same height as the front and rear wheel means, to particularly enhance such climbing-toy operation at said other value on such steep and/or irregular surfaces; and
- the motor, the speed-reduction mechanism, the selecting means, and such battery means, when such battery means are supported in the supporting means, substantially fully occupying the interior compartment.
- 2. The toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein:
- the chassis has a front end and a rear end;
- the speed-reduction mechanism comprises, rotatably mounted to each of said front and rear ends of the chassis,
- a worm adapted to be powered by the motor shaft,
- a worm gear adapted to engage and be driven by the worm, and
- an axle positioned at a corresponding one of the front and rear axes;
- the front wheel means are mounted to the axle that is mounted to the front end of the chassis, and the rear wheel means are mounted to the axle that is mounted to the rear end of the chassis; and
- the front and rear wheel means are adapted to be powered respectively by the worm gears that are mounted to the front and rear ends of the chassis.
- 3. The toy vehicle of claim 2, wherein:
- the speed-reduction mechanism comprises, rotatably mounted to the housing at each of said front and rear ends,
- a driver gear adapted and disposed to be powered from the motor shaft, and
- two spur-gear-and-worm clusters adapted and disposed to be powered by the driver gear, the said worm being provided by either one of the two spur-gear-and-worm clusters, whichever one is selected by a user;
- the worm gear is shiftable by a user relative to the spur-gear-and-worm clusters, to engage and be driven by either of the two spur-gear-and-worm clusters, whereby a user selects one of the two clusters;
- the axle is adapted and disposed to be driven by the worm gear; and
- the wheels are adapted and disposed to be driven by the axle.
- 4. A plural-speed toy vehicle for use by a human user, both in generally conventional-toy operation at at least one speed on generally flat surfaces, and in climbing-toy operation at at least one reduced speed with greater torque on steeper and/or on more irregular surfaces; said vehicle being adapted for use with an electrical battery and comprising:
- a housing adapted to receive such battery, and having a front end and a rear end;
- a motor mounted to the housing and having a motor shaft, the motor and shaft being adapted for powering of the shaft by such battery when such battery is received by the housing;
- at least two wheel means rotatably mounted to each of said front and rear ends of the housing;
- means for establishing a mechanical advantage between the motor shaft and the wheel means, and for selecting among a plurality of values of the mechanical advantage; said plurality of values comprising:
- at least one value that provides a combination of relatively high speed and relatively low torque whereby the vehicle is operable as a generally conventional toy on generally flat surfaces, and
- at least one other value that provides a combination of relatively lower speed and relatively higher torque whereby the vehicle is operable as a climbing toy on surfaces that are steeper and/or more irregular;
- said establishing and selecting means comprising, rotatably mounted to each of said front and rear ends of the housing,
- a worm adapted to be powered by the motor shaft, and
- a worm gear adapted to engage and be driven by the worm, and to power the wheel means;
- whereby the motor drives the wheel means at both the front and rear ends of the housing; and
- said establishing and selecting means also comprising manually manipulable means for effectuating the said selecting among plural values; whereby such user by manipulating the effectuating means may operate the vehicle either as a generally conventional toy or as a climbing toy.
- 5. The toy vehicle of claim 4, wherein:
- the establishing and selecting means comprise, rotatably mounted to the housing at each of said front and rear ends,
- a driver gear adapted and disposed to be powered from the motor shaft, and
- two spur-gear-and-worm clusters adapted and disposed to be powered by the driver gear, the said worm being provided by either one of the two spur-gear-and-worm clusters, whichever one is selected by a user, and
- an axle adapted and disposed to be driven by the worm gear;
- the worm gear is shiftable by a user relative to the spur-gear-and-worm clusters, to engage and be driven by either of the two spur-gear-and-worm clusters, whereby a user selects one of the clusters; and
- the wheels are adapted and disposed to be driven by the axle.
- 6. The toy vehicle of claim 5, wherein:
- each of the two spur-gear-and-worm clusters comprises a spur-gear section and a worm section;
- the spur-gear section of a first one of the two spur-gear-and-worm clusters is adapted and disposed to be driven by the driver gear; and
- the spur-gear section of the other one of the two spur-gear-and-worm clusters is adapted and disposed to be driven by the spur-gear section of the first spur-gear-and-worm cluster.
- 7. The toy vehicle of claim 6, wherein the respective worm sections are of opposite pitch.
- 8. The toy vehicle of claim 5, wherein:
- each of the two spur-gear-and-worm clusters comprises a spur-gear section and a worm section;
- the spur-gear section of each of the two spur-gear-and-worm clusters is adapted and disposed to be driven directly by the driver gear.
- 9. The toy vehicle of claim 8, wherein the respective worm sections are not of opposite pitch.
- 10. The toy vehicle of any one of claims 4 through 9, wherein the effectuating means are accessible to such user at the side of the toy vehicle housing while the vehicle rests upon such surfaces, and are manipulable by finger pressure applied in that area;
- whereby such user by applying such finger pressure without removing the vehicle from such surfaces may operate the vehicle either as a generally conventional toy or as a climbing toy.
- 11. The toy vehicle of any one of claims 5 through 9, wherein:
- the effectuating means are accessible to such user at the side of the toy vehicle housing while the vehicle rests upon such surfaces, and are manipulable by finger pressure applied in that area;
- the establishing and selecting means are also operable for disengaging the worm gear entirely from both spur-gear-and-worm clusters, thereby disengaging the wheel means from the motor shaft to place the toy vehicle in "rolling neutral"; and
- the effectuating means are manipulable to effectuate such disengaging, alternative to effectuating such selecting of mechanical advantage; whereby such user by applying such finger pressure without removing the vehicle from such surfaces may:
- (1) place the toy vehicle in "rolling neutral"; or
- (2) operate the vehicle as a generally conventional toy on generally flat surfaces; or
- (3) operate the vehicle as a climbing toy on relatively steep and irregular surfaces.
- 12. The toy vehicle of claim 11, also comprising electrical contact means for:
- completing an electrical connection between the motor and such battery, when such battery is received by the housing and the worm gear is engaged with either of the two spur-gear-and-worm clusters; and
- interrupting the electrical connection when the worm gear is not engaged with either spur-gear-and-worm cluster;
- said completing and interrupting means being actuated by the effectuating means, whereby such user by applying such finger pressure without removing the vehicle from such surfaces may:
- (1) operate the toy as an unpowered rolling toy vehicle; or
- (2) operate the toy vehicle as a generally conventional toy on generally flat surfaces; or
- (3) operate the toy vehicle as a climbing vehicle on relatively steep and irregular surfaces.
- 13. The toy vehicle of any one of claim 3 and claims 5 through 9, also comprising means for:
- completing an electrical connection between the motor and such battery, when such battery is received by the housing and the worm gear is engaged with either of the two spur-gear-and-worm clusters; and
- interrupting the electrical connection when the worm gear is not engaged with either spur-gear-and-worm cluster.
- 14. The toy vehicle of any one of claims 4 through 9, wherein the effectuating means are accessible to such user at the side of the toy vehicle housing and are manipulable by finger pressure applied in that area with one hand only;
- whereby such user by applying such finger pressure with one hand only may operate the vehicle either as a generally conventional toy or as a climbing toy.
- 15. The toy vehicle of any one of claims 5 through 9, wherein:
- the effectuating means are accessible to such user at the side of the toy vehicle housing and are manipulable by finger pressure applied in that area with one hand only;
- the establishing and selecting means are also operable for disengaging the worm gear entirely from both spur-gear-and-worm clusters, thereby disengaging the wheel means from the motor shaft to place the toy vehicle in "rolling neutral"; and
- the effectuating means are manipulable to effectuate such disengaging, alternative to effectuating such selecting of mechanical advantage; whereby such user by applying such finger pressure with one hand only may:
- (1) place the toy vehicle in "rolling neutral"; or
- (2) operate the vehicle as a generally conventional toy on generally flat surfaces; or
- (3) operate the vehicle as a climbing toy on relatively steep and irregular surfaces.
- 16. The toy vehicle of claim 15, also comprising electrical contact means for:
- completing an electrical connection between the motor and such battery, when such battery is received by the housing and the worm gear is engaged with either of the two spur-gear-and-worm clusters; and
- interrupting the electrical connection when the worm gear is not engaged with either spur-gear-and-worm cluster;
- said completing and interrupting means being actuated by the effectuating means, whereby such user by applying such finger pressure with one hand only may:
- (1) operate the toy as an unpowered rolling toy vehicle; or
- (2) operate the toy vehicle as a generally conventional toy on generally flat surfaces; or
- (3) operate the toy vehicle as a climbing vehicle on relatively steep and irregular surfaces.
- 17. In a plural-speed electrical-battery-powered toy vehicle, a mechanism for establishing a mechanical advantage between a motor shaft and wheel means, and for selecting among plural values of the mechanical advantage, said mechanism comprising:
- a plurality of worms adapted and disposed to be powered from the motor shaft;
- a worm gear that is:
- adapted to engage and be driven by any of the worms,
- movably mounted for motion into any one of a plurality of positions in which it respectively engages the plurality of worms, and for motion between said positions, and
- adapted and disposed to power the wheel means; and
- means for shifting the worm gear between the plurality of positions, whereby such electrical battery may power such wheel means through selectable plural values of such mechanical advantage.
- 18. A plural-speed miniature wheeled toy vehicle for use with electrical battery means that comprise a dry-cell battery, and for both generally conventional-toy operation at at least one speed on a generally flat surface and climbing-toy operation at at least one reduced speed with greater torque on a steep and/or irregular surface; said vehicle being driven at front and rear, and comprising:
- a chassis;
- wheel means mounted to the chassis for rolling rotation about at least one laterally extending axis at the front of the chassis, and about at least one laterally extending axis at the rear of the chassis;
- means mounted to the chassis to releasably support such electrical battery means;
- an electric motor mounted to the chassis, and having a driveshaft;
- means on the chassis for electrically connecting such battery means, when supported in the supporting means, to the motor, so that such battery means power the motor driveshaft;
- a speed-reduction mechanism mounted to the chassis and connecting the motor driveshaft to said wheel means at both the front and the rear of the chassis, to transmit rotation from the driveshaft to the wheel means with a mechanical advantage; and
- manually manipulable means associated with the speed-reduction mechanism and disposed externally to the chassis for access by users, for use in manually selecting among a plurality of values of the mechanical advantage, including at least one value providing such generally conventional-toy operation for generally flat surfaces and at least one other value providing such climbing-toy operation with greater torque for steep and/or irregular surfaces.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 417,554 filed Sept. 13, 1982, which itself was a continuation-in-part of then-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 233,495, filed Feb. 11, 1981, and now abandoned.
The latter application was in turn a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 121,645, filed Feb. 14, 1980, and issued Dec. 22, 1981, as U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,375.
US Referenced Citations (8)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
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664603 |
Jun 1963 |
CAX |
Continuation in Parts (3)
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417554 |
Sep 1982 |
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233495 |
Feb 1981 |
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121645 |
Feb 1980 |
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