U.S. patent application number 09/780250 was filed with the patent office on 2002-08-15 for remotely controlled toy motorized snake.
Invention is credited to Hoeting, Michael G., Mullaney, Sean T., Robjent, Frederick B..
Application Number | 20020111111 09/780250 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25119049 |
Filed Date | 2002-08-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020111111 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mullaney, Sean T. ; et
al. |
August 15, 2002 |
REMOTELY CONTROLLED TOY MOTORIZED SNAKE
Abstract
A motorized snake includes a chassis having a front end and a
rear end with at least one ground contacting drive wheel. A neck is
pivotally coupled with the front edge of the chassis to pivot
forward and back. A multi section tail including a trailer and at
least one follower is coupled with the rear end of the chassis. The
trailer has at least one ground contacting wheel and is coupled
with the rear end of the chassis to pivot side to side on the rear
end of the chassis. The one or more followers are coupled with the
rear end of the trailer in a chain to pivot side to side on the
rear end of the trailer. A motor or other prime mover in the
chassis is driving coupled with the drive wheel to rotate the wheel
to propel the snake and simultaneously with the neck so as to move
the neck forward and back on the front end of the chassis, and the
trailer so as to move the trailer side to side on the rear end of
the chassis.
Inventors: |
Mullaney, Sean T.;
(Cincinnati, OH) ; Hoeting, Michael G.;
(Cincinnati, OH) ; Robjent, Frederick B.; (Orchard
Park, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
AKIN, GUMP, STRAUSS, HAUER & FELD, L.L.P.
ONE COMMERCE SQUARE
2005 MARKET STREET, SUITE 2200
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19103
US
|
Family ID: |
25119049 |
Appl. No.: |
09/780250 |
Filed: |
February 9, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
446/330 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H 11/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
446/330 |
International
Class: |
A63H 003/20; A63H
011/00; A63H 013/00 |
Claims
I/we claim:
1. A motorized snake comprising: a chassis having a front end and a
rear end; at least one ground contacting drive wheel mounted on the
chassis; a neck pivotally coupled with the front end of the chassis
to pivot forward and back., a multi-section tail including a
trailer and at least one follower, the trailer having at least one
ground contacting wheel and being coupled with the rear end of the
chassis to pivot side to side on the rear end of the chassis, the
follower being coupled with the rear end of the trailer distal to
the chassis to pivot side to side on the rear end of the trailer;
and a prime mover in the chassis, the prime mover being driving
coupled with the at least one drive wheel to rotate the wheel to
propel the snake and simultaneously with at least one of the neck
so as to move the neck forward and back on the front end of the
chassis, and the trailer so as to move the trailer side to side on
the rear end of the chassis.
2. The snake of claim 1 wherein the prime mover is simultaneously
coupled with the drive wheel, the neck and the trailer to move the
neck and the trailer as the drive wheel is propelling the
chassis.
3. The snake of claim 1 wherein a rearmost follower section of the
tail includes a ground contacting skid.
4. The snake of claim 1 further comprising a reduction drive train
between the prime mover and at least the one propulsion wheel and
at least a rocker arm between the drive train and the neck.
5. The snake of claim 1 further comprising a reduction drive train
between the prime mover and the at least one drive wheel and a
take-off drive in the chassis operatively coupling the reduction
drive train with the trailer.
6. The snake of claim 5 wherein the trailer is coupled to the rear
end of the chassis to pivot about a vertical axis and to be
operatively coupled with at least a gear segment mounted to rotate
about the vertical axis and wherein the take-off drive includes a
rack engaged with the gear segment and operatively coupled with the
drive train to oscillate the gear segment and the trailer side to
side through an arc behind the chassis.
7. The snake of claim 1 further comprising a head pivotally mounted
on the neck distal to the chassis and a link coupling the head with
the chassis.
8. The snake of claim 7 wherein the link is coupled to at least one
of the head and the chassis away from pivots of the neck with the
chassis and the head.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to powered toy vehicles and, in
particular, to vehicles designed to mimic the movement of an
animal.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A motorized snake comprising: a chassis having a front end
and a rear end; at least one ground contacting drive wheel mounted
on the chassis; a neck pivotally coupled with the front end of the
chassis to pivot forward and back; a multi-section tail including a
trailer and at least one follower, the trailer having at least one
ground contacting wheel and being coupled with the rear end of the
chassis to pivot side to side on the rear end of the chassis, the
follower being coupled with the rear end of the trailer distal to
the chassis to pivot side to side on the rear end of the trailer;
and a prime mover in the chassis, the prime mover being driving
coupled with the at least one drive wheel to rotate the wheel to
propel the snake and simultaneously with at least on of the neck so
as to move the neck forward and back on the front end of the
chassis, and the trailer so as to move the trailer side to side on
the rear end of the chassis.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed
description of embodiments of the invention, will be better
understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For
the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the
drawings 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:
[0004] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a motorized snake of the
present invention moving forward.
[0005] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the FIG. 1 snake reversing
in direction.
[0006] FIG. 3 is a right rear perspective view of a front portion
of the snake with part of the outer covering removed to reveal the
mechanical linkages to the neck and head from the chassis.
[0007] FIG. 4 is a lower right front perspective view of the
chassis with more of the outer cover removed.
[0008] FIG. 5 is a lower left rear perspective view of the chassis
with more of the covering removed.
[0009] FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the chassis drive train and
coupling with the trailer with the coverings of the chassis and
trailer removed.
[0010] FIG. 7 is a schematic of the electrical circuitry of the
snake.
[0011] FIG. 8 is an elevation view of a remote control unit.
[0012] FIG. 9 is a schematic of the electrical circuitry of the
remote control unit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0013] In the drawings, like numerals are used to indicate like
elements throughout. A remotely controlled toy motorized snake 10
is depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2. Generally speaking, the snake 10
includes a motorized chassis 12 with a front end 12a, a rear end
12b and at least one ground contacting drive wheel 14. Snake 10
further includes a neck" 16 pivotally coupled with the front end
12a of the chassis 12 to pivot forward and back and a "head" 20
pivotally coupled with the neck at the end distal to the chassis
12. The snake 10 further includes a multi-section "tail" 18
pivotally coupled with the rear end 12b of the chassis 12. The head
20 includes a tongue 21 which may be driven to extend and retract
as the snake 10 moves. The head 16 may further include light
emitting diodes 22 or other small light sources in the snake's
eyes, which can be controlled to illuminate when the snake 10 moves
in a desired way. The snake's neck 16 and head 20 are mounted so as
to pivot about parallel horizontal axes 24, 26, respectively. The
tail 18 is formed by four sections 27-30. First section 27 is the
largest and is pivotally coupled through a vertical axis 31 with
the rear end 12b of chassis 12. Each subsequent tail section 28-30
is received in the distal end of the proceeding tail section and is
also coupled to pivot about a vertical axis 32-34, respectively.
Chassis 12 and first tail section 26 interact with one another in
the manner of a tractor and trailer, respectively, and the first
tail section 27 will also be referred to as the trailer. The
remaining sections 28-30 will also be referred to as followers.
[0014] FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the snake 10 in its normal
forward moving condition.
[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates the snake 10 after its motor has been
operated to drive the snake in reverse. As can be seen, the tail 18
as effectively jack-knifed behind the chassis 12. As the snake is
driven further backwards, the drag of the jack-knifed tail 18
causes the chassis 12 to press against the trailer 27, causing it
to pivot more quickly. Eventually, the tail 18 drags on the
chassi12 causing the rear end 12b of the chassis to turn towards
the trailer27 and rest of the tail 18, causing the chassis to turn
on its drive wheel 14. This changes the direction in which the
chassis 12 faces effectively allowing the snake 10 to be
turned.
[0016] The chassis is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 3-6. FIG. 3
shows the chassis 12 with the neck 16, head 20 and trailer 27 with
portions of their outer covers removed. The chassis 12 includes an
outer cover 36 formed by a pair of interfitting outer shells one of
which is indicated at 36a and an inner housing 38 also formed by a
pair of interfitting inner shells one of which is indicated at 38a.
An electric motor 40 and associated reduction drive train indicated
generally at 42 are mounted in the inner housing. The neck 16
includes a lower, generally semi-cylindrical shell 44 from which
extents an elongated, rigid, lower housing member 46. An elongated,
rigid, lower housing member 48 of the head 20 is pivotally coupled
to the distal end of the neck member 46 so as to pivot on neck axis
24. A link 50 extends from the inner housing shell 38a to another
arm 52, which is fixedly coupled with the neck housing member 48
and also mounted for rotation on head axis 26. Link 50 is attached
to pivots on the chassis 12 (inner housing 38) and the head 20 that
are spaced away from the pivot axes 24, 26 at which the neck 16 is
pivotally coupled with the chassis 12 and the head 20 so as to
lever the head 20 whcen the neck moves. Tongue 21 is mounted in a
slot in the interior of head 20. The innermost end 21a of tongue 21
is received in a holder in the distal end of an arm 54 extended
from the remainder of the neck housing member 46 into the head 20,
which slides the tongue 21 in and out of the head 20 as the neck 16
and head 20 are moved from an initial, generally upright position
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to a forward extending position shown in
FIG. 3.
[0017] The neck 16 is caused to rock forward and back on the
chassis 12 by means of a rocker arm 60, the forward portion 61 of
which can been seen in FIG. 4. Forward portion 61 includes a pair
of posts 61a, 61b, which receive a pair of fasteners such as screws
passed through the lower semi-cylindrical shell 44 to couple the
shell to the arm 60. Arm 60 is mounted to pivot about the neck axis
24. In addition to the shell 44, rocker arm 60 also supports
electric motor 40, a first combination reduction gear 62 and a
second combination reduction gear 64. All three elements 40, 62 and
64 can rock on arm 60 about axis 24. A pinion 41 (FIG. 3) on the
motor 40 engages the larger inner gear of first combination
reduction gear 62. The second, outer, smaller gear of combination
gear 62 engages the larger inner gear of second combination gear 64
with the smaller outer gear of combination gear 64 engaging the
single reduction gear 66 which is mounted between inner housing
shell 38a and an opposing shell (not depicted) to rotate about axis
24. Reduction gear 66 is engaged with an idler gear 68 which drives
yet another gear 70 fixed to the drive wheel 14 to rotate that
wheel 14. Rocker arm 60 is mounted to pivot through an arc of about
sixty and eighty degrees between upper and lower contact points on
the inner housing 38. Referring to FIG. 5, rocker arm 60 is
preferably biased by a suitable member 72 such as a torsion coil
spring to its uppermost or nearly uppermost (i.e. FIGS. 1 and 2)
position.
[0018] By virtue of its pivotal mounting and its coupling to
reduction gear 66 through the small gear of compound reduction gear
64, rocker arm 60 and the mounted drive train components including
motor 40 and gears 62 and 64 all rotate about reduction gear 66 on
the smaller gear of the combination gear 64. When the motor 40 is
activated to drive the propulsion wheel 14 in a forward direction,
initial drag on the wheel 14 resists rotation and transfers that
drag to reduction gear 66. As a result, combination gear 64 rotates
in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4 and tries to
climb up reduction gear 66. If bias member 72 does not press rocker
arm 60 hard against the inner housing 38, rocker arm 60 will
oscillate between its neutral, near upright position and a full
upright position hard against the uppe stop of inner housing 38
causing the snake's head 20 and neck 16 to rock forward and back
slightly during forward movement of the snake. When the motor 40 is
driven in the opposite direction, compound gear 64 now rotating in
a clockwise direction and down around reduction gear 66 until the
drag from the wheel 14 is overcome or until the rocker arm 60 hits
the bottom stop on the inner housing 38, whichever occurs first. As
the neck 16 is rotated about the neck axis 24, link 50 is
effectively thrust forward at its distal end and pivots the head 20
forward about head axis 26, causing the head and the tongue 21 to
be thrust forward, the tongue further out of the snake's head 20.
When the neck 16 is pitched down and forward to its lowermost
position, all power from the motor 40 is transferred to the drive
wheel 14 to accelerate the drive wheel 14. As it accelerates, its
inertia causes it to rotate slightly faster than the second
combination gear 64, permitting the rocker arm 60 to rotate up
(counterclockwise in FIG. 3) on the single reduction gear 66. In
this way the head and neck oscillate up and down in a pronounced
way.
[0019] Referring now to FIG. 5, the opposite side of chassis 12 is
shown with shell 38a of inner housing 38 removed to reveal a
take-off drive 74 from the main drive train and the trailer 18. A
small gear 76 is fixed to the drive wheel 14 to rotate with wheel
14 and drive an eccentric gear 78. The eccentric 80 on gear 78 is
engaged with and drives a shuttle frame 82, which is mounted in the
inner housing 38 to be cycled back and forth within the inner
housing 38. The shuttle frame 82 supports a rearward extending arm
84 with rack 86. Rack 86 is engaged with a gear segment 88 mounted
on a collar 90 which, in turn, is mounted on a hollow vertical
pivot pin 92. Collar 90 includes a detent 91, the use of which is
best seen in FIG. 6. A spring 108 biases the tip of an engagement
pin 106 in the trailer 27 against collar 90 to engage the detent
91. In this way, the trailer 27 is mechanically engaged with the
chassis 12 to be swung or oscillated side to side behind the
chassis 12. This side to side oscillating motion to the trailer 27
is passed by the pivot connection from the trailer 27 to the
adjoining follower 28 and through the pivot connections to each
subsequent follower 29-30. Elements 82, 84, 86, 88 and 90 have been
omitted from FIGS. 3 and 4 for clarity of the other elements.
[0020] The trailer 27 is preferably further provided with a pair of
free-rotating, ground-contacting wheels 110 and 112, which can be
seen in various figures. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the trailer
further includes an outer housing 102 formed by a pair of
interfitting shells, a lower shell of which 102a is shown. The
trailer further includes an inner housing 104, which is intended to
receive a battery power supply (not depicted). An access door (also
not depicted) is provided on the lower side of the outer-housing
102. The inner-housing 104 supports circuitry indicated generally
at 132 in the form of a printed circuit board 114 and some other
discrete circuit members 116, 118. A push-push, on/off switch 120
is mounted on the rear of the housing 104 and supports a cover 122
with LED 124 (in phantom), which is illuminated by the circuitry
132 when the switch 120 is on. Antenna 128 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) is
extended upwardly from a base 130 and is preferably formed by a
thin flexible length of wire in a soft flexible plastic tube.
[0021] The lower shell 102a supports an upward extending circular
boss 126 on its rearmost end which forms part of a pivot coupling
between the rear of trailer 27 and the next follower tail section
28. A similar boss is provided on the upper shell (neither
depicted) of the outer-housing 102. The bosses are received in
openings in the upper and lower sides of the outer shell of the
second tail section 28. The third tail section 29 is similarly
pivotally coupled to the rear end of second tail section 28 as is
final tail section 30 to tail section 29. A similar bose on the
front tongue of lower shell 102 is received in hollow pivot pin 92.
A collar portion 103 of the upper shell 102b of the trailer 27 (see
FIG. 1) is received on pivot pin 92 and held down by portions of
the inner housing 38 (see FIG. 5).
[0022] Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown an exemplary set of
components for the circuitry 132 of snake 10. Preferably the
circuitry 132 includes a radio frequency receiver 134, a controller
136, and a motor control circuit 138 coupled with the motor 40. A
battery power supply 142 powering the entire vehicle 10 is further
indicated. Wiring 146 from the motor control circuit 138 can be
extended through a channel 150 in a forward extending tongue 152 of
the lower shell 102a of the trailer outer-housing 102 and through
the hollow pivot pin 92 into the chassis 12. Branch lines 156 can
be extended from wiring 146 in the chassis 12 through the neck 16
and to the eyes 22 in the head 20.
[0023] FIG. 8 depicts the remote control unit 170 used with the
snake 10. Unit 170 includes a housing 172, a forward control switch
174, a reverse control switch 176 and an antenna 178. FIG. 9
depicts an exemplary circuitry 18 in remote control unit 170.
Circuitry 180 includes a control circuit 182, which includes
forward and reverse switches 174, 176, a radio frequency
transmitter circuit 184 and the battery power supply 186. Any
transmission reception scheme passing two control signals for
forward and reverse movement can be used.
[0024] The snake 10 is operated as follows. The snake is turned on
with the switch 120 and is ready to receive control signals. When
the forward command is generated and transmitted by the remote
control unit 170 and received and processed by the receiver circuit
134, the controller 136 generates an appropriate control signal
sent to the motor control circuit 138 which supplies power from the
power supply 142 to the motor 40 which drives the drive wheel 14 in
a forward propelling direction. The rack 86 and gear segment 88
pivot collar 90 about a partial arc which the trailer 27 follows by
virtue of its pivotal mounting on the pin 92 and its engagement
with the detent 91 through pin 106. The remaining tail sections
28-30 are pivotally mounted for free rotate to the end of the next
forward tail section and will follow the side-to-side movement of
the rear of the trailer 27 resulting in a generally sinusoidal
motion of the tail 18 behind the chassis 12, simulating the
slithering movement of a snake. Depending upon the neutral position
of rocker arm 60 and the chassis 12, the neck and head, which are
normally held in an upright or nearly upright position as shown in
FIG. 1 may oscillate slightly forward and backward about that
position. The snake 10 continues to move forward in a generally
straight line as long as the forward control button 174 is
depressed.
[0025] When the reverse control button 176 is depressed an
appropriate reverse signal is generated in the remote control unit
170 and transmitted to the snake 10. The controller 136 interprets
received signal and sends an appropriate control signals to the
motor control circuit 138, which reverses the power supply to the
motor 40 rotating the drive wheel 14 in a reverse direction.
Preferably, the reverse motion of the chassis 12 causes the trailer
27 to jackknife as previously describe and cause the chassis 12 to
turn. This action can be assisted by the provision of a skid 200 on
the bottom of the rearmost tail section 30. The skid 200, seen in
FIGS. 1 and 2, creates friction which causes the extreme end of the
tail 18 to drag along the surface on which the snake 10 is being
operated to more quickly cause the trailer 27 to be swung to the
side of the chassis 12. The spring 108 holding pin 106 in
engagement with the detent opening 91 is forces to disengage. As
the chassis 12 continues to move backwards, the drag of the tail 18
causes the chassis 12 to rotate back toward the tail 18 causing the
chassis 12 to rotate on the drive wheel 14 as it moves backward and
thereby modifying the forward facing direction of the snake 10.
When the snake is pointed in a desired direction, the forward
control button 174 can again be depressed causing the snake 10 to
move in a new direction.
[0026] It will be appreciate by those skilled in the art that
changes could be made to the embodiment described above without
departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. Applicants
hereby incorporate by reference herein in its entirety the
disclosure of their earlier U.S. Provisional Application No. ,
filed on Feb. 11,2000, Express Mail Label No. EL399091453US. It
will thus be appreciated that the motorized snake could have
different forms and operate in different manners. It will further
be appreciated that the mechanisms for moving the head and/or tail
can be varied while still achieving the same comparable oscillating
movements. It will further be understood that hard wire control as
well as other forms of wireless remote control including sound and
light could be used. Finally, it will be understood that this
invention is not limited to the particular embodiment disclosed but
is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of
the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *