U.S. patent application number 11/176172 was filed with the patent office on 2006-01-12 for electromagnetic moving toy system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Industrial Design Laboratories Inc.. Invention is credited to Lev Fedoseyev, Edward Lopatinsky, Daniel Schaefer.
Application Number | 20060005735 11/176172 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35539976 |
Filed Date | 2006-01-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060005735 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lopatinsky; Edward ; et
al. |
January 12, 2006 |
Electromagnetic moving toy system
Abstract
An electromagnetic moving toy system comprises a track and at
least one vehicle located on the track. The track comprises
electrically connected coils windings serving as a linear stator
and located in a series way along the track. The coils windings are
powered in such way that at least two adjacent coil windings
operating in time. The linear stator further comprises a core made
of magnet-conducting material with high eddy current resistance.
The vehicle comprising magnetic means interacting with the coils
windings so the magnetic means serving as a moving body providing a
possibility for moving of the vehicle. The magnetic means are made
as permanent magnets with alternative polarity. According to
another embodiment, the track comprises magnetic means located in a
series way along the track. The vehicle comprises electrically
connected coils windings serving as a linear stator powered by at
least one autonomous power source.
Inventors: |
Lopatinsky; Edward; (San
Diego, CA) ; Fedoseyev; Lev; (El Cajon, CA) ;
Schaefer; Daniel; (Konarravile, UT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Industrial Design Laboratories Inc.
5450 Complex str. #307
San Diego
CA
92123
US
|
Assignee: |
Industrial Design Laboratories
Inc.
|
Family ID: |
35539976 |
Appl. No.: |
11/176172 |
Filed: |
July 7, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60586122 |
Jul 7, 2004 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
104/53 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H 18/14 20130101;
A63H 2018/165 20130101; A63H 18/10 20130101; A63H 18/16
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
104/053 |
International
Class: |
A63G 1/00 20060101
A63G001/00 |
Claims
1. An electromagnetic moving toy system comprising a track and at
least one vehicle located on said track, wherein: (i) said track
comprising electrically connected coils windings serving as a
linear stator and located in a series way along said track; (ii)
said coils windings being powered in such way that at least two
adjacent said coil windings operating in time; (iii) said vehicle
comprising magnetic means interacting with said coils windings so
said magnetic means serving as a moving body providing a
possibility for moving of said vehicle.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said magnetic means
being made as permanent magnets located along said vehicle with
alternative polarity.
3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said linear stator
further comprising a core made of magnet-conducting material with
high eddy current resistance.
4. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said core being made
from silicon steel.
5. An electromagnetic moving system comprising a track and at least
one vehicle located on said track, wherein: (i) said track
comprising magnetic means located in a series way along said track;
(ii) said vehicle comprises electrically connected coils windings
serving as a linear stator powered by at least one autonomous power
source, thus said coils windings being interacted with said
magnetic means providing a possibility for moving of said
vehicle.
6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said magnetic means
being made as permanent magnets located along said track with
alternative polarity.
7. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said linear stator
further comprising a core made of magnet-conducting material with
high eddy current resistance.
8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said core being made
from silicon steel.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of priority of
U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/586,122, filed Jul. 7,
2004 for Edward Lopatinsky at al. the entire content of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to electromagnetic
moving systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to
toy moving devices like cars on railways, amphibian vehicles and/or
submarines.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] There are numerous designs of electromagnetic moving systems
like miniature toy railway systems that include a track and at
least one vehicle located on said track.
[0004] There are known systems of this type, for example, U.S. Pat.
No. 4,861,306 "Toy Cog Railway" and U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,724 "Toy
Railway Liquid Transfer Facility", that include the track
(platform, chassis) driven by an engine and vehicle mounted on said
track.
[0005] Another type of these systems, for example, U.S. Pat. No.
3,729,866 "Toy Railway Vehicle and Switching Section", comprises
battery powered vehicle with electric motor.
[0006] The most widespread of known electromagnetic moving systems
using as miniature toy railway systems include the track comprising
at least one conductive band that is part of an electrical supply
line which gives a power to the electric motor of said
vehicle,--see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,727 "Miniature
Monorail System".
[0007] The main problem of all known systems is that it is very
difficult to provide reliable speedy moving vehicle because of the
lack of stable attraction between a vehicle and a track, especially
at the higher speed on the turns, also with vertical or almost
vertical sections as a vertical ring or spiral. Even when track
sections are located horizontally the vehicle moving with high
speed can lose stability and get of the track. So, known
electromagnetic moving systems must include special means providing
reliable attraction between a vehicle and a track. In some cases it
was done by using magnets on the bottom of the vehicle and making
track from magnetic conductive (attractive) material. But these
means in known systems also make additional resistance to the
moving vehicle and needs much more power to move it. Most of such
toys are having some special brushes that provide electrical
contact with the electric grid. Or they might be batteries
operating that not require any brushes, but instead need the
control trough the wire or wireless and have limited operating time
due to the batteries life.
[0008] Therefore, it would be generally desirable to provide an
electromagnetic moving system that overcomes these problems and has
reliable attraction between the vehicle and the track and at the
same time to function as a moving device for such vehicle. Also, it
is desirable to make this system as brushless connected directly to
the power supply with no wireless control.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] According to the present invention an electromagnetic moving
toy systems comprises a track and at least one vehicle located on
said track. The general idea of the claimed invention is that the
track and the vehicle of the system should be made as two parts of
common electromagnetic drive which provides moving abilities of the
vehicle along the track with good stable attraction between the
vehicle and the track.
[0010] In order to achieve these objectives, according to the first
embodiment of the present invention, the track comprises
electrically connected coils windings, powered by electrical grid
and controlled by switching controller in such way that at least
two adjacent coil windings operating in time. The coils windings
serve as a stator and located in a series way along the track. The
vehicle comprises magnetic means interacting with the coils
windings so the magnetic means serve as a moving body providing a
possibility for moving of the vehicle.
[0011] The magnetic means are made as permanent magnets located
along the vehicle with alternative polarity. The stator may further
comprise a core made of magnet-conducting material with high eddy
current resistance, made for example from silicon steel.
[0012] The electromagnetic interaction between the coils windings
of the track and the magnetic means of the vehicle not only moves
the vehicle, but it also provides at the same time, reliable
attraction between the vehicle and the track in any possible
configuration and location without any special additional means for
it. It makes the electromagnetic moving toy system much more
stable, reliable and gives the opportunity to operate at higher
speed of the vehicle and in any position of it, thus providing the
possibility to make the track as vertical ring or spiral, or in any
other configuration. It also simplifies the system and makes it
more durable because it is not necessary to use any kind of
brushes.
[0013] According to the second embodiment, the electrically
connected coils windings placed on the bottom part of the vehicle
and connected directly to a power source located on the vehicle.
Magnetic means located in a series way along the track and interact
with the coils windings located on the vehicle, thus represent
another way to achieve the similar goal by using the same general
idea. Magnetic means are made as permanent magnets located along
the track with alternative polarity. It gives, in general, similar
effect as mentioned first embodiment. Such configuration provides
the minimum necessary power usage and, as a result, the essential
economy of energy.
[0014] The coils windings serve as a stator. The stator may
comprise a core made of magnet-conducting material with high eddy
current resistance, made for example from silicon steel. In this
case the efficiency of electromagnetic interaction between the
coils windings of the vehicle and the magnetic means of the track
is much higher that provides economy of energy.
[0015] According to the third embodiment, the electromagnetic
moving toy system is made as the miniature amphibian toy vehicle
that can move like a ship on water surface also.
[0016] And, according to the forth embodiment, the electromagnetic
moving toy system is made as miniature toy submarine that can flow
in water also along the sealed track in any directions including up
and down.
[0017] The coils windings may make as Printed Circuit Board
coils.
[0018] The foregoing and other objectives, features and advantages
of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration
of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1; is a side view showing the first embodiment of the
present invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the second embodiment of the
present;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the first embodiment of the
present invention as a race track for two vehicles;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a side view showing the third embodiment of the
present invention;
[0023] FIG. 5 is a side view showing the fourth embodiment of the
present invention;
[0024] FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a part of the track like the
stator according to the first embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] The present invention will be described in detail below with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0026] FIGS. 1-6 show embodiments of the present invention.
[0027] The electromagnetic moving toy system 1 according to the
preferred embodiment (FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6) comprises a track 2
and a vehicle 3 moved on the track 2. The track 2 comprises
electrically connected coils windings 4 serving as a linear stator
5 and located in a series way along the track 2. The coils windings
4 are powered in such way that at least two adjacent coil windings
6 and 6a (FIG. 6) operate in time. The vehicle 3 comprises magnetic
means 7 interact with coils windings 4 so the magnetic means 7
serve as a moving body 8 provide a possibility for moving of the
vehicle 3. The magnetic means 7 are made as permanent magnets 9
located along the vehicle 3 (FIGS. 1 and 4) with alternative
polarity. The linear stator 5 may further comprise a core 10 made
of magnet-conducting material with high eddy current resistance,
made for example from silicon steel.
[0028] The coils windings 4 located on the track 2 are connected to
a power source (not shown) which can be an electrical supply line
or an autonomous power source like an electrical battery. The
electromagnetic moving toy system 1 can have remote control and
transformer (not shown) with a possibility to change the speed and
the direction of the vehicle 3 movement, for example by changing
the order of work of the coils windings 4 in the opposite
direction.
[0029] The electromagnetic interaction between the coils windings 4
of the track 2 and the magnetic means 7 of the vehicle 3 not only
moves the vehicle 3, but it also provides at the same time,
reliable attraction between the vehicle 3 and the track 2 in any
possible configuration and location without any special additional
means for it. It makes the electromagnetic moving toy system 1 much
more stable, reliable and gives the opportunity to operate at
higher speed of the vehicle 3 and in any position of it, thus
providing the possibility to make the track 2 as vertical ring or
spiral (FIG. 3), or in any other configuration. It also simplifies
the system 1 and makes it more durable because it is not necessary
to use any kind of brushes.
[0030] The electromagnetic moving toy system 1 operates in the
following ways. When electrical power is supplied from the power
source (not shown) to the coils windings 4 of the track 2 that
operate together as the linear stator 5, alternating
electromagnetic fields are created. First, the electrical power is
supplied to two adjacent coils windings 6 and 6a of the linear
stator 5 (FIG. 6) located on a part of the track 2 where the
vehicle 3 is located at this moment. The electromagnetic field
created by two adjacent coils windings 6 and 6a interacts with a
magnetic field created by the magnetic means 7 of the vehicle 3,
which serve as a moving body 8. As a result the vehicle 3 moves
along the track 2. When said vehicle 3 approaches to the next part
of the track 2 with two adjacent coils windings 6 and 6b the
polarity of electrical power is switching by the controller (not
shown) and the vehicle 3 continues to move and so on.
[0031] According to the second embodiment (FIG. 2), which is
another way to achieve the same goal of the present invention, the
electrically connected coils windings 4 placed on the bottom part
of the vehicle 3 and connected directly to an autonomous power
source 11 located on the vehicle 3. Magnetic means 7 located in a
series way along the track 2 and interact with the coils windings 4
located on the vehicle 3, thus represent another way to achieve the
similar goal by using the same general idea. Magnetic means 7 are
made as permanent magnets 9 located along the track 2 with
alternative polarity. It gives, in general, similar effect as
mentioned first embodiment. Such configuration provides the minimum
necessary power usage and, as a result, the essential economy of
energy.
[0032] The electromagnetic moving toy system 1 according to the
second embodiment operates in the following ways. The electrical
power is supplied from autonomous power source (battery) 11 to the
electrically connected coils windings 4 placed on the bottom part
of the vehicle 3 creating an alternating electromagnetic field.
This electromagnetic field interacts with a magnetic field created
by the magnetic means 7 of the track 2. As a result the vehicle 3
moves along the track 2 similar to the first embodiment.
[0033] There are some design options of electromagnetic moving toy
system 1 according to the third (FIG. 4) and fourth (FIG. 5)
embodiments. Thus, the electromagnetic moving toy system 1 is made
as the miniature amphibian toy vehicle 3 (FIG. 4) that can move
like a ship on water surface. And, the electromagnetic moving toy
system 1 can be made as the miniature toy submarine vehicle 3 (FIG.
5) that can move in any directions including up and down and flow
under water also. In the each these design options track 2 with
coils windings 4 should be hermetically insulated.
[0034] The main effect of the present invention that makes it much
better than all known technical solutions in this field is as
following: electromagnetic interaction between the coils windings 4
of the track 2 and the magnetic means 7 of the vehicle 3 (in the
first embodiment) or between the coils windings 4 of the vehicle 3
and the magnetic means 7 of the track 2 (in the second embodiment)
provides reliable attraction between the vehicle 3 and the track 2
in any possible configuration and location of the track 2 and the
vehicle 3 without any special means for it. It makes the
electromagnetic moving toy system 1 much more reliable and gives
the possibility to operate at the higher speed of vehicle 3 and in
any position of it; thus providing the possibility to make the part
of the track 2 as vertical ring or spiral or in any other
configuration including on and/or under the water. It also makes
the electromagnetic moving toy system 1, especially for the
preferred embodiment very easy electronically controllable (speed,
time, turns and etc.).
* * * * *