U.S. patent application number 13/533116 was filed with the patent office on 2012-10-25 for small vehicle energized on handheld launcher.
Invention is credited to George Foster, Ian Osborne, Julio Sandoval.
Application Number | 20120270472 13/533116 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39318499 |
Filed Date | 2012-10-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120270472 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sandoval; Julio ; et
al. |
October 25, 2012 |
SMALL VEHICLE ENERGIZED ON HANDHELD LAUNCHER
Abstract
A toy vehicle assembly that includes a toy vehicle coupled to a
hand-held launcher. The launcher includes a manually rotated
platform that is rotated by a user. Rotation of the platform causes
a mechanism within the toy vehicle to store energy. The user can
place the toy vehicle adjacent to a surface and release the vehicle
from the launcher. The stored energy then propels the vehicle.
Inventors: |
Sandoval; Julio;
(Wilmington, CA) ; Foster; George; (Placerville,
CA) ; Osborne; Ian; (Gardena, CA) |
Family ID: |
39318499 |
Appl. No.: |
13/533116 |
Filed: |
June 26, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11973660 |
Oct 9, 2007 |
|
|
|
13533116 |
|
|
|
|
60849987 |
Oct 6, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
446/429 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H 29/24 20130101;
A63H 17/008 20130101; A63H 27/14 20130101; A63H 29/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
446/429 |
International
Class: |
A63H 29/00 20060101
A63H029/00 |
Claims
1-16. (canceled)
17. A method for launching a toy vehicle, comprising: manipulating
a hand-held launcher to rotate a toy vehicle about a handle so that
the toy vehicle stores energy; placing the toy vehicle adjacent to
a surface; releasing the toy vehicle from the hand-held launcher;
and, moving the toy vehicle with the energy.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising generating a light
source from the hand-held launcher.
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising emitting a sound
from the hand-held launcher.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein the toy vehicle is rotated in a
vertical position and released in a horizontal position.
Description
REFERENCE TO CROSS-RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to Application No.
60/849,987 filed on Oct. 6, 2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a hand-held toy vehicle
launcher.
[0004] 2. Prior Art
[0005] There have been developed toy vehicles that can move across
a surface. For example, there have been developed and sold electric
powered toy cars. Electric powered toys require batteries, which
must be constantly replaced by the user.
[0006] There have also been developed toy vehicles that store
mechanical energy that powers the toy. These are commonly referred
to as wind-up toys. For example, there was marketed a toy vehicle
by Darda, that stored energy by moving the wheels of the vehicle
back and forth across a surface. Movement of the wheels stored
energy in a wind-up motor inside the toy. Hasbro Toys marketed a
line of preschool toy vehicles under the name SPEEDSTARS that were
energized at a wind-up station. The wind-up station is placed on a
surface such as a floor. Mattel Toys marketed a toy vehicle under
the name SIZZLERS that contained a capacitor charged electric
motor. Mattel Toys also marketed a toy vehicle under the name
HYPERWHEELS. The HYPERWHEELS product included a toy vehicle that
was coupled to a launcher. The launcher included a hand crank that
could be rotated by the user to energize the toy vehicle. The
launcher had a release pedal that could be depressed to launch the
toy vehicle.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] A toy vehicle assembly that includes a toy vehicle coupled
to a hand-held launcher. The launcher includes a manually rotated
platform. The toy vehicle includes a mechanism that stores energy
when the platform is rotated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a toy vehicle assembly;
[0009] FIG. 2 is an illustration showing a toy vehicle being spun
in a horizontal position;
[0010] FIG. 3 is an illustration showing the toy vehicle being
flipped up into a vertical position;
[0011] FIG. 4 is an illustration showing the toy vehicle placed on
a surface;
[0012] FIG. 5 is an illustration showing a user depressing a
release button, and a safety button being depressed on the
surface;
[0013] FIG. 6 is an illustration showing the toy vehicle being
launched from a launcher;
[0014] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the toy
vehicle assembly;
[0015] FIG. 8 is an illustration showing an alternate embodiment of
the toy vehicle assembly with a motorcycle shaped toy vehicle;
[0016] FIG. 9 is an illustration showing the toy vehicle being
launched from a launcher;
[0017] FIG. 10 is an illustration of the launcher with a light
source that emits a beam of light;
[0018] FIG. 11 is an illustration showing the beam of light being
directed at an object;
[0019] FIG. 12 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the toy
vehicle assembly shown in FIG. 8;
[0020] FIG. 13 is an illustration of an alternate embodiment of the
toy vehicle assembly with a toy helicopter;
[0021] FIG. 14 is an illustration showing the toy helicopter being
launched from a launcher;
[0022] FIG. 15 is an exploded view of the toy vehicle assembly
shown in FIG. 13.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] Disclosed is a toy vehicle assembly that includes a toy
vehicle coupled to a hand-held launcher. The launcher includes a
manually rotated platform that is rotated by a user. Rotation of
the platform causes a mechanism within the toy vehicle to store
energy. The user can place the toy vehicle adjacent to a surface
and release the vehicle from the launcher. The stored energy then
propels the vehicle.
[0024] Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference
numbers, FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a toy vehicle assembly 10.
The assembly 10 includes a hand-held launcher 12 and a toy vehicle
14. The launcher 12 includes a platform 16 pivotally connected to a
handle 18. The platform 16 includes an output shaft 20 that is
coupled to the toy vehicle 14. The platform 16 may also have a
guide tab 22 and a release mechanism 24. The release mechanism 24
can secure and release the toy vehicle 14 from the launcher 12.
[0025] As shown in FIG. 2, a user can spin the platform 16 and toy
vehicle 14 with a twisting motion of their wrist. Rotation of the
platform 16 causes a corresponding rotation of the output shaft 20
shown in FIG. 1. The energy created by the rotating output shaft is
transferred to and stored by the toy vehicle 14. The launcher 12
may have a toy tachomotor 26 that provides a read-out representing
a rotational speed of the platform 16, or a value that corresponds
to the stored energy within the vehicle. The tachometer 26 may be
electronic or mechanical in nature. The launcher 12 may include a
speaker 28 that generates a sound. The sound may be correspond to a
motor warming up or other similar sounds. The sound may be produced
by an electronic chip, or a mechanical device such as needle
scratching a plastic speaker.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 3 the platform 16 may include a pivot
assembly 30 that allows the user to move the toy vehicle 14 from a
horizontal position to a vertical position. As shown in FIG. 4,
once the toy vehicle 14 is fully energized it can be placed on a
surface in a horizontal position. As shown in FIG. 5, the user may
depress a release button 32 to release the toy vehicle 14 from the
launcher 12. The platform 16 may include a safety button 34 that
must be depressed before the toy vehicle 14 is fully released from
the launcher 12. The safety button 34 insures that the vehicle 14
is on a surface and is not released while spinning or otherwise in
the air. Once released, the stored energy propels the toy vehicle
14 as shown in FIG. 6.
[0027] FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the toy vehicle assembly 10.
The toy vehicle 14 may include a plastic housing constructed from
upper 40 and lower 42 parts. The vehicle 14 may further have front
wheels 44, coupled together by an axle 46, and a pair of rear
wheels 48. The rear wheels 48 may be connected to the axle of a
"wind-up" motor 50. The wind-up motor 50 may include a spring (not
shown) that can store energy. The wind-up motor 50 can be coupled
to a gear assembly 52.
[0028] The launcher 12 may include a pair of handle body parts, 54
and 56. Mounted to the handle body parts are a pair of platform
body parts 58 and 60. The platform parts are attached to a launcher
part 62. The launcher part 62 is pivotally connected to a pivot
part 64 by a pivot pin 66 that allows part 62 to pivot about part
64. The pivot 64 is secured to parts 58 and 60 by pin 66.
[0029] The launcher includes a spring biased release tab assembly
68 that is coupled to a release button 70 by a connector plate 72
and release pin 74.
[0030] The launcher includes a gear pedestal 76 that is mounted to
the handle parts 54 and 56. The gear pedestal 76 is coupled to an
output shaft 78 by a transfer gear 80 and gear assembly 82. The
launcher gear is connected to parts 58 and 60 by axle 66. The
output shaft 78 is coupled to the gear assembly 52 when the toy
vehicle 14 is loaded onto the launcher 12.
[0031] Rotation of the platform (parts 58, 60, 62 and 64) causes
the transfer gear 80 to rotate about the gear pedestal 76. Rotation
of the transfer gear 80 is transferred into rotation of the output
shaft 78 through gear assembly 82. Rotation of the output shaft 78
rotates gear assembly 52 and causes the wind-up motor 50 to store
energy. When the toy vehicle is released the stored energy within
the wind-up motor 50 rotates the rear wheels 48 and propels the
vehicle.
[0032] FIG. 8 shows an alternate embodiment of a toy vehicle
assembly 100. The assembly 100 includes a hand held launcher 102
and a toy vehicle 104 shaped as a toy motorcycle. The launcher 102
includes a rotating platform 106 that can spin and transfer energy
to the toy vehicle 104.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 9 a user can depress a release button 108
to release the vehicle 104. The platform 106 may have a pair of
pins 110 that capture and release the vehicle 104. As shown in FIG.
10 the launcher 102 may include a light source 112 that emits a
beam of light 114. By way of example, the light source 110 may be a
laser diode. The launcher 102 may include a safety switch 116 that
inhibits the laser diode unless the launcher is on a surface. This
may minimize a user from inadvertently directing a laser beam into
someone's eye.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 11 the light beam may be directed at a
target 118 to simulate a laser guiding of the toy vehicle 104.
[0035] FIG. 12 shows an embodiment of the toy vehicle assembly 100.
The assembly 100 includes a platform housing assembly 120 mounted
to pair of launcher handle parts 121 and 122. The handle parts
support a gear shift button 124 that is coupled to a two speed
transmission gear assembly 126 by a spring biased shaft assembly
128. The button 124 can be manipulated by the user to shift the
gear ratio of the gear assembly 126. The user can thus spin the toy
vehicle at one gear, shift gears through the button 124, and
continue to spin the toy vehicle in another gear. The launcher may
also have a release button 130 coupled to a spring biased release
tab assembly 132.
[0036] The toy vehicle may include a front wheel 134 coupled to a
main body part 136 by a fork assembly 138. The toy vehicle may also
have a flywheel 140 attached to a rear wheel 142 and a gear 144.
The gear 144 is coupled to the gear assembly 126 when the toy
vehicle is coupled to the launcher. Rotation of the platform 120
causes a corresponding rotation of the gear assembly 126. The gear
assembly rotates gear 144 and flywheel 140. The vehicle flywheel
140 stores energy so that when the toy vehicle is released the
flywheel 144 rotates the rear wheel 142 and propels the vehicle. By
way of example, the flywheel 140 may reach 6000 revolutions per
minute ("rpm") before being launched.
[0037] FIG. 13 shows an alternate embodiment of a toy vehicle
assembly 200. The assembly 200 includes a launcher 202 and a toy
vehicle 204 constructed as a toy helicopter. The launcher 202
includes a spinning platform 206 that can transfer energy to the
helicopter. As shown in FIG. 14 the toy vehicle 204 lifts from the
launcher 202 when it is released.
[0038] FIG. 15 shows an embodiment of the assembly 200. The
assembly 200 includes a platform part assembly 202 that is mounted
to a pair of handle parts 204 and 206. The toy vehicle includes a
shaft 210 that is attached to a blade 212 mounted to a body part
assembly 214. The vehicle includes a flywheel 216 that is attached
to a gear 218 and coupled to the blade 212 by shaft 220. Gear 218
is coupled to a two speed transmission gear assembly 222 by gear
224. The gear assembly 222 is coupled to a button 226 by a spring
biased shaft assembly 228. The button 226 can be manipulated by the
user to change the gear ratio of the gear assembly 222. The toy
vehicle can be captured and released from the launcher through a
release linkage 230.
[0039] Rotation of the platform 202 causes rotation of the gear
assembly 222 which is transferred into the flywheel 216. When the
toy vehicle is released the energy in the flywheel rotates the
blade 212 to lift the vehicle from the launcher. By way of example,
the flywheel 216 may reach 10,000 rpm before being launched.
[0040] While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and
shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that
such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on
the broad invention, and that this invention not be limited to the
specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since
various other modifications may occur to those ordinarily skilled
in the art.
* * * * *