Intersection Deflector For Toy Vehicle Tracks

Abstract

A deflector apparatus which can be connected at the intersection of a track layout that forms a figure 8, including a deflector member which can be raised to make a toy vehicle turn a 90.degree. corner so it repeatedly traverses only one loop of the figure 8 or which can be lowered to allow toy vehicles to move straight ahead through the intersection to traverse all of the layout. The deflector member is slideably mounted for up and down movement in the deflector frame and has concave surfaces on either side which are tangent to the outer walls of the tracks when the deflector member is raised to a deflecting position.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to toy vehicle track accessories.

Wide toy vehicle tracks which allow miniature toy vehicles to change lane positions have become very popular. Simple intersections can be provided for these wide tracks, but even greater entertainment would be provided if a deflector were available at the intersection which could be operated by a child to change a toy vehicle direction by 90.degree. instead of allowing the vehicle to pass straight through the intersection. Such a deflector mechanism must be simple in order to permit sale at low cost, and yet is must provide smooth vehicle-engaging surfaces at any position to which the deflector is operated in order to avoid upsetting the fast moving toy vehicles. The smooth surfaces which must be provided include a smooth side wall surface, particularly when the direction of the vehicle is being changed by 90.degree., and a smooth horizontal surface where the vehicle is passing straight through the intersection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a deflector accessory of simple construction is provided which can be manually operated to permit toy vehicles to move straight through a track intersection or to deflect toy vehicles 90.degree. at the intersection, without upsetting the toy vehicles even if they are moving at high speed. The accessory includes a frame with a crossover track surface that has an aperture in it, and a deflector member slideably mounted in the aperture for up and down movement therein. The deflector member can be moved between an upward position wherein it deflects toy vehicles 90.degree. at the intersection, or to a downward position wherein the deflector is substantially flush with the crossover track surface to allow vehicles to move straight through the intersection. The deflector member is elongated and has concave surfaces on either side which define curves of approximately 90.degree.. The deflector member is tapered in width at each end portion so that there is considerable clearance with the walls of the frame aperture during most of the deflector travel. However, there is very little clearance between the deflector member and frame when the deflector member is in its raised position, so that the ends of the deflector surfaces are accurately maintained tangent with the outer walls of the tracks. A manual operating mechanism includes a lever pivotly mounted on the frame and having a button on one end which can be depressed by a child and having a portion contacting the middle of the deflector for lifting it when the button is depressed.

The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention will best be understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an intersection deflector accessory and track layout constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the deflector accessory FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but with the deflector member in a lowered position;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the deflector accessory of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view taken on the line 6--6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view taken on the line 7--7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of an intersection deflector accessory constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective view of the accessory of FIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a figure 8 track layout which includes two loops of track 10, 12 and an intersection deflector accessory 14 positioned where the loop tracks are adjacent. The intersection accessory 14 has a frame 16 with a level crossover track surface 18, and has a deflector member 20 which can move up and down in an aperture formed in the track surface 18. When the deflector member or deflector 20 is in its upward position, it lies above the crossover track surface 18, and serves to deflect a toy vehicle 22 by 90.degree. so that is diverted from one track end 24 to another track end 26 which extends 90.degree. from the first track end, instead of allowing the vehicle to continue straight ahead through the intersection onto another track end 28 which extends 180.degree. from the original track end 24. When the deflector 20 is lowered, it moves down to a position flush with the crossover track surface 18, so that a toy vehicle can pass straight through the intersection instead of being diverted thereat. A child can operate the mechanism by depressing a button 30 to raise the deflector, and by releasing the button to allow the deflector to move down. When a child raises the deflector, he causes the toy vehicle to repeatedly traverse only one of the loops of the figure 8, while lowering of the deflector allows the vehicle to cross onto the other loop of the figure 8.

Referring also to the other Figures of the drawings, it can be seen that the deflector 20 is elongated and has a concave deflector surface 32, 34 on either side. Each deflector surface extends in a curve of approximately 90.degree. between its opposite ends, that is, the opposite ends are substantially perpendicular. The frame also has stationary side walls at 36-39 which extend tangent to the ends of the deflector surfaces 32, 34 when the deflector is in its raised position. These fixed surfaces 36-39 are positioned to minimize discontinuities with the deflector surfaces 32,34, so that there is a minimum of destabilization of toy vehicles.

The frame 16 of the accessory has four groups of connector tongues 41-44, each including three tongues for reception in the track ends to hold the track ends to the frame. Each track has a vehicle-supporting surface 46 and two side walls 48,50 for confining toy vehicles. The frame has a pair of tabs 52,54 for engaging the side walls 48,50 of each track end to hold the side walls at a predetermined orientation. The tabs 52 deflect the side walls at the ends of the tracks to a more vertical position than they otherwise would assume, so the side walls are tangent with the walls 36-39 on the frame. Accordingly, a minimum of discontinuity is present where the track side wall such as 48 meets a frame wall 36. The frame wall 36 is tangent to a corresponding end of a deflector surface 32. Such continuity is important at that side of the track end which is aligned with one of the deflector surfaces, because toy vehicles generally move along that side. Each of the looped tracks 10, 12 is curved, and is much wider than the toy vehicles 22 which move along them. The toy vehicles generally have a tendency to move to the outside of the curve, and therefore tend to be moving along the side of the track which is smoothly merged to one end of the deflector member. The elimination of large discontinuities at the side of the vehicle path is important in order to prevent upsetting of the vehicle when it travels at high speed along the track layout.

The deflector member 20 is mounted on the frame 16 so that it can slide up and down thereon. A lever 60 (FIG. 4) which has trunnions 62 pivotally mounted on the frame, moves the deflector 20 up and down. The button 30 which can be depressed by a child, is located on one side of the trunnions 62 while an operating end portion 64 which contacts the deflector member is located on the other side of the trunnions. Thus, when a child depresses the button 30, the lever 60 pivots and the operating end portion 64 lifts the deflector member, as from the position shown in FIG. 4 to the position shown in FIG. 3. When a child releases the button 30, the deflector members is released so that gravity can move it down to its lowermost position. When the deflector member is in its lowermost position its upper surface 20U is substantially flush with the crossover track surface 18. As a result, there is a minimum discontinuity in the surface 18 and therefore there is a minimum tendency to unstabilize toy vehicles moving rapidly straight through the intersection. The fact that the deflector member has concave surfaces on both sides means that it is wide near each end. Thus, unless its upper surface were substantially flush with the frame surface 18, toy vehicles could drop when moving over the top of the deflector member and would be unstabilized and could crash.

The operating end portion 64 of the lever contacts the deflector member 20 near the center thereof. As a result, there is a minimum tendency to tilt the deflector member when it is raised, and therefore there is a minimum tendency of the deflector to bind. When the deflector member 20 is released to drop down, it moves down until flanges 66 at its lower end rest on a floor that is supporting the frame 16. A level floor assures that the deflector member will not be tilted in any direction in its lowermost position, so that there will be a minimum tendency for it to bind when it is next moved up. A pair of projections 68,70 is provided which can support the deflector member 20 if it should move slightly below its lowermost position, to prevent the deflector member from dropping out of the frame when the frame is not resting on the ground.

As mentioned above, it is important to maintain the ends of the concave deflector surfaces 32,34 in accurate alignment with the stationary upstanding frame walls such as 36,38 when the deflector member is in its upward, deflecting position. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the deflector member 20 is tapered in width, as measured between its surfaces 32,34 near its ends. As a result, when the deflector member 20 is in its downward position, there is a considerable clearance between it and the walls of the hole 68 through which it moves, thereby reducing the tendency of binding during most of the up and down travel of the deflector member. However, when the deflector member is in its raised position, there is very little clearance, if any, between the side walls which form the surfaces 32,34 and the walls of the frame hole 68. This means that the deflector member is closely located with respect to the frame, so that the ends of the concave deflector surfaces 32,34 are maintained in accurate alignment with the stationary upstanding frame walls such as 36,38.

The connectors on the frame 16 are positioned so that the track ends which extend 180.degree. from each other, such as the track ends 24,28 illustrated in FIG. 1, are not exactly aligned with one another, but instead are offset from one another. This offsetting is provided to minimize the possibility of crashing of a toy vehicle which moves straight through the intersection. Toy vehicles entering the intersection after having passed along the curved track, tend to ride near the outside wall of the track, as mentioned above. Thus, a toy vehicle moving along the track end 24 illustrated in FIG. 5, tends to assume a position near the track side 48. If the toy vehicle moves straight through the intersection onto the opposite track end 28, and if the opposite track end 28 were not offset from alignment with the track end 24, then there would be a possibility that the toy vehicle would hit the frame portion 71 which connects to the side wall 72 of the track end 28. This would be possible inasmuch as there is no guide rail or wall along the crossover track surface 18 that prevents wandering of a toy vehicle passing straight through the intersection. However, the track 28 is instead offset in the manner shown, so it extends along an imaginary line 73 that passes through the vehicle supporting surface 75 of the opposite track 28. As a result, a vehicle moving near the side wall 48 of one track, and that passes through the intersection, will enter the opposite track end 28 without hitting the frame portion 71 or track side wall 72 even if there is a slight wandering of the vehicle.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate an intersection accessory 90 constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, which utilizes a deflector member 92 that can be rotated by manual rotation of a knob 94. In the position illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 8, the deflector member deflects toy vehicles between the track pairs 96,98 or between the track pairs 100,102. In the position of the deflector member indicated in phantom lines at 92a, the deflector member deflects toy vehicles between the track pairs 96,100 or between the track pairs 98,102. Where the track layout forms a figure 8, a child can confine a vehicle to one loop of the figure 8 or permit the vehicle to move to the other loop.

The deflector member 92 is mounted on a turntable 104 that can turn slightly more than 135.degree. in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed from above) from the position shown in solid lines to the position at 92b. A child may turn the deflector member by 90.degree. to the position 92a, or may turn it only 45.degree. or as much as 135.degree.. In the 45.degree. position at 92b or the 135.degree. position at 92c, the deflector member permits toy vehicles moving near one edge of a track to pass straight through the intersection without encountering the deflector member. Referring to FIG. 9, the turntable is fixed to an arm 106 that is rotatably mounted along axis 108. The arm is pivotally connected at 110 to one end of a link 112. The other end of the link is pivotally connected at 114 to an arm 116 that is fixed to the manually turnable knob 94. When a child turns the knob 94, the link 112 causes the arm 106 and turntable 104 to rotate. A pair of stops 118,120 prevent turntable rotation of more than about 135.degree..

Thus, the invention provides a toy vehicle accessory of simple construction, which forms an intersection for a plurality of track ends, and which can be operated by a child to control the direction of a toy vehicle. In one accessory, the vehicle is controlled to either allow it to continue substantially along its initial direction of travel or to deflect it. The accessory includes a deflector or deflector member with concave deflector surfaces on either side, and which can move through an opening in a frame between a lowered position wherein it is flush with the crossover track surface of the frame and a raised position wherein it is above the crossover track surface for deflecting toy vehicles. Each concave deflector surface extends in a curve of approximately 90.degree., so that toy vehicles are made to change direction by approximately 90.degree.. Of course, the intersections do not have to be at 90.degree., and the deflector can be correspondingly formed. Each end of a deflector surface is positioned substantially tangent to a side wall of a track end which is connected to the frame, and the frame may include a stationary upstanding surface between the track side wall and the deflector. The deflector member is tapered in width near each end portion, so that it can loosely slide on the frame until it is in its raised position, and so that the deflector member is closely located in its raised position to accurately maintain its ends tangent with the track side rails. Connector means on the frame which connect to the ends of tracks, hold the tracks so that the side rails thereof which are substantially tangent to the deflector member are not aligned with a corresponding side rail of the opposite track end, but are offset from it. This permits a toy vehicle to pass through the intersection onto the opposite track end without hitting a side wall thereof or of the frame even if there is slight wandering of the vehicle in moving across the intersection. In another deflector accessory, the deflector member is rotated between different positions at the intersection. An accessory can be provided that both rotates and raises and lowers a deflector member.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated herein, it is recognized that modifications and variations may readily occur to those skilled in the art and consequently it is intended that the claims be interpreted to cover such modifications and equivalents.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. Toy vehicle deflector apparatus for utilization with toy vehicle tracks that have side walls comprising:

a frame having a crossover track surface with an opening therein, said frame having four connector means connectable to four tracks so the tracks initially radiate in predetermined different directions from said crossover track surface;

a deflector having a pair of concave deflector surfaces on either side and moveable in said opening between a first position wherein it lies above said crossover track surface and each deflector surface is substantially tangent to a side wall of a different pair of tracks, and a second position no higher than said track surface; and

means for moving said deflector between said first and second positions.

2. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein:

said opening in said crossover track surface is concave on either side to match said deflector surfaces; and

said deflector has a substantially flat upper surface that lies substantially flush with said crossover track surface and which occupies a majority of said opening when said deflector is in said second position.

3. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein:

said frame has four stationary side walls tangent to each end of each of said deflector surfaces when said deflector is in said first position.

4. The apparatus described in claim 1 including:

a first curved track having opposite ends connected to a first pair of said connector means so that a track side wall at said opposite ends of said curved track is substantially tangent to the ends of a first concave deflector surface; and

a second curved track having opposite ends connected to a second pair of said connector means so that a track side wall at the opposite ends of said second track is substantially tangent to the ends of a second concave deflector surface, whereby to permit control of a toy vehicle so it moves only around one curved track or so it transfers from one curved track to the other.

5. Toy vehicle deflector apparatus comprising:

a frame having a crossover track surface and having four connector means for attaching to four track ends so that each track end initially extends substantially perpendicular to two other track ends and substantially 180.degree. with respect to a third track end;

a deflector positionable at said crossover track surface at a first position to deflect a toy vehicle between a predetermined pair of the tracks which are perpendicular to each other and positionable at a second position to permit toy vehicles to proceed through said crossover track surface onto the track which extends 180.degree. with respect to the track from which the vehicle entered the crossover track surface;

said connector means being located to hold the track ends which extend substantially 180.degree. apart so they are offset from alignment with each other, with the side of each track end which is closer to tangency to the deflector, extending along an imaginary line that passes through the vehicle-supporting surface of the opposite track.

6. The apparatus described in claim 5 wherein:

said deflector includes a member with a concave deflector surface on either side; and including

a pair of tracks, each having opposite ends connected to a pair of said connector means so one side wall at each track end is substantially tangent to a deflector surface when the deflector is in said first position, and each track extending in a curve near each of its ends, with the curve oriented to urge toy vehicles toward the track side wall which is substantially tangent to a deflector surface.

7. The apparatus described in claim 5 wherein:

said deflector includes a member with a concave surface on either side;

said frame has an opening in said crossover track surface, and said deflector is mounted in said opening to move up and down so it lies above the surface in said first position and substantially flush with the surface in said second position; and

said deflector member is wide enough at the top to cover most of the area of said frame opening when the deflector is in said second position.

8. Toy vehicle deflector apparatus comprising:

a frame having a crossover track surface with an elongated aperture therein; and

an elongated deflector member with a concave deflector surface, said member slideably mounted in said aperture between first and second positions wherein said concave surface is respectively above and below said track surface;

said deflector member having side walls at either side which are tapered near each end portion of the member so that the end portions of the member are progressively wider at progressively lower locations thereon, whereby to accurately locate said deflector member when it is in its uppermost position while minimizing the possibility of binding along most of its vertical travel.

9. The apparatus described in claim 8 including:

a lever pivotally mounted on said frame and having a manually depressable operating end a lifting end on opposite sides of the location where the lever is pivotally mounted on the frame, the lifting end lying under the center of the deflector member, whereby to minimize any tendency of the deflector member to bind in the frame aperture.

10. The apparatus described in claim 8 wherein:

said frame has a plurality of connector means for connecting a frame to the ends of a plurality of tracks, and said frame has track side wall engaging means lying on at least one side of each position of a track connected to said connector means to hold the side walls of the tracks tangent to the ends of the deflector surface of said deflector member.