EP3120905B1 - Toy vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a toy vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.

A toy vehicle of the type mentioned are from the GB 1 062 777 , of the DE 93 02 435 U1 and the US 1,652,135 known.

It is an object of the present invention to improve the steerability of a toy vehicle.

This object is achieved by a toy vehicle with the feature specified in claim 1.

Due to the steering device according to the invention all wheels are steered by means of a steering actuator. This leads to a very agile toy vehicle.

A gear transmission according to claim 2 is structurally simple.

A one-piece design according to claim 3 is particularly inexpensive. An arrangement of the steering actuator according to claim 4 allows an intuitive steering of the toy vehicle.

Height-stub axles according to claim 5 allow adjustment of the wheels of the toy vehicle on uneven terrain, which further increases the play value of the toy vehicle.

According to another aspect, a toy assembly of the type mentioned above can be developed such that their playability is improved.

• Spielzeug-Baugruppe
  • mit einem Lastarm
    • -- mit einem freien Ende zum Heben einer Last,
    • -- mit einem Verbindungsende, über das der Lastarm an einem Rahmen der Baugruppe montiert ist,
  • mit einer Betätigungseinrichtung zum Verstellen eines Lastarm-Anstellwinkels und damit zum Anheben des freien Lastarm-Endes, die aufweist
    • -- ein Betätigungselement,
    • -- eine am Rahmen gelagerte Spindel, die mit dem Betätigungselement zur Drehung um eine Spindelachse in Antriebsverbindung steht,
    • -- eine Spindelmutter mit mindestens einem Führungselement,
    • -- eine lastarmfeste Kulisse, die so ausgeführt ist und mit dem mindestens einen Führungselement der Spindelmutter zur Kulissenführung derart zusammenwirkt, dass das Betätigungselement eine Kraft auf den Lastarm abhängig vom Lastarm-Anstellwinkel ausübt.

This further aspect is fulfilled by a:

• Toy assembly
  • with a load arm
    • with a free end for lifting a load,
    • with a connection end over which the load arm is mounted on a frame of the assembly,
  • with an actuating device for adjusting a load arm angle of attack and thus for lifting the free load arm end having
    • an actuator,
    • a spindle mounted on the frame, which is in drive connection with the actuating element for rotation about a spindle axis,
    • a spindle nut with at least one guide element,
    • - A load arm fixed link, which is designed and cooperates with the at least one guide element of the spindle nut for sliding guide such that the actuating element exerts a force on the load arm depending on the Lastarm-Anstellwinkel.

It has been recognized that a slotted guide of an actuator for adjusting a load arm angle of attack leads to the possibility to make the power deployment of the actuator on the load arm depending on the angle of attack. This allows an adapted to the game use the toy assembly force application. The force over the actuator can be initiated most particularly at angles of attack where the strongest force is required to change the angle of attack of the load arm. This is especially the case where the highest torque acts on the load arm. The scenery can in particular be designed so that practically results in an independent of the pitch of the load arm operating force on the actuator. The arrangement of the gate can be such that depending on the Lastarm-Anstellwinkel a distance between the at least one guide element of the spindle nut and a pivot axis, via which the connecting end of the load arm is hinged to the frame, continuously and in particular progressively reduced.

The spindle nut may have exactly two opposing guide elements which cooperate with two spaced apart mutually parallel partial scenes of the backdrop. The spindle nut then runs between these two partial scenes.

The backdrop can be curved, so that at a given actuation force of the actuator, a lifting force that is exerted on the actuator via the actuator on the load arm, at small angles of attack is greater than at larger angles of attack. Such a curved design of the backdrop increases the design freedom and thus the possibilities of designing the dependence of an operating force on the angle of the load arm. One revolution of the spindle at low angles of attack can then result in a smaller stroke angle than at larger angles of attack. The design of the scenery, in particular the curved design of the scenery, may be such that at load arm angles between 0 ° (horizontally extending Lastaram) and 40 °, the lifting force is greater than above 40 °.

An embodiment of the slotted guide can be such that when an overload on the load arm, the at least one guide element disengages from the backdrop. Such a design of the slotted guide can help prevent damage to the toy assembly.

The backdrop may include chamfers to facilitate insertion of the at least one guide element. Such chamfers facilitate the return of the at least one guide element in the backdrop.

In a telescopic load arm, the advantages of the link guide come particularly well to fruition.

The advantages of a toy with such an assembly are the same as those discussed above with respect to the toy assembly.

Fig. 1

eine heckseitige Ansicht eines Spielfahrzeugs in Form eines Teleskopladers, aufgesetzt auf ebenem Untergrund;

Fig. 2

das Spielfahrzeug nach Fig. 1 mit einer an einen unebenen Untergrund angepassten Laufradstellung;

Fig. 3

eine Aufsicht auf eine Montagegruppe des Spielfahrzeugs mit einem Fahrgestell, vier mit Spritzschutzabdeckungen versehenen Laufrädern, einem Betätigungselement zum Lenken des Spielfahrzeugs und einer Lenkeinrichtung mit einer Lenkplatte und die Laufräder tragenden Achsschenkeln, in einer Lenkstellung "gerade Fahrt";

Fig. 4

die Montagegruppe nach Fig. 3 in einer Lenkstellung "maximaler Lenkeinschlag links";

Fig. 5

die Montagegruppe nach Fig. 3 in einer Lenkstellung "maximaler Lenkeinschlag rechts";

Fig. 6

eine Spielzeug-Baugruppe des Spielfahrzeugs mit einem Teleskop-Lastarm und einer Betätigungseinrichtung zum Verstellen eines Lastarm-Anstellwinkels, wobei der Lastarm in der maximal abgesenkten Stellung (Lastarm-Anstellwinkel α = 0°) gezeigt ist;

Fig. 7 bis 11

eine Sequenz von Stellungen des Lastarms mit immer größeren Lastarm-Anstellwinkeln;

Fig. 12

perspektivisch einen Ausschnitt der Betätigungseinrichtung mit einem Teil einer an einem Rahmen der Baugruppe gelagerten Spindel und einer in eine tragarmfeste Kulisse eingerückten Spindelmutter; und

Fig. 13

in einer zur Fig. 12 ähnlichen Darstellung die Montagegruppe mit aus der Kulisse ausgerückter Spindelmutter.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. In this show:

Fig. 1

a rear view of a toy vehicle in the form of a telescopic loader, mounted on a level surface;

Fig. 2

the toy vehicle after Fig. 1 with an impeller position adjusted to an uneven surface;

Fig. 3

a plan view of a mounting group of the toy vehicle with a chassis, four with splash guards provided impellers, an actuating element for steering the toy vehicle and a steering device with a steering plate and the wheels carrying stub axles, in a steering position "straight ride";

Fig. 4

the assembly group after Fig. 3 in a steering position "maximum steering angle left";

Fig. 5

the assembly group after Fig. 3 in a steering position "maximum steering angle right";

Fig. 6

a toy assembly of the toy vehicle with a telescopic load arm and an actuator for adjusting a Lastarm-Anstellwinkels, wherein the load arm in the maximum lowered position (load arm angle α = 0 °) is shown;

Fig. 7 to 11

a sequence of positions of the load arm with increasingly larger load arm angles of attack;

Fig. 12

perspective view of a section of the actuating device with a part of a spindle mounted on a frame of the assembly and an indented into a Tragarmfeste gate spindle nut; and

Fig. 13

in a to Fig. 12 similar representation of the assembly group with disengaged from the backdrop of the spindle nut.

A toy vehicle 1 has a in the Fig. 3 to 5 shown chassis 2 and a total of four wheels 3, which are mounted on the chassis 2. The wheels 3 are covered at the top by splash guards 4. In the representations after the Fig. 3 to 5 , in which all four splash guards 4 are visible, the splash guards 4, starting with the in the Fig. 3 to 5 on the left above, in the direction of travel front left splash guard cover 4a clockwise durchbuchstabiert.

For steering the toy vehicle 1 is a steering actuator 5 in the form of a provided with a knurl, manually operable knob.

For steering the wheels 3, the toy vehicle has a steering device 6, which can be operated with the steering actuator 5. The steering device 6 has a steering plate 7 which is displaceable relative to the chassis 2 by means of the steering actuating element 5. For this purpose, the steering actuator 5 about an axis of rotation 8, which is perpendicular to a predetermined by the chassis chassis level, in turn, parallel to the plane of the Fig. 3 to 5 is rotatably mounted on the chassis 2.

At the height of the steering plate 7, the steering actuator 5 has an integrally molded gear 9. This meshes with a row of teeth 10 which extends along a longitudinal side of a slot-like passage opening 11 in the steering plate 7. The passage opening 11 simultaneously represents a window for the passage of the steering actuator 5 through the steering plate 7. The row of teeth 10 is not straight, but follows a convex curvature of a boundary of the passage opening 11. Die Passage opening 11 is executed in a boom of the steering plate 7, which extends at the height of the steering actuator 5 from a longitudinal direction of travel of the toy vehicle 1 extending main plate portion of the steering plate 7 from.

In the region of the wheels 3 7 steering knuckle are hinged to the steering plate 7, which are also spelled out according to their assignment to the wheels as the splash guards 4. The stub axles 12a to 12d, in turn, each carry one of the wheels 3. The stub axles 12a to 12d are in turn articulated about also pivotally extending perpendicular to the chassis plane pivot axes 13 on the chassis 2.

Anlenkpunkte 14 of the respective stub axles 12a to 12d associated arms of the steering plate 7 on the stub axles 12a to 12d are spaced from the pivot axes 13, so that a displacement of the steering plate 7 relative to the chassis 2 to a pivoting of the stub axle 12a to 12d leads about the pivot axes 13 ,

Fig. 3 shows the steering plate 7 in a "straight ahead" position relative to the chassis 2. In this position, the gear 9 meshes with a central portion of the row of teeth 10th

Fig. 4 shows the steering device 6 in the position "maximum steering angle left". In this position, the toy vehicle 1 can drive a left turn with a minimum turning radius. In this position, the two wheels with the splash guards 4a, 4b in the counterclockwise direction compared to the straight ahead and the other two wheels with the splash guards 4c, 4d are pivoted clockwise.

The gear 9 of the steering actuator 5 cooperates with the outermost left portion of the row of teeth 10.

Fig. 5 shows that too Fig. 4 opposite position "maximum steering angle right". In this position, the steering device 6, the toy vehicle 1 drive a right turn with a minimum radius of curvature. The gear 9 of the steering actuator 5 cooperates with the rightmost portion of the row of teeth 10.

The stub axles 12a to 12d are individually attached to the chassis 2 with height clearance. The function of this height play clarifies a comparison of the Fig. 1 and 2 , Fig. 1 shows the toy vehicle 1 on a level and horizontal surface. All four stub axles 12 are then in contact with upper stops 15 of the chassis. 2

Fig. 2 shows the toy vehicle 1 with an impeller assembly for uneven and falling in the rear wheels of the toy vehicle 1 from left to right sloping terrain. The relative position of the stub axle 12d to the upper stop 15 has not changed. The Indian Fig. 2 right stub axle 12c can move due to its height clearance relative to the chassis 2 down, so that between the stub axle 12c and the associated upper stop 15 of the chassis 2, a distance A results. In this way, the steering knuckle 12c associated with the knuckle 3 can maintain contact with the uneven ground. The height clearance of the knuckle 12 relative to the chassis 2 is limited down by lower chassis stops 16 for the knuckle 12th

The toy vehicle 1 further has a toy assembly 17, to the details in the Fig. 6 to 13 are shown. The toy assembly 17 has a load arm 18 which is telescopically extendable in a manner not shown. The load arm 18 has an unillustrated free end for lifting a load. Opposite this free end is a connection end 19 of the load arm 18, via which it is mounted on a frame 20 of the toy assembly 17. On the frame 20, the chassis 2 of the toy vehicle 1 is fixed.

An actuator 21 is used to adjust a load arm angle of attack α and thus to raise the free load arm end. The load arm angle α can, as from the sequence of Fig. 6 to 11 shows, between a minimum angle of about 0 ° and a maximum angle of more than 50 ° continuously via the actuator 21 are given. To adjust the load arm angle α of the load arm 18 is articulated via a pivot joint with pivot axis S on the frame 20.

The actuating device 21 has a spindle 22 mounted on the frame 20, which is in drive connection with an angle setting actuating element 23 in the form of a crank for rotation about a spindle axis 24. The actuating device 21 further includes a spindle nut 25 with two oppositely arranged guide elements 26 in the form of bolt-like guide lugs. The actuator 21 further has a load arm fixed link 27 which cooperates with the guide elements 26 of the spindle nut 25 for sliding guide of the spindle nut 25 relative to the load arm 18. The gate 27 is curved.

This curvature of the gate 27 is such that when setting up the load arm 18, the distance between the guide elements 26 and the pivot axis S is progressively reduced. For a given operating force, the is applied manually to the angle setting control element 23, a lifting force that exerts the actuator 21 on the load arm 18, at low angles of attack, especially at angles in the range between 0 ° and 40 °, greater than at larger angles of attack, especially at angles in the range between 40 ° and 55 °. One revolution of the spindle 22 results in smaller angles of attack in a smaller Hubwinkeländerung than larger angles of attack.

In an alternative embodiment, not shown, the gate 27 can also be designed in a straight line. It must be ensured here a course of the scenery, in which at smaller angles of attack a greater distance between the guide elements 26 and the pivot axis S results than at larger angles of attack. In the illustrated embodiment support both a basic, even linearly approximate possible course of the link 27 and the on the pivot axis S supplying curvature of the link 27, the decrease in the lifting force at larger angles of attack.

The slotted guide with the guide elements 26 of the guide 27 is designed so that when acting on the load arm 18 overload the guide elements 26 disengage from the gate 27. This is compared to the FIGS. 12 and 13 shown. Fig. 12 shows the spindle nut 25 with the guide elements 26 engaged in the guide 27, that is, a position corresponding to those of the Fig. 6 to 11 equivalent. Fig. 13 shows the spindle nut 25 with disengaged from the backdrop 27 guide elements 26th

To facilitate insertion of the guide elements 26 into the slot 27, the gate 27 has run-on slopes 28. When inserting the guide elements 26 into the slot 27 via the spindle nut 25 and the guide elements 26 pressure on the chamfers 28 of the gate 27 is exercised, the guide elements 26 force the run-off slopes 28 and thus the two associated with the respective guide elements 26 partial scenes of the link 27 apart until the guide elements 26 can engage in the slot 27.

The toy vehicle 1 has, inter alia, the following game functions: For steering the toy vehicle 1, the steering actuator is operated intuitively as the steering wheel of a vehicle. Upon rotation of the steering actuator 5 to the right, the toy vehicle 1 travels a right turn and a left turn left. By actuating the angle input actuating element 23, the angle of attack of the load arm 18 is predetermined. Where the load at the free end of the load arm exerts the highest torque, namely in the range of small angle a, due to the design of the gate 27, the lifting force that can be exerted on the angle setting actuator 23 for a given operating force, the largest. Towards larger angles of attack α, a smaller lifting force is tolerable due to the lower torque exerted by the load, so that one rotation of the spindle 22 then leads to a greater change in the angle of attack. In the event of an overload on the load arm 18, the guide elements 26 move out of the slot 27 before connecting components are damaged. Due to the chamfers 28 a facilitated return of the guide elements 26 is given in the slot 27 to restore the slotted guide. Further actuators may be provided for telescoping the load arm 18 and for actuating a blade optionally arranged at the free end of the load arm 18.

The toy vehicle 1 is made entirely of plastic. The components of the toy vehicle 1 are injection-molded parts.

Claims (5)

1. Toy vehicle (1) comprising

   - a chassis (2),

   - a plurality of running wheels (3), which are attached to the chassis (2),

   - an activating element (5) for steering the toy vehicle (1),

   characterised by a steering device (6), which comprises

   - a steering plate (7) articulated to all running wheels, said steering plate (7) being movable by the steering activating element (5) relative to the chassis (2),

   - axle knuckles (12) supporting the running wheels (3), said axle knuckles (12) being articulated both to the steering plate (7) and to the chassis (2).
2. Toy vehicle according to Claim 1, characterised in that the steering plate (7) has a row of teeth (10), which cooperates with a gearwheel (9) driven by the steering activating element (5) and mounted on the chassis (2) for moving the steering plate (7).
3. Toy vehicle according to Claim 2, characterised in that the gearwheel (9) is formed in one piece with the steering activating element (5).
4. Toy vehicle according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the steering activating element (5) is arranged rotatably about an axle (8) perpendicular to a chassis plane defined by the chassis (2).
5. Toy vehicle according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the axle knuckles (12) are attached individually to the chassis (2) with radial clearance (A).

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