GB2204805A

GB2204805A - Impact-responsive toy vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2204805A
Application number: GB08711806A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kiyoshi Ohyama
Original assignee: HIP YICK IND Co
Current assignee: HIP YICK IND Co
Priority date: 1987-05-19
Filing date: 1987-05-19
Publication date: 1988-11-23
Also published as: GB8711806D0

Abstract

A self-driven toy vehicle (1), whose direction of travel can be reversed upon impact with an obstacle, includes a projection (44) which is depressed upon impact causing a lever (34, 36) to pivot and thereby introduce a further gear (24) into the gear train driving the wheels (6) thus reversing the direction of drive. An additional and similar reversing mechanism may be provided at the other end of the vehicle. Means for reversing the facing direction of an upper portion (not shown) of the vehicle includes a catch which is released upon impact to permit a spring to rotate the upper portion through 180 DEG . <IMAGE>

Description

"TOY CAR".

This invention relates to model or toy vehicles which can move under internal motive power, and more particularly to means for reversing the direction of motion of such vehicles upon impact with an obstacle e.g. a wall. The invention also concerns means for reversing the direction in which a portion of the vehicle faces upon impact of the vehicle with an obstacle.

The invention provides means for reversing the direction of travel of a self-driven model or toy vehicle upon impact with an obstacle, comprising a projection on the forward end of said vehicle which moves upon impact with said obstacle, a gear train linking at least one driven wheel on the vehicle to the source of motive power, and means for converting the movement of said projection into displacement of at least one gear in said series so as to reverse the sense of rotation of said driven wheels. The reversal may be achieved by introducing a further gear into said train or removing a gear from said train.

Preferably the gear train comprises a drive gear directly connected to the motive power source, a wheel gear directly connected to the driven wheels, and a third displaceable gear which either links directly said drive and wheel gears or which when in its alternative position links said drive and wheel gears via an intermediate gear, preferably without change of drive ratio in the strain.

It is preferred that the means for displacing the displaceable gear comprises a pivoted lever, one arm of which loosely engages said gear and the other arm of which engages an internal portion of the projection from the vehicle. Movement of the projection causes the lever to pivot, thereby displacing the gear to its alternative position and reversing the sense of rotation of the wheel 5.

The vehicle may have a projection and associated lever at only one end, but is is preferred that there is a projection and lever at both ends of the vehicle so that it will reverse direction whichever end strikes an obstacle.

In a further aspect the invention provides means for reversing the direction of which a portion of the vehicle faces upon impact with an obstacle comprising means for rotatably mounting the portion on the vehicle chassis, and means for retaining said portion in one facing direction, which means are released by movement of the projection on the vehicle so as to free said portion for rotation contemporaneously with said drive reversal.

Preferably biasing means on the rotatable portion comprises a spring, and the means for retaining the portion in the opposite facing direction comprises a lug on the portion which abuts a second lug on the projection, the second lug being displaced upon movement of the projection to allow rotation of said portion into the reverse position.

The biasing means may further comprise a second lug on the projection which, upon movement of the projection abuts a part of said portion to push said portion and thereby cause it to rotate.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a vehicle excluding the rotatable portion described above; Figure 2 is a plan view of the vehicle showing the rotatable portion.

Figure 1 shows a vehicle 1 comprising a main chassis 2 mounted on a pair of driven wheels 6 and a pair of free wheels 8.

The wheels 6 are powered in a well-known manner by energy stored in a flywheel 10. The wheels 6 are spun rapidly - e.g. by repeated pushing along a surface, and this rotation is transmitted to the flywheel 10. The vehicle is then placed on the ground, and the stored energy of the rotating flywheel drives the wheels 6 to move the vehicle.

The flywheel 10 and drive wheels 6 are linked by a gear train. A double drive gear 12 extends coaxially from the flywheel 10 and comprises two portions 12a and 12b connected by an axial rod 14. In the configuration shown in Figure 1, the portion 12a of the drive gear 12 is engaged by a displaceable gear 16, a coaxial toothed extension 18 of which engages a wheel gear 20 on the axle 22 of the drive wheels 6. Thus there is just one gear linking the drive gear 12 and the wheel gear 20.

The portion 12b of the drive gear 12 is engaged by a further gear 24, which in the configuration shown in Figure 1 engages nothing else. However, the gear 24 is positioned such that if the gear 16 is displaced to a position intermediate the portions 12a and 12b of the drive gear 12 (shown in outline in Figure 1) - i.e. so that it no longer directly engages drive gear 12 - it will instead engage the gear 24, and hence indirectly the drive gear 12 via gear 24. Even in this displaced position, the toothed extension 18 of gear 16 still engages wheel gear 20. Hence in this configuration an extra gear is introduced between the drive gear 12 and the wheel gear 20, thus reversing the sense of rotation of the gear 20 and the wheels 6, and thereby the direction of motion of the vehicle. Since the gears 24, 12b are the same diameter there is no change of drive ratio.

The lateral displacement of gear 16 is effected by a pivoted lever 30, one arm 32 of which loosely holds gear 16 in a fork 34. The end 38 of the lever's other arm 36 engages a slot 42 in an internal portion of a retractable ram 40; the front portion of the ram projects forwardly of the front of the chassis 2, whereinto it may retract. When the vehicle strikes an obstacle, the front portion 44 of the ram takes the impact, moving the ram into the chassis and thus displacing the end 38 of the lever arm 36. This causes the lever to pivot and move gear 16 to its alternative position thereby reversing the sense of rotation of the drive wheels 6 as described above.

In this embodiment the displacement of the gear 16 occurs if the vehicle is impacted at one end only, although in other embodiments provision of a ram and lever at both ends will enable the vehicle to be reversed whichever end is hit.

Figure 2 shows an upper part 50 of the vehicle 1, which part supports the outer shell of the vehicle. The part 50 is rotatably mounted on the main chassis 2,-and in Figure 2 is shown in a partially rotated position. It has a tubular projection 52 which is mounted on a rod 46 connected to the main chassis, to act as a pivot for rotation. A spring 60 is wrapped around the projection 52 and is secured to a first shaft 62 on the main chassis 2 and a second shaft 64 on the part 50, thereby acting to bias the alignment of the part 50 in a particular direction. A stop 66 on the main chassis 2 abutting a lug 68 on the part 50 ensures that the biased alignment of the part 50 is parallel to the main chassis 2.

In order for the reversal of alignment upon impact with an obstacle to occur, the part 50 is first rotated by 1800 against the bias of the spring (cutout 67 allows for passage of the projecting shaft 62). It can be retained in this reversed alignment by abutting lug 68 against a further lug 48 on the ram 40.

When the vehicle strikes an object and ram 40 is depressed, the lug 48 displaces out of alignment with lug 68 thereby freeing the part 50, which rotates under action of the spring 60 to its original alignment - i.e.

facing in the opposite direction.

Rotation of the part 50 is also aided by abutment of a further lug 45 on the ram 40 against a shaped plate 70 on the underside of the part 50. When the ram 40 is depressed into the main chassis, lug 45 pushes against the opposing surface 72 of plate 70 to provide a torque on the part 50, thus causing it to rotate.

Claims

1. Means for reversing the direction of travel of a self-driven model or toy vehicle upon impact with an obstacle, comprising a projection on at least one end of said vehicle which moves upon impact with said obstacle, a gear train linking at least one driven wheel on the vehicle to the source of motive power, and means for converting the movement of said projection into displacement of at least one gear in said series so as to reverse the sense of rotation of said driven wheels.

2. Means for reversing the direction of travel of a self-driven model or toy vehicle according to Claim 1, wherein displacement of at least one gear introduces a further gear into said gear train or removes a gear from said gear train.

3. Means for reversing the direction of travel according to Claim 2, wherein said gear train comprises a drive gear directly connected to the motive power source, a wheel gear directly connected to the driven wheels, and a third displaceable gear which either links directly said drive and wheel gears or which when in its alternative position links said drive and wheel gears via an intermediate gear.

4. Means according to Claim 3, wherein the drive ratio in the gear train is the same for both positions of said third displaceable gear.

5. Means for reversing the direction of travel according to any preceding claim, wherein the means for converting the movement of the projection into displacement of at least one gear comprises a pivoted lever, one arm of which loosely engages said gear and the other arm of which engages an internal portion of the projection from the vehicle, whereby movement of the projection causes the lever to pivot and thus displace the gear.

6. Means for reversing the direction of travel according to any preceding claim, wherein the vehicle has a projection, and associated means for converting movement of that projection into displacement of at least one gear, on both ends.

7. Means for reversing the direction in which a portion of a model or toy vehicle faces upon impact with an obstacle, comprising means for rotatably mounting said portion on the vehicle chassis, means for biasing said portion to face in one direction, and means for retaining said portion in the opposite facing direction, which retaining means are released by movement of a projection on one end of the vehicle upon impact with an obstacle so as to free said portion for rotation into the biased direction.

8. Means for reversing the direction in which a portion of a model or toy vehicle faces according to Claim 7, wherein the biasing means comprises a spring on the rotatable portion, and the means for retaining the portion in the opposite facing direction comprises a lug on the portion which abuts a second lug on the projection, the second lug being displaced upon movement of the projection to allow rotation of said portion into the opposite facing direction.

9. Means for reversing the direction in which a portion of a model or toy vehicle faces according to Claim 8, wherein the biasing means further comprises a second lug on the projection which, upon movement of the projection abuts a part of said portion to push said portion and thereby cause it to rotate.

10. Means for reversing the direction in which a portion of a model or toy vehicle faces according to any one of Claims 7 to 9, wherein reversal of the facing direction of said portion occurs contemporaneously with reversal of the direction of motion of said vehicle.

11. Means for reversing the direction of travel of a self-driven model or toy vehicle upon impact with an obstacle, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. Means for reversing the facing direction of a portion of a model or toy vehicle upon impact with an obstacle, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.