GB2459743A

GB2459743A - Guidance system for model racing cars

Info

Publication number: GB2459743A
Application number: GB0808407A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Wesley Raynor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-05-09
Filing date: 2008-05-09
Publication date: 2009-11-11
Anticipated expiration: 2028-05-09
Also published as: GB2459743B; GB0808407D0

Abstract

A guidance system for racing model cars around a track comprises cars which are guided primarily by a magnet fitted in the car which follows iron guide wires embedded in the track surface. The cars can change lanes in order to overtake each other by overriding the magnet guidance by means of a radio controlled steering actuator in the car. This is achieved by having a short gap in the guide wire (see figure 2). At this point, the front wheels of the car are turned to the left or right as desired and the car leaves its existing course and the magnet relocates onto another guide wire leading to another lane. The cars are powered by low voltage electric motors and the speed of the cars is controlled by radio control. Also disclosed are a radio controller and a slotless track for use with the guidance system.

Description

A Guidance System for Model Racing Cars

Field of Invention

This invention relates to a system of guiding model (toy) racing cars around a track by using a combination of radio control and magnetic guidance.

Background of the Invention

The system is similar in scale and appearance to slot racing, which, as a hobby, has been established for more than 40 years and has changed very little in that time. Slot racing has several shortcomings however. Basically, only one car can be raced in each slot (or lane) and to race 6 cars together at one time requires a track with 6 lanes, which is very wide and impractical �n most private homes, which is where most racing takes place.

Also, through a corner (turn), the car in the outer lane travels in a very wide radius whilst the car in the inside lane travels in a very tight radius.

This is not at all like real motor racing. Recently some improvement has been made with the introduction of TDigitalT slot racing whereby up to 6 cars can be raced on a 2 lane track and lanes can be changed at designated points on the track. There are still many aspects of this system that could be improved upon however, for example: 1. The guidance of the model cars is still by means of a slot in the track.

This does not look realistic. Real motor race circuits (tracks) do not have 12cm wide slots running along them.

2. Power to the cars is through copper or steel conductor rails running alongside the slots. Again, these do not look realistic.

3. These conductor rails tarnish and require cleaning regularly.

4. Electrical connections to all sections of the track must be maintained at all times. Any movement of the track can break this.

5. Each lane change section of the track contains a dead section. If a car stops on this, it will not restart.

6. Each lane change section is complex and relatively expensive to produce and is not suitable for fitting to home built tracks.

7. Car controllers require wire connections to the track at a fixed point.

8. If the number of cars racing changes, the current drawn can vary giving rise to surges or drops in speed.

Radio controlled model car racing has also been established for many years and is very successful in scales larger than 1/12 but smaller models in scales such as the popular 1/32 of slot racing are, for various reasons, almost impossible to steer accurately on a race track narrow enough to fit into most homes

Disclosure of Invention

From the foregoing, it may be appreciated that a need has arisen for a system of guiding model (toy) racing cars around a track by using a combination of radio control and magnetic guidance in order to achieve greater realism and greater driving enjoyment than existing systems. The invention solves or improves upon all of these problem areas.

Brief Description of Drawings

For a more complete explanation of the present invention and the technical advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description and the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 shows the layout of the guide wires in a two-lane track (which includes a flyover bridge) of the present invention. The lane changes shown here enable a car to change once from the left side of the road to the right, once from the right to the left, four times to take a shorter route through the four major corners and once to enter the pits.

Figure 2 shows the layout of the guide wire in a lane change track section and shows the gap immediately before the lane change guide wire.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Embodiments of the present invention and their technical advantages may be better understood by referring to Figure 1.

The invention firstly eliminates the requirement for guide slots, conductor rails, controller wires and electronic lane changes as used in digital slot racing by us�ng battery-powered cars controlled by radio.

The radio controller comprises a wheel control for steering and a trigger control for speed. It further comprises means for transmitting different radio frequencies for each car whereby several cars can be raced together The track does not have slots. It comprises a wire embedded in its surface, the wire comprising material that is attracted by a magnet. The wire should be flush with the surface of the track but, when painted, it cannot be seen.

The wire serves as a guide wire for the cars, and typically there are two guide wires running round the track to form a left side and a right side lane but on a wider track there could be more than two. The track can be manufactured from wood or plastic and is simple to manufacture. In places along the track, there is one or more alternative guide wires leading diagonally across the track to join with the other lane (or wherever) The model car comprises a magnet that assists the car in following the guide wire. In one embodiment, the magnet is mounted on a pivoting arm to allow it to follow the guide wire. It is positioned closely above the guide wire but not touching it and slightly behind the front wheels of the car. The arm is connected by a linkage to the steerable front wheels, and this causes the car to then follow the route of the guide wire. This approach solves the problem of inaccurate steering with radio control by assisting the guidance of the cars. The cars are powered by low voltage electric motors and their speed is controlled by a signal from the radio transmitter. Cars further comprise one or more castors or by springs to centralise the front wheels, which enables them to continue in a straight line over the lane change section when the radio controlled steering is not employed.

The cars can change lanes in order to overtake each other by overriding the magnetic guidance by means of a radio controlled steering actuator in the car. They can also take a shorter route or fastest line through the corners (turns) by approaching the corner on the outside lane and selecting an alternative route to cut to the apex of the corner and return to the outside lane. They can also turn into the pit lane. These lane changes are made possible by having a short gap in the guide wire. At this point, the front wheels of the car are turned to the left or right by radio control as desired and the car will leave its existing course and the magnet will relocate onto the guide wire.

Speeds of the model cars are such that it would be impossible for the driver to apply the steering exactly at the point of the break in the guide wire.

Driving technique therefore is to apply the steering just before the car reaches the lane change section and release it after the car has passed it.

It is imperative therefore that the power of the radio controlled steering be less than that of the magnetic guidance otherwise the car will turn immediately and run off the track, missing the lane change guide wire.

If the car is driven too quickly around a corner, the magnet will loose contact with the guide wire and the car will run off the track. A typical track would have perhaps a minimum of four fastest line corners, two lane changes and a pits lane. To achieve the fastest lap times, steering would have to be applied six times in each lap of some ten seconds duration. With other cars to be avoided, driving skills and concentration are paramount.

Claims

Claims 1. A system for racing model cars around a track comprising: (a) a slotless track comprising one or more guide wires embedded therein; (b) a model car comprising a magnet able to follow the guide wire and steerable front wheels (c) a radio controller able to vary the speed of the car and turn the front wheels of the car whereby the combination of a magnet following a guide wire and radio controlled steering enables the cars to progress around the track.
2. The system of claim 1 in which there is a gap in the guide wire, whereby a car can be steered by radio control to an alternative lane or other route.
3. The system of claim 2 in which the power of the radio controlled steering is less than the power of the magnetic guidance thereby ensuring that the car will only deviate from the guide wire lane at the selected lane change point.
4. A radio controller for use with a model car racing system comprising a wheel control for steering and a trigger control for speed.
5. The radio controller of claim 4 operable at different frequencies.
6. A slotless track for use with a model car racing system comprising one or more wires embedded in its surface, the wire comprising material that is attracted by a magnet.
7. The slotless track of claim 6 in which the wire is fluch with the surface of the track.
8. The slotless track of claim 6 in which there are gaps at intervals in the embedded wire.
9. A model car for use with a model car racing system comprising a magnet able to follow a guide wire embedded in the slotless track on which it travels.
10. The model car of claim 9 in which the magnet is mounted on a pivoting arm to allow it to follow the guide wire.
11. The model car of claim 10 In which the pivoting arm Is attached to the streerable front wheels of the car.
12. The model car of claim 9 further comprising a radio controlled means for steering the front wheels.
13. The model car of claim 12 further comprising a castor to enable it to continue in a straight line over a lane change section when the radio controlled steering is not engaged.
14. The model car of claim 12 further comprising a spring to enable it to continue in a straight line over a lane change section when the radio controlled steering is not engaged.