HK1084350B - Deviation system for guide means used in a set of toy vehicles - Google Patents

Description

Steering system for a guide device for use in a toy vehicle assembly

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a steering system for a guide device used in a toy vehicle assembly, and more particularly to a steering system for a toy vehicle comprising a guide device formed by grooves on a track, the toy vehicle being driven by an electric motor and having a guide and power collector device connected to a chassis, the device being adapted to slide inside said guide channel and to receive power supply from conductive tracks located on both sides of the guide channel.

Background

Toy vehicle racing is well known in the art, wherein, according to its more classical form and more popular effect, the track comprises at least two said separate guide channels, one for each vehicle, so that the vehicles can race against each other. Each guide channel is flanked by two connected electrically conductive tracks which are connected to a power supply via a device for adjusting the tension controlled by the user. On said tracks, each user can vary the speed of his vehicle on the rail by adjusting the tension of the rail. The documents ES-A-1031830 and ES-A-1023869 relate to racing games suitable for playing on said tracks. With this configuration, however, each user controls his track instead of his vehicle, so that if the user wants to change the direction of his vehicle to that of an adjacent vehicle, the user controlling the direction of the adjacent vehicle automatically controls this, which for that reason results in the race ending.

Patent US-A-5970882 discloses A game for racing toy vehicles on A track having A guide channel, which comprises A steering system located in the above-mentioned groove. However, in the guide rail there are two independent and parallel circuits, each formed by a slot in which the steering system and the branching system are arranged, which together reach the same slot from which they have left, although crossed, one circuit is not in any case connected to the other circuit. That is, it allows only one vehicle per guide channel.

Steering systems for toy vehicles (e.g., electric trains, etc.) that operate on a steering and power collector device are known in the art. The steering system herein includes a conventional rotary switch point and a switch point change mechanism, either manual or actuated by an actuator (e.g., a solenoid), wherein the actuator is adjacent to the switch point. In the second case described, the user can optionally send commands to change switch points with the controller, typically over a particular cable. However, in the electric train type game described, all the rails and their steering, branching and junction points are under the same tension control, so that the vehicle can change from one rail to another without any problems. Two trains can run simultaneously on the same guideway or on different guideways connected to each other by a steering system and an intersection, while the two trains are under the same speed control controlled by the same user. That is, this is not a speed competition game.

In addition, methods are known in the art for controlling the speed of different toy vehicles using only one communication line.

Patent EP- ｃA-0574634 discloses ｃA control system for ｃA toy vehicle controlled by radio, the toy vehicle running freely on ｃA surface of ｃA guide rail. The toy vehicle is controlled by operating commands sent by digital control signals containing identification codes, and the control system allows multiple vehicles to share only one radio channel, which is of particular use for some reasons when there are not too many radio channels, or when the use of a coordinated communication system is too expensive.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a steering system for a guide means used in a toy vehicle assembly in which means associated with the vehicle can or cannot actuate a change means at a switch point at a bifurcation of the track means before a guide follower of the vehicle reaches the bifurcation of the guide means, the means associated with the vehicle acting in response to a signal emitted externally of the vehicle.

Disclosure of Invention

According to the present invention, the above object is achieved by a steering system for a guide means used in a toy vehicle assembly, of the type comprising a track defined by said guide means and at least one vehicle provided with a guide follower adapted to advance said guide means along said track. The system comprises: at least one bifurcation point located within said guide, from which the first and second branches diverge; a switch point mounted in said bifurcation point and movable between a first position in which said guide follower of the vehicle is forced to travel along said first leg and a second position in which the guide follower is forced to travel along the second leg; and an arm connected to said switch point and having a contact end located downstream of said switch point, said contact end being capable of being pushed as the vehicle passes over a movable member connected to the vehicle before the guide follower reaches the switch point. That is to say, it is the vehicle itself that, by means of said movable element acting on said arm, causes the point to change from said first position to said second position and vice versa, thus determining whether the vehicle is advancing along the first branch or along the second branch. The invention also comprises a control system for remotely driving said mobile element of the vehicle.

Although the present invention may be used with any toy vehicle assembly formed by a guide means, such as an electric train or the like, the preferred embodiment is suitable for use in a racing game wherein the guide means comprises a guideway surface for the vehicle having at least one guide channel diverging into first and second branches. It is readily foreseen that the conductive tracks are connected to a power source in the vicinity of both sides of said guide channel and of said first and second branches. The vehicle is formed of an electric motor for driving one or more drive wheels acting on the surface of a guide rail, a guide and power collector means with said guide follower in the form of a fin adapted to slide along the interior of the guide channel, and brushes connected to said electric motor for receiving a supply of electric current from said conductive guide rail while the vehicle is in motion. In that case, the switch points are disposed in diverging regions inside the guideway and are connected for rotation between the first and second positions about an axis perpendicular to the guideway surface. The shaft is located at the current end below the switch point, some resilient means urging the switch point towards the first position. The arm is located below the point of switch and the contact end is located on the track of the guide channel, below the position reached by the slots of said fins of the guide and power collector means of the vehicle. The movable element of the vehicle is a telescopic element connected to a drive means mounted on the vehicle, the drive means being part of the control system for the purpose of moving the telescopic element between a retracted position and an extended position. In the retracted position, the retractable member does not extend downwardly from the vehicle to the contact end of the arm, so that the switch point remains in the first position when the vehicle passes the bifurcation. In the extended position, on the other hand, the retractable member extends downwardly from the vehicle and reaches the contact end of the arm, such that the switch point is forced to move to its second position when the vehicle passes the bifurcation. The control system further comprises transmitting means for transmitting a drive signal specific to said drive means and receiving means connected to the vehicle for receiving said signal.

The telescopic element is preferably associated with the above-mentioned guide and power collector device of the vehicle, and more particularly it is mounted on the slide of the guide and power collector device in a passage extending through the fin, so that in its retracted position it is housed in said passage, and in its extended position it extends to a position lower than the fin. As the rod is rotatably inserted into a hole in the lower part of the vehicle, the upper end of the telescopic element projects through the upper part of the rod and is driven therefrom by the drive means.

The conductive tracks are preferably supplied under a predetermined constant tension and the said transmitting means and signal receiving means of the control system for each vehicle multiplex digital signals transmitted via the same channel (e.g. via the conductive tracks), although it may also transmit these signals via, for example, the same radio frequency channel. The multiplexed digital signal includes at least one identification code of the vehicle, a speed adjustment command, and a drive command of the drive device. The transmitting device is arranged to be connected to a controller of the vehicle controlled by the user. With the control system, several vehicles can run simultaneously along any one of several steering devices connected by the steering system of the present invention, each vehicle being individually controlled by their respective users to adjust their speed and take one or the other steering branch, for example, for forward operation therebetween. Suitable play sets that provide a strong competition between two, three or more users include, for example, tracks formed by sections of track with guide rails interconnected by steering branches in two of the sections, and two, three or more cars with respective controllers.

Drawings

The invention will now be illustrated by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a top view of a rail surface having a slot and a bifurcation point with a steering system according to a first embodiment of the present invention, the switch point being in a first position where the switch point and the track of the slot defined by the switch point in the first position are shaded for better understanding;

FIG. 1B is a top view similar to FIG. 1A, but with the switch points in a second position where the switch points and the tracks defined thereby are also shaded;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the body including the switch points of FIGS. 1A and 1B, and the arm defining the cam profile and lever arm;

figure 3 is a perspective view, partly in section, of a guiding and power collector device connected to the lower part of a vehicle, according to a first embodiment of the invention, in which the telescopic element in the extended position is driven by a driving device;

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view illustrating the guidance and power collector assembly of FIG. 3 with the telescoping members in a retracted position and in relation to the guidance assembly of FIGS. 1A and 1B in a bifurcation area in which the switch point is in its first position;

FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view illustrating the guidance and power collector assembly of FIG. 3 with the retractable member in an extended position and in relation to the guidance assembly of FIGS. 1A and 1B in a bifurcated zone where the retractable member moves and holds a switch point in its second position;

figures 5A and 5B are similar to figures 1A and 1B but in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention wherein the body includes a switch point and further wherein the arm includes contact elements on either side of the switch point for compensating for discontinuities in the conductive track in the diverging region;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the body including the switch point with the side contact members located in the diverging points as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the body shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the body shown in FIG. 6;

fig. 9A and 9B are cross-sectional views similar to fig. 4A and 4B, but wherein the bifurcation comprises the body shown in fig. 6, and the guiding and power collector device of the vehicle is referred to as a second embodiment of the invention wherein the fins comprise the side contact points;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of a guide rail segment including first and second guide paths with a bifurcation point from which the guide path branches off and at a junction where the branch joins the second guide path, the bifurcation point including the first embodiment of the steering system of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a guide rail section including first and second guide paths with respective diverging points, the guide paths branching from the respective diverging points, the branches intersecting and downstream joining the second and first guide paths at the respective intersection, the diverging points containing therein the first embodiment of the steering system of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B;

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of a rail segment similar to that of FIG. 10, but in which the bifurcation and junction comprise a second embodiment of the steering system of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B; and

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of a rail segment similar to that of FIG. 11 but in which two diverging points and two meeting points both contain the second embodiment of the steering system of the present invention shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B;

Detailed Description

Referring first to fig. 1A and 1B, shown in both figures is a guide rail surface with a guide channel 2 and conductive guide rails 6a, 6B, wherein the conductive guide rails 6a, 6B are connected to both sides of the guide channel 2, respectively. The conducting tracks 6a, 6b are connected to opposite poles of a direct current power supply. Toy vehicles (not shown) that move on the above-mentioned guide surface 1a are mainly composed of a frame or chassis in which an electric motor is arranged for driving at least one shaft connected to a drive wheel that contacts the guide surface 1 a. In the front section of the frame or in the lower part of the vehicle, a guiding and power collector device 3 (see fig. 3, 4A and 4B) is provided, with a fin 4 and a plurality of brushes 32, wherein the fin 4 is adapted to slide inside the above-mentioned guiding channel 2, and the brushes 32 are adapted to receive a supplied power current from said conducting tracks 6a, 6B connected to said guiding channel 2.

The guide channel 2 comprises a branching point 7, from which branching point 7 the first and second branches 2a, 2b branch off. Those said conductive tracks 6a, 6b which are located on opposite sides of the guide channel 2 are connected to the conductive tracks 6a, 6b which are located on the furthest sides of the branches 2a, 2b, while in the vicinity of the branching point 7 the portions of the conductive tracks 6a, 6b are not in contact and they extend downstream along the closest sides of the branches 2a, 2b, respectively. Since the conductive tracks 6a and 6b are of opposite polarity, they have discontinuities 8 in the diverging zone 7 in order to avoid contact between them, which could lead to short circuits. It should be noted that in fig. 1A and 1B and other figures appended to this description, the direction of movement of the toy vehicle on the guideway surface 1A is indicated by arrow D.

Inside the guide channel 2, in the diverging region 7, a switch point 9 is mounted, which can be rotated relative to the vertical axis 15 of the guide rail surface 1 a. The switch point 9 can thus be rotated between the first and second positions. For greater clarity, the switch points 9 are shaded at the first and second positions illustrated in fig. 1A and 1B, respectively. The first position described above is shown in fig. 1A, in which the point 9 of the switch is connected to one side of the guide channel 2 (the right side in the figure), so that said fins 4 of the guide and power collector means 3 of the vehicle are forced to follow the first branch 2 a. The second position of the switch point 9 is shown in fig. 1B, in which the switch point is connected to the other side of the guide channel 2 (the left side in the figure), so that the fins 4 of the guide and power collector device 3 of the vehicle are forced to follow the second branch 2B. In addition, for greater clarity, the tracks defined by the guide channel 2 jointly with the first branch 2a (fig. 1A) and the second branch 2B (fig. 1B), respectively, are shaded.

The elastic means 10 push said switch point 9 towards the above-mentioned first position, and the telescopic element 12 associated with the vehicle selectively pushes the arm 11 associated with the switch point 9, so as to position the switch point 9 in the second position for a sufficient time, so that the fin 4 is forced to advance along the second branch 2 b. The drive means 17, 26 mounted to the vehicle enable the telescopic element 12 described above to move in response to a specific drive signal emitted by an emitting means external to the vehicle and received by a signal receiving means associated with the vehicle. Preferably, a predetermined constant tension is provided to the conductive tracks and said specific drive signal of said drive means 17 consists of digital signals including a specific identification code for a specific vehicle, a command to adjust the speed and a drive command of the drive means, said signals being distributed or multiplexed and transmitted via the conductive tracks 6a, 6b to said receiving means associated with the vehicle. The transmitting device is connected with a controller controlled by a user.

The movement of the telescopic element 12 takes place between a retracted position, in which the telescopic element 12 does not interact with the arm 11 when the vehicle passes through the bifurcation point 7 (see figure 4A), which is why the switch point 9 is in the first position; in the extended position, when the vehicle passes the bifurcation point 7, before said fins 4 reach the switch point 9 (see fig. 4B), the telescopic element 12 interacts with the arm 11, thus forcing the switch point 9 to its second position.

According to the embodiment shown, said telescopic element 12 is associated with the above-mentioned guide and power collector device 3 of the vehicle and, in its extended position, extends towards the inside of the guide channel and over the depth of the fins 4. The following describes the guiding and power collector device 3 with the telescopic element 12 with reference to fig. 3 and fig. 4A, 4B.

On the other hand, in fig. 2, the body 38 is shown in detail, which joins together the arm 11, the switch point 9 and, in addition, the lever arm 28 extending transversely from the region adjacent to the housing of the shaft 15. The arm 11 is connected to the lower part of the switch point 9 and comprises, at the distal, contact end 22 of the aforementioned shaft 15, a cam profile 14, which cam profile 14, when the switch point 9 is in its first position (fig. 1A), has been left in the trajectory of the guide channel 2 and is in the lower position reached by the fins 4 in the guide channel 2, but this position is higher than the position reached by the telescopic element 12 in its extended position. The cam profile 14 is suitably sloped so that, in use, when the telescopic member 12 pushes the cam profile 14 in its extended position, the body 38 moves to change the switch point 9 from the first position to the second position, the body 38 being spaced from the switch point 9 so that it brings the switch point 9 to the second position (figure 1B) before the fin 4 reaches the second position. The cam profile 14 extends towards a guide profile 16 provided along the arm 11, so that the switch point 9 is held in its second position by the fork point 7 throughout the movement of the vehicle by the contact of the telescopic element 12 with the guide profile 16 in its extended position.

The lever arm 28 and a portion of the arm 11 are located on the lower surface of the guide surface 1 a. At the end of the lever arm 28 said elastic means are provided, which comprise, for example, a helical extension spring 10, one end of which is fixed to a projection 29 on said lower surface of the guide rail 1 and the other end of which is fixed to said lever arm 28.

In fig. 3 and 4A-B, a guiding and power collector device 3 with a telescopic element 12 is shown. Said guiding and power collector means 3 comprise a member defining a fin 4, the fin 4 being advanceable along a guiding channel; and a rod 19 inserted into a hole on the vehicle lower part 40, the device being fixed to the vehicle by the rod 19 so that it can rotate. The telescopic element 12 is housed in a slide in the existing channel 21 inside the fin 4 and extends through the centre of said rod 19, so that the upper end 20 of the telescopic element 12 extends above the rod 19. The above-mentioned passage 21 is provided, adjacent to its upper end, with a widened portion 25 in which is housed an elastic element, for example a helical compression spring 26, which is held to the telescopic element 12 by a fixed top portion 27. Said spring 26 pushes the telescopic element towards its retractable position at any time, while it is also part of the actuating means 17, 26, which also comprise the lever 13 actuated by the actuator, for example the solenoid 18. One end of said lever 13 can be pressed against said upper end 20 of the telescopic element 12, thereby moving the telescopic element 12 from the retracted position to the extended position against the elastic force of said spring 26.

The guiding and power collector device 3 of the vehicle further comprises brush holding platforms 31 extending to both sides thereof, the brush holding platforms 31 being located between the rod 19 and the fins 4 in a position substantially parallel to the upper contact surfaces of the conducting tracks 6a, 6 b. On each of said brush-holding platforms 31 there are provided means for fixing and electrically connecting a respective brush 32 to the electric motor. The rod 19 defines an outer annular projection 33 and defines, at its upper end, an outer cylindrical step 34, the rod 19 being fixed by means of a resilient plug in its cylindrical step 34, so as to press the bracket 35 defined between said bracket 35 and said annular projection 33 against the region of the vehicle frame adjacent to the hole in which the rod 19 is inserted, so that said rod 19, and therefore the fins 4 and the brush holder 30, can rotate freely. The bracket 35 and the step 34 of the lever 19 are configured such that said bracket 35 cannot rotate relative to the lever 19. The bracket 35 preferably has a lever 36 (fig. 3) connected to the frame by elastic means (not shown) which tend to position the guide and power collector device 3 with the fins 4 according to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, in the absence of other forces, for example when the vehicle is outside the guideway.

Fig. 10 shows an application example of the steering system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is a part of a guide rail 1 which, like conventional guide rails, comprises at both ends means (not shown) for connecting to the rest of the guide rail to form a loop, which is typically a closed loop. The part of the guide rail 1 comprises a guide rail surface and a first and a second guide channel 80, 90 along which one or more vehicles with a guide and power collector device 3 can move in the direction of arrow D, wherein the guide and power collector device 3 here is identical to the guide and power collector device described in connection with fig. 3-7C. The first guide passage 80 includes one of the above-mentioned branching points 87 from which the first and second branches 82a, 82b branch. The first branch 82a is an extension of the corresponding first guide passage 80, while the second branch 82b meets the second guide passage 90 at a junction 93. Both sides of the first and second guide channels 80, 90 and both sides of said first and second branches 82a, 82b are provided with respective conductive tracks 75a, 75 b. In the areas of said conductive tracks 75a, 75b close to the bifurcation 87 and junction 93, there are discontinuities 88, 98 whose purpose is to prevent them from touching each other, thus avoiding short circuits due to the conductive tracks 75a, 75b adjacent to the entrance of the bifurcation 87 and junction 93 having opposite electrical polarity. Also in the edge portions of the rail 1, the conductive rails 75a, 75b end with electrical connection means 84, as is conventional for conductive rails, which are intended to be connected with conductive rails of other parts of the rail. Within the bifurcation point 87 is the collection of switch points 9, arms 11 and cam profiles 14, as was the collection of bodies 38 previously described with respect to fig. 1A, 1B and 2. With the described configuration, a vehicle initially moving along the first guide channel 80 can be selected to move along the first branch 82a, and also to change the point 9, under the action of the telescopic element 19 of the guiding and power collector device 3 of the vehicle, to the second guide channel 90 through the second branch 82 b. In fig. 10, the switch point 9 is in its first position. Although not shown, a portion of a similar guide track may be added to the guide track 1 of fig. 10, except with an opposite steering system for turning from the second guide way 90 to the first guide way 80. In this case, the body 38 exhibits mirror symmetry with respect to the body 38 shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2.

Fig. 11 is another application of the first embodiment of the present invention. It is also a part of the guide rail 1 which is intended to be mechanically connected to other parts of the guide rail, thereby forming a loop, which comprises a guide rail surface with a first and a second guide channel 50, 60. Here, however, each of the first and second guide channels 50, 60 comprises one of said branching points 57, 67, from which the first branch 52a, 62a and the second branch 52b, 62b branch off. The first branches 52a, 62a are respective extensions of the first and second guide passages 50, 60, while the second branch 52b of the first guide passage 50 meets the first branch 62a of the second guide passage 60 at a more forward location at a junction 63, and the second branch 62b of the second guide passage 60 meets the first branch 52a of the first guide passage 60 at a more forward location at a junction 53. In the middle region, the second branches 52b, 62b intersect 51. Both sides of the first and second guide channels 50, 60 and both sides of each of the first and second branches 52a, 62a, 52b, 62b are provided with conductive tracks 70a, 70b, respectively. Here, for the same reason as described above, the conductive rails 70a and 70b have discontinuities 58, 59, and 68 near the branch points 57 and 67, the junction points 53 and 63, and in the intersection region 51. In the same way as in the example of fig. 10, at the edge portions of the rail 1, the conductive tracks 70a, 70b end with electrical connection means 54, which are intended to be connected to conductive tracks of other portions of the track. In both branch points 57, 67, there are provided separate body parts 38 of the switch point 9, the arm 11 and the cam profile 14 as described in the present invention. In fig. 11, the switch point 9 of the first branch point 57 is located in its first position, and the switch point 9 of the second branch point 67 is located in its second position. Obviously, the body 38 of the second branch point 67 is mirror-symmetrical with respect to the body 38 of the first branch point 57, the body 38 being similar to the body 38 shown in fig. 1A, 1B, 2. With the described configuration, the vehicles initially moving along the first or second guide channels 50, 60 can selectively move along the respective first or second branch 52a, 62a, and can also be selectively changed to the second or first guide channel 60, 50 through the respective second branch 52b, 62b by means of a change of the respective points 9 driven by the telescopic elements 19 of the guide and power collector devices 3 of the respective vehicles.

In the first embodiment described above, the vehicle has a short interruption of the power supply at the above-mentioned break points 8, 58, 59, 68, 88, 98 of the conductive tracks 6a, 6b, 70a, 70b, 75a, 75b, which interruption can be overcome by the inertia of the vehicle and the vehicle hardly decelerates. However, according to a second embodiment of the invention, means have been foreseen which are able to avoid said interruption of the power supply of the vehicle at the discontinuity 8, 58, 59, 68, 88, 98 of the conductive tracks 6a, 6b, 70a, 70b, 75a, 75 b.

Turning now to fig. 5A, 5B, in both figures a guide rail surface is shown, which, like in fig. 1A, 1B, is provided with a guide channel 2 with a branching point 7, from which branching point 7 a first and second branch 2a, 2B branch off. The guide channel 2 and the first and second branches 2a, 2b are surrounded on both sides by respective conductive tracks 6a, 6b connected to opposite poles of a dc power supply, and in the branching region 7 a body 38 with the switch point 9, the arm 11 and the lever arm 28 is arranged. However, in said second embodiment, said points 9 comprise conductive elements 9A, 9B (see also figures 6-8) connected to opposite poles of said direct current source, slightly projecting from the sides thereof, whereas the fins 4 of the steering and power collector means 3 according to the second embodiment of the invention comprise electrical contacts 4a, 4B (see figures 9A and 9B) arranged on both sides thereof and electrically connected to the motor, to receive the supplied current from at least one of said conductive elements 9A, 9B located in the diverging zone 7. In the diverging zone 7, at least one brush 32 cannot come into contact with the respective conductive track 6a, 6b because of the discontinuity 8. Preferably, said electrical contacts 4a, 4b of the fins 4 connect the upwardly extending partial brushes 32, which brushes 32 are in turn connected to the motor.

It can be seen that the second branches 2a, 2B in fig. 5A, 5B are opposite to the branches 2a, 2B in fig. 1A, 1B. This is not important because in both embodiments, the diverging points to either side are provided by mirror symmetric bodies 38, as shown in fig. 11 and 13.

As better illustrated in figures 7 and 8, there is preferably at least one conductive element 9a which can be extended and retracted and is pushed towards its more protruding position by the elastic means 5. Normally, said telescopic conducting element 9a is only one and is located on one side of the respective switch point 9, which corresponds to the opposite side of the side connected to the lever arm 28 pushed by the elastic means 10 (in the figures, corresponding to the side on which the lever 28 is located). The other conductive element 9b is fixed and is arranged on the opposite side. This is due to the fact that when the conductive element 9B is on the side pushed by the elastic means 10 (figure 9B), said elastic means 10 will press the fixed conductive element 9B of the switch point 9 against the contact 4B of the fin 4. Furthermore, if the second branch 2B is curved, as shown in fig. 5A and 5B, the elastic means 10 preferably push the switch point 9 towards the second branch 2B, and the centripetal force also acts to ensure the contact between the fixed conductive element 9B of the switch point 9 and the contact point 4B of the fin 4. In the first branch 2a, on the other hand, the force of the elastic means 5 is the force that ensures the contact between the telescopic conductive element 9a of the switch point 9 and the contact 4a of the fin 4.

As shown in fig. 7 and 8, the conductive elements 9a, 9b are preferably made of a laminar material and, as contact areas, a portion of the edge or rim of the laminar material is not parallel to the sides of the switch point 9. The telescopic conducting element 9a has a bent portion 23 inserted in the gap 30 of the switch point 9, in which gap 30 said resilient means 5 in the form of a resilient tongue 5 are integral with the switch point 9. The conductive element 9a is both retained by the cover 39 of insulating material and is well covered by it. For example, the cover has small protrusions 41 that pass through holes 42 in the fixed conductive member 9b and are press-inserted into holes 43 in the body 38 containing the switch points 9. As shown in fig. 8 and 7, respectively, the telescopic and fixed conductive elements 9a, 9b have connection tongues 44, 45, respectively.

In fig. 9A, the interaction of the guiding and power collector device 3 of the vehicle with the main body 38 in the bifurcation area 7 is shown when the telescopic element 12 is in the retracted position as described in the second embodiment. The cam profile 14 of the arm 11 is not in contact with the telescopic element 12, so the spring 10 connected to the lever 28 presses the body 38 against the left side of the fin 4 (according to the figure). It can be seen that when the right side brush 32 (according to the figure) is in electrical contact with the conducting track 6a, the left side brush 32 (according to the figure) is located above the blanket 39 of insulating material of the switch point 9. However, the electrical contact in the left side (according to the figure) occurs between the electrical contact 4b of the fin 4 and the telescopic conducting element 9a of the switch point 9, the latter being pressed by the resilient tongue 5.

In fig. 9B the cam profile 14 of the arm 11 has come into contact with the telescopic element 12, so that the guide profile 16 of one of the switch points 9 has moved the body 38 to the left (according to the figure) of the fin 4 against the force of the spring 10 connected to the lever 28 and has retained it there. It can be seen that when the left side brush 32 (according to the figure) is in electrical contact with the conductive track 6b, the right side brush 32 (according to the figure) is located on the insulating material cover 39 of the switch point 9. However, the electrical contact in the right-hand side (according to the figure) takes place between the electrical contact 4a of the fin 4 and the fixed conductive element 9b of the switch point 9, which is pressed by the spring 10 via the switch point 9.

Finally, fig. 12 and 13 show an example of application of the steering system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

The example of figure 12 shows a portion of a guide rail 1 provided with the same elements as in figure 10 except that the body 38 is different, where the body 38 joins the arm 11 and the switch point 9 with the conductive elements 9a, 9b, the body 38 being located in the branch point 87 and the junction 93, which is why said portion of the guide rail 1 is "switchable", i.e. it is suitable for circulating vehicles in any two-rail traffic system.

The example of figure 13 shows another part of the guide 1, which part of the guide 1 is provided with the same elements as in figure 11, except that the body 38 is different, where the body 38 joins the arm 11 and the switch point 9 with the conductive elements 9a, 9b, the body 38 being located in each of the diverging points 57, 67 and each of the junction points 53, 63, which is why said part of the guide 1 is "switchable".

The above-described embodiments have merely illustrative and non-limiting features within the scope of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the invention and the appended claims.

Claims (27)

1. A steering system for a guide device for use in a toy vehicle assembly of the type including a track defined by the guide device and at least one toy vehicle with a guide follower (4), the guide follower (4) being adapted to advance the guide device along the track, the track comprising:

at least one bifurcation point (7) located within said guide means, from which the first and second branches (2a, 2b) diverge;

a switch point (9) mounted in said bifurcation point (7) and movable between a first position in which said guide follower (4) of the vehicle is forced to advance along said first branch (2a) and a second position in which the guide follower (4) is forced to advance along the second branch (2 b);

it is characterized by also comprising:

an arm (11) connected to the switch point (9) and having a contact end (22) downstream of the switch point (9),

said contact end (22) can be pushed when the vehicle passes over a movable element (12) telescopically connected to the vehicle, before the guide follower (4) reaches the switch point (9) to change the switch point (9) from said first position to said second position, and vice versa, in order to force the guide follower (4) to continue along the last selected position for a sufficiently long time, in combination with a control system for remotely actuating said movable element (12) of the vehicle.

2. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide means are formed by a guide channel (2) on a guide surface (1a) for a vehicle and electrically conductive guide rails (6a, 6b) connected to a power supply, wherein the guide channel (2) branches into a first and a second branch (2a, 2b), and the electrically conductive guide rails (6a, 6b) are adjacent to both sides of the guide channel (2) and the first and second branch (2a, 2b), the vehicle being formed by an electric motor for driving one or more driving wheels, a guide and power collector means, and brushes (32) connected to the electric motor, wherein the guide and power collector means are provided with said guide follower (4) in the form of a fin adapted to slide along the inside of the guide channel (2), said brushes (32) being adapted to move from the electrically conductive guide rails (6a, 6b) receiving the supplied current.

3. System according to claim 2, characterized in that the switch point (9) is arranged in a diverging zone (7) inside the guideway (2) and is articulated in such a way that it can rotate between the first and second positions about an axis (15) perpendicular to the guideway surface (1a), the axis (15) being located at the current end below the switch point (9), and in that elastic means (10) are arranged which can push the switch point (9) towards the first position.

4. A system according to claim 3, characterized in that the arm (11) is located below the switch point (9) and the contact end (22) is located in the track of the guide channel (2) below the position reached by said fin-shaped guide follower (4) of the vehicle's guide and power collector means (3), as said movable element of the vehicle is a telescopic element (12) connected to drive means (17, 26) mounted on the vehicle, said drive means (17, 26) being part of said control system, for the purpose of moving said telescopic element (12) between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein:

in the retracted position, the telescopic element (12) does not project downwards from the vehicle without reaching the contact end (22) of the arm (11), so that the switch point (9) remains in the first position when the vehicle passes the bifurcation point (7);

in the extended position, the telescopic element (12) extends downwardly from the vehicle to the contact end (22) of the arm (11) so that the switch point (9) is forced to move to its second position when the vehicle passes the bifurcation point (7).

5. A system according to claim 4, characterized in that the control system further comprises transmitting means for transmitting a drive signal specific to said drive means (17, 26) and receiving means connected to the vehicle for receiving said signal.

6. A system according to claim 5, characterised in that the conductive tracks (6a, 6b) are supplied under a predetermined constant tension and in that the said transmitting means and signal receiving means of the control system for each vehicle multiplex digital signals transmitted through the same channel, including the identification code of the vehicle, the speed regulation command and the drive command of the drive means (17, 26).

7. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that the signal is transmitted through the conductive tracks (6a, 6 b).

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the transmitting device is connected to a controller of a vehicle controlled by a user.

9. System according to claim 5, characterized in that said telescopic element (12) is associated with said guiding and power collector means (3) of the vehicle.

10. A system as in claim 9, wherein the telescopic element (12) is mounted by means of a sliding track in a passage (21) through said guide-follower (4) in the form of a fin, in its retracted position the telescopic element being housed in said passage (21), and in its extended position the telescopic element extending to a lower position than said guide-follower (4) in the form of a fin.

11. A system according to claim 10, characterized in that said passage (21) is coaxial with the rotary rod (19) of the guiding and power collector device (3) of the vehicle, so that said rod (19) can rotate in a hole in the lower part (40) of the vehicle, the telescopic element (12) comprises an upper end (20) projecting through an upper portion of said rod (19), and the telescopic element (12) is urged towards its retracted position by an elastic element, the elastic element is part of said actuating means (26), is housed in a widened portion (25) of the passage (21), is inserted around a portion of the telescopic element (12), and held in compression by a cap (27) secured to the telescopic member (12), another part of the drive means (17) being capable of moving the telescopic member (12) to its extended position against the force of the resilient member.

12. System according to claim 11, characterized in that said other part of the actuating means (17) comprises an actuator for actuating a lever (13), one end of the lever (13) being located on said upper end (20) of the telescopic element (12), said end of the lever (13) being able to press against said upper end (20) of the telescopic element (12) to move it when said actuator (18) is actuated.

13. System according to claim 5, characterized in that said contact end (22) of the arm (11) comprises a cam profile (14) with a suitable inclination, so that the switch point (9) is moved to its second position by contact of the telescopic element (12) of the vehicle with said cam profile (14) in its extended position, said cam profile (14) extending towards a guide profile (16) provided along the entire arm (11), so that the switching point (9) is held in its second position by contact of the telescopic element (12) with said guide profile (16) in its extended position during passage of the vehicle through said switching point (7).

14. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the arm (11) and the switch point (9) are integral parts of the same body (38), the body (38) further comprising a lever arm (28) extending laterally from the adjacent region of the shaft (15), the end of the lever arm acting on the resilient means (10), said lever arm (28) being located on the lower surface of said guide surface (1 a).

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein said elastic means comprise a helical tension spring (10) fixed at one end to a protrusion (29) located on said lower surface of the guide rail surface (1a) and at the other end to said lever arm (28).

16. A system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said guiding and power collector means (3) of the vehicle comprise brush holding platforms (31) projecting on both sides thereof, in a position substantially parallel to the upper contact surfaces of the conducting tracks (6a, 6b) between the rod (19) and said guide followers (4) in the form of fins, each of said brush holding platforms (31) having means for electrically holding and connecting a respective brush (32).

17. A system according to claim 5, characterized in that those said conductive tracks (6a, 6b) which are located on opposite sides of the guide channel (2) are connected to opposite poles of the direct current supply and to the conductive tracks (6a, 6b) which are located on the furthest sides of the branches (2a, 2b), while the respective sections of the conductive tracks (6a, 6b) are free from contact with each other in the vicinity of the branching point (7) and extend downstream along the closest sides of the branches (2a, 2b) and are connected to opposite poles of said direct current supply, which is why there are discontinuities (8) in the conductive tracks (6a, 6b) in the branching region (7).

18. A system as claimed in claim 17, characterised in that said points (9) comprise conductive elements (9a, 9b) connected to opposite poles of said direct current source and slightly projecting from the sides thereof, said guide-follower (4) in the form of a fin of the guide and power collector means (3) comprising electrical contacts (4a, 4b) arranged in both sides thereof and electrically connected to the motor to receive the current supplied from at least one of said conductive elements (9a, 9b) located in the diverging region (7), in which diverging region (7) at least one brush (32) is unable to contact the respective conductive track (6a, 6b) due to said discontinuity (8).

19. A system as claimed in claim 18, characterised in that at least one conductive element (9a) is telescopic and is urged towards its more protruding position by elastic means (5).

20. System according to claim 19, characterized in that said telescopic conducting element (9a) is provided with only one and is arranged on one side of the switch point (9) corresponding to the opposite side to the one pushed by the elastic means (10) connected to the lever arm (28), the other conducting element (9 b) being fixed and arranged on the opposite side.

21. A system according to claim 20, characterized in that the conductive element (9a) is made of a laminar material and, as contact areas, the sides or edges of said portion of laminar material are not parallel to the sides of the switch point (9), and that the telescopic conductive element (9a) has a curved portion (23) inserted into the gap (30) of the switch point (9) in which said resilient means (5) in the form of a resilient tongue (5) and integral with the switch point (9) are located, the conductive element (9a) being held and covered by a covering layer (39) made of insulating material.

22. A system according to claim 14, characterised in that it comprises a portion of the guide track (1) comprising a guide track surface (1a) on which are disposed first and second guide channels (80, 90), the first guide channel (80) comprising one of said diverging points (87) from which a first branch (82a) and a second branch (82b) diverge, wherein the first branch (82a) is an extension of the respective first guide channel (80) and the second branch (82b) extends downstream with said second guide channel (90) and merges at a junction (93), and wherein respective electrically conductive guide tracks (75a, 75b) are disposed on both sides of the first and second guide channels (80, 90) and in the vicinity of both sides of said first and second branches (82a, 82b), at the diverging point (87), -in the junction (93) and in the area close to them, there are discontinuities (88, 98) of the conductive tracks (75a, 75b), -a body (38) with a switch point (9) and an arm (11) is arranged at the branching point (87).

23. The system according to claim 14, characterized in that it comprises a portion of the guide rail (1) comprising a guide rail surface (1a) on which the first and second guide channels (50, 60) are arranged, each of the two guide channels comprising one of said branching points (57, 67), from which branching points the first branch (52a, 62a) and the second branch (52b, 62b) branch, wherein the first branch (52a, 62a) is an extension of the respective first and second guide channels (50, 60), where the second branch (52b) of the first guide channel (50) extends downstream together with the first branch (62a) of the second guide channel (60) and merges at a merging point (63), and the second branch (62b) of the second guide channel (60) extends downstream together with the first branch (52a) of the first guide channel (50) and merges at a merging point (53), the second branch (52b, 62b) crosses at a crossing point (51), the first and second guide channels (50, 60) and each of said first and second branches (52a, 62 a; 52b, 62b) are provided on both sides with a respective conductive track (70a, 70b), said conductive tracks (70a, 70b) present discontinuities (58, 59, 68) at the branching points (57, 67), at the junctions (53, 63), at the crossing points (51) and in the area close to them, and a body (38) with a switch point (9) and an arm (11) is provided at each branching point (57, 67).

24. A system according to claim 20, characterised in that it comprises a portion of the guide rail (1) comprising a guide rail surface (1a) on which are arranged first and second guide channels (80, 90), the first guide channel (80) comprising one of said branching points (87), from which a first branch (82a) and a second branch (82b) branch, wherein the first branch (82a) is an extension of the respective first guide channel (80), and the second branch (82b) extends downstream with said second guide channel (90) and merges at a merging point (93), and wherein respective electrically conductive guides (75a, 75b) are arranged near both sides of the first and second guide channels (80, 90) and of said first and second branches (82a, 82b), at the branching point (87), the merging point (93), And/or in the area close to them, the conductive tracks (75a, 75b) each present a discontinuity (88, 98), and the body (38) is likewise arranged at the branching point (87) and at the junction (93), wherein the body (38) comprises an arm (11) and a switch point (9) with a conductive track (9a, 9 b).

25. The system according to claim 20, characterized in that it comprises a portion of the guide rail (1) comprising a guide rail surface (1a) on which the first and second guide channels (50, 60) are arranged, each of the two guide channels comprising one of said branching points (57, 67), from which branching point a first branch (52a, 62a) and a second branch (52b, 62b) branch, wherein the first branch (52a, 62a) is an extension of the respective first and second guide channels (50, 60), where the second branch (52b) of the first guide channel (50) extends downstream together with the first branch (62a) of the second guide channel (60) and merges at a merging point (63), and the second branch (62b) of the second guide channel (60) extends downstream together with the first branch (52a) of the first guide channel (50) and merges at a merging point (53), the second branch (52b, 62b) intersects at an intersection (51), the first and second guide channels (50, 60) and each of the first and second branches (52a, 62 a; 52b, 62b) are provided on both sides with a respective conductive track (70a, 70b), the conductive tracks (70a, 70b) present at a point of divergence (57, 67), a point of convergence (53, 63), the intersection (51) and/or in the region close to them, and the body (38) is likewise provided at each of the points of divergence (57, 67) and at each of the points of convergence (53, 63), wherein the body (38) comprises an arm (11) and a point of switch (9) with a conductive track (9a, 9 b).

26. The system of claim 11, wherein the resilient element is a coil-loaded spring.

27. The system of claim 12, wherein the actuator is a solenoid of the drive device.