CA2043753A1 - Multiple toy vehicle jumpset - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A multiple toy vehicle jumpset includes a vehicle launcher coupled to a vehicle track. The vehicle track defines a launch ramp and vehicle catcher as well as an upwardly curved return ramp portion. The inclination of the jump ramp as well as other characteristics of the track configuration may be varied to provide different track characteristics. As each launched vehicle traverses the track, it is returned to a position beneath the ramp portion of the track and successively launched vehicle must be launched so as to successively clear the accumulated vehicles with increasing skill.

Description

~ocket. 13142.

MULTIPLE TOY V~HICLE JUMPSET

SPECIFICATION

Field of the Invention Thi~ lnvention relates s~enerally to toy vehicle playsets and particularly to those in which a vehicle i~ launched and performs a ~umping activity. ~, Ba~ karound of the_Inventiosl Through the years, a great vari~ty o~ toy vehiclel3 playsets ln many different forms have been provided to give amusement, entertalllme~r~.t and d~valopmental ~Iclll~ to children o~ a broad variety of age~. One 02~ the most int~restin~ and amu~lng type~
of toy vehicle playset3 arQ those which ar~ ofte~ generall~..
referred to a~ npset~. Suo~ playset~3 ac~uire thelr rlame2 Prom the play feature in which a toy vehicl~ i~ launched or otherwi~e caused to fly through the air for a brief period of time.

While the ~truc~ure3 used in providing ~uoh jumpse~ have been many arld varied, all ~enerally lnclude an olon~ated track 2 ~ ~ 3 7 ~ j ~
usually having confining edges on either side together wlth a toy vehicle launching mechan~3m. In addition, means are provided which intr~duce a ramp or other track portion or configuration capable of.perform~ng the ~ump feature. In thel~ normal t~tended ~lay, such ~umpsets are utllized by loadlng the toy vehicle into the launcher and launchlng thQ toy vehlcle down the track toward the ramp or similar structure. The velocity o~ the vehlcle carrie~ it over the ramp and cause~ it to "~ump". To ~urther enhance amusement and entertainment value, practitioner~ in the art generally attempt to include some additlonal amusement or entertainment factor beyond simply ~um~ing the toy vehlcle.

Some of the most entertaining and commereially successfui !
types of toy vehicle jumpset~ are those in which the user i3 called upon to exercise a skill factor which lead~ to a developmental activity. The design and fabrication of ~uch toy vehlcle ~umpset i8 sub~ected to a contlnuing need or evermore varied and i~tere~tin~ type~ o~ structures and play action. ~o ~eet thl~ ~eed, practitioner~ in the art have provid~d a wlde variety o~.~uch toy vehicle playsets.

For example, U.S. Patent 4,716,843 ls~ued to O~tendor~, et al. sets forth a TOY V~HICLE PLAYSET in which a roadway, a booster for impelling a vehicle.along t~e roadway and a ramp are positioned to pro~ide a path ~or the im~elled vehlcle to leap a ~redetermlned di~tance. A catcher i8 positioned i~ the roadway to catch the ~umping vehicle and a return portion of the roadway returns the vehlcle toward the booster. An additional ~eature o~
the ramp provide~ a pivotal mechanism which allows the vehlcle to pass another vehicle on the roadway ~n opposite dlrectlons.

U.S. Patent 3,621,60~ issued to Barcu3, et al. ~ets forth a .
TRACK MEANS COMBINED WI~H SIMULAT~D STUNT ~OOP FOR TOY VEHICLES
in which a track lncludes a pair o~ oppositely faclng upwardly sloped and downwardly sloped ramp portions. The upwardly sloped ramp portio~ includes an annular ring having a center aperture ther~in larger than the toy vehicle. The ring ~upports a membrane havin~ a plurality of open seams therein and preferably.
~ormed o~ a resilient ~aterlal. The ob~ect of the ~tunt set is to propel the vehicle through the membrane across the spacing between the two ramp~ and down the downwardly sloped ramp.

U.S. Patent 1,431,398 issued to Hetzner ~et~ forth a ~OY
AMUSEMENT APPARATUS in which a track set include~ a flrst ramp having a~ elevated launchin~ platform, a downwardly extendin~ .
slope and a somersaulting loop terminating i~ an upwardly directed ramp. T~e track ~et further includes a vehicle catching area and return ramp which receives the launching toy vehicle and returns lt to the bottom of the elevated platform.

U.S. Patent 3,814,021 13su~d to McHenry s~ts forth a SPIRAL
JUMP STUNT APPARATUS in whlch a~ upwardly sloped launching ramp .

2 0 '`~ 3 i ~ 3 and dawnwardly ~loped receivin~ ramp are.positioned ln a spaced apart relationshlp defining a ga~ therebetween. The la~nching ramp i8 tran~versely ~lanted to impart both upward motlon and axial rotation to-~the launched ~ehlcle. The receiving ramp ls similarly angled to provide an angled ~eceivlng sur~ace.for the launched toy vehicle.

U.S. Patent 1,544,555 ~ssued to Chase sets forth a TOY SKI
JUMPER ~n which a multlply curved launch ramp is paired wlth a downwardly sloped receiving ramp and i8 used to launch and.
.receive a simulated ski ~umper.

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U.S~ Patent 1,695,310 is~ued to Nu3tendorfer sets forth a SOME~SAULTING TOY in which a downwardly sloped launch ramp and elevated platform ar~ paired.with a downwardly sloped receivin~.
ramp. The launching end of the downwardly slo~ed ra~p is curved upwardly to im~art a ~omersault to the ~imulated ~kler rolling down t~e ramp. Addltional mean~ are provided in the form o~ a sprin~ loaded lever which further launches the ~lmulated skier.

U.S. Patent 3,204,574 issued to Frisbie, e~ al. sets forth a JUMP RAMP ~or U8Q in.connectio~ with a toy vehicle track set.
The ramp include~ an up~ardly ~loped launchiny r~mp and a downwardly ~lo~ed rece~ving ramp. The ramp is utllized to form the cros~ing overpass of a ~igure eight track configuration.

2 ~ `~ 3 7 ~`3~

U.S. Patent 3,~35,923 lssued to Brigham, et al. sets forth a LOOPED TRAFFIC ACCESSORY ln which a toy vehicle. track set include3 a launching plat~orm whloh may be secured t~ an elevated ~urface such a~ a table or the like. The playset fuxther includes an elongated pair of vehicle tracks togeth~r ~ith somersaultin~ l~op portions which conduct th~ toy vehicles through a rapid loop durlng their pas~age from the elevated launcher to the track end.

U.S. Patent 3,858,875 lssued to ~emeth, et alO sets forth a GAP JUMPIN~ TOY VEHICLE GAME in which a toy v~hlcle track is formed in a closed oval havlng banked curved endQ and including a launching mechanism. A pair of oppo3i~tely sloped ~umping and recelving ramps are formed upon the track and a ~addle wheel type bo~ter i9 used to accelerate passing vehicles along the track.

U.S. Patent 4,094,089 issued to Sano sets forth an JUMPING
RAIL which is conflgured to be positioned within a toy vehicle trackway. The Jumping rall features a striklng member which 2xtends lnto the vehicle travel path which when ~truck by a toy vehicle cause the Jumping ~ail to plvot upwardly and launch the vehicle into the air.

U.S. ~atent.4,383,68R issued to Prehodka sets forth a~
OBSTACLE FOR TOY VEHIC~E TRACK SET in wbich a ~ivotable vane ~s po~itioned betwee~ lane~ of a multilaned track. Th~ vane ls ..

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actuated by a p~s~ing toy vehicle to ob~truct one of the lanes a~ter the vehlcle has passed. The pur~uin~ vehicle on the multilane track mu~t then avoid the obstacle or be launched into.
an unde~ired jump and crash i~ it ~ail~ to avoid the obstacle.

U.S. Patent 4,513,966 i~sued to Mucaro, et al. sets Eorth a VE~ICLE JUMP FOR A TOY V~HICLE GAME in which a pa~r o~ track portions form a track crossin~ segment having respective launching and receiving ramps thereon.

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U.S. Patent 4,619,~89 l~sued to Halford 38t~ forth a COM~INED VE~ICLE JUMP MEANS AND TOY VEHICLE WITH SIMULATED STUNT
~OOP in which a toy vehicle ~umpset include~ an upwardly extending launch ramp and downwardly extending receiving ramp for a toy vehiole.. A tunt hoop formed of a~ annular loop and ~imulated surrounding fire and f lame3 ig configured to be interposed between the two ramp~ such that the vehicle when launched Ras~ throu~h the c~ter a~erture o~ the tunt loop.

U.S. Pate~ 4,~5~,86~ issued to ~i~pely ~ets forth a TOY
VEHIG~E TRACK~AY S~T in which a toy vehicle track terminates in a vertical omer~ault loop followe~ by a hor~zontal incli~
looping ramp which terminate~ at the center portlon o~ the somersault loop. A cat.chlng ba~ket i9 mowabl~ for ~upport.near the multiple loop feature. The toy vehicle i3 launched down the track and pas3e~ through the ~omersault loop and i~ accele~ated ..

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upwardly through the inclined horizontal ramp portion to be ultimately launched through the center portion of the somersault l~op.

~ hile the ~oregoing prior art vehicle playsets and Jump~et~
have provided sub~tantial entertainment and amusement, ~he continuing need for evermore varied and different toy vehicl~
playsets remains.

Summary of the Invention Accordingly, it is a yeneral ob~ect of the present invention to provide an improved toy ~ehicle playset. It is a more particular ob~ect o~ th~.preqent invention to provide an lmprov~d ~oy v~hicle playset having an interesting ~ump fea~ure. It 1~ a still more particular ob~ect o~ the present invention to provide an improved toy vehlcle playset having a ~ump feature which produces a dcvelopmental actlvlty and ~xerci~e~ the ~ud~ment and 3kill o~ the child user.

In accordance with the present inventlon, there i~ provided for use in combination with a plurality of toy vehicle~, a toy vehicle ~um~set comprlse~: a launcher for receivlng a toy vehicle and applying an acceleratin~ forc~ thereto; a track having an upwardly dir~cted launch ramp portion, a receiving .
portion and a return ramp portion, th~ launch ram~, th~ receiving portion and the return ramp portlon cooperatin~ r~m3a travel and return path ~or a toy vehlcle; and stop means proxlmate the launch ramp for returning succes~lve launched and returned toy vehlcle~ a~ inc~.ea~ing_ob~tructions of the travel and.re.tur~ path as they accumulate.

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BrieP Descrilæ_~n ~ th~_eE~lDg~

The Peature~ o thP present invention, which are bel~eved to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended cla~ms. The invention, together with further ob~ect~ and advantages thereo~, may best be understood by reference to the fo110wing de~criptlon taken $n con~unction w~th th~ a~companying drawing~, in the several figure~ of which like ref erence numerals identify like elementq and in whic~:

Fi~ure 1 ~ets forth a ~er3pective view o~ a multiple toy vehicle ju~pset con8tructed ln accordance with the pre5ent ln~ention;

Figure 2 set~ forth a ~er~pective view o~ a ~ul~iple toy vehicle ~um~set con~tructed in accordance with th~ present invention haviny launched and received a fir-~t car;

~Q~3t~3 Figure 3 sets forth a perspective vlew of a.multiple toy vehicle jumpset constructed in accordance with the ~resent inventlon having launched and rece~ved a second vehlcle;

~ i~ure 4 3ets forth a ~ide elevatlon ~lew of a portion of the multiple.toy vehlcle ~umpset set ~orth in Figures 1 through.
3; and Figure 5 cets forth alternate embodiment of the launcher mechanism oP the present inve~tion multiple toy vehicle jumpset.

Description o~ the Preferred Embodiment~

Figure 1 s~t~ forth a perspective view of a multipl~ toy vehicle ~umpset constructed in accordance with the present-lnvention and generally referenced by nu~eral 10. Jump~et lO
include~ a vehicle launcher 11, a track ~egment 12, a ramp 13, a catcher 14, a track segment 16 and a return ra~p 16. Ramp 16, track segment~ 12 and l~, as well a~ return ramp 16, are ~ormed of a flexible trac~ materl~l having a planar roadway sur~ace and upwardly extending Qide walls 30 and 31~ In its preferred form, track segments 12 and 1~, ramp 13 and return ramp 16 are formed of Rubstantially ~lmilar con~gurations~ Ra~p 13 overlap~ track segm~n. 12 and a g~nerally wedge-~haped ramp support 20 i9 tnterposed between ramp 13 and track segment 12 to pr~vide the ~ùpwardly directed lncline o~ ramp 13. In accorda~ce with th~

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inventlon, support 20 further de~ine3 a vertical st~p sur~ace 23 whlGh is preferably located at or near end ~ort~on 32 of ramp 13.
Catcher 14 is supported upon track segment 15 withln side walls 30 and 31 and defines a generally planar center portion 41 and a.
pair of inclined upwardly ext~ndi~g planax sides 42 and 43. A
support 21 i~ posltioned beneath-track seyment 15 between catcher 14 and return ramp 16 to raiqe a portion o~ track segment 15 to form a bump portion 40. A generally wedge-shaped ~upport 22 defines an upwardly curved surface 34 and is positioned beneath return ramp 16 to support a vertically extendin~ end portion 17 thereof.

Thus, the above-de~cribed track cpmponents ~orm a substantially continuous track member having confining ~lde~ and including a ramp 13 coupled to launcher 11, a Rtraigh~ segment 15 ~upporting an inclined upwardly fac~ catcher 14 and defining a bum~ 40 and an.upwardly curved return ramp 16..

~ au~cher 11 i9 secured to ramp :L3 by appropriate attachment means or by sim~lR overlap and de~ines a ~enerally rectangular launch bay 50 having supported therein a movabl~ shuttle ~1.
Shuttle 51 i~ ~lidably ~upported withln launch bay 50 i~
accordance with conventlonal rabrication techni~ues. A sprin~ 53 is coupled.to qhutt.le 51 and launcher 11 a~d provldeq a compressive spring ~orce which opposea the motion of shuttle 51 ~n th~ directio~ indicated by arrow 55.. A trlgger button ~2 i~

7 ~? 3 coupled to a conventional trigger latch mechanism which cooperate~ with shuttle 51.in accordance with conve~tional fabrlcation techniques to lock shuttle 51 in a rearward posltlon in which spring 53 i~ compr~ssed..

Thus, in operation, shuttle 51 ic moved into bay 50 in the direc~ion indlcated by arrow 55 compressing spring 53. Trigge~
52 and the trigger mechanism associated therewith locks shuttle 51 in the rearward position. Figuxe 2 sets forth the locked or cocked position o~ shuttle 51 within launcher 11. Shuttle 51 defines a generally vertical end surface 5~. A toy vehicle 60 configured to roll ea~lly wlthin the track portions of ~umpset 10 may then be po,3itioned w~thin launch bay 50 against end 54 of shuttle 51. Figure 2 sets forth the position of a similar vehicle within launcher 11 prior to :launchlng. Thereafter,~~
vehicle 60 may be launched by depres.~ing trigger 52 which relea~es shuttle 51 at which ti~e th~ energy ~tored withln spring 53 accelerate~ shuttle 51 and car 60 rapidly away from launcher 11 toward ramp 13 in the direct~on indicated by arrow 56. Figure 1 ~et~ forth the po~ on of vehicle 60 just a~ter the above-de~cribed launch. Thu~, vehlcle 60 i8 shown ln Figure 1 approaching ramp 13 having a velaclty in the direction indicated by arrow 61. A3 vehicle 60 cont~nues up ramp 13 and beyond end portion 32 thereof, vehicle 60 becomes airborne in the position shown in dash~d line representation.62 having an upwardly.
directed v~loclty 63. Thereafter, vehicle 60 under~oes a gravity . 2 ~ 7 ,~
controlled "flight" and is received within catcher 14. During its descent towarZ.catcher 14, inclined side3 4~ serve to direct vehicle 60 downw~rdly toward center portlon 41. After being received withl~ catcher 14,. the forward momentum of vehlcle 60 continues to propel vehlcle 60 upon track segment 15 to the po~ition shown ln dashed lina representation 64. At such time, vehicle 60 has a velocity in the direction indicated by arrow 65.
The mome~tum of vehicle 60 carries it over bump 40 of track segment 15 to the dashed line position 66 having a velocity in the direction indlcated by arrow 67, Afterwhich, vehicle.60 a~sumes the position shown in Figur~ 2.

Fiyure 2 sets ~orth ~u~p~et 10 a~con~l~ured absve showing vehicle 60 having moved from the dashed line positlon 66 ln Figure 1 to its maxlmum upwardly directed travel t~ward end 1~ of return ramp 16. At the po~ition sho~n in Fi~ure 2, the upward velocity o~ vehicle 60 in the direct:Lon indicated by arrow 68 is reduced to zero and the ~ravity forcl~ upon vehicle 60 overcomes lts momentum and accel~rates vehicle 60 downwardly upon return ramp 16 in the direction indicated by ~rrow 69. Thereafter, vehicle 60 ~ov~ to the position shown in da hed line representation 70 and acqulres a v~loclty in th~ dir~ction indlcated by arrow 71. Thereafter, vehicle 60 returns alon~
track segment 15 over bump 40 and through catcher 14 in the dlrection indicated by arrow ~3. Flnally, vehicle 60 encounters ~top surface 33 of ramp support 20 and i~ brought to rest in the p~

position shown in da~hed line repr~sentation ~2. 50ncurrently, as vehicle 60 undergoe~ the return travel described, a second toy vehicle 80 i~ positioned within launcher 11 and shuttle 51 is again moved ln the direction indicated by. arrow SS to load or cock launcher 11. Thu~, with vehicle 80 in the po~ition shown and with vehlcle 60 ln the po~iticn ~hown in dashed line representation ~2, pres~in~ o~ trigger 52 launche~ vehicle 80 in the manner de~crlbed above for vehicle 60. Therea~ter, veAicle 80 traverses the track portions o~ jumpset 10 and ultimately return~ in the manner described above for vehicle 60 until it abut~ ~ehicle 6~ and ~ump~et 10 assumes the po~ition sho~n in Figure 3.

~ igure 3 ~how~ ~umpset 10 having launched and returned vehicle 80 and ~howing vehicle 80 now re~ting in line with prevlou~ly launched and returned vehicle 60. A third vehicle 81 i~ now loaded within launcher 11 and shuttle 51 i~ again cocked to it~ loaded po~ition in preparation for launching vehlcle 81.
In accordance wlt~ the inv~ntion, th~ accumulation of previQusly launch~d and returned vehicle~ 6Q and 80 beneath ramp 13 p~esent~
an accumulatlng obstacle and challenge and lncrea~ed difficulty factor for ~ub~equently launched vehicle~A Thus, with simultaneou~ reference tc ~igures 1 through 3, lt will be apparent that the.preci~ion.of launch.nece~sary to ~ucce~sfully launch and return vehicle ao i~ ~omewhat greater than for vehicl~
~60 and f~rther that ~he factor~ lnfluencin~ v~hicle 81 have been.

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further complicated by the p~esence o~ vehicle~ 60 and 80 beneath ramp 13.

. It will ~.apparent to thosa skilled in.the ar.t that the operation of th~ present inventlon jumpqet continues a~
~uccessive vehicles are launched i~ the manner de~cribed above and accumulate upon trac~ ~egme~t 15 beneath ramp 13. To acco~odate the addltional ~ump characteristics and ~reclsion required as 8uccessiv~ vehicle~ are so accumulated, the characterlstics o~ Jump~et 10 may b~ varied to accommodate the challenge presented. For example, ramp support 20 may be movabla with.respect to ra~p 13.and trac~ seg~ent 15 to alter the incline and exten3ion of ramp 13. Further the~position Gf ~atcher 14 may be mov~d upon track segment 15 to accommodat~ di~fer.ent trajectories of launched vehicles. Support 21 and support 22 may be also mov~ble wi~h respeet to track. segment lS to further change tha con~i~uration of track Por ~umpset 10.

Figure 4 ~ets ~orth a side view of the launcher portion o~
the ~mbodim~nt o~ the present invention ~hown in Figure~ 1 through 3. Launcher 11 includes an elongated launcher bay 50 de~ining a linear track portion 57 ~herein. Lau~cher 11 furth~r de~ine~ an aperture a~ and i~ coupled to ramp 13. A trigger button 52 de~ines an outwardly extending flange 8~ and ex~end~
u~wardly.through aperture sa ~ A ~pring 86 iq cap~ivated upon a `spring gu~d~ 86 and ~x~rt~ a spring force upwardly against trigger button 52. Trigger. 52 further includes a ~orwardly extending hook po~tion 90.

A.shuttle 51 define3 an end portior~ 54, a.downwardl~. .
*xtend~ng tab 49 and a hook 91. Hook 91 e~gage~ hook 90 of trigger bu~on ~2 to form a convenient relea~able latch for .
shuttle 51. Launcher ll ~urther de~ines a spring ~top 48 which receiveQ a coil spring 53. Spring 53 is captivated between ~top ~8 and tab 49.

Figure 4 ~hows the con~iguratlo~ of launcher 11 1~ the loaded or cocked po~itlon in which shuttle 51 has been forced rearwardly in the direction indicated by arrow 92 cau~lng spring S3 to be compre3~ed between tab 49 and ~top 48. In the po~ition shown in Figure 4, hook 91 o~ shuttle 51 has engaged and latched w~th hook gO of trigger button 52. In thi~ position, a vehicle may be positioned again~t and 54 o~ shuttle 51 ln.the manner shown ~or vehicle ao in ~igura 2. Th~rea~ter, ~re~aing trigger button 52 downwardly in th~ directio~ indicated by arrow 89, releas~ hook 90 from hook 91 afterwhich the ~pring force stored in spring 53 acc~l~rates shuttle 51 ln the dir~ctio~ indicated by arrow 93. Th~ rapid acceleration of ~huttle 51 impar~ an accelerating ~orce to a toy vehiole placed againqt end 54. Oncc shuttle 51 r~aches ~he end of its travel, it i8 retained withln launcher bay 50 while the cooperating vehicl~ i8 la~nched ac~osc ramp 13 in the manner de~cribed above.

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-It w~ll be apparent to tho~e 3killed ln the art that the above-de~cribed ~umpset provldes ~ub~tantial entertainment and eonsiderable sklll may be exercised ln the developmental .act~vitles as~ociated wi.~h reeonfiguring the track and ramp portions o~ the present i~entlo~ ~umpset to accommodate the accum~lating pr~viously launched and retur~ vehicles. However, it has bee~ found that additio~al sk~ll may b~ exercised and additional developmental activ~ty may be carr~ed forward if launcher 11 is replaced by a ~ore.~lexible type launcher which.
permit a varied amount of launchlng ~orce to be imparted to the toy vehicle. Thus,.~igure 5 set~ forth one ~uch launcher ~h~ch~
i~ used in place of launcher 11 in ju~pset 10 in the manner shown in Figure 1 throu~h 3 permit~ the ex~rcise of still another skill aspect by the use of a varied launch:lng force. The launcher ~hown in Figure 5 i~.representative of the vari~ty o~ variable force launcher~ known ln th~ art and i9 shown in great detall ln U.S. Patent 4,~05,230 entltled TOY VEHICLE.GAME ~IT~ LAUNCHER AND
R~TURN M~ANS and i~sued to Halford et al. Accordi~gly, Figure 5 ~et~ forth a launcher 100 which includes a housing 101 defining therein a ohamber 103 and a ~assa~e 104. A latarally extending cylinder p~sage 105 Gom~unicate~ with pas8age 104 and support~ a slidable piston 106 . The lat ter de~ines an outwardly extending end portion.107. A resilient bellow~ 111 i9 coupled to piston 102 and ur~es it upwardly and to the lower ~urface of cha~ber 103 , ~3~ ~

o~ housing 101. In operatlon, with piston 106 ln the position.
shown in solld line representation, ~lston 102 i8 urged upwardly to th~ positlo~ ~hown.by th~ re~il1ent force of bellows 111.
Thereafter, a toy vehicle is ~lac~d withln launcher 11 ln contact with end lO~ of plston 106. The.vehicle launch i~ accomplished by rapldly forclng piston 102 downwardly in the dixection indicated by arrow 108 which forces air from chamber 103 through .
passage 104 and inta cylinder 105. The force of air thus transPerred i8 applied to pi8ton 106 and accelerate3 ~iston 106 in the directlon indic~ted by arrow lO9 to the dashed line extended position shown. This rapid acceleratlon and extension of pi8to~ 106 launches the toy vehicle toward ramp 13 in the ~, direction indlcated by arrow 110.

A~ mentioned above, launcher 100 i~ represantative of the general type o~ launchar which produc~s a launching force which varies in re~ponse to the applied forc~ o~ the user. Thus, the harder and more abruptly piston 102 i~3 ~orced downwardly, the greater the launching ~orce applied by pi~ton 106. It wlll be apparent to those skilled in the art that a varlet~ o~ variable force launchin~ mecha~lsm~ may ba used in pla~e of launch~r 11 to provlde this addltional ~kill factor ~or the pre3ent in~entio~
play~et. However, in accordance wl~h an important aspect of the pre~ent lnventlon, the U8R 0~ ~uch a varlable force lau~cher.ln combination wi~h the rema~nde~ of jump~et 10 acllitate~ the exercise o~ an additional.touch or skill actor.

~ hat ha~ been ~hown is a.multiple toy vehicle ~umpset which provides th~ action and skill ~eatures a9soc~ated with the accumulation of additlonal.vehicle~ to ~ump.. The ~ump~et show~..
is capable of multiple confi~urations and thu~ a variety of challenges ~n associatlon with its operatlo~ may be presented.to the user.

While particular embodiments o~ th~ invention have been showA and described, it will be obvious to those ~killed in the art that changes and modifications may be mad~ wlthout departing from the invention in its broader aspect~. Therefore the aim in the appende~ claim~ i9 to cover all ~uch change and modi~icat~ons as fall within the true spirit and scope of the inven~ion.

Claims (5)

1. For use in combination with a plurality of toy vehicles, a toy vehicle jumpset comprising:

a launcher for receiving a toy vehicle and applying an accelerating force thereto;

a track having an upwardly directed launch ramp portion, a receiving portion and a return ramp portion, said launch ramp, said receiving portion and said return ramp portion cooperating to form a travel and return path for a toy vehicle;
and stop means proximate said launch ramp for returning successive launched and returned toy vehicles as increasing obstructions of the travel and return path as they accumulate,

2. A toy vehicle jumpset as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said launch ramp includes a first flexible track portion having retaining sidewalls and wherein said stop means includes a generally wedge-shaped ramp support having a generally vertical stop surface.

3. A toy vehicle jumpset as set forth in Claim 2 wherein said stop means includes a second track portion interposed between said launch ramp and said receiving portion for accumulating successive launched and returned toy vehicles in a line between said launch ramp and said receiving portion.

4. A toy vehicle jumpset as set forth in Claim 3 wherein said receiving portion includes a planar roadway portion and upwardly extending outwardly inclined sidewalls and wherein said receiving portion is movable with respect to said launch ramp.

5. A toy vehicle jumpset as set forth in Claim 4 wherein said launcher imparts a launch force which may be varied by the user.