EP0806230A1 - Fernsteuerungsanordnung für elektrische bahngebundene Spielzeugautos - Google Patents

Fernsteuerungsanordnung für elektrische bahngebundene Spielzeugautos Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0806230A1
EP0806230A1 EP96308291A EP96308291A EP0806230A1 EP 0806230 A1 EP0806230 A1 EP 0806230A1 EP 96308291 A EP96308291 A EP 96308291A EP 96308291 A EP96308291 A EP 96308291A EP 0806230 A1 EP0806230 A1 EP 0806230A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
power supply
controller system
remote controller
supply rails
receiver
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP96308291A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0806230B1 (de
Inventor
Kam Fai c/o Artin Industrial Co. Ltd. Ngai
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Artin Industrial Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Artin Industrial Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Artin Industrial Co Ltd filed Critical Artin Industrial Co Ltd
Priority to CA002195492A priority Critical patent/CA2195492A1/en
Priority to CN 97103429 priority patent/CN1104920C/zh
Priority to JP6559697A priority patent/JPH1033838A/ja
Publication of EP0806230A1 publication Critical patent/EP0806230A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0806230B1 publication Critical patent/EP0806230B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
    • A63H30/00—Remote-control arrangements specially adapted for toys, e.g. for toy vehicles
    • A63H30/02—Electrical arrangements
    • A63H30/04—Electrical arrangements using wireless transmission
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
    • A63H18/00—Highways or trackways for toys; Propulsion by special interaction between vehicle and track
    • A63H18/12—Electric current supply to toy vehicles through the track
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
    • A63H19/00—Model railways
    • A63H19/24—Electric toy railways; Systems therefor

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a remote controller system for an electric toy car racing track.
  • Electric toy car racing tracks are generally known, which are typically formed by a series of inter-connected track sections to provide at least two side-by-side lanes, each having a pair of power supply rails, for respective electric toy cars to run along.
  • the toy cars are to be controlled by players by means of respective hand-held controllers which are electrically connected by wires to the corresponding pairs of power supply rails via a power intake track section.
  • the invention seeks to provide a modified controller system for an electric toy car racing track, which is more convenient to use than the existing controller systems.
  • a remote controller system for use with an electric toy car racing track formed by a series of track sections connected together to provide lanes having co-extending pairs of power supply rails for supplying power to electric toy cars running along respective lanes, characterised in that the system comprises a transmitter for use by a respective player relative to each lane and a receiver for electrical connection to the power supply rails, said transmitter including a signal generator for generating a control signal for transmission in a wireless manner, said receiver including a signal processor for processing the control signal received from the transmitter to determine the characteristic of the voltage supplied to the respective pair of power supply rails for controlling the movement of the associated toy car.
  • control signal is transmitted from a respective transmitter and received by the receiver in the form of a radio frequency signal
  • the radio frequency signal is amplitude modulated.
  • the receiver incorporates a voltage regulator to determine the characteristic of the voltage supplied to the power supply rails.
  • the voltage regulator is adapted to change the level of the voltage supplied to the power supply rails.
  • the voltage regulator is adapted to change the duty cycle of the voltage supplied to the power supply rails.
  • the voltage regulator is adapted to change the frequency of the voltage supplied to the power supply rails.
  • the receiver is adapted to gradually adjust the characteristic of the voltage supplied to the power supply rails over a predetermined range.
  • each transmitter incorporates a variable resistor to determine the control signal for controlling the receiver to gradually adjust the characteristic of the voltage supplied to the power supply rails.
  • the receiver is adapted to select the characteristic of the voltage supplied to the power supply rails between predetermined values.
  • each transmitter incorporates a selector switch to determine the control signal for controlling the receiver to select the characteristic of the voltage supplied to the power supply rails.
  • the receiver is adapted to be electrically connected between the power supply rails and a power supply source for a said racing track.
  • the remote controller system is adapted for use with a conventional racing track.
  • the invention also provides an electric toy racing car track in combination with the aforesaid remote controller system.
  • a remote controller system 10 embodying the invention, which system 10 is formed by two transmitters 20 for use by players to control respective electric toy cars (not shown) and a receiver 30 for use with an electric toy car racing track system comprising an endless racing track 40 and a power supply unit 50.
  • the racing track 40 is formed by a loop of inter-connected track sections 41, including a power intake track section 42, to provide two co-extensive lanes 40A and 40B along which the respective toy cars are to run.
  • Each lane 40A/40B has a central groove 43 for guiding a bottom peg of the respective toy car running therealong and two power supply rails 44 provided on opposite sides of the groove 43 for supplying power to the toy car.
  • the power intake track section 42 has an outer side tab 45 on which two pairs of contact terminals 45T are provided in electrical connection with respective pairs of power supply rails 44.
  • the power supply unit 50 is provided by a battery box 51 containing, for example, eight battery cells to form a 6V DC power source (Vcc in Figure 5).
  • the battery box 51 has a front side tab 52 on which two pairs of supply terminals 52T are provided in electrical connection with the battery cells.
  • the pairs of supply terminals 52T are connected with the respective pairs of contact terminals 45T by electrical wires such that the power supply unit 50 is electrically connected to the power supply rails 44.
  • the battery box 51 includes a rear side tab 53 having two pairs of contact terminals 53T.
  • Each pair of contact terminals 53T represents a break in the power circuit of respective pair of power supply rails 44 and toy car and is provided for the connection of a conventional hand-held controller by means of electrical wires.
  • the controller is in effect a variable resistor for controlling the voltage applied to the respective pair of power supply rails 44 and, in turn, the speed of the toy car.
  • the construction and operation of the racing track 40 and the power supply unit 50, as described above, are generally known in the art.
  • the power supply unit 50 may be replaced by a voltage adaptor connected to the mains power supply.
  • the receiver 30 has a casing 31 which is provided with front and rear side tabs 32 and 33, each having a channel-shaped cross-section and two pairs of output/input terminals 32T/33T.
  • the receiver 30 is used between the power intake track section 42 and the power supply unit 50, with the tabs 32 and 33 slidably engaging the respective tabs 45 and 52 on opposite sides, such that the output and input terminals 32T and 33T come into electrical connection with the respective contact and supply terminals 45T and 52T.
  • Each transmitter 20 has a pistol handgrip-like body 21 including a spring-loaded trigger 22, an internal sliding selector switch 23 and an upwardly extending antenna 24.
  • the transmitters 20 and the receiver 30 have respective internal electronic operating circuitries 25 and 35 which are wireless-linked together for the transmitters 20 to control the operation of the receiver 30.
  • Each transmitter circuitry 25, which is powered by a self-contained battery cell 28, is formed by a bi-stable oscillator 26 connected to the selector switch 23 and an AM (amplitude modulation) modulator 27 tuned to have a carrier frequency of 27MHz (for one transmitter 20) or 40MHz (for the other transmitter 20) and connected to the respective antenna 24.
  • the receiver circuitry 35 has two parts for respective transmitters 20, each of which parts is formed by a combined RF (radio frequency) amplifier/demodulator 36 connected to a common antenna 34 ( Figure 1), an amplifier 37, a signal processor 38, a pair of transistor switches 38A and an output driver 39.
  • the oscillator 26 is designed to generate a square-wave control signal of either 1kHz or 2.6kHz which is selectable by means of the selector switch 23 connecting either resistors R3/R4 or resistors R2/R5 ( Figure 4).
  • the AM modulator 27 serves to provide an amplitude modulated control signal, at a carrier frequency of 27MHz or 40MHz, for emission by means of the respective antenna 24.
  • the RF amplifier/demodulator 36 serves to receive the amplitude modulated control signal by means of the common antenna 34 and then to recover, through demodulation, the 1kHz or 2.6kHz control signal generated by the oscillator 26 of the respective transmitter 20.
  • the demodulated control signal is amplified by the amplifier 37 and then fed to the signal processor 38.
  • the signal processor 38 is in the form of an IC (integrated circuit) chip which has an input pin 1 for receiving the control signal and two output pins 6 and 7.
  • the chip 38 is programmed such that the output pin 6 provides a logic high (3V) when a control signal of 1kHz is received and that the other output pin 7 provides a logic high (3V) upon the receipt of a control signal of 2.6kHz.
  • the transistor switches 38A are connected to the corresponding output pins 6 and 7 for modifying the corresponding logic high (3V) to relatively low or high control signal of 4.0-4.5V or 4.3-4.8V, respectively.
  • the modified control signals may vary according to the loading condition but will remain at a difference of 0.3V.
  • the modified control signal is finally fed to the output driver 39, which acts as a voltage regulator, for providing a correspondingly low or high track voltage across the respective pair of power supply rails 44 for driving the associated toy car (motor M) at a low or high speed.
  • the power supply unit 50 is connected to the power supply rails 44 via the receiver 30 (by means of the respective terminals 52T, 45T, 32T and 33T) and in particular the output driver 39 acting as a voltage regulator.
  • the receiver circuitry 35 is powered by the power supply unit 50.
  • the speed of the toy cars is determined by the (actual) level of the track voltage in direct proportion.
  • the output driver 39 may be configured to provide a pulsating track voltage (in square-wave form) and alter the average (or means) level of the track voltage by changing its duty cycle, such as 50% on/50% off (Figure 6B) for low speed and 75% on/25% off (Figure 6C) for high speed running of the toy cars.
  • the frequency of the pulsating track voltage may be altered by the output driver 39 such that a lower frequency is for low speed running and a higher frequency is for high speed running.
  • the track voltage may be adjusted to vary over a certain continuous range, rather than having only two predetermined high/low levels, such that the speed of the toy cars may be controlled in a gradual manner.
  • the selector switch 23 of the transmitter circuitry 25 should be replaced by a suitable variable resistor.
  • the polarity of the track voltage may be reversed.
  • Such a speed control requires the use of a special drive mechanism 60 for the toy cars, for example, as shown in Figures 7A and 7B.
  • the level, duty cycle, frequency and polarity, etc, of the track voltage are characteristics to be altered, changed or adjusted for controlling the speed of the toy cars.
  • the drive mechanism 60 is formed by an electric motor 61 having a motor pinion 62, a pair of opposed crown wheels 63A and 63B for simultaneously driving by the pinion 62 to rotate in opposite directions, and two co-axial axles 65A and 65B for rotation by respective crown wheels 63A and 63B in said opposite directions about a common axis.
  • a gear train 64 is employed between the crown wheel 63B and the axle 65B for reducing the speed of the axle 65B compared with the other axle 65A.
  • the crown wheel 63A and the gear train 64 are rotatably engageable with the respective axles 65A and 65B by means of respective one-way ratchets/clutches 66A and 66B, as shown.
  • the clutches 66A and 66B are arranged to operate (hold/slip) in opposite senses such that when one clutch 66A/66B holds/slips the other clutch 66B/66A slips/holds.
  • the crown wheel 63A rotates the axle 65A, through holding of the clutch 66A, in a car-forward-moving direction.
  • the clutch 66B slips to allow the associated axle 65B to follow and roll freely with the driven axle 65A, via engagement of respective car wheels on the track surface.
  • the toy car moves forwards.
  • the reversing of the polarity of the track voltage may be effected by suitable transistor switches in the receiver circuitry 35 configured to re-arrange the positive (Vcc) and the earth connections of the power supply unit 50.
  • the use of the transmitter 20 and receiver 30 of the described controller system 10 with the racing track 40 is optional, in that the racing track 40 itself may instead be controlled by means of the conventional wired controllers.
  • the use of the controller system 10 to enable wireless remote control, without the need to modify the construction of the racing track 40 and the toy cars as generally known in the art, is simple and greatly enhances the fun of playing.
  • the wireless link between the transmitters 20 and the receiver 30 may be established by means of FM (frequency modulated) or infrared signal or any other suitable wireless control signal.
  • the racing track 40 may be powered by domestic mains power supply instead of battery cells.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)
EP96308291A 1996-04-30 1996-11-15 Fernsteuerungsanordnung für elektrische bahngebundene Spielzeugautos Expired - Lifetime EP0806230B1 (de)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA002195492A CA2195492A1 (en) 1996-04-30 1997-01-20 Electric toy car racing track controller system
CN 97103429 CN1104920C (zh) 1996-04-30 1997-02-28 电动玩具车竞赛轨道控制系统
JP6559697A JPH1033838A (ja) 1996-04-30 1997-03-05 電気式玩具自動車用レーシングトラックのコントローラシステム

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9608894A GB2312631B (en) 1996-04-30 1996-04-30 Electric toy car racing track controller system
GB9608894 1996-04-30

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0806230A1 true EP0806230A1 (de) 1997-11-12
EP0806230B1 EP0806230B1 (de) 2002-06-12

Family

ID=10792856

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP96308291A Expired - Lifetime EP0806230B1 (de) 1996-04-30 1996-11-15 Fernsteuerungsanordnung für elektrische bahngebundene Spielzeugautos

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0806230B1 (de)
AT (1) ATE218910T1 (de)
DE (1) DE69621774T2 (de)
GB (1) GB2312631B (de)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6688985B2 (en) 2001-02-07 2004-02-10 Mattel, Inc. Electrically controlled racing game with information and control center
WO2004037366A1 (es) * 2002-10-22 2004-05-06 Winkler International, Sa Sistema y metodo de control para vehiculos electricos de juguete
WO2006084965A1 (fr) * 2005-02-08 2006-08-17 Wany Sa Procédé et système pour contrôler la vitesse de modèles réduits sur un circuit
US7753756B2 (en) 2004-10-07 2010-07-13 Mt Remote Systems, Llc Radio controlled system and method of remote location motion emulation and mimicry
EP2594325A1 (de) * 2011-11-15 2013-05-22 Stadlbauer Marketing + Vertrieb GmbH Spielzeug

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2023538980A (ja) * 2020-09-01 2023-09-13 デジタル ドリーム ラブズ，エルエルシー トラックを用いる車両システム用パワードライブスーパーキャパシタ、誘導式電源及びシステム

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3926434A (en) * 1974-04-19 1975-12-16 Jr Thomas C Cannon Remote controlled vehicle systems
US4207502A (en) * 1977-12-27 1980-06-10 Asahi Corporation Motor driving system for remote controlled mobile toys
EP0381594A1 (de) * 1989-01-31 1990-08-08 Jouef Industries S.A. Fernbedienungsvorrichtung für eine elektrische Schienenfahrspielzeuganlage
DE4323795A1 (de) * 1992-07-15 1994-01-20 Futaba Denshi Kogyo Kk Funksteuerungseinrichtung
EP0728505A1 (de) * 1995-02-21 1996-08-28 Konami Co., Ltd. Leistungstransfervorrichtung zum Antrieb eines beweglichen Objektes

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5141469A (en) * 1990-06-28 1992-08-25 Kyosho Corporation Toy racing set
GB9312016D0 (en) * 1993-06-10 1993-07-28 Nieuwenhuys Mark A Toy car track system

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3926434A (en) * 1974-04-19 1975-12-16 Jr Thomas C Cannon Remote controlled vehicle systems
US4207502A (en) * 1977-12-27 1980-06-10 Asahi Corporation Motor driving system for remote controlled mobile toys
EP0381594A1 (de) * 1989-01-31 1990-08-08 Jouef Industries S.A. Fernbedienungsvorrichtung für eine elektrische Schienenfahrspielzeuganlage
DE4323795A1 (de) * 1992-07-15 1994-01-20 Futaba Denshi Kogyo Kk Funksteuerungseinrichtung
EP0728505A1 (de) * 1995-02-21 1996-08-28 Konami Co., Ltd. Leistungstransfervorrichtung zum Antrieb eines beweglichen Objektes

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6688985B2 (en) 2001-02-07 2004-02-10 Mattel, Inc. Electrically controlled racing game with information and control center
WO2004037366A1 (es) * 2002-10-22 2004-05-06 Winkler International, Sa Sistema y metodo de control para vehiculos electricos de juguete
CN100450571C (zh) * 2002-10-22 2009-01-14 温克勒国际股份有限公司 电动玩具车的控制系统和方法
US7833080B2 (en) 2002-10-22 2010-11-16 Winkler International, Sa Control system and method for electric toy vehicles
US7753756B2 (en) 2004-10-07 2010-07-13 Mt Remote Systems, Llc Radio controlled system and method of remote location motion emulation and mimicry
WO2006084965A1 (fr) * 2005-02-08 2006-08-17 Wany Sa Procédé et système pour contrôler la vitesse de modèles réduits sur un circuit
EP2594325A1 (de) * 2011-11-15 2013-05-22 Stadlbauer Marketing + Vertrieb GmbH Spielzeug
EP2745897A3 (de) * 2011-11-15 2014-08-20 Stadlbauer Marketing + Vertrieb GmbH Spielzeug

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9608894D0 (en) 1996-07-03
GB2312631A (en) 1997-11-05
DE69621774T2 (de) 2003-02-06
GB2312631B (en) 1998-03-11
EP0806230B1 (de) 2002-06-12
DE69621774D1 (de) 2002-07-18
ATE218910T1 (de) 2002-06-15

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