FR2559397A1 - SELF PROPELLED ROLLING TOY WITH MULTIPLE CONFIGURATIONS - Google Patents

Abstract

THE INVENTION RELATES TO A SELF-PROPELLED ROLLING TOY WITH MULTIPLE CONFIGURATIONS, WHICH CAN BE TRANSFORMED FROM A VEHICLE CONFIGURATION TO A ROBOT CONFIGURATION. IN THE VEHICLE CONFIGURATION, THE TOY CAN RIDE ON WHEELS 6, 17 WHILE PARTS 3 FORMING LEGS ARE FOLDED AND LOCKED IN POSITION ABOVE PART 2 FORMING BODY. DURING THE ROLLING MOTION, THE LEGS SHIFT BRICKLY FORWARD, WHICH ALLOWS THE TOY TO TAKE A STANDING ATTITUDE UNDER THE EFFECT OF THE REACTION FORCE GENERATED BY THE SHIFT MOVEMENT OF THE LEGS 3. FIELD OF APPLICATION: TOYS CONVERTIBLE IN SEVERAL CONFIGURATIONS.

Description

i

  The invention relates to a self-propelled

  multi-configuration powered vehicle which, when in a rolling vehicle mode, is movable while leg portions are folded and locked in position above a body portion and are also adapted for folded portions can suddenly, while rolling, lie straight ahead to take the form of legs in order to

  give the toy the appearance of a robot.

  The toy according to the invention is made so that the folded parts can suddenly move forward while the toy moves so that the toy takes, turning, a vertical attitude (standing) under the effect of the reaction force generated by the sudden movement of the folded parts (legs). The realization of such a rolling toy to

  Multiple configurations pose the following problems.

  The first problem is that to maintain a stable standing attitude of the toy,

  it is necessary to concentrate the reaction force

  dreaded by the rapid movement of the legs, which is the driving force producing the upright movement, and it was found that the toy was unable to maintain a stable, substantially vertical standing position unless this reaction force be limited so as to be included in

a certain specified range.

  The second problem is how to stop the legs instantly just in the position in which they were advanced straight ahead of the toy body. This is essential to allow the entire toy, including its upper half, to perform a righting movement under the effect of the reaction force produced by the rapid extension and rotation movement of the parts.

  folded toy when in rolling mode.

  The third problem is the need

  to provide means to eliminate any reaction force

  excess that would remain after the toy has reached its standing position. If there is any excessive force of reaction after the arrival of the toy in its standing position, this force may

  swing the toy forward.

  The invention relates to an automatic rolling toy

  A multiple configuration which, when in rolling mode, can roll while leg portions are locked in a folded position over a body portion, the lock opposing a constant rotational force tending to cause an extension of the legs. When the legs are released from the lock position

  during the rolling movement, they advance abruptly

  turning, up to their maximum length, which has the effect of giving the toy a straightened attitude

  by the reaction force produced by the legs.

  According to one characteristic of the invention,

  an element intended to accelerate the movement of

  The toy is provided at a lower part of the body of the toy to serve as a fulcrum for this movement, this element being designed to protrude a certain distance. Means are also provided

  to define the amplitude of the rotation of the legs

  that they are released from the locking position so that the legs can take a position

  substantially elongated at the front relative to the body.

  In addition, an auxiliary wheel assembly is mounted at the end of each leg to allow the toy

  to move while he maintains his standing attitude.

  The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of non-limiting example and in which:

  - Figure 1 is a general perspective view

  multi-configuration self-propelled toy toy according to the invention, the toy being shown in rolling mode in which its legs are folded in the locking position; - Figure 2 is also a general perspective view of the toy of Figure 1, reconfigured robot standing, legs being extended; Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the toy shown in Figure 2; - Figure 4 is a longitudinal section

  along line IV-IV of Figure 1, showing the mechanism

  internal organization; FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the drive mechanism; FIG. 6 is a perspective view

  burst of an element accelerating the movement of

  this view showing the mode of adaptation of this element; FIG. 7 is a plan view of the

  part of the toy forming a head when it is in

  FIG. 8A and 8B show the relationship between the element accelerating the straightening motion and the ground surface; and FIG. 9 represents a series of diagrams of the toy illustrating the process of its change of configuration.

  The following description is intended to

  be to any specialist in the toy manufacturing industry

  quer and use the present invention and indicates

  the best modes of implementation of the invention.

  The accompanying drawings show an embodiment of the invention applied to a type of toy that can be transformed from a form into a vehicle.

  rolling in the shape of a humanoid robot, or vice versa.

  In other words, the self-propelled toy with multiple configurations according to the invention can take either the shape of a rolling toy (FIG. 1) when it is folded, or the shape of a toy robot (FIG. is deployed. The toy essentially comprises a part

  2 forming body and two parts 3 forming legs, articulated

  on the body 2 so that they can be turned upwards or downwards (that is to say folded or unfolded), each of the legs having a surface

  transverse sole to the longitudinal axis of the toy.

  This multi-configuration toy 1 can be transformed from the collapsed state shown in the figure

  1 in the deployed state shown in Figure 2 or vice versa.

  The mechanism and the structural parts of the toy 1 according to the invention will now be described

more in detail.

  Regarding the mode in which the toy can be used as a robot (Figure 2), a protuberance 4 having the appearance of a head is located at the upper end of the body 2, and two arms 5

  are articulated on both sides of the body.

  The rear side of the body 2 has a first surface 40 which, when the toy is folded

  as shown in FIG. 1, constitutes the inferior surface

  of the rolling toy. Two wheels 6 (Figure 3) project from this rear surface, at points close to the shoulders, to facilitate the movement of the toy when in rolling mode. Although two of these wheels are shown in the embodiment described, any number of wheels may be chosen,

as necessary.

  Two projections 7 are made in one piece with the rear side of the body 2, at the lower end of the first surface 40 as shown in Figures 3 and 4, these projections being designed to abut against the back side of the legs 3 in the robot mode (in the standing configuration) to limit

the rotation of the legs 3.

  A main 8 spring motor assembly

255939.7

  of known type, retrograde winding, is housed in the body 2 as shown in Figure 4. This motor assembly 8 (shown in perspective in Figure 5) is fixed within the first surface 40 of the body 2 and includes, although not shown in the drawings, a spring and a gear train connected to the spring. A shaft 9 passes through a portion of the motor assembly near one end to receive a driving force for rotating the end-mounted wheels 6

of the tree 9.

  A cam 11 is mounted on the output shaft 10 of the motor assembly, this shaft rotating at low speed and constituting a device for releasing the locking of the legs, the cam 11 having a

ratchet 11a.

  A lever 13 is placed outside the shaft end 9 of the motor assembly 8 so as to be pivotable on an axis 12. The lever 13 is T-shaped and has a vertical portion 14 terminated by a hook 14a. A horizontal portion 15 of this lever 13 of T-shape also has a hook

  formed at its end. The hook of the vertical part

  wedge 14 of the lever 13 protrudes from an opening 2a formed in the chest located on one side of the body 2, for example on the left side when considering the robot face (see Figures 2 and 4). The hook 15a located at the end of the horizontal portion 15 is arranged to engage with the ratchet

11a of the cam 11 (see Figure 4).

  A compressed spring 16 is mounted between the horizontal portion 15 of the lever 13 and the inner wall of the body 2 so that the lever 13 constantly receives a force tending to rotate it clockwise, in the orientation of FIG. 5. Thus, the end of the horizontal part 15 normally remains in contact with the cam 11, and consequently, when the cam 11 rotates in the direction of clockwise, in the orientation of FIG. 4, and that the toy is in rolling mode, a rounded part of the pawl 11a of the cam 11 comes into contact with the hook 15a to rotate the lever 13 in the opposite direction of that of the clockwise, in the orientation of Figure 5, to release the hook 14a legs

  engaged, as described in more detail below.

  Since the cam 11 is mounted narrowly

  on the output shaft 10 to make a frictional grip on the latter, it is obliged to turn

  with this shaft 10, unless an external force is sufficient

  health is applied to the cam 11 to prevent its movement. An opening 3a is formed in the leg 3, on the same side of the robot as the chest of which exceeds the hook 14a located at the end of the lever 13 of T-shape. When the toy is folded, the hook 14a is wrapped in the opening 3a and engages with its peripheral edge so as to maintain the

legs 3 in the folded position.

  The sole of each leg 3 has a surface (second surface) 30 which is perpendicular

  the longitudinal axis of the Toy and whose area is sufficient

  health to allow the toy to take and maintain a standing attitude. An auxiliary wheel 17, for movably supporting the upright toy 1, is rotatably mounted on the toe side of each second surface 30. These wheels 17, located at the base of the legs, are in contact with the surface. of support when the toy 1 is standing in the form of a robot. Therefore, when an excessive turning moment acts forward on the toy 1 after it has taken up standing, the toy is forced to move forward under the effect of inertia , using the wheels 17, while maintaining its standing attitude, which allows to absorb this excessive turning moment directed forward. Thus, when standing, in the form of a robot, the toy can steadily maintain its standing attitude with a risk

minimum drop forward.

  The legs 3 are connected to the body 2 so as to be able to turn (and bend) by means of an axis 18 fixed to the lower end of the front part of the body 2. The legs 3 form the upper base element of the toy, while the body 2 forms the part

  lower or the frame. This frame 2 has a longitudinal axis

  which is parallel to the support surface in the vehicle configuration and the body 2 rotates to an alignment parallel to the longitudinal axis when

  the configuration of the toy is brought to a standing robot.

  Although not shown, the spindle 18 is biased by a helicoidal torsion spring so that the legs 3, when folded, constantly tend to rotate in the direction of extension or deployment.

under the force of this spring.

  A notch 19 is formed at the rear of the head 4, as shown in FIG. 6, and a diamond-shaped element, intended to accelerate the straightening movement of the toy, is fitted into the notch 19 so as to be able to rotate around an axis hole 19b

  formed towards one end of the short diagonal of the diamond.

  The hole 19b is fitted on a lug (not shown) of the notch 19 so that the element 20 can rotate freely around this lug. Recesses 20a, 20b are formed in the lower surface of the element

  20 in the form of a diamond as shown in dashed lines.

  These recesses 20a, 20b are intended to receive a projection 19a formed on the lower side.

of the notch 19.

  Edges 21, 22 of the element 20, protruding

  of the notch 19 in the head 4, are located at

  these different 1 and Z2 (z1> Z2) of the axis hole 19b (fi

  Figure 6). Therefore, if the element is rotated counterclockwise so that its edge 22 protrudes as shown in FIG. 7, the distance over which the element protrudes is smaller than that of FIG. which is over the edge 21. This is illustrated in Figures 8A and 8B. Figure 8A shows the arrangement in which the edge 22 of the member 20 protrudes. In this case, the distance a between the element 20 and the support surface is large. FIG. 8B shows the arrangement in which the edge 21 protrudes, in which case the distance a 'between the element 20 and the support surface is weak. We will now consider how to play

  with this embodiment of the invention.

  Firstly, the legs 3 are turned upwardly on the axis 18 against the elastic force of the torsion coil spring (not shown) and thus folded into a position in which they extend beyond 2. The hook 14a of the lever 13 enters the opening 3a of a leg 3 (see Figure 4). During this movement, the hook 14a bears against an edge of the opening 3a and, when the lever 13 is further rotated in the direction

  opposite to that of the needles of a clock, in the direction

  4, against the reaction force of the spring 16, the hook 14a is forced to pass over the edge of the opening 3a and clings to

  inside this opening (see Figure 4).

  In this arrangement, the legs 3 are held folded against the force of the helical torsion spring (not shown) by engagement of the hook 14a. The legs 3 are then placed on the body, their rear surfaces being turned upwards and the projections 7, made in one piece with the body 2, are oriented so that their ends face towards the front, thus forming the rolling toy vehicle as shown in FIG. 1. In this toy form, the wheels 6 are arranged to contact the support surface to enable

the rolling movement of the toy.

  To roll the toy, when using a known type spring-loaded motor with backward movement, the child takes the toy body, presses the wheels 6 against the support surface and pulls the toy backwards. so that the spring (not shown) is wound by the shaft 9 of the wheels 6. The output shaft 10 on which the spring is loaded is also forcibly rotated in the clockwise direction, in the the orientation of FIG. 4, causing a corresponding rotation of the cam 11. Consequently, the shouldered portion of the pawl 11a of the cam 11 engages with the hook 15a, but since the cam 11 is mounted only friction on the output shaft, the latter, alone, is forced to rotate in the direction of clockwise while this grip is maintained, leaving the cam 11 slide around the shaft and thus winding the spring (no

represent).

  When the child allows the toy to move

  in this condition, the spring begins to unfurl.

  1 to rotate the wheels 6 and thereby begin rolling the toy 1. When the output shaft 10 rotates more counterclockwise, in the orientation of Figure 4, the outer curved portion the pawl 11a of the cam bears against the end of the hook 15a so as to lift it and thus forcing the lever 13 to turn counterclockwise, as shown in FIG. 4, against the elastic force of the spring 16,

  in such a way that hook 14a emerges from the edge of the

  3a. The legs 3 are then resiliently returned to their position of extension or deployment relative to the body 2 under the effect of the restoring force of the coiled torsion spring (not shown) wound

  around the axis 18 which connects the legs 3 to the body 2.

  As a result, the diamond-shaped member 20 protruding from the rear end of the projection 4 is struck against the support surface to generate a turning moment (reaction force) in response to the action of the centrifugal force. generated by the rapid rotation of the legs 3. This causes the toy to jump upward into the air, which has now turned into a robot, turning it about 90 so that it falls back to the ground, the surfaces of the soles (second surfaces) 30 of the

  3 legs bearing against the support surface.

  The force under which the protruding member is struck against the ground surface can be adjusted by changing the distance between the element and the ground surface, by rotating the element, as illustrated in FIGS. 8B, and it is therefore possible to adjust the required reaction force to bring the toy into its erected attitude, which ensures the toy the opportunity to perform its righting movement. Due to the presence of the two projections

  7 which constitute means intended to limit the rotational

  When the legs are released so that they can assume a substantially outstretched and straight attitude to the body of the toy, the legs can be stopped instantly when

  reached their deployed position after being released

  from their fallback position, which enables them to produce

a strong reaction force.

  There is still an excessive reaction force when the toy has just landed on the ground surface, but since the presence of the auxiliary wheels 17 at the ends of the legs 3, the toy 1 is able to perform a movement by inertia

  on an appropriate distance while maintaining its attractiveness

  Standing study, which absorbs any moment remaining, facing forward. In other words, any excessive force remaining after the arrival of the toy in a standing position is transformed into a force that acts to allow the toy to move forward inertia while maintaining its standing attitude. This allows the toy to rest securely and steadily on the support surface, without the risk of tipping over.

  forward, after he has reached his standing attitude.

  FIG. 9 illustrates the movement sequence performed by the toy during its transformation during the game, until it takes its standing attitude,

analogous to a robot.

  It goes without saying that many modifications can be made to the toy described and shown

  without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (3)

  A multi-configuration toy that can be transformed from a vehicle into a robot, characterized in that it comprises a frame member (2) having a longitudinal axis approximately parallel to a support surface and simulating the body a robot, means (6) for translating the frame member on a support surface, a frame member (3) movably mounted on the frame member for deployment forwardly on about 180, the frame member simulating the legs of a robot, means for   to bias the frame member into the deployed position   in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the frame member, and means (11) for releasing the frame member when folded over the frame member during translation of the toy in vehicle configuration. such that the rotational forces generated by the movement of the frame member above the frame member rotate the frame member so that the longitudinal axis is automatically positioned about 90 'from its position initial parallel to the support surface when the toy completes its movement   and takes a robot configuration.   2. Toy according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two stop elements (7) projecting towards the front of the frame member and parallel to the longitudinal axis.   Toy according to claim 1, characterized in that the frame element is fork-shaped   to simulate two legs each carrying a wheel (17).