GB2206808A - Toy vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A motor driven toy land vehicle, which automatically follows a predetermined steering pattern, includes a rotating cam 12 and a cam follower 26 coupled to the steerable wheels 21 by a spring mechanism 27 which protects the steering mechanism from shock loads. Another spring (not shown) urges the steering arrangement to the straight-ahead position. The drive to cam 12 can be disconnected at 13/14 to fix the steering in the setting determined by the operative section of the cam. The vehicle has one battery driven motor 2 which both imparts the translation motion to the vehicle and drives the steering mechanism. The motor is connectable to different arrangements of batteries so as to vary the motor speed. The vehicle also includes an engine noise sound generator 10, 11. <IMAGE>

Description

TOY VEHICLE This invention relates to a power driven toy vehicle.

Viewed from one aspect the invention provides a power driven toy land vehicle, comprising means for providing a predetermined steering pattern of a steerable wheel or wheels of the vehicle whereby in operation the vehicle automatically follows a predetermined sequence of left and/or right turns.

The steering pattern may vary, and, for example, the vehicle may be adapted to travel straight on for a predetermined time, turn left about a varying turning circle, and then turn right about a further turning circle. Any number of other patterns are of course possible, and it is envisaged that the means for providing the steering pattern in a particular vehicle may be adapted to be interchanged or adjusted to provide different predetermined steering patterns.

In a preferred embodiment the means for providing the predetermined steering pattern comprises a rotatable member provided with a cam surface or surfaces arranged to co-operate with a movable cam follower coupled to the steerable wheel or wheels, the cam surface(s) being so shaped to cause a predetermined pattern of left and/or right turns and/or straight on operation of the vehicle as the member rotates. In such an embodiment, it will be appreciated that the predetermined steering pattern repeats itself cyclically, each cycle corresponding to a complete rotation of the rotatable member.

It is envisaged that a vehicle may be provided with a plurality of interchangable rotatable members having differently configured cam surfaces whereby different steering patterns may be selected by changing the rotatable member.

Whilst the rotatable member might be provided with its own drive means, in a preferred embodiment a drive motor connected e.g. to rear wheels of the vehicle for imparting forward movement thereto is also coupled via a suitable reduction gear mechanism to the rotatable member so that the vehicle need be provided with only a single motor, which is preferably battery operated.

In a preferred embodiment the steerable-wheel(s) of the vehicle are resiliently biased e.g. by spring means into their straight-on condition, co-operation of the cam surfaces with the movable cam follower causing left or right displacement of the wheels against the resilient restoring force. The cam follower preferably comprises a pivotal member which is coupled to the wheels by resilient means, such as a spring means, arranged to absorb shock loads imparted to the wheels consequent upon the wheels striking obstacles or running over uneven terrain, so that potential damage to the wheels themselves, the wheel axle or to the rotatable member and cam follower due to such loads is avoided.

In a preferred embodiment means are provided for interrupting rotation of the rotatable member at any point in its rotation so that the vehicle follows a constant trajectory until such time as the member is restarted. For example, if the member is stopped when the wheels are turned to the left-, the vehicle will continuously perform a leftward turning circle. Likewise, the member may be stopped with the wheels in a straight-on condition for forward operation. In a preferred embodiment where the rotatable member is powered by the vehicle drive motor, a manually operable clutch mechanism may be provided for selectively engaging and disengaging the rotatable member with and from the drive motor as desired.

In a preferred embodiment, the rotatable member is in the form of a horizontally orientated turntable which is rotatable about a vertical axis, the cam surfaces being provided on the upper or lower surface of the turntable, and co-operating with the cam follower which is likewise pivotal about a vertical axis.

A preferred vehicle in accordance with the invention further comprises means for generating a simulated engine sound, which in one embodiment includes a striker member e.g. in the form of a washer loosely and eccentrically mounted on a rotatable member driven by the vehicle drive motor and arranged repeatedly to engage a sound box in operation of the vehicle.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a toy vehicle in accordance with the invention with its upper body removed so as to illustrate the internal drive mechanism; Figures 2a and 2b illustrate the gear mechanism of the vehicle in different conditions thereof; and Figures 3 to 6 illustrate the underside of the rotatable turntable and steering mechanism taken at different points in the rotation of the turntable.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 a toy vehicle includes a chassis 1 mounting an electric motor 2 coupled to driven rear wheels 3 of the vehicle via a gearbox mechanism 4. The gearbox mechanism includes a first gear wheel 5 intermeshing with the drive pinion 6 of the motor, the gear wheel 5 being freely rotatable on the rear wheel axle 7. A further gear wheel 8, the rotation of which is fixed with respect to the axle 7, is mounted adjacent the freely rotatable gear wheel 5 and is selectively coupled thereto by an intermediate gear wheel 9. Thus with the intermediate gear wheel 9 in the position shown in Figure 1 the motor is disengaged from the rear wheels, and is engaged therewith by movement of the gear wheel 9 to the position shown in Figure 2b.

The gear 9 may be coupled to a suitable-actuating lever (not shown) whereby the user may selectively engage the motor with and disengage it from the wheels 3 to provide forward movement of the vehicle when desired. As shown in Figures 1 and 2b, the idling gear wheel 5 (which is freely rotatable with respect to the axle 7) mounts eccentrically a striker member 10 in the form of a washer which is arranged to engage one end of a sound box 11 in the form of an open ended plastic tube when the gear wheel 5 is driven by the motor. In this way high pitched engine sound is generated at all times when the motor is running, i.e. regardless of whether the motor is coupled to the wheels consequent upon the intermediate gear wheel 9 being moved to the position shown in Figure 2b.In a preferred embodiment, a lever coupled to the intermediate gear wheel 9 is also coupled to electrical contacts arranged to connect the motor to batteries of the vehicle. In one embodiment the gear lever has a first condition wherein just a single battery is connected to the motor to provide a lower pitch engine noise, a second position wherein a further battery is connected to the motor to increase the pitch of the engine noise and a third position wherein both batteries remain connected to the motor and wherein the intermediate gear wheel 9 is moved to the position of Figure 2b so that drive is imparted to the rear wheels 3.

As shown in the drawings the vehicle further includes a turntable 12 arranged for rotation about a vertical axis. The motor 2 may be selectively coupled to the turntable 12 by movement of a further intermediate gear 13 meshing with the drive gear 8 between a disengaged condition as shown in Figure 2a and an engaged condition as shown in Figures 1 and 2b wherein the drive gear 8 is drivingly connected to an idler gear 14. The idler gear is fixedly and coaxially mounted to a worm gear 15 which in turn drivingly meshes with a transverse gear 16 (Figure 1) coupled via an axially orientated shaft to a universal joint 17. The universal joint 17 is in turn coupled via a drive shaft 18 to a pinion 19 meshing with a crown gear 20 provided on the underside of the turntable 12.

As shown most clearly in Figures 3-6, the vehicle further includes steerable front wheels 21 coupled to a transverse steering lever 22 via pivotal steering linkages 23. A spring 24 co-operates with a pin 25 provided on the underside of the steering lever 22 to urge the lever to a central position as shown in Figure 3 corresponding to the straight-on position of the wheels 21. The steering lever 22 is coupled to a pivotal cam follower 26 via a further spring 27 which is movable with the cam follower 26 and which engages a flange 28 projecting forwardly and upwardly from the steering lever 22. The spring 27 is thus effective.to absorb impacts applied to the wheels consequent upon the vehicle running over uneven ground or the wheels striking an obstacle.

As shown in Figures 3-6 the underside of the turntable 12 is provided with cam surfaces 30,31 which are in the form of downwardly projecting lips. As shown in the drawings, the cam surfaces 30,31 are arranged to co-operate with the cam follower 26 so as to provide a predetermined steering pattern of the steerable wheels as the turntable rotates.

Thus, in the position shown in Figure 3 the wheels 21 are in the straight-on condition by virtue of the spring 24 co-operating with pin 25. When the turntable has reached the position shown in Figure 4, the first cam surface 30 engages an upwardly projecting terminal portion 32 of the cam follower 26 so as to pivot the cam follower so that the wheels adopt a right turn position as shown in Figure 4. When the turntable has moved to the position shown in Figure 5, a medium left turn position of the wheels is adopted. It will be appreciated that the shape of the cam surface provides a varying degree of left and right turn as the turntable rotates.

The intermediate gear wheel 13 may be slid to the disengaged position shown in Figure 2a at any point in the rotation of the turntable so that the wheels 21 are held in a predetermined stationery steering condition. The gear wheel 13 is movable manually by means of a suitable actuating member (not shown). For example, the turntable may be stopped in any of the positions shown in Figure 3, 4 or 5 to provide constant straight-on running, maximum right turn or a smaller degree of left turn, as the case may be. Furthermore, the turntable may also be stopped at the intermediate position shown in Figure 6 to provide an intermediate right turn. As is clear from the drawings, whilst the cam member 30 engages the inside of the upstanding terminal portion 32 of the cam follower 26 so as to push the same outwardly against the biasing of the spring 24, conversely the cam surface 31 engages the outside of the terminal portion 32 so as to pull the cam follower radially against the biasing force of the spring, as shown in Figure 5.

Claims (14)

CLAIMS:

1. A motor driven toy land vehicle, comprising means for providing a predetermined steering pattern to a steerable wheel or wheels of the vehicle whereby in operation the vehicle automatically follows a predetermined sequence of left and/or right turning and/or straight on operation.

2. A motor driven toy land vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the drive motor is able to both impart translational motion to the vehicle and drive the means for providing a predetermined steering pattern.

3. A motor driven toy land vehicle as claimed in claim 1 or 2 comprising means for interrupting operation of the means for providing a predetermined steering pattern so that the vehicle follows a constant trajectory.

4. A motor driven toy land vehicle as claimed in claim 3 wherein the means for interrupting operation of the means for providing a predetermined steering pattern comprises a manually operable clutch mechanism for selectively engaging and disengaging the means for providing a predetermined steering pattern with and from the drive motor.

5. A motor driven toy land vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the drive motor is coupled to the means for providing a predetermined steering pattern by a reduction gear mechanism.

6. A motor driven toy land vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the means for providing a predetermined steering pattern comprises a rotatable member provided with a cam surface or surfaces arranged to co-operate with a movable cam follower coupled to the steerable wheel or wheels, the cam surface(s) being so shaped to cause a predetermined pattern of left and/or right turning and/or straight on operation of the vehicle as the rotatable member rotates.

7. A motor driven toy land vehicle as claimed in claim 6 wherein the steerable wheel(s) of the vehicle are resiliently biased into their straighton condition and co-operation of the cam surfaces with the movable cam follower causes left steering or right steering displacements of the wheels against the resilient bias.

8. A motor driven toy land vehicle as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein the cam follower comprises a pivotal member coupled to the wheels by resilient means.

9. A motor driven toy land vehicle as claimed in claim 6, 7 or 8 wherein the rotatable member is in the form of a horizontally orientated turntable which is rotatable about a vertical axis, the cam surfaces being provided on the upper or lower surface of the turntable, and co-operating with the cam follower which is pivotal about a vertical axis.

10. A motor driven toy land vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the drive motor is battery operated.

11. A motor driven toy land vehicle as claimed in claim 10 wherein the drive motor is connectable to different arrangements of batteries so as to vary the derive motor speed.

12. A motor driven toy land vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim comprising means for generating a simulated engine sound.

13. A motor driven toy land vehicle as claimed in claim 12 wherein the means for generating a simulated engine sound comprise a washer loosely and eccentrically mounted on an engine sound generating rotatable member driven by the drive motor and arranged repeatedly to engage a sound box in operation.

14. A motor driven toy land vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.