GB2288130A

GB2288130A - An apparatus for storing and discharging a toy vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2288130A
Application number: GB9507000A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nobuo Kobayashi
Original assignee: Tomy Co Ltd
Current assignee: Tomy Co Ltd
Priority date: 1994-04-04
Filing date: 1995-04-04
Publication date: 1995-10-11
Anticipated expiration: 2015-04-04
Also published as: GB2288130B; GB9507000D0; HK1010044A1

Abstract

An apparatus for storing vehicles (11) which can ride on a track is provided. The apparatus includes a storing main body (2) having an inlet (6) and an outlet (7), an auxiliary track, a stopper (12) and a vehicle discharging mechanism (13). The auxiliary track (5) runs through the main body (2) from the inlet (6) to the outlet (7). The auxiliary track (5) defines a riding plane, and the vehicle is capable of riding above the riding plane along a travel path. The stopper (12) is movable between a vehicle stopping position at which the stopper (12) protrudes above the riding plane into the travel path and a vehicle passing position at which the stopper (12) is recessed below the riding plane to allow passage of the vehicles (11). The stopper (12) is positioned toward the outlet of the main body. The vehicle discharging mechanism (13) moves the stopper (12) to the vehicle's passing position and applies force to a surface of the vehicles (11) to discharge the vehicles (11) from the outlet of the main body. <IMAGE>

Description

DESCRTPIION AN APPARATUS FOR STORING AND DISCHARGING A TOY VEHICLE The invention relates to an apparatus for storing toy vehicles e.g.

a toy railway vehicle, which includes an auxiliary track to allow a passage through the apparatus of e.g. railway vehicles running on the auxiliary track and which stores the vehicles.

A storing apparatus of this kind has a tunnel-like storing main body having an auxiliary track therein. The storing apparatus functions as a tunnel which allows passage of vehicles therethrough during the normal running of the vehicles, and functions as a vehicle base which stores the vehicles while on the auxiliary track. Because of the dual functions, children can play more pleasantly, and the storing apparatus becomes an important accessory for toy railways.

However, the conventional storing apparatus does not have a mechanism for discharging the stored vehicles, Accordingly, when the vehicles are to be taken out and run again, it is necessary to tilt the storing main body obliquely and to insert a proper pushing bar or fingers into the storing main body to push the vehicles and so on, so that it is not easy to discharge the vehicles, especially for an infant.

The present invention has been made in order to resolve such problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for storing toy railways which can discharge the stored vehicle.

To accomplish this object an apparatus is provided for storing a toy vehicle which can ride on a track. The apparatus includes a storing main body having an inlet and an outlet, an auxiliary track, a stopper and a vehicle discharging mechanism. The auxiliary track runs through the main body, from the inlet to the outlet. The auxiliary track defines a riding plane, and the vehicle is capable of riding above the riding plane along a travel path. The stopper is movable between a vehicle stopping position at which the stopper protrudes above the riding plane into the travel path, and a vehicle passing position at which the stopper is recessed below the riding plane to allow passage of the vehicle. The stopper is positioned toward the outlet of the main body.The vehicle discharging mechanism moves - the stopper to the vehicle passing position, and for applies force to a surface of the vehicle to discharge the vehicle from the outlet of the main body.

In the apparatus for storing a toy vehicle described above, the vehicle discharging mechanism may include a slider mechanism and a pressing member.

In this case, the slider mechanism is slidable parallel to the auxiliary track, and moves the stopper to the vehicle passing position. The pressing member is operably attached to the slider to slide parallel to the auxiliary track, the pressing member having a pressing surface engageable with the surface of the vehicle to discharge the vehicle from the outlet of the main body.

The apparatus for storing a toy vehicle may also include a spring for biasing the stopper toward the vehicle stopping position, a driving member and an engaging potion. The driving member is movable between first and second positions tor moving the stopper to the vehicle passing position at the second position against the biasing force of the spring. The engaging portion locks the stopper at the vehicle passing position by engaging the driving member.

Moreover, in the apparatus for storing a toy vehicle, the pressing member may be spring biased to protrude above the riding plane into the travel path. As such, the pressing surface of the pressing member faces the outlet end of the main body and extends substantially perpendicular from the riding plane into the uavel path. The pressing member also has an oblique surface facing the inlet, the oblique surface sloping upwardly from an inlet side to an outlet side. The vehicle is engageable with the oblique surface of the pressing member to move the pressing member against the spring bias.

An apparatus for storing a toy railway according to the invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side view showing an extemal view of a toy railroad and a storing apparatus according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the construction of a main portion of the storing apparatus of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a stopper and related parts of the storing apparatus.

Fig. 4(a) is a plan view and Fig. 4(b) is a side view of an internal mechanism of the storing apparatus.

A storing apparatus according to the present invention is shown in Figs. 1 to 4. The storing apparatus 1 Comprises, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a storing main body 2 formed to imitate the Shinkansen (bullet train), a lower cover 3 set in a bottom portion of the storing main body 2, a chassis 4 attached to the lower cover 3, and an auxiliary track 5 laid on the chassis 4. An inlet 6 and an outlet 7 are formed at a front portion and a rear portion of the storing main body 2, respectively. The inlet 6 and outlet 7 are selectively covered with bascule type doors 8, 9 respectively. The auxiliary track is connected to a main track 10, and forms an endless track together them.On the other hand, vehicles 11 are formed to imitate the Shinkansen and include three vehicles, a preceding vehicle 11a, an intermediate vehicle 1 ib and a succeeding vehicle llc The vehicles 11 are adapted to run on the tracks 5, 10 under the force of a built-in motor (not shown).

In this the storing apparatus 1, the inlet 6 and the outlet 7 are opened by swinging the doors 8, 9 upwardly to allow the vehicles 11 to pass through the inlet 6 and the outlet 7. as shown in Fig. 1, when the vehicles 11 are running. The doors can be moved downwardly when the vehicles 11 to are stopped and stored in the storing Inain body 2. Also, when the stored vehicles 11 are to again run, the vehicles 11 are adapted to be discharged from the storing main body 2 by an easy operation from outside the storing main body 2. For this purpose, the storing apparatus I is provided with a stopper 12 for stopping the vehicles 11, and a vehicle discharging mechanism 13 for discharging the vehicles 11, the stopper 12 and discharging mechanism 13 be provided on the chassis 4.

As shown in Fig. 2, the chassis 4 is embodied as a shallow box having a rectangular bottom plate 4a which is elongated in a front and rear direction, and wails 4b extending downwardly from respective edge portions of the bottom plate Aa. The auxiliary track S is laid on a middle portion of an upper face of the bottom plate 4a, and the stopper 12 and the vehicle discharging mechanism 13 are attached to a rear side of the bottom plate 4a. An opening 1-1 extending in the front and rear direction is formed on a left side portion of the wall wb. A longitudinal gutter 15 is formed on a front half portion of the bottom plate 4a so as to extend in the front and rear direction just under the auxiliary track 5.First and a second guide plates 16, 17 are disposed on the rear face of the bottom plate 4a between the opening 14 and the longitudinal gutter 15 so as to extend parallel with the longitudinal gutter 15. Further, a fixed rack 18 is provided on a front half portion of the first guide plate 16 on a side facing the second guide plate 17.

A stopper 12 is constructed integrally, as shown in Fig. 3, of a plate-like base portion 12a, a stopper portion 12b disposed uprightly from a left end portion of the base portion 12a. The stopper portion 12b protrudes forwardly and in a hobkshaped manner. The stopper 12 also has an arm receiving portion 12c protruding sideways from the base portion 12a and a spring receiving portion 12d protruding downwardly from the base portion 12a. The stopper 12 is attached rotatably to a horizontal shaft 19 funning through the base portion 12a, and rotates about the shaft 19 in such a manner that the stopper portion 12b passes through a front portion of the longitudinal gutter 15.Due to rotation, the stopper 12 is adapted to be positioned at a vehicle stopping position (Refer to Fig. 4 (b)) at which the stopper portion 12b protrudes above the bottom plate 4a and running plane of the vehicles 11 and faces toward the vehicles 11 to stop the vehicles 11.

The stopper portion 12b may also be positioned at a vehicle passing position at which the stopper portion 12b is recessed below the bottom plate 4a and the running plane. In the passing position, vehicles 11 may pass. Moreover, one end portion of the coil spring (spring) 20 is engaged with a spring. receiving portion 12d.of the stopper 12. Thus, the stopper portion 12b is normally urged upwardly, that is, toward the vehicle stopping position.

Moreover, the stopper 12 is provided with a driving lever (driving member) 21 for moving the stopper 12 to the vehicle passing position. As shown in Fig. 3, the driving lever 21 is disposed on a side opposite to the stopper portion 12b so as not to obstruct running of the vehicles 11, and attached rotatably to a horizontal shaft 22. The driving lever 21 has an operating portion 21a and a driving portion 21b extending in up and down directions respectively, the driving portion 21b abuts obliquely an upper face of the base portion 12a of the stopper 12, and the operating portion 21a protrudes outwardly through an opening 23 formed in the storing main body 2 to be operable from the outside. Also, an engaging opening portion (engaging portion) 23a formed at one end of the opening 23, and the operating portion 21a are adapted to engage.

According to this construction, the stopper 12 is held at the vehicle stopping position due to an urging force of the coil spring 20 at the time of nonoperating of the driving lever 21 as shown in Fig. 3. On the other hand, the stopper 12 is pressed downwardly by the driving portion 21b by rotating and operating the driving lever 21 in a counter-clockrise direction (arrow direction) of this drawing, thereby to be rotated forcedly to the vehicle passing position and to be locked at the vehicle passing position by engaging the operating portion 21a with the engaging opening portion 23a.

The vehicle discharging mechanism 13 comprises an operating slider 24 slidably attached to the bottom plate 4a, a slave slider 25 sliding in association with the operating slider 24, a driving arm 26 which swings in association with the operating slider 24, and a pressing member 27 rotatably attached to the slave slider 25.

The operating slider 24 is a substantially reversed U-shaped bar-like body.

The operating slider 24 has a horizontal face portion 24a at a front portion of an upper face thereof and an upper oblique slanting surface 24b at a rear side thereof.

A pinion attaching plate 28 is disposed so as to protrude sideways at a front end portion of one side face of the operating slider 24. A pinion 29 is supported rotatably on a pin disposed uprightly on the pinion attaching plate 28, and the pinion 29 is adapted to be engaged with the fixed rack 18 of the first guide plate 16. According to this construction, the operating slider 24 contacts one side face of the first guide plate 16 at a side face thereof, and slides on a side of the other side face of the first guide plate 16 along the first guide plate 16 on a state that the pinion 29 is engaged with the fixed rack 18.

An operating knob 30 is provided on a rear end portion of a side face opposite to a sliding face of the operaring slider 24 so as to protrude from the opening 14 of the chassis 4. Also, the operating slider 24 is usually urged rearwardly by the coil spring 31 attached to the operating slider and the bottom plate 4a.

The slave slider 25 is constructed by a substantially U-shaped bar-like body in cross section, and is engaged with the second guide plate 17 and slides therealong this. A movable rack 32 engaged with the pinion 29 is formed on one side face of the slave slider 25. Accordingly, the slave slider 25 slides forwardly as the operating slider 24 slides forwardly due to engagement of the pinion 29 and the movable rack 32. In this case, the pinion 29 is also engaged with the fixed rack 18, so that the slave slider 25 can be slid in great quantities due to a small quantity of sliding of the operating slider 24 because the stroke of the slave slider 25 is twice the stroke of the operating slider 24.

The driving arm 26 is attached rotatably to a horizontal shaft 33 at a center portion thereof as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. A first end portion of the driving arm 26 abuts an upper face of the arm receiving portion 12e of the stopper 12. A second end portion of the driving arm 26 abuts a horizontal face portion 24a of the operating slider 24 through a truncated conical abutting portion 26a. Accordingly, as the operating slider 24 slides forwardly, the abutting portion 26a rides up on a slanting surface portion 24b behind the horizontal face portion 24a. The stopper 12 is pressed downwardly from the vehicle stopping position to the vehicle passing pdsition resulting from rotation of the driving arm 26 rotates in a counterclockwise direction as shown in Fig. 3.

A pressing portion 27 is attached rotatably to a horizontal shaft 34 of the slave slider 25 protruding to a front end portion of a side face opposite side to the movable rack 32 as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4. The pressing member 27 has an inlet 27a which receives the horizontal shaft 34, a plate-tike base portion 27b extending forwardly from the inlet 27a and a pressing plate portion 27c which protrudes from the base portion 27b. The pressing portion 27 is usually urged upwardly by the weak spring force of a torsional coil spring 35. The pressing plate portion 27c is formed in the shape of a right triangle by a bottom side, a front side disposed uprightly from a front end of the bottom side and an oblique side extending downwardly and rearwardly and connecting both sides.

According to this construction, the pressing plate portion 27c usually protrudes to above the bot:om plate 4a (and above the running plane) through the longitudinal gutter 15 and faces vehicles II (refer to Fig. 4 (b)). In this case, since a spring force of the torsional coil spring 35 is weak and the pressing plate portion 27c has an oblique side extending downwardly and rearwardly, when the vehicles 11 run from rear (right) to front (left), the pressing member 27 is pressed downwardly due to the weight thereof and the pressing plate portion 27c rides on an under side of the vehicles 11 not to prevent a passage of the vehicles.

Next, an operation of the storing apparatus 1 constructed as described above will be explained with reference to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4.

First, a case where the vehicles 11 are to be run through the storing apparatus (tunnel usage) will be described. The driving lever 21 is rotated and operated in the counter-clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 3 to be locked with the engaging opening portion 23a. Thereby, the stopper 12'is recessed below the running plane and locked in the vehicle passing position. On the other hand, the vehicle discharging mechanism 13 is at a position shown in Fig. 4 due to an urging force of the coil spring 31 which the operating slider 24 is not operated, and the operating plate portion 27c of the pressing member 27 is urged by the torsionat coil spring 35 to face above the railroad 5.In this state, when the vehicles 11 run on the auxiliary track 5 from the rear, the vehicles 11 press downwardly the pressing member 27 due to the weight thereof and pass easily above the pressing member 27 while retracting the pressing plate portion 27c to below the underside of vehicles 11. The vehicles 11 pass through the storing apparatus 1, above the stopper 12 which is in the vehicle passing position.

Therefore, the vehicles 11 can smoothly move on the auxiliary and main tracks 5, 10, On the other hand, in a case where the vehicles 11 are to be stored in the storing apparatus 1, the driving lever 21 is disengaged from the engaging opening portion 23a. Thereby, the stopper 12 is moved from to the vehicle passing position to the vehicle stopping position due to the urging force of the coil spring 20, and the stopper 12b protrudes above the running plane to face above the vehicles 11. The vehicles II come into the storing apparatus from the rear to abut the stopper portion 12b and thereby stop. Thus, the vehicles are stored in the storing main body 2.At this point, a leading end portion of the pressing plate portion 27c of the pressing portion 27 protrudes above the running plane between the preceding vehicle 11a and the intermediate vehicle 1 lib, for example.

In a case where the stored vehicles 11 are to be run again, the vehicle discharging mechanism 13 is operated. That is, the operating slider 24 is slid forwardly by moving the knob 30, then the abutting portion 26a rides up on the slanting surface portion 24b of the operating slider 24, so that the driving arm 26 rotates in the counter-clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 4 to move the stopper 12 to the vehicle passing position (through receiving portion 12c).

On the other hand, as the operating slider 24 slides, the slave slider 25 slides forwardly through the pinion 29. Thereby, a front face (vertical face) of the pressing plate portion 27c presses a back face of the preceding vehicle 1 la to push the vehicles 11 forwardly. Thus, the stopper 12 is moved to the vehicle passing position and simultaneously the vehicle il pressed forwardly by a sliding operation of the operating slider 24, so that the vehicles 11 are moved forwardly to be discharged from the storing main body 2.

After the vehicles 11 are discharged. when the operating slider 24 is released, the vehicle discharging mechanism 13 is retumed to an initial state due to the urging force of the coil spring 31. > nd the stopper t2 is returned to the vehicle stopping position due to the coil spring 20. Next, the driving lever 21 is rotated and the stopper 12 is locked in the vehicle passing position, so that the vehicles 11 can run on the track 5, 10 (tunnel usage).

As described above, in the storing apparatus 1 according to the invention, the vehicles 11 can be stopped by the stopper 12 when it is moved to the vehicle stopping position, to be stored therein. Also, moving of the stopper 12 to the vehicle passing position and a forwardly pressing of the vehicles 11 out of the storing apparatus 1 can be done simultaneously by sliding the operating slider 24.

Accordingly, the stored vehicles 11 can be discharged from the storing main body 2 by an extremely simple operation. In this case, since the pressing member 27 pressing the vehicles 11 is constructed to protrude above and recess below the running plane, the running of the vehicles 11 is not prevented. Moreover, when the vehicles 11 are running, the running stability of the vehicles 11 can be ensured, by locking the stopper 12 at the vehicle passing position via the driving lever 21.

While the description above refers to an embodiment of the invention, the invention is not limited to the described embodiment and many modifications can be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

For example, although the stopper 12 is moved to the vehicle passing position through the driving arm 26 due to an operation of the operating slider 24 when discharging the vehicles 11), the operating slider 24 may be arranged in the vicinity of the stopper 12 and the stopper 12 may be driven directly at the slanting surface portion disposed on the operating slider 24. Also, the stopper 12 is described as being a rotating type. However, it can also be constructed as a slide type, sliding upwardly and downwardly, or left and right.

An apparatus for storing a toy railway according to the invention has advantages in that moving of the stopper to the vehicle passing position and a forwardly pressing of the vehicles can be done simultaneously only by operating the vehicle discharging mechanism. Accordingly, the stored vehicles can be discharged easily.

Claims

1. An apparatus for storing a toy vehicle which can ride on a track, comprising: a storing main body having an inlet and an outlet; an auxiliary track, running through the main body, from the inlet to the outlet, the auxiliary track defining a riding plane, the vehicle being capable of riding above the riding plane along a travel path; a stopper movable between a vehicle stopping position at which the stopper protrudes above the riding plane into the travel path, and a vehicle passing position at which the stopper is recessed below the riding plane to allow passage of the vehicle, the stopper being positioned toward the outlet of the main body; and a vehicle discharging mechanism for moving the stopper to the vehicle passing position, and for applying force to a surface of the vehicle to discharge the vehicle from the outlet of the main body.

2. An apparatus for storing a toy vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle discharging mechanism comprises: a slider mechanism slidable parallel to the auxiliary track for moving the stopper to the vehicle passing position; and a pressing member operably attached to the slider to slide parallel to the auxiliary track, the pressing member having a pressing surface engageable with the surface of the vehicle to discharge the vehicle from the outlet of the main body.

3 An apparatus for storing a toy vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the apparatus further comprises: a spring for biasing the stopper toward the vehicle stopping position; a driving member movable between first and second positions for moving the stopper to the vehicle passing position at the second position against the biasing force of the spring, and an engaging portion for locking the stopper at the vehicle passing position by engaging the driving member.

4. An apparatus for storing a toy vehicle according to claim 2 and 3, characterized in that the pressing member is spring biased to protrude above the riding plane into the travel path, the pressing surface of the pressing member facing the outlet end of the main body and extending substantially perpendicular from the riding plane into the travel path, the pressing member having an oblique surface-facing the inlet, the oblique surface sIoping upwardly from an inlet side to an outlet side, the vehicle being engageable with the oblique surface to move the pressing member against the spring bias.

5. An apparatus for storing a toy vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.