GB2306339A - Toy racing car track system - Google Patents

Abstract

An electric toy racing car track system (10) which comprises a series of track sections (13-16) articulated together to provide at least two endless tracks (11 and 12) having co-extending electrical power supply rails (18) for electric toy racing cars (A-D) to run along. At least one of the tracks (11/12) has a first track portion (11A/12A) and a second track portion (11B/12B) extending out from the first track portion (11A/12A) at an upstream junction (19) and returning to the first track portion (11A/12A) at a downstream junction (19'). A track diverter (20-24) is provided at the upstream junction (19) for diverting an upcoming first racing car (A) onto one of the track portions (11B) ahead to hit a stationary second racing car (B) on said one track portion (11B) for causing the second racing car (B) to move onto the other track portion (11A) further ahead to run in place of the first racing car (A). In an alternative arrangement (Figures 5 to 7), the track diverter is a wedge (124) pivotally mounted and urged from one position to another by passage of a racing car.

Description

TOY RACING CAR TRACK SYSTEM The present invention relates to an electric toy racing car track system.

Electric toy racing car track systems are generally known, which typically comprise at least two tracks extending side-by-side in an endless manner for two electric toy racing cars to run along, respectively. In the existing systems, only one single racing car is dedicated to each track for control by a respective player. It is therefore normally not possible for the player to change his racing car during a race, unless he physically picks up his racing car and then put another racing car onto the track to continue with the race. Such a car replacement is clearly not only inconvenient but also undesirable because the race will be interrupted.

The invention seeks to mitigate or to at least alleviate such a disadvantage by providing a modified electric toy racing car track system.

According to the invention, there is provided an electric toy racing car track system which comprises a series of track sections articulated together to provide at least two endless tracks having co-extending electrical power supply rails for electric toy racing cars to run along, wherein at least one of the tracks has a first track portion and a second track portion extending out from the first track portion at an upstream junction and returning to the first track portion at a downstream junction and is provided with a track diverter at the upstream junction of the track portions for diverting an upcoming first racing car onto one of the track portions ahead to hit a stationary second racing car on said one track portion for causing the second racing car to move onto the other track portion further ahead to run in place of the first racing car.

Preferably, the second track portion is considerably shorter than the first track portion.

More preferably, the track diverter is arranged to divert a said first racing car onto the second track portion where a said second racing car is to be stationed.

In a preferred embodiment, the track portion on which a said second racing car is to be stationed has a gap in the power supply rails.

In a specific construction, the track diverter comprises a wedge member movable to block said other track portion ahead to divert a said first racing car onto said one track portion.

Preferably, the track diverter includes a manual operating member to so move the wedge member.

More preferably, the manual operating member is resiliently biassed to a non-diverting position.

Preferably, the wedge member is supported for movement between two positions and is arranged to be moved from one to the other position in either direction by a toy racing car running past.

This invention also provides the aforesaid electric toy racing car track system in combination with a plurality of electric toy racing cars.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of an electric toy racing car track system (partially) in accordance with the invention, which system comprises two tracks and a track diverter controlling the two tracks; Figure 2 is a top plan view corresponding to Figure 1, showing the track diverter controlling the two tracks by means of respective linkages and wedges; Figure 3 is a top plan view corresponding to Figure 2, which shows two racing cars on each track and an initial condition as to how the track diverter alters the left hand side track by means of the associated linkage and wedge and how the running of the toy racing cars on that track is affected;; Figure 4 is a top plan view corresponding to Figure 3, showing a final condition in which the two racing cars on the left hand side track are swapped for running; Figure 5 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of an electric toy racing car track system (partially) in accordance with the invention, which system comprises two tracks and two track diverting wedges controlling the respective tracks, showing an initial condition in which the running of two toy racing cars on the right hand side track is affected by the associated wedge; Figure 6 is a top plan view corresponding to Figure 5, showing a subsequent condition of the running of the two racing cars; and Figure 7 is a top plan view corresponding to Figure 6, showing a final condition of the two racing cars being swapped for running.

Referring initially to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, there is shown a first electric toy racing car track system 10 embodying the invention, which system 10 comprises two endless tracks 11 and 12 running side-by-side formed by a series of articulated track sections including, as shown, four track sections 13 to 16. The track sections 13 to 16 provide two main track portions llA and 12A (only partially shown) and two considerably shorter side track portions llB and 12B. Each side track portion llB/12B branches out from the respective main track portion llA/12A at an upstream junction 19 and then returns at a downstream junction 19'.

The other track sections (not shown) provide simply the rest of the main track portions llA and 12A. Each side track portion llB/12B is offset to one side of the respective main track portion llA/12A, forming a pit which runs generally parallel to the adjacent part of the main track portion llA/12A which is straight.

Each track 11/12 has a co-extending central groove 17 which consists of a main groove portion 17A for the respective main track portion llA/12A and a side groove portion 17B for the respective side track portion llB/12B. Each groove 17 is used to guide a respective toy racing car(s), through sliding engagement with a bottom guiding peg of the car(s), to run along the corresponding track 11/12 in a manner as generally known in the art. Two electrically conducting rails 18 are provided extending close along opposite sides of the groove 17 of each track 11/12 for supplying electrical power, also in the generally known manner, to the respective racing car(s) running therealong.Each side track portion llB/12B on the track section 15 does not have such rails 18, forming a gap in the rails 18, such that a racing car placed thereon will not be supplied with any electrical power.

The track system 10 includes a track diverter 20 fixed on one side of the track section 13. The diverter 20 is formed by a body 21, a pair of manual operating bars 22 hinged on the body 21, two rod linkages 23 connected at one end to the respective bars 22, and two wedges 24 connected to the other ends of the respective bars 22. The bars 22 are resiliently biassed to pivot normally closed. The wedges 24 are individually slidable to opposite sides by means of the respective bars 22 via the corresponding linkages 23 when the bars 22 are manually pivoted open and subsequently released to pivot closed.

Each wedge 24 is provided, pointing rearwards, at the upstream junction 19 of the respective main and side track portions llA/12A and llB/12B to determine which one of the downstream main and side track portions llA/12A and llB/12B that an upcoming racing car is to run onto. In the normal position of either one bar 22, the associated wedge 24 reveals the respective main track portion llA/12A ahead to allow an upcoming racing car to run straight onto. When the bar 22 is hinged open in an operating position, the wedge 24 blocks the respective main track portion llA/12A ahead and diverts an upcoming racing car to the adjacent side track portion llB/12B ahead.

In a race, two pairs of electric toy racing cars A/B and CID are placed on the respective tracks 11 and 12, with the racing cars A and C running initially along the respective main track portions 11A and 12A and the other two racing cars B and D stationed initially on the corresponding side track portions 11B and 12B on the track section 15.

Reference is now made specifically to Figures 3 and 4, in which the bar 22 of the track diverter 20 for the first track 11 is hinged open while the other bar 22 for the second track 12 remains in the normal position. On the second track 12, the upcoming racing car C will move past the respective junction 19 and straight onto the downstream main track portion 12A, hence bypassing the associated stationary racing car D on the adjacent side track portion 12B. On the first track 11, the upcoming racing car A will be diverted by the wedge 24 at the respective junction 19 onto the downstream side track portion 11B (Figure 3), hence running into the back of the associated stationary racing car B ahead.Upon being hit, the racing car B will be pushed by the racing car A behind to skid onto the following track section 16 where it picks up electrical power from the rails 18 to run past the downstream junction 19 onto the main track portion llA ahead (Figure 4). When the racing car A moves onto the side track portion llB on the track section 15 where the rails 18 are absent, it will stop and stay for failing to pick up any electrical power.

The arrangement, including the length of the track section 15 (the gap in the rails 18), is designed such that the first racing car A will stop at more or less the same original position as the second racing car B, until its momentum dies out, shortly after the hitting. This completes a change of racing cars on the track 11, namely a swapping between the racing cars A and B, to continue with the race.

The players may decide whether to use a different racing car to go on with the race by means of the track diverter 20 without interrupting the race. While the second racing car on the side track portion llB/12B is standing by, the player A may replace it with a third racing car for subsequent swapping with the first racing car running on main track portion llA/12A.

Referring finally to Figures 5 to 7 of the drawings, there is shown a second electric toy racing car track system 110 embodying the invention, which track system 110 has a construction similar to that of the first track system 10, with corresponding parts designated by the same reference numerals increased by 100. The track diverter 20 of the first track system 10 is simplified now in the second track system 110 into a pair of diverting wedges 124 (equivalent to the wedges 24) which are provided, with its tip 124 pointing rearwards, at the upstream junctions 119 of the respective main and side track portions fllA/112A and lllB/112B.

Each wedge 124 is hinged for a limited free reciprocating pivotal motion about a vertical axis between first and second alternative orientations. In the first orientation (Figures 5 and 6), the tip 124' of the wedge 124 extends across the groove 117B of the side track portion 111B/112B ahead and leaves the groove 117A of the main track portion lllA/112A ahead free for entry by the bottom guiding peg of an upcoming racing car. In the second orientation (see track 112 of Figure 7), the tip 124' of the wedge 124 extends across the groove 117A of the main track portion 112A ahead, thereby blocking the same while leaving the groove 117B of the side track portion 112B ahead free for entry by the bottom guiding peg of an upcoming racing car.

Taking the track 112 as an example, a first electric racing car A has just entered onto the side track portion 112B where a second electric racing car B is parking ahead (Figure 5). In the same manner as described in relation to the first track system 10, the upcoming racing car A will hit and push the stationary racing car B to move out of the track section 15, which will then run onto the main track portion 112A ahead. The racing car A will subsequently stop and stay behind on the side track portion 112B (Figure 6). The racing car B will run along the rest (not shown) of main track portion 112A and eventually return to a position approaching the respective upstream junction 119.

As the tip 124' of the wedge 124 there remains in its first orientation not blocking the main track portion 112A ahead, the racing car B is permitted to run straight onto the main track portion 112A (Figure 7), hence bypassing the racing car A on the adjacent side track portion 112B.

As the racing car B was running past the wedge 124, its bottom guiding peg hit the left side of a broad rear end 124' of the wedge 124, thereby pivoting the wedge 124 into the second orientation to now block the groove 117A of the main track portion 112A ahead (Figure 7). When the racing car B returns again to run past the junction 119, it will be diverted by the same wedge 124 onto the side track portion 112B to replace the then stationary racing car A, in the same manner as the racing car A replaced the racing car B (Figure 5) two rounds ago. As the racing car B was running past the wedge 124 this time, its bottom guiding peg hit the right side of the broad rear end 124' of the wedge 124, thereby pivoting the wedge 124 back into the first orientation to again unblock the groove 117A of the main track portion 112A ahead (Figures 5 and 6).

In this embodiment, the two racing cars on each track 111/112 are automatically swapped for running around the respective main track portion lllA/112B every other two rounds by means of the respective diverting wedge 124 which is self-resetting. The players may decide to use a third racing car to replace any one of the two running racing cars, without interrupting the race, by replacing that racing car, while that racing car is stopping on the side track portion lllB/112B, with the third racing car.

The swapping of racing cars enabled by this invention adds not only fun but also variation to the racing game, without interruption to the game.

In the described embodiments, the swapping of cars takes place on a diversion or bypass (a longer alternative route). It is appreciated that the car swapping may be carried out on a shortcut (a shorter alternative route), instead, between the upstream and downstream junctions to, for example, compensate for the delay in time caused by the car swapping.

The invention has been given by way of example only, and various other modifications of and/or alterations to the described embodiments may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as specified in the appended claims.

Claims (10)

1. An electric toy racing car track system comprising a

series of track sections articulated together to provide at least two endless tracks having co-extending electrical power supply rails for electric toy racing cars to run along, wherein at least one of the tracks has a first track portion and a second track portion extending out from the first track portion at an upstream junction and returning to the first track portion at a downstream junction and is provided with a track diverter at the upstream junction of the track portions for diverting an upcoming first racing car onto one of the track portions ahead to hit a stationary second racing car on said one track portion for causing the second racing car to move onto the other track portion further ahead to run in place of the first racing car.

2. An electric toy racing car track system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second track portion is considerably shorter than the first track portion.

3. An electric toy racing car track system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the track diverter is arranged to divert a said first racing car onto the second track portion where a said second racing car is to be stationed.

4. An electric toy racing car track system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the track portion on which a said second racing car is to be stationed has a gap in the power supply rails.

5. An electric toy racing car track system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the track diverter comprises a wedge member movable to block said other track portion ahead to divert a said first racing car onto said one track portion.

6. An electric toy racing car track system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the track diverter includes a manual operating member to so move the wedge member.

7. An electric toy racing car track system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the manual operating member is resiliently biassed to a non-diverting position.

8. An electric toy racing car track system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the wedge member is supported for movement between two positions and is arranged to be moved from one to the other position in either direction by a toy racing car running past.

An electric toy racing car track system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 and Figures 5 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

10. An electric toy racing car track system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in combination with a plurality of electric toy racing cars.