JP2004113401A - Spiral spring control device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem that it is not easy to provide a low cost and small size power means consuming an extremely small electric power in a traveling toy operated by a remote control. <P>SOLUTION: When a first shape memory alloy exhibits a shape restoration force, a stopper is moved to a second stable position and a lock part and a lock body provided in the stopper are fitted to each other. After that, even if no current flows to the first shape memory alloy, the stopper is fixed to the second stable position and releases the press-contact with a governor circumferential surface to rotate a drive transmission mechanism, rotate driving wheels by a drive force accumulated in a spiral spring, start and travel the traveling toy. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a traveling toy operated by remote control.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a running toy operated by remote control, a toy using a motor as a power means has been often used.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the running toy in this case had a drawback that a motor and a battery for driving the motor had to be prepared, and the device became large, a small one could not be expected, and it became very expensive. .
[0004]
Further, when the running toy is operated for a long time, power must be constantly supplied to the motor, so that the power consumption is large and a large-capacity battery or a rechargeable secondary battery is required.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such conventional circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a low-cost, small-sized, and extremely low-power-consumption power device for a traveling toy operated by remote control.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In the spring control device according to the present invention, when the driving force is accumulated in the mainspring, the driving transmission mechanism tries to rotate by the driving force of the mainspring, but can move between the first stable position and the second stable position. The thus supported stopper is in the first stable position by the urging means for urging the stopper toward the first stable position, and presses the peripheral surface of the governor. The rotation of the mechanism is stopped, and the traveling toy is in a stopped state.
[0007]
In this state, when a control signal for starting traveling is transmitted from the transmitter, a current flows from the control circuit to the first shape memory alloy via the receiver, and the shape memory alloy stores the shape stored from the deformed state. The stopper is moved from the first stable position toward the second stable position against the urging means, and the locking portion provided on the stopper and the locking body are fitted. Thereafter, the stopper is fixed at the second stable position without applying a current to the first shape memory alloy. As a result, the pressure contact of the governor peripheral surface is released, the drive transmission mechanism becomes rotatable, and the driving force stored in the mainspring rotates the drive wheels to start the traveling toy.
[0008]
Next, while the traveling toy continues traveling, when a control signal for stopping traveling is transmitted from the transmitter, a current flows from the control circuit to the second shape memory alloy via the receiver, and the shape memory alloy is transmitted. Attempts to return to the stored shape from the deformed state, moves the locking body to the unlocking position against the urging means, and removes it from the locking portion. In this state, the stopper is biased by the biasing means toward the first stable position, so that the stopper is moved to the first stable position (hereinafter, even if no current flows through the second shape memory alloy). And the rotation of the drive transmission mechanism is stopped via the governor to stop the traveling toy.
[0009]
Therefore, in a traveling toy using the mainspring control device of the present invention, since only a current for recovering the shape of the shape memory alloy is required only at the time of starting and stopping, the conventional motor, which must always supply electric power, has a driving force. Since the power consumption is extremely small as compared with the traveling toy, a small and lightweight object such as a battery required as a power source can be used.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on examples.
[0011]
1 to 3 show a first embodiment of a mainspring control device according to the present invention.
In this embodiment, a stopper urging means 3 composed of a compression coil spring is linked to a stopper 2 movably supported between a first stable position and a second stable position. The stopper urging means 3 urges the stopper 2 toward the first stable position. Further, a first shape memory alloy 4 is linked to the stopper 2, and the shape memory alloy 4 stores a short shape as shown in FIGS. The shape memory alloy 4 is electrically connected to a control circuit 11 including a power supply unit such as a battery.
[0012]
The stopper 2 is provided with a locking portion 5 formed of a notch.
A locking body biasing means 7 composed of a buckling spring is linked to the locking body 6 movably supported between the locking position and the unlocking position. The urging means 7 urges the locking body 6 toward the locking position. Further, a second shape memory alloy 8 is linked to the locking member 6, and the shape memory alloy 8 stores a short shape as shown in FIG. The shape memory alloy 8 is electrically connected to a control circuit 11 including a power supply unit such as a battery.
[0013]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.
[0014]
When the stopper 2 is in the first stable position as shown in FIG. 1, the stopper 2 presses the periphery of the governor 9 even if the driving force is accumulated in the mainspring 11, and the driving force is transmitted through the governor 9. The rotation of the transmission mechanism 10 is stopped, and the traveling toy is in a stopped state.
[0015]
Next, when a control signal for starting traveling is transmitted from the transmitter 14, a current flows from the control circuit 12 to the first shape memory alloy 4 through the receiver 13, and the shape memory alloy is brought into a predetermined temperature range by Joule heat. Since the first shape memory alloy 4 is heated and returns to the memorized shape from the deformed state and becomes shorter, the stopper 2 is moved toward the second stable position against the stopper urging means 3.
[0016]
Next, when the stopper 2 is moved to the second stable position as shown in FIG. 2, the locking portion 5 provided on the stopper 2 and the locking body 6 are fitted to each other. The stopper 2 is fixed at the second stable position without applying a current to the memory alloy 4. As a result, the pressure contact of the peripheral surface of the governor 9 is released, the drive transmission mechanism 10 becomes rotatable, and the driving force stored in the mainspring 11 rotates the drive wheels to make the traveling toy start and travel.
[0017]
Next, when a control signal for stopping running is transmitted from the transmitter 14, a current flows from the control circuit 12 to the second shape memory alloy 8 via the receiver 13, and the shape memory alloy is brought into a predetermined temperature range by Joule heat. Since the second shape memory alloy 8 is heated and returns to the stored shape from the deformed state and becomes shorter, the locking body 6 moves toward the unlocking position against the locking body urging means 7. Then, it is separated from the locking portion 5.
[0018]
When the locking body 6 is moved to the unlocking position as shown in FIG. 3 and detaches from the locking portion 5, the stopper urging means 3 urges the stopper 2 toward the first stable position. Since the stopper 2 moves to the first stable position and presses against the peripheral surface of the governor 9 (hereinafter, even if no current flows through the second shape memory alloy 8), the drive transmission is performed through the governor 9. The rotation of the mechanism 10 is stopped, and the traveling toy is stopped.
[0019]
FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is almost the same as the first embodiment except that the control circuit can output a PWM signal.
[0020]
In the first embodiment, when a control signal for traveling transmission is transmitted from the transmitter 14, a current flows from the control circuit 12 to the first shape memory alloy 4 through the receiver 13, and the shape memory alloy 4 is generated by Joule heat. Is heated to a predetermined temperature range, and the first shape memory alloy 4 returns from the deformed state to the stored shape and becomes shorter, so that the stopper 2 moves toward the second stable position against the stopper urging means 3. However, the stopper could not be stopped at any position between the first stable position and the second stable position.
[0021]
In the second embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, a pulse current having a different duty ratio is supplied to the first shape memory alloy 4 by using a control circuit 15 that enables PWM output as shown in FIG. It becomes possible to control the Joule heat generated in the first shape memory alloy 4. As a result, the first shape memory alloy 4 can stop the position of the stopper 2 at almost any position between the first stable position and the second stable position, so that the pressing of the peripheral surface of the governor 9 can be stopped. By adjusting the strength, the rotation speed of the drive transmission mechanism 10 of the mainspring 11 can be adjusted via the governor 9, and as a result, the speed of the traveling toy can be adjusted.
[0022]
The present invention has been described based on the embodiments. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that this embodiment is illustrative and that various modifications are possible, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present invention. Such modified examples are described below.
[0023]
In the embodiment, the stopper urging means 3 is constituted by a compression coil spring and the locking body urging means 7 is constituted by a buckling spring. However, in the present invention, each urging means is combined with another spring. Needless to say, these urging means may be constituted by elements other than springs, such as rubber and magnets.
[0024]
In the embodiment, the locking portion 5 is formed by a notch, but in the present invention, the locking portion 5 is fitted into the locking body 6 and has a hole or a concave portion that performs the same function as the notch. And the like.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, the present invention can provide a power unit that can be started and stopped by remote control, is inexpensive, small, and consumes very little power, in a traveling toy operated by a mainspring.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view when a stopper according to a first embodiment of the present invention is at a first stable position.
FIG. 2 is a plan view when the stopper according to the first embodiment of the present invention is at the second stable position and the locking body is at the locking position.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the first embodiment of the present invention when the stopper is at the second stable position and the locking body is at the unlocking position. FIG. 4 is a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view when the stopper in the first position is at the first stable position.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Mainspring control device main body 2 Stopper 3 Stopper urging means 4 First shape memory alloy 5 Locking part 6 Locking body 7 Locking body urging means 8 Second shape memory alloy 9 Governor 10 Drive transmission mechanism 11 Mainspring 12 control circuit 13 receiver 14 transmitter 15 PWM output enable control circuit 16 antenna

Claims (6)

When in the deformed state, the rotation of the drive transmission mechanism for the mainspring is prevented via the governor, and when the heated state returns to the stored shape from the deformed state, the drive transmission mechanism for the mainspring is controlled via the governor. A mainspring control device comprising a shape memory alloy arranged so as to be rotatable. A stopper movably supported between a first stable position and a second stable position, and urged toward the first stable position by stopper urging means; and While in the deformed state when in the first stable position, the stopper is moved so as to move the stopper toward the second stable position when heated and returns to the stored shape from the deformed state. A first shape memory alloy that is linked to the first shape memory alloy, and a governor that is pressed against the stopper when the stopper is at the first stable position to prevent rotation of the drive transmission mechanism of the mainspring. 2. The spring control device according to 1. A stopper movably supported between a first stable position and a second stable position, and urged toward the first stable position by stopper urging means; and While in the deformed state when in the first stable position, the stopper is moved so as to move the stopper toward the second stable position when heated and returns to the stored shape from the deformed state. A first shape memory alloy linked thereto, a locking portion provided on the stopper, and when the stopper is at the second stable position, fitting to the locking portion to fix the stopper. And is movably supported between a lock position and a lock release position where the lock member is disengaged from the lock portion, and is urged toward the lock position by locking body urging means. And the locking body is While being in the deformed state when in the locking position, the heating member moves so as to return to the stored shape from the deformed state and moves the locking body toward the release position. And a governor that is pressed against the stopper when the stopper is at the first stable position to prevent rotation of the transmission mechanism for driving the mainspring. Item 2. The mainspring control device according to Item 1. 4. The mainspring control device according to claim 1, further comprising a control circuit for supplying a current to the first shape memory alloy and the second shape memory alloy. 5. 4. The mainspring control according to claim 1, further comprising a transmitter, a receiver, and a control circuit which enable a current to flow through the first shape memory alloy and the second shape memory alloy by remote control. apparatus The control circuit enables a pulse output having a different duty ratio to flow to the first shape memory alloy by enabling a PWM output, and controls a Joule heat generated in the first shape memory alloy by controlling a Joule heat generated in the first shape memory alloy. The first shape memory alloy can stop the position of the stopper at almost any position between the first stable position and the second stable position, and adjust the strength of the pressure contact of the governor peripheral surface. The spring control device according to claim 4, wherein the rotation speed of the transmission mechanism for driving the mainspring is adjusted via the governor.

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