JPH0453581A - Moving toy with light sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To move a moving toy on a course at a speed proportional to the value of light flux by providing the moving toy having a light sensor provided on the bottom surface and a course reflecting the light drawn on a base board. CONSTITUTION:A light flux emitted from the light emitting element 3 of a light sensor S is radiated on a course 5, and the light flux reflected by the course 5 is guided to a light receiving element 4. Light sensors S1, S2 are provided on the front part of the lower surface of a chassis 10a, and light sensors S3, S4, S5 are provided on the rear part. The light sensors S1, S2 are connected to a steering control motor, and the light sensors S3, S4, S5 are connected to a driving motor. When a car 10 is in the small width 12a of a course, the light sensors S1, S2, S4 are present in a course 12. Consequently, the car runs at the lowest speed. In the middle width 12, the light sensors S3, S2, S4, S5 are present in the course 12, and consequently, the car 10 runs at a middle speed. In the course of the wide width 12C, the light sensors S1, S2, S3, S4, S5 are present in the course 12, and the car 10 runs at the highest speed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a moving toy equipped with a light sensor, and more particularly to a moving toy that moves at a speed proportional to the value of a luminous flux.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Magnetic sensors are known as sensors for conventional moving toys, but the reality is that no moving toy using optical sensors has been developed yet.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the course material for moving the moving toy, which is paired with the above-mentioned conventional moving toy equipped with a magnetic sensor, for example, powdered magnetic material is mixed in ink, paint, etc. has been
Therefore, the course material is a special material, and there are major problems such as not only difficulty in obtaining it but also high cost.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a moving toy using an optical sensor, which was developed with the intention of solving the problems associated with the use of the magnetic sensor.

Means for Solving the Problems A movable toy equipped with an optical sensor according to the present invention consists of a movable toy having an optical sensor disposed on the bottom and a course that reflects light drawn on a base plate. is configured to move along the above course at a speed proportional to the value of the luminous flux.

According to the mobile toy using the optical sensor of the present invention, the course materials forming the pair do not need to be special materials, and may be generally commercially available inks or paints. Moreover, it can be obtained at low cost. The speed of a moving toy can be controlled by adjusting the luminous flux. A major feature of the present invention is that a course can be arbitrarily drawn on the base plate by oneself, and therefore a moving toy can be moved along the course while controlling the speed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The drawings illustrate one embodiment of the invention. Figures 1A and B and Figure 2 show the overall shape and operating principle of a reflective optical sensor S in which a light emitting element 3 made of an LED and a light receiving element 4 made of a phototransistor are housed inside a case 2, respectively. In the figure, 3a is an irradiation part formed on the front side of the case 2, and this irradiation part 3a is for irradiating the luminous flux emitted from the light emitting element 3 toward the reflective surface, that is, the course 5; is a light receiving section formed on the front side of the case 2, and this light receiving section 4a is for guiding the light beam reflected by the course 5 to the light receiving element 4.

Note that the light emitting element 3 described above is not limited to an LED, and the light receiving element 4 is not limited to a phototransistor, but it goes without saying that other light emitting elements and what are called light receiving elements can be used. . Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned reflective ink acter, and individualized light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements can be used.

In the following description, the optical sensor shall mean the various optical sensors mentioned above.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a toy car in which a required number of optical sensors S described above are installed at predetermined positions on the bottom surface of the chassis.
0b indicates a front wheel, and 10c indicates a rear wheel. The above chassis 10a
For example, two optical sensors SI are installed on the front part of the lower surface.
For example, three optical sensors S3 . S- and S5 are provided, respectively. The above optical sensor s1゜S2
As shown in FIG. 4A, for example, a control circuit C is connected to the output side of the
, , C2 are connected to each other, and a steering control motor M is connected to their output sides.

The optical sensor S3. For example, control circuits C3, C4 and C are connected to the output sides of S4 and S5, as shown in FIG. 4B.
3 are connected to each other, and a pulse oscillation circuit P is connected to the output side of this, and a driving motor drive circuit is connected to the output side of this, and a driving motor drive circuit is connected to this output side. A driving motor M2 is connected thereto.

On the other hand, the running course 12 of the toy car is painted on the surface or both the front and back surfaces of the base plate 11 made of paper, wood, synthetic resin, or other materials, using commercially available ink or paint. draw. In order for this course 12 to have the function as the above-mentioned reflective surface, it is preferable that the surface or both the front and back surfaces of the plywood 11 be made of a color with poor reflection efficiency, such as black, and the course 12 be made of a color with good reflection efficiency, for example, white.
It can be used effectively, including making the course easier to navigate. Furthermore, in the course 12, for example, only one of the optical sensors St and Sz is connected to the course 12 at a curved portion.
and an optical sensor 33. It is drawn so that only the optical sensor S4 arranged at the center of S4 and Ss is in the elementary and middle school 12a existing in the course 12, and in the straight line part, the optical sensor S I+82 is both in the course 12, and the optical sensor S3. S and S5 are both drawn to have a width 12c existing within the course.

When the toy car IO with the power switch turned on is placed on the course 12 drawn as described above as shown in al in FIG. The steering mechanism is in a straight-ahead state. on the other hand,
Optical sensor S3. S.

Since only the intermediate optical sensor S4 among the optical sensors S4 and S5 exists within the course 12, the drive motor M is at the lowest speed, and the toy car 10 is driven straight at the lowest speed. As shown in a-2 of FIG. 5A, when the car 10 approaches a left-hand curve, only one of the optical sensors S, S2, sI, located on the left side, exists within the course 12. As a result, the optical sensor S2 causes the steering mechanism to shift to the front wheel 10b.
The car 10 is operated to face leftward, and the car 10 is driven to the left following the curve. As shown in a-3 of FIG. 5A, when the car 10 approaches the end of the curve, both the optical sensors S, S2 are within the course, and as a result, the steering mechanism turns the front wheels 10b. The car 10b is operated to go straight, and the car 10b is driven straight along the course. Fifth
As shown in b-1 of Figure B, the car IO passes through the curve and enters a straight course. That is, optical sensor S8. S2 are both within the course 12 and the optical sensors S3+S
Of 4 and S5, only the middle 84 exists within 12, and as a result, straight travel is performed at the lowest speed.

The width of the course 12 is such that a curved part and a straight line part connected before and after this curve are formed into a narrow width. It is desirable to form the inner width 12b.

At this middle width, as shown in b-2 of FIG. 5B, both optical sensors St and Sz exist within the course, and optical sensors S3. Of S and S, two S4 and S5 exist within the course 12, and as a result, the car 10 travels straight at an intermediate speed. As shown in b-3 of FIG.
Both optical sensors 53S4 and 35 are present within the course 12, and as a result, the car 10 travels straight at the maximum speed. The above-mentioned combinations of small width, medium width, and wide width of the course are only examples, and therefore, the desired course is drawn on the surface of the base plate 11 or both the front and back sides of the toy car 10.
can be steered.

Further, the toy that moves on the course is not limited to the above-described car 10, but any toy that is moved by an optical sensor may be used. Furthermore, the number of optical sensors that control the moving speed of the toy is not limited to the three mentioned above, and of course can be increased or decreased.

Furthermore, the color of the ink and paint for drawing the course is not limited to the above-mentioned white color, but may be any color different from the color of the plywood. Moreover, the color of the plywood is not limited to the above-mentioned black, but can be any color.

Effects of the Invention According to the moving toy using the optical sensor of the present invention, the course material constituting the pair does not need to be special, but generally commercially available ink or paint is sufficient. Materials can be easily and inexpensively obtained, and conventional problems can be completely solved. Furthermore, since the speed of the moving toy of the present invention can be controlled by adjusting the amount of luminous flux, specifically, by forming the width of the course, the speed can be controlled while controlling the speed in a series of courses. Mobile toys can be moved. Such a course can be arbitrarily drawn on the base plate by oneself.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of a mobile toy equipped with an optical sensor according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a front view of an embodiment of the optical sensor, FIG. 1B is a side view of the optical sensor, and FIG. The figures are Figure 1 A and B.
Figure 3 is a bottom view of the moving toy equipped with the optical sensor shown in Figures 1A and B and Figure 2;
Figure A is a block diagram of an example of a control circuit for a steering mechanism, Figure 4B is a block diagram of an example of a control circuit for a drive motor, Figure 5A is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between a moving toy and a curve course, Figure 5 B
is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between a moving toy and a straight course. 3... Light emitting element, 4... Light receiving element, 10... Toy car 11... Base plate, 12... Course, Sl to S
5... Optical sensor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] It consists of a moving toy with a light sensor arranged on the bottom side and a course that reflects light drawn on a base plate, and the moving toy moves on the course at a speed proportional to the value of the luminous flux. A mobile toy equipped with an optical sensor, characterized in that: