US3500581A - Vehicle trackway toy - Google Patents

Description

Mam}! 1970 J. H. LEMELSON 3,

VEHICLE TRACKWAY TOY Filed Aug 21, 1968 INVENTOR. JEROME H.LEMELSON United States Patent U.S. Cl. 46-243 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Constructions in electrical toys are provided which are relatively simple in structure and may be produced at low cost. In one form a toy track is fabricated of plastic sheet which is deformed with narrow folds in a surface thereof defining parallel slots or channels into which conducting metal strips are pushed and utilized for conducting electrical energy to vehicles riding on said trackway. In another form, an elongated, flexible vehicle guideway is provided which may be bent'to define curved track and conform to irregular surfaces such as blocks defining hills and gullies. A pair of bendable metal conducting strips extend through the flexible guideway and have upper edge portions which project upwardly from the upper surface thereof to be engaged by slip rings, wheels or sliding brushes depending downwardly from a toy vehicle. The side walls of the flexible vehicle guideway serve to guide the vehicle in a predetermined path depending on the contour or shape of the guideway across a supporting surface therefore. 1

Related applications This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 636,136, filed May 4, 1967 for Toy Track which wasv a continuation of Ser. No. 834,875, filed Aug. 19, 1959 now abandoned and a division of Ser. No. 347,532, filed Feb. 26, 1964 now US. Patent 3,308,575 which issued on Mar. 14, 1967.

Summary of the invention This invention relates to electrical toys, and in particular to toys having playing boards or tracks made of thermoplastic material which may easily be formed to shape during fabrication and in certain instances, may be easily bent or made to conform to various shapes when in use.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide new and improved structures in toy trackways for guiding toy vehicles in predetermined paths.

to carry current to the toy vehicle guided by and riding above said trackway.

Another object is to provide a flexible guideway for toy vehicles which contain electrical conducting means which is also operative to permit the track or guideway to be permanently deformed to shape by hand bending.

With the above and such other objects in view as may hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists of the novel constructions, combination and arrangements of parts which will be hereafter more fully described but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an end cross sectional view of a guideway for a toy vehicleand an assembly subtending from the vehicle having means for making electrical contact with electrical elements of the guideway; FIG. la is a cross sectional view of a modified form of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 s an end cross sectional view of another form of the invention; FIG. 3 is an isometric view with parts broken Another object is to provide a new and improved elecv trical board or track toy having an assembly of electrical elements which are joined therewith without resort to the use of fasteners.

Another object is to provide a construction in an electrical toy trackway which may be rapidly produced away for clarity of another form of toy vehicle guideway with electrical conductors forming a past thereof; FIG. 4 is an end cross sectional View of another form of toy vehicle guideway and showing part of a toy vehicle riding thereon and FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of another form of toy track.

- There is shown in FIG. 1 a toy vehicle guideway 10 formed of insulating material such as sheet plastic hav ing a guideway 13' in the form of an upwardly extending channel-like formation 13' having downwardly depending sidewalls 14' and 15' and an upper wall .16 containing a pair of folds 18a and 18b defining channeeds 17a and 17b containing respective flat metal strips 19a and 19b frictionally or adhesively contained therein and each protruding, when fully inserted into the channels, upwardly from the upper surface of the formation 13 so as to be accessible to respective slip rings 51, 52 shown secured to a drum 53 which is rotationally supported on a Shaft supported in bearing by side brackets 57,58 subtending downwardly from the vehicle body 56.'Cantelevered metal spring elements or brushes 54, 55 are supported from above and make contact with the slip rings 51, 52 to conduct electrical energy from the trackway strips to 'an electric motor mounted to drive the vehicle. Disc-like formation or wheels 48 and 49 are mounted at the ends of the drum 53 to be guided by the sidewalls 14', 15' for guiding the vehicle along the path defined by formation 13. In FIG. la, a single strip of metal 19 is provided in a fold 18 in the upper surface of a guideway 13 which is formed in the trackway or board 11 comprising a toy assembly 10. The formation 13 defines a rail for guiding one wheel 20 of a toy vehicle. Typical suitable polymers of which board or sheet 11 may be thermoformed include high impact styrene, ABS, acetate and other low cost thermoplastic plastics which may be vacuum or pressure formed to the desired shape.

A guideway 13 for a toy vehicle is formed outwardly of the main portion 12 of the sheet 11 as an upwardly extending inverted channel-like formation. The guideway 13 has sidewalls 14 and 15 and is formed with a top wall 16 having a U-shaped fold 17 formed substantially in the center of the top wall 16 and defining a re cess or channel 17' extending along the length of the guideway 13. Disposed in the recess 17 is a strip 18 of metal sheet such as copper or aluminum having an upper end wall or edge 19. The widthof the strip 18 is greater than the depth of the channel 17' so that the upper edge 19 of the strip extends above the upper surface 16' of the guideway 13 when the strip is fully inserted into said channel as shown. Thus, electrical sliding or rolling contact may.be derived and maintained between said upper edge 19 of metal and the peripheral surface of a wheel or surfaceof a brush element extending downwardly, for example, from a toy vehicle or other device adapted to travel along or parallel to the guideway 13.

While the width of the channel or recess 17 is preferably equal to or less than the thickness of strip 18 so as to permit said strip to be pushed into a recess and frictionally heldwithin said recess for assembly of the two, adhesive bonding material may be disposed in said channel prior to pushing the strip 18 therein to bond the two together.

The metal strip 18 may comprise aluminum or copper and may be electrically connected to a source of electrical energy in parallel with a similar strip of metal disposed in a recess or fold in the same channel-like guideway 13 or a similar formation in the sheet 11 extending parallel thereto. Each of the two formations 13 may define respective tracks of a trackway for guiding and powering an electrically operated, motor driven device such as a motor driven vehicle toy. Notation 20 refers to a wheel of a toy vehicle having a flange 21 guided in its travel by the side wall of the guideway 13 and having its cylindrical peripheral surface 22 riding on the upper edge 19 of strip 18 which supports the wheel and supplies electrical energy thereto. If the wheel and its axle (not shown) are conducting material, and are electrically connected to an electrical motor mounted in the vehicle to drive samethrough brush means (not shown), the electrical energy may be supplied a pair of such strips 18 by contact with opposite wheels of the vehicle.

In FIG. 1, strip 18 is connected to a source of elec trical energy through a wire W soldered to a pin or rivet 23 extending through the walls of the U-shaped section 17 and contacting the strip 18.

In FIG. 2 is shown another structure in an electrical game board or track 30 formed of a sheet 31 of insulating material as described and having a pair of parallel upwardly extending U-shaped protrusions or guideways 33 and 34 shaped as inverted channels for guiding the wheels of a toy vehicle and a pair of U- shaped formations 35 and 36 disposed. inwardly of the formations 33 and 34 and extending parallel to each other for holding respective strips ofmetal conductors 37 and 38. These strips 37 and 38 are connected in a parallelelectrical circuit and are secured within the channels 35' and 36 of the formations 36 and 35 in the sheet as described. The upper edge portions of the strips 37 and 38 protrude above the upper surface of the board or track 30 so as to make each strip accessible to a wheel or respectiveelectrical brush element denoted 39 and 39' depending downwardly from an electrical motor driven vehicle whose wheels ride on or are guided by the formations 33.and 34 defining the track or pathway for the vehicle; Notations W and W2 refer to respective side wheels on the same axle of a toy vehicle V each of which is shown riding on the upper surface 32' of one of the sheet formations 32 between channels 33 and 34. Flanged wheels (not shown) having inner flange formations-may also be maintained on the formations 33, 34 which may also serve as rails. The vehicle may also be adapted as shown, with its wheels riding against the formations 33, 34 while they travel the upper surface 32 of the track or board between said formations 33 and 34. Notations 39 and 39 refer to brushes made of spring metal strips such as phosphor bronze or woven metal adapted to slidably contact strips as the vehicle V is driven along the track defined by formations 33 and 34 formed in board 30. The board 30 may be in the shape of an elongated track or playing boardhaving formations 33 and 34 extending in an endless path about the board and also shaped to support a battery and power controls.

FIG. 3 illustrates another form of the invention comprising a flexible guideway or track assembly 40 made of an extrusion 41 of flexible plastic such as medium or low-density polyethylene, plasticized polyvinyl chloride, ethylene vinyl acetate, butadiene styrene or the like of substantially rectangular cross sectional shape and having partially embedded therein at least two conducting members 42 and 45 which may comprise, in their simplest form, flat thin strips of metal such as aluminum or copper. Portions 43 and 46 of the strips are embedded below the upper surface 41' of the extrusion. 41 while portions 44 and 47 of each strip protrude above said upper surface and are accessible to electrical contacting means depending from the toy vehicle travelling above the guideway 40 such as respective electrical brushes or wheels in series circuit with an electric motor used to power the toy vehicle. The toy vehicle may be operated with its opposite wheels adapted to engage the opposite side walls 41a and 41b of the extrusion 41 so as to guide said vehicle along the track 40 or a drum 48 subtending from the center of the vehicle body at the front of the vehicle may have opposite flanges 49 and 50 adapted to engage the opposite side walls 41a and 41b of flexible track member 40 for guiding said vehicle therealong. Conducting rings 51 and 52 insulated from each other on the central portion 53 of the drum assembly 50, ride against respective of the upper edge surfaces of the strips 42, 45 to conduct electricity to respective brush elements riding on the rings from above as shown. The brush elements are supported by the vehicle body and extend to the inputs of the electric motor driving the vehicle..

Notation 43' refers to holes through the lower portions of strips 42 and 45 through which plastic material forming member 41 may flow and solidify during the extrusion on members 42 and 45 so as to anchor said strips in the member 41.

The hereinabove described electrical game boards and trackways are preferably fabricated of thermoplastic sheet material which has been vacuum formed against a mold or die surface or pressure formed While in a heat softened condition to provide the folds therein defining both the wheel guideways and the U-shaped recesses into which the metal strips are pushed and secured for properly holding and'prepositioning same in place.

The sheet material may also comprise a cold-formable plastic which will permanently deform between stamping dies such as ABS (acrobynitrel butadiene styrene) plastic shaped as shown in a stamping press.

FIG. 4 illustrates another form of track and shows further details of a vehicle riding thereon. The vehicle assembly includes abody'61 having side walls 61 and a partition 62 extending betweensaid side walls on which a gear motor 63 is mounted. The shaft 64 of the gear motor extends completely therethrough and serves as an axle mounting wheels 65 and 66 for driving the vehicle. Said wheels are shown guided exterior of respective upwardly protruding formations 73 and 74 which are coextruded with a flat track or board 72. Embedded or secured within the formations 73 and 74 are respective elongated strips 75 and 77 of conducting material such as copper or aluminum, each having a cylindrically shaped base 76 of greater diameter than the width of that portion of the strip which protrudes outwardly from the upper surface of the wheel guide formation as shown. Supported by the axle or shaft 64 are respective conducting rings 67 and 68 each of which rides against the upper surface of a respective of strips 75 and 77. Brush elements 69 and 70 are supported by the shelf 62 and eachmake sliding contact with a respective of the rings 67 and 7-8 for conducting electricity from the conducting strips to the inputs of the gear motor 63.

The track 72 may be made of any suitable insulating material such as the described polymers and may be extruded to shape with the conducting strip elements 75 and 77 guided through the die in which the track is formed so that each is properly secured within its guideway portion 73 and 74 of the track or board.

FIG. 5 shows a structure in a track 80 having a flat bed portion 81 and a plurality of upwardly protruding rail or guide portions 82 each of which has retained therein an elongated flat metal strip 83 which protrudes above the upper surface of the portion 82 of the extrusion in which it is secured so as to provide a continuous edge contacting means for a wheel 84 of a toy vehicle or an electrical brush element adapted to slidably engage the upper edge thereof as the vehicle travels.

A self-threading screw 86 is shown penetrating the rail or guideway portion 82 of the extrusion and passing through an opening in the strip 83. The fastener 86 serves not only to hold the strip 83 in the extrusion but it also makes electrical contact therewith and with a lug 85 electrically connecting the screw 86 and strip 83 with a wire extending to a source of electrical energy. It is noted that a screw or other fastener similar to 86 may also be directed through the extrusion 80 from the lower surface thereof to make contact with the strip conductor 83 for forming an electrical circuit therewith and a similar arrangement may be utilized to connect a strip conductor of the type shown in series circuit with a source of electrical energy and control means for the motor driving the vehicle. Brush memans may be provided to make sliding contact with the conducting wheel 84 and a motor driving the wheel shaft or other electrically operated means (not shown) mounted in the vehicle.

In FIGS. 3-5 the notation H refers to holes or cavities provided in the side walls and/ or the bottom walls of the track or guideways 40, 72 and 80 that is, the flexible extruded or molded portions thereof such as 40, 81, 72. Such holes may extend partly or completely through the flexible portions of the track or guideways and may serve to receive small screws or frictional fasteners for holding the assembly on a surface or in assembly with vertical supports and the like. Since the track materials are flexible plastic, if the screw mean diameters are larger than the holes H, said screws may be self threaded into said holes to frictionally hold to an upright support or base. While the track of FIG. 3 may be easily bent and made to conform to shapes which curve laterally, it may also be bent and made to conform to surfaces angulated to the horizontal, the bendable aluminum or copper metal strips 45, 44 serving to retain the bent shape by virtue of bending same beyond their elastic limit. Accordingly, soft aluminum or copper may be utilized for the metal strips 44 and 45.

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle trackway toy comprising:

(a) a thin electrically insulating sheet material which deforms with a first formation protruding from a flat surface of said sheet and defining a guideway for a toy vehicle traveling a fixed path across said tracky.

(b) a first substantially U-sha-ped fold formed in said sheet and defining a downwardly depending channel extendingv from an upper surface thereof,

(c) an elongated strip of electrically conducting material connected to a source of electrical energy secured within said downwardly depending channel, the width of said strip being substantially vertical to said upper surface, and extending along substantially the length of said channel,

(d) the upper longitudinal edge surface of said strip being accessible to the upper surface of said sheet,

(e) a vehicle toy including electric motor means for driving said toy along said trackway and wheel means adapted to travel the path defined'by said first formation in said sheet,

(f) electrical conducting coupling means depending from said vehicle toy and operative to engage the upper edge surface of said electrically conducting strip as said vehicle toy travels said path defined by said formation for conducting electrical energy to said electrical motor means for said vehicle.

2. A vehicle trackway toy in accordance with claim 1, whereby said U-shaped, downwardly depending fold is formed in the said first formation.

3. A vehicle trackway toy in accordance with claim 2 including a second U-shaped, downwardly depending channel formed in said first formation and a second elongated strip of electrically conducting material disposed in said second U-shaped channel, said first and second strips being in parallel circuits with said power supply and further electrical conducting coupling means depending from said vehicle and connected to said electric motor means for connecting said motor means with said power supply.

4. A vehicle toy in accordance with claim 1 including a second formation protruding from said sheet in the same direction as said first formation and extending substantially parallel thereto, said vehicle toy having opposite wheels including at least one wheel adapted to be guided by each of said first and second formations.

5. A vehicle toy in accordance with claim 4 including said U-shaped fold and a second U-shaped fold, one said fold formed in each of said first and second formations and respective electrical conducting strips supported in each of said channels and each in circuit with said power supply.

6. A vehicle toy in accordance with claim 4, said U-shaped fold and a second U-shaped fold formed in the sheet material disposed between said first and second formations and extending parallel to each other and said first and second formations, each of said U-shaped folds containing a respective conducting strip secured therein and in circuit with said power supply, said vehicle toy having first and second conducting coupling means depending downwardly to engage respective of said conducting strips secured in said U-shaped folds.

7. A vehicle toy in accordance with claim 6, said sheet being also formed with edge stiffening folds extending along at least two of the edges thereof.

8. A vehicle trackway toy comprising:

(a) an elongated flexible extrusion of substantially constant cross section made of an insulating polymeric material and defining a track or guideway for the wheels of a motor-driven toy vehicle,

(b) a pair of elongated metal strips each partially embedded in said flexible extrusion along the length thereof and extending parallel to each other, portions of each of said metal strips protruding outwardly from and substantially vertical to the surface of said elongated extrusion along the length thereof, said metal strips being in circuit with a single power supply and a toy vehicle adapted to be guided by said extrusion and means depending downwardly from said vehicle toy for engaging the protruding portions of said metal strips for conducting electrical energy to the motor of said vehicle.

9. A vehicle trackway toy in accordance with claim 8, said guideway being substantially rectangular in cross section.

10. A vehicle trackway toy in accordance with claim 8, said guideway being formed with a plurality of upwardly protruding rail portions each having one of said elongated strips of metal partially embedded therein for conducting 7 electrical energy 'to the opposite side Wheels of said toy vehicle traveling said rails.

11. A trackway toy in accordance with claim 8, said flexible extrusion having a plurality of small holes formed therein along its length for securing the ends of fasteners thereto for supporting said extrusion to said strip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,836,129

8 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,182,562 1/1959 France. 1,383,070 11/1964 France.

301,480 8/ 1952 Switzerland.

F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner Us. 01. X.R.

5/1958 .Jaeger 46- -243 X 10 23810

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