WO1986002856A1

WO1986002856A1 - Flexible track

Info

Publication number: WO1986002856A1
Application number: PCT/DE1985/000216
Authority: WO
Inventors: John C. Deruig; Walter Schroll
Original assignee: Hesse, Kurt
Priority date: 1984-11-08
Filing date: 1985-06-26
Publication date: 1986-05-22
Also published as: DE3440875C2; ES296287Y; ATE41744T1; EP0180711B1; DD237475A5; EP0180711A1; DE3440875A1; AU4544985A; CA1268336A; MX158606A; AR240611A1; ES296287U

Abstract

The flexible track for toys displaceable on rails comprises separate sections (2) which may be assembled and mutually pivoted. Each section (2) comprises on either side of its centre, preferably symmetrically with respect to a vertical axis (8), projections (11) and complementary pairs of hooks (14) intended to receive, by a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism, the projections (11). Towards the edges of the sections there are provided tongues (23) and complementary recesses (24). At the ends there are arranged posts (36) carrying on one side the tongues (39) and on the other side the complementary recesses (40). A nose (17) facing in the running direction and insertable in a space (19) of the recess (16) provided between the hooks (14), and a depressed surface (29) situated close to the tongue (23) and housed in a space situated close to the recess (24) are used to enhance the stability of the section (2) and of the composite flexible section (1). A large variety of combinations together with more playing pleasure are obtained.

Description

Flexible track

The invention relates to a flexible track piece for free-moving, rail-bound toy vehicles, consisting of individual pluggable and mutually pivotable track piece parts, each of which has a coupling provided with respect to the direction transversely to the direction of travel, including a coupling projecting on one end face in the direction of travel, in the vertical direction in the essentially cylindrical projection on a track section and a complementary latching element on the opposite track section or on the end face of the track section facing away from the projection, comprising two hook-like claws, between which the projection can be snapped in, and edge-side guide elements tongues protruding in the direction of travel on one end face and recesses provided on the other end face for slidably receiving the tongues of adjacent track sections.

A flexible track piece of this type has become known from DE-OS 29 28 013. The known track section has at least one, preferably two, lanes in which the toy vehicles are preferably guided via a pin running in the direction of travel. Flexible electrical conductors laid in the top of the carriageway can also be used as a guiding device if the power consumption elements on the toy vehicle are designed accordingly. The toy vehicles are therefore not free-moving. It is also essential in the known track section that the projection or locking element is provided exactly in the middle with respect to a direction transverse to the direction of travel. A foot can protrude on the underside of the projection in the direction of travel, which engages under a corresponding element of the adjacent track section in the region of the locking element. The Bahnstück¬ parts are preferably made of plastic and are formed in one piece with the exception of the electrical conductor. First of all, it is disadvantageous in the known flexible track piece that the fact that the electrical conductors are provided requires special additional track piece parts by means of which current can be supplied to the electrical conductors. It is therefore not possible to build a closed roadway from at least one such flexible track section. Even if it is assumed that other track-guided vehicles can be used which do not have an electric drive and therefore do not require any power supply conductors, the known flexible track section is disadvantageous in that only slight flexibility of the structure is possible. The known flexible track section allows pivotability in the horizontal plane and a certain pivotability in the vertical plane. However, slidability in the direction of travel is virtually impossible. The latter could possibly be done by designing the hook-like claws of the latching element in accordance with DE-OS 31 32 527. However, this would be at the expense of stability, in particular also in the vertical direction.

The aforementioned DE-OS 31 32 527 shows a flexible track piece with combined guide and coupling elements arranged only on the edge, with the aim of achieving this If, in the minimum case, the necessary stability is required to separate the different parts of the track, a tool is required, the size of the downward section also being very limited due to the required stability.

Roadways made up of track sections for toy vehicles, however, are aimed at school and preschool children, for whom it is essential that the roadway used in each case can be set up very quickly and, moreover, can be changed very flexibly and quickly. On the other hand, since the lane can be stepped on or pushed very quickly when playing, a certain stability of the lane formed is required in the assembled state of all parts of the lane, with corrections to be made very quickly during construction. Furthermore, toy vehicles of small dimensions should also be able to be used for reasons of space.

It is therefore an object of the invention to design a flexible track piece of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that high stability in both vertical and horizontal directions is ensured with the flexible construction of roadways formed therefrom, but assembly and disassembly can be carried out without tools are.

The object is achieved in that the coupling is formed by two projections and two complementary pairs of claws, which are arranged directly on both sides of the middle of the track section in the direction of travel. As a result, two pivot points are created directly next to the center of the track section, which already allows a greater variety of track swivels in the horizontal plane when a plurality of track section parts are lined up, with greater stability being achieved by the two latching interventions, this not only in which occurs horizontally but also in the vertical direction.

It is of particular importance if the two projections and the two complementary pairs of claws are arranged point-symmetrically with respect to a vertical axis passing through the middle of the track section such that a projection and a pair of claws are arranged adjacent to each other on each end face, and that the tongues and recesses of both edges are also arranged point symmetrically to the vertical axis. Such an arrangement is in principle given for the flexible web section according to DE-OS 31 32 527, but with regard to the different design of the different web section parts there. A major advantage of such a training is that the correct side of the next piece of web section does not have to be searched for during assembly, since each side automatically fits.

It is a further particular advantage if the track sections are provided with a guiding device, which is formed by substantially cuboidal guiding posts which project upwards from the top of the carriageway and of which a guide tongue in the driving direction essentially extends in the direction of travel of one end face protrudes horizontally and on the other end in the direction of travel a recess for receiving the guide tongue of the adjacent part of the web section The overall dimension of the guide post and guide tongue in the direction of travel essentially corresponds to the total dimension of the track section in the direction of travel, and the dimension of the guide post in the direction of travel, however, is at least half the total dimension of the track section in the direction of travel speaks. In this way, any freely moving toy vehicles can be guided in a suitable manner over the built-up track. In addition, guide posts and 10 guide tongues form an essentially equally high contiguous edge in any pivoting state, which can also be used as a guide device in the manner of tracks for trains or the like with a suitable track width.

L5

The invention is further developed by the features of the subclaims.

It is particularly advantageous that even if 0 individual elements in the area of the coupling, in the area of the edge-side guide elements and / or in the area of the guide device are broken off, which will happen again and again, the corresponding track section part can continue to be used, even if the stability 5 is impaired in the area of this track section. If the dimensional relationships specified in the claims are adhered to, only the wedge-shaped nose, possibly also the guide tongue, protrude outwards so that they can break off during normal handling. As a result, there is no impairment of the mode of operation or

Handling and, moreover, only a comparatively minor impairment of stability. Self if a projection or a pair of claws fails due to damage, such pieces of web section can still be used.

The design according to the invention also enables the one-piece design, in particular as a plastic molded part in a wide variety of colors, which also stimulates the joy of design through different colors. 0

The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing.

1 shows in perspective a flexible web section constructed from web section parts designed according to the invention. Fig. 2 shows in perspective a part of the path section, Fi ^'g. 3 in perspective the bottom view of the track section according to FIG. 2,

4 in partial supervision the track section according to FIG. 2nd

The flexible web section 1 according to FIG. 1 is constructed from individual web section parts 2, which are all of the same design 5 and which are plugged together and pivotable relative to one another. The structure of each track section 2 is explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4. The flexible track section part 1 constructed with the aid of such track section parts 2 can be pivoted both in the horizontal plane and 0 vertically thereto, the track section parts also being pushed together to a certain extent in the direction of travel, for example in the direction of arrow 3 or in the opposite direction to arrow 3 disassembled can be pulled, whereby a length compensation is possible, in particular when finalizing an entire constructed roadway.

A track section 2 of the type used in the flexible track section 1 according to FIG. 1 is explained in more detail below.

Starting from the center 4 of the carriageway seen in the direction of travel 3, each carriageway half has a coupling device 5, a guiding device 6 and a guiding device 7. Coupling device 5, guiding device 6 and guiding device 7 are of the same design and preferably for each carriageway half , as in the illustrated embodiment, to one by

Center line 4 of the vertical axis 8 going point-symmetrically. Preferably, the intersection 9 of the vertical axis 8 and the center 4 of the carriageway lies exactly in the middle of the track section 2 both in and transversely to the direction of travel. 3. This means that when the track section 2 is rotated about the vertical axis 8 by 180 °, an absolutely identical design can be seen.

The coupling device 5 has a projection 11, which protrudes on an end face 10 of the track section 2 in the direction of travel 3 (or counter to the direction of travel 3) and is essentially cylindrical in the vertical direction. Furthermore, a complementary latching element 12 is formed on the front side 13 of the lane half of the track section 2 in question facing away from the projection 11. The latching element consists of two hook-like claws 14 which protrude counter to the direction of travel 3 (or in the direction of travel 3) and whose outer ends 15 assign to each other. The hook-shaped claws 14 define between them a correspondingly designed elongated hole in the receiving space 16, in which the cylindrical projection 11 of an adjacent track section part 2 5 can be received in a latching manner.

In the illustrated embodiment, a wedge-shaped nose 17 projects in the direction of travel 3 (or counter to the direction of travel 3), which has a widened bottom

Has 10 sided foot 18. The receiving space 16 between the two hook-shaped claws 14 is elongated rearward essentially cuboid to receive the nose 17, this extension space 19 being narrower than the width of the projection transversely to the direction of travel 3

15 11. On the bottom side, the space around the extension space 19 is expanded so that the foot 18 can reach under. The dimensioning is therefore expedient so that a projection 11 can only be latched in the receiving space 16, but even if the nose 17

20 should have broken off, cannot penetrate into the extension space 19 provided for this. So that the latching engagement of the projection in the receiving space 16 is facilitated, slots 20 and 21 are provided, one of which is provided together with the receiving space 16

- '. one of the hook-shaped claws 14 is defined. Advantageously, the slots 21 of both halves of the lane assigned to the center of the lane 4 are essentially on the middle of the lane 4 in such a way that the pivot points of adjacent parts of the lane 2 which are locked into one another are very close, but with

30 stood from the center of the road 4 and are arranged symmetrically to this. Furthermore, protrusion 11, nose 17 as well as receiving space 16 and extension space 19 lie on alignment lines 22 parallel to the center of the carriageway 4. The guide device 6 of each lane half is provided by a tongue 23 projecting from one of the end faces, here in the region of the end face 13, and one in the other end face, here the end face 10, in the direction of travel 3 (or counter to the direction of travel 3) speaking recess 24 formed. The tongue 23 protrudes in the manner of an arrow head, the recess 24 is designed in accordance with a vertical V-groove, so that in the top view (FIG. 4) the region 26 having the tongue 23 and the recess 24 near the side edge 25 essentially Lichen is angular. This angular configuration is further emphasized by the fact that 26 transverse grooves 27 are provided transversely to the direction of travel 3 in this area. These transverse grooves 2 "improve the grip of a toy vehicle on the top 28 of the roadway, which is roughened in the other areas.

Each web piece part half has ^~ ine opposite the Fahr¬ web top 28 underlying surface 29, namely on the side on to which the tongue 23 protrudes and a bottom-side space 30 on the other, the recess 24 having side. The deeply lying surface 29 extends from the center of the carriageway 4 or the edge surface of the slot 21 lying on the other carriageway half and has a transition step 31 to the carriageway upper side 28 from which the tongue 23 protrudes. As shown, the tongue 23 can protrude upward from the lower surface 29. The free space 30 is defined by a surface 32 parallel to the top 28 of the carriageway and a transition step 33 to the bottom 34 and likewise starts from the center 4 of the carriageway or the vertical surface of the slot 21 assigned to the other carriageway half. Preferably, there is between the projection 11 and the area 30 of the free space the transition stage 33, a web 35 for stabilizing the position and increasing the strength of the projection 11 is provided. The web 35 does not have to - as shown - protrude to the bottom side 34, it can be shorter.

In the assembled state of two adjacent track sections 2 (cf. FIG. 1), a tongue 23 engages in a recess 24 and engages over the parallel surface 32, which defines the free space 30, the corresponding lower surface 29, of which the tongue 23 protrudes in such a way that there is no substantial contact, but the engagement or overlapping takes place essentially flush. If both track section 2 lie in the horizontal plane, the distance between the parallel surface 32 and the lower surface 29 defines the extent to which pivoting in the vertical direction is possible, together with the position of the projection within the intermediate the two hook-shaped claws 14 formed slot-like receiving space 16. If adjacent parts of the web are pushed together very closely, the slightest vertical swiveling is possible, if the adjacent parts of the web are pulled apart as far as possible (without releasing the locking engagement), the swiveling in the vertical direction is maximal.

The course of the transition stages 31, 33 is determined in such a way that, with the greatest mutual pivoting of two adjacent web section parts, ie when adjacent web section parts 2 abut each other in the region of the side edge 25, and in the most pushed together state , ie, if the projection closest to this side edge 25 is pushed as far as possible into the complementary receiving space 16 assigned to it, it abuts the opposite end face 10 or approximately flush or only a slight one Release the gap, whereby in this case an almost continuous driving surface is reached in the narrowest radius of a curve through the merging tops 28 of adjacent track sections 2, as indicated in the upper half of FIG. 1.

In the illustrated embodiment, the direction is also on the Seitonrand 25 of the web part 2

7 each provided. In the. Eiteinrichtung 7, starting from the side edge 25, an approximately cuboid Leit¬ post 36 vertically upwards in such a way that one side 37 is aligned with the end face 10 of the track piece, while the side 38 associated with the other end face approximately in the middle of the distance runs between the two end faces 10 and 13. Towards this .other

The end face 13 protrudes from the side 38 of the guide post 36 essentially horizontally away, a guide tongue 39, while in the area of the other side 37 of the guide post 36 a corresponding complementary recess 40 is provided, which is provided for receiving the guide tongue 39 of the adjacent lane part 2 (see Fig. 1). In the illustrated embodiment, the recess is formed by a slot which is formed in the mentioned side 37 of the guide post 36 and the inside 41, while the outside 42 is continuous. In addition, the guide post 36, as can be seen in particular from FIG. 3, has an inner cavity 43 which, for manufacturing reasons, extends from the bottom side 34 into the region of the recess 40. Supports or the like can advantageously be inserted into this cavity 43 if it is desired to elevate the roadway formed by the track section parts. The outside 44 of the guide tongue 39 is offset from the outside 42 of the guide post 36 by that area formed, which corresponds essentially to the wall thickness of the guide post 36 in the region of the inner cavity 43 or the recess 40.

The guide devices 7 assigned to the two halves of the web section are also designed point-symmetrically to the intersection 9 or to the vertical axis 8.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the web piece part 2 is designed as a one-piece plastic molded part. 3, recesses 45 are provided in the bottom side, recesses 46 in the bottom section of the projection 11 and a further recess 47 in the middle of the web part, for reasons of shaping. Furthermore, the guide post likewise has material omissions 49 in the area of the opening sections of the cutout 40 on the upper side 48 for shaping reasons, whereas the inside 50 of the guide tongue 39 is essentially flush with the inside 41, so that when the condition is pushed together from above the engagement of the guide tongue in the recess is clearly recognizable.

Each part of the web section formed in this way is essentially rectangular in plan view, is very torsionally or kink-resistant in all spatial directions, and in fact is essentially the same in both directions in each plane. The strength of a piece of web piece 2 is therefore extraordinarily high. As can also be seen from the supervision (cf. FIG. 4), only the wedge-shaped nose 17 and the guide tongue 39 protrude as comparatively easily damaged parts. The stability of the wedge-shaped nose 17 is greatly increased by the foot 18, but the cylindrical projection 11 which is essential for locking is protected arranged, and is present in any case, even if the nose 17 should be broken off with the foot 18,

I Such a track section part 2 can still be used. If the guide tongue 39 is broken off or at least damaged, the web section part 2 can still be used in full. Even if one of the claws 14 should have broken off, which will obviously only occur exceptionally, the track section 2 can continue to be used, since two latches are provided according to the invention.

Due to the special point-symmetrical design, it is no longer necessary for the playing child to first search which sides of adjacent track sections 2 fit together.

In addition, there is the further advantage over parts of the track with a single coupling device located absolutely in the middle. In fact, a greater radius of curvature can be achieved in the game, since even adjacent track section parts 2 do not disengage if the projection 11 and the locking element 12 associated with one half of the roadway almost disengage. Such an arrangement is also extraordinarily stable, which is why it is possible for the playing child to achieve a much better adaptation to the local conditions without the track sections 2 being able to separate from one another.

Overall, the design of the flexible track section according to the invention enables a track for toy vehicles to be built, even for preschool children, which is very stable and robust, with toy vehicles corresponding to the age of the playing child. can be used, for example also remotely controlled, but also only set over a sloping plane or even only pushable toy vehicles. A roadway can be set up and dismantled extremely quickly, and in a new construction it is also possible to string together complete flexible track sections 1 consisting of many track section parts 2 without major problems if the point-symmetrical design of the track section parts 2 is used . In the case of training as a plastic molded part, the most varied of colors can be selected for the web piece parts 2, which also results in a changing, colorful structure.

Claims

1. Flexible track section for free-moving, track-bound toy vehicles, consisting of individual plug-in track sections that can be swiveled against each other

(2), each of which has a coupling, which is provided centrally with respect to the direction transverse to the direction of travel, including a projection which protrudes in the direction of travel on one end face and is essentially cylindrical in the vertical direction on a track section and a complementary locking element on the opposite track section or on the end of the web part facing away from the projection, consisting of two hook-like claws, between which the projection can be snapped in, and edge-side guide elements with tongues projecting from one end in the direction of travel and recesses provided in the other end for displaceably receiving the Tongues of adjacent track sections, characterized in that the coupling is formed by two projections (11) and two complementary claw pairs (14) which are arranged directly on both sides of the track section center (4) in the direction of travel (3).

2. Flexible track piece according to claim 1, characterized in that the two projections (11) and the two complementary claw pairs (14) are arranged point-symmetrically to a vertical axis (8) going through the track piece part center (4) so that each end face (10, 13) has a projection (11) and a pair of claws (14) adjacent to each other, and that the tongues (23) and recesses (24) of both edges (25) are also point symmetrical to the vertical axis (8 ) are arranged.

3. Flexible track according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that from the projection (11) in the direction of travel (3) protrudes a substantially wedge-shaped nose (17), and that the receiving space (16) between the claws (14) one The pair of claws is elongated rearward in a substantially cuboid shape to accommodate the nose (17), the extension space (19) being narrower transversely to the direction of travel (3) than the width of the projection (11).

4. Flexible track according to claim 3, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the nose (17) and extension space (19) to the top of the roadway (28) go through.

5. Flexible track according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the nose (17) has a widened bottom-side foot (18) which can reach under the extension (19) without substantial contact but essentially flush.

6. Flexible track according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the receiving space (16) between the claws (14) of a pair of claws in the direction of travel (3) corresponds to an elongated hole whose width dimension is slightly larger than the width of the projection (11th ) is that a free play transverse to the direction of travel (3) is possible.

7. Flexible track according to one of claims 1 bi ^' s 6, characterized in that each claw (14) from the rest of the area on the side facing away from the receiving space (16) is separated by a slot (20, 21) in the direction of travel (3) .

8. Flexible track section according to one of the claims 1 to 7, characterized in that from the middle of the carriageway (4) to the edge of the carriageway (25) on the tongue (23) side, a surface lying lower than the carriageway top (28) ( 29) and on the side of the recess (24) a free space (30) to the bottom side (34) of the track piece part (2) is provided such that in the assembled state of two adjacent track piece parts (2) the deeper surface (29) engages in the free space (30) without substantial contact, but essentially flush.

9. Flexible track according to claim 8, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the transition stage (31) between Fahrbahn¬ top (28) and lower surface (29) is determined so that with strongest mutual pivoting and largely pushed together state of two adjacent track sections (2) the transition stage (31) between the center of the lane (4) and a lane edge (25) on the corresponding opposite end face (10, 13) of the adjacent lane part (2) is approximately flush.

10. Flexible track according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the transition stage (33) between the free space top (32) and the bottom side (34) is determined so that with strongest mutual pivoting and largely pushed together state of two adjacent track sections ( 2) the transition stage (33) between the center of the lane (4) and a lane edge (25) on the corresponding opposite end face (10, 13) of the adjacent lane part (2) is approximately flush.

11. Flexible track according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that from the projection (11) backwards a web (35) protrudes to the next transverse wall (transition step 33).

12. Flexible track according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the area (26) of the Fahrbahn¬ top (28), which comprises the tongue (23) and the recess (24), is approximately angular in supervision.

3: 3. Flexible track section according to claim 12, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the angular region (26) transverse grooves (27) transverse to the direction of travel (3) and the road surface (28) is roughened in the rest.

14. Flexible track according to one of claims 1 to 13, with a guide device (7) for guiding the Spielfahr¬ stuff, characterized in that the guide device (7) by the roadway edge (25) from the top of the carriageway (28) each projecting upwards essentially cuboid-shaped guide posts (36) are formed, from the one end face (38) of which one guide tongue (39) protrudes substantially horizontally in the direction of travel (3) in the direction of travel (3), and on the other end face in the direction of travel (3) (37) a recess (40) for receiving the guide tongue (39) of the adjacent track piece (2) is provided that the overall dimension of the guide post (36) and guide tongue (39) in the direction of travel (3) of the total dimension of the track piece

(2) in the direction of travel (3) corresponds essentially and that the dimension of the guide post (36) in the direction of travel

(3) corresponds, however, to at least half the overall dimension of the track part (2) in the direction of travel (3).

15. Flexible track according to claim 2 and claim 14, characterized in that the guide posts (36) and guide tongues (39) on both road edges (25) are arranged point-symmetrically to the vertical axis (8).

16. Flexible web piece according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the guide post (36) has a downwardly open inner cavity (43).

17. Flexible web piece according to one of claims 14 to

16, characterized in that the guide tongue (39) projects away from the top (48) and from the outside (42) of the guide post (36), the recess (40) being formed by a slot in the guide post (36) which is open to the inside (41) and to the end face (37) facing away from the guide tongue (39).

18. Flexible web piece according to one of claims 14 to

17, characterized in that the end face (37) of the guide post (36) facing away from the guide tongue (39) and the associated end face (10) of the web part (2) lie in a vertical plane.

19. Flexible web piece according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that it is in one piece.

20. Flexible web piece according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that it is be¬ made of plastic.