Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The invention relates to a toy vehicle track for toy vehicles
having an electric drive motor disposed in the chassis, the
track being formed of segments which can be fitted together~
It is known in connection with toy vehicles having an
electric drive motor to supply the latter with electricity by
means of collectors co-operating with conductors placed on
the track. The conductors are permanently connected to an
electrical supply source. A disadvantage of this arrangement
is that these toy vehicles can only he used as long as the
electrical supply source is connected with the mains supply.
This leads to the disadvantage that toy vehicles, which for
advertising purposes may move along tracks in display
windows, immediately stop running when the electrical supply
source is shut off, e.g. when the store closes, for which
reason advertising beyond the time of closing of the store is
no longer possible, because the vehicles have stopped. It is
further known to operate toy vehicles on the track by means
of an independent power source, e.g. a battery. However,
after a relatively short running time these toy vehicles
require the use of fresh power sources. The disadvantage
here is that to change the power source the operation must be
interrupted. Furthermore, the speed of movement of the toy
vehicles is unintentionally slowed because of the decreasing
power of the power source.
It is an object of the invention to assure uninterrupted
operation over a period of time of optional length on a toy
track by connection with the mains supply and, when the
connection with the mains supply fails or is terminated, to
make further operation possible over a preset period of time.
According to the present invention there is provided a toy
vehicle and track assembly, comprising toy vehicles having an
electric drive motor disposed in a chassis thereof and a
track formed of track segments which can be fitted together,
said segments having conductors which are detachably fixed
along the track and connectable to a power supply, and the
toy vehicles comprising a rechargeable power source acting as
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a buffer and collectors for contacting the conductors, said
rechargeable power source and collectors being permanently
connected to the vehicle drive motor.
In this way the toy vehicle is supplied with voltage
delivered by the mains suppl~ via the conductors over, e.g.,
the period of time the store is open. This assures an
uninterrupted operation of the toy vehicle while, if the
power source is detached from the mains supply, the internal
power source automatically takes over and makes possible
subsequent further operation until the internal power source
is exhausted. This makes it possible, for example, to
continue operation after closing of the store and cut-off of
the supply source from the mains supply during the evening
hours which perhaps follow. Furthermore, permanent charging
of the internal power source can be achieved with low
amperage over long periods of time, thereby avoiding damage
of the internal power source which is known to occur during
fast charging. Preferably, the power source is deslgned in
such a way that it supplies a voltage generally 50% higher
than the operational voltage of the chargeable internal power
source.
The conductors can be fixed to the segments in any desired
manner, for example by adhesion. The conductors may be
provided as continuously applied ribbon-like foil or as foil
segments of a metallic material in contact with each other.
For practical reasons the metal foil or metal foil sections
are made self-adhesive, 50 that after the track has been set
up, it is possible to provide it with conductors in a
particularly simple way. It is furthermore provided that the
metal foils have fixed connectors to which electrical
conductors connected with the power source can be connected.
For example, parts formed of sheet metal and disposed in the
segments nay be used as connectors. It is also conceivable
to employ short foil sections as connectors which are in
contact with the conductors. The connectors may also be
provided in any other desired manner. The electrical
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conductors themselves may be connected to the connectors by
soldering, crimping or the like.
In a further embodiment of the invention the conductors are
arranged in the driving surfaces and/or on the lateral guide
elements of the segments. Depending on the disposition of
the conductors, all that is required is the assignment of
correspondingly formed collectors. As desired, brushed parts
formed of metal or the like and used as wipers may serve as
collectors.
Finally, the collectors can be formed parts made of an
electrically conductive material which can be clampingly
clipped to the segments. The formed parts have spring
segments which are in contact with the formed parts oE
neighboring segments in order to provide contirluous
conductors on the track. The formed parts can be simply
clipped to the guide se~ments and thus can be exchangeable.
Pre~erably the formed parts are fixed by crimping or with the
help of clamping elements; however, it is also possible to
fixedly connect the formed parts with the segments.
Finally the formed parts can ba fixed on the segmen~s by
extrusion from the material of the latter.
To increase the appeal of the game it is furthermore pro~ided
that the segments have hollow guide members, downwardly open,
on both sides of the driving surface and that, by insertion
of connecting elements provided with clamping bodies into the
hollow spaces of the guide members, multi-track segments can
be fixed side-by-side and that the conductors of the fixedly
adjacent segments ~re simultaneously in permanent contact by
means of tangs or protrusions made of an electrically
conductive material and disposed centrally between the
clamping bodies. A particularly simple design of the
connecting elements results when the clamping bodies and the
tangs are made in one piece of an electrically conductive
material. Contact can be made by mere touching of connecting
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members which are in contact with the conductors or by
soldering or crimping of the connecting members with the
tangs.
In one aspect, the invention pxovides a toy vehicle track
with vehicles with an electric motor arranged in the chassis,
and a track layout that supports conductors that are
connected to the poles of a power supply unit, power pickups
that form a contact between the toy vehicle and the
conductors, and a chargeable power source that serves as an
electrical buffer, the power source and the power pickups
being connected permanently and simultaneously with a motor,
wherein the layout comprises a pluralit~ of section elements
that can be joined to each other by insertion and that can
pivot relative to each other, the conductors are formed from
shaped parts of an electrically conductive material that can
be clamped onto the individual shaped parts, and the shaped
parts of adjacent section elements contact each other by
means of contact tabs that are arranged in clamping elements
so as to form a continuous power conductor.
In preferred embodiments of this aspect, the invention
provides:
The above toy vehicle track, wherein the shaped parts can be
slid onto edge sections of the section elements and removed
therefrom.
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The above toy vehicle track, wherein the shaped parts can be
clamped onto the section elements in the area of the track
surface and removed therefrom.
The above toy vehicle track, wherein underneath and on both
sides of the track surface, the section elements incorporate
open hollow edge sections as conductor bodies wherein
layouts can be fixed adjacent to each other as multiple
tracks by inserting connectors that are provided with
clamping bodies into the hollow spaces of the edge sections;
and wherein in the middle, between clamping bodies the
connector elements incorporate a lug or extension that is of
an electrically conductive material, that simultaneously and
permanently contacts the conductors of the section elements
that are fixed in position adjacent to each other.
The immediately above toy vehicle track, wherein the clamping
bodies and the lugs or extensions of the connector elements
are formed in one piece from an electrically conductive
material.
In a further aspect, the invention provides a toy vehicle
track with vehicles with an electric motor arranged in the
chassis, and a track layout that supports conductors that are
connected to the poles of a power supply unit, power pickups
that form a contact between a toy vehicle and the conductors,
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and a chargeable power source that serves as an electrical
buffer, the power source and the power pickup5 being
connected permanently and simultaneously with a drive motor,
wherein the layout comprises a plurality of section elements
that can be joined to each other by insertion and that can
pivot relative to each other, the conductors are formed from
shaped parts of an electrically conductive material that are
arranged on the individual section elements, and the shaped
parts of adjacent section elements contact each other by
means of contact tabs so as to form a continuous power
conductor, the shaped parts being joined rigidly to the
section elements by injection moulding.
The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of
example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a section of the track;
Fig. 2 is a perspective, enlarged view of a track segment;
Fig. 3 is a schematic top view of a section of the toy track;
Fig. 4 is a schematic top view of a section of toy track
according to another embodiment;
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Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of a track in
accordance with the embodiment of Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 is a sectional view of electrical conductors with a
support strip;
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of conductor sections;
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of conductor sections in
accordance with Fig. 7 showing portions of track;
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of track with a
conductor in accordance with a further embodiment;
Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a connecting element; and
Fig. 11 is a partial section of track members with a
connecting element.
The track 1 of the toy vehicle track may be formed by a
plurality of segments 2 (Fig. 2). The segments 2 have tangs
3 and pincer-like recesses 4 which overlap to provide the
connection. Edge elements 5 next to the track surface 8 in
both sides are used as lateral guide elements for toy
vehicles 6. The track 1 is provided over its ~ntire length
with conductors 7 which are formed in the embodiments shown
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in the Figs. 1 to 5 by flexible strips made of a metallic
material, e.g. preferably a self-adhesive metal foil, placed
on the segments 2. The conductors 7 are firmly, but
removably connected with the segments 2. The conductors 7
are firmly, but removably connected with the segments 2. The
conductors 7 are disposed on the s,egments 2 in the area of
the track surface 8 in the embodimlent according to Figs. 1
and 3, while
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in the embodiment according to Figs. 4 and 5 the conductors 7
are disposed on the edge elements 5. The conductors 7 are
connected via connectors 9 (Fig. 5) and electrical conductors
g with a power supply 10 which has in a mains transformer and
a rectifier device.
The toy vehicles contain an internal power source 11, e.g. a
rechargeable battery. , Additionally, an electrical drive
motor 12 is housed in the toy vehicle 6 which exerts a rotary
force on the drive wheels ~4 of the toy vehicle 6. The
connectors 16, 17 of the drive motor are permanently
connected with the terminals 14 and 15 and the internal power
source 11. Additionally, the toy vehicle 6 has collectors
18, 19 which interact with the conductors 7. The collectors
18, 19 are permanently connected with the terminals 14 or 15
of the power source 11.
In Fig. 3, the collectors 18, 19 are formed by a brush
arrangement, while in Fig. 4 spring wires are used as
collectors 18, 19, and extend laterally beyond the toy
vehicle and abut against the conductors 7 with initial
~0 tension.
Permanent charging of the power source 11 takes place via the
conductors 7, and the collectors 18, 19 from the power supply
10. The charge voltage has been selected slightly higher
than the operating voltage of the power source 11. At the
same time the collectors 18, 19 provide a colmection of the
drive motor 6 with the power supply 10 via electrical
conductors 20, 21.
If the power supply is connected with the mains supply, the
toy vehicle 6 can be operated as a mains-operated toy vehicle
on the track 1. Furthermore, charging of the power source
11, which serves as a buffer, takes place. If the power
supply 10 is disconnected from the mains supply, e.g. at the
close of business, toy vehicles may be operated on the track
1 by means of the internal power source 11 until it becomes
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discharged. In this manner it becomes possible to continue
the operation of the toy vehicle 6 on a track displayed in
the display window of a store, e.g. after the closing o~ the
stora in the evening, as well as promotional functions, which
are important for advertising, during the evening hours.
The conductors 7 in the embodiments according to Figs. 7 to 9
are formed by formed parts 7', which each can b~ pushed onto
the edge elements 5 of the segments 2. The formed parts 7'
have Z generally U-shaped clip part: 7", on each of which a
contact piece 7"' is formed which elastically rests on the
clip part 7" of the adjacent segment 2 to form continuous
conductors 7. In the embodiment in accordance wikh Fig. 9,
the formed parts 7' are disposed on the segments in the area
of the track surface 8. The formed parts 7' are pushed onto
the segments 2. ~hese formed parts 7' have a shape different
from the embodiment shown in Figs. 7 and 8.
In Figs. 10 and 11, a connecting element 22 for segments 2
for the formation of multi-track road segments is shown. The
connecting segment 22 has clamping elements 22' which can be
clampingly pushed from below into the hollow spaces of open
design of the edge elements 5. The connecting element 22 has
a protrusion 25 between the clamping elements 22', which
consists of an electrically conductive material, e.g. metal,
and on which the conductors 7 of the tracks 1 are fastened,
which have been combined to form a multi-track (Fig 11). In
Fig. 6, the conductors 7 are placed on a support 23 which,
together with the conductors, can be fixed on the segments 2.
