Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CHARGER/LAUNCHER FOR FAST RECHARGE TOY VEHICLE
SPECIFICATION
Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to rechargeable
electrically powered toy vehicles and particularly to the
charger and launcher apparatus used therein.
Backqround of the Invention
Rechargeable toy vehicles have been provided for many
years and have, for the most part, enjoyed substantial
commercial success. Usually, such toy vehicles includes a
rechargeable battery supported within the toy vehicle
together with a small DC motor which is operatively
coupled to one or more of the toy vehicle vehicles to
power the toy vehicle. Often a track or race course is
provided for use with such rechargeable toy vehicles. To
further reduce the cost and complexity as well as size of
such electrically powered toy vehicles, playsets often
further utilize vehicles without steering capability and
rely upon raised side walls formed on the track portions
to confine the vehicle within the track circuit. As a
result, the electrically powered toy vehicle rapidly
circulates upon the track being guided by the raised side
walls and maintained within the track circuit or loop.
Most such toy vehicles require a substantial time period
for battery charging and often interchangeable or
replaceable batteries are utilized.
A recently developed electrically powered toy vehicle
has improved the recharge time of electrically pywered toy
vehicles in that it utilizes a toy vehicle having a large
capacitor in parallel with the electric motor. The
capacitor and motor in parallel combination are coupled to
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a pair of charging terminals extending downwardly from the
vehicle lower surface. The motor is directly coupled to
the drive wheels of the vehicle without the aid of
intervening clutch mechanism. Thus, the vehicle wheels
turn in combination with the rotation of the electric
motor. The charger/launcher for such capacitively powered
electric toy vehicle utilizes a receiving surface for
resting the vehicle thereon together with a pedestal at
the rear portion of the vehicle which raises the vehicle
wheels off the launcher surface. A pair of electrical
contacts extend upwardly from the launcher surface and are
aligned with the corresponding terminals of the toy
vehicle such that electrical connection is made between
the launcher and the vehicle when the toy vehicle rests
upon the launcher. The extending contacts of the launcher
are coupled to a plurality of batteries supported within
the launcher.
Thus, when the toy vehicle is rested upon the
launcher with the rear wheels raised above the launcher
surface and such that contact is made with the launcher
battery supply, the capacitor within the toy vehicle is
rapidly charged. Because of the direct clutchless
coupling of the motor to the drive wheels, the rear wheels
of the vehicle spin in the air above the launcher surface
during the charging process. Once the capacitor has been
sufficiently charged, the vehicle is moved forwardly on
the launch surface allowing the rear wheels to come into
contact with the launcher surface and permitting the
vehicle to propel itself from the launcher and onto the
track. The stored energy within the capacitor supplies
electrical power to the vehicle motor allowing the toy
vehicle to complete one or more circuits of the track.
Despite the commercial appeal of such capacitively
powered toy vehicles, several difficulties have been found
which limit the feasibility and commercial attractiveness
as well as the safety of such toy vehicle playsets. Most
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particularly, the extending contacts on the launcher
surface are easily shorted by metal objects such as a coin
or the like placed upon the surface bridging the contacts.
This may cause damage to the batteries of the launcher and
potentially could cause harmful explosion of the
batteries. In addition, it has been found that the
ability of the child user to apply the vehicle to the
launcher in a reverse position thereby reversing the
electrical connection polarity is also undesired. In this
instance, the charging capacitor within the toy vehicle is
subject to the wrong polarity of charging voltage and
severe damage and, in some instances, potential explosion
of the capacitor may result.
For these reasons, a continuing need in the art
arises for a more improved capacitively powered toy
vehicle and launcher combination which overcomes the
limitations and shortcomings of the prior art devices of
the capacitor may result.
For these reasons, a continuing need in the art
arises for a more improved capacitively powered toy
vehicle and launcher combination which overcomes the
limitations and shortcomings of the prior art devices.
Summar~r of the Invention
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present
invention to provide an improved charger/launcher for fast
recharge toy vehicles. It is a more particular object of
the present invention to provide an improved
charger/launcher for fast recharge toy vehicles which
provides greater safety of operation in preventing reverse
polarity and short circuit damage to the vehicle and the
charger/launcher.
In accordance with the present invention, there is
provided a charger/launcher for use in combination with a
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toy vehicle having a capacitor and electric motor drive
together with a pair of underside vehicle contacts, the
charger/launcher comprising: a base defining a vehicle-
receiving surface having a pair of spaced-apart apertures
formed therein; an elongated rib extending upwardly from
the vehicle-receiving surface between the spaced-apart
apertures; and an interlock post extending upwardly from
the vehicle-receiving surface and positioned forward of
the elongated rib.
Brief Description of the Drawinas
The features of the present invention, which are
believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in
the appended claims. The invention, together with further
objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by
reference to the following description taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in the several
figures of which like reference numerals identify like
elements and in which:
Figure 1 sets forth a perspective view of a
charger/launcher for fast recharge toy vehicles
constructed in accordance with the present invention and
showing a dashed-line outline of a cooperating
rechargeable toy vehicle; and
Figure 2 sets forth a bottom view of a fast recharge
toy vehicle of the type utilized in the present invention
charger/launcher.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Figure 1 sets forth a perspective view of a
charger/launcher constructed in accordance with the
present invention and generally referenced by numeral 10.
Also shown in Figure 1 in dashed outline is a simplified
view of a toy vehicle cooperating with the present
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u~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ i99g
invention charger/launcher which, as is better seen in
Figure 2, is powered by the combination of a charging
capacitor and electric motor. For purposes of
illustration in Figure 1, toy vehicle generally referenced
5 by numeral 30 is in dashed outline to facilitate the
observation and illustration of charger/launcher 10.
Charger/launcher 10 includes a base 11 defining a vehicle
receiving surface 12 and a pair of upwardly extending
shields 25 and 26. The forward portion of surface 12 is
open and supports an upwardly extending interlock post 14.
Surface 12 of base 11 further defines an aperture 15
aligned with interlock post 14 and a pair of spaced apart
elongated apertures 20 and 21. An elongated raised
protective rib 24 is aligned with aperture 15 and
interlock post 14 and is positioned between apertures 20
and 21. Base 11 further defines a vehicle wheel pedestal
13 configured to cooperate with the underside of toy
vehicle 30 to raise the rear wheels of toy vehicle 30 when
the toy vehicle is received upon charger/launcher 10.
Suffice it to note here that toy vehicle 30 includes front
wheels 31 and 32 and rear wheels 33 and 34. It should be
further noted as is set forth below in greater details
that rear wheels 33 and 34 comprise the power driven
wheels of toy vehicle 30.
A pair of spring supported contacts 22 and 23 are
supported within base 11 by conventional fabrication means
and extend upwardly through apertures 20 and 21
respectively on either side of protective rib 24. In
accordance with an important aspect of the present
invention, rib 24 extends above contacts 22 and 23. A
spring switch 16 extends upwardly through aperture 15 and
is utilized in providing a safety interlock switch for
charger/launcher 10 which interrupts the power coupling to
contacts 22 and 23 in the absence of a toy vehicle upon
surface 12.
..
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In the anticipated use of the present invention
charger/launcher, a toy vehicle 30 is received upon
vehicle receiving surface 12 such that a pair of underside
electrical contacts are aligned with and brought into
contact with spring contacts 22 and 23. As described
below in greater detail, an aperture formed on the
underside of vehicle 30 (aperture 44 in Figure 2) receives
interlock post 14 to maintain the position of toy vehicle
30 upon wheel pedestal and surface 12 during the charging
process. Because the rear wheels of toy vehicle 30 rotate
when electrical power is coupled to the vehicle, wheel
pedestal 13 raises wheels 33 and 34 upwardly from surface
12 to maintain vehicle 30 within the charger/launcher. As
is also set forth below in greater detail, the
undersurface of vehicle 30 defines an elongated slot 45.
Slot 45 receives protective rib 24 during the charging
process to allow the undersurface contacts of vehicle 30
to fully engage spring contacts 22 and 23.
Finally, the undersurface of toy vehicle 30 forces
spring switch 16 downwardly completing the charging
circuit within charger/launcher 10 and allowing electrical
energy to flow through contacts 22 and 23 charging the
vehicle capacitor in preparation for operation.
In accordance with an important aspect of the present
invention, the combination of interlock post 14 and
protective rib 24 prevents a flat object such as a coin or
the like placed upon the area of charger/launcher 10 which
supports contacts 22 and 23 from simultaneously touching
both spring contacts. Thus, the inadvertent or
mischievous shorting of spring contacts 22 and 23 by a
coin or similar flat object is prevented. In further
accordance with the present invention, the position of
interlock post 14 and protective rib 24 cooperate to
prevent a toy vehicle such as toy vehicle 30 from being
placed in a reverse position upon charger/launcher 10. In
this latter feature, and with temporary reference to
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Figure 2, aperture 44 cooperates to ensure that a reverse
direction vehicle cannot be actively placed upon the
charger/launcher and provide electrical connection in
reverse polarity.
Figure~2 sets forth a bottom view of toy vehicle 30.
Toy vehicle'r3y0uaincludes a chassis 40 which supports front
wheels 31 and-,~f~ and a rear axle 52. Rear axle 52 in turn
supports rear wheels 33 and 34. Chassis 40 defines a
l0 bottom surface 41 supporting a pair of extending
electrical contacts 42 and 43. Bottom surface 41 further
defines an aperture 44 and an elongated slot 45. A
surface portion 46 extends between aperture 44 and slot
45. In accordance with the above-described capacitively
driven toy vehicle known in the prior art, toy vehicle 30
includes a capacitor 50 electrically coupled to contacts
42 and 43 together with an electric motor 51 electrically
connected in parallel with capacitor 50. Motor 51 in turn
is coupled to a drive gear mechanism 53 which engages axle
52. Through the operation of drive gear mechanism 53,
rotation of motor 51 causes a corresponding rotation of
axle 52 and rear wheels 33 and 34 to drive toy vehicle 30.
In accordance with the present invention and as
described above, aperture 44 receives interlock post 14
(seen in Figure 1) when toy vehicle 30 is placed upon the
charger launcher. As is also described above, slot 45
receives elongated protective rib 24 (seen in Figure 1).
The intervening surface portion 46 on bottom surface 41 of
toy vehicle 30 forces spring switch 16 downwardly (seen in
Figure 1) to turn on the charging circuit within the
charger/launcher.
It should be noted that the present invention
provides additional safety features not found in the prior
art charger/launcher and toy vehicle combination described
above in the Background of the Invention. It will be
understood that, except for the addition of safety
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elements which comprise protective rib 24, interlock post
14 and spring switch 16 on charger/launcher 10 (seen in
Figure 1) together with cooperating aperture 44 and slot
45 (seen in Figure 2); the remaining fabrication of both
charger/launcher 10 and toy vehicle 30 correspond to the
prior art capacitively driven toy vehicle described above
in Applicant s Background of the Invention. In accordance
with the present invention, the added safety and
protective elements thus provided ensure the safe and
effective operation of the charger/launcher and its
cooperating toy vehicle.
What has been shown is a charger/launcher for fast
recharge toy vehicles which includes safety features
protecting both the charger/launcher and the cooperating
toy vehicle against inadvertent or mischievous damage due
to reverse position of the vehicle upon the
charger/launcher or placement of a conductive element such
as a coin upon the charger/launcher contact region. The
safety features thus provided protect against damage to
the launcher battery supply and the capacitor storage
device within the toy vehicle.
While particular embodiments of the invention have
been shown and described, it will be obvious to those
skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be
made without departing from the invention in its broader
aspects. Therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to
cover all such changes and modifications as fall within
the true spirit and scope of the invention.
