Apparatus for projecting image from a model vehicle

• US 20050022688A1
• Filed: 07/15/2004
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SMK Corporation, TOMY Company Limited
• Original Assignee: SMK Corporation, TOMY Company Limited
• Inventors: Asada, Noriyoshi
• Application Number:
  US10/893,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20050022688A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 105/26.50
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 19/16 Parts for model railway vehicles

Abstract

A model apparatus is provided in that images from a model vehicle can be continuously watched on a monitor even when the model vehicle travels through a place surrounded by a shielding material. An image signal transmission route from the model vehicle to the monitor uses conductive rail lines for guiding the model vehicle and supplying drive power to a drive motor, so that even when there is an electromagnetic shielding material in the vicinity of a place where the model vehicle travels, the images can be continuously displayed on the monitor.

Claims

1. A model apparatus comprising:

a track composed of a conductive rail track connected to a drive power supply for guiding a model vehicle;

a drive motor mounted on the model vehicle for driving the model vehicle to travel on the track by receiving drive power via a contact portion of the model vehicle on the track;

an imaging camera mounted on the model vehicle for picking up images from the inside of the model vehicle;

a monitor for displaying the images picked up by the imaging camera at a position separate from the model vehicle;

an FM modulation circuit unit mounted on the model vehicle for outputting a modulated image signal to the contact portion by FM-modulating the image signal produced by the imaging camera; and

an FM demodulation circuit unit connected to the track for demodulating the modulated image signal received from the track and outputting to the monitor.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the model vehicle is a model train, and the contact portion is a wheel rolling in contact on the track.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the model train comprises a plurality of vehicles connected to each other, and the model vehicle having the drive motor mounted thereon comprises an auxiliary battery mounted thereon for supplying electric power to the imaging camera and the FM modulation circuit unit.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the wheel of the model vehicle having the drive motor outputs the modulated image signals.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the FM modulation circuit unit comprises a matching transformer for converting modulated image signals produced in an unbalanced form into those in a balanced form so as to be output to each wheel contacting a pair of rail tracks.

6. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the FM modulation circuit unit comprises a matching transformer for converting modulated image signals produced in an unbalanced form into those in a balanced form so as to be output to each wheel contacting a pair of rail tracks.

7. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the FM modulation circuit unit comprises a matching transformer for converting modulated image signals produced in an unbalanced form into those in a balanced form so as to be output to each wheel contacting a pair of rail tracks.