Apparatus and method for gyroscopic steering
First Claim
1. A toy vehicle with a chassis and a driving means for the chassis, the toy vehicle having an improved steering system comprising:
- a) a motor located within the chassis;
b) a gyro assembly located within the chassis, the gyro assembly including;
i) a housing;
ii) a housing axis fixed to the chassis and aligned perpendicular to a drive direction of said vehicle;
iii) a gyro located within the housing;
iv) a gyro motor located within the housing and drivingly coupled to the gyro, and v) a gyro axis rigidly connected to the housing perpendicular to the housing axis c) a plurality of gears connecting the motor to the gyro assembly; and
d) turning means controlled by the movement of the gyro axis.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for gyroscopic steering of a vehicle comprising a flywheel tiltable on its axis of rotation where tilting of the axis causes rotation of the vehicle. When applied to a car, the gyroscopic assembly further includes a steering system with wheels mounted on a tilted pivotable axis wherein rotation of the chassis of the car in one direction causes the wheels on that side of the car to move together and the wheels on the opposite side of the car to move apart, thereby causing the car to turn. The apparatus of the present invention further provides commutative delivery of power to the motor spinning the flywheel, thus allowing the flywheel to be rotated 360° without interference from wires.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A toy vehicle with a chassis and a driving means for the chassis, the toy vehicle having an improved steering system comprising:
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a) a motor located within the chassis;
b) a gyro assembly located within the chassis, the gyro assembly including;
i) a housing;
ii) a housing axis fixed to the chassis and aligned perpendicular to a drive direction of said vehicle;
iii) a gyro located within the housing;
iv) a gyro motor located within the housing and drivingly coupled to the gyro, and v) a gyro axis rigidly connected to the housing perpendicular to the housing axis c) a plurality of gears connecting the motor to the gyro assembly; and
d) turning means controlled by the movement of the gyro axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A gyro assembly for a toy, the assembly comprising:
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a) a housing having a fixed housing axis;
b) a gyro located within the housing;
c) a gyro motor located within the housing and drivingly coupled to the gyro;
d) a gyro axis rigidly connected to the housing perpendicular to the housing axis; and
e) a gyro gear for tilting said housing about said housing axis. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of steering a vehicle, said vehicle having a gyro assembly with a housing, a housing axis fixed within the vehicle and aligned perpendicular to a drive direction of the vehicle, a gyro located within the housing, said gyro being rotated by a gyro motor, and having an axis connected to the housing perpendicular to the housing axis, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) rotating the housing along said housing axis in a first direction when a right turn is desired;
b) rotating the housing along said housing axis in a second direction when a left turn is desired;
c) leaving the housing axis stationary when it is desired that the vehicle proceed in a straight direction, wherein rotation of the housing axis causes the vehicle to precess in a desired direction. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification