Fixed-body toy vehicle having differential thrust and unassisted liftoff capability

• US 20070298675A1
• Filed: 06/21/2006
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jakks Pacific, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jakks Pacific, Inc.
• Inventors: Lugo, Abraham
• Application Number:
  US11/474,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20070298675A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/57
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/14 Starting or launching devices for toy aircraft; Arrangements on toy aircraft for starting or launching for launching objects from an aircraft A63H27/004

Abstract

A toy remote-controlled vehicle capable of moving along the surface and taking off into the air with ease. The vehicle has wings connected with runners supporting wheels for travel along the surface. The vehicle is powered by a propeller mounted on each wing. The vehicle has a uniquely-shaped fixed tail to facilitate lifting of the vehicle into the air once a minimum speed is achieved. The wheels also maintain the vehicle in a straight path with a degree of lift to ease takeoff into the air. The vehicle changes speed and direction using a differential thrust system between the two propellers that is controlled by a customized integrated circuit.

Claims

1. A toy flying vehicle comprising:

a fixed body having a forward portion and a rear portion, a fuselage, a left wing, a right wing, and a tail, whereby the vehicle is capable of taking off into the air while moving along a surface;

a left runner and a right runner connected with the left wing and right wing, respectively;

a left motor and a right motor connected with the left wing and right wing, respectively;

a left propeller and a right propeller connected with and powered by the left motor and right motor, respectively; and

a controller contained in the body and configured to control the power to the left motor and the right motor;

thereby controlling the speed and direction of the toy flying vehicle.

2. The toy flying vehicle of claim 1, wherein the tail further comprises a left fixed vertical tail and a right fixed vertical tail.

3. The toy flying vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is a customized integrated circuit.

4. The toy flying vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a battery contained in the fuselage and connected with the controller.

5. The toy flying vehicle of claim 1, wherein the runners further comprise a wheel mounted within each respective left runner and right runner.

6. The toy flying vehicle of claim 5, wherein the wheels are disposed toward the forward portion of the fixed body.

7. The toy flying vehicle of claim 6, wherein the wheels provide an upward tilt to the toy vehicle for easing the ability of the vehicle to takeoff into the air.

8. The toy flying vehicle of claim 7, wherein the height of the wheels can be adjusted to increase or decrease the upward tilt of the toy vehicle.

9. The toy flying vehicle of claim 1, further comprising horizontal winglets mounted to an outer edge of each respective runner.

10. The toy flying vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a propeller cage surrounding the propellers for protecting a user from touching the propellers during operation.

11. The toy flying vehicle of claim 1, wherein the left motor and right motor are surrounded by a left motor housing and a right motor housing, respectively, connected with the left wing and right wing, respectively.

12. The toy flying vehicle of claim 2, wherein the left fixed vertical tail and right fixed vertical tail protrude substantially vertically from the left runner and right runner, respectively.

13. The toy flying vehicle of claim 12, wherein the fixed horizontal tail is connected between the left fixed vertical tail and right fixed vertical tail.

14. The toy flying vehicle of claim 13, wherein the fixed horizontal tail is further connected with a central vertical tail, the central vertical tail connected with the fuselage.

15. The toy flying vehicle of claim 3, wherein the customized integrated circuit is configured to receive a signal from a remote transmitter and translate the signal into a command that alters the power to at least one of the left motor and right motor.

16. The toy flying vehicle of claim 15, wherein the customized integrated circuit uses a set of logic gates to translate the signal from the remote transmitter into a command that alters the power to at least one of the left motor and right motor.

17. A method of making a toy flying vehicle, the method comprising acts of:

forming a fixed body having a forward portion and a rear portion, a fuselage, a left wing, a right wing, and a tail, whereby the vehicle is capable of taking off into the air while moving along a surface;

connecting a left runner and a right runner with the left wing and right wing, respectively;

connecting a left motor and a right motor with the left and right wing, respectively;

connecting a left propeller and a right propeller with the left motor and right motor, respectively, such that the motors power the propellers; and

placing a controller in the fuselage, wherein the controller is configured to control the power to the left motor and the right motor;

thereby controlling the speed and direction of the toy flying vehicle.

18. The method as set forth in claim 17, whereby the act of forming a tail further comprises the act of forming a left fixed vertical tail and a right fixed vertical tail.

19. The method as set forth in claim 17, further comprising the act of forming the controller from a customized integrated circuit.

20. The method as set forth in claim 17, further comprising the act of inserting a battery in the fuselage and connecting the battery with the controller.

21. The method as set forth in claim 17, further comprising the act of mounting wheels within each respective runner.

22. The method as set forth in claim 21, further comprising the act of mounting the wheels toward the forward portion of the fixed body.

23. The method as set forth in claim 22, further comprising the act of providing an upward tilt to the forward portion of the toy vehicle with the wheels.

24. The method as set forth in claim 23, further comprising the act of adjusting the height of the wheels to increase or decrease the upward tilt of the toy vehicle.

25. The method as set forth in claim 17, further comprising the act of mounting horizontal winglets to an outer edge of each respective left runner and right runner.

26. The method as set forth in claim 17, further comprising the act of connecting a propeller cage with the fuselage, left runner, and right runner to surround the propellers for protecting a user from touching the propellers during operation.

27. The method as set forth in claim 17, further comprising the act of surrounding the left motor and right motor with a left motor housing and a right motor housing, respectively, and further comprising the act of connecting the left motor housing and right motor housing with the left wing and right wing, respectively.

28. The method as set forth in claim 18, further comprising the act of extending the left fixed vertical tail and right fixed vertical tail vertically from the left runner and right runner, respectively.

29. The method as set forth in claim 28, further comprising the act of connecting the fixed horizontal tail with the left fixed vertical tail and right fixed vertical tail.

30. The method as set forth in claim 29, further comprising the act of connecting the fixed horizontal tail with a central vertical tail, the central vertical tail connected with the fuselage.

31. The method as set forth in claim 19, further comprising the act of receiving a signal from a remote transmitter to the customized integrated circuit and translating the signal into a command that alters the power to one or both of the left motor and right motor.

32. The method as set forth in claim 31, further comprising the act of using a set of logic gates within the customized integrated circuit to translate the signal from the remote transmitter into a command that alters the power to one or both of the left motor and right motor.