MULTI-MODE THREE WHEELED TOY VEHICLE

• US 20080220692A1
• Filed: 09/18/2007
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Ngai, Tin Hung, Wong, Chun Wing, Mayer, Mark S., Torres, Ronald L., Hardouin, Christopher J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,025,551 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/435
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/02 convertible into other forms under the action of impact or shock, e.g. arrangements for imitating accidents
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/18 Tricycles, e.g. with moving figures
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/262 Chassis; Wheel mountings; Wheels; Axles; Suspensions; Fitting body portions to chassis
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/003 Convertible toys, e.g. robots convertible into rockets or vehicles convertible into planes

Abstract

A toy vehicle has first, second and third wheels for movement over a surface. Each of the first, second and third wheels has a respective first, second and third axis of rotation that lies between the remaining two other axes of rotation such that the three axes of rotation are mutually adjoining. Each of the three axes of rotation crosses over the other two axes of rotation such that an angle is formed between each adjoining crossing pair of the axes of rotation where each angle is other than a multiple of 90 degrees. Each wheel is individually powered so that the toy vehicle can translate in any horizontal direction regardless of its facing direction. Two of the wheels can be realigned so their axes of rotation are collinear for conventional movement.

Claims

1. A three wheeled toy vehicle comprising:

a chassis;

first, second and third wheels supported for rotation from the chassis and supporting the chassis for movement on a surface, the first wheel being operably and pivotably connected to the chassis by a first leg, the first leg being pivotable toward and away from the second and third wheels, each of the first, second and third wheels having a respective first, second and third axis of rotation, each of the first, second and third axes of rotation lying between the remaining two other axes of rotation such that the three axes of rotation are mutually adjoining and each of the three axes of rotation crosses over the other two axes of rotation such that an angle is formed between each adjoining crossing pair of the axes of rotation and each adjoining pair of the first, second and third wheels, and the angle formed between each adjoining pair of axes of rotation is other than multiples of about 90 degrees.

2. The toy vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of the angles is greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees.

3. The toy vehicle of claim 2, wherein each of the angles is approximately 120 degrees.

4. The toy vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second wheel is operably and pivotably connected to the chassis by a second leg, the second leg being pivotable toward and away from the first and third wheels.

5. The toy vehicle of claim 4, wherein at least each of the first and second legs are positionable in at least two different orientations with respect to the chassis and the third wheel so as to change the angle between each adjoining pair of wheels.

6. The toy vehicle of claim 5 further comprising at least one reversible motor operably connected with at least one of the first and second wheels so as to rotate the at least one wheel about its axis of rotation.

7. The toy vehicle of claim 5 further comprising at least one motor operably connected with the first and second wheels so as to reorient the first and second wheels with respect to the chassis and the third wheel and change the angle between each adjoining pair of wheels.

8. The toy vehicle of claim 5 further comprising at least one reversible motor operably connected with the third wheel so as to rotate the third wheel about its axis of rotation.

9. The toy vehicle of claim 1 further comprising at least a separate motor operably connected with each separate one of the first, second and third wheels to drive each separate wheel independently about its axis of rotation.

10. The toy vehicle of claim 9 further comprising a first motor supported on the first leg drivingly connected with the first wheel to rotate the first wheel around the first axis.

11. The toy vehicle of claim 9 further comprising a transformation motor drivingly connected to at least the first leg so as to reorient the first leg and the first wheel with respect to the chassis and the second and third wheels.

12. The toy vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second legs is repositionable so as to extend away from one another and form an angle of about 180 degrees with each other.

13. A three wheeled toy vehicle comprising:

a chassis having a front end and an opposing rear end;

three independently operated motors, and

a rear leg and two front legs each extending from the chassis, the two front legs being pivotably attached to the chassis such that the angle between the two front legs is variable, each leg including a wheel assembly with an axis of rotation generally parallel to the leg from which the wheel assembly is attached, each wheel assembly being driven by one of the motors.

14. The toy vehicle of claim 13, wherein each wheel comprises a plurality of rollers that define each wheel assembly'"'"'s outer diameter and are freely rotatable in a direction generally perpendicular to axis of rotation of it'"'"'s wheel assembly.

15. The toy vehicle of claim 13, wherein the motors are controlled by a remote control, the remote control having a control knob, the control knob is rotatable and translatable for turning and translating the toy vehicle separately and in combination.

16. The toy vehicle of claim 15, wherein the remote control has at least one button for activating a preset motion of the toy vehicle.

17. The toy vehicle of claim 13, wherein the chassis includes a mode motor operably connected with the front legs so as to pivot the front legs between an inline position and an alternate position, the front legs being generally parallel in the inline position and the front legs spaced generally 120 degrees apart in the alternate position.

18. The toy vehicle of claim 17, wherein only the wheel assemblies of the front legs are operated by their respective motor in the inline position.

19. The toy vehicle of claim 18, wherein the chassis includes a face plate pivotably attached to the chassis, the face plate pivoting from a closed position when the legs are in the inline position to an open position when the legs are in the alternate position.

20. The toy vehicle of claim 19 further comprising a disc tosser, the disc tosser being exposed when the face plate is in the open position, the disc tosser being capable of firing discs from the chassis.

21. The toy vehicle of claim 19, wherein the chassis includes at least one light, the at least one light is exposed when the face plate is in the open position.