TOY VEHICLE

• US 20080268744A1
• Filed: 04/25/2008
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Jones, Mark Kevin
• Application Number:
  US12/109,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20080268744A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/462
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/004 Stunt-cars, e.g. lifting front wheels, roll-over or invertible cars
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/262 Chassis; Wheel mountings; Wheels; Axles; Suspensions; Fitting body portions to chassis

Abstract

A toy vehicle including a chassis having opposing right and left sides, opposing front and rear ends and a top side extending between the lateral sides and the ends. Front and rear road wheels are operatively mounted to the chassis to support the chassis for movement. The toy vehicle further includes a vehicle body, at least one biasing member positioned between the top side of the chassis and the vehicle body so as to bias the vehicle body away from the chassis and at least one connection movably securing the vehicle body with the chassis. Each of the at least one biasing member and the at least one connection are sufficiently flexible to permit transverse movements of the vehicle body in different horizontal directions on the chassis while the at least one connection limits separation of the vehicle body from the chassis.

Claims

1. A toy vehicle comprising:

a chassis having opposing right and left lateral sides, opposing front and rear ends and a top side extending between the lateral sides and the ends;

a front road wheel and a rear road wheel operatively mounted to said chassis to at least partially support said chassis for movement;

a vehicle body;

at least one biasing member positioned between the top side of the chassis and the vehicle body so as to bias the vehicle body away from the chassis; and

at least one connection movably securing said vehicle body with the chassis while limiting separation of the vehicle body away from the chassis;

each of the at least one biasing member and the at least one connection being sufficiently flexible to permit transverse movements of the vehicle body in horizontal directions on the chassis while the at least one connection limits separation of the vehicle body from the chassis.

2. The toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one biasing member is a coil spring.

3. The toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one connection includes a flexible member sufficiently resilient to be self supporting.

4. The toy vehicle of claim 3 wherein the flexible member is movably secured to at least the chassis so as to permit the transverse movements of the vehicle body on the chassis.

5. The toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one connection includes a flexible member insufficiently resilient to be self supporting.

6. The toy vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a motor on said chassis drivingly connected with at least one of the front and rear wheels to propel the toy vehicle, and wherein the at least one biasing member and connection are sufficiently flexible to further permit transverse movements of the vehicle body on the chassis in horizontal directions with propulsion of the toy vehicle by the motor.

7. The toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein:

the at least one biasing member is one of a plurality of biasing members positioned between the top side of the chassis and the inner side of the body so as to bias the vehicle body away from the chassis; and

the at least one connection is one of a plurality of connections movably securing the vehicle body with the chassis against the bias of the plurality of biasing members to permit transverse movements of the vehicle body on the chassis while limiting separation of the vehicle body from the chassis.

8. The toy vehicle of claim 7 wherein at least one of the plurality of biasing members is a coil spring.

9. The toy vehicle of claim 7 wherein each of the plurality of biasing members is a coil spring.

10. The toy vehicle of claim 7 wherein at least one of the plurality of connections includes a flexible member sufficiently resilient to be self supporting.

11. The toy vehicle of claim 10 wherein the flexible member is movably secured to at least the chassis so as to permit the transverse movements of the vehicle body on the chassis.

12. The toy vehicle of claim 7 wherein each of the plurality of connections includes a flexible member sufficiently resilient to be self supporting and movably secured with the chassis and the vehicle body so as to permit transverse movements of the vehicle body on the chassis.

13. The toy vehicle of claim 7 wherein at least one of the plurality of connections includes a flexible member insufficiently resilient to be self supporting.

14. The toy vehicle of claim 7 wherein each of the plurality of connectors includes a flexible member insufficiently resilient to be self supporting.

15. The toy vehicle of claim 7 further comprising a motor on said chassis drivingly connected with at least one of the front and rear wheels to propel the toy vehicle, and wherein the plurality of biasing members and the plurality of connections are all sufficiently flexible to further permit transverse movements of the vehicle horizontal directions with propulsion of the vehicle by the motor.

16. The toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one biasing member and the at least one connection are located more proximal the front end the chassis and further comprising:

a second biasing member positioned between the top side of the chassis and the inner side of the body more proximal the rear end of the chassis so as to bias the vehicle body away from the rear end of the chassis; and

a second connection more proximal the rear end of the chassis movably securing the vehicle body to the chassis against the bias of the second biasing member.

17. The toy vehicle of claim 1 further comprising:

a trough formed in said chassis proximate said front end;

a front axle supporting the front road wheel;

a front axle housing at least partially surrounding said front axle and movably positioned with said trough; and

a torsion spring member movably connecting the front axle housing with the chassis.

18. The toy vehicle of claim 17 wherein said front axle housing is movable in axial and radial directions with respect to the chassis when the toy vehicle is driven.

19. The toy vehicle of claim 18 wherein said front axle housing further comprising two spaced-apart stops protruding from said front axle housing, wherein said stops allow said front axle housing to move a predetermined distance in opposing axial directions.