INDUCTIVE TOY VEHICLE
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An inductively powered vehicle and an inductive charging segment. The vehicle may include a secondary coil, a drive motor, an electrical power storage device connected between said secondary coil and said drive motor, and a wireless communications unit. The charging segment may include a primary coil, a sense circuit operable to detect the presence of the vehicle based on a change in the detected impedance of the primary coil, and a power control unit operable to provide a time-varying current to the primary coil when the vehicle traverses the charging segment. The primary coil is positioned adjacent a track upper surface. The vehicle drive motor may be operable at first and second speed settings, and a remote control device can provide operating instructions to the vehicle wireless communications unit.
23 Citations
40 Claims
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1-20. -20. (canceled)
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21. A vehicle system comprising:
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a charging portion having a primary coil configured to generate an inductive field and a sensor coupled to the charging portion; and a vehicle configured to traverse said charging portion, said vehicle including a secondary coil and a load electrically connected to said secondary coil, wherein said load receives electrical power from said secondary coil, and wherein said primary coil is configured to generate the inductive field in response to said sensor detecting when said vehicle is proximate said charging portion, said primary coil being separate from said sensor. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A multiple vehicle charging system comprising:
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first and second vehicles each including a secondary coil, an electrical power storage device, and a drive motor, wherein said electrical power storage device is connected between said secondary coil and said drive motor in each of said respective first and second vehicles; and a drivable surface including a first charging portion, said first charging portion including a proximity sensor, a primary coil, and a power control unit, wherein said power control unit provides a time varying current to said primary coil to generate a first inductive field in response to said proximity sensor detecting at least one of said first and second vehicles as proximate said first charging portion, wherein said first and second vehicles receive power from said first inductive field when said first and second vehicles traverse said first charging portion. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A vehicle system comprising:
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a vehicle including a secondary coil and an electrical power storage device electrically connected to said secondary coil; and an inductive power station including a sense circuit, a power control unit and a primary coil, wherein said sense circuit is configured to detect the presence of said vehicle based on a change in an impedance of said primary coil, said sense circuit having an output corresponding to said detection, and wherein said power control unit is configured to control a power status of said primary coil based on said sense circuit output. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification