MOTOR-DRIVEN ROLLING TOY

• US 3,667,156 A
• Filed: 12/02/1970
• Issued: 06/06/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eijiro Tomiyama, John H. Heim
• Original Assignee: Eijiro Tomiyama, John H. Heim
• Inventors: Tomiyama, Eijiro, Heim, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Louis G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cutting, Robert F.
• Application Number:
  US05/094,314
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 46/47,243
• US Class Current: 446/458
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/005 Motorised rolling toys

Abstract

A rolling toy which comprises a substantially wheel-shaped housing and a motivating unit housed therein. The motivating unit is carried by a shaft extending axially along the central axis of the housing and is arranged to be rotated about the central axis. Also, the unit includes power means and other elements which are disposed in eccentric relation to the shaft, whereby when the unit is rotated by the power means, rolling movement is imparted to the housing to cause the same to roll along a surface. The toy can return to its rolling position automatically when overturned.

Claims

1. A motor-driven rolling toy comprising a wheel shaped housing having a central axis and composed of a pair of substantially symmetrical housing sections secured together, each said housing section having a side surface with the central axis passing centrally therethrough and a circumferentially extending surface located around the edge of said side surface, an annular resilient material mounted on the outer circumferential surfaces of said housing sections and forming a surface-contacting portion for holding said housings on a supporting surface in an upright position, each of said housing sections having a substantially conical extension located centrally of and projecting axially outwardly from said side surface thereof and serving as a support for permitting a conical movement of said housing when it is displaced from the upright position, a shaft extending axially along the central axis of said housing, and a motivating unit for imparting a rolling movement to said housing, said motivating unit being supported on said shaft within said housing for rotation about said central axis and including a frame supported on said shaft, an electric motor carried by said frame in eccentric relation to said shaft, and means operatively arranged between said motor, said shaft and said frame for rotating said frame relative to said housing, whereby when said housing is placed on a supporting surface in an upright position and said frame is rotated relative to the housing, said housing is caused to begin rolling on the surface by the off-center movement of the center of gravity of said frame, and whereby when said housing is displaced onto one said side surfaces during its rolling movement in the upright position, sufficient centrifugal force acts on said frame and said housing to cause said housing to right itself and return to the upright position.

2. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein said frame has a substantially sectorial configuration and is supported on said shaft in such a way that it arc extends radially outwardly from said shaft, two battery casings for dry cell batteries being position on said frame, substantially along its arc, so that said frame is eccentrically weighted further with said batteries housed therein.

3. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein said shaft is fixed to and extends between each of said housing sections.

4. A toy as set forth in claim 2, wherein a metallic weight is mounted on said frame in eccentric relation to said shaft so as to impart sufficient centrifugal force to said housing when rotated, whereby when the toy is displaced from its upright position during rolling it can be automatically returned to the upright position.

5. A motor-driven rolling toy comprising a wheel-shaped housing having a central axis and composed of a pair of substantially symmetrical housing sections secured together, each said housing section having a side surface with the central axis passing centrally therethrough and a circumferentially extending surface located around the edge of said side surface, an annular resilient material mounted on the outer circumferential surfaces of said housing sections and forming a surface-contacting portion for holding said housing on a supporting surface in an upright position, each of said housing sections having a substantially conical extension located centrally of and projecting axially outwardly from said side surfaces thereof and serving as a support for permitting a conical movement of said housing when it is displaced from the upright position, a hollow shaft extending axially along the central axis of said housing, an internally toothed ring gear provided on one of said housings sections, and a motivating unit for imparting a rolling movement to said housing, said motivating unit being supported on said shaft within said housing for rotation about said central axis and including a frame supported on said shaft, an electric motor carried by said frame in eccentric relation to said shaft and a gear wheel in meshed engagement with said ring gear and arranged to be driven by said motor to rotate said frame relative to said housing, whereby when said housing is placed on a supporting surface in an upright position and said frame is rotated relative to the housing, the housing is caused to begin rolling on the surface by the off-center movement of the center of gravity of said frame, and whereby when the housing is displaced onto one said side surface during its rolling movement in an upright position, sufficient centrifugal force acts on said frame and said housing to cause the housing to right itself and return to the upright position.

6. A toy as set forth in claim 5, wherein an electric switch means for actuating the motor is provided, said switch means comprising a spring contact secured to said frame and in circuit with said motor, a pusher means arranged to be displaceable along the central axis of the hollow shaft, a rotatable cam means arranged to be manually operable from the outside of the housing for displacing said pusher means toward and away from said spring contact, and a contact arranged to be contacted by said spring contact to close the motor circuit when the latter is pushed by said pusher means.