REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRO-MECHANICAL VEHICLE

• US 3,705,387 A
• Filed: 01/11/1971
• Issued: 12/05/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Karen Stern, Kenneth Stern, Robert Spoon
• Original Assignee: Karen Stern, Kenneth Stern, Robert Spoon
• Inventors: Stern, Kenneth, Stern, Karen, Spoon, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wannisky, William M.
• Application Number:
  US05/105,333
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 318/581 180/98,2,16 46/243E,243P,243S,243R,243LV,244A,244B,244R 343/225 191/13.5 273/86 325/37 179/82 340/171A
• US Class Current: 446/460
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 18/12 Electric current supply to toy vehicles through the track
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/02 Electrical arrangements transformers H01F; converters H02M

Abstract

A remote electronically controlled vehicle which is movable between two conductive tracks; the vehicle is equipped with electrical control devices for steering and driving of the vehicle, which are connected by contacts to the conducting track surfaces; the conducting track is equipped to handle a plurality of these vehicles through a single electronic control unit having a multiple channel FM telemetry circuit including an oscillator and mixer circuit; multiple individual manual controls corresponding to the number of vehicles on the conductive tracks can be attached to the control unit for individual independent control of the vehicles on the conductive tracks.

Claims

1. A remote electronic control mechanism for a vehicle adapted to move along a path defined by spaced conductors;

said control mechanism comprising a source of DC current connected to said conductors;

said vehicle having contact means for abutment against said conductors to thereby provide electrical communication between said vehicle and said source of DC current;

a source of AC current;

a multi-channel FM telemetry network connected to said AC current and to said conductors;

at least one manual control unit connected to said FM telemetry network for control of said vehicle;

said vehicle having a driving motor electrically connected through said contact means to said conductors and electro-magnetic steering means similarly electrically connected through said contacts to said conductors;

said vehicle further having a printed circuit board electrically connected to said FM telemetry network via said contacts and said conductors;

said printed circuit board including a first band pass filter tuned to a predetermined frequency and connected by an AC coupling capacitor to said conductors;

a first demodulator and frequency to voltage converter connected to said first band pass filter, and a first transistor connected in series between said frequency to voltage converter and said electro-magnetic steering means;

a second band pass filter turned to another predetermined frequency and connected via said AC coupling capacitor to said conductors;

a second demodulator and frequency to voltage converter connected to said second band pass filter, and a second transistor connected in series between said second frequency to voltage converter and said driving motor or said vehicle;

said control unit having manual means to individually control said electro-magnetic steering means and said driving motor of said vehicle;

said multi-channel FM telemetry network being adapted To emit signals at a certain frequency in response to manipulation of said control unit;

said signals being fed via said AC coupling capacitor to said first and second band pass filters;

said first and second demodulators and frequency to voltage converters and via said first and second transistors to said electro-magnetic steering means and to the driving motor in response to the frequency of said signals corresponding to the tuned frequency of said first or second band pass filters.

2. The electronic control mechanism as defined in claim 1 further comprising a DC blocking means between said conductors and said FM telemetry network.

3. In the electronic control mechanism as defined in claim 1, the further provision of at least a plurality of vehicles adapted to be controlled by said FM telemetry network and a plurality of manual control units corresponding in number to the number of said vehicles;

said printed circuit board of each of said vehicle being tuned to different frequencies to thereby individually control said vehicles independently of each other upon manipulation of either or all of said control units.