Toy vehicle with spring drive mechanism
First Claim
Patent Images
1. In a toy vehicle, the combination comprising:
- a chassis;
at least one drive wheel coupled for rotation relative to said chassis, said at least one drive wheel being configured for engaging a surface;
spring means within the chassis;
a first gear pair having first and second gear members mounted for rotation about a first axis, one of said first and second gear members being operatively coupled to said spring means for storing energy in said spring means when rotated in a first direction and for releasing energy from said spring means during rotation in a second direction;
a second gear pair having third and fourth gear members mounted for rotation about a second axis generally parallel to said first axis, said first and third gear members being in meshing relation, and said second and fourth gear members being in meshing relation;
coacting means integrally formed in adjacent surfaces of said first and second gear members for providing a first unidirectional clutch means for concurrent rotation between said first and second gear members only in a first direction;
coacting means integrally formed in adjacent surfaces of said third and fourth gear members for providing a second unidirectional clutch means for concurrent rotation between said third and fourth gear members only in a direction opposite to said first direction; and
means interconnecting said at least one drive wheel with one of said third and fourth gear members, said third and fourth gear members being so dimensioned for providing a first gear ratio for driving said one of said first and second gear members in said first direction with said at least one drive wheel rollingly engaging a surface in the reverse direction of travel of said vehicle and for providing a second gear ratio for propelling said vehicle on a surface with said one of said first and second gear members rotating in said second direction under force of said spring means
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A toy vehicle having a spring drive mechanism coupled through first and second unidirectional slip clutch members to the drive wheels thereof, the slip clutches including gear members for winding the spring through a first gear ratio while pushing the vehicle in the reverse direction on a surface, and for propelling the vehicle through a second gear ratio upon release of the vehicle, each of the actions utilizing only one of the slip clutch members.
42 Citations
11 Claims
-
1. In a toy vehicle, the combination comprising:
-
a chassis; at least one drive wheel coupled for rotation relative to said chassis, said at least one drive wheel being configured for engaging a surface; spring means within the chassis; a first gear pair having first and second gear members mounted for rotation about a first axis, one of said first and second gear members being operatively coupled to said spring means for storing energy in said spring means when rotated in a first direction and for releasing energy from said spring means during rotation in a second direction; a second gear pair having third and fourth gear members mounted for rotation about a second axis generally parallel to said first axis, said first and third gear members being in meshing relation, and said second and fourth gear members being in meshing relation; coacting means integrally formed in adjacent surfaces of said first and second gear members for providing a first unidirectional clutch means for concurrent rotation between said first and second gear members only in a first direction; coacting means integrally formed in adjacent surfaces of said third and fourth gear members for providing a second unidirectional clutch means for concurrent rotation between said third and fourth gear members only in a direction opposite to said first direction; and means interconnecting said at least one drive wheel with one of said third and fourth gear members, said third and fourth gear members being so dimensioned for providing a first gear ratio for driving said one of said first and second gear members in said first direction with said at least one drive wheel rollingly engaging a surface in the reverse direction of travel of said vehicle and for providing a second gear ratio for propelling said vehicle on a surface with said one of said first and second gear members rotating in said second direction under force of said spring means - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. In a mechanism, the combination comprising:
-
a first gear member mounted for rotation about an axle; a second gear member mounted for rotation about the same axle in proximity to said first member; a first surface of said first member having a recess formed therein with the periphery thereof contoured for providing a plurality of generally identical curved surfaces with each surface having a gradually contoured portion and an abruptly contoured portion; an adjacent surface of said second member having a part thereof extending within said recess, said part having a slot therein offset relative to the axis of rotation of said axle; a pin member slidably positioned within said slot, said pin member and the periphery of said recess being configured for enabling one end of said pin member to engage said abruptly contoured portions of one of said surfaces for driving said first and second members concurrently in a first direction of rotation and for enabling said pin member to generally slide over said gradually contoured portions upon rotation of one of said members in the opposite direction whereby to provide a unidirectional clutch mechanism; a second axle generally parallel to the first axle; third and fourth gear members mounted for rotation about said second axle, said first and third gear members being in meshing relation, and said second and fourth gear members being in meshing relation, adjacent surfaces of said third and fourth gear members being generally identically configured to the adjacent surfaces of said first and second gear members but in inverted relation relative thereto for providing a second unidirectional clutch mechanism for concurrently driving said third and fourth gear members in a direction opposite to the direction of concurrent rotation of said first and second gear members; a rotatable member; and means interconnecting said rotatable member to one of said third and fourth gear members, said first, second, third and fourth gear members being so dimensioned for providing a first gear ratio in one direction of rotation of said rotatable member and a second gear ratio in the opposite direction of rotation thereof. - View Dependent Claims (11)
-
Specification