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Self-powered four wheel drive vehicle

  • US 4,306,375 A
  • Filed: 02/14/1980
  • Issued: 12/22/1981
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1980
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A miniature electrically self-powered toy vehicle capable of climbing over rough terrain and obstacles as well as up steep inclines, said vehicle having major weight components positioned to provide weight in a generally balanced and relatively low arrangement, while also providing adequate ground clearance in the area between the front and rear wheels, said vehicle comprising:

  • a frame;

    front wheel means and rear wheel means mounted to the frame for rolling rotation about respective mutually parallel but spaced-apart front and rear axes, the distance between the front and rear axes being generally about two inches, each of said wheel means having high friction peripheral surfaces with inside edges located respectively adjacent to opposite sides of said frame;

    an electric motor mounted to one side of the frame between the two axes and located adjacent to said inside wheel edges on said one side of the frame, and having a driveshaft which is perpendicular to the two axes and extends both fore and aft from the motor;

    means mounted to the frame to releasably support electrical battery means in the form of a single standard cylindrical AA dry cell at the other side of the frame in a position extending substantially the full distance between said front and rear axes and located adjacent to said inside wheel edges on said other side of the frame, with the axis of the battery means substantially parallel to the driveshaft and the battery means being laterally adjacent to the electric motor and at approximately the same height as said front and rear wheel means, and wherein said frame, said motor and said battery means do not protrude any appreciable distance below the level of said front and rear axes in the area between said front and rear wheel means;

    means for electrically connecting such battery means, when supported in the supporting means, to the motor, so that the battery means powers the motor;

    a pair of worms rotatably mounted parallel to the driveshaft and driven respectively from the fore and aft extensions of the driveshaft; and

    a pair of worm gears rotatably mounted to the vehicle, with their axes of rotation parallel to the axes of wheel rotation;

    each worm gear driving a respective one of the said wheel means, and being meshed with and directly driven from a respective one of the two worms.

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