Self-propellable toy and arrangement for and method of controlling the movement thereof
First Claim
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1. An arrangement for controlling the movement of a self-propellable, wheeled toy over a travel surface to be traversed, comprising:
- (a) drive means operatively connected to a pair of drive wheels located at opposite sides of an upright axis which extends generally perpendicularly to the travel surface and operative, in a first operational state, to propel the toy along a forward direction of advancement over the travel surface and, in a second operational state, to spin the toy about the upright axis;
(b) on-board, forwardly-facing transmitter means on the toy, and operative for forwardly transmitting a transmission signal ahead of the toy;
(c) on-board, forwardly-facing receiver means on the toy, and operative for detecting a returning portion of the transmission signal reflected off an obstacle located within a predetermined range ahead of the toy;
(d) control means operatively connected to the receiver means and the drive means, and operative to change the operational states of the latter in response to such detection by the former; and
(e) mode selector means operatively connected to the control means, and operative for selecting between a first operational mode in which the first operational state is set initially and changed subsequently to the second operational state in response to said detection, and a second operational mode in which the second operational state is set initially and changed subsequently to the first operational state in response to said detection.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The movements of a self-propellable toy are controlled by an on-board infrared light transmitter and receiver and a control subcircuit operative for detecting obstacles in the forward path of advancement of the toy, and for causing the toy to either advance forwardly toward the detected obstacle or to turn away from the same, in dependence upon a selected control mode.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An arrangement for controlling the movement of a self-propellable, wheeled toy over a travel surface to be traversed, comprising:
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(a) drive means operatively connected to a pair of drive wheels located at opposite sides of an upright axis which extends generally perpendicularly to the travel surface and operative, in a first operational state, to propel the toy along a forward direction of advancement over the travel surface and, in a second operational state, to spin the toy about the upright axis; (b) on-board, forwardly-facing transmitter means on the toy, and operative for forwardly transmitting a transmission signal ahead of the toy; (c) on-board, forwardly-facing receiver means on the toy, and operative for detecting a returning portion of the transmission signal reflected off an obstacle located within a predetermined range ahead of the toy; (d) control means operatively connected to the receiver means and the drive means, and operative to change the operational states of the latter in response to such detection by the former; and (e) mode selector means operatively connected to the control means, and operative for selecting between a first operational mode in which the first operational state is set initially and changed subsequently to the second operational state in response to said detection, and a second operational mode in which the second operational state is set initially and changed subsequently to the first operational state in response to said detection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An arrangement for controlling the movement of a self-propellable, wheeled toy over a travel surface to be traversed, comprising:
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(a) drive means operatively connected to a pair of drive wheels located at opposite sides of an upright axis which extends generally perpendicularly to the travel surface and operative, in a first operational state, to propel the toy along a forward direction of advancement over the travel surface and, in a second operational state, to spin the toy about the upright axis, said drive means including a first electrical motor operatively connected to one of the drive wheels, and operative to rotate the one drive wheel in a predetermined direction in both operational states, said drive means also including a second electrical motor operatively connected to the other of the drive wheels, and operative to rotate the other drive wheel in the same predetermined direction as the one drive wheel in the first operational state, and to control the movement of the other drive wheel in the second operational state; (b) on-board, forwardly-facing, infrared light transmitter means on the toy, and operative for forwardly transmitting an infrared light beam ahead of the toy; (c) on-board, forwardly-facing, infrared light receiver means on the toy, and operative for detecting a returning portion of the infrared light beam reflected off an obstacle located within a predetermined range ahead of the toy; (d) control means operatively connected to the receiver means and the drive means, and operative to change the operational states of the latter in response to such detection by the former; and (e) mode selection means operatively connected to the control means, and operative for selecting between a first operational mode in which the first operational state is set initially and changed subsequently to the second operational state in response to said detection, and a second operational mode in which the second operational state is set initially and changed subsequently to the first operational state in response to said detection.
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8. A self-propellable, wheeled toy movable over a travel surface to be traversed, comprising:
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(a) a housing having a pair of drive wheels located at opposite sides of an upright axis which extends generally perpendicularly to the travel surface; (b) drive means operatively connected to the drive wheels and operative, in a first operational state, to propel the toy along a forward direction of advancement over the travel surface and, in a second operational state, to spin the toy about the upright axis; (c) on-board, forwardly-facing transmitter means on the toy, and operative for forwardly transmitting a transmission signal ahead of the toy; (d) on-board, forwardly-facing receiver means on the toy, and operative for detecting a returning portion of the transmission signal reflected off an obstacle located within a predetermined range ahead of the toy; (e) control means operatively connected to the receiver means and the drive means, and operative to change the operational states of the latter in response to such detection by the former; and (f) mode selector means operatively connected to the control means, and operative for selecting between a first operational mode in which the first operational state is set initially and changed subsequently to the second operational state in response to said detection, and a second operational mode in which the second operational state is set initially and changed subsequently to the first operational state in response to said detection. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of controlling the movement of a self-propellable, wheeled toy over a travel surface to be traversed, comprising the steps of providing means for:
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(a) propelling the toy, in a first operational state, along a forward direction of advancement over the travel surface; (b) spinning the toy, in a second operational state, about an upright axis which extends generally perpendicularly to the travel surface; (c) forwardly transmitting a transmission signal ahead of the toy; (d) detecting a returning portion of the transmission signal reflected off an obstacle located within a predetermined range ahead of the toy; (e) changing the operational states of the toy in response to such detection; and (f) selecting between a first operational mode in which the first operational state is set initially and changed subsequently to the second operational state in response to said detection, and a second operational mode in which the second operational state is set initially and changed subsequently to the first operational state in response to said detection. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification