Amphibious toy vehicle

• US 4,744,781 A
• Filed: 01/02/1987
• Issued: 05/17/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Crosson, Peter C., Meggs, Daniel H., Ostendorff, Eric C., Goldstein, Samuel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Application Number:
  US07/000,273
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 446/164, 446/163, 446/165, 446/160, 446/153, 446/154, 446/465, 446/462, 446/448, 446/457, 114/270, 440/92
• US Class Current: 446/164
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/262 Chassis; Wheel mountings; Wheels; Axles; Suspensions; Fitting body portions to chassis
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 23/04 Self-propelled boats, ships or submarines

Abstract

An amphibious toy vehicle having paddles located within the wheels of the toy vehicle which can be extended outside the wheels in order to propel the vehicle forward and backward in water. A flotation chamber is provided at the bottom of the vehicle. A gear assembly including rack gears is used to extend and retract the paddles. After the paddles are retracted inside the wheels, the toy vehicle may be moved over a supporting surface by the rotating wheels. A downwardly extending portion attached to an upper body of the amphibious toy vehicle helps to keep motors mounted inside the vehicle dry when the toy vehicle is placed in water.

Claims

1. An amphibious toy vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body;

a flotation chamber attached to said body;

two axles rotatably mounted on said body;

wheels attached to said axles;

paddles slidably engaged to said axles, said paddles capable of retracting inside said wheels, extending outside said wheels and rotating with said wheels;

means for rotating said axles; and

means for extending said paddles outside said wheels and retracting said paddles inside said wheels.

2. The amphibious toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein said rotating means includes:

a drive shaft rotatably mounted on said body;

a gear attached to said drive shaft;

first bevel gears attached to said drive shaft;

second bevel gears attached to said axles, said second bevel gears engaging said first bevel gears;

a first gear assembly rotatably mounted on said body and engaged to said gear attached to said drive shaft; and

a first motor mounted on said body, said first motor engaging said first gear assembly.

3. The amphibious toy vehicle of claim 2 wherein said means for extending and retracting said paddles includes:

a gear rotatably engaged to said drive shaft;

a second gear assembly rotatably mounted on said body and engaged to said gear rotatably engaged to said drive shaft;

a second motor mounted on said body, said second motor engaging said second gear assembly;

outrigger members attached to said paddles; and

rack gears attached to said outrigger members, said rack gears engaging said gear rotatably engaged to said drive shaft.

4. The amphibious toy vehicle of claim 3 wherein said wheels have radial ribs attached thereto, said radial ribs capable of contacting said paddles when said wheels are rotating.

5. An amphibious toy vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body;

a flotation chamber attached to said body;

front and rear axles rotatably mounted on said body;

front wheels attached to said front axle;

rear wheels attached to said rear axle;

paddles slidably engaged to said axles, said paddles capable of retracting inside said wheels, extending outside said wheels and rotating with said wheels;

first motor means mounted on said body for rotating said wheels;

a drive shaft rotatably mounted on said body;

first gear means for engaging said first motor means to said drive shaft;

second gear means for engaging said drive shaft to said axles;

second motor means mounted on said body for extending said paddles outside said wheels and retracting said paddles inside said wheels;

a gear rotatably engaged to said drive shaft;

third gear means for engaging said second motor means to said gear rotatably engaged to said drive shaft; and

rack gears attached to said paddles and engaged to said gear rotatably engaged to said drive shaft.

6. The amphibious toy vehicle of claim 5 further comprising outrigger members attached to said paddles and said rack gears.