Running toy shooting apparatus

• US 4,946,417 A
• Filed: 08/18/1989
• Issued: 08/07/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sente Creations Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Sente Creations Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kamei, Hiroyoshi, Ishikawa, Ichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Application Number:
  US07/395,465
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 446/430, 446/429, 446/462, 446/463, 446/440, 273/86 R
• US Class Current: 446/430
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/22 Scooters with driver figure propelled by their wheels or by movement of the figure
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 29/20 Flywheel driving mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 29/24 Details or accessories for drive mechanisms, e.g. means for winding-up or starting toy engines

Abstract

A running toy shooting apparatus having a toy holder which holds a running toy having a flywheel as drive wheel and is movable between a starting position and a shooting position located in front of the starting position, a spring for driving the toy holder up to the shooting position, a stopper for retaining the running toy held by the holder means, a releasing means for releasing the running toy from the stopper to move the toy holder to the shooting position by the spring, and an energizer for energizing the flywheel of the running toy at the starting position.

Claims

1. A running toy shooting apparatus for shooting a running toy having flywheel as a drive wheel and a pinion rotating as one body with said flywheel, which are supported freely with an axle, said shooting apparatus comprising:

a holder means adapted to hold said running toy axle, said holder means being movable between a starting position and a shooting position located forward of said starting position,

a stopper means for retaining said running toy axle and said holder means in a stationary state at said starting position, said stopper means and said holder means adapted to hold said running toy axle such that said flywheel is lifted from engagement with any surface while in said starting position,

an energizing means for energizing said flywheel by engaging with and rotating said pinion while said flywheel is lifted from engagement with any surface and said running toy is stationary at said starting position,

a manual release means for disengaging said stopper means,

a runway extending forwardly from said shooting position, and

a drive means for driving said holder means and said running toy up to said shooting position upon activation of said release means, to propel said running toy onto said runway with said flywheel engaged on said runway, and thereby propel said running toy from said shooting apparatus.

2. The running toy shooting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said stopper means has at least one hook for engaging said running toy axle at said starting position, and said release means comprises an manually operable member adapted to move said hook in a direction sufficient to release said running toy axle.

3. The running toy shooting apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said energizing means comprises a gear train including a movable gear which can move between a first position where said movable gear is engaged with said pinion and a second position apart from said pinion, a spring for pulling said movable gear towards said second position, a drive gear engaging with said movable gear, and a reel rotatable with said drive gear, which is constituted so as to move said movable gear up to said first position to energize said flywheel by pulling a string wound around said reel to rotate said reel.

4. The running toy shooting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an extendible projection is disposed within said shooting position and said runway and adapted to be optionally extended to a position where said flywheel of the running toy will hit said projection.

5. A running toy and shooting apparatus therefor comprising a running toy having flywheel as a drive wheel and a pinion rotating as one body with said flywheel, said flywheel and pinion rotatably secured at an axle of said running toy, and a shooting apparatus copmprising

a holder means adapted to hold said running toy axle, said holder means being movable between a starting position and a shooting position located forward of said starting position,

a stopper means for retaining said running toy axle and said holder means in a stationary state at said starting position, said stopper means and said holder means adapted to hold said running toy axle such that said flywheel is lifted from engagement with any surface while in said starting position,

an energizing means for energizing said flywheel by engaging with and rotating said pinion and then disengaging said pinion, all while said flywheel is lifted from engagement with any surface and said running toy is stationary at said starting position,

a manual release means for disengaging said stopper means,

a runway extending forwardly from said shooting position, and

a drive means for driving said holder means and said running toy up to said shooting position upon activation of said release means, to propel said running toy onto said runway with said flywheel engaged on said runway, and thereby propel said running toy from said shooting apparatus.

6. The running toy and shooting apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said energizing means comprises a gear train including a movable gear which can move between a first position where said movable gear is engaged with said pinion and a second position apart from said pinion, a spring for pulling said movable gear towards said second position, a drive gear engaging with said movable gear, and reel rotatable with said drive gear, which is constituted so as to move said movable gear up to said first position to energize said flywheel by pulling a string wound around said reel to rotate said reel.

7. The running toy and shooting apparatus according to claim 5 wherein an extendible projection is disposed within said shooting position and said runway and adapted to be optionally extended to a position where said flywheel of the running toy will hit said projection.

8. The running toy and shooting apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said stopper means has at least one hook for engaging said running toy axle at said starting position, and said release means comprises an manually operable member adapted to move said hook in a direction sufficient to release said running toy axle.