Spheroid shaped toy vehicle with internal radio controlled steering and driving means

• US 5,041,051 A
• Filed: 02/21/1990
• Issued: 08/20/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harald V. Sonesson
• Original Assignee: Harald V. Sonesson
• Inventors: Sonesson, Harald V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Muir, D. Neal
• Application Number:
  US07/482,760
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 446/456, 446/454, 446/457, 446/460, 446/437, 446/431, 273/58 G, 273/58 F, 273/65 R, 273/128 R, 180/10, 280/206, 280/207
• US Class Current: 446/456
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/005 Motorised rolling toys

Abstract

A radio-controlled rolling toy has a hollow shell containing a radio-controlled vehicle which may be caused to move sidewardly relative a shaft mounted coaxially with the outer surface of the shell. The vehicle may also be caused to perform a rotation relative the shell, the combination of said two movements enabling the shell to follow any type of tortous path on the ground.

Claims

1. a radio controlled rolling toy comprising in combination, a shell of substantially spheroidal shape defining an internal coaxial space of substantially cylindrical shape, a shaft extending coaxially through said space, radio controllable drive means for engaging cylindrically the internal space to roll the shell about the shaft, and steering means including wheels for axially moving said drive means over a predetermined range along said shaft including elastic biasing means exerting a force between the drive means and the shaft.

4. A toy as claimed in claim 1 wherein said steering means comprises means to move said chassis axially on said shaft.

2. a radio controlled rolling toy, comprising in combination, a hollow shell having a first substantially spheroid shaped outer surface with a first rotation symmetrical surface dispersed about an axis of symmetry and an inner member defining a space limited by a second rotation symmetrical surface coaxial with said spheroid shaped outer surface and two axially spaced plane surfaces extending perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of said first and second surfaces, said space containing a radio controllable vehicle with wheels for engaging said plane surfaces at the ends of a range of axial travel of said vehicle within said inner space and having a chassis provided with steering means and driving means adapted to engage said second rotation symmetrical surface so as to cause relative rotation between said shell and said vehicle, said shell also carrying a shaft positioned on said axis of symmetry along which said vehicle moves, and elastic biasing means being provided for exerting a compression force between said vehicle and said shaft.

3. A toy as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said elastic biasing means comprises two telescopically displaceable elements, with a compression force spring located between said elements and means for positioning said wheels in engagement with said shaft mounted on one of said elements.