Radio control car

• US 5,334,076 A
• Filed: 07/22/1993
• Issued: 08/02/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sawara Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Sawara Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Shinozuka, Morio
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Application Number:
  US08/094,960
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• Field of Search: 446/456, 446/462, 446/454, 446/484, 446/439, 446/434, 446/429, 446/430, 320/2, 439/700, 439/824, 439/357, 439/358
• US Class Current: 446/456
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/24 resilient; resiliently-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/629 Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances separate tools or apparatus H01R43/26
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries

Abstract

A radio control car allowing the self-running car to be smaller and lighter, requiring less frequent and easier replacement of the battery. The radio control car according to the present invention is characterized in that said radio control car is provided with a self-running car 12 having a power unit 14, a receiving control unit 15 and an accumulating unit 16 for supplying power to the above-mentioned units and with a controller 13 having a transmitting control unit 19 and a battery unit 20, wherein said accumulating unit 16 of said self-running car 12 is charged by said battery unit 20 when a charged terminal 24 of the accumulating unit 16 of the self-running car 12 is connected with a charging terminal 25 of the battery unit 20 of said controller 13.

Claims

1. A radio controlled car comprising:

a) a self-running car including a power unit, a receiving control unit and an accumulating unit for supplying power to said power unit and said control unit;

b) a remote controller means including a battery unit and a transmitting control unit for transmission of a selected control signal to said self-running car;

c) said self-running car including a charged terminal positioned at a predetermined height in the front of said self-running car to receive an electric charge and direct the charge to said accumulating unit; and

d) said controller including a charging terminal adapted to engage said charged terminal and convey an electric charge from said controller to said charged terminal, said charging terminal being positioned on said controller so that when said controller is placed on the ground, said self-running car can be remotely driven by said controller into coupling engagement with said controller thereby allowing an electric charge to be directed from said charging terminal to said charged terminal for recharging of said self-running car.

2. A radio control car as set forth in claim 1 and wherein:

said controller includes a box-like housing having a bottom surface, a top surface including control means and a generally U-shaped front surface; and

b) said front surface including said charging terminal.

3. A radio control car comprising:

a) a self-running car including a power unit, a receiving control unit and an accumulating unit for supplying power to said power unit and said control unit;

b) a remote controller means including a battery unit and a transmitting control unit for transmission of a selected control signal to said self-running car;

c) said self-running car including a charged terminal positioned at a predetermined height in the front of said self-running car to receive an electric charge and direct the charge to said accumulating unit;

d) said controller including a charging terminal adapted to engage said charged terminal and convey an electric charge from said battery unit of said controller to said charged terminal;

e) said charged terminal housed in a male connector and said charging terminal housed in a female connector, said connectors slidably engageable in an axial direction;

f) said female connector including spring bias means to urge said charging terminal in an axial direction away from said controller; and

g) terminal positioning means comprising a resilient boss associated with said female connector and a detent means associated with said male connector so that when said male connector is inserted into said female connector in an axial direction, said detent will engage said boss to position said charged terminal so that said charged terminal will sufficiently contact said spring biased charging terminal and allow an electric charge to be conveyed to said accumulator unit during recharging of said self-running car.

4. A radio control car as set forth in claim 3 and wherein:

a) said controller including a casing provided with a bottom surface to support said controller when placed on the ground and at least one side surface containing said female connector so that once the controller is positioned on the ground, said self-running car can be remotely driven by said controller and cause engagement of said male connector with said female connector thereby allowing said self-driven car to be recharged.

5. A radio control car is set forth in claim 3 and wherein:

a) said male connector including a tapered guide surface positioned forward of said detent to assist in aligning said boss with said detent when said male connector is inserted into said female connector.

6. A radio control car is set forth in claim 3 and wherein:

a) said charged terminal including a concave surface and said charging terminal including a convex surface so that when said charging terminal is engaged with said charged terminal said concave surface receives said convex surface.

7. A radio control car is set forth in claim 3 and wherein:

a) said charged terminal comprises a pair of positive pole terminals and said charging terminal comprises a pair of negative pole terminals; and

b) said male connector and said female connector have a polarized configuration to prevent inadvertent pole reversal during connection.