Suspension systems of vehicle toys

• US 5,338,246 A
• Filed: 04/07/1993
• Issued: 08/16/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Taiyo Kogyo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Taiyo Kogyo Corporation
• Inventors: Suto, Shohei
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Application Number:
  US08/044,375
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 446/466, 446/468, 446/460, 446/469, 280/666, 280/667, 280/670, 280/691, 280/696, 280/673
• US Class Current: 446/466
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/262 Chassis; Wheel mountings; Wheels; Axles; Suspensions; Fitting body portions to chassis

Abstract

Suspension systems (10; 42; 8) operate independently of each other on opposite sides of a vehicle toy. The systems have their road wheels move up and down substantially without any inclination of these wheels, and are simple in construction. Each suspension system has an upright member (16) on which the wheel axle (13) is fixedly mounted, an upright holder (18) for holding the upright member (16) so as to permit it to be rotatable in a steering operation, a rod (22) having its lower portion fixedly mounted to the holder (18) and its upper portion guided in a guide (24) formed in an upper portion of the body, and a compression spring (26) interposed between the holder (18) and the guide (24). A swing arm (20) has one end pivotally connected to the body and the other end pivotally connected to the holder (18). The upright member (16) and the upright holder (18) may be integrally formed as a support (82) rotatably mounted on the lower portion of the rod.

Claims

1. A steerable vehicle toy, comprising:

a body having a wall portion;

a guide hole in said wall portion;

a steerable wheel mounted on an axle;

an upright member on which said axle is fixedly mounted;

an upright holder disposed below said guide and rotatably supporting said upright member to permit rotation of said upright member during a steering operation;

an upwardly extending rod having a lower portion fixedly mounted to said upright holder;

said rod having an upper portion movably guided in said guide hole;

a spring acting upon said upright holder to bias said upright holder downwardly away form said guide; and

a single swing arm having two ends, one end being pivotally connected to said body, and the other end being pivotally connected to said upright holder;

said wheel being guided by said rod and said single swing arm for upward movement with substantially no inclination.

2. The vehicle toy of claim 1, wherein:

said upright holder rotatably supports said upright member by means of a king pin; and

said king pin is inclined upwardly and inwardly with respect to said body.

3. The vehicle toy of claim 1, wherein said rod is upwardly and inwardly inclined with respect to said body.

4. The vehicle toy of claim 1 wherein said rod extends upwardly through said guide hole and terminates in an enlarged head above said guide.

5. The vehicle toy of claim 1, wherein said spring comprises a compression spring interposed between said upright holder and said guide wall.

6. The vehicle toy of claim 1, wherein said rod is upwardly and inwardly inclined with respect to said body, is slidably movable through said guide hole, and in conjunction with said single swing arm confines said upright holder to move upwardly and downwardly relative to said body without inclining said wheel.

7. A steerable vehicle toy, comprising:

a body having a wall portion;

a guide in said wall portion;

a steerable road wheel mounted on an axle, said axle having an axis;

an upwardly extending rod having an upper portion slidably guided in said guide;

a rotatable connection between a lower portion of said rod and said axle to permit steering rotation of said axle relative to said body during a steering operation;

a spring biassing said rod downwardly through said guide; and

a single swing arm having two ends, one end being pivotally connected to said body, and the other end being pivotally connected to said lower portion of said rod, said ends having pivotal axes extending transverse to the axis of said axle;

said rod and said single swing arm guiding and constraining said wheel to move vertically with essentially no inclination of said wheel.

8. The vehicle toy of claim 7 wherein said rotatable connection comprises a support on which said axle is fixedly mounted, and

said support is rotatably mounted on the lower portion of said rod.

9. The vehicle toy of claim 8, wherein said rod is slidable through said guide, and said rod is upwardly and inwardly inclined with respect to said body.

10. The vehicle toy of claim 8, wherein said rod extends upwardly through and beyond said guide and terminated in an enlarged head above said guide.

11. The vehicle toy of claim 8, wherein said spring is a compression spring surrounding said rod and interposed between said guide and said support.

12. The vehicle toy of claim 8, wherein said support is retained on said rod by a shoulder on said rod above said support and a stop on said rod below said support, said other end of said swing arm pivoting on said stop.

13. The vehicle toy of claim 8, wherein said support is retained on said rod between an upper shoulder and a lower stop on said rod, said other end of said swing arm pivoting on said stop.

14. The vehicle toy of claim 7, wherein said rod is upwardly and inwardly inclined with respect to said body, extends freely through and above said guide hole, and in conjunction with said single swing arm confines said wheel to move upwardly and downwardly relative to said body without inclining of said wheel.

15. The vehicle toy of claim 7, wherein said rod is upwardly and inwardly inclined with respect to said body.

16. The vehicle toy of claim 7, wherein said rod extends upwardly through said guide and terminates in an enlarged head above said guide, and said spring comprises a compression spring interposed between said guide and said rotatable connection.

17. The vehicle toy of claim 7, wherein said rotatable connection comprises an upright member on which said axle is fixedly mounted, and an upright holder rotatably supporting said upright member to permit rotation of said upright member during a steering operation.

18. The vehicle toy of claim 17, wherein said upright holder rotatably supports said upright member by means of a king pin, and said king pin is inclined upwardly and inwardly with respect to said body.