Toy vehicle having concealed extendable jaws

• US 5,626,506 A
• Filed: 08/15/1995
• Issued: 05/06/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Riehlman, Philip O., Halford, Wayne R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Carlson, Jeffrey D.
• Application Number:
  US08/515,337
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 446/431, 446/441, 446/465, 446/470, 446/486, 446/489
• US Class Current: 446/465
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/003 Convertible toys, e.g. robots convertible into rockets or vehicles convertible into planes

Abstract

A toy vehicle includes a rear body having a rear chassis portion extending downwardly therefrom which supports a pair of rear wheels. A front chassis is pivotally secured to the rear chassis and extends forwardly therefrom supporting a pair of front wheels. The vehicle further includes a front body portion formed of a pair of pivotally coupled members commonly secured to an elongated rearwardly extending gear rack. A spoiler slidably supported within the rear body is coupled to a forwardly extending gear rack. A compound gear is rotatably supported within the rear body and engages each gear rack such that movement in the forward direction of the rear spoiler causes a multiplied distance movement of the gear rack supporting the front body portion. A resilient membrane partially encloses the gear racks and is stretched between the rear chassis and the front body portion. As the spoiler is forced forwardly against the rear body, the gear rack and gear coupling drives the pivotally coupled front body portion forwardly allowing it to assume an open mouth configuration and exposing a pair of simulated jaws. The resilient membrane stretches to accommodate the forward extension of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A toy vehicle comprising:

a rear body;

an actuator slidably supported by said rear body portion;

a front body formed of at least two pivotally coupled portions;

gear drive means coupled between said front body and said actuator operative to move said front body forwardly from said rear body as said actuator is moved with respect to said rear body; and

a resilient membrane defining a plurality of apertures and having a first end coupled to said rear body and a second end coupled to said front body, said resilient membrane being stretched between said front and rear body portions when said front body is moved forwardly to elongate said plurality of apertures as said membrane is stretched.

8. A toy vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least two pivotally coupled portions includes an upper jaw and a lower jaw.

9. A toy vehicle as set forth in claim 8 wherein said resilient member is formed of a thin sheet of resilient material.

10. A toy vehicle as set forth in claim 9 wherein said resilient membrane is coupled to one of said two pivotally coupled portions of said front body to pivot it away from the remaining one of said two pivotally coupled portions as said membrane is stretched.

2. A toy vehicle comprising:

a rear body;

an actuator slidably supported by said rear body portion;

a front body formed of at least two pivotally coupled portions;

gear drive means coupled between said front body and said actuator operative to move said front body forwardly from said rear body as said actuator is moved with respect to said rear body; and

a resilient membrane having a first end coupled to said rear body and a second end coupled to said front body, said resilient membrane being stretched between said front and rear body portions when said front body is moved forwardly,

wherein said gear drive means includes;

a first gear rack coupled to said actuator;

a second gear rack coupled to said front body; and

gear means for rotationally engaging said first and second gear racks.

3. A toy vehicle as set forth in claim 2 wherein said gear means includes a pair of gears defining different diameters.

4. A toy vehicle as set forth in claim 3 wherein said at least two pivotally coupled portions includes an upper jaw and a lower jaw.

5. A toy vehicle as set forth in claim 4 wherein said resilient member is formed of a thin sheet of resilient material.

6. A toy vehicle as set forth in claim 5 wherein said thin sheet defines a plurality of apertures which elongate as said membrane is stretched.

7. A toy vehicle as set forth in claim 6 wherein said resilient membrane is coupled to one of said two pivotally coupled portions of said front body to pivot it away from the remaining one of said two pivotally coupled portions as said membrane is stretched.

11. A toy vehicle comprising:

a rear body;

an actuator slidably supported by said rear body;

a front body having a hood defining an upper jaw and a lower portion defining a lower jaw, said hood and lower portion being pivotable between an open jaw and a closed jaw position;

drive means coupled between said actuator and said front body responsive to movement of said actuator with respect to said rear body to extend said front body forwardly from said rear body; and

a resilient membrane coupled between said rear body and said front body, said membrane including a thin sheet of resilient material formed to define an inverted U-shape cross-section being stretched therebetween when said front body is extended forwardly.

12. A toy vehicle as set forth in claim 11 wherein said actuator includes a rear spoiler.

13. A toy vehicle as set forth in claim 12 wherein said rear body includes a rear chassis and a pair of rear wheels and a front chassis pivotally coupled to said rear chassis having a pair of front wheels.

14. A toy vehicle as set forth in claim 11 wherein said thin sheet defines a plurality of apertures therein.