Pit-stop recharger for fast recharge toy vehicle

• US 5,767,655 A
• Filed: 08/16/1996
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Bartok, Lena, Ostendorff, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOATLEY, GREGORY J
• Application Number:
  US08/700,624
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 446/429, 446/275, 446/433, 446/435
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 18/026 Start-finish mechanisms; Stop arrangements; Traffic lights; Barriers, or the like A63H18/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 18/12 Electric current supply to toy vehicles through the track
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 29/22 Electric drives power supply through track A63H18/12

Abstract

A toy vehicle is operatively driven by an electric motor having a storage capacitor coupled in parallel therewith. The capacitor and motor are coupled to a pair of underside contacts on the toy vehicle for charging. The toy vehicle underside further includes an aperture and an elongated slot. A cooperating charger/launcher includes a vehicle receiving surface upon which a wheel pedestal is positioned between the area at the rear of the vehicle for raising the vehicle rear wheels. The charger/launcher further includes an interlock post received within the aperture formed on the vehicle undersurface and a safety rib received within the elongated slot of the vehicle. A pair of electrical contacts are positioned on each side of the protective rib and are coupled to a battery supply within the launcher for charging the vehicle capacitor. A pit-stop recharger includes a pivotable gate and pit area within which a second recharging apparatus is provided.

Claims

1. A pit-stop recharger for use in combination with a toy vehicle track and a toy vehicle having a capacitor and electric motor drive together with a pair of underside vehicle contacts, said pit-stop recharger comprising:

a pit area adjacent said track;

a gate pivotable between a fist position diverting said toy vehicles from said track into said pit area and a second position closing said pit area;

a pivotable stop arm having a vehicle retainer arm pivoting between a horizontal position and a vertical position, a stop arm and a push rod for captivating a toy vehicle within said pit area, said stop arm and said push rod extending from said vehicle retainer arm in a common direction and spaced apart by approximately a vehicle length such that in said horizontal position said stop arm blocks the front of a toy vehicle while said push rod exerts a downward force on the rear thereof; and

means for applying a recharging voltage to said pair of underside contacts of a toy vehicle captivated within said pit area.

2. A pit-stop recharger as set forth in claim 1 wherein said push rod defines a notch for conforming to and captivating a toy vehicle.

3. A pit-stop recharger as set forth in claim 2 wherein said pivotable stop arm includes a support post positioned external to said pit area.

4. A pit-stop recharger as set forth in claim 3 wherein said pit area includes a curved pit wall adjacent the track and an interior wall positioned between the track and said pit wall.

5. A pit-stop recharger as set forth in claim 4 wherein said gate is pivotally supported by said interior wall.