Mobile, gyroscopically stabilized toy with controlled multi-action movements
First Claim
1. A toy capable of rolling atop a support surface comprising:
- a body;
gyroscopic means mounted in said body for providing, gyrostabilization, said gyroscopic means including;
an axle rotatably mounted to said body and defining an axis of rotation;
a rotor attached to said axle and capable of spinning about said axis; and
means for attaching said axle to said body, wherein said axle is free to rotate about at least one axis which is perpendicular to said axis of rotation;
selectively, intermittently operable drive means connected to said gyroscopic means for causing said axle and said rotor to spin with sufficient speed to gyrostabilize said toy;
at least one appendage attached to said body;
translation means disposed at the lower portion of said toy for permitting independent directional translational movement of said toy over the support surface, said translation means forming the bottom of said toy, said translation means including at least one rolling member which provides at least one contact area for providing frictional contact with the support surface which resists the natural precessional forces of said gyroscopic means, and which substantially prevents rotation of the lower portion of said toy about an upright axis extending up from the support surface; and
a remote control for selectively controlling the gyroscopic rotation of said gyroscopic means and the motion of said at least one rolling member;
wherein said at least one rolling member is selectively motor driven by said drive means or a second drive means in response to said remote control.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, a toy having a body for housing and supporting its various constituent elements, the elements including: a gyroscopic mechanism, mounted therein so as to gyrostabilize the toy, which includes a rotor mounted on an axle and a mechanism for attaching the axle so that it is free to rotate about one or both of two axes which are perpendicular to each other and to the axis of spin; a selectively, intermittently operable drive mechanism for causing the axle and the rotor to spin with sufficient speed to gyrostabilize the toy; one or more appendages attached to and supported by the body portion of the toy, optionally operatively connected by a transmission to the selectively, intermittently operable drive mechanism, or to an independent drive mechanism, for moving the one or more appendages in a predetermined manner; and a mechanism for permitting independent directional movement of the toy, on which the body portion is supported and which resists the natural precessional forces of the gyroscopic means.
88 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A toy capable of rolling atop a support surface comprising:
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a body; gyroscopic means mounted in said body for providing, gyrostabilization, said gyroscopic means including; an axle rotatably mounted to said body and defining an axis of rotation; a rotor attached to said axle and capable of spinning about said axis; and means for attaching said axle to said body, wherein said axle is free to rotate about at least one axis which is perpendicular to said axis of rotation; selectively, intermittently operable drive means connected to said gyroscopic means for causing said axle and said rotor to spin with sufficient speed to gyrostabilize said toy; at least one appendage attached to said body; translation means disposed at the lower portion of said toy for permitting independent directional translational movement of said toy over the support surface, said translation means forming the bottom of said toy, said translation means including at least one rolling member which provides at least one contact area for providing frictional contact with the support surface which resists the natural precessional forces of said gyroscopic means, and which substantially prevents rotation of the lower portion of said toy about an upright axis extending up from the support surface; and a remote control for selectively controlling the gyroscopic rotation of said gyroscopic means and the motion of said at least one rolling member; wherein said at least one rolling member is selectively motor driven by said drive means or a second drive means in response to said remote control. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification