Magnetic propulsion toy system

• US 5,974,977 A
• Filed: 09/29/1997
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Johnson Researach and Development Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Johnson Researach and Development Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnson, Lonnie G., Su, Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): McCarry, Jr., Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US08/939,221
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 446/429, 446/129, 446/133, 463/61, 104/138.1, 104/281, 104/282, 104/290, 104/292, 104/295, 104/165, 104/53, 104/60, 104/304, 104/305
• US Class Current: 104/60
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 18/10 with magnetic means for steering

Abstract

A magnetic propulsion toy system is provided having a track (11), a boost station (12) and a car (14) made of magnetic material. The boost station has control circuit (18) with a battery (19), a wire coil (21), a capacitor (22), a manual triggering switch (24), an automatic triggering switch (27) and a manual delay triggering switch (29). An infrared emitter/detector (28) is coupled to the automatic triggering switch and manual delay triggering switch.

Claims

1. A magnetic propulsion toy system comprising:

a track;

a vehicle adapted to ride upon said track, at least a portion of said vehicle being made of a magnetic material;

a wire coil mounted about a portion of said track for passage of said vehicle therethrough;

an electric power source coupled to said wire coil;

and a control circuit coupled to said power source and said wire coil which controls the passage of current to said wire coil, said control circuit includes a manual triggering switch and time limiting means coupled to said manual triggering switch for limiting the time said wire coil is energized to a selected time interval, said time limiting means comprising a capacitor,

whereby actuation of the manual triggering switch causes energy from the electric power source to be passed to the coil to produce a magnetic field for a selected period of time.

2. A magnetic propulsion toy system comprising:

a track;

a vehicle adapted to ride upon said track, at least a portion of said vehicle being made of a magnetic material;

a wire coil mounted about a portion of said track for passage of said vehicle therethrough;

an electric power source coupled to said wire coil;

and a control circuit coupled to said power source and said wire coil which controls the passage of current to said wire coil, said control circuit includes a manual triggering switch and time limiting means coupled to said manual triggering switch for limiting the time said wire coil is energized to a selected time interval, said control circuit also including a manual delay triggering switch and a sensor coupled to said manual delay triggering switch and mounted adjacent said wire coil,

whereby actuation of the manual triggering switch causes energy from the electric power source to be passed to the coil to produce a magnetic field for a selected period of time, and whereby manual actuation of the delay triggering switch enables the sensor for a selected time period and wherein the sensed position of the vehicle by the sensor causes the voltage within the capacitor to be passed to the wire coil which causes the magnetic force which magnetically effects the vehicle.

3. The magnetic propulsion toy system of claim 2 wherein said manual delay triggering switch has time variable means for varying the length of the selected time period said sensor is enabled.

4. The magnetic propulsion toy system of claim 2 wherein said sensor is an infrared light emitter and detector.

9. The magnetic propulsion toy system of claim 2 further comprising a light source coupled to said capacitor, wherein the discharge of the capacitor also causes the energizing of the light source for a selected time period.

5. A magnetic propulsion toy system comprising:

a track;

a vehicle adapted to ride upon said track, at least a portion of said vehicle being made of a magnetic material;

a wire coil mounted about a portion of said track for passage of said vehicle therethrough;

an electric power source coupled to said wire coil;

and a control circuit coupled to said power source and said wire coil which controls the passage of current to said wire coil, said control circuit includes a manual triggering switch and time limiting means coupled to said manual triggering switch for limiting the time said wire coil is energized to a selected time interval, said control circuit also includes an automatic triggering switch and a sensor coupled to said automatic triggering switch and mounted adjacent said wire coil,

whereby actuation of the manual triggering switch causes energy from the electric power source to be passed to the coil to produce a magnetic field for a selected period of time, and whereby the energizing of the automatic triggering switch enables the sensor and wherein the sensed position of the vehicle by the sensor causes the voltage within the capacitor to be passed to the wire coil which causes a magnetic force which magnetically effects the vehicle.

6. The magnetic propulsion toy system of claim 5 wherein said sensor is an infrared light emitter and detector.

7. The magnetic propulsion toy system of claim 5 wherein said control circuit further comprises a manual delay triggering switch coupled to said sensor, whereby with the automatic triggering switch de-energized the manual actuation of the delay trigger switch enables the sensor for a selected time period and wherein the sensed position of the vehicle by the sensor causes the voltage within the capacitor to be passed to the wire coil which causes a magnetic force with magnetically effects the vehicle.

8. A magnetic propulsion toy system comprising:

a track;

a vehicle adapted to ride upon said track, at least a portion of said vehicle being made of a magnetic material;

a wire coil mounted about a portion of said track for passage of said vehicle therethrough;

an electric power source coupled to said wire coil;

and a control circuit coupled to said power source and said wire coil which controls the passage of current to said wire coil, said control circuit includes a manual triggering switch and time limiting means coupled to said manual triggering switch for limiting the time said wire coil is energized to a selected time interval,

a light source coupled to said capacitor, wherein the discharge of the capacitor also causes the energizing of the light source for a selected time period,

whereby actuation of the manual triggering switch causes energy from the electric power source to be passed to the coil to produce a magnetic field for a selected period of time.

10. A magnetic propulsion toy system comprising:

a vehicle at least a portion of which being made of a magnetic material;

a track configured to receive said vehicle;

a wire coil mounted adjacent said track for passage of said vehicle therethrough;

an electric power source coupled to said wire coil;

and a control circuit coupled to said power source and said wire coil which controls the passage of current from said power source to said wire coil, said control circuit includes a manual delay triggering switch coupled to a sensor mounted to sense the presence of said vehicle adjacent said wire coil,

whereby manual actuation of the delay trigger switch enables the sensor for a selected time period and wherein the sensed position of the vehicle by the sensor causes the current from said power source to be passed to the wire coil to cause a magnetic force with magnetically effects the vehicle.

11. The magnetic propulsion toy system of claim 10 wherein said delay triggering switch has time variable means for varying the length of the selected time period said sensor is enabled.

12. The magnetic propulsion toy system of claim 10 wherein said control circuit includes a capacitor coupled to said power source and said delay trigger switch.

13. The magnetic propulsion toy system of claim 10 wherein said control circuit includes a manual triggering switch having an enabled position which causes voltage to be passed to said wire coil and a disabled position wherein voltage is not passed to to said wire coil,

whereby actuation of the manual triggering switch causes the current to be passed immediately to the wire coil which causes a magnetic force with magnetically effects the vehicle.

14. The magnetic propulsion toy system of claim 10 wherein said manual delay triggering switch has time variable means for varying the length of the selected time period said sensor is enabled.

15. The magnetic propulsion toy system of claim 10 wherein said sensor is an infrared light emitter and detector.

16. The magnetic propulsion toy system of claim 10 wherein said control circuit further comprises an automatic triggering switch coupled to said sensor and mounted adjacent said wire coil, whereby the actuation of the automatic triggering switch enables the sensor and wherein the sensed position of the vehicle by the sensor causes the voltage to be passed to the wire coil which causes a magnetic force with magnetically effects the vehicle.

17. The magnetic propulsion toy system of claim 10 further comprising a light source coupled to said power source.

18. The magnetic propulsion toy system of claim 12 further comprising a light source coupled to said capacitor.

19. A magnetic propulsion toy system comprising:

a track;

a vehicle adapted to ride upon said track, at least a portion of said vehicle being made of a magnetic material;

a wire coil mounted about a portion of said track for passage of said vehicle therethrough;

an electric power source coupled to said wire coil;

and a control circuit coupled to said power source and said wire coil which controls the passage of current to said wire coil, said control circuit includes a triggering switch and a capacitor coupled to said triggering switch and coupled to said electric power source for temporarily storing electrical energy,

whereby actuation of the triggering switch causes energy from the energy storage means to be passed to the coil to produce a magnetic field.

20. The magnetic propulsion toy system of claim 19 further comprising a vehicle position sensor and wherein said triggering switch is a manual delay triggering switch.

21. The magnetic propulsion toy system of claim 19 wherein said triggering switch is a manual triggering switch.

22. A magnetic propulsion toy system comprising:

a track;

a vehicle adapted to ride upon said track, at least a portion of said vehicle being made of a magnetic material;

a wire coil mounted about a portion of said track for passage of said vehicle therethrough;

an electric power source coupled to said wire coil;

and a control circuit coupled to said power source and said wire coil which controls the passage of current to said wire coil, said control circuit includes a triggering switch and energy storage means coupled to said triggering switch and coupled to said electric power source for temporarily storing electrical energy,

a light source coupled to said capacitor,

whereby actuation of the triggering switch causes energy from the energy storage means to be passed to the coil to produce a magnetic field.