Self-standing traveling toy

• US 6,042,449 A
• Filed: 10/07/1998
• Issued: 03/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nikko Entertainment Hong Kong Limited
• Original Assignee: Nikko Company (Toy State Industrial Ltd)
• Inventors: Ishimoto, Zenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Rimell, Sam
• Application Number:
  US09/168,438
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 446/3, 446/233, 446/236, 446/237, 446/238, 446/431, 446/457, 446/458, 446/462, 446/234
• US Class Current: 446/234
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 11/14 Mechanically-moved walking figures balanced by gyrostatic effects
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/00 Toy vehicles, e.g. with self-drive; convertible into other toys A63H33/003; Cranes, winches or the like; Accessories therefor traffic games with figures moved by players A63F9/14
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 29/00 Drive mechanisms for toys in general

Abstract

The present invention provides a toy comprising: a rotator which is capable of exhibiting a gyro effect; a driver connected to the rotator for rotating the rotator to allow the rotator to exhibit the gyro effect; and a device capable of causing the toy falling down or tilting to show a spin or a rotation in the same direction as a rotation of the rotator so that a rotational axis of the rotator rotates or swings to draw a cone-shaped locus thereof, thereby to reduce swing motion of the rotational axis or to narrow a spread of the cone-shaped locus, whereby the rotational axis of the rotator is forced and moved onto a center and vertical axis, and the toy comes stand right-up and stabilized in a standing right-up position.

Claims

1. A toy comprising:

a gyro wheel that rotates in a plane perpendicular to an axis of the toy that is vertical when the toy is erect;

two supports for said gyro wheel that are spaced from each other in opposite radial directions from the axis, each of said supports having a rotatable end; and

at least one motor operably connected to said rotatable ends for selectively (a) linearly moving the toy and (b) rotating the toy on the axis.

2. The toy of claim 1, wherein each said rotatable end comprises at least a rotatable hemispherical end portion that is connected to said at least one motor.

3. The toy of claim 1, further comprising a plate in a plane perpendicular to the axis and a gyro wheel driver thereon, said gyro wheel being connected to said gyro wheel driver, said two supports depending from said plate.

4. The toy of claim 3, further comprising a pivot connecting said plate to said two supports, said two supports depending from said pivot at right angles to each other.

5. The toy of claim 1, comprising two of said at least one motor, each said motor being connected to a different one of said two supports.

6. The toy of claim 1, wherein said two supports comprise two legs that extend at right angles to each other.

7. The toy of claim 1, further comprising,

a round base in a plane perpendicular to the axis,

a gyro wheel driver on said round base, said gyro wheel being connected to said gyro wheel driver,

a pivot connecting said round base to said two supports which depend from said pivot at right angles to each other,

two of said at least one motor, and

each said rotatable end comprising at least a rotatable hemispherical end portion that is connected to a different one of said two motors.

8. The toy of claim 1, further comprising a controller that directs said at least one motor (a) to rotate said rotatable ends in a direction of rotation of said gyro wheel, causing the toy to rotate in the direction of rotation of said gyro wheel, when the axis of said gyro wheel is not vertical, and (b) to rotate said rotatable ends in opposite directions when the toy is moving linearly.

9. A toy comprising:

a gyro wheel that rotates in a first plane;

a gyro wheel driver connected to said gyro wheel for rotating said gyro wheel;

two supports for said gyro wheel driver that, when the toy is erect, are spaced from each other in opposite radial directions from an axis of rotation of said gyro wheel that is perpendicular to the first plane, each of said supports having a rotatable end on which the toy stands;

each of said two supports having a motor for selectively rotating the respective said rotatable end; and

a controller that directs each said motor (a) to rotate the respective said rotatable end in a direction of rotation of said gyro wheel, causing the toy to rotate in the direction of rotation of said gyro wheel, when the axis of rotation of said gyro wheel is not vertical, and (b) to rotate each said rotatable end in an opposite direction relative to the other said rotatable end when the toy is moving linearly.

10. The toy of claim 9, wherein each said rotatable end comprises at least a rotatable hemispherical end portion that is connected to the respective said motor.

11. The toy of claim 9, further comprising a round base in a plane parallel to the first plane on which said gyro wheel driver is carried, and a pivot connecting said round base to said two supports which depend from said pivot at right angles to each other.

12. A toy that rotates and moves linearly comprising, a rotatable gyro wheel and a support therefor that consists of two legs, each of which has at least a hemispherical end that rotates independently of said hemispherical end on the other of said legs and a motor for rotating the respective said hemispherical end, and a controller that directs each said motor (a) to rotate the respective said hemispherical end in a direction of rotation of said gyro wheel when the toy rotates, and (b) to rotate each said hemispherical end in an opposite direction relative to the other said hemispherical end when the toy is moving linearly.