Toy vehicular electromagnetic guidance apparatus

• US 6,322,415 B1
• Filed: 03/16/2000
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Christopher S. Cosentino, Dmitriy Yavid, Eduard Kogan, Eric S. Moore, Leo M. Fernekes, Peter Cyrus, Peter M. Maksymuk IV, Scott J. Kolb, Stefan Rublowsky
• Original Assignee: Christopher S. Cosentino, Dmitriy Yavid, Eduard Kogan, Eric S. Moore, Leo M. Fernekes, Peter Cyrus, Peter M. Maksymuk IV, Scott J. Kolb, Stefan Rublowsky
• Inventors: Yavid, Dmitriy, Kogan, Eduard, Cyrus, Peter, Fernekes, Leo M., Kolb, Scott J., Rublowsky, Stefan, Maksymuk, Peter M. IV, Moore, Eric S., Cosentino, Christopher S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kien T.
• Application Number:
  US09/526,950
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 446/129, 446/130, 446/133, 446/134, 446/135, 446/136, 446/444, 446/454, 446/455, 446/456, 463/58, 463/61, 463/63, 104/38, 104/47
• US Class Current: 446/130
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 18/14 Drives arranged in the track, e.g. endless conveying means, magnets, driving-discs

Abstract

The present invention is a guidance apparatus for movable toy vehicles that includes a track, or roadway, on which the toy vehicles move. The truck has an intersection. The intersection has a magnetic guidance mechanism for steering the toy vehicles in alternate directions through the intersection. An intersection magnetic sensing mechanism, i.e., electromagnets at the intersection and magnets in the vehicles, stops the vehicles prior to entering the intersection. Additionally, the vehicles stopped at the intersection can be actuated by a timing mechanism after passage of a predetermined time period. Furthermore, the vehicles stopped at the intersection can be actuated only after a mechanism for sensing vehicle presence in the intersection senses no vehicles in the intersection.

Claims

1. A combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles comprising:

(a) a track having a first intersection;

(b) a first subsurface vehicle adapted to selectively traverse the track;

(c) a control unit;

(d) first and second magnetic means for guiding subsurface vehicles in alternate directions through intersections, the first magnetic means being responsive to the control unit and disposed within the first intersection and the second magnetic means being disposed with the first subsurface vehicle;

(e) magnetic means for stopping subsurface vehicles prior to entering the first intersection wherein said means for stopping is responsive to the control unit;

(f) means for actuating subsurface vehicles stopped at the first intersection after the first and second magnetic means for guiding subsurface vehicles has been actuated;

(g) a surface roadway located over the track; and

(h) a first surface toy vehicle movable on the surface roadway in reaction to movement of the first subsurface vehicle.

2. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) a plurality of subsurface vehicles adapted to selectively traverse the track;

(b) a plurality of surface toy vehicles, wherein one of the plurality of surface toy vehicles being located above one of the plurality of subsurface vehicles and movable on the surface roadway in reaction to movement under the surface roadway of the respective one of the plurality of subsurface vehicles.

3. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 2, further comprising:

(a) a motor in each subsurface vehicle; and

(b) means for collision avoidance on each subsurface vehicle, the means for collision avoidance, comprising;

(i) a magnet on each subsurface vehicle; and

(ii) a magnetic field sensor on each subsurface vehicle, the magnetic field sensor adapted to de-energize the motor of the associated subsurface vehicle when the magnetic field sensor senses a magnetic field of the magnet of another subsurface vehicle.

4. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 2, further comprising means for remotely controlling the first magnetic means for guiding subsurface vehicles in alternate directions through intersections.

5. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 2, wherein the control unit is preprogrammed to guide the subsurface vehicles based on predetermined variables.

6. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 2, further comprising means for sensing one of the plurality of subsurface vehicles approaching or leaving the first intersection wherein said means for sensing is in communication with the control unit.

7. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 6, wherein the means for sensing comprises a magnet on each of the subsurface vehicles and a magnetic field sensor adjacent the first intersection.

8. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 2, wherein the first intersection having at least one magnet, the one magnet having reversible poles straddling a vehicle path.

9. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 8, wherein each subsurface vehicle having a magnet.

10. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 9, further comprising means for reversing current through the reversible poles to guide the subsurface vehicles by magnetic interaction with the magnets of the subsurface vehicles and wherein said means for reversing current is responsive to the control unit.

11. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 10, further comprising means for remotely controlling the means for reversing current.

12. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 11, wherein the control unit is preprogrammed based on predetermined variables.

13. A combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles comprising:

(a) a track having a plurality of intersections;

(b) a first subsurface vehicle adapted to selectively traverse the track;

(c) a control unit;

(d) first and second magnetic means for guiding subsurface vehicles in alternate directions through intersections, the first magnetic means being responsive to the control unit and disposed within each of the plurality intersections and the second magnetic means being disposed with the first subsurface vehicle;

(e) magnetic means for stopping subsurface vehicles prior to entering any one of the plurality of intersections wherein said means for stopping is responsive to the control unit;

(f) means for actuating subsurface vehicles stopped at any one of the plurality of intersections after a predetermined time;

(g) a surface roadway located over the track; and

(h) a first surface toy vehicle movable on the surface roadway in reaction to movement under the surface roadway of the first subsurface vehicle.

14. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 13, further comprising:

(a) a plurality of subsurface vehicles adapted to selectively traverse the track;

(b) a plurality of surface toy vehicles, wherein one of the plurality of surface toy vehicles being located above one of the plurality of subsurface vehicles and movable on the surface roadway in reaction to movement under the surface roadway of the respective one of the plurality of subsurface vehicles.

15. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 14, further comprising:

(a) a motor in each subsurface vehicle; and

(b) means for collision avoidance on each subsurface vehicle, the means for collision avoidance, comprising;

(i) a magnet on each subsurface vehicle; and

(ii) a magnetic field sensor on each subsurface vehicle, the magnetic field sensor adapted to de-energize the motor of the associated subsurface vehicle when the magnetic field sensor senses a magnetic field of the magnet of another subsurface vehicle.

16. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 14, further comprising means for remotely controlling the first magnetic means for guiding subsurface vehicles in alternate directions through intersections.

17. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 14, wherein the control unit is preprogrammed to guide the subsurface vehicles based on predetermined variables.

18. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 14, further comprising means for sensing one of the plurality of subsurface vehicles approaching or leaving any one of the plurality of intersections wherein said means for sensing is in communication with the control unit.

19. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 18, wherein the means for sensing comprises a magnet on each one of the plurality of subsurface vehicles and a magnetic field sensor adjacent each one of the plurality of intersections.

20. A combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles comprising:

(a) a track having a plurality of intersections;

(b) a first subsurface vehicle adapted to selectively traverse the track and selectively stop at any one of the plurality of intersections;

(c) a control unit;

(d) first and second magnetic means for guiding subsurface vehicles in alternate directions through intersections, the first magnetic means being responsive to the control unit and disposed within each of the plurality intersections and the second magnetic means being disposed with the first subsurface vehicle;

(e) means for sensing subsurface vehicle presence in any one of the plurality of intersections wherein said means for sensing is in communication with the control unit;

(f) means for actuating subsurface vehicles stopped at any one of the plurality of intersections after the means for sensing subsurface vehicle presence in any one of the plurality of intersection senses no subsurface vehicles in the intersection;

(g) a surface roadway located over the track; and

(h) a first surface toy vehicle movable on the surface roadway in reaction to movement under the surface roadway of the first subsurface vehicle.

21. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 20, further comprising:

(a) a plurality of subsurface vehicles adapted to selectively traverse the track;

(b) a plurality of surface toy vehicles, wherein one of the plurality of surface toy vehicles being located above one of the plurality of subsurface vehicles and movable on the surface roadway in reaction to movement under the surface roadway of the respective one of the plurality of subsurface vehicles.

22. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 21, further comprising:

(a) a motor in each substrate vehicle; and

(b) means for collision avoidance on each subsurface vehicle, the means for collision avoidance, comprising;

(i) a magnet on each subsurface vehicle; and

(ii) a magnetic field sensor on each subsurface vehicle, the magnetic field sensor adapted to de-energize the motor of the associated toy vehicle when the magnetic field sensors senses a magnetic field of the magnet of another subsurface vehicle.

23. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 21, further comprising means for remotely controlling the first magnetic means for guiding subsurface vehicles in alternate directions through intersections.

24. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 21, wherein the control unit is preprogrammed to guide the subsurface vehicles based on predetermined variables.

25. The combination guidance apparatus and movable toy vehicles of claim 21, wherein the means for sensing comprises a magnet on each one of the plurality of subsurface vehicles and a magnetic field sensor adjacent each one of the plurality of intersections.