Two-wheeled amphibious toy vehicle

• US 6,439,948 B1
• Filed: 08/19/1997
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Proch, Nathan C., Bartor, Helena, Ostendorff, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Banks, Derris H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Application Number:
  US08/914,477
• Time in Patent Office: 1,834 Days
• Field of Search: 446/462, 446/465, 446/431
• US Class Current: 446/154
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/004 Stunt-cars, e.g. lifting front wheels, roll-over or invertible cars

Abstract

An elongated substantially hollow body supports a pair of motor drive units, a battery power supply, and a radio frequency receiver and controller module. A pair of axles are rotatably supported near the frontal end of the elongated body and in turn support a pair of large diameter wheels. The motor drive units within the body are operatively coupled to the axles and are able to differentially drive the wheels. The position of the axles and wheels near the frontal portion of the vehicle results in the extension of a substantially greater portion of the body away from and beyond the wheels. Thus the extending portion of the body defines a trailing end. A control transmitter provides independent operational signals to each of the motor drive units to differentially drive the wheels. Each time the direction of travel of the toy vehicle is reversed, the reaction torque applied by the motors to the body causes the body to flip about the axles and invert bringing the trailing end to the opposite side of the wheels. By skillful manipulation of the controls, various tricks and stunts may be performed by the toy vehicle. The toy vehicle is also operable in an aquatic environment utilizing the wheels as paddle wheels for propulsion.

Claims

1. A remotely controlled toy comprising:

an elongated body having a front end and a trailing end, said trailing end being free of any wheels;

a pair of wheels rotatably supported by said body substantially closer to said frontal end and farther from said trailing end, said pair of wheels being supported at a position on said body which causes said toy to be supported upon said wheels and said trailing end;

drive means for independently rotating each of said wheels in either direction of rotation said drive means having first and second drive units each operatively coupled to one of said wheels and each having second reversible motors, responsive to said control means, and first and second speed reduction gear combinations and wherein said wheels each include an axle shaft coupling each of said wheels to a respective one of said first and second gear combinations; and

control means for operating said drive means in accordance with user commands to move said toy upon a surface on said wheels dragging said trailing end upon a surface; and

wherein said wheels define equal radii and wherein said frontal end extends forwardly of said axle shafts a distance less than said wheels radii.

2. The remotely controlled toy set forth in claim 1 wherein said control means includes:

a remote transmitter, operable by a user, for transmitting commands in response to user inputs; and

a receiver and controller, supported within said body, for receiving transmitted commands and controlling said first and second motors in accordance therewith.

3. The remotely controlled toy set forth in claim 2 wherein said wheels each define surface contours and wherein said body and said wheels are buoyant in water, said surface contours allowing said wheels to propel said toy through water as they rotate.

4. The remotely controlled toy set forth in claim 3 wherein said body is formed of a pair of mating half bodies joined along a mutual interface.

5. A toy vehicle comprising:

an elongated body having frontal end and a trailing end, said trailing end being free of wheels;

a pair of wheels rotatably coupled to each side of said elongated body close to said frontal end such that said wheels extend beyond said frontal end and said trailing end extends well beyond said wheels and such that said toy vehicle is supported upon a surface by said wheels and said trailing end; and

means for independently and reversibly rotating said wheels to propel said toy vehicle,

said toy vehicle moving in a first direction of motion as said wheels rotate in a first rotational direction such that said trailing end extends rearwardly with respect to said first direction of motion and said body pivoting when said wheels are reversed to a second opposite direction of rotation propelling said vehicle in a second opposite direction of motion to extend rearwardly with respect to said second direction of motion.

6. The toy vehicle set forth in claim 5, further including a remote control transmitter for transmitting command signals and wherein said means for independently rotating said wheels includes means for receiving said transmitted command signals and rotating said wheels in response to said commands.