Key activated toy vehicle

• US 6,565,411 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Sisolak, Gregory John, Agostini, Matthew Felix, Fosbenner, Mary Ellen Gertrude, Dougherty, William Francis Michael, Henry, Robert Jude
• Primary Examiner(s): Ackun, Jacob K.
• Application Number:
  US10/161,209
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 446/457, 446/464, 446/465, 446/486, 446/437
• US Class Current: 446/464
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 29/24 Details or accessories for drive mechanisms, e.g. means for winding-up or starting toy engines

Abstract

A key activated toy vehicle includes a body having a front end, a rear end and an exterior. The toy vehicle also includes a chassis that accommodates the body. At least one of the body and the chassis defines an opening to an interior of the toy vehicle. The toy vehicle includes a spring supported within the vehicle so as to be compressed by a key inserted through the opening and to propel the toy vehicle away from the key upon decompressing. The toy vehicle includes a moveable part being supported on one of the chassis and the body for movement between a first position and a second position. The toy vehicle includes an actuator mechanism operably coupled with the spring and moveably mounted within the vehicle so as to be coupled with the moveable part to move the part from the first position to the second position.

Claims

1. A key activated toy vehicle propelled utilizing a key, the toy vehicle comprising:

a body having a front end, a rear end and an exterior;

a chassis that accommodates the body and has at least a front wheel proximate the front end and a rear wheel proximate the rear end, at least one of the body and the chassis defining an opening to an interior of the toy vehicle;

a spring supported within the interior of the toy vehicle so as to be compressed by a key inserted through the opening and to propel the toy vehicle away from the key upon decompressing;

a moveable part having at least a portion on the exterior of the body and being supported on at least one of the chassis and the body for movement between a first position and a second position; and

an actuator mechanism operably coupled with the spring and moveably mounted within the vehicle so as to be coupled with the moveable part to move the part from the first position to the second position as the actuator mechanism moves against the bias of the spring.

2. The key activated toy vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the moveable part has a first surface visible on the vehicle in at least the first position of the part and a second surface visible on the vehicle only in the second position of the part, each surface having sufficiently different features to differentiate the first and second surfaces, the moveable part being mounted to pivot about a horizontal axis.

3. The key activated toy vehicle according to claim 2 wherein the actuator mechanism comprises:

a crown gear connected to the moveable part proximate a location along the horizontal axis;

a drive gear in engagement with the crown gear; and

a lever moveably coupled with the drive gear and being biased rearwardly by the spring,

whereby the moveable part is moved from the first position displaying the first surface to the second position displaying the second surface in response to movement of the lever against the biasing force of the spring.

4. The key activated toy vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the actuator mechanism further comprises a key receiver moveably mounted generally at the rear end of the body proximal the opening, the key receiver defining at least part of a key slot and being biased rearwardly by the spring.

5. The key activated toy vehicle according to claim 4 in combination with the key, wherein the key comprises an elongate key member configured for extension through the opening and receipt in the key receiver, a clasp member moveably coupled with the elongate key member to pivot between a locked position and a release position, and a spring positioned to bias the clasp member into the locked position.

6. The key activated toy vehicle according to claim 5 wherein the key further comprises a badge connected to the clasp member that serves as a thumb switch for a user.

7. The key activated toy vehicle according to claim 4 wherein the actuator mechanism further comprises:

an arm extending upwardly from the key receiver having an upper, contact end and a lower, pivot end; and

a spring operably positioned to bias the upper end of the arm toward an upright position such that when a key receiver is pushed into an interior chamber of the vehicle by the force of a user, the contact end of the upwardly extending arm contacts the interior portion of the moveable part so as to cause the moveable part to move from the first position to the second position.

8. The key activated toy vehicle according to claim 4 wherein the actuator mechanism further comprises:

an arm having a contact end and a pivot end;

a rotary cam in moveable engagement with the arm; and

a spring operably positioned to bias the arm toward an upright position such that when the key receiver is pushed into an interior chamber of the vehicle by the force of a user, the rotary cam moves the arm and the contact end of the arm contacts the interior portion of the moveable part so as to cause the moveable part to move from the first position to the second position.

9. The key activated toy vehicle according to claim 4 wherein the actuator mechanism further comprises:

a pivot pin moveably mounted in the interior and operably connected to the moveable part;

a row of teeth disposed on a portion of the key receiver; and

a translation gear coupled to the pivot pin and in mesh with the row of teeth such that when the key receiver is pushed into an interior chamber of the vehicle by the force of a user, the row of teeth rotates the translation gear causing the pivot pin to rotate so as to cause the moveable part to move from the first position to the second position.

10. The key activated toy vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising a circuit having a battery mounted within at least one of the body and the chassis.

11. The key activated toy vehicle according to claim 10 wherein the key activated toy further includes a sound generator electrically connected to the circuit.

12. The key activated toy vehicle according to claim 10 wherein the key activated toy further includes a light electrically connected to the circuit.

13. The key activated toy vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising a plunger moveably supported in one of the chassis and the body and being biased either rearwardly or forwardly by the spring, wherein the plunger imparts a propulsion force on the key activated toy vehicle from decompressing of the spring.

14. The key activated toy vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the moveable part is one of a folding extension ladder, a door, a window, a tow boom, a boom light, a propeller, a vehicle cab, a trunk lid, a water cannon and a fan.

15. The key activated toy vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the body is one of a police car, a fire rig, a fire truck, a tow truck, a sport utility vehicle, an off-road vehicle, a search-light vehicle, an ambulance, a helicopter, a boat, and a hovercraft.