Children's ride-on vehicle

• US 6,656,010 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2000
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Lerch, Karl D., Bienz, Brian L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Banks, Derris H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, JAMILA O
• Application Number:
  US09/665,195
• Time in Patent Office: 1,170 Days
• Field of Search: 446/431, 446/440, 180/65.1, 180/65.6, 180/65.8, 180/60.6, 180/215, 180/216, 180/209, 180/21, 180/908, 180/220, 180/315, 318/111, 318/112, 318/113, 286/282, 286/280, 307/119
• US Class Current: 446/431
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/20 Vehicles specially adapted for children, e.g. toy vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 9/00 Children's cycles toy vehicles A63H17/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle. The ride-on includes a frame adapted to support a child, and a drive assembly with a battery-powered motor assembly. The ride-on further includes one or more steerable wheel and one or more driven wheel. In some embodiments, the ride-on resembles a full-size motorcycle. In some embodiments, the ride-on includes a free-floating wheel, which is unbiased and travels within a defined range of positions with respect to the ride-on'"'"'s frame as external forces are imparted to the wheel. In some embodiments, the ride-on includes a high-speed switch positioned for momentary high-speed travel of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A drive assembly for a children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle, the drive assembly comprising:

a motor assembly including at least one motor having a rotatable output shaft;

a battery assembly adapted to provide power to the motor assembly, wherein the battery assembly includes at least one battery;

a power switch having a first power configuration, in which an electrical circuit is completed between the motor assembly and the battery assembly, and a second power configuration, in which the electrical circuit is not completed; and

a speed switch having a first speed configuration, in which the drive assembly is configured to rotate the rotatable output shaft at a first speed, and a second speed configuration, in which the drive assembly is configured to rotate the output shaft at a second speed greater than the first speed configuration, wherein the speed switch includes a biasing mechanism adapted to bias the speed switch toward the first speed configuration.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the motor assembly includes a pair of motors, wherein in the first speed configuration the speed switch connects the pair of motors in series and in the second speed configuration the speed switch connects the pair of motors in parallel.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the battery assembly includes a pair of batteries, wherein in the first speed configuration the speed switch connects the pair of batteries in parallel and in the second speed configuration the speed switch connects the pair of batteries in series.

4. The assembly of claim 1, further including a direction switch having a first direction configuration in which the drive assembly is adapted to rotate the output shaft in a first direction, and a second direction configuration in which the drive assembly is adapted to rotate the output shaft in a second direction opposite the first direction.

5. The assembly of claim 1 in combination with a children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle having a frame having a seat adapted to receive a child, a plurality of wheels including at least one driven wheel and at least one steerable wheel, and a steering assembly coupled to the at least one steerable wheel.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the speed switch includes a user-manipulable portion adapted to be engaged by a child to selectively position the speed switch between the first and second speed configurations.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the steering assembly includes a steering mechanism having a region adapted to be grasped by a child to steer the vehicle.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the user-manipulable portion is at least proximate the region adapted to be grasped by a child to steer the vehicle.

9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the steering mechanism includes a handlebar.

10. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the steering mechanism includes a steering wheel.

11. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the user-manipulable portion is externally accessible and adapted for the child to actuate the switch assembly with a first hand while grasping the region of the steering mechanism with the first hand.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the steering mechanism includes a handlebar.

13. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the steering mechanism includes a steering wheel.

14. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the motor assembly includes a pair of motors, wherein in the first speed configuration the speed switch connects the pair of motors in series and in the second speed configuration the speed switch connects the pair of motors in parallel.

15. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the battery assembly includes a pair of batteries, wherein in the first speed configuration the speed switch connects the pair of batteries in parallel and in the second speed configuration the speed switch connects the pair of batteries in series.

16. The assembly of claim 5, further including a direction switch having a first direction configuration in which the drive assembly is adapted to rotate the output shaft in a first direction, and a second direction configuration in which the drive assembly is adapted to rotate the output shaft in a second direction opposite the first direction.

17. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the user-manipulable portion includes a push button.

18. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the steering mechanism includes a handlebar assembly with at least one handgrip, wherein the region adapted to be grasped by the child is a handgrip on the handlebar assembly, and further wherein the user-manipulable portion is externally accessible and adapted for the child to actuate the switch assembly with a first hand while grasping the handgrip with the first hand.

19. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the user-manipulable portion includes a push button.

20. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the steering mechanism includes a steering wheel assembly with at least one handgrip, wherein the region adapted to be grasped by the child is a handgrip on the steering wheel assembly, and further wherein the user-manipulable portion is externally accessible and adapted for the child to actuate the switch assembly with a first hand while grasping the handgrip with the first hand.

21. The assembly of claim 20, wherein the user-manipulable portion includes a push button.

22. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the at least one driven wheel is adapted to be rotationally driven by the rotational output shaft of the motor assembly.

23. The assembly of claim 22, wherein the at least one steerable wheel is a front wheel and wherein the at least one driven wheel is positioned on the body rearward of the front wheel.

24. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the plurality of wheels further includes a non-driven wheel that is positioned on the body rearward of the at least one driven wheel.

25. A children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle, comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of wheels, including at least one driven wheel adapted to be rotationally driven by a drive assembly and at least one steerable wheel adapted to be selectively steered by a child;

a steering assembly including a steering mechanism coupled to the at least one steerable wheel, wherein the steering mechanism includes at least one region adapted to be grasped by the child to steer the at least one steerable wheel;

a drive assembly having a motor assembly adapted to drive the at least one driven wheel and a battery assembly adapted to power the motor assembly;

a switch assembly including a user-manipulable portion mounted on the steering assembly at least proximate the at least one region adapted to be grasped by the child, wherein the drive assembly has a first configuration adapted to drive the at least one driven wheel at a first selected speed, and upon actuation of the switch assembly the drive assembly is configured to a second configuration adapted to drive the at least one driven wheel at a second selected speed that is greater than the first selected speed; and

a free-floating wheel coupled to the frame and rotatable about an axle, wherein the frame includes a track within which the axle travels, and further wherein the track defines upper and lower limits within which the at least one steerable wheel travels as external forces are imparted to the at least one steerable wheel.

26. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein the user-manipulable portion is externally accessible and adapted for the child to actuate the switch assembly with a first hand while grasping the at least one region of the steering mechanism with the first hand.

27. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein the motor assembly includes a pair of motors, wherein in the first configuration the pair of motors are connected to the battery assembly in series, and further wherein in the second configuration the pair of motors are connected to the battery assembly in parallel.

28. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein the steering mechanism includes a handlebar assembly.

29. The vehicle of claim 28, wherein the at least one region adapted to be grasped by the child is a handgrip on the handlebar assembly, and further wherein the user-manipulable portion is mounted at least proximate the handgrip.

30. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein the steering mechanism includes a steering wheel that includes the at least one region adapted to be grasped by the child.

31. The vehicle of claim 30, wherein the user-manipulable portion is mounted on the steering wheel.

32. The vehicle of claim 28, wherein the at least one region adapted to be grasped by the child is a handgrip on the handlebar assembly, and further wherein the user-manipulable portion is externally accessible and adapted for the child to actuate the switch assembly with a first hand while grasping the handgrip with the first hand.

33. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein the user-manipulable portion is adjacent the at least one region adapted to be grasped by the child.

34. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein the switch assembly includes a biasing mechanism adapted to bias the user-manipulable portion toward an unactuated position in which the drive assembly is in the first configuration.