Traveling structure

• US 6,726,524 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2002
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyosha Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Kyosha Company Limited
• Inventors: Asai, Shinichi, Yamaguchi, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Banks, Derris H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Francis, Faye
• Application Number:
  US10/219,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20030040253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 446/6, 446/93, 446/94, 446/95, 446/230, 446/231, 446/424-428, 446/431, 446/437, 446/460-466, 446/457, 446/468-471, 180/65-- 6, 180/22, 180/24-2-, 180/21, 180/23, 180/24, 180/24.08
• US Class Current: 446/431
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 51/02 propelled by a motor
• 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 17/262 Chassis; Wheel mountings; Wheels; Axles; Suspensions; Fitting body portions to chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/10 with more than four wheels tractors of the low ground pressure type B62D49/002

Abstract

Problems are solved in a conventional traveling structure that can perform only the back and forth movement, circularly back and forth movement, and straight laterally movement, so that every directional movement is desired, and is not suitable for a traveling structure of agricultural equipment desired to be movable in every direction, and also is not enough of a challenge to be a traveling toy. In a traveling structure for traveling by rotating wheels with a driving source such as a motor, the traveling structure comprises a main body, the wheels arranged on every side of the main body, and auxiliary wheels arranged in the wheels rotatably in a direction perpendicular to the rotating direction of the wheels, wherein the auxiliary wheels are protruded from a supporting surface of the wheels.

Claims

1. A traveling structure comprising:

a main body;

a crosswise pair of legs attached to said main body;

a plurality of traveling wheels rotatably mounted to respective ends of said legs so that the wheels are arranged on every side of the main body for supporting the main body to allow for rolling movement along a traveling surface; and

a plurality of driving sources each being operatively coupled to a respective one of said traveling wheels for independently driving each of said traveling wheels to thereby cause the main body to be propelled along a surface;

wherein

each of said traveling wheels has a circumferential supporting surface, and includes a plurality of auxiliary disc-shaped wheels freely rotatably mounted to respective ones of said traveling wheels in circumferential spaced-apart relationship relative to the supporting surface of the traveling wheels so that a portion of each said disc-shaped wheel protrudes from a said supporting surface and engages the traveling surface along which the main body travels.

2. A traveling structure as in claim 1, further comprising:

a suspension for said traveling wheels for absorbing unevenness on a traveling road is imparted to the wheels.

3. A structure according to claim 2, wherein the wheels are attached to ends of legs extended from four sides of the main body.

4. A structure according to claim 2, wherein the auxiliary wheels accommodated in each of the wheels are arranged in a single column in a circumferential direction.

5. A structure according to claim 2, wherein the auxiliary wheels accommodated in each of the wheels are arranged in a double column, in a staggered configuration, and in a circumferential direction.

6. A structure according to claim 2, wherein the structure is a radio-controlled traveling toy.

7. A structure according to claim 1, wherein the wheels are attached to ends of legs extended from four sides of the main body.

8. A structure according to claim 7, wherein at least one pair of the legs comprise two legs.

9. A structure according to claim 8, further comprising:

a drive member attached to an end of each of the legs; and

a reducer gear train accommodated in the driving member,

wherein the driving source is accommodated in the drive member, and

wherein a driving force is transmitted to each of the wheels via the reducer gear train.

10. A structure according to claim 8, further comprising a reducer gear train, wherein the driving source and the reducer gear train are accommodated in each of the legs and a driving force is transmitted to each of the wheels via the reducer gear train.

11. A structure according to claim 7, further comprising;

a drive member attached to an end of each of the legs; and

a reducer gear train accommodated in the drive member,

wherein the driving source is accommodated in the drive member, and

wherein a driving force is transmitted to each of the wheels via the reducer gear train.

12. A structure according to claim 11, wherein the drive member comprises a fixing member attached to each of the legs and a movable member rotatably attached to the fixing member, and the driving source and the reducer gear train are accommodated in the movable member while a suspension is interposed between the fixing member and the movable member.

13. A structure according to claim 7, further comprising a reducer gear train, wherein the driving source and the reducer gear train are accommodated in each of the legs and a driving force is transmitted to each of the wheels via the reducer gear train.

14. A structure according to claim 13, wherein each of the legs is longitudinally divided into two parts having a suspension interposed therebetween.

15. A structure according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary wheels accommodated in each of the wheels are arranged in a single column in a circumferential direction.

16. A structure according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary wheels accommodated in each of the wheels are arranged in a double column, in a staggered configuration, and in a circumferential direction.

17. A structure according to claim 1, wherein the structure is a radio-controlled traveling toy.

18. A traveling structure for traveling by rotating wheels with a driving source such as a motor, the traveling structure comprising:

a main body;

the wheels arranged on every side of the main body; and

auxiliary wheels arranged in the wheels rotatably in a direction perpendicular to the rotating direction of the wheels,

wherein the auxiliary wheels protrude from a supporting surface of the wheels, wherein

the wheels are attached to ends of legs extended from four sides of the main body, and wherein

at least one pair of the legs comprise two legs.

19. A traveling structure for traveling by rotating wheels with a driving source such as a motor, the traveling structure comprising:

a main body;

the wheels arranged on every side of the main body; and

auxiliary wheels arranged in the wheels rotatably in a direction perpendicular to the rotating direction of the wheels,

a drive member attached to an end of each of the legs; and

a reducer gear train accommodated in the drive member,

wherein the driving source is accommodated in the drive member, and

wherein a driving force is transmitted to each of the wheels via the reducer gear train, wherein

the auxiliary wheels protrude from a supporting surface of the wheels, and wherein

the wheels are attached to ends of legs extended from four sides of the main body, and wherein the drive member comprises a fixing member attached to each of the legs and a movable member rotatably attached to the fixing member, and the driving source and the reducer gear train are accommodated in the movable member while a suspension is interposed between the fixing member and the movable member.

20. A traveling structure for traveling by rotating wheels with a driving source such as a motor, the traveling structure comprising:

a main body;

the wheels arranged on every side of the main body;

auxiliary wheels arranged in the wheels rotatably in a direction perpendicular to the rotating direction of the wheels, and

a reducer gear train, wherein the driving source and the reducer gear train are accommodated in each of the legs and a driving force is transmitted to each of the wheels via the reducer gear train, wherein

the auxiliary wheels protrude from a supporting surface of the wheels, wherein

the wheels are attached to ends of legs extended from four sides of the main body, and wherein

each of the legs is longitudinally divided into two parts having a suspension interposed therebetween.