Toy driving simulator

• US 6,805,604 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2001
• Issued: 10/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Brumagin, James G., Harris, Peter M., Smokowski, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Banks, Derris H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABDELWAHED, ALI F
• Application Number:
  US09/985,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20030087699A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 446/7, 446/37, 434/62, 434/63, 434/70, 463/6, 463/37, 463/38, 273/442
• US Class Current: 446/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/3033 simulating driving; Accessories therefor, e.g. steering wheels

Abstract

A toy driving mechanism includes a housing, a display element coupled to the housing, and a controller mounted on the housing and coupled to the display element.

Claims

1. A toy driving mechanism comprising:

a housing;

a first display portion coupled to said housing;

a controller coupled to said housing;

a second display portion operably coupled to said controller; and

a third display portion operably coupled to said controller, at least a portion of at least one of the second display portion and the third display portion overlapping the first display portion, wherein movement of said controller causes substantially simultaneous movement of said second display portion and said third display portion relative to said first display portion.

2. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said first display portion is fixedly coupled to said housing, said first display portion including an image disposed thereon.

3. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said first display portion includes an image disposed thereon, said image includes a representation of a road, and said third display portion includes a representation of a boundary corresponding to said road.

4. The mechanism of claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth display portion, said third display portion being disposed proximate to a first side of said first display portion, said fourth display portion being disposed proximate to a second side of said first display portion.

5. The mechanism of claim 4, wherein said third display portion is mounted for movement about a first pivot point, said fourth display portion is mounted for movement about a second pivot point, and movement of said controller causes substantially simultaneous movement of said third display portion and said fourth display portion relative to said first display portion.

6. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said second display portion resembles a toy vehicle, said second display portion is mounted for movement about a first pivot point, and said third display portion is mounted for movement about a second pivot point.

7. The mechanism of claim 1, the controller being a first controller, the mechanism further comprising:

a second controller coupled to said housing, said second controller being operably coupled to said second display portion, and movement of said second controller causes movement of said second display portion relative to said housing.

8. The mechanism of claim 7, wherein said second display portion is mounted for movement about a first pivot point, said third display portion is mounted for movement about a second pivot point, movement of said first controller causes substantially simultaneous movement of said second display portion about said first pivot point and said third display portion about said second pivot point, and movement of said second controller causes movement of said first pivot point relative to said housing.

9. The mechanism of claim 8, wherein said first controller includes a steering wheel and said second controller includes a shift lever.

10. A driving simulator mechanism comprising:

a housing, said housing having a plurality of walls defining therebetween an interior region, said housing including a display area;

a drive mechanism, said drive mechanism coupled to said housing;

a toy vehicle disposed in said interior region, said toy vehicle being operably coupled to said drive mechanism; and

a first structure disposed in said interior region, said first structure being mounted for movement relative to said housing, said first structure being operably coupled to said drive mechanism, wherein said toy vehicle and said first structure move substantially simultaneously relative to said housing in response to movement of said drive mechanism.

11. The mechanism of claim 10, wherein said drive mechanism includes a steering wheel, and movement of said steering wheel causes substantially simultaneous movement of said toy vehicle and said first structure relative to said housing.

12. The mechanism of claim 10, further comprising:

a second structure disposed in said interior region, said second structure being operably coupled to said drive mechanism, said first structure resembling a boundary disposed on a first side of said display area, said second structure resembling a boundary disposed on a second side of said display area, and said first structure, said second structure, and said toy vehicle moving substantially simultaneously relative to said housing in response to movement of said drive mechanism.

13. A simulated driving environment comprising:

a housing, said housing including a display area;

a steering mechanism coupled to said housing;

a first representation disposed in said display area, said first representation being associated with a toy vehicle;

a second representation disposed in said display area, said second representation being associated with a driving surface, said first representation being disposed in front of said second representation; and

a third representation disposed in said display area, said third representation being associated with said second representation, said third representation being disposed in front of said second representation, wherein said steering mechanism is coupled to said first representation and to said third representation, and movement of said steering mechanism causes movement of said first representation relative to said second representation and movement of said third representation relative to said second representation.

14. The simulated driving environment of claim 13, wherein said first representation and said third representation change their orientations relative to said second representation in response to movement of said steering mechanism.

15. The simulated driving environment of claim 13, further comprising;

a shifting mechanism coupled to said housing, said shifting mechanism being operatively coupled to said first representation, movement of said shifting mechanism causing movement of said first representation relative to said second representation.

16. A toy driving mechanism comprising:

a housing;

a first display portion coupled to the housing;

a controller coupled to the housing;

a second display portion operably coupled to the controller; and

a third display portion operably coupled to the controller, the second display portion being disposed apart from the third display portion, wherein movement of the controller causes substantially simultaneous movement of the second display portion and the third display portion relative to the first display portion.

17. The mechanism of claim 16, wherein the first display portion is fixedly coupled to the housing, the first display portion including an image disposed thereon.

18. The mechanism of claim 16, wherein the second display portion is disposed laterally apart from the third display portion.

19. The mechanism of claim 16, further comprising:

a fourth display portion, the third display portion being disposed proximate to a first side of the first display portion, the fourth display portion being disposed proximate to a second side of the first display portion.

20. The mechanism of claim 19, wherein the third display portion is mounted for movement about a first pivot point, the fourth display portion is mounted for movement about a second pivot point, and movement of the controller causes substantially simultaneous movement of the third display portion and the fourth display portion relative to the first display portion.

21. The mechanism of claim 16, wherein the second display portion resembles a toy vehicle, the second display portion is mounted for movement about a first pivot point, and the third display portion is mounted for movement about a second pivot point.

22. The mechanism of claim 16, the controller being a first controller, further comprising:

a second controller coupled to the housing, the second controller being operably coupled to the second display portion, and movement of the second controller causes movement of the second display portion relative to the housing.

23. The mechanism of claim 22, wherein the second display portion is mounted for movement about a first pivot point, the third display portion is mounted for movement about a second pivot point, movement of the first controller causes substantially simultaneous movement of the second display portion about the first pivot point and the third display portion about the second pivot point, and movement of the second controller causes movement of the first pivot point relative to the housing.

24. The mechanism of claim 23, wherein the first controller includes a steering wheel and the second controller includes a shift lever.

25. A toy driving mechanism comprising:

a housing having a screen;

a first display portion coupled to the housing;

a controller coupled to the housing;

a second display portion operably coupled to the controller; and

a third display portion operably coupled to the controller, at least a portion of at least one of the second display portion and the third display portion being disposed between the screen of the housing and the first display portion, wherein movement of the controller causes substantially simultaneous movement of the second display portion and the third display portion relative to the first display portion.

26. The mechanism of claim 25, wherein said first display portion is fixedly coupled to said housing, said first display portion including an image disposed thereon.

27. The mechanism of claim 25, wherein said first display portion includes an image disposed thereon, said image includes a representation of a road, and said third display portion includes a representation of a boundary corresponding to said road.

28. The mechanism of claim 25, further comprising:

a fourth display portion, said third display portion being disposed proximate to a first side of said first display portion, said fourth display portion being disposed proximate to a second side of said first display portion.

29. The mechanism of claim 28, wherein said third display portion is mounted for movement about a first pivot point, said fourth display portion is mounted for movement about a second pivot point, and movement of said controller causes substantially simultaneous movement of said third display portion and said fourth display portion relative to said first display portion.

30. The mechanism of claim 25, wherein said second display portion resembles a toy vehicle, said second display portion is mounted for movement about a first pivot point, and said third display portion is mounted for movement about a second pivot point.

31. The mechanism of claim 25, the controller being a first controller, the mechanism further comprising:

a second controller coupled to said housing, said second controller being operably coupled to said second display portion, and movement of said second controller causes movement of said second display portion relative to said housing.

32. The mechanism of claim 31, wherein said second display portion is mounted for movement about a first pivot point, said third display portion is mounted for movement about a second pivot point, movement of said first controller causes substantially simultaneous movement of said second display portion about said first pivot point and said third display portion about said second pivot point, and movement of said second controller causes movement of said first pivot point relative to said housing.

33. The mechanism of claim 32, wherein said first controller includes a steering wheel and said second controller includes a shift lever.