Toy vehicle

• US 7,150,671 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2001
• Issued: 12/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carrera Toys GmbH
• Original Assignee: Stadlbauer Speiel- und Freizeitartikel GmbH
• Inventors: Maleika, Hubertus
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, BENA B
• Application Number:
  US10/466,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20040082267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,818 Days
• Field of Search: 446/457, 446/458, 446/465, 446/448, 446/449, 446/443, 446/456, 446460-463, 743/19, 743/53, 743/54, 743/52
• US Class Current: 446/462
• 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 31/00 Gearing for toys gearing in general F16H
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19367 Swinging carriage

Abstract

The invention relates to a toy vehicle, particularly for track-guided car racing circuits, that comprises a drive motor (10), which has a drive shaft (12), and comprises a driven axle (14), which is provided with wheels. A transmission (16) is mounted between the drive shaft (12) and the driven axle (14), and the transmission (16) is provided in the form of a manual transmission (16) that is shifted by the direction of rotation of the drive motor (10).

Claims

1. A toy vehicle comprising:

a drive motor fitted with a drive shaft and a driven axle equipped with wheels; and

a transmission unit between the drive shaft and the driven axle, the transmission unit including first and second gears of different transmission ratios, the first gear being associated with a first direction of rotation of the drive motor, and the second gear being associated with a second direction of rotation of the drive motor that is opposite the first direction of rotation,

wherein the transmission unit comprises;

a first pinion non-rotatably affixed to the drive shaft, and

a cage rotatably coupled to the drive shaft, the cage keeping a second pinion engaged with the first pinion and jointly with the second pinion being pivotable about the shaft and forming a pivoting axis between two end positions,

the first gear being non-rotatably joined to the driven axle, the first and second gears having different numbers of teeth and being configured so that in a first end position of the cage, the second pinion meshes with the first gear and, in a second end position of the cage, the second pinion meshes with the second gear.

2. A toy vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the transmission unit is arranged so that regardless of the direction of rotation of the drive motor, the drive of the driven axle is always driven in the same direction.

3. A toy vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the transmission unit comprises a two-position mechanical barrier which is arranged and configured so that in first and second positions of the mechanical barrier shifting of the transmission omit in response to reversal of the direction of the rotation of the drive motor is respectively precluded and unhampered.

4. A toy vehicle according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second gears is a crown gear.

5. A toy vehicle according to claim 4, wherein a mechanical barrier is arranged and configured for preventing the cage from pivoting while it is in its first position.

6. A toy vehicle for track-guided motor racing tracks, comprising:

a drive motor having a drive shaft;

a driven axle having wheels; and

a gearbox disposed between the drive shaft and the driven axle, said gearbox being arranged to change the speed of the driven axle, without changing the direction of rotation of the driven axle, in response to changing the rotation direction of the drive motor, the gearbox including a first gear arranged to be coupled between the drive shaft and the driven axle with a first gear ratio in response to a first rotation direction of the drive motor and a second gear arranged to be coupled between the drive shaft and the driven axle with a second gear ratio in response to a second rotation direction in opposition to the first rotation direction of the drive motor.

7. A toy vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the gearbox includes a mechanical block having a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, switching of the gearbox upon changing the rotation direction of the drive motor is prevented, and in the second position, switching of the gearbox upon changing the rotation direction of the drive motor is possible.

8. A toy vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the gearbox is arranged to be pivoted in response to a change in the rotation direction of the drive motor, the gear box being arranged to be switched to another gear with a different gear ratio in response to the gearbox being pivoted.

9. A toy vehicle comprising:

a drive motor having a drive shaft;

a driven axle having wheels; and

a gearbox disposed between the drive shaft and the driven axle, said gearbox being arranged to change the speed of the driven axle, in response to changing the rotation direction of the drive motor, the gearbox including a first gear arranged to be responsive to a first rotation direction of the drive motor and a second gear arranged to be responsive to a second rotation direction in opposition to the first rotation direction of the drive motor.

said gearbox comprising;

a first pinion non-rotatably linked to the drive shaft;

a cage rotatably linked to the drive shaft, said cage holding a second pinion in engagement with the first pinion and, together with the second pinion, being rotatable about the drive shaft as a pivot axis between two end positions; and

a first toothed gear non-rotatably fixed to the driven axle and a second toothed gear non-rotatably fixed to the driven axle, said first and second toothed gears having different numbers of teeth and being arranged such that in a first end position of the cage, the second pinion meshes with the first toothed gear, and in a second end position of the cage, the second pinion meshes with the second toothed gear.

10. A toy vehicle according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the first gear and the second toothed gear is a crown gear.

11. A toy vehicle according to claim 10, wherein a mechanical block is arranged to prevent pivoting of the cage.