Toy vehicle with a detachably attachable wheel

• US 7,445,539 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2006
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jakks Pacific, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jakks Pacific, Inc.
• Inventors: Laurienzo, Dominic, Vetuskey, Brendon, Higuchi, Terence J Yukio
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cegielnik; Urszula M
• Application Number:
  US11/341,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20060211333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 446/430, 446/429, 446/38, 446/39, 446/41
• US Class Current: 446/429
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/006 Missile-launching means on toy vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F41F 7/00 Launching-apparatus for projecting missiles or projectiles otherwise than from barrels, e.g. using spigotsF41F3/04 takes precedence; centrifugal sling apparatus F41B3/04

Abstract

Described is a toy vehicle with a launcher for connecting with and launching the toy vehicle. The toy vehicle includes a vehicle housing having a wheel opening in the housing for placement of a detachably attachable wheel and a vehicle strip opening for placement of a strip. A gear system is attached with the housing. The gear system includes gear teeth for engaging at least a part of the gear system with the strip. A rotating end is connected with the gear system for placement of a detachably attachable wheel. When the wheel is affixed with the rotating end, and when the strip is inserted into the vehicle strip opening and engaged with the gear teeth, a user may pull the strip and thereby cause the gear system to rotate the wheel so that the wheel spins and forces the vehicle to speed away from the launcher.

Claims

1. A toy vehicle comprising:

a vehicle housing having a wheel opening in the housing for placement of a detachably attachable wheel and a vehicle strip opening for placement of a strip;

a gear system attached with the housing, the gear system having gear teeth for engaging at least a part of the gear system with the strip;

a rotating end connected with the gear system and being accessible via the wheel opening for placement of a detachably attachable wheel, the rotating end being configured to be detachably attached with the detachably attachable wheel, whereby when a detachably attachable wheel is placed within the wheel opening and affixed with the rotating end, and when the strip is inserted into the vehicle strip opening and engaged with the gear teeth, a user may pull the strip from the housing and thereby cause the gear system to rotate the rotating end and the detachably attachable wheel so that the detachably attachable wheel spins and forces the vehicle to speed away from the user;

a detachably attachable wheel for placement within the wheel opening, the wheel having a central rotor for engaging with the rotating end, wherein each detachably attachable wheel further comprises a receiving element, the receiving element including a notch and driving edge formed therein;

a strip having teeth, the strip being adapted to be inserted into the strip opening and engage with the gear teeth;

a launcher for connecting with and launching the toy vehicle;

a quick release apparatus for attaching with and locking the detachably attachable wheel to the toy vehicle, wherein the quick release apparatus comprises;

a slide switch attached with the vehicle housing;

a drum having tabs attached with the vehicle housing;

a withdrawing member attached with the vehicle housing and operably connected with the slide switch, the withdrawing member having a catch for engaging with a driving edge of the receiving element, whereby a detachably attachable wheel may be attached with the quick release apparatus by sliding the receiving element into the drum such that the tab slides within the notch, the catch thereafter engaged with the driving edge, and when detaching the detachably attachable wheel, the slide switch is used to withdraw the withdrawing member such that the catch is withdrawn from the driving edge, thereby allowing the tab to be slid out of the notch which results in the removal of the detachably attachable wheel.

2. A toy vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the launcher is formed to hold the detachably attachable wheel off of a ground surface when the toy vehicle is attached with the launcher.

3. A toy vehicle as set forth in claim 2, wherein the housing has a front portion and a rear portion, and where the wheel opening is formed at the rear portion for placement of the detachably attachable wheel therein.

4. A toy vehicle as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a flywheel attached with the gear system, the flywheel having weight such that as the strip is pulled from the gear system to rotate the rotating end to have a rotational momentum, the weight of the flywheel increases the rotational momentum.

5. A toy vehicle as set forth in claim 4, wherein the detachably attachable wheel is formed to be used with a device other than the toy vehicle.

6. A toy vehicle as set forth in claim 5, wherein the device other than the toy vehicle is a hand launcher for launching the detachably attachable wheel.

7. A toy vehicle as set forth in claim 6, wherein the launcher further comprises a spring-loaded attachment mechanism and a trigger operably connected with the spring-loaded attachment mechanism, and wherein the toy vehicle further comprises an attachment member for attaching with the spring-loaded attachment mechanism, whereby a user may attach the toy vehicle with the launcher -and use the strip to rotatably accelerate the detachably attachable wheel, and upon squeezing the trigger the toy vehicle is launched from the launcher after which the detachably attachable wheel engages with a ground surface to cause the toy vehicle to speed away from the launcher.

8. A toy vehicle as set forth in claim 6, wherein the launcher further comprises a spring and wherein the toy vehicle further comprises an attachment member for engaging with the spring loaded attachment mechanism, whereby when the attachment member is engaged with the spring, use of the strip pulls the toy vehicle towards the handle, thereby compressing the spring, such that when the strip is pulled out of the toy vehicle, the spring expands to force the toy vehicle away from the handle, thereby helping to overcome the initial inertia of the toy vehicle so it will roll farther.

9. A toy vehicle comprising:

a vehicle housing having a wheel opening in the housing for placement of a detachably attachable wheel and a vehicle strip opening for placement of a strip;

a gear system attached with the housing, the gear system having gear teeth for engaging at least a part of the gear system with the strip;

a rotating end connected with the gear system and being accessible via the wheel opening for placement of a detachably attachable wheel, the rotating end being configured to be detachably attached with the detachably attachable wheel, whereby when a detachably attachable wheel is placed within the wheel opening and affixed with the rotating end, and when the strip is inserted into the vehicle strip opening and engaged with the gear teeth, a user may pull the strip from the housing and thereby cause the gear system to rotate the rotating end and the detachably attachable wheel so that the detachably attachable wheel spins and forces the vehicle to speed away from the user;

a detachably attachable wheel for placement within the wheel opening, the wheel having a central rotor for engaging with the rotating end, each detachably attachable wheel further comprises a receivmnn element, the receiving element including a notch and driving edge formed therein;

a quick release apparatus for attaching with and locking the detachably attachable wheel to the toy vehicle, wherein the quick release apparatus comprises;

a slide switch attached with the vehicle housing;

a drum having tabs attached with the vehicle housing;

a withdrawing member attached with the vehicle housing and operably connected with the slide switch, the withdrawing member having a catch for engaging with a driving edge of the receiving element, whereby a detachably attachable wheel may be attached with the quick release apparatus by sliding the receiving element into the drum such that the tab slides within the notch, the catch thereafter engaged with the driving edge, and when detaching the detachably attachable wheel, the slide switch is used to withdraw the withdrawing member such that the catch is withdrawn from the driving edge, thereby allowing the tab to be slid out of the notch which results in the removal of the detachably attachable wheel.