Modular toy aircraft

• US 7,811,150 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2007
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Kang, Paulo, Strom, David, Chui, Chi Keung, Amireh, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): RICCI, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US11/740,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20070259595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 446/34, 446/57, 446/58
• US Class Current: 446/58
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/02 Model aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 29/22 Electric drives power supply through track A63H18/12

Abstract

Toy aircraft, modular toy aircraft, modular power systems, and toy aircraft kits are disclosed. Toy aircraft may include a self-contained power and control system and an airframe. The self-contained power and control system may include at least one propulsion unit operable to propel the toy aircraft and a power and control unit. The power and control unit may include at least one energy source, be electrically connected to the at least one propulsion unit, and be configured to control operation of the at least one propulsion unit to control flight of the toy aircraft. The airframe may include a wing, a first mount configured to removably retain the at least one propulsion unit, and a second mount configured to removably retain the power and control unit.

Claims

1. A toy aircraft, comprising:

an airframe; and

a self-contained modular power and control system configured to be optionally used with and used separated from the airframe, comprising;

a propulsion unit operable to propel the toy aircraft; and

a power and control unit, wherein the power and control unit comprises at least one energy source, is electrically connected to the propulsion unit, and is configured to control operation of the propulsion unit to control flight of the toy aircraft;

the airframe comprising;

a wing;

a fuselage;

a propulsion unit mount configured to removably retain the propulsion unit, wherein the propulsion unit mount comprises a first receptacle disposed on the wing, the first receptacle is configured to removably receive at least a portion of the propulsion unit, and the propulsion unit mount is configured to retain the propulsion unit in a selected one of a plurality of predetermined orientations relative to the wing; and

a power and control unit mount configured to removably retain the power and control unit, wherein the power and control unit mount comprises a second receptacle disposed on the fuselage, and the second receptacle is configured to removably receive the power and control unit.

2. The toy aircraft of claim 1, wherein the power and control unit mount is configured to receive the power and control unit in a predetermined orientation.

3. A toy aircraft, comprising:

an airframe; and

a self-contained modular power and control system configured to be optionally used with and used separated from the airframe, comprising;

a propulsion unit operable to propel the toy aircraft; and

a power and control unit, wherein the power and control unit comprises at least one energy source, is electrically connected to the propulsion unit, and is configured to control operation of the propulsion unit to control flight of the toy aircraft;

the airframe comprising;

a wing, wherein the wing comprises an extruded polystyrene foam panel and the wing is at least partially frictionally retained relative to the fuselage;

a propulsion unit mount configured to removably retain the propulsion unit; and

a power and control unit mount configured to removably retain the power and control unit; and

wherein the toy aircraft further comprises at least one molded plastic clip configured to at least partially retain the wing in a predetermined position relative to the fuselage.

4. The toy aircraft of claim 3, wherein at least one of the at least one molded plastic clips is configured to induce a dihedral into the wing.

5. The toy aircraft of claim 3, wherein at least a first portion of the fuselage comprises an extruded polystyrene foam panel and at least a second portion of the fuselage comprises an expanded polypropylene foam.

6. A modular toy aircraft, comprising:

an airframe, comprising;

a fuselage having first and second sides;

a wing connected to the fuselage, the wing including first and second portions extending from the respective first and second sides of the fuselage;

a first motor unit mount disposed on the first portion of the wing;

a second motor unit mount disposed on the second portion of the wing; and

a power unit mount disposed on the fuselage; and

a modular power system configured to be optionally used with and used separated from the airframe, comprising;

a first motor unit;

a first propeller driven by the first motor unit;

a second motor unit;

a second propeller driven by the second motor unit;

a power unit, comprising;

a battery; and

a control circuit electrically connected to the battery and to at least one of the first and second motor units, wherein the control circuit is configured to control flight of the modular toy aircraft by regulating energy supplied from the battery to at least one of the first and second motor units;

wherein the first motor unit mount is configured to removably receive the first motor unit in at least one first predetermined orientation relative to the wing;

wherein the second motor unit mount is configured to removably receive the second motor unit in at least one second predetermined orientation relative to the wing; and

wherein the power unit mount is configured to removably retain the power unit in a third predetermined orientation relative to the fuselage.

7. The modular toy aircraft of claim 6, comprising a receiver electrically connected to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to regulate energy supplied from the battery to at least one of the first and second motor units in response to a signal received by the receiver.

8. The modular toy aircraft of claim 6, wherein the battery is rechargeable.

9. The modular toy aircraft of claim 6, wherein the first motor unit mount is configured to retain the first motor unit in a selected one of a plurality of first predetermined orientations, the first propeller at least partially generates forward thrust for the modular toy aircraft when the first motor unit is in any of the first predetermined orientations, the second motor unit mount is configured to retain the second motor unit in a selected one of a plurality of second predetermined orientations, and the second propeller at least partially generates forward thrust for the modular toy aircraft when the second motor unit is in any of the second predetermined orientations.

10. The modular toy aircraft of claim 9, wherein the first motor unit mount is configured to render the second motor unit inoperative if the second motor unit is received by the first motor unit mount.

11. The modular toy aircraft of claim 9, wherein the first motor unit mount is configured to preclude receiving the second motor unit in any of the second predetermined orientations.

12. The modular toy aircraft of claim 6, wherein the fuselage and the wing each comprise at least one extruded polystyrene foam panel, the fuselage includes an aperture configured to at least partially frictionally receive the wing, and at least one reinforcing member is provided to maintain the wing in a predetermined orientation relative to the fuselage.

13. A modular power system for a toy aircraft, the modular power system comprising:

a first motor unit, comprising;

a first housing;

a first motor disposed within the first housing; and

a first propeller driven by the first motor;

a second motor unit, comprising;

a second housing;

a second motor disposed within the second housing; and

a second propeller driven by the second motor; and

a power unit, comprising;

a third housing;

a battery disposed within the third housing; and

a control circuit disposed within the third housing, wherein the control circuit is electrically connected to the battery and to at least one of the first and second motors, and the control circuit is configured to control operation of the at least one of the first and second motors by regulating current supplied from the battery to the at least one of the first and second motors; and

wherein the modular power system is configured to be optionally separated from and used apart from the toy aircraft, and the control circuit remains electrically connected to both the battery and at least one of the first and second motors while the power unit and the first and second motor units of the modular power system are being separated from the toy aircraft.

14. The modular power system of claim 13, wherein the power unit comprises a radio receiver and the control circuit is configured to regulate current supplied from the battery to at least one of the first and second motors in response to a radio signal received by the radio receiver.

15. The modular power system of claim 14, further comprising:

a first pair of flexible insulated electrical conducting members electrically connecting the first motor to the control circuit when the modular power system is separated from and used apart from the toy aircraft; and

a second pair of flexible insulated electrical conducting members electrically connecting the second motor to the control circuit when the modular power system is separated from and used apart from the toy aircraft.

16. A toy aircraft, comprising:

a wing having a trailing edge;

a fuselage; and

a modular power system as recited in claim 15, wherein the wing is configured to nondestructively removably receive the first and second motor units proximate the trailing edge, the fuselage is configured to nondestructively removably receive the power unit, and the wing includes at least one retention device configured to at least partially retain at least one of the first and second pairs of flexible insulated electrical conducting members.

17. A toy aircraft kit, comprising:

a modular power system as recited in claim 13;

a first toy aircraft airframe, comprising;

a first fuselage;

a first wing configured to extend from the first fuselage;

a first mount disposed on the first wing and configured to removably retain the first motor unit;

a second mount disposed on the first wing and configured to removably retain the second motor unit; and

a third mount disposed on the first fuselage and configured to removably retain the power unit; and

a second toy aircraft airframe, comprising;

a second fuselage;

a second wing configured to extend from the second fuselage;

a fourth mount disposed on the second wing and configured to removably retain the first motor unit;

a fifth mount disposed on the second wing and configured to removably retain the second motor unit; and

a sixth mount disposed on the second fuselage and configured to removably retain the power unit.