Multi-mode three wheeled toy vehicle
First Claim
1. A three wheeled toy vehicle comprising:
- a chassis;
first, second and third wheels supported for rotation from the chassis and supporting the chassis for movement on a surface, the first wheel being operably and pivotably connected to the chassis by a first leg, the first leg being pivotable toward and away from the second and third wheels, each of the first, second and third wheels having a respective first, second and third axis of rotation, each of the first, second and third axes of rotation lying between the remaining two other axes of rotation such that the three axes of rotation are mutually adjoining and each of the three axes of rotation crosses over the other two axes of rotation such that an angle is formed between each adjoining crossing pair of the axes of rotation and each adjoining pair of the first, second and third wheels, and the angle formed between each adjoining pair of axes of rotation is other than multiples of about 90 degrees;
at least a separate motor operably connected with each separate one of the first, second and third wheels to drive each separate wheel independently about its axis of rotation; and
a microprocessor operably connected with at least all three of the separate motors to control power supplied to each of the three separate motors, and at least two different sets of duty cycle ratios used by the microprocessor to control power supplied to the three separate motors, at least one set including non-zero, duty cycle ratios for only the two separate motors operably connected with the first and second wheels, and at least another set including non-zero duty cycle ratios for all three of the separate motors to propel the toy vehicle holonomically in any translational direction across a support surface.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A toy vehicle has first, second and third wheels for movement over a surface. Each of the first, second and third wheels has a respective first, second and third axis of rotation that lies between the remaining two other axes of rotation such that the three axes of rotation are mutually adjoining. Each of the three axes of rotation crosses over the other two axes of rotation such that an angle is formed between each adjoining crossing pair of the axes of rotation where each angle is other than a multiple of 90 degrees. Each wheel is individually powered so that the toy vehicle can translate in any horizontal direction regardless of its facing direction. Two of the wheels can be realigned so their axes of rotation are collinear for conventional movement.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A three wheeled toy vehicle comprising:
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a chassis; first, second and third wheels supported for rotation from the chassis and supporting the chassis for movement on a surface, the first wheel being operably and pivotably connected to the chassis by a first leg, the first leg being pivotable toward and away from the second and third wheels, each of the first, second and third wheels having a respective first, second and third axis of rotation, each of the first, second and third axes of rotation lying between the remaining two other axes of rotation such that the three axes of rotation are mutually adjoining and each of the three axes of rotation crosses over the other two axes of rotation such that an angle is formed between each adjoining crossing pair of the axes of rotation and each adjoining pair of the first, second and third wheels, and the angle formed between each adjoining pair of axes of rotation is other than multiples of about 90 degrees; at least a separate motor operably connected with each separate one of the first, second and third wheels to drive each separate wheel independently about its axis of rotation; and a microprocessor operably connected with at least all three of the separate motors to control power supplied to each of the three separate motors, and at least two different sets of duty cycle ratios used by the microprocessor to control power supplied to the three separate motors, at least one set including non-zero, duty cycle ratios for only the two separate motors operably connected with the first and second wheels, and at least another set including non-zero duty cycle ratios for all three of the separate motors to propel the toy vehicle holonomically in any translational direction across a support surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A three wheeled toy vehicle comprising:
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a chassis having a front end and an opposing rear end; three independently operated drive motors, and a rear leg and two front legs each extending from the chassis, the two front legs being pivotably attached to the chassis such that the angle between the two front legs is variable, each leg including a wheel with a central axis of rotation generally parallel in plan view to the leg from which the wheel assembly is attached, each wheel being driven by a separate one of the drive motors, the toy vehicle having only three of the wheels, each wheel being supported by a different one of the two front legs and the rear leg, wherein the central axis of rotation of each wheel is non-adjustably fixed with respect to the leg supporting the wheel and wherein each of the two front legs is pivotably attached to the chassis so as to pivot about a separate axis generally perpendicular to a plane supporting the toy vehicle on the three wheels. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A three wheeled toy vehicle comprising:
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a chassis having a front end and an opposing rear end; three independently operated drive motors, and a rear leg and two front legs each extending from the chassis, the two front legs being pivotably attached to the chassis such that the angle between the two front legs is variable, each leg including a wheel with an axis of rotation generally parallel in plan view to the leg from which the wheel assembly is attached, each wheel being driven by a separate one of the drive motors, wherein the two front legs are left and right front legs; and a microprocessor operably connected with at least the three drive motors, and at least two different sets of duty cycle ratios used by the microprocessor to control power supplied to the three drive motors, at least one set including duty cycle ratios for only two of the three drive motors operably connected with each separate one of the wheel assemblies of the left and right front legs, and at least another set including duty cycle ratios for all three of the separate drive motors to propel the vehicle holonomically in any translational direction across a support surface. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification