Toy vehicle, launching apparatus therefor and methods of using the same
First Claim
1. A toy vehicle launching system comprising:
- a toy vehicle, said toy vehicle further comprisinga housing; and
a drive wheel rotatably mounted to said housing, said drive wheel having a channel extending through an axle of said drive wheel, and said axle comprising a multi-part drive mechanism comprising an inner bushing and a clutch, wherein said clutch moves in a direction parallel to and rotates about a central axis within said inner bushing;
wherein said inner bushing further comprises a clutch plate configured to engage a hub on said clutch so as to translate rotation of said clutch into rotation of said inner bushing; and
a cord comprising an elongate gear configured to drivingly engage said clutch;
wherein said clutch moves in a first direction parallel to the axle to engage the hub against the clutch plate, translate rotation of the clutch into rotation of the inner bushing, and energize said drive wheel about said axle, when said cord is moved through said drive wheel in the first direction; and
wherein said clutch moves in a second direction parallel to the axle to disengage the clutch plate and to spin freely, and does not energize said drive wheel about said axle, when the cord is moved through said drive wheel in the second direction.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A toy vehicle is disclosed that is configured to be driven by a pull cord that is inserted through the axle of a drive wheel of the toy vehicle, such that the drive wheel of the toy vehicle is energized through movement of the driving pull cord in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the direction of intended travel of the toy vehicle. This configuration allows a user to launch multiple toy vehicles arranged in a side-by-side arrangement using a single pull cord, and moreover by pulling such single pull cord through a single pull stroke. This configuration also allows the simultaneous launching of multiple toy vehicles aligned in a single row when multiple pull cords are provided an engage a single actuator to withdraw all such pull cords in a single pulling stroke. Launchers for use with such a toy vehicle, and methods of using the same, are also disclosed.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A toy vehicle launching system comprising:
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a toy vehicle, said toy vehicle further comprising a housing; and a drive wheel rotatably mounted to said housing, said drive wheel having a channel extending through an axle of said drive wheel, and said axle comprising a multi-part drive mechanism comprising an inner bushing and a clutch, wherein said clutch moves in a direction parallel to and rotates about a central axis within said inner bushing;
wherein said inner bushing further comprises a clutch plate configured to engage a hub on said clutch so as to translate rotation of said clutch into rotation of said inner bushing; anda cord comprising an elongate gear configured to drivingly engage said clutch; wherein said clutch moves in a first direction parallel to the axle to engage the hub against the clutch plate, translate rotation of the clutch into rotation of the inner bushing, and energize said drive wheel about said axle, when said cord is moved through said drive wheel in the first direction; and wherein said clutch moves in a second direction parallel to the axle to disengage the clutch plate and to spin freely, and does not energize said drive wheel about said axle, when the cord is moved through said drive wheel in the second direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of launching a toy vehicle, comprising:
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providing at least one toy vehicle, said toy vehicle further comprising; a housing; and a drive wheel rotatably mounted to said housing, said drive wheel having a channel extending through an axle of said drive wheel, and said axle comprising a multi-part drive mechanism comprising an inner bushing and a clutch, wherein said clutch moves in a direction parallel to and rotates about a central axis of said axle within said inner bushing;
wherein said inner bushing further comprises a clutch plate configured to engage a hub on said clutch so as to translate rotation of said clutch into rotation of said inner bushing;providing a cord comprising an elongate gear configured to drivingly engage said clutch; and inserting said cord through said channel of said drive wheel of said toy vehicle; wherein moving said cord through said channel of said drive wheel of said toy vehicle in a first direction moves the clutch in the first direction to engage the hub against the clutch plate, which translates rotation of the clutch into rotation of the inner bushing and energizes and rotates said drive wheel about said axle; and wherein moving said cord through said channel of said drive wheel of said toy vehicle in a second direction moves the clutch in the second direction to disengage the clutch plate so that the clutch spins freely and does not energize said drive wheel about said axle. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification