Battery retainer assembly for children's ride-on vehicles

• US 20050056473A1
• Filed: 09/11/2003
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Damon, Daniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,007,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/68.500
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/04 Arrangement of batteries

Abstract

Battery-powered children'"'"'s ride-on vehicles having battery retainer assemblies, and retainer assemblies for such vehicles. The battery retainer assembly includes a retaining member that is pivotally coupled relative to the vehicle'"'"'s battery compartment. The retaining member is selectively pivoted between an open position, in which the retaining member permits the battery assembly to be inserted into or removed from the compartment, and a closed position, in which the retaining member obstructs removal of the battery assembly. In some embodiments, the retaining member is adapted to displace the battery assembly as the retaining member is pivoted to the open position. In some embodiments, the retaining member extends in the closed position across a proximal surface of the battery assembly. In some embodiments, the retaining member is adapted to automatically pivot to the closed position upon insertion of the battery assembly into the compartment and/or into engagement with the retaining member.

Claims

1. A children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle, comprising:

a body having at least one seat for a child and a battery compartment adapted to receive a battery assembly, wherein the battery compartment includes an aperture sized to permit a battery assembly to be selectively inserted into and removed from the battery compartment, and further wherein the battery compartment includes a distal region that is spaced apart from the aperture;

a battery-powered motor assembly;

at least one user input device adapted to actuate the battery-powered motor assembly;

a steering assembly including a steering mechanism adapted to receive steering inputs from a child sitting on the at least one seat;

a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body, wherein the plurality of wheels includes at least one driven wheel adapted to be rotationally driven by the battery-powered motor assembly and at least one steerable wheel adapted to receive steering inputs from the steering assembly;

a battery assembly adapted to provide power to the battery-powered motor assembly; and

a battery retainer assembly adapted to selectively retain the battery assembly within the battery compartment, the battery retainer assembly comprising;

a retaining member comprising;

a base portion adapted to selectively engage the distal surface of the battery assembly; and

a retaining portion coupled to the base portion and adapted to selectively obstruct removal of the battery assembly from the battery compartment through the aperture, wherein the retaining member is adapted to be selectively pivoted between a first position, in which the base portion extends generally between the aperture and the distal region of the battery compartment and the retaining portion is positioned to permit the battery assembly to be removed from the battery compartment through the aperture, and a second position, in which the base portion is moved generally away from the aperture relative to the first position and the retaining portion is positioned to obstruct removal of the battery assembly from the battery compartment through the aperture until the retaining member is returned to the first position.

2. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 1, wherein the base portion is adapted to at least partially displace the battery assembly away from the distal region of the battery compartment when the retaining member is pivoted from the second position to the first position.

3. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 2, wherein in the first position, the base portion is adapted to displace the battery assembly sufficiently away from distal region of the battery compartment for a portion of the battery assembly to extend through the aperture and out of the battery compartment.

4. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 2, wherein the battery assembly includes a proximal surface that generally faces the aperture when the battery assembly is inserted into the battery compartment and the retaining member is in the second position, and further wherein in the second position, the retaining portion is adapted to extend across at least a portion of the proximal surface of the battery assembly.

5. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 4, wherein in the second position, the retaining portion is adapted to engage the proximal surface of the battery assembly.

6. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 4, wherein in the second position, the retaining portion is adapted to extend in a spaced-apart relationship with the proximal surface of the battery assembly.

7. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 4, wherein the retaining member includes a handle adapted to be selectively grasped by a user to pivot the retaining member between the first position and the second position, and further wherein the handle projects from the retaining portion.

8. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 7, wherein in at least the first position, at least a portion of the handle extends through the aperture and out of the battery compartment.

9. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 1, wherein the retaining portion is coupled to the base portion by at least one arm.

10. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 4, wherein the retaining portion is coupled to the base portion by a pair of arms that respectively extend along opposed sides of the battery assembly when the battery assembly is inserted into the battery compartment.

11. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 1, wherein the retaining member includes a handle adapted to be selectively grasped by a user to pivot the retaining member between the first position and the second position.

12. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 11, wherein the handle projects above the retaining portion.

13. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 11, wherein the handle is adapted to project out of the battery compartment when the retaining member is in the first position.

14. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 1, wherein the battery retainer assembly further comprises anchor members mounted within the battery compartment and adapted to pivotally couple the retaining member relative to the battery compartment.

15. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 14, wherein the retaining member further includes extensions that are adapted to be rotatably coupled to the anchor members.

16. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 1, wherein the distal region of the battery compartment is a support surface that is adapted to at least partially support the battery assembly when the battery assembly is inserted into the battery compartment.

17. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 1, wherein the surface includes at least one recessed region into which the base portion of the retaining member at least partially extends when the retaining member is in the second position.

18. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 1, wherein the battery compartment is sized to provide insufficient clearance for a user'"'"'s hand to extend between the battery assembly and the battery compartment and remove the battery assembly from the battery compartment.

19. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 1, wherein the base portion and the retaining portion are adapted to pivot as a unit relative to the battery compartment.

20. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 19, wherein the base portion and the retaining portion are integrally formed with each other.

21. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 1, wherein the retaining member is adapted to automatically pivot to the second position upon insertion of the battery assembly into the battery compartment and engagement of the base portion by the battery assembly.

22. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 1, wherein the retaining member is biased to pivot to the first position.

23. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 1, wherein the battery assembly includes a proximal surface that generally faces the aperture when the battery assembly is inserted into the battery compartment, and further wherein the retaining portion is adapted to engage the proximal surface when the retaining member is in the second position.

24. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 1, wherein the battery assembly includes a proximal surface that generally faces the aperture when the battery assembly is inserted into the battery compartment, and further wherein the retaining portion is adapted to extend in a spaced-apart position above the proximal surface when the retaining member is in the second position.

25. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle further comprises a removable cover that is adapted to extend over the aperture to prevent access to the battery compartment.

26. A children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle having at least a first battery-powered component, the vehicle comprising:

a body having at least one seat for a child and a battery compartment adapted to receive a battery assembly, wherein the battery compartment includes an aperture sized to permit a battery assembly to be selectively inserted into and removed from the battery compartment;

a battery-powered motor assembly;

at least one user input device adapted to actuate the battery-powered motor assembly;

a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body;

a battery assembly adapted to provide power to the battery-powered motor assembly; and

a battery retainer assembly adapted to selectively retain the battery assembly within the battery compartment, the battery retainer assembly comprising a retaining member coupled for pivotal movement relative to the battery assembly, wherein the retaining member is adapted to be pivoted between a closed position, in which the retaining member obstructs removal of the battery assembly from the battery compartment through the aperture, and an open position, in which the retaining member does not obstruct removal of the battery assembly from the battery compartment through the aperture and in which the retaining member is adapted to displace the battery assembly at least partially through the aperture.

27. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 26, wherein the battery assembly includes a proximal surface that generally faces the aperture when the battery assembly is inserted into the battery compartment and the retaining member is in the closed position, and further wherein in the closed position, a retaining portion of the retaining member is adapted to extend across at least a portion of the proximal surface of the battery assembly.

28. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 27, wherein in the closed position, the retaining portion is adapted to engage the proximal surface of the battery assembly.

29. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 27, wherein in the closed position, the retaining portion is adapted to extend in a spaced-apart relationship with the proximal surface of the battery assembly.

30. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 29, wherein the retaining member further includes a handle, and further wherein in at least the open position, at least a portion of the handle extends through the aperture and out of the battery compartment.

31. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 26, wherein the battery assembly includes a proximal surface that generally faces the aperture when the battery assembly is inserted into the battery compartment and the retaining member is in the closed position, a distal surface that generally faces away from the aperture when the battery assembly is inserted into the battery compartment and the retaining member is in the closed position, and a plurality of sides extending between the proximal surface and the distal surface, further wherein the retaining member defines a frame that extends around at least the proximal surface, the distal surface and at least one side of the battery assembly.

32. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 26, wherein the battery retainer assembly further comprises anchor members mounted within the battery compartment and adapted to pivotally couple the retaining member relative to the battery compartment.

33. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 26, wherein the battery compartment includes a support surface that is adapted to at least partially support the battery assembly when the battery assembly is inserted into the battery compartment.

34. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 26, wherein the battery compartment includes at least one recessed region into which at least a portion of the retaining member extends when the retaining member is in the closed position.

35. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 26, wherein the retaining member is adapted to automatically pivot to the closed position upon insertion of the battery assembly into the battery compartment and engagement of the retaining member by the battery assembly.

36. The children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle of claim 26, wherein the retaining member is biased to pivot to the open position.