Steering Mechanism for a Toy Vehicle

• US 20090325460A1
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vladimir Leonov
• Original Assignee: Vladimir Leonov
• Inventors: Leonov, Vladimir
• Granted Patent: US 7,938,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/468
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/36 Steering-mechanisms for toy vehicles

Abstract

A toy vehicle has a chassis with road wheels movement including one or two each mounted to pivot about a general vertical axis to steer. A steering mechanism includes a turning member mounted so as to pivot about the generally vertical axis and supporting one road wheel for rotation about a horizontal axis for movement of the vehicle and about the generally vertical axis to steer the vehicle. A control member slides across the chassis. A magnetic body pivots on a pivot axis extending front and rear. The magnetic body has a central axis perpendicular to the pivot axis with opposite magnetic poles of the body locate along the central axis on opposite sides of the pivot axis. A crank is connected at one end with the magnetic body and at an opposite end with the elongated opening of the control member. A coil surrounds the magnetic body and rotates the magnetic body by the passage of an electric current in a selected direction through the coil thereby pivoting each road wheel connected with the control member.

Claims

1. A steering mechanism for a toy vehicle having a chassis with opposing right and left lateral sides and opposing front and rear ends and a plurality of road wheels coupled with the chassis so as to support the vehicle for itinerant movement across a surface, a turning member coupled with the chassis so as to pivot about the generally vertical axis, the turning member supporting at least one road wheel of the plurality on the chassis to rotate about a horizontal axis for movement of the vehicle on the at least one wheel and to pivot about the generally vertical axis for steerage of the vehicle, the steering mechanism comprising:

a control member operably connected with the turning member and mounted for at least generally linear movement of the chassis;

a magnetic body mounted on the chassis so as to pivot on a pivot axis extending in a generally horizontal direction on the chassis, the magnet body having a central axis at least generally perpendicular to the pivot axis and two opposite magnetic poles along the central axis at opposing distal ends of the magnetic body on opposite sides of said pivot axis;

means for operably connecting the magnetic body with the control member and converting rotational movement of the magnetic body into at least generally linear motion of the control member; and

coil means supported on the chassis so as to surround the magnetic body for rotating the magnetic body within the coil means by the passage of electric current in a selected direction through the coil means.

2. The steering mechanism of claim 1 wherein the coil means is a single, electrically continuous coil.

3. The steering mechanism of claim 1 wherein the single coil is spilt into two separated halves positioned on opposite sides of the pivot axis of the magnetic body.

4. The steering mechanism of claim 1 wherein the means for operably connecting comprises a crank having an arm connected with the magnetic body at one end to pivot with the magnetic body on the pivot axis and a pin at an opposite end received in an elongated opening in the control member such that pivotal movement of the magnetic body about the pivot axis is converted to linear horizontal movement of the control member and to pivotal movement of the at least one wheel.

5. The steering mechanism of claim 4 further comprising a centering subassembly operating on the crank so as to return the actuator and the control member to a neutral, straight ahead steering configuration with a lack of current flow through the coil means.

6. The steering mechanism of claim 4 wherein the centering subassembly includes a torsion coil spring with a pair of free arms which extend past opposite sides of the crank pin with the actuator and the control member in the neutral, straight ahead steering configuration

7. The steering mechanism of claim 1 further comprising a centering subassembly configured to operate on the actuator to bias the actuator and the control member to a neutral, straight ahead steering configuration with a lack of current flow through the coil means.

8. A steering mechanism for a toy vehicle having a chassis having opposing right and left sides and opposing front and rear ends, a right road wheel on said right side of said chassis and a left road wheel on said left side of said chassis, a right turning member pivotally mounted to said chassis steerably supporting the right road wheel on chassis and a left turning member pivotally mounted to said chassis steerably supporting the right road wheel, said steering mechanism comprising:

a control member extending across said chassis in a width direction, said control member having a right end, a left end and a central portion therebetween, said right and left ends of said control member being operatively connected with said right and left turning members, respectively, the central portion including an elongated slot extending vertically to the control member;

a magnetic body mounted onto said chassis to pivot on a pivot axis extending longitudinally front and rear in said vehicle;

wherein said magnet body has a central axis at least generally perpendicular to said pivot axis and two opposite magnetic poles along the central axis at opposing distal ends of the magnetic body on opposite sides of said pivot axis;

a crank on said pivot axis connected with said magnetic body to pivot with said magnetic body and operatively connected with said central portion to move said control member side to side on said vehicle; and

coil means fixedly attached to said chassis so as to encircle said magnetic body for pivoting said magnetic body on said pivot axis and thereby pivot said right and left road wheels by passing a selected electric current through said coil means.

9. The steering mechanism of claim 8 further comprising a bias member coupled with the chassis so as to maintains said control member a neutral position with a lack of current flow through the coil means.

10. The steering mechanism of claim 9 wherein said bias member is a torsional spring operably connected with said crank.

11. The steering mechanism of claim 8 wherein said coil means is a single, electrically continuous coil.

12. The steering mechanism of claim 11 where said single coil is broken into first and second electrically connected coil parts, said first and second coil parts being positioned in a spaced-apart relation on said chassis on opposite sides of said pivot axis.

13. The steering mechanism of claim 8 wherein said magnetic body is supported by a magnet housing pivotally mounted on said chassis and receiving said magnetic body to pivot said magnetic body about said pivot axis.

14. The steering mechanism of claim 8 further comprising a bias member fixedly coupled with the chassis so as to maintains the control member in the neutral position with a lack of current flow through the coil means.