Remotely controlled vehicle

• US 8,083,569 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2006
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: George Sotereanos, Nicholas Sotereanos
• Original Assignee: George Sotereanos, Nicholas Sotereanos
• Inventors: Sotereanos, Nicholas, Sotereanos, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Chambers, Troy
• Application Number:
  US11/348,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20060178085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,150 Days
• Field of Search: 124/56
• US Class Current: 446/456
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/006 Missile-launching means on toy vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/05 Trucks; Lorries
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/14 Endless-track automobiles or trucks
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission

Abstract

A remotely-controlled vehicle is disclosed. According to various embodiments, the vehicle includes components that may be added to an existing vehicle or added at the time of manufacture. The components include at least one of a pneumatic projectile launcher and a water cannon, a rocket launcher having one or more rockets launchable from the vehicle, at least one video camera system for capturing and transmitting video images, and a controller for controlling the projectile launcher, water cannon, rocket launcher, and video camera system. Each of the one or more rockets may include at least one solid-propellant rocket motor, and each of the one or more video camera systems may include at least one video camera mounted for selective orientation in at least one plane.

Claims

1. A remotely-controlled toy vehicle comprising:

a toy vehicle;

a paintball launcher;

a mounting assembly for pivotally mounting the paintball launcher to the vehicle for movement through at least one plane;

a rocket launcher for launching reusable toy rockets mounted to the vehicle for movement through at least one plane;

a container for holding a plurality of paintballs;

a controller for remotely controlling the movement of the vehicle, the paintball launcher and the rocket launcher; and

a safety interlock system comprising at least one of a motion detector and an angle detector for disabling said launchers unless predetermined conditions are detected.

2. The remotely controlled vehicle of claim 1 wherein the paint balls comprise colored paint encapsulated in a shell structured to fragment upon impact.

3. The remotely controlled vehicle of claim 1 wherein the paint balls comprise phosphor paint encapsulated in a shell structured to fragment upon impact.

4. A remotely-controlled toy vehicle comprising:

a toy vehicle;

at least one projectile launcher;

a mounting assembly for pivotally mounting the projectile launcher to the vehicle for movement through at least one plane;

a rocket launcher for launching reusable toy rockets mounted to the vehicle for movement through at least one plane;

a controller for remotely controlling the movement of the vehicle, the projectile launcher and the rocket launcher;

wherein said projectile launcher is structured to launch solid projectiles made of a soft material selected from the group consisting of foam, sponge, cloth and soft plastic, and said vehicle further comprises a container connected to said projectile launcher for holding a plurality of said solid projectiles; and

,

a safety interlock system comprising at least one of a motion detector and an angle detector for disabling said launchers unless predetermined conditions are detected.

5. The remotely controlled vehicle of claim 4 further comprising at least one camera system mounted to the vehicle comprising a camera for capturing images, said camera being controllable by said controller.

6. The remotely controlled vehicle of claim 5 wherein said camera is a video camera and said camera system further comprises a transmitter for transmitting said captured images to a remote receiver.

7. The remotely controlled vehicle of claim 6 further comprising a video display for remotely viewing the captured images transmitted to said receiver.

8. The remotely controlled vehicle of claim 4 wherein the rocket launcher has one or more launchable reusable toy rockets, each reusable toy rocket including at least one solid-propellant rocket motor.

9. A remotely-controlled toy vehicle comprising:

a toy vehicle;

at least one projectile launcher;

a mounting assembly for pivotally mounting the projectile launcher to the vehicle for movement through at least one plane;

a rocket launcher for launching reusable toy rockets mounted to the vehicle for movement through at least one plane;

a controller for remotely controlling the movement of the vehicle, the projectile launcher and the rocket launcher; and

at least one safety interlock system comprising at least one of a motion detector and an angle detector for disabling the operation of said projectile launcher and said rocket launcher unless predetermined conditions are detected.

10. The remotely controlled vehicle of claim 9 wherein said projectile launcher is structured to launch one of a stream of liquid or solid projectiles.

11. A remotely-controlled toy vehicle comprising:

a toy vehicle and, mounted thereto, at least two enhancements selected from the group consisting of a projectile launcher, a rocket launcher for launching reusable toy rockets, a water cannon, and a camera system;

at least one mounting assembly for pivotally mounting at least one enhancement to the vehicle for movement through at least one plane;

a controller for remotely controlling the movement of the vehicle and the operation of said enhancements; and

,

a safety interlock system comprising at least one of a motion detector and an angle detector for disabling at least one of said enhancements unless predetermined conditions are detected.

12. A remotely-controlled toy vehicle comprising:

a toy vehicle and, mounted thereto,

a projectile launcher for launching projectiles selected from the group consisting of paintballs, foam projectiles, sponge projectiles, cloth projectiles and soft plastic projectiles;

a mounting assembly for pivotally mounting the projectile launcher to the vehicle for movement through at least one plane;

a camera system;

a first container connected to the projectile launcher for holding a plurality of projectiles;

a controller for remotely controlling the movement of the vehicle and the operation of said projectile launcher, and said camera system; and

,

a safety interlock system comprising at least one of a motion detector and an angle detector for disabling at least said projectile launcher unless predetermined conditions are detected.

13. The vehicle recited in claim 12 further comprising:

a rocket launcher for launching reusable toy rockets mounted to said vehicle for movement through at least one plane.

14. The remotely controlled vehicle of claim 12 wherein said camera system comprises:

a video camera for capturing images, said camera being controllable by said controller;

a transmitter for transmitting said captured images to a remote receiver; and

,

a video display for remotely viewing the captured images transmitted to said receiver.