Articulated, angle-steering, and tilting three-wheeled toy vehicle
OwnerVladmir Leonov, Steve Bondinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An articulated toy vehicle is capable of straight and curved motion on a surface or through water. A front and rear assemblies are supported by wheels and are joined at a steering knuckle capable of positioning the assemblies in a vertical posture when the vehicle is moving along a straight path, and positioning the rear assembly in a non-vertical posture when the vehicle is moving along a curved path. A drive motor is mounted within and engaged with one of the wheels for driving the vehicle. A steering motor is mounted within the vehicle for setting the assemblies on a selected mutual angle to provide curved and straight line motion.
Claims18
An articulated three-wheeled toy vehicle apparatus comprising:
- a front assembly supported by a pair of front wheels;
- a rear assembly supported by a drive wheel rotationally engaged with a fixed rear axle;
- the front and rear assemblies joined at a steering knuckle having an upper portion and a lower portion rotationally joined along a rotational axis positioned at an angle between 30 and 60 degrees relative to the horizontal;
- a drive motor mounted on the rear axle within the drive wheel;
- a pinion gear rotationally engaged with the drive motor;
- a ring gear mounted within the rear wheel and engaged with the pinion gear;
- whereby, rotation of the drive motor causes the rear wheel to rotate driving the vehicle.
An articulated three-wheeled toy vehicle apparatus comprising:
- a front and rear assemblies supported for rolling by three wheels, the assemblies oriented vertically when the vehicle is rolling on a straight course;
- the front and rear assemblies joined at a steering knuckle having an upper portion and a lower portion rotationally abutting at an interface, the interface positioned at an angle between 30 and 60 degrees relative to the horizontal so that the rear one of the assemblies moves off of the vertical orientation the vehicle is rolling on a non-straight course;
- and
- a drive motor mounted within and engaged with one of the three wheels providing rotation thereto for driving the vehicle on the straight or non-straight course.
An articulated toy vehicle apparatus capable of straight and curved motion on a surface, the apparatus comprising:
- a front and rear assemblies supported by wheels;
- the front and rear assemblies joined at a steering knuckle, the steering knuckle positioning the assemblies in a vertical posture when the vehicle is describing straight motion, and further positioning one of the assemblies in a non-vertical posture when the vehicle is describing curved motion;
- and
- a drive motor mounted within and engaged with one of the wheels providing rotation thereto for driving the vehicle in the straight motion and in the curved motion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.