US 2018/0333650 A1 · TOY VEHICLE WITH NOVEL DRIVE-TRAIN CONTROL ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A gear assembly for a toy vehicle is disclosed. The gear assembly may be selectively placed in a drive position in which a first set of wheels and a second set of wheels are connected to the motor through a first gear train and a second gear train, respectively. The gear assembly may be selectively placed in a freewheel position in which the first set and second set of wheels are disconnected from the motor. The gear assembly is switched from the drive position to the freewheel position using a lever that pivots to move a gear in the first gear train to disconnect the gear and break the first gear train when a gear is moved in the second gear train to disconnect the gear and break the second gear train. Through the lever, the first and second gear trains are positioned in concert.

A toy vehicle comprising:

(a) a chassis;
(b) an electric motor mounted on the chassis, the electric motor having a first shaft and a second shaft;
(c) a first motor gear connected to the first shaft of the electric motor such that the first motor gear rotates when the first shaft of the electric motor rotates;
(d) a first drive-gear assembly mounted on the chassis, the first drive-gear assembly comprising:
(i) a first motor-side drive gear configured to be selectively meshed with the first motor gear such that, when meshed, the first motor-side drive gear rotates when the first motor gear rotates;
and
(ii) a first wheel-side drive gear connected to the first motor-side drive gear such that the first wheel-side drive gear rotates when the first motor-side drive gear rotates;
(e) a first protective-gear assembly mounted on the chassis, the first protective-gear assembly comprising:
(i) a first motor-side protective gear configured to be selectively meshed with the first wheel-side drive gear such that, when meshed, the first motor-side protective gear rotates when the first wheel-side drive gear rotates;
and
(ii) a first wheel-side protective gear connected to the first motor-side protective gear such that the first wheel-side protective gear rotates when the first motor-side protective gear rotates;
(f) a first wheel assembly mounted on the chassis, the first wheel assembly comprising:
(i) a first left wheel;
(ii) a first right wheel;
and
(iii) a first output gear:
(a) connected to at least one of the first right wheel or the first left wheel such that at least one of the first right wheel or the first left wheel rotates when the first output gear rotates and (b) meshed with the first wheel-side protective gear such that the first output gear rotates when the first wheel-side protective gear rotates;
(g) a second motor gear connected to the second shaft of the electric motor such that the second motor gear rotates when the second shaft of the electric motor rotates;
(h) a second drive-gear assembly mounted on the chassis, the second drive-gear assembly comprising:
(i) a second motor-side drive gear configured to be selectively meshed with the second motor gear such that, when meshed, the second motor-side drive gear rotates when the second motor gear rotates;
and
(ii) a second wheel-side drive gear connected to the second motor-side drive gear such that the second wheel-side drive gear rotates when the second motor-side drive gear rotates;
(i) a second protective-gear assembly mounted on the chassis, the second protective-gear assembly comprising:
(i) a second motor-side protective gear configured to be selectively meshed with the second wheel-side drive gear such that, when meshed, the second motor-side protective gear rotates when the second wheel-side drive gear rotates;
and
(ii) a second wheel-side protective gear connected to the second motor-side protective gear such that the second wheel-side protective gear rotates when the second motor-side protective gear rotates;
(j) a second wheel assembly mounted on the chassis, the second wheel assembly comprising:
(i) a second left wheel;
(ii) a second right wheel;
and
(iii) a second output gear:
(a) connected to at least one of the second right wheel or the second left wheel such that at least one of the second right wheel or the second left wheel rotates when the second output gear rotates and (b) meshed with the second wheel-side protective gear such that the second output gear rotates when the second wheel-side protective gear rotates;
(k) a mode-selector switch configured to move the second motor-side drive gear and the second wheel-side drive gear such that:
(i) in a first mode-selector-switch position, the second motor-side drive gear is meshed with the second motor gear and the second wheel-side drive gear is meshed with the second motor-side protective gear, and (ii) in a second mode-selector-switch position, the second motor-side drive gear is not meshed with the second motor gear and the second wheel-side drive gear is not meshed with the second motor-side protective gear;
and
(l) a mode-selector lever configured to contact the first drive-gear assembly and at least one of the mode-selector switch and second drive-gear assembly and further configured to move the first motor-side drive gear and the first wheel-side drive gear according to the mode-selector-switch position such that:
(i) in the first mode-selector-switch position, the first motor-side drive gear is meshed with the first motor gear and the first wheel-side drive gear is meshed with the first motor-side protective gear, and (ii) in a second mode-selector-switch position, the first motor-side drive gear is not meshed with the first motor gear and the first wheel-side drive gear is not meshed with the first motor-side protective gear.

34 more elements

Toy vehicle with novel drive-train control assembly

Life of this patent

Toy vehicle with novel drive-train control assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17