Toy vehicle racing game
AssigneeAurora Products Canada Limited
InventorBarry V. Prehodka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A toy vehicle for a racing game and a track for performance on vertical and horizontal surfaces. The vehicle carries an electric motor and draws power from a pair of conductive rails embedded in the track surface. Increased magnetic attraction between the car and the conductive rails is provided locally to enable the vehicle to ride on vertically extending track lengths without impairing horizontal performance. Increased magnetic coupling is also effective in enhancing vehicle performance on curves. Greater holding forces between vehicle and track on vertical surfaces is provided by increased width in the electrically conductive rails embedded in the track surface.
Claims31
In a toy vehicle racing game including a track with magnetically permeable material connected thereto, and a miniature toy vehicle having a plurality of wheels for running on a surface on said track, said vehicle including magnetic means, said magnetic means being attracted to said permeable material of said track, the improvement therein comprising:
- a first plurality of releasably couplable track segments positionable on an essentially horizontal supporting surface, a second plurality of releasably couplable track segments positionable in an essentially vertical plane, transitional track segments shaped to provide operative coupling between essentially horizontally and vertically extending track sections, said track segments being joinable together to form at least a portion of a closed loop track, the magnetic reluctance along essentially the entire length of at least one segment in a magnetic circuit including the permeable material connected to at least a first portion of the second plurality of track segments and said magnetic means being less than the magnetic reluctance along essentially the entire length of at least on segment of a similar magnetic circuit formed between said magnetic means and said permeable material connected to at least a first portion of said first plurality of track segments, the attraction between said vehicle and said track varying locally and inversely with said reluctances, the attraction between said vehicle and said first portion of said second plurality of track segments being sufficient to normally hold the vehicle to the track during passage of the vehicle therealong if said first portion were disposed vertically.
In a toy vehicle racing game including a track with magnetically permeable material connected thereto, and a miniature toy vehicle having a plurality of wheels for running on a surface of said track, said vehicle including magnetic means, said magnetic means being attracted to said permeable material of said track, the improvement therein comprising:
- a first plurality and second plurality of track segments, said track segments being releasably joined together to form at least a portion of a closed loop track, the magnetic reluctance in a magnetic circuit including said magnetic means and said permeable material connected to said second plurality of track segments along essentially the length of each said segment being less than the magnetic reluctance of a similar magnetic circuit formed between said magnetic means and said permeable material connected to said first plurality of track segments along essentially the length of each said segment, the attraction between said vehicle and said track varying locally and inversely with said reluctances, the operating characteristics of the vehicle on the track varying locally in relation to the varying of said attraction.
In a toy vehicle racing game including a track with magnetically permeable material connected thereto, and miniature toy vehicles having a plurality of wheels for running on a surface of said track, said vehicles including magnetic means, said magnetic means being attracted to said permeable material of said track, the improvement therein comprising:
- a curved track segment having sufficient width of said surface for parallel running in a first inside lane and a second outside lane of a first and second of said vehicles thereon, the magnetic reluctance in a magnetic circuit including said permeable material in said first inside lane and said magnetic means in said first vehicle being less than the magnetic reluctance in a magnetic circuit including said permeable material in said second outside lane and said magnetic means in said first vehicle, the attraction between said vehicle and said track lanes being inversely related to the magnitudes of said reluctances, the vehicle drag being directly related to said attractive force, said first vehicle moving more slowly on said inside lane than on the outside lane when equally powered in said first and second lanes.
A first segment and a second segment of track for a toy vehicle racing game, and adapted for use with a vehicle including magnetic means, comprising:
- a non-conducting running surface, said segments being releasably connectable together, said running surface being continuous between said first and second segments when connected;
- magnetically permeable and electrically conductive rails connected to said running surface, said rails being electrically continuous between said connected track segments, said rails being attracted by said magnetic means to urge said vehicle against said track surface, rails connected to said first segment having a greater thickness along essentially their entire length than the rails connected to said second segment, said attraction being greater to said first segment, the attraction between said vehicle and said first segment being sufficient to normally hold the vehicle to the track during passage of the vehicle therealong if said first segment were disposed vertically.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.