US 5,380,231 AGranted

Toy that disassembles upon an impact

AssigneeLanard Toys Limited

InventorVirginio Brovelli

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Abstract

A toy that disassembles upon an impact comprises a body, a plurality of detachable elements, a mount for supporting each detachable element in a predetermined position on the body, and a resilient ejector mechanism engaged between the body and each detachable element and biasing the element in a direction to detach it from the mount. A movable latch member on the body engages each detachable element and retains it on the mount against the bias of the ejector mechanism. A latch release member movably mounted on the body in a position to be moved by engagement with an object releases the latch members from engagement with the detachable elements upon such movement, whereupon the detachable elements are ejected from the mount by the ejector mechanism. The latch release member can be locked against movement, thereby disabling it and permitting the toy to be played with without disassembling.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A toy configured as a simulated wheeled vehicle that disassembles upon an impact comprising a body, detachable elements including four wheel assemblies, mounting means for supporting each detachable element in a predetermined position on the body including a guide tube and a portion of the detachable element that is telescopically received by the guide tube;

resilient ejector means engaged between the body and each detachable element and biasing the element in a direction to detach it from the mounting means, each ejector means including the guide tube, a plunger movably mounted in the guide tube, and a compression ejector spring engaging the plunger;
latch means on the body including a movable latch member that is pivotally mounted on the body and is resiliently biased to engage the detachable element by a latch spring for retaining the element on the support means against the bias of the ejector means;
and latch release means including a release member movably mounted on the body in a position to be moved by engagement with an object for releasing the latch means from engagement with the detachable element upon such movement, whereupon the detachable element is ejected from the support means by the ejector means.

A wheeled toy vehicle that disassembles upon an impact comprising a body, a multiplicity of detachable elements including a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels, two seats, and a hood, and wherein for each of the detachable elements there are a mounting means for supporting the detachable element in a predetermined position on the body, resilient ejector means engaged between the body and the detachable element and biasing the element in a direction to detach it from the mounting means, and a latch means on the body including a movable latch member engaging the detachable element for retaining the element on the support means against the bias of the ejector means, and latch release means including a release member movably mounted on the body in a position to be moved by engagement with an object for releasing the latch means from engagement with the detachable element upon such movement, whereupon the detachable element is ejected from the support means by the ejector means, and the latch release means is operable to release all of the latch means to enable ejection of all of the detachable elements.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.