# US 5,699,869 A · Automatically engaging and disengaging gear box assembly

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- Number: US 5,699,869 A
- Document ID: US5699869A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/450,376
- Filed: 1995-05-25
- Granted: 1997-12-23
- Earliest claimed: 1995-05-25
- Assignees: Mattel, Inc.
- Inventors: Daniel D. Fritzinger; Craig R. Hall
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5699869A

## CPC

- A63H 31/00: Gearing for toys (gearing in general F16H)
- B60K 1/00: Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units (B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00)
- B60K 17/04: characterised by arrangement, location or kind of gearing
- A63G 19/20: motor-driven
- A63G 25/00: Autocar-like self-drivers; Runways therefor
- Y10T 74/19614: Disconnecting means
- A63H: TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- A63G: MERRY-GO-ROUNDS; SWINGS; ROCKING-HORSES; CHUTES; SWITCHBACKS; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A gear box assembly for automatically engaging and disengaging an output gear which is non-rotatably concentrically mounted on a driven axle shaft attached to plural wheels in a children's ride-on toy is described. The assembly includes an electric motor with a pinion driving plural driven gears, and a yoke which is pivotable between two positions and provides a mount for at least one of the plural driven gears. In one position, the yoke pivotally engages the output gear and drives the vehicle's wheels, and in another position, the yoke pivotally disengages the output gear thereby allowing the vehicle's wheels to freely rotate without driving or back-driving the motor or other gears. In the preferred embodiment, the yoke is counterbalanced for rotation about a defined axis. In alternative embodiments, the yoke includes a friction member for developing friction between one of the driven gears to rotate the yoke into engagement.

## Claims

### Claim 1

In a vehicle which includes a driven axle shaft extending transversely of the vehicle having wheels secured thereto and an output gear concentric with the axle shaft non-rotatably connected thereto:
a first gear mounted on the vehicle rotatable about a rotation axis;
an electric motor with an output shaft mounted adjacent the first gear with the output shaft paralleling the rotation axis and having a pinion mounted thereon, with the pinion in driving contact with the first gear;
a second gear in driving contact with the first gear; and
a yoke pivotally mounted about the rotation axis of the first gear and providing a mount for the second gear, wherein the yoke pivots to one position wherein the second gear engages the output gear and drives the vehicle's wheels when the motor is energized, and the yoke pivots to another position wherein the second gear disengages the output gear and allows the vehicle's wheels to rotate freely when the motor is de-energized.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1 further including a gear housing mounted on the vehicle and at least one driven gear connecting the second gear and the output gear, wherein the housing encloses the first and the second gears, the motor, the at least one driven gear and the yoke and wherein the yoke is pivotally mounted on the housing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the housing includes a motor boss joined therein for receiving the motor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The vehicle of claim 2 wherein the yoke includes a friction member integral therewith, wherein the friction member engages at least one of the first or the second gears for developing friction therewith to rotate the yoke into engagement with the output gear when the motor is energized.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the yoke is counterbalanced about the first gear's rotation axis.

### Claim 6

In a vehicle which includes a vehicle frame and a driven axle shaft having vehicle wheels secured to the ends thereof, a housing and gear box assembly unit secured to the vehicle's frame and providing a mounting for the axle shaft, the unit comprising:
an output gear concentric with the axle shaft and non-rotatably connected thereto;
a first gear mounted on the housing;
a motor for driving the first gear;
a second gear in driving contact with the first gear;
a yoke providing a mount for the second gear wherein the first gear is rotatable about a rotation axis, and wherein the yoke is pivotable about the rotation axis, the yoke pivoting to one position in which the second gear engages the output gear to drive the vehicle's wheels when the motor is energized, and the yoke pivoting to another position wherein the second gear disengages the output gear when the motor is de-energized;
at least one gear selectively connecting the second gear and the output gear; and
a housing enclosing the output gear, first gear, second gear, yoke and the at least one gear.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the housing includes a motor boss for receiving the motor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the yoke includes a fiction member integral therewith for engaging at least one of the first or the second gears to develop friction therebetween to rotate the second gear into engagement with the output gear when the motor is energized.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the yoke is counterbalanced about the first gear's rotation axis.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the yoke includes a friction member for engaging at least one of the first or the second gears to develop friction therebetween to rotate the second gear into engagement with the output gear when the motor is energized.

### Claim 11

In a toy vehicle including a vehicle frame and a driven axle shaft having vehicle wheels secured to the ends thereof:
a first gear having a concentric pinion mounted on the frame for rotation about a first rotation axis;
an electric motor with an output shaft mounted on the frame with the output shaft paralleling the first rotation axis and having a pinion mounted thereon in driving contact with the first gear;
a second gear having a concentric pinion mounted on the yoke for rotation about a second rotation axis, wherein the second gear is in driving contact with the concentric pinion gear on the first gear;
a third gear having a concentric pinion mounted on the frame for rotation about a third rotation axis wherein the third gear is in selective driving contact with the concentric pinion on the second gear;
an output gear concentric with the axle shaft and non-rotatably connected thereto, the output gear in driving contact with the concentric pinion on the third gear; and
a yoke, mounted on the frame and pivotable about the first rotation axis and providing a mount for the second gear, wherein the yoke automatically pivots to one position wherein the second gear engages the output gear when the motor is energized and the yoke automatically pivots to another position wherein the second gear disengages the output gear when the motor is de-energized.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the yoke includes a friction member joined thereon engaging the second gear for developing friction therebetween to rotate the yoke into engagement with the output gear when the motor is energized.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the yoke is generally counterbalanced about the first gear's rotation axis.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the friction member is in contact with the concentric pinion gear on the second gear.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The vehicle of claim 11, further comprising a housing mounted on the frame and receiving the axle shaft, enclosing the first, second, third, and output gears, the motor, and the yoke.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the housing further includes a motor boss for receiving the motor.