US 5,767,655 A · Pit-stop recharger for fast recharge toy vehicle

Abstract

A toy vehicle is operatively driven by an electric motor having a storage capacitor coupled in parallel therewith. The capacitor and motor are coupled to a pair of underside contacts on the toy vehicle for charging. The toy vehicle underside further includes an aperture and an elongated slot. A cooperating charger/launcher includes a vehicle receiving surface upon which a wheel pedestal is positioned between the area at the rear of the vehicle for raising the vehicle rear wheels. The charger/launcher further includes an interlock post received within the aperture formed on the vehicle undersurface and a safety rib received within the elongated slot of the vehicle. A pair of electrical contacts are positioned on each side of the protective rib and are coupled to a battery supply within the launcher for charging the vehicle capacitor. A pit-stop recharger includes a pivotable gate and pit area within which a second recharging apparatus is provided.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A pit-stop recharger for use in combination with a toy vehicle track and a toy vehicle having a capacitor and electric motor drive together with a pair of underside vehicle contacts, said pit-stop recharger comprising:

a pit area adjacent said track;
a gate pivotable between a fist position diverting said toy vehicles from said track into said pit area and a second position closing said pit area;
a pivotable stop arm having a vehicle retainer arm pivoting between a horizontal position and a vertical position, a stop arm and a push rod for captivating a toy vehicle within said pit area, said stop arm and said push rod extending from said vehicle retainer arm in a common direction and spaced apart by approximately a vehicle length such that in said horizontal position said stop arm blocks the front of a toy vehicle while said push rod exerts a downward force on the rear thereof;
and
means for applying a recharging voltage to said pair of underside contacts of a toy vehicle captivated within said pit area.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Pit-stop recharger for fast recharge toy vehicle

Life of this patent

Pit-stop recharger for fast recharge toy vehicle

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims5