US 6,648,720 B1Granted

Self propelled walking toy

OwnerFrancisco Bicalho Dominguesinventor

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Abstract

A self-propelled toy is disclosed that utilizes a combination of outboard “legs” and at least one inboard drive wheel in order to provide movement of the device over smooth and irregular terrain. The outboard legs are especially configured and adapted so as to cause of wobbling of the device during movement so as to enhance contact of the outboard legs with irregular terrain for improved mobility and to allow the device to engage and climb elevated surfaces.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A self-propelled toy comprised of:

a frame having a right side, a left side, front terminus, rear terminus, top and bottom and wherein said left and right side of said frame includes a plurality of paired, mirror image axle receiving holes, each pair of mirror image axle receiving holes being aligned in relation to the front and rear terminus as well as the top and bottom of said frame;
at least two leg members rotatably mounted within a pair of said paired mirror image axle receiving holes, each said leg member including, in a medial portion thereof, an axle segment including a leg drive gear mounted thereupon, two leg segments located lateral to said axle segment oriented and configured so that a longitudinal axis of said leg segments is in an angular relationship of from about 80 to about 100 degrees with a longitudinal axis of said axle segment and wherein the leg segments are in a diametric relation, one to the other and in an outboard relation to the frame;
at least one transfer gear unit comprised of a transfer gear axle, rotatably mounted within mirror image axle mounting holes of said frame and a transfer gear mounted upon said axle, said transfer gear being especially configured and adapted so as to mate with and engage said leg drive gear;
a drive motor unit comprised of a main drive axle rotatably mounted within and extending through a pair of said mirror image axle receiving holes, a drive motor and an inboard drive wheel mounted upon said main drive axle, said inboard drive wheel being especially configured and adapted to transfer rotational force to said leg members as well as to to extend beyond the bottom of said frame as an inboard means of propulsion;
wherein, when the drive motor is powered and said toy is placed upon a surface, torsional force provided by said motor rotates said main drive axle and drive wheel mounted thereupon so that said wheel propels said toy along said surface when the wheel is in contact therewith, and wherein said main drive wheel also provides rotational force to and thereby rotates said outboard leg members so as to propel said toy along said surface when the leg segments thereof are in contact with said surface.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A self-propelled toy comprised of:

a frame having a right side, a left side, front terminus, rear terminus, top and bottom and wherein said left and right side of said frame includes a plurality of paired, mirror image axle receiving holes, each pair of mirror image axle receiving holes being aligned in relation to the front and rear terminus as well as the top and bottom of said frame;
at least two leg members rotatably mounted within a pair of said paired mirror image axle receiving holes, each said leg member including, in a medial portion thereof, an axle segment including a leg drive gear mounted thereupon, two leg segments located lateral to said axle segment oriented and configured so that a longitudinal axis of said leg segments is in an angular relationship of from about 80 to about 100 degrees with a longitudinal axis of said axle segment and wherein the leg segments are in a diametric relation, one to the other and in an outboard relation to the frame;
at least one transfer gear unit comprised of a transfer gear axle, rotatably mounted within mirror image axle mounting holes of said frame and a transfer gear mounted upon said axle, said transfer gear being especially configured and adapted so as to mate with and engage said leg drive gear;
a drive motor unit comprised of a main drive axle rotatably mounted within and extending through a pair of said mirror image axle receiving holes, a drive motor and an inboard drive wheel mounted upon said main drive axle, said inboard drive wheel being especially configured and adapted to transfer rotational force to said leg members as well as to to extend beyond the bottom of said frame as an inboard means of propulsion;
wherein, when the drive motor is powered and said toy is placed upon a surface, torsional force provided by said motor rotates said main drive axle and drive wheel mounted thereupon so that said wheel propels said toy along said surface when the wheel is in contact therewith, and wherein said main drive wheel also provides rotational force to and thereby rotates said outboard leg members so as to propel said toy along said surface when the leg segments thereof are in contact with said surface.

2 more elements