BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to wheeled, self-propelled toys, and more particularly related to a self-propelled novelty to configured with a pull-back mechanism and elements that compel the toy either to “scream” or “flash eyes” or both when the self-propelled toy is in a “wound” state and released (i.e., a released state).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention overcomes the shortcomings of the known self-propelled toys with pull-back mechanisms.

In an embodiment, the invention provides a self-propelled toy. The toy includes a toy body, a “drive and control” module, including a housing, a connector for connecting the drive and control module to, and disconnecting the drive and control module from, the toy body, an axle with wheels on opposing ends and an axel drive/driven gear, attached to the drive and control module housing, a pull-back mechanism arranged in or on the drive and control module housing that includes a motor drive/driven gear 62 that drivingly connects to the axel drive/driven gear, wherein upon pulling back the toy body with the wheels touching the ground, the pull-back mechanism generates and stores mechanical potential energy, which upon release of the toy body, translates to kinetic energy to drive the toy in a direction opposite that of the pull-back direction and a controller arranged on or in the drive and control module housing, connected to the pull-back mechanism and electrically connected to at least one light emitting diode (LED) in the toy body, the controller including a microcontroller, or other logical elements and an rechargeable energy source for powering the microcontroller or other logical elements, and the at least one LED.

The controller includes at least one sensing element for sensing when the pull-back mechanism has generated and stored mechanical energy, defining a “primed” logical state, and when toy is released to allow the toy to move forward, defining a “go” state. If in the primed state and the go state, the at least one LED is powered to generate a light signal. Preferably, the toy body is any of a mammal, a reptile, a fish, a dinosaur, other animal s/insects, or a human sports player, all with an eye, wherein the at least one LEDs are in the eyes. The toy may also include a sound transducer electrically connected to the controller that emits a sound signal when in the primed stated and the go state. The toy body may embody a mammal, a reptile, a fish, a dinosaur, other animals/insects, or a human sports player, all with mouths, where a sound transducer is arranged in the mouths. The sound transducers emit a sound signal when in the primed stated and the go state.

The mammals, reptiles, fish, dinosaurs, other animals/insects, and sports players, move with the pull-back mechanism. While the mammals, reptiles, fish, dinosaurs, and other animals/insects, generally move in a forward direction, but the sports players move in a forward direction, but preferably in a sliding forward direction. For example, where the sports player is a soccer player, the player slides with his/her knees bent in a forward direction, with the arms out stretched in a celebratory pose. Other sports figures such as baseball/softball players can slide feet first towards a base or Homeplate.

Additionally, track and field runners can be depicted as upright and running forwards. Furthermore, skiers can be depicted as sliding on skis down a ski slope. Other moving sports figures may include basketball players, football players, hockey players, tennis players, or pickleball players. Optionally, the sliding or moving character can be depicted upon a small portion of a playing field, so that the pull-back mechanisms are beneath the small portion of the playing field, which will advance forward with the sports player positioned above the playing field.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of embodiments that follows, with reference to the attached figures, wherein: Fig. 1 depicts a child holding a phantom 2-wheel triceratops, with a full line triceratops in full line adj cent and rolling away from the child,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view off the Triceratops of Fig. 1, inside elevation;

Fig. 3 is an underside perspective view of the triceratops with the mechanism exploded down from the mount;

Fig. 4 shows the wheel mechanism removed from the housing;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the wheel mechanism, attempting to show the gear setup;

Fig. 6A is a side view of the toy highlighting the connection from a controller to drive LED eyes,

Fig. 6B is a side view of the toy highlighting the connection from a controller to drive the sound transducer in the mouth, Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a celebratory soccer sports player sliding with the knees forward and the arms outstretched; and,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the celebratory soccer sports player shown in partial cutaway view displaying interior mechanical and electrical components for the pull-back mechanism and sound and light producing components.

REFERENCE NUMERAL ELEMENT IDENTIFIERS

Self-propelled toy 10

Toy body 20

Eyes 22

Mouth 24

Sound emitting element 26

Mechanical connector 30

Body-connect portion 32

Body side connect pins 31

Dricon connect portion 34

Openings for connect pins 35

Drive and control module 40

Housing 42

Housing ground contact point 44

Axle 46

Wheels 48

Axle driven/drive gear 50

Pull-back mechanism 60

Motor drive/driven gear 62

Spring/tensioning mechanism 64

Controller 70

Wire(s) 72

Wire 73

Sound transducer 74

Self-Propelled Toy Sliding Sports Player 110 Toy Body 120

Sports Player’s Eyes 122

Sports Player’s Mouth 124

Sound Emitting Element in Mouth 126

Drive and Control Module 140

Axle 146

Drive Wheels 148

Pull-back Mechanism 160

Pull-back Motor 62

Stabilizer Wings 163, 163 a

Pull-back Mechanism Controller 170

Wire from Light Emitting Element in Eyes 172

Wire from Sound Emitting Transducer in Mouth 173

Sound Emitting Transducer in Mouth 174

Knees of Sliding Player 180, 180a

Extended Arms of Sliding Player 182, 182a

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following is a detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, which are depicted in the accompanying drawings. The exemplary embodiments are presented in such detail as to clearly communicate the invention and are designed to teach how to make and use these exemplary embodiments to a person of ordinary skill in the art. However, the amount of detail offered is not intended to limit the contemplated variations of the embodiments of the disclosed invention. On the contrary, the inventor intends to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosed invention, as defined by the appended claims.

The invention provides a self-propelled toy 10 comprising a toy body 20 attached to a “drive and control” module 40. A mechanical connector 30 is arranged with a bodyconnect portion 32 attached to the toy body 20 (e.g., underneath the toy body to minimize its visibility) and a dricon-connect portion 34 connected to the drive and control module 40 (e.g., on the top of the drive and control module). Connect pins 31 on the body connect portion 32 of the mechanical connector 30 are received in openings for connect pins 35, as shown in the figures.

The toy body 20 may be any toy body, but preferably a 3 -dimensional (3D) mammal, reptile, fish (i.e., shark) or dinosaur shaped body, and most preferably, the toy body includes eyes 22 in the form of light emitting diodes and/or a mouth 24 that is at least partially open and in which is positioned a sound-emitting element 26, such as a transducer, where the eyes and sound-emitting element are activated to emit sound and light (in a pattern), respectively, when the self-propelled toy is pulled back or wound and released.

The drive and control module 40 embodies a housing 42. On a bottom side of the housing (opposite the top side with the dricon-connect portion 34), a single axle 46 with wheels 48 on opposing ends and an axel drive/driven gear 50 is arranged. The wheels contact the ground during intended use, where the housing 42 also includes a ground contact point 44, which is arranged relatively towards the front, when considering that the axle and wheels are arranged relatively towards the back of the housing. The wheels and the ground contact point therefore provide for 3 point balance ground contact, so the toy may sit or move stably with minimal friction between the ground contact point and the ground.

A pull-back mechanism 60, which preferably comprises a spring-loaded motor mechanism, also is arranged in or on the housing 42 of the drive and control module 40, and includes a motor drive/driven gear 62, which drivingly connects to the axel drive/driven gear 50. When the toy body connected to the housing or the drive and control module is pulled back to generate and store mechanical potential energy, the axel drive/driven gear 50 drives the motor drive/driven gear 62 (operating as a driven gear), receiving mechanical energy against the spring to generate the stored potential energy. When the toy body has potential energy, and is released, the motor drive/driven gear 62 drives the axel drive/driven gear 50, and, therefore, the axel and wheels. The pull-back mechanism 60 may be implemented by any means known to the skilled person, as shown in the figures, for example, in reliance upon a spring or other tensioning mechanism 64.

Fig. 6A highlights a controller 70 maintained within the housing 42 that is electrically connected to the eyes 22 via wire(s) to provide an electrical potential sufficient to light up the LEDS embodying same. The controller includes a microcontroller, or other logical elements (not shown) and an energy source for powering the microcontroller or other logical elements, and the eyes. The energy source may be an electromechanical cell or a microgenerator, which includes a micromagnet and rotor that turns with the axle to generate a current, which is accumulated and stored as an electrical potential in an energy storage device (also not shown), as known to the skilled person.

Fig. 6B highlights a controller 70 maintained within the housing 42 that is electrically connected to the eyes 22 via wire(s) 72 to provide an electrical potential sufficient to light up the LEDS embodying same and connected via a wire 73 to a sound transducer 74 in the mouth 24 to generate sounds (in addition to lighting the eyes) according to the logic of controller 70. As explained, the controller includes a microcontroller, or other logical elements (not shown) and an energy source for powering the microcontroller or other logical elements, the eyes 22 and sound transducer. The energy source may be an electro-mechanical cell or a microgenerator, which includes a micromagnet and rotor that turns with the axle to generate a current, which is accumulated and stored as an electrical potential in an energy storage device (also not shown), as known to the skilled person.

The controller 70 includes at least at least one sensing element for sensing that the pull-back mechanism 60 has generated and stored mechanical energy, defining a “primed” logical state. The microcontroller or logical elements might implement in reliance, for example, on a variable energy store = 1 to define this primed state logically (e.g., goes to logical high state as soon as energy starts to be stored). The sensor, or an additional sensor senses when the toy is released to move forward, being driven by the stored mechanical energy used as kinetic energy. The microcontroller or logical elements might implement this “go” state in reliance, for example, on a variable release_to_go= 1 to defined this release to go state logically (e.g., goes to logical high state as soon as energy is being used to drive axle and move toy forward.

When energy _store = 1 and release_to_go =1, AND logic (energy _store AND release to go = 1) enables electrical connection between the microcontroller and logical elements to drive the LEDs (eyes 22) or the sound transducer 74 or both, for a limited time, intermittently, or until all the potential energy is detected to be used. The invention provides a self-propelled toy 10 comprising a toy body 20 attached to a “drive and control” module 40. A mechanical connector 30 is arranged with a body-connect portion 32 attached to the toy body 20 (e.g., underneath the toy body to minimize its visibility) and a dricon-connect portion 34 connected to the drive and control module 40 (e.g., on the top of the drive and control module). Connect pins 31 on the body connect portion 32 of the mechanical connector 30 are received in openings for connect pins 35, as shown in the figures.

In the alternate embodiment of Figures 7 and 8, the sliding sports player 110 has a body 120 may be any toy body, but preferably a 3 -dimensional (3D) depicted sports player in a sliding or running position, and most preferably, the toy body 120 includes eyes 122 in the form of light emitting diodes and/or a mouth 124 that is at least partially open and in which is positioned a sound-emitting element 126, such as a transducer, where the eyes and sound-emitting element are activated to emit sound and light (in a pattern), respectively, when the self-propelled toy is pulled back or wound and released.

The drive and control module 140 embodies a housing. On a bottom side of the housing (opposite the top side with the dricon-connect portion 34, similar to that shown in figures 1-6B), a single axle 146 with wheels 148 on opposing ends and an axel drive/driven gear is arranged. The wheels 148 contact the ground during intended use, where the housing also includes a ground contact point, which is arranged relatively towards the front, when considering that the axle 146 and wheels 148 are arranged relatively towards the back of the housing. The wheels 148 and the ground contact point therefore provide for 3 point balance ground contact, so the toy may sit or move stably with minimal friction between the ground contact point and the ground.

A pull-back mechanism 160 (shown in brackets in figures 7 and 8), which preferably comprises a spring-loaded motor mechanism, also is arranged in or on the housing of the drive and control module 140, and includes a motor drive/driven gear 162, which drivingly connects to the axel drive/driven gear 150. When the toy body connected to the housing or the drive and control module is pulled back to generate and store mechanical potential energy, the axel drive/driven gear 150 drives the motor drive/driven gear 162 (operating as a driven gear), receiving mechanical energy against the spring to generate the stored potential energy. When the toy body has potential energy, and is released, the motor drive/driven gear 162 drives the axel drive/driven gear 150, and, therefore, the axel and wheels. The pull-back mechanism 160 may be implemented by any means known to the skilled person, as shown in the figures, for example, in reliance upon a spring or other tensioning mechanism.

Fig. 8 highlights a controller 170 maintained within the housing 140 that is electrically connected to the eyes 122 of the sports player 110 via wire(s) 172 to provide an electrical potential sufficient to light up the LEDS embodying same. The controller includes a microcontroller, or other logical elements (not shown) and an energy source for powering the microcontroller or other logical elements, and the eyes. The energy source may be an electromechanical cell or a microgenerator, which includes a micromagnet and rotor that turns with the axle to generate a current, which is accumulated and stored as an electrical potential in an energy storage device (also not shown), as known to the skilled person.

Fig. 8 also highlights a controller 170 maintained within the housing 140 that is electrically connected to the eyes 122 of the sports player 110 via wire(s) 172 to provide an electrical potential sufficient to light up the LEDS embodying same and connected via a wire 173 to a sound transducer 174 in the mouth 124 to generate sounds (in addition to lighting the eyes) according to the logic of controller 170. As explained, the controller includes a microcontroller, or other logical elements (not shown) and an energy source for powering the microcontroller or other logical elements, the eyes 122 and sound transducer 174. The energy source may be an electro-mechanical cell or a microgenerator, which includes a micromagnet and rotor that turns with the axle to generate a current, which is accumulated and stored as an electrical potential in an energy storage device (also not shown), as known to the skilled person.

The controller 170 includes at least at least one sensing element for sensing that the pull-back mechanism 160 has generated and stored mechanical energy, defining a “primed” logical state. The microcontroller or logical elements might implement in reliance, for example, on a variable energy store = 1 to define this primed state logically (e.g., goes to logical high state as soon as energy starts to be stored). The sensor, or an additional sensor senses when the toy is released to move forward, being driven by the stored mechanical energy used as kinetic energy. The microcontroller or logical elements might implement this “go” state in reliance, for example, on a variable release_to_go= 1 to defined this release to go state logically (e.g., goes to logical high state as soon as energy is being used to drive axle and move toy forward.

When energy _store = 1 and release_to_go =1, AND logic (energy _store AND release to go = 1) enables electrical connection between the microcontroller and logical elements to drive the LEDs (eyes 122) or the sound transducer 174 or both, for a limited time, intermittently, or until all the potential energy is detected to be used. Although the foregoing invention has been described in terms of certain specific embodiments, other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the disclosure herein. Moreover, the described embodiments have been presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Indeed, the novel processes and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms without departing from the spirit thereof.