Patent ID: 6174090
Filing Date: 2001-01-16
Classification: F16C

Abstract:
A wheel bearing system for a radio controlled, toy vehicle having front and rear wheels whose movements are controlled by radio frequency signal generated by a wireless transmitter remote from the vehicle, the system comprising:a) an on-board, rear casing having a pair of tubular extensions integral with the casing and extending in opposite directions along a rear axis, and a pair of abutment walls, each abutment wall being integral with, and located within, a respective extension and extending along a transverse axis generally perpendicular to the rear axis;b) a pair of apertured, annular, first track elements, each first track element being mounted within the respective extension and having a transverse base portion abutting against a respective abutment wall, and a skirt portion extending along the rear axis within the respective extension;c) a pair of rear axles mounted on the rear casing and extending in opposite directions along the rear axis, for driving the rear wheels, each rear axle extending with clearance through a respective first track element and having an outer shaft portion that extends beyond the respective extension;d) a pair of rear rims for supporting the rear wheels, each rear rim being mounted on a respective outer shaft portion;e) a pair of annular, second track elements, each second track element being mounted within the respective extension and having an axial part being in force-transmitting engagement with a respective rear axle, and a transverse part extending along the transverse axis away from the respective axial part, each second track element within the respective extension bounding an annular track with the respective first track element within the respective extension; andf) a plurality of freely revolving, rigid balls within a respective track and rollably bearing against the transverse base portion, the skirt portion the axial part and the transverse part of the respective first and second track elements that bound the respective track, for reducing friction on the rear axles during motion of the toy vehicles each ball having a diameter, and each transverse base portion extending along the transverse axis for a transverse distance greater than said diameter, and each skirt portion extending along the rear axis for an axial distance greater than said diameter.