Light display apparatus for a child's toy

A light display of the present invention is incorporated in a wheeled toy and is visible through a translucent or transparent cover. The light display includes a rotatable arm and a bracket which rotates on the arm. A generally vertical gear is rotated by movement of the toy and meshes with a pinion gear on the arm to rotate the arm. The light bracket is rotatably mounted on the arm spaced from the pinion gear so that it will orbit in the toy. The light bracket in turn has a pinion gear which meshes with a gear defined by a toothed surface of an opening in the toy. The meshing of the bracket gear with the toothed surface of the opening causes the bracket to rotate. The bracket houses electric light means, a battery, and a centrifugally operated switch. A movable weight, in the form of a bearing, is provided to facilitate closing of the switch even at slow speeds of rotation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to light displays, and in particular to a light 
display for a child's wheeled push toy. 
A light display, which is driven by the turning of a toy's wheel, is 
described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,160, which is incorporated herein by 
reference. In that patent, the light display is operated when a child 
turns the toy's wheels, such as by pushing the wheeled toy along a floor. 
The light display has a centrifugal switch which activates the lights when 
the display is rotated by its gearing. The light display described in that 
patent incorporates a planetary gear system which drives the light 
display. The use of the planetary gear system makes the light display 
somewhat large. It thus cannot be easily incorporated into smaller toys, 
except by making the gears smaller. This however would make assembly of 
the light display into the toys more difficult. 
One object of this invention is to provide a simple but highly effective 
light display apparatus in which electrically operated lamps are rotated 
in such a way as to produce interesting and aesthetically pleasing 
displays. 
Another object is to provide such a light display which can be operated 
even when the toy's wheel is rotated slowly. 
Another object is to provide such a light display which is small and 
compact and can be incorporated into small toys. 
These and other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art in 
light of the following description and accompanying drawings. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Briefly stated, a wheeled toy includes a body having a chassis and a 
chassis cover. A translucent cover, through which a light display of the 
present invention is visible, covers at least a part of the body. An axle 
is rotatably journaled in the chassis and has ground-engaging wheels 
mounted at opposite ends of the axle and a vertical, axle gear secured to 
the axle between the wheels. The chassis cover includes a surface having 
an opening with a toothed edge defining a chassis gear. 
The light display mechanism includes an arm rotatably mounted in the body 
and a light bracket rotatably mounted on the arm. The arm includes a 
pinion gear which meshes with the axle gear. The light bracket is 
rotatably mounted to the arm spaced from the pinion gear. The light 
bracket includes an electric circuit including at least one electric 
light, a source of electricity, and a centrifugal switch. 
Preferably, the light display mechanism is housed in a well formed in the 
surface of the chassis. The well includes a wall and a floor. A toothed 
edge of an opening in the well defines, at an upper part thereof, the 
chassis gear. The floor includes an opening through which the axle gear 
extends. A boss is formed in the well floor and receives a shaft. The 
light display arm includes a boss at one end which is rotatably journaled 
about the shaft. The arm boss defines the pinion gear which meshes with 
the axle gear. The arm includes a second boss spaced from the first boss. 
The second boss receives a shaft about which the light bracket is 
journaled. Preferably, the light bracket includes a downwardly extending 
boss which is rotatably journaled about the second boss shaft. The light 
bracket pinion gear is formed about the boss. A rib extends between the 
first and second bosses. 
The source of electricity is a preferably a battery which is removably 
secured in a central portion of the light bracket. Preferably, the battery 
is a flat battery which is retained in a generally horizontal position. 
The central portion has a wall sized and shaped to surround the battery 
and fingers which extend inwardly from the top of the wall to retain the 
battery in the central portion. The wall has at least one gap through 
which a tool, such as a screw driver, can be passed to remove the battery 
from the light bracket. The electric light means are held in wells which 
are formed on outer edges of the central portion. 
The switch includes a lever having one end operatively connected to a first 
terminal of the battery and a second free end moveable into with an 
electrical conductor operatively connected through the light means to a 
second terminal of the battery. The lever's free end moves between a first 
position in which it is spaced from the contact and a second position in 
which it is in electrical contact with the contact. Centrifugal forces 
caused by rotation of the bracket force the lever to move from the first 
position to the second position, An arm defining a channel extends 
outwardly from the battery retaining wall towards the lever. The channel 
is substantially closed on its sides to define a tunnel or channel open at 
a front end in which a ball bearing is slidably received. The ball bearing 
is forced against the lever by centrifugal forces to enable the switch to 
be closed even at low rotational speeds. A portion of the arm extends 
beyond the lever and defines a slot in which the lever is received. The 
slot defines a wall which prevents excess outward movement of the lever, 
to retain the ball bearing in the channel. 
As can be appreciated, the light display of the present invention reduces 
the number of gears to the minimum number required to produce a rotating, 
orbiting body. This enables the light display to be made smaller so that 
it may be incorporated into smaller structures. The orientation of the 
battery also facilitates in reducing the overall size of the light 
display. Further, the use of the ball bearing allows the switch to be 
closed even when the bracket is being rotated slowly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
A toy car 1 which incorporates a light display of the present invention is 
shown generally in FIGS. 1 and 2. Toy car 1 has a body 2 including a 
chassis 3 and a cover 5. A transparent or translucent plastic cover 7 
encloses the "passenger compartment" of the car 1. A light display 9 is 
visible through cover 7. Cover 7 may be clear or colored as desired. 
A front set 11 and rear set 12 of ground engaging wheels are mounted on 
axles 13 which extend through the chassis. The wheels are preferably 
hollow and spherical and reside at least partially in wheel wells 14 
formed in the chassis. The axle is received in an inwardly extending hub 
15 of the wheel and has a knurled end 17 which holds the axle in the hub. 
A vertical, driving gear 19 is mounted to the front axle to rotate with 
the front axle. As described below, gear 19 operates or drives the light 
display 9. A channel 21 is defined in the bottom of chassis 3 to 
accommodate gear 19. 
Turning to FIGS. 3-5, chassis cover 5 includes a back section 23 have a 
forward wall 25 which leads to a generally horizontal surface 27. Cover 7 
is removably secured to cover 5 so that the display 9 can be accessible. 
Cover 7 has a prong or finger (not shown) which is received in a gap 26 
formed at the top of wall 25. A screw passes through the front of cover 7 
into a screw hole 28 defined in a forward end of cover 5. 
A shallow well 29 having a side wall 31 and a floor 33 is formed in surface 
27. Floor 33 defines a second well 35 which is concentric with well 29. 
Well 35 has a wall 37 having an upper portion 39 and a lower portion 40. 
Upper portion 39 is wider than lower portion 40 and has an inner surface 
41 having a plurality of teeth 43 defining a gear 44. Well 35 has a 
partial floor 45 which, with wall 37, defines an opening 47 through which 
gear 19 extends. A boss 49 extends upwardly from floor 45 in the center of 
well 35. A rib 51 extends from wall 37 to boss 49. Wall 37 also has two 
oppositely disposed ears 53 extending downwardly from a bottom surface of 
floor 45. The ears have slots 55 formed therein which snappingly receive 
axle 13 to rotationally hold the axle in the cover 5. 
Turning to FIG. 6, display 9 includes a support arm 61 and a light bracket 
81. Support arm 61 is rotatably mounted to body 2 in well 35. Arm 61 has a 
boss 63 formed at a first end of the arm which extends above and below the 
arm. The bottom portion of boss 63 defines a toothed gear 67 which meshes 
with gear 19. Arm boss 63 receives a shaft 69 which is received in well 
boss 49 to rotatably mount arm 61 to body 2. Preferably, shaft 69 has a 
knurled bottom end 71 to rotationally fix shaft 69 with respect to well 
boss 49. Shaft 69 extends through arm boss 63 and has a head 73 at the top 
thereof which prevents upward movement of the arm on shaft 69. A second 
boss 75 is formed at an end 77 of arm 61 remote from boss 63. A rib 79 
extends between bosses 63 and 75. The top of rib 79 is preferably level 
with the top surfaces of bosses 63 and 69. Second boss 75 has a top 
surface approximately level with the top of the lower portion 40 of wall 
37. As can be appreciated, when wheel 11 is turned to rotate gear 19, 
support arm 61 rotates in the well 35 so that boss 75 will orbit near wall 
37. 
Light bracket 81 is rotatably mounted to arm boss 75 so that it may both 
rotate and orbit in well 29. Turning to FIGS. 7-10, bracket 81 includes a 
downwardly extending boss 83 formed centrally of bracket 81. Boss 83 
rotatably receives a shaft 85 which, in turn, is received in arm boss 75. 
Preferably, shaft 85 has a knurled bottom end 87 which will rotationally 
fix shaft 85 in arm boss 75. Shaft 85 extends through bracket boss 83 and, 
like shaft 69, has a head which prevents bracket 81 from lifting off of 
shaft 85. Bracket 81 thus can freely rotate about shaft 85. 
Boss 83 has a toothed outer surface 91 defining a gear 92 which meshes with 
the toothed surface 43 of well 35. Thus, as arm boss 75 is orbited in well 
35, bracket gear 92 meshes with surface 43, causing the bracket to rotate 
on shaft 85. As can be appreciated, bracket 81, which extends over floor 
33 of well 29, will rotate in and orbit about well 29 as wheels 11 are 
rotated. 
Bracket 81 carries, at opposite ends thereof, electric light means 93. 
Light means 93 are preferably LED's, but can be other forms of electric 
lights, such as light bulbs, and are received in wells 94. An electric 
circuit C connects the lights 93 to a source of electricity 95 and has a 
switch 97. The source of electricity is preferably a battery and switch 97 
is preferably a centrifugally operated switch. Because cover 7 is 
removable, battery 95 is accessible for replacing when necessary. When the 
battery's charge wears down, cover 7 is easily removed by unscrewing the 
screw to allow access to the battery. 
Bracket 81 preferably has a generally circular mid-section 99 which 
conforms to the size and shape of the battery. Preferably a small battery, 
such as a watch battery, is used and is preferably mounted to be generally 
horizontal. A wall 101 extends upwardly around the periphery of 
mid-section 99 defining a cage which retains the battery in place. At 
least a pair of fingers 103, and preferably three fingers 103, extend 
radially inwardly from the top of wall 101 to hold battery 95 in 
mid-section 99. A gap 105 is formed in wall 101 to allow access to the 
battery to facilitate removal and replacement of the battery. A pair of 
smaller gaps 107 are formed in the wall to allow for placement of an 
element 109 of the circuit C, as will be described. 
In a watch battery, such as is preferred, the battery has one contact along 
a bottom surface of the battery and a second contact along the side of the 
battery. Circuit element 109, which is preferably a thin copper strip, is 
woven through gaps 107 (best shown in FIG. 9) so that the copper strip may 
contact the side of the battery, as shown in FIG. 7. The copper element 
109 then curves around the mid-section 99 to form a spring lever 111. 
Copper strip 109 preferably has a downwardly extending tab 110 (FIG. 10) 
which passes through an opening 112 formed in the floor of mid-section 99 
to help fix strip 109 in place. 
A wire 113 is placed along the floor of mid-section 99 to be in electrical 
contact with the battery's first, or bottom, contact. Wire 113 extends 
through gap 105 and is bent to pass along the bottom surface of bracket 81 
to be connected to first lead wires 115 of lights 93. A second wire 117 is 
connected to second lead wires 119 of lights 93 and extends out from under 
bracket 81. Wire 117 is bent upwardly to be spaced slightly radially from 
lever 111 to define a switch contact 118. As can be appreciated, when 
lever 111 is moved outwardly under centrifugal forces created by rotation 
of the bracket to contact wire 117, it closes the circuit C. 
Lever 111 is a spring lever and returns to a normal open position when the 
bracket is not being rotated at a sufficiently high speed. To facilitate 
operation of switch 97, an arm 120, made of two parts 121 and 122, extends 
outwardly from wall 101. The inner surfaces of the arm's parts cooperate 
to define a generally circular passage way or channel 123 which receives a 
ball bearing or other easily slidable weight 125. Channel 123 is 
substantially closed along its sides and open at a front end. When bracket 
81 is rotated, the centrifugal force created urges the weight to move 
along path 123 towards lever 111. Because the ball bearing or weight will 
move outwardly when the bracket 81 rotates slowly, the ball bearing will 
force the lever against switch contact 118 at lower rates of rotation than 
the lever would by itself (i.e. without the ball bearing), allowing for 
the circuit C to be closed at lower rates of rotation than if the ball 
bearing were absent. 
Arm portion 121 extends beyond arm portion 122 and defines a slit 127 which 
receives lever 111. Slit 127 is wider than lever 111 and allows movement 
of the lever sufficient to move between a first position wherein the 
switch 97 is open and a second position wherein the switch is closed. 
However, the slit is also sized to prevent excess movement of the lever 
which would allow the ball bearing to come out of channel 123. The use of 
the ball bearing allows the lights 93 to be lit at lower rotational speeds 
than would be needed if ball bearing 125 were absent. If ball bearing 125 
were absent, speed increasing gears would be required to achieve the same 
effect. This however would require that the size of the light display 9 be 
increased. The use of the ball bearing allows small children to operate 
the light display who may otherwise not be able to move the toy fast 
enough to activate the display. 
A third arm 131 extends outwardly of wall 101. Arm 131 is positioned to be 
above lever 111 to prevent upward movement of the lever. 
As can be appreciated, the light display 9 of the present invention reduces 
the number of gears to make the light display apparatus smaller. It can 
thus be used with smaller toys. Further, the display is provided with a 
weight (i.e. ball bearing 125) which allows for activation of the lights 
93 even when the bracket 81 is rotated at a slow rate. 
Variations within the appended claims may be apparent to those skilled in 
the art. For example, the battery may be mounted to be vertical rather 
than horizontal. Different batteries could be used. The body could define 
only a single well, rather than a pair of wells. In this case, the bracket 
would rotate and orbit above a surface which surrounds the single well. 
More or fewer lights could be provided on bracket 81. These examples are 
merely illustrative.