Toy vehicle launcher and toy track for use therewith

Disclosed is a launcher for a toy vehicle having a biased carriage that holds a toy vehicle as a drive wheel on the toy vehicle is being energized, and that propels the energized toy vehicle forward and onto a toy racetrack when the biased carriage is released. A launcher housing includes a carriage capture and release assembly that remains in an armed, ready position until a toy vehicle is positioned on the carriage, a pull cord is inserted through the launcher housing and into engagement with the drive wheel on the toy vehicle, and the pull cord is thereafter withdrawn from the toy vehicle and the housing. After the pull cord is fully withdrawn, the carriage capture and release assembly releases the carriage, allowing a biasing member to propel the carriage forward so as to launch the energized toy vehicle. The launcher may be combined with a toy racetrack having various stunt features through which a toy vehicle may travel after its launch.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to toy vehicle launchers for use with toy tracks.

BACKGROUND

Toy racetracks are popular among children of varied ages. Children enjoy a variety of track features and track configurations, and continually seek new toy racetrack features to enhance the play experience. While various devices have previously been provided to launch toy vehicles onto a racetrack, there remains opportunity to further enhance the play experience by providing new and unique toy vehicle launching systems for use with toy racetracks.

It would therefore be advantageous to provide a toy vehicle launcher and a toy racetrack for use with such launcher that further enhances the excitement and amusement offered to a child as they engage in such play.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed is a launcher for a toy vehicle. The launcher has a biased carriage that holds a toy vehicle as a drive wheel on the toy vehicle is being energized, and that propels the energized toy vehicle forward and onto a toy track when the biased carriage is released. A launcher housing includes a carriage capture and release assembly that remains in an armed, ready position until a toy vehicle is positioned on the carriage, a pull cord is inserted through the launcher housing and into engagement with the drive wheel on the toy vehicle, and the pull cord is thereafter withdrawn from the toy vehicle and the housing. After the pull cord is fully withdrawn, the carriage capture and release assembly releases the carriage, allowing a biasing member to propel the carriage forward so as to launch the energized toy vehicle. The capture and release assembly can be referred to alternatively as a release assembly.

The launcher may be attached to and form a part of a toy track that may include one or more stunt features through which the toy vehicle may travel after launching from the launcher.

In accordance with certain aspects of an embodiment of the invention, a toy vehicle launcher is provided comprising a housing including a release assembly, a ramp section coupled to the housing, the ramp section defining a slot therein, a slidable carriage that is movable along the slot between a loaded position and a launched position, the slidable carriage being retained in its loaded position and biased toward its launched position by a biasing member, the slidable carriage being engageable with the release assembly, and a pull cord engageable with the housing, the pull cord being engageable with the release assembly and a toy vehicle coupled to the slidable carriage, the slidable carriage being released from its loaded position when the pull cord is retracted from the release assembly and traveling along the slot in the ramp section.

In accordance with further aspects of an embodiment of the invention, a toy vehicle and launcher assembly, comprising a toy vehicle having a wheel and an axle coupled to the wheel, the axle having a set of teeth, and a launcher, comprising a housing, a ramp section coupled to the housing, a carriage coupled to the ramp section and movable relative to the housing, the toy vehicle being engageable with the carriage, the carriage being positionable in a launching position and in a loaded position, and a pull cord engageable with the housing, the carriage, and the toy vehicle, wherein removal of the pull cord from the housing, the carriage, and the toy vehicle results in the carriage moving along the ramp section and the toy vehicle disengaging from the carriage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description is of one or more particular embodiments of the invention, set out to enable one to practice an implementation of the invention, and is not intended to limit the preferred embodiment, but to serve as a particular example thereof. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and specific embodiments disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other methods and systems for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent assemblies do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.

As shown inFIG. 1, and with regard to certain aspects of an embodiment of the invention, a launcher100for a toy vehicle200is provided. As explained in greater detail below, the launcher100includes a slidable, biased carriage110that pushes toy vehicle200forward and away from launcher100when carriage110is released from a loaded position. A pull cord300is configured to engage a drive wheel on toy vehicle200, and to likewise engage a carriage capture and release assembly inside of launcher100that releases carriage110when the pull cord300is fully withdrawn from launcher100. The launcher100includes downwardly extending legs106that can engage a support surface.

As shown in the top perspective view ofFIG. 2and the bottom view ofFIG. 3, launcher100includes ramp section102, housing block120at the raised end of ramp section102, and a tab104at the lower, forward end of ramp section102, which tab104is configured for attachment to a section of extruded plastic toy track as is well known to those skilled in the art. Ramp section102has a longitudinal slot105extending along at least a portion of ramp section102. Carriage110includes an upper portion110a(seeFIG. 2) and a lower portion110b(seeFIG. 3), which are configured such that the bottom of upper portion110aand the top of lower portion110boverlap the side edges defining the longitudinal slot105so as to allow carriage110to slide along slot105while preventing it from being inadvertently detached from slot105. Slot105preferably extends from a starting point immediately adjacent housing block120toward the front, lower end of launcher100, stopping at a distance from the front, lower end of launcher100.

As shown inFIG. 3, the lower portion110bof carriage110is biased by an elastic member140, such as by way of non-limiting example a rubber band, toward the front, lower end of launcher100. One or more clips107may be provided on the underside of launcher100positioned adjacent to the front, lower end of launcher100for receiving a first end of elastic member140. Likewise, an elastic member receiver111may be provided on the lower portion110bof carriage110for receiving the opposite end of elastic member140. As slot105terminates a distance away from the front, lower end of launcher100, elastic member140maintains a pull on carriage110throughout the entirety of its travel from its armed, ready position (shown inFIG. 18) to the launched position (shown inFIG. 1). As referenced above, downwardly extending legs106may be provided on the sides of ramp section102so as to elevate the rear portion of launcher100.

In order to hold carriage110in place in the ready position (shown inFIG. 18) until such time as a user launches a toy vehicle, housing block120includes a carriage capture and release assembly124(seeFIG. 5) that releases carriage110when the pull cord300is fully withdrawn from launcher100. As shown in the close-up bottom view ofFIG. 4, carriage110has a rearwardly extending carriage hook arm112having a downward facing hook113at the rear edge thereof. Carriage hook arm112is pivotably attached to carriage110at a pivot connection114, and a biasing member, such as a spring, biases the carriage hook arm112downward with respect to the rest of carriage110. When carriage110is in place in the ready position, hook113engages a retaining ledge121on a bottom cover122of housing block120(bottom cover122being shown removed from the base of housing block120inFIG. 5). An inclined ramp surface123may be provided on the front side of retaining ledge121to help to push hook113upward as it approaches retaining ledge121. Once in this ready position (in which hook113engages a rear surface of retaining ledge121), carriage110is held in this ready position until hook113is lifted so as to clear the top edge of retaining ledge121, at which time elastic member140will quickly pull carriage110forward to launch a toy vehicle positioned on carriage110.

Hook113is lifted over retaining ledge121by the carriage capture and release assembly (shown generally at124) positioned within housing block120. Carriage capture and release assembly124includes a carrier block125, which carrier block125is vertically movable within an internal housing126mounted within housing block120. As shown in the bottom view of internal housing126ofFIG. 6, carrier block125is upwardly spring biased by a spring member127positioned between a spring post head128and the underside of carrier block125. When pull cord300is inserted into housing block120, it passes through openings (not shown) in carrier block125and pushes carrier block125downward against the bias of spring member127. Likewise, full removal of pull cord300from carrier block125allows the bias of spring member127to return carrier block125to its raised position.

Carrier block125carries a carriage actuator129that is pivotably mounted to carrier block125, allowing carriage actuator129to pivot about a horizontal axis with respect to carrier block125so as to rock back and forth toward and away from the front side130of internal housing126. Front side130of internal housing126has a window131through which the front portion of carriage actuator129extends. The front portion of carriage actuator129is provided a tongue132that is engaged by carriage110to rock carriage actuator129rearward (away from the position shown inFIG. 6), as will be discussed in further detail below. Carriage actuator129also includes a lift arm133that is configured to engage a lift surface115on carriage hook arm112.

More particularly, with reference toFIG. 7, when carriage110is positioned at its rearmost, ready position, and without pull cord300inserted in housing block120, carrier block125is in a raised position such that lift arm133does not drop below the lift surface115on carriage hook arm112. However, and with reference toFIG. 8, when pull cord300is inserted into housing block120, carrier block125moves downward against the bias of spring member127(seeFIG. 6), in turn lowering lift arm133below lift surface115on carriage hook arm112. If, as explained in greater detail below, carriage110engages tongue132(which is shown inFIGS. 5 and 6) on the front of carriage actuator129(which occurs when a toy vehicle is not loaded in carriage110), carriage actuator129is pivoted, against the bias of a spring, toward the rear of housing block120, such that lift arm133, while at a lower position than lift surface115on carriage hook arm112, will not engage lift surface115. However, if carriage110does not engage tongue132(which occurs when a toy vehicle is loaded in carriage110), carriage actuator129is spring-biased to its forward most position, in which position lift arm133extends beneath lift surface115on carriage hook arm112. In this engaged position, when pull cord300is fully removed from housing block120, carrier block125will be raised by spring member127, lifting carriage actuator129(and thus lift arm133), in turn lifting carriage hook arm112so as to cause downward facing hook113to lift above the top edge of retaining ledge121. Once downward facing hook113is lifted above the top edge of retaining ledge121, elastic member140will quickly pull carriage110forward to launch the toy vehicle.

Because carriage110is configured to only engage tongue132when a toy vehicle is not loaded in carriage110, insertion and removal of pull cord300into housing block120when a toy vehicle is not loaded will not release carriage110from its ready position. Rather, only when a toy vehicle is loaded (which in turn will cause carriage110to disengage from tongue132on carriage capture and release assembly124, allowing carriage actuator129to pivot into engagement with carriage hook arm112) will the release mechanism of carriage capture and release assembly124be engaged, thus causing the carriage to be released once the pull cord300is withdrawn.

The mechanism for selectively causing carriage110to engage carriage capture and release assembly124only when a toy vehicle is positioned on carriage110is embodied in moveable arms116(FIGS. 9-11) that extend upward from carriage upper portion110a, and which are pivotably mounted to carriage110. Carriage110interacts with ramp section102so as to cause the top portions of moveable arms116to move toward one another as the carriage110is moved toward housing block120. More particularly, the upper face of ramp section102is provided with cam surfaces108on opposite sides of longitudinal slot105. Each cam surface108engages a bottom portion of one of the moveable arms116. Moreover, the bottom portions of moveable arms116are spring biased toward one another. Thus, as carriage110is moved toward housing block120, the upper portions of moveable arms116will move from the outer position shown inFIG. 9(where the bottom portions of moveable arms116engage the narrow-most portion of cam surfaces108) to the inward position shown inFIG. 10(where the bottom portions of moveable arms116engage the wider portion of cam surfaces108). In the position shown inFIG. 10, in which toy vehicle200is not yet seated within carriage110, the bottom portion of moveable arms116are positioned so that at least one of moveable arms116aligns with and engages tongue132, thus pivoting carriage actuator129rearward so that lift arm133on carriage actuator129does not engage lift surface115on carriage hook arm112. Likewise, and as shown inFIG. 11, when toy vehicle200is fully seated in carriage110, engagement clips202on toy vehicle200engage arms116to push the top portions of arms116slightly outward, in turn causing the bottom portions of arms116to pivot slightly inward, causing misalignment between arms116and tongue132on carriage actuator129. When arms116no longer engage tongue132, carriage actuator129pivots forward, thus causing lift arm133to engage lift surface115on carriage hook arm112.

In this position, as pull cord300is inserted into housing block120, carrier block125is pushed downward, causing lift arm133to push below lift surface115(carriage actuator129pivoting slightly rearward against its spring bias as lift arm133passes over lift surface115of carriage hook arm112). Thereafter, as pull cord300is pulled fully out of housing block120, carrier block125rises under the force of spring member127, raising lift arm133and in turn carriage hook arm112so as to disengage downward facing hook113from retaining ledge121and allowing elastic member140to quickly pull carriage110forward to launch the toy vehicle.

As pull cord300is pulled outward from housing block120, ribs302rotate axle206of toy vehicle200, in turn rotating drive wheel204so as to help propel toy vehicle200through a toy racetrack (described further below) after it has been launched from launcher100.

FIGS. 12 and 13provide close-up views of toy vehicle200positioned on launcher100with a pull cord300inserted through housing block120of launcher100and engaging toy vehicle200. Toy vehicle200includes drive wheel204affixed to axle206having teeth configured to engage the ribs302of pull cord300. InFIGS. 12 and 13, moveable arms116are shown engaging engagement clips202to hold toy vehicle in place on carriage110.FIG. 14provides a close-up side view of engagement clips202, drive wheel204, and axle206on toy vehicle200. As shown inFIG. 14, each engagement clip202has a notch203which receives an engaging surface on one of moveable arms116of carriage110to hold toy vehicle200in place.

FIG. 15shows an exemplary toy track that may be used in conjunction with launcher100. More particularly, and by way of non-limiting example, a toy track may be attached to launcher100that includes multiple stunt features, such as a loop section402, an open track and receiving ramp section404, and a feature section406, each of which stunt features is connected through extruded plastic track sections408. As shown inFIGS. 16 and 17, section406may include, for example, a spring loaded track segment410that may be pivotably attached to a base section411at pivot connection412. A trigger414may be provided that, when engaged by a toy vehicle traveling through section408from left to right inFIGS. 16 and 17, releases a retainer or latch mechanism within base section411to allow a spring member to pivot spring loaded track segment410upward, thus revealing an alternative surface that creates the appearance that the toy vehicle is “ripping” or “tearing up” the track. Optionally, multiple triggers414and pivoting spring loaded track segments410may be provided that a toy vehicle will traverse and trigger in sequence as it progresses through the toy track.

Of course, those skilled in the art will recognize that any combination of the above track features and alternatives therefor may be used with launcher100without departing from the spirit and scope of the instant invention.

In use, and with respect toFIGS. 18 and 19, a user first positions carriage110so that the back of carriage110is immediately adjacent housing block120, thus assuming the armed, ready position. Next, as shown inFIG. 18, the user positions a toy vehicle200on carriage110, and inserts pull cord300through housing block120and into toy vehicle200so as to engage axle206of toy vehicle200. Next, as shown inFIG. 19, the user quickly withdraws pull cord300from housing block120. As pull cord300is withdrawn, the circular ribs302of pull cord300engage axle206so as to rotate drive wheel204. Likewise, as pull cord300is fully withdrawn from housing block120, carriage capture and release assembly124(as discussed in detail above) releases carriage110, allowing elastic member140to propel carriage110forward to launch toy vehicle200.