TOY VEHICLE JUMPSET WITH CROSSING RISE AND DESCENT PATHS

Abstract: A toy vehicle jumpset includes a booster (14) coupled to a trackway (11) for receiving toy vehicles (47). The output of the booster is coupled to an upwardly curved, vertical launch ramp (15) which directs the toy vehicles in a vertical rise. An inverted vertical loop (16) is positioned to receive the upwardly directed toy vehicles and redirect the toy vehicles downwardly to a landing ramp (17) in a travel path which crosses the vertical rise path. A return trackway guides the toy vehicles from the landing ramp back to the booster entrance to repeat the cycle. A pair of safety shield sleeves (30, 31) are supported by a tower (20) between the launch ramp and the inverted vertical loop to prevent the user from leaning into the vehicle travel path and risking potential injury.

Description: TOY VEHICLE JUMPSET WITH CROSSING RISE AND DESCENT PATHS SPECIFICATION Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to toy vehicle play sets and particularly to those utilizing a toy vehicle accelerator or booster in combination with a jump ramp and a landing ramp. Background of the Invention Toy vehicle play sets have proven to be an extremely popular and long-lasting toy product category. Through the years a number of variations of toy vehicle play sets have emerged to further define the product types. One of the more pervasive and long-lasting types of toy vehicle play sets to have grown substantially in recent years is that generally referred to as toy vehicle ju psets. These toy vehicle play sets acquire their name due to the use of a trackway which includes one or more upwardly directly launching ramps followed by a gap in the trackway together with a spaced apart landing ramp. Through the use of a combination of jump ramps and landing ramps, toy vehicles may be propelled down a confined trackway and directed to the jump ramp causing them to be launched upwardly and forwardly flying through the air across the gap and ultimately landing upon the landing ramp to continue traveling. Such jumpsets are often further enhanced with various loops and curves in the toy vehicle trackway. Toy vehicles themselves have been provided in a substantial variety and have included battery powered, self-propelled toy vehicles, vehicles which are freewheeling and are accelerated by long downwardly directed gravity powered ramps, or free-wheeling vehicles which are unpowered but which are accelerated down the trackway by devices known as boosters. Such boosters are well known in the art and provide one or more spinning booster wheels alongside the trackway rotating under battery power. As the vehicle enters the booster, the rotating disk for wheel engages the vehicles and accelerates it. In most boosters, a pair of opposed wheels are operative to accelerate the vehicle and maintain its straight line travel path down the track. For example, U.S. Patent 3,641,704 issued to Sims et al sets forth an ACCELERATOR FOR A TOY VEHICLE having a pair of rotating wheels positioned on opposite sides of a toy vehicle trackway which are gear coupled to a common drive motor. The drive motor is energized by a battery powered source and causes the vehicle engaging wheels to rotate in synchronism. As the vehicle enters the booster area, the wheels engage the vehicle from opposite sides and due to their rotation, accelerate the vehicle. U.S. Patent 3,590,524 issued to Demy et al sets forth a TOY VEHICLE ACCELERATOR similar to the above- described accelerator with the added advantage of having a pair of oppositely directed accelerator devices positioned in a common housing such that trackways in both directions may be coupled to the booster and vehicles receive acceleration in both directions of travel. A variety of toy vehicle jumpsets have been provided in the art such as that set forth in U.S. Patent 4,767,053 issued to Cook et al which sets forth a MULTI FUNCTION TOY STUNT SET which may be used to form a loop and ramps for use during play with toy vehicles. Two tower members with engaging grooves are mounted on a base to form a loop and ramps of toy vehicle track. Toy vehicles may be rolled onto the loop and ramps through a supporting frame and flexible pieces. U.S. Patent 4,558,867 issued to Hippely sets forth a TOY VEHICLE TRACKWAY SET having a trackway portion which defines a vertical trackway loop coupled to a horizontally oriented loop portion in which the horizontal loop defines an upwardly inclined trackway ramp. A toy vehicle accelerated down the trackway undergoes a vertical loop followed by a horizontally disposed loop and terminating in flight from the upwardly angled trackway portion. A catch basket is provided to receive the launched toy vehicle. U.S. Patent 4,394,961 issued to Muller sets forth a TRACK FOR TOY VEHICLES WITH JUMPING-OFF AND JUMPING- ON RAMPS in which a pair of oppositely positioned open loop trackways are secured to a trackway path. A toy vehicle enters one loop portion and is redirected upwardly and reversely across the space between the opposed loop ramp portion flying through the gap to be received upon the second loop portion and returned to the track. U.S. Patent 3,860,238 issued to Kojima sets forth a CONTINUOUS RACE TRACK HAVING TURNAROUND PORTIONS in which a plurality of parallel trackway paths are directed toward a loop station having a multi channeled rotating drum supporting a plurality of paddle wheel tines. A second set of receiving trackway paths is supported above the first set of trackway paths. Vehicles are launched toward the rotating drum and are accelerated about the loop portion of the track and deposited upon the second set of trackway paths. U.S. Patent 5,102,133 issued to Chilton et al sets forth an INTERRUPTED INVERTED JUMP LOOP FOR ELECTRIC SLOT CARS having a pair of trackways coupled to a pair of oppositely positioned curved jump ramp portions. A gap is formed between the jump loop portions which is adjustable by movement of the jump loops relative to each other. A toy vehicle such as a slot car travels down one trackway through the first jump loop and hurdles the gap between the first and second jump loops and is recovered upon the second jump loop and redirected along the track pathway. A variety of early toy vehicle jumpsets are set forth in various forms in U.S. Patent 798,966 issued to Johnson; U.S. Patent 812,595 issued to Roberts; U.S. Patent 1,527,006 issued to O'Reilly; and U.S. Patent 1,599,982 issued to Bauer. While the foregoing described prior art devices have, in many instances, substantially improved the toy vehicle jumpset art, and have in several instances enjoyed commercial success, there remains nonetheless a continuing unfulfilled need in the toy vehicle art for evermore interesting, amusing, exciting and safely operated toy vehicle jumpsets. Summary of the Invention Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved toy vehicle jumpset. It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved toy vehicle jumpset which produces an exciting and extended jump activity while preserving the safety of operation of the jumpset. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a toy vehicle jumpset for use in combination with a toy vehicle, the toy vehicle jumpset comprising: a toy vehicle trackway, a booster coupled to the trackway for accelerating a toy vehicle, an upwardly curved launch ramp coupled to the booster for receiving an accelerated toy vehicle and directing it upwardly along a rise path, an inverted loop having an input portion in the rise path and a downwardly angled output portion for receiving an upwardly directed toy vehicle from the launch ramp and directing it downwardly along a downwardly angled descent path, a landing ramp for receiving a toy vehicle traveling downwardly along the descent path and directing it toward the toy vehicle trackway, and at least one shield sleeve interposed in the rise path and the descent path. Brief Description of the Drawings The features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and in which : Figure 1 sets forth a perspective view of a toy vehicle jumpset constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 sets forth a partial perspective view of the jump ramp and landing ramp portions of the present invention toy vehicle jumpset; and Figure 3 sets forth a partial section view of the crossing rise and descent travel paths of the present invention toy vehicle play set. Description of the Preferred Embodiment Figure 1 sets forth a perspective view of a toy vehicle jumpset constructed in accordance with the present invention and generally referenced by numeral 10. Jumpset 10 includes a trackway 11 having a straight track 19, a curved portion 12, an entrance ramp 13 and a curve 18. Entrance ramp 13 is coupled to a booster 14 which, in accordance with conventional fabrication techniques, includes a pair of power driven accelerating wheels 40 and 41 disposed on each side of the toy vehicle trackway passing through booster 14. Thus booster 14 may, for example, be fabricated in accordance with the structure set forth in U.S. Patent 3,641,704 or other equivalent structures with the essential function being the ability to accelerate a toy vehicle path which traverses entrance ramp 13 and moves into booster 14. Straight track 19 as well as curved portions 12 and 18 together with entrance ramp 13 may be fabricated in accordance with conventional fabrication techniques to provide a molded plastic or extruded plastic combination of elements for forming trackway 11. In accordance with the present invention, jumpset 10 further includes an upwardly curved launch ramp 15 coupled to booster 14 together with a tower 20 formed of vertical segments 26 and 27 and an inverted vertical loop portion 16. Jumpset 10 further includes a landing ramp 17 coupled to curved portion 18 of trackway 11. For aesthetic purposes a base cover 22 generally replicating a mountain or volcano is positioned upon a base 21 (seen in Figure 2) which provides support for launch ramp 15, landing ramp 17 and tower 20. Base cover 22 defines an entrance aperture 23 overlying the lower portion of launch ramp 15 and an exit aperture 24 located at the upper end of launch ramp 15. In further accordance with an important aspect of the present invention, tower 20 further supports a pair of shield sleeves 30 and 31 which define passages therethrough in a general vertical alignment shown in Figure 3. Suffice it to note here that shield sleeves 30 and 31 are positioned upon tower 20 to prevent the child user from leaning his or her head into the space between launch ramp 15 and vertical loop 16. In still further accordance with an important aspect of the present invention, and as is described below in Figure 3 in greater detail, shield sleeves 30 and 31 define respective openings 62 and 65 which, as is better seen in Figure 3, facilitate the crossing travel path of the present invention jumpset. In operation, booster 14 operates to rotate wheels 40 and 41 with sufficient speed that a toy vehicle traversing entrance ramp 13 as illustrated by toy vehicle 42 and traveling in the direction indicated by arrow 43 is drawn between rotating wheels 40 and 41. In accordance with the conventional operation of booster 14, the rotation of wheels 40 and 41 rapidly accelerates the toy vehicle toward launch ramp 15. Thereafter, the toy vehicle travels upwardly upon launch ramp 15 as illustrated by arrow 44 passing through entrance 23 and into base cover 22. The upwardly curved structure of launch ramp 15 (better seen in Figure 2) converts the kinetic energy of the toy vehicle into an upwardly directed momentum such that the toy vehicle rises from launch ramp 15 as indicated by arrow 45 and travels upwardly due to its momentum through shield sleeves 30 and 31 as further indicated by arrow 46. As the toy vehicle rises through shield sleeves 30 and 31, it enters the inverted structure of vertical loop 16 at a position illustrated by toy vehicle 47. Thereafter the toy vehicle is guided and redirected by vertical loop 16 to a downward trajectory leaving loop 16 in the direction indicated by arrow 48 and passing through opening 65 of shield 31 as well as opening 62 of shield 30. Finally, the toy vehicle emerges from shield 30 in the direction indicated by arrow 49 and lands upon landing ramp 17 after which its momentum carries the toy vehicle about curve 18, through straight track 19 and curve 12 to again travel entrance ramp 13 and ultimately return to booster 14 where the rapid acceleration is again imparted to the vehicle to repeat the travel cycle. In accordance with an important safety aspect of the present invention described below in greater detail, the use of shield sleeves 30 and 31 within the upwardly directed vertical path of the toy vehicle between launch ramp 15 and vertical loop 16 provides an important safety characteristic in that the shield sleeves prevent the child user from leaning into the travel path of the rapidly moving toy vehicle and risking injury as a result. The fabrication of shield sleeves 30 and 31 so as to provide openings 62 and 65 therein facilitates the positioning of shield sleeves 30 and 31 in close proximity to accomplish this safety purpose while allowing the toy vehicle to move along its downwardly directed trajectory from vertical loop 16 to landing ramp 17. In further accordance with the present invention, booster 14 operates at a high energy and a plurality of closely spaced toy vehicles may be continuously operated upon jumpset 10 as booster 14 rapidly accelerates each incoming toy vehicle and as the trackway returns each toy vehicle to the entrance ramp of booster 14 following its execution of the vertical rise and descent through the jumping station. Figure 2 sets forth a perspective assembly view of the jumpset base portion showing base 21 having a tower socket 50 receiving section 26 of tower 20. The upper end of section 26 defines a plug 28 which is received within a cooperating socket of tower section 27 in a snap fit attachment to form tower 20. Base 21 further supports upwardly curved launch ramp 15 which is secured to base 21 in accordance with conventional fabrication techniques. The lower end of launch ramp 15 defines a tongue 53 which is joined to the housing of booster 14 in accordance with conventional fabrication techniques. To further secure booster 14 against launch ramp 15, a booster latch 51 is secured to base 21 and defines a hook 52 which further engages a cooperating portion of booster 14 (not shown) . Base 21 also supports a vertically extending ramp support 25 which defines a latch receptacle 35 on its upper 10 end. Landing ramp 17 defines a locating rib 36 and a latch 37 which cooperates with receptacle 35 to secure the upper end of landing ramp 17 to support 25. For purposes of illustration, base cover 22 is shown in dashed line representation and which defines an entrance opening 23 and an exit aperture 26 on each end of launch ramp 15. Thus in accordance with the present invention, it will be apparent that toy vehicles accelerated through booster 14 are redirected upwardly by the upward curve of launch ramp 15 to emerge in a vertical travel path through exit 26 of base cover 22. It will be equally apparent that vehicles descending through the jump station land upon the upper portion of landing ramp 17 and as a result are redirected to travel along the remainder of trackway 11. Figure 3 sets forth a partial section view of the crossing rise and descent path components of the present invention jumpset. As described above, jumpset 10 includes an upwardly directed launch ramp 15 and an inverted vertical loop portion 16. The function of launch ramp 15 is to direct a toy vehicle traversing the ramp at a high velocity to a substantially vertical trajectory. This vertical trajectory is directed at the receiving portion 32 of vertical loop 16. In accordance with an important aspect of the present invention, shield sleeves 30 and 31 are supported within this vertical travel path of vehicle 55 and prevent the child user from leaning into or otherwise extending the child's head or face into the potentially hazardous travel path of the toy vehicle. In further accordance with an important aspect of the 1 1 present invention, shield sleeve 30 is formed of a generally cylindrical wall 60 defining a vertical passage 61 therethrough. An opening 62 is formed in wall 60 to allow the crossing descent path of toy vehicles to traverse passage 61 at an angle as shown. Similarly shield sleeve 31 defines a generally cylindrical wall 63 having a passage 64 therethrough. An opening 65 is formed in wall 63 in order to further accommodate the crossing descent path of toy vehicles. In the preferred fabrication of the present invention, a pair of shield sleeves 30 and 31 are spaced between launch ramp 15 and vertical loop 16. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a different number of shield sleeves may be interposed between launch ramp 15 and vertical loop 16 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It will be further apparent to those skilled in the art that while shield sleeves 30 and 31 are illustrated to be formed of generally cylindrical wall portions, sleeves such as sleeves 30 and 31 may be fabricated of different cross sections such as square, rectangular, elliptical or the like, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, a plurality of substantially thinner shield sleeves may be spaced between launch ramp 15 and vertical loop 16 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In its simplest form, a plurality of collars or rings may be suitably spaced to accomplish this safety function. For maximum aesthetic effect and excitement, however, it has been found that shield sleeves 30 and 31 positioned as shown and formed of a generally transparent material greatly enhance the excitement value of the present invention jumpset. 12 In operation, as the toy vehicle leaves launch ramp 15 as indicated by vehicle 55, it travels upwardly through passages 61 and 64 of shield sleeves 30 and 31 and is received upon entrance portion 32 of vertical loop 16. After rapidly traversing loop 16, the toy vehicle then continues downwardly leaving output portion 33 of vertical loop 16 in the direction indicated by arrow 57. It will apparent from examination of openings 65 and 62 that the openings are located within their respective shield sleeves to facilitate the travel of a toy vehicle through the shield sleeves crossing the rise path of the toy vehicle and forming a crossing descent path. Toy vehicle 56 is shown at the approximate midpoint of this descent to illustrate this alignment. Thereafter the toy vehicle continues in the direction indicated by arrow 58 and lands upon landing ramp 17 and is, as described above, redirected back to booster 14 as shown in Figure 1 to repeat the cycle. What has been shown is an entertaining and amusing toy vehicle jumpset which provides an exciting vertical eruption of toy vehicles from a simulated mountain or volcano while maintaining complete safety of operation and preventing the child user from being injured by the rapidly moving, high energy toy vehicles. The jumpset shown operates continuously using a conventional booster and conventional return trackway to provide virtually limitless time of enjoyment as the jumpset performs. While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the aim 1 3 in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims: 14 THAT WHICH IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A toy vehicle jumpset for use in combination with a toy vehicle, said toy vehicle jumpset comprising: a toy vehicle trackway; a booster coupled to said trackway for accelerating a toy vehicle; an upwardly curved launch ramp coupled to said booster for receiving an accelerated toy vehicle and directing it upwardly along a rise path; an inverted loop having an input portion in said use path and a downwardly angled output portion for receiving an upwardly directed toy vehicle from said launch ramp and directing it downwardly along a downwardly angled descent path; a landing ramp for receiving toy vehicle traveling downwardly along said descent path and directing it toward said toy vehicle trackway; and at least one shield sleeve interposed in said rise path and said descent path. 2. The toy vehicle jumpset set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one shield sleeve defines a wall forming a rise path passage therethrough and defining an opening through which said descent path passes crossing said rise path. 3. The toy vehicle jumpset set forth in claim 2 wherein said at least one shield sleeve includes a 1 5 pair of vertically aligned shield sleeves each having a wall defining path passage therethrough and a descent path opening formed therein. 4. The toy vehicle jumpset set forth in claim 3 wherein said pair of shield sleeves are generally cylindrical. 5. The toy vehicle jumpset set forth in claim 4 further including a base supporting said launch ramp and said loading ramp, said base being joined to said booster . 6. The toy vehicle jumpset set forth in claim 5 further including a vertical tower secured to and rising from said base and wherein said inverted loop and said pair of shield sleeves are supported by said vertical tower. 7. A toy vehicle jumpset for use in combination with a toy vehicle, said toy vehicle jumpset comprising: a base having an upwardly curved launch ramp and a downwardly curved landing ramp; a booster coupled to said launch ramp; a trackway coupled between said landing ramp and said booster; an inverted loop supported above said launch ramp having an input portion aligned with said launch ramp and an output portion aligned to said landing ramp ; and 1 6 at least one shield sleeve interposed between said launch ramp and said inverted loop. 8. The toy vehicle jumpset set forth in claim 7 wherein said at least one shield sleeve includes a pair of sleeves each defining a passage therethrough.

Inventors: LAMBERT GERARD L, LAMBERT, GERARD, L.
Applicants: MATTEL INC, MATTEL, INC.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A63H18
IPC codes: A63H18