Abstract:
A remotely controlled concealed attack toy vehicle has a relatively normal appearance when the hood is closed; and arrangements are provided for raising the hood, and an armed attack figure is also raised, to present a threatening posture. The vehicle may have two rear drive wheels, which are independently operable by separate motors in the forward or reverse directions to permit rapid swiveling. A third idler wheel may be provided toward the front of the vehicle. A third motor may be provided to raise and lower the hood and the action figure, with an optional lost motion mechanism for delayed raising of the attack figure.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to toy vehicles and more particularly to toy vehicles for providing a surprise attack or threat. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   It has previously been proposed to provide toy vehicles having exploding characteristics, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,888 show one such toy. Attention is also directed to U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,078 which shows a vehicle with crocodile teeth and using a wing structure which is raised as the exposed jaws of the vehicle are opened. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,486 shows a vehicle in which the inside of the hood of a toy vehicle is in the form of a creature which squirts water when the hood is raised. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a concealed attack vehicle includes a hood which presents a relatively innocuous appearance when closed. When the hood is raised, an armed attack figure, spaced from the hood, is raised, and presents a threatening appearance. 
   The vehicle may be provided with three wheels, including first and second rear drive wheels, and a third front idler wheel. A remote controller may be provided to selectively energize first and second drive motors coupled, respectively, to the first and second drive wheels. The controller may also selectively control a third motor for raising and lowering the vehicle hood and the attack figure, and also may control weapon noise sound effects. A lost motion mechanism may be provided so that the third motor initially raises the hood of the vehicle, and subsequently raises the armed attack figure. 
   Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description, and from the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an attack vehicle system with the hood of the vehicle open and the armed attack figure in a raised threatening posture; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the vehicle of  FIG. 1  with the hood closed; 
       FIG. 3  shows a top view of the attack vehicle of  FIGS. 1 and 2  with the hood closed; 
       FIG. 4  shows a side view of the vehicle of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a front view of the vehicle of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 6  is a rear view of the vehicle of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the attack vehicle of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a side view showing some of the operating mechanisms for driving the rear wheels and for raising the hood; 
       FIG. 9  is an exploded diagrammatic showing, indicating how the hood is mounted on the chassis; 
       FIG. 10  is another view indicating the mode of operation of the mechanism for raising the attack figure; 
       FIGS. 11 ,  12  and  13  are successive views showing how the action figure is raised concurrently with or after the hood of the vehicle is raised; 
       FIG. 14  shows the remote controller with various switches for sending signals to the attack vehicle; 
       FIGS. 15 and 16  illustrate another embodiment of the invention in which a different action figure and a different external configuration of the vehicle are presented; 
       FIG. 17  is an exploded view showing how the hood is mounted to a rotating shaft in the body of the vehicle; 
       FIG. 18  shows the three motors and how they are mounted in the attack vehicle; 
       FIG. 19  shows the motor for actuating the hood and the attack figure and indicates the step-down gearing from the motor to a rotatable shaft; 
       FIG. 20  shows the two motors for independently operating the two rear wheels of the attack vehicle; 
       FIGS. 21 and 22  show the exterior configuration, and the exposed action figure, respectively, for a third embodiment of the invention; and 
       FIG. 23  illustrates schematically the hand held controller and the attack vehicle and the communication which flows from the controller to the vehicle. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   While the specification describes particular embodiments of the present invention, those of ordinary skill can devise variations of the present invention without departing from the inventive concept. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1  of the drawing, it is a perspective view showing the attack vehicle system  32  including the vehicle chassis  34  and the attack  FIG. 36 . When the hood is down, the action  FIG. 36  is concealed, but when the hood  38  is raised the action  FIG. 36  is concurrently or slightly subsequently raised to present a threatening attack appearance. 
   One large wheel  40  shown mounted at the rear of the vehicle has a companion wheel at the other side of rear of the vehicle, not shown. Mounted on the sides of the vehicle are weapons  42 . In addition, the action figure has weapons  34  available for launching. As developed hereinbelow, sound effects are provided so that the noise of operation of the weapons is simulated. 
     FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the attack vehicle  32 , with the hood  38  being closed, and the rear wheel  40  being visible as in the case of perspective view of  FIG. 1 . 
     FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the attack vehicle  32  with the hood  38  and the rear wheels  40  and  41  being clearly visible. 
     FIG. 4  is a side view of the attack vehicle  32  with the hood  38 , the rear wheel  41  and an additional front idler wheel  43  being visible. For completeness the front view  5  shows the idler wheel  43  and the two rear wheels  40  and  41 , while the showing of  FIG. 6  of the rear of the attack vehicle shows the two rear wheels  40  and  41  more prominently. 
     FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the attack vehicle  38  and clearly shows the two larger rear wheels  40  and  41  as well as the smaller front idler wheel  43 . 
     FIG. 8  is a partial cross-sectional view showing the step-down mechanism for operating the shaft  54  which raises the hood and also shows one of the motors  58  for driving one of the rear wheels. It may be noted that the motor  52  for rotating the shaft  54  is coupled to the shaft by the step-down gearing assembly  56 . Regarding the motor  58 , it drives the rear wheel  41  by the belt and pulleys which are shown at reference numeral  60 . 
     FIG. 9  is an exploded view showing the hood  38  spaced apart from the chassis  34  of the vehicle. In the configuration as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the motor  52  operates and rotates the shaft  54  following the step-down gearing  56 . The subhousing  62  is fixed to the shaft  54  and rotates with it. On the subhousing  62  are cross protrusions  64  mating with cross recesses  66  on the attack vehicle chassis, and the hood  38 , respectively. As the entire housing  62  is rotated upwardly, the hood, being coupled to the subhousing  62  by the cross protrusions and recesses  64  and  66 , is raised. Similarly, the action  FIG. 36  is coupled to housing  62  by the linkage  68  and, concurrently with or following the raising of the hood  38 , the action  FIG. 36  is raised into a threatening stance. 
   Three successive positions of the action  FIG. 36  are shown in  FIGS. 11 ,  12  and  13 . More specifically, as the subhousing  62  is rotated about the pivot point  70 , the subassembly  62  is raised, and the action  FIG. 36 , being linked to the subhousing  62  by the linkages  68  and  69 , will also rise with successive positions shown in these three figures of the drawing. Incidentally it may be noted that the linkage  69  has a fixed pivot point  74  on the chassis of the attack vehicle, and the other linkage  68  is pivotally coupled to the subassembly  62  at linkage point  76 . 
     FIG. 14  shows one preferred embodiment for the controller  82 . Incidentally the coupling between the controller  82  and the attack vehicle  32  may be by low level radio signals or by infrared or by direct electrical wire connections, or by any other known method. Two joy sticks  84  and  86  are provided each with two positions, to provide forward and reverse rotation signals for each of the two large rear drive wheels  40  and  41 . The two switches  88  and  90  are for different weapon sound effects which are provided to simulate use by the action figure of the weapons at his disposal. In addition, the switches  92  and  94  are provided for raising the hood and action figure and for lowering the hood and action figure. 
     FIGS. 15 and 16  represent another embodiment of the invention in which the attack vehicle  100  has a hood  101  which may be raised to reveal the threatening attack  FIG. 102 . 
     FIGS. 17 and 18  show the mechanism for raising the hood and also for actuating the rear wheels. More specifically, the motor  112  rotates the shaft  114  following a series of step-down gears (not shown). The outer ends of the shaft  114  are provided with a cross set of protrusions  116  and  118  which fit the cross recesses  120  of the hood.  FIG. 17  shows one set of cross protrusions  118  and cross recesses  120 , but of course there are two such mating couplings. In  FIG. 19  the rotating shaft  114  is shown more clearly as being driven by the motor  112  through the step down gearing  113 . In  FIG. 19  the reference numeral  138  refers to an internal panel within the attack vehicle. 
   Incidentally, the embodiment of  FIGS. 17 and 18  differs from that of  FIGS. 1 through 13  in the hood and attack figure actuation. Thus, in the arrangements of  FIGS. 1–13  the hood and action figure are coupled to the sub-assembly  62 , while in the mechanism of  FIGS. 17 ,  18  and  19 , the hood and action figure are coupled directly to the rotating shaft  114 . It is also noted that, in both cases, the hood has sufficient flexibility that the two sides may be flexed outward, to permit removal of the hood. 
     FIG. 20  shows the drive motors  132  and  134  which are coupled respectively to the wheels  40 ′ and  41 ′. Each motor has an output pulley  142  which is in turn coupled to a respective pulley  144  for driving the wheels  40 ′ and  41 ′. The pulleys may of course be of different sizes to accommodate the desired drive ratio between the motors  132  and  134  and the respective wheels  40 ′ and  41 ′. 
     FIGS. 21 and 22  show still another embodiment of the invention with the attack vehicle  162  having a hood  164  which may be raised to reveal the action  FIG. 166 . The driving mechanism for the hood and the wheels may be any desired type such as those shown for either of the two other attack vehicles and action figures included in the present drawings. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 23  of the drawings, it shows the remote controller  82 , and the attack vehicle  32  schematically with inputs showing how the controller sends the signals to the attack vehicle and what control signals are employed. 
   Concerning the two rear drive wheels  40 ,  41  and the idler wheel  43 , together with the drive arrangement for separately powering the drive wheels in the forward or reverse directions, this motive power system has certain special advantages. Specifically, by operating one rear wheel in one direction and the other rear wheel in the opposite direction, rapid swiveling of the vehicle may be accomplished so that the vehicle may be quickly oriented to any desired direction. 
   It may also be noted that the mounting arrangements for the action figure are such that, in both cases, there is lost motion between the raising of the hood and the raising of the action figure, so that there is substantial clearance between the action figure and the hood. 
   In conclusion, in the foregoing detailed description and in the drawings, preferred embodiments of the invention have been described. However, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and cope of the invention. Thus, by way of example and not of limitation, other mechanical arrangements may be provided for raising and lowering the hood and the action figure. Also, the vehicle may have four wheels instead of three wheels, and power may be supplied to two wheels, from a single motor, with steering signals optionally being provided. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments as shown and described hereinabove.