Abstract:
The present invention is addressed to a toy wheeled vehicle having a high degree of flexibility and versatility. The vehicle is provided with a forward wheeled axle, a rearward wheeled axle, and a resilient coupling in the form of a coil spring connecting the forward wheeled axle to the rearward wheeled axle. The coupling permits multiple degrees of freedom between the forward wheeled axle and the rearward wheeled axle. The wheels are driven by motors which may be remotely controlled.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to toy vehicles generally 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various types of toy vehicles are known in the art. Flip over vehicle are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,969,851; 5,259,808 and 5,667,420. Toy vehicles having hinged chassis assemblies are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,696,655 4,822,316; 5,492,494 and 5,803,790. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention seek to provide an improved toy vehicle which has an extremely high degree of flexibility and versatility. 
     There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a toy vehicle including at least one forward wheeled axle, at least one rearward wheeled axle and a resilient coupling connecting the at least one forward wheeled axle and the at least one reward wheeled axle with more than one degree of freedom therebetween. 
     Preferably, the resilient coupling includes an elongate springs. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the resilient coupling includes a coil spring extending when in a rest orientation, generally perpendicular to the at least one forward wheeled axle and to the at least one rearward wheeled axle. 
     Preferably, the toy vehicle is operative for wheeled translation both in a first orientation and in a second orientation upside down of the first orientation. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the at least one forward wheeled axle and the at least one rearward wheeled axle includes a pair of wheels, each wheel being independently controllable. 
     Preferably, each wheel is associated with a separate motor, thereby providing steering of the vehicle by individual speed control of the wheels. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the at least one forward wheeled axle and at last one rearward wheeled axle is a non-rigid axle. 
     Preferably, the resilient coupling connecting the at least one forward wheeled axle and the at least one rearward wheeled axle has more than two degrees of freedom therebetween. 
     More preferably, the resilient coupling connecting the at least one forward wheeled axle and the at least one rearward wheeled axle has more than three degrees of freedom therebetween. 
     Even more preferably, the resilient coupling connecting the at least one forward wheeled axle and the at least one rearward wheeled axle has more than four degrees of freedom therebetween. 
     Yet more preferably, the resilient coupling connecting the at least one forward wheeled axle and the at least one rearward wheeled axle has more than five degrees of freedom therebetween. 
     Still more preferably, the resilient coupling connecting the at least one forward wheeled axle and the at least one rearward wheeled axle has more than six degrees of freedom therebetween. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated from the Following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a pictorial illustration of a toy vehicle constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention in a torqued orientation; 
     FIG. 2 is a pictorial illustration of the toy vehicle of FIG. 1 is a typical at-rest orientation; 
     FIG. 3 is a pictorial illustration of a toy vehicle constructed and operative in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention in a torqued orientation; 
     FIGS. 4A and 4B are pictorial illustrations of two alternative embodiments of a toy vehicle constructed and operative in accordance with the present invention; and 
     FIG. 5 is a composite pictorial illustration of a toy vehicle constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention in a plurality of different orientations showing the various degrees of freedom of relative movement between the forward and rearward axles. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference is now made to FIGS. 1 and 2, which illustrate a toy vehicle constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The toy vehicle preferably comprises a forward wheeled axle lo having mounted thereon first and second forward wheels  12  and  14 , each of which is preferably driven by a separate electric motor, designated respectively by reference numerals  16  and  18 . 
     The motors  16  and  18  are preferably connected together by a mounting element  20 . Shaft  20  is typically generally rigid but may alternatively be Gloible and resilient. Alternatively, the wheels  12  and  14  may be connected together by mounting element  20  and the motors may be attached to the shaft. 
     Motors  16  and  18  are preferably connected to respective wheels  12  and  14  by respective shafts  22  and  24 . Shafts  22  and  24  may be rigid or alternatively flexible and/or stretchable. 
     The toy vehicle also preferably comprises a rearward wheeled axle wheeled axle  30  having mounted thereon first and second rearward wheels  32  and  34 , each of which is preferably driven by a separate electric motor, designated respectively by reference numerals  36  and  38 . 
     The motors  36  and  38  are preferably connected together by a mounting element  40 . Shaft  40  is typically generally rigid but may alternatively be flexible and resilient. Alternatively, the wheels  32  and  34  may be connected together by mounting element  40  and the motors may be mounted to the shaft. 
     Motors  36  and  38  are preferably connected to respective wheels  32  and  34  by respective shafts  42  and  44 . Shafts  42  and  44  may be rigid or alternatively flexible and/or stretchable. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a resilient coupling  50  connects the forward wheeled axle  10  and the rearward wheeled axle  30  via respective axle mounts  52  and  54  with more than one degree of freedom therebetween. Preferably, the resilient coupling  50  provides more than two degrees of freedom. In a most preferred embodiment of the invention, the resilient coupling  50  provides six degrees of freedom. Additional degrees of freedom may be realized if mounting elements  20  and  40  are flexible and resilient. 
     A preferred embodiment of resilient coupling  50  comprises an elongate coil spring  56  which allows relative translation of wheeled axles  10  and  30  along three mutually perpendicular axes and allows relative pitch, yaw and roll thereof. 
     According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, electric motors may be provided only on one of the forward and rearward wheeled axles  10  and  30 . In such a case the remaining wheels are relatively freely rotating. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a radio controller  60  is provided with independent speed and direction controls  62 ,  64 ,  66  and  68  for each of motors  12 ,  14 ,  32  and  34 , thus providing vehicle steering control as well as speed control via a radio receiver and motor driver  69 . Alternatively, the toy vehicle can be operated without a remote control and may employ one or more motors to drive one or more of the wheels. 
     It is seen that FIG. 1 shows the vehicle with resilient coupling so in a torqued orientation, while FIG. 2 shows the vehicle with resilient coupling  50  in an at-rest orientation. 
     Reference is now made to FIG. 3, which is a pictorial illustration of a toy Vehicle constructed and operative in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention in a torqued orientation. In the illustration of FIG. 3 it is seen that not only is resilient coupling  50  torqued, but also at least some of shafts  22 ,  24 ,  32  and  34  are also torqued and/or extended. The illustrated flexibility of design enables the toy vehicle to travel over extremely rough and varied terrain. 
     Reference is now made to FIGS. 4A and 4B, which are pictorial illustrations of two alternative embodiments of a toy vehicle constructed and operative in accordance with the present invention. It is appreciated that the vehicles of FIGS. 4A and 4B, as well as all the other vehicles described herein may be operated with what is the forward axle being located rearwardly and vice versa. Thus it is to be understood that the designations of forward and rearward may be taken to be arbitrary. 
     The embodiment of FIG. 4A, which is the most preferred embodiment, preferably comprises a forward wheeled axle  110  having mounted thereon first and second forward wheels  112  and  114 , each of which is preferably driven by a separate electric motor, designated respectively by reference numerals  116  and  118 . 
     The motors  116  and  118  are preferably mounted in a housing  120  and are coupled via respective gear assemblies  122  and  124  and respective shafts  126  and  128  to wheels  112  and  114 . Shafts  126  and  128  are typically generally rigid but may alternatively be flexible and resilient. Alternatively, the wheels  112  and  114  may be rotatably connected to shafts and the motors may be mounted to the shafts. 
     The toy vehicle also preferably comprises a rearward wheeled axle  130  having mounted thereon first and second wheels  132  and  134 , each of which is preferably driven by a separate electric motor, designated respectively by reference numerals  136  and  138 . 
     The Motors  136  and  138  are preferably mounted in a housing  140  and are coupled via respective gear assemblies  142  and  144  and respective shafts  146  and  148  to wheels  132  and  134 . Shafts  146  and  148  are typically generally rigid but may alternatively be flexible and resilient. Alternatively, the wheels  132  and  134  may be rotatably connected to shafts and the motors may be mounted on the shafts. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a resilient coupling  150  connects the forward wheeled axle  110  and the rearward wheeled axle  130  via respective housings  120  and  140  with more than one degree of freedom therebetween. Preferably,the resilient coupling  150  provides more than two degrees of freedom. In a most preferred embodiment of the invention, the resilient coupling  150  provides six degrees of freedom. Additional degrees of freedom may be realized if one or more of shafts  126 ,  128 ,  146  and  148  are flexible, stretchable and/or resilient. 
     A preferred embodiment of resilient coupling  150  comprises an elongate coil spring  156  which allows relative translation of wheeled axles  110  and  130  along three mutually perpendicular axes and allows relative pitch, yaw and roll thereof. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a radio controller (not shown) may be provided with independent speed and direction controls for each of the motors. Such a radio controller way communicate with a radio receiver and motor driver  160  which receives electrical power from a battery  162  and provides electrical power to the motors  116 ,  118 ,  136  and  136 . Alternatively, the toy vehicle can be operated without a remote control. 
     It is seen that FIG. 4A shows the vehicle with resilient coupling  150  in an at-rest orientation, it being appreciated that alternatively, the resilient coupling may be torqued in one or more directions. 
     The embodiment of FIG. 4B preferably comprises a forward wheeled axle  210  having mounted thereon first and second forward wheels  212  and  214 , which are preferably steerable by a steering motor  216  via a gear assembly  218  and respective link ages  220  and  222 . 
     The motor  216  is preferably mounted in a housing  224 . Linkages  220  and  222  are typically generally rigid but may alternatively be flexible and resilient. 
     The vehicle of FIG. 4B also comprises a rearward wheeled axle  230  having mounted thereon first and second rearward wheels  232  and  234 , both of which are driven by a single electric motor  236  via a gear assembly  238  and a common shaft  239 . The motor  236  is preferably mounted in a housing  240 . 
     Shaft  239  is typically generally rigid but may alternatively be flexible, extendible and/or resilient. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a resilient coupling  250  connects the forward wheeled axle  210  and the rearward wheeled axle  230  via respective housings  224  and  240  with more than one degree of freedom therebetween. Preferably, the resilient coupling  250  provides more than two degrees of freedom. In A most preferred embodiment of the invention, the resilient coupling  250  provides six degrees of freedom. Additional degrees of freedom may be realized if one or more of shaft  239  and linkages  220  and  222  at flexible, stretchable and/or resilient. 
     A preferred embodiment of resilient coupling  250  comprises an elongate coil spring  256  which allows relative translation of wheeled axles  210  and  230  along three mutually perpendicular axes and allows relative pitch, yaw and roll thereof. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a radio controller (not shown) may be provided with independent speed and direction controls for each of the motors. Such a radio controller may communicate with a radio receiver and motor driver  260  which receives electrical power from a battery  262  and provides electrical power to the motors  216  and  236 . Alternatively, the toy vehicle can be operated without a remote control. 
     It is seen that FIG. 4B shows the vehicle with resilient coupling  250  in an at-rest orientation, it being appreciated that alternatively, the resilient coupling may be torqued in one or more directions. 
     Reference is now made to FIG. 5, which is a composite pictorial illustration of a toy vehicle  300  constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention in a plurality of different orientations showing the various degrees of freedom of relative movement between the forward and rearward axles. Vehicle  300  may be a vehicle comprising any desired combination of the features described hereinabove with reference to FIGS. 1-4B. 
     Typically, the vehicle  300  comprises first and second wheeled axles  302  and  304 , at least one of which is motor driven, joined by a resilient coupling  306 . 
     Reference numeral  310  designates the vehicle  300  in a typical orientation on a flat surface wherein resilient coupling  306  is in an untorqued orientation. Reference numeral  320  shows engagement of the vehicle  300  with a wall and consequent torquing of resilient coupling  306 , producing bending thereof generally in two dimensions. 
     Reference numeral  330  shows wheeled axle  302  at least partially riding on one wall and the resilient coupling  306  torqued so as to be bent generally in three dimensions. 
     Reference numeral  340  shows both wheeled axles  302  and  304  both riding walls which are angled with respect to each other, while reference numeral  350  shows the vehicle  300  about to flip over as it begins to disengage from the wall. 
     Reference numeral  360  shows vehicle  300  flipping over and reference numeral  370  shows vehicle  300  entirely flipped over with the resilient coupling  306  it a generally untorgued at-rest orientation. 
     It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention includes combinations and subcombinations of the various features described hereinabove as well as modificatians and variations thereof which would occur to a person skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description and which are not in the prior art.