Abstract:
A toy tractor-trailer vehicle includes multiple separate, but connectable, vehicular components wherein a trailer is formed by a trailer bed and a separate trailer box. The trailer bed and trailer box are joined together to form a conventional toy vehicle trailer and the trailer bed is reversed and joined with the box to form a storage container for the toy vehicle housing at least the tractor. The toy vehicle may be remotely-controlled with the controller also in the storage container. The trailer box is adapted to accept panels with graphic images displayed thereon and printed by the user of the toy vehicle. The graphic images are obtained via the Internet.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/385,135, “Remote Controlled Toy Tractor-Trailer Rig”, filed May 30, 2002, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates to toy wheeled vehicles and, more particularly, to toy vehicles comprised of multiple components, such as a tractor-trailer rig formed by a truck cab with a box trailer.  
           [0003]    Typically, the various elements of a toy tractor-trailer rig are not designed for ready and compact storage. A toy tractor-trailer rig which is convertible between a first play configuration and a second storage configuration wherein the second storage configuration provides for ready and compact storage of all components of the toy tractor-trailer rig would provide an advantage over the prior art.  
           [0004]    Furthermore, it is well known in the art of children&#39;s toys that the play value of a toy may be enhanced if the toy can be in some way customized by a child user. Application of decals of the child&#39;s choosing to a toy would be an example of such customization. A toy vehicle which is adapted to display images which have been chosen and printed by the user, for example by downloading the image from a database of images accessible via the Internet, the images subsequently being printed by the user, should provide increased play value for the toy and an advantage over the prior art.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    Briefly, the invention is a toy tractor-trailer vehicle comprising a tractor assembly and a trailer assembly including a flat bed trailer and a trailer box portion. The flat bed trailer and the trailer box portion are interconnected in a first configuration to form a toy vehicle trailer, and in a second configuration to form a storage container for the toy tractor-trailer rig enclosing at least the tractor assembly.  
           [0006]    In a second aspect, the invention is a toy tractor-trailer rig, comprising a tractor assembly and a trailer assembly comprised of a flat bed trailer and a trailer box portion. The sides of the trailer box portion are adapted to accept panels with graphic images displayed thereon, the graphic images being printed using a personal computer and printer with graphic images obtained via the Internet. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    The following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings an embodiment which is presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.  
         [0008]    In the drawings:  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a radio controlled toy tractor-trailer rig, shown in its storage container configuration, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the radio controlled toy tractor-trailer rig of FIG. 1, shown with the upper portion of the storage container removed;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the remote controller seen in FIG. 2  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is an upper side perspective view of the radio controlled toy tractor-trailer rig of FIG. 1, removed from its storage container, assembled and configured for play activities;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the radio controlled toy tractor-trailer rig of FIG. 4;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the tractor of FIGS. 1, 2,  4  and  5 ;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the trailer of FIGS. 1, 2,  4  and  5 , and  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 8 depicts diagrammatically a user downloading graphics images via the internet and printing those images for use with the toy tractor-trailer rig of FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]    Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “right”, “left”, “top”, and “bottom” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “interior” and “exterior” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the tractor-trailer rig and designated parts thereof. The terminology includes the words above specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar import.  
         [0018]    Referring to the figures, wherein like numerals are used to indicate like elements throughout, there is shown in FIGS.  1 - 8 , a preferred embodiment of a remote controlled toy tractor-trailer rig, generally designated  10 , in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0019]    Referring now to FIG. 1, the toy tractor-trailer rig  10  is shown in a storage configuration  20 . In this storage configuration  20 , as described in detail herein later, components of the toy tractor-trailer rig form a storage container  22 . Not only could this storage container  22  be used to conveniently and compactly store the toy tractor-trailer rig  10  after purchase by a consumer, but the toy tractor-trailer rig  10  could also be offered for retail sale in this configuration. The storage container  22  includes a bottom tray  120 , which in a play configuration  30  will subsequently serve as the flat bed of the trailer  120 . The bottom tray/flat bed of the trailer  120  is preferably molded from ABS plastic materials by techniques well known to those skilled in the art. The storage container  22  further includes a top portion  150 , which in the play configuration  30  will subsequently serve as the trailer box  150 . The trailer box  150  includes a front wall  158 , a left side wall  154 , a right side wall  156 , a rear wall  160  and a top  152 . The top  152 , front wall  158  and rear wall  160  of the trailer box  150  are preferably fabricated from colored ABS plastic, and the side walls  154  and  156  from transparent ABS plastic, all either molded or, in the case of the side walls, cut from extruded sheets by techniques well known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0020]    The storage container  22  contains a tractor assembly  40 . In FIG. 2, the top portion  150  of the storage container  22  has been removed from the bottom tray  120 . FIG. 2 illustrates that the storage container  22  also contains a remote controller  190  preferably coupled to the tractor assembly  40 . First and second pairs of trailer wheels  122 ,  124  are also shown in FIG. 2. When the bottom tray  120  is functioning as a component of the storage container  22 , the pairs of trailer wheels  122  and  124  are oriented upward and inward into the storage container  22  as indicated in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 shows the remote controller  190  removed from the storage container  22  of FIGS. 1 and 2. The remote controller  190  preferably includes a male fitting  192  and a pivoting arm  194 . When the toy tractor-trailer rig  10  is in the storage configuration  20 , the male fitting  192  secures the remote controller  190  to the tractor assembly  40  by way of a female connector  58  described in detail later herein. Furthermore, the pivoting arm  194  connects to a trailer wheel axle  132  described later herein when the remote controller  190  is in the storage configuration  20 .  
         [0021]    Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the toy tractor-trailer rig  10  is shown in its play configuration  30 , wherein the bottom tray  120  and the top portion  150  of the storage container  22  have been converted into their play configurations of flat bed of the trailer  120  and trailer box  150 , respectively, and mated together. The toy tractor-trailer rig  10  includes the tractor assembly  40  along with the trailer assembly  110 . For play, the trailer assembly  110  includes the flat bed of the trailer  120 , first  122  and second  124  pairs of trailer wheels which can be permanently secured to the trailer  120  and, optionally, the trailer box  150 . Note that no assembly or disassembly of any additional vehicular components to or from the flat bed of the trailer  120  or the trailer box  150  is required to convert the flat bed of the trailer  120  or the trailer box  150  from their storage configuration  20  to their play configuration  30 . They are simply separated from one another in the storage configuration  20  and reattached, if desired, in a toy vehicle play configuration  30 .  
         [0022]    With reference to FIG. 6, the tractor assembly  40  includes a cab  48  and a lower body  52 . The tractor assembly  40  further includes a pair of steerable front wheels  42 , and first and second  44 ,  46  pairs of rear tractor wheels. The tractor assembly  40  is equipped with a pair of decorative exhaust stacks  50 . The pairs of rear tractor wheels  44  and  46  include an outer tire portion  54  surrounding a hub portion  56 , as are the front wheels  42 .  
         [0023]    A circular opening  64  is formed in the rear portion of the lower body  52 . A female connector  58  fits within the opening  64 . Female connector  58  has a plurality of resilient upright arms  60  each of which has an inwardly extending lip  62  designed to releasably engage either the male fitting  192  of the remote controller  190  or a male fitting  126  attached to the trailer bed  120 , described later herein.  
         [0024]    The front wheels  42  are steerable under the action of a steering motor  70 . The steering motor  70  is housed within a steering motor box  72  and is held in place by a cover plate  74 . A steering pinion  76  is attached to an output shaft (not shown) of the steering motor  70 . The steering pinion  76  engages a steering sector gear  78  and acts to rotate the sector gear  78 . The sector gear  78  is provided with a pin  80 , which engages a receptacle  84  in a tie rod  82 . As the sector gear  78  rotates, pin  80  thus causes tie rod  82  to move back and forth. The tie rod  82  engages wheel support arms  86 , which are rotatably attached to hubs  56  of front wheels  42 . As the tie rod  82  moves back and forth, the wheel support arms  86 , and the front wheels  42  pivot side to side to steer the tractor assembly  40 . A manual trim lever  88  is provided to adjust the center position of the tie rod  82 .  
         [0025]    The first pair of rear tractor wheels  44  are connected by axle  98 , while the second pair of rear tractor wheels  46  are connected by axle  100 . Rear axle  98  and the first pair of rear tractor wheels  44  are driven by a separate reversible motor  90  through a reduction gear train indicated generally at  96 . Motor  90  rests within a bottom housing plate  66 , and is held in place by motor cover plate  92 . The second pair of rear tractor wheels  46  and axle  100  are affixed to the lower body  52  by an assembly plate  94 . A battery power supply  67  is provided in a battery compartment open on the bottom side of plate  66  and covered by battery door box  68 .  
         [0026]    Note also from FIG. 6 that a circuit board  200  is disposed between the lower body  52  and the assembly of the bottom housing plate  66  and the motor cover plate  92 . The circuit board  200  is conventional and contains electronic components which allow the steering motor  70  and the drive motor  90  to be controlled by a user operating the remote controller  190 . These include a radio receiver  202  coupled with a programmed microprocessor  204 . The microprocessor  204  supplies current to either motor  70 ,  90  through drive motor control circuit  206  and steering motor control circuit  208  from the battery power supply  67 . An antenna  210  allows the radio receiver  202  to receive signals from the remote controller  190 .  
         [0027]    With reference to FIG. 7, the first pair of trailer wheels  122  is connected by axle  132 , while the second pair of trailer wheels  124  is connected by axle  134 . The trailer box  150  is secured to the flat bed of the trailer  120  by the interfit between the vertical ledges  136  extending both up and down from an outer edge of the flat bed of the trailer  120  and the edges around the bottom opening of the trailer box  150 . The trailer box  150  is preferably further secured to the flat bed of the trailer  120  by the snap fit of a plurality of protuberances  140  on the ledges  136  into a corresponding plurality of slots  162  in the bottom side edges of the trailer box  150 . The trailer box  150  rests upon a horizontal ledge  138  when installed on the flat bed trailer in either the storage configuration  20  or in the play configuration  30 . An elongated vertically oriented member  142  extends in both up and down directions perpendicularly from ledge  138 . The member  142  helps retain the trailer box sides  156  and  156  against ledges  136 , thus helping to maintain engagement of slots  162  with protuberances  140 .  
         [0028]    A male connector  126  is fixedly attached to the flat bed of the trailer  120  at an opening  130  near a front portion of the flat bed of the trailer  120 . The male connector  126  is generally cylindrical and diminishes in diameter at its upper end proximal to the flat bed of the trailer  120  to define a circumferential shoulder  128 . On the depicted left side of the trailer box  150 , elongated members  164  and  166  extend from the front wall  158  and the rear wall  160  into the interior of the trailer box  150 , respectively, and form slots  172  and  174  between the members  164 ,  166  and the left side wall  154 . Corresponding elongated members  168  and  170  (see FIG. 5) are provided on the right side  156  of the trailer box  150 , and form slots  176  and  178  between the members  168  and  170  and right side wall  156 . Cardboard panels  112  to which user generated graphics  228  (see FIG. 8) have been affixed may be inserted within the slots  172 ,  174  and  176 ,  178 , respectively. Alternatively, graphics  228  may be printed on suitable paper and installed within the slots  172 ,  174  and  176 ,  178  without use of the cardboard panels  112 . Cutouts  180  are provided in the sides  154  and  156  of the trailer box  150 . The cutouts  180  facilitate removal of the trailer box  150  from the flat bed of the trailer  120  in both the storage configuration  20  and the play configuration  30 . A hole  182  is provided in the top  152  of the trailer box  150  to facilitate manufacture of the trailer box  150 . A similar hole  144  is provided in the flat bed of the trailer  120  also to facilitate manufacturing. Cosmetic plugs  184  and  146  are provided to seal holes  182  and  144 , respectively.  
         [0029]    In use, the toy tractor-trailer rig may be sold in its storage configuration  20  or alternatively may be sold in conventional packaging, with the tractor and/or remote controller not stored within the storage container  22 . Starting from the storage configuration  20 , the top portion  150  of the storage container  22  is removed, and male fitting  192  of the remote controller  190  is disengaged from the female connector  58 . After the tractor assembly  40  and remote controller  190  are removed from the bottom tray  120  of the storage container  22 , the bottom tray  120  is inverted and assumes its vehicle play configuration  30  as a flat bed of the trailer  120 . The flat bed of the trailer  120  is pivotally connected to the tractor assembly  40  when the male connector  126  is snapped into place within the female connector  58 . If desired, the top portion  150  can be installed over the flat bed of the trailer  120 , thereby assuming its play configuration  30  as a trailer box  150 . Alternatively, the trailer box  150  may be set aside, and the tractor-trailer rig  10  played with as a combination of the tractor assembly  40  and the flat bed of the trailer  120 . After play, the toy tractor-trailer rig  10  may be returned to its storage configuration  20  for convenient and compact storage until the next play session.  
         [0030]    Sides  154  and  156  of the trailer box  150  are transparent and the cardboard panels  112  are intended to support and display cardboard art supplied with the toy vehicle  10  or user printed graphics  228 . With reference to FIG. 8, a user  220  may download graphics  228  using his or her home computer  222  via an internet connection  230  to the manufacturer&#39;s website located on a server  232 . The graphics  228  may be printed on a printer  224  on paper  226  which may then be affixed to the cardboard panels  112  or alternatively simply inserted within the slots  172 ,  174  and  176 ,  178 , allowing the user  220  to customize the appearance of his or her tractor-trailer rig  10 .  
         [0031]    It would be obvious to one skilled in the art from this disclosure that other materials (for example, metal or polyethylene plastic), fabrication techniques (for example, stamping or machining), or other relative proportions of the toy tractor-trailer rig  10  components (for example, a longer cab  14 ) could be substituted for the materials, fabrication techniques and relative proportions shown in the preferred embodiment of the toy tractor-trailer rig  10  shown without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.  
         [0032]    Although a wireless remote control vehicle is described as the preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated that the present invention can be incorporated into unpowered toy vehicles as well as powered toy vehicle of various forms including unmotorized vehicles, simply motorized vehicles, other types of remotely controlled vehicles or programmable vehicles. Remotely controlled vehicles may be wired or wireless and wireless control may be by radio, sound, infrared or other light.  
         [0033]    While steerable front wheels with a steering motor are described, steering may be accomplished by independent motors independently driving one or more wheels on separate sides of the vehicle or so-called “J” steering in which a single motor moves the tractor forward and backward and either a transmission or a swinging front wheel axle causes the vehicle to turn when it is driven in reverse.  
         [0034]    It would be further obvious to one skilled in the art from this disclosure that other embodiments of the present invention could be substituted for the toy tractor-trailer rig  10  shown in the figures. For example, a farm tractor could be substituted for the tractor assembly  12  and a farm wagon substituted for the flat bed trailer  16 . Or a train locomotive could be substituted for the tractor assembly  12  and a boxcar substituted for the flat bed trailer  16  and trailer box  18  combination.  
         [0035]    One of ordinary skill in the art would further understand that any known steering assembly, such as tank steering using separate motors to independently drive separate wheels, could be substituted for the steering mechanism disclosed herein.  
         [0036]    It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other changes in addition to those cited above could be made to the embodiment described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention.