Abstract:
This invention sets forth a vehicle launcher assembly comprising an inner vehicle carried within an outer vehicle. The outer vehicle has movable panel components which allow an inner vehicle to be released from the outer vehicle when the panel components are opened. Operation of the toy assembly involves one actuation step to open the panels of the outer vehicle, and second actuation step to launch the inner vehicle. In one embodiment, the outer vehicle is in the form of a car and the inner vehicle is in the form of a motorcycle. The vehicle launcher assembly may also include projectile launchers.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/972,798 filed on Sep. 15, 2007 entitled “Vehicle Launcher Assembly,” which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in full in this application for all purposes. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Toy vehicles that can be launched from another object are a source of amusement for children and adults alike. Some examples of previous vehicle launching platforms include motorcycles launched from carrying cases, aircraft launched from space vehicles, and cars or trucks launched from helicopters, tractors, or other cars. The ways in which a vehicle departs its carrier object have included launching from a split-open front end of a vehicle, exiting the trunk area at the rear of a truck, and dropping from the bottom of a carrier. Regarding the mobility of vehicle launchers, launched vehicles have been configured to be spring-launched from a carrier, to have an independent power source from its mother vehicle, or to be the power source for enabling its carrying vehicle to move. There is a continuing demand for novel features and developments in vehicle launchers to provide new and exciting modes of entertainment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention sets forth a vehicle launcher assembly comprising an inner vehicle carried within an outer vehicle. The outer vehicle has movable panel components which allow an inner vehicle to be released from the outer vehicle when the panel components are opened. Operation of the toy assembly involves a first actuation step to open the panels of the outer vehicle, and second actuation step to launch the inner vehicle. The outer vehicle is operable as a moving vehicle with or without the inner vehicle enclosed inside. In one embodiment, the outer vehicle is in the form of a car and the inner vehicle is in the form of a motorcycle. The vehicle launcher assembly may also include projectile launchers. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  provides a perspective view of an embodiment of the vehicle launcher assembly with an inner vehicle having been launched; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a perspective view of the outer vehicle of  FIG. 1  in a closed state; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a projectile launching mode of the vehicle launcher assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of another embodiment according to the present invention, in which the outer vehicle is expanded; and 
         FIG. 5  provides a top view of the outer vehicle of  FIG. 4  in a closed state. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  provides a perspective view of one embodiment of a vehicle launcher assembly  10  according to the present invention. An outer vehicle  11  of vehicle launcher assembly  10  includes a base  12 , a top panel  13  hingedly attached to the rear of base  12 , two front wheels  14 , two side panels  15  pivotally coupled to front wheels  14 , rear wheels  16 , a projectile launching bay  17  mounted at the rear of top panel  13 , and a launching mechanism  18  mounted on base  12 . An inner vehicle  20 , depicted here as a motorcycle with a rider, has a back end  21 . Back end  21  of inner vehicle  20  mates with launching mechanism  18 , which in this embodiment comprises a spring-release mechanism for ejecting inner vehicle  20 . The spring-release mechanism may incorporate a compressed spring released by a push button on the rear of outer vehicle  11 , not shown in this view of  FIG. 1 , or may incorporate other means known in the art for releasably ejecting objects. Outer vehicle  11  in  FIG. 1  is depicted in an expanded state, in which top panel  13  is pivoted upward as shown by arrow  22 , and side panels  15  are swung outward and upward as indicated by arrows  23  and  24 , respectively. When outer vehicle  11  is in this expanded state, the inner vehicle  20  may be ejected as depicted by directional arrow  25 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the outer vehicle  11  from  FIG. 1  in a compacted or closed state, in which top panel  13  and side panels  15  have been manually closed by a user. Alternatively, top panel  13  and side panels  15  may be closed with a lever, button, sliding mechanism or the like, which are mechanically coupled to top panel  13  and side panels  15 . In this closed state, outer vehicle  11  takes the form of a car. However, other types of vehicles such as trucks, aircraft, or water vehicles are also possible. The compacted outer vehicle  11  of  FIG. 2  may be rolled on its wheels  14  and  16  to be operated as a vehicle either with or without inner vehicle  20  inside. In this view, an actuation button  26 , a projectile mode button  27 , and a trigger button  28  can be seen on top of outer vehicle  11 . To return the outer vehicle  11  of  FIG. 2  to an expanded state, the user presses actuation button  26 . Actuation button  26  may alternatively take the form of a lever, a rocker switch, or the like. Actuation button  26  is coupled to actuation means within outer vehicle  11  to release top panel  13  and side panels  15  as previously shown by arrows  22 ,  23 , and  24  in  FIG. 1 . The actuation means for releasing top panel  13  and side panels  15  may comprise means known in the art such as springs, latches, and arm linkages. 
     To operate the vehicle launcher assembly  10  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a user inserts the inner vehicle  20  into the interior of outer vehicle  11 . The user pushes inner vehicle  20  rearward along base  12  until back end  21  engages and locks into launching mechanism  18 . The user then closes top panel  13  as well as side panels  15 , and may proceed to play with outer vehicle  11  with inner vehicle  20  loaded inside. A user may eject inner vehicle  20  by first pressing actuation button  26  to open outer vehicle  11  to an expanded state. Next, the user presses a release button, not shown, on the rear of outer vehicle  11  to actuate launching mechanism  18 . An actuation component, such as a compressed spring or other means known in the art, within launching mechanism  18  propels inner vehicle  20  forward. Once it is released from outer vehicle  11 , inner vehicle  20  moves forward under its own inertia. Outer vehicle  11  may additionally include a seat pocket, not shown, within base  12  such that a play figure may be inserted after inner vehicle  20  is launched. 
       FIG. 3  shows an additional, optional mode of the vehicle launcher assembly  10  from  FIG. 1 . The mode shown in  FIG. 3  depicts a projectile launching mode, in which a user may launch projectiles  29  from projectile launching bay  17 . A user may transform the vehicle launcher assembly  10  from the compacted form of  FIG. 2  to the projectile launching mode of  FIG. 3  by pressing projectile mode button  27  located on the top of outer vehicle  11 . In the projectile launching mode, side panels  15  are displaced outward as shown by the arrows  30 , projectile launching bay  17  is extended upward from its stored position as shown by arrow  31 , and top panel  13  remains stationary. Inner vehicle  20  is seen to remain inside outer vehicle  11  in this mode. To launch projectiles  29 , the user presses trigger button  28  located near projectile mode button  27 . Although this embodiment of  FIG. 3  is configured to launch two projectiles  29 , it may be configured to house only one projectile or more than two, as allowed by the space available within projectile launching bay  17 . In the case where multiple projectiles  29  are present, a single trigger button  28  may launch all projectiles simultaneously, or multiple trigger buttons  28  may be utilized to individually control each projectile. Furthermore, a single trigger button  28  may be coupled to an indexing mechanism to launch projectiles  29  sequentially. 
       FIG. 4  depicts another embodiment according to the present invention, in which side panels shift laterally outward rather than angling outward and upwardly as in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . Similar to vehicle launcher  10  of  FIG. 1 , this vehicle launcher assembly  40  of  FIG. 4  comprises an inner vehicle  41  and an outer vehicle  42 , with outer vehicle  42  including a top panel  43 , a plurality of wheels  44 , and side panels  45 . However, side panels  45  shift laterally outward as indicated by arrows  53 . Additionally, outer vehicle  42  includes a launching tube  47  above each side panel  45 , and also includes an actuation button  48  and a launching button  49  at the rear of outer vehicle  42 . A projectile  51  is loaded into each launching tube  47 , and each launching tube  47  further includes a back end  52 . Launching tubes  47  may include a trigger button, not shown, located at back end  52  for launching projectiles  51 . The outer vehicle  42  of  FIG. 4  is shown in an expanded state in which side panels  45  are displaced laterally outward as shown by arrows  53 , and the front of top panel  43  hinges upwardly as shown by arrow  54 . 
       FIG. 5  shows the corresponding closed outer vehicle  42  from  FIG. 4 , in which a user has manually closed side panels  45  and top panel  43  by pushing them inward and downward, respectively. Alternatively, top panel  43  and side panels  45  may be closed using a lever, a button, or the like mechanically coupled to top panel  43  and side panels  45 . With the inner vehicle  41  loaded inside outer vehicle  42 , a user operates the vehicle launcher assembly  40  by first pressing actuation button  48 . Pressing actuation button  48  causes top panel  43  and side panels  45  to open to the expanded state of  FIG. 4 . When the launching button  49  is pressed, a spring-release mechanism within the outer vehicle  42  is released, and the inner vehicle  41  is launched from outer vehicle  42 . Inner vehicle  41  and outer vehicle  42  may operate independently using their own set of wheels, or outer vehicle  42  may be operated with inner vehicle  41  encased inside. The interior of outer vehicle  42  may be configured with a seat pocket to accommodate a play figure when inner vehicle  41  is not occupying the interior of outer vehicle  42 . 
     The present invention may include variations of the movable top and side panels which have been disclosed. For instance, a side panel of the outer vehicle may have a hinged joint across its width so that it accordion-folds when actuated. In another example, a top panel may be split along its length such that its two halves rotate outwardly rather than upwardly as previously described. Furthermore, while the figures depict the invention in the form of wheeled vehicles, other types of vehicles such as spacecraft and water vehicles are applicable. 
     While the specification has been described in detail with respect to specific embodiments of the invention, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art, upon attaining an understanding of the foregoing, may readily conceive of alterations to, variations of, and equivalents to these embodiments. These and other modifications and variations to the present invention may be practiced by those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, which is more particularly set forth in the appended claims. Furthermore, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the foregoing description is by way of example only, and is not intended to limit the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present subject matter covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.