Abstract:
A toy simulator includes a semi-rigid base that is adapted to be releaseably attached and worn by a child on the front torso of a child. An action arm is connected to the semi-rigid base and includes multiple ranges of motion that allow a child substantial movement of various components of the toy simulator in order to provide multiple layers of movement and imagination for the child.

Description:
The field of the invention is toys, and more particularly described a toy capable of manipulation by a child in a manner to simulate the operation of a vehicle such as a car or airplane. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Child&#39;s toys in the form, for instance, of model cars and airplanes are well known. Such toys can be held by a child while walking or running and manipulated to simulate the motions of an actual car or airplane. There also exist large toy structures, including toy airplane structures, that are worn by a child and manipulated while walking or running. Although the toys that are worn give a more realistic feeling of controlling the flight of an airplane, for instance, they are cumbersome and generally do not provide more than one or two modes of manipulative motion. The relatively large size and fixed construction of earlier worn airplane toys generally thwarted variations in appearance, thereby restricting the versatility and appeal of the toy. 
     Video games are also well known in the field of automobile and airplane flight simulation. The problem with these and any other video games is the lack of physical exercise by a child. Additionally, the video game or simulator inevitably limits a child&#39;s imagination to the content of that video game or simulator. 
     A flight simulating toy is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,922. However, this toy has a limited number of relative movements of the parts in that toy. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the restrictions and limitations of prior art toy systems. The present toy provides multiple moving parts that may be manipulated by a child during running or walking. 
     In one example, a toy simulator comprises a harness strap and a semi-rigid base attached to the harness strap. The semi-rigid base is adapted to be disposed in front of a child and above waist level. The harness strap has an adjustable effective length to encircle the shoulders of the child and retain the base in front of the child. The semi-rigid base has a rack of a plurality of parallel and horizontal grooves on a front face of the semi-rigid base. An action arm has a lower proximal end thereof that is slidably engaged with the semi-rigid base and rack thereon. The proximal end of the action arm further comprises a tab that is biased against the face of the rack and its grooves, wherein the tab is stiff enough to retain the action arm in a vertical location on the rack but flexible enough to allow a child to move the action arm up and down the face of the rack and rigid base. The action arm may further comprise a main spring that enables forward and back rotation of the action arm pivoting around the main spring that is positioned near the proximal end of the action arm. The axis of rotation of the action arm is substantially parallel to the horizontal grooves on the front face of the rack. The main spring may be biased to the upright position where the length of the action arm is substantially parallel to the face of the semi-rigid base. The toy may further comprise an interchangeable toy mount that is connected to substantially the distal end of the action arm, wherein the mount comprises a rotatable connector for receiving an interactive toy handle. The toy mount may comprise a stem that is slidably engaged in a sleeve in the distal end of the action arm such that the toy mount is moveable into and out from the action arm sleeve generally along a longitudinal axis of the action arm. The toy handle may simulate a vehicle steering wheel or an airplane steering wheel. The stem and sleeve may be frictionally engaged with each other by way of grooves formed in a face of the stem and a ball and spring mechanism in the sleeve bearing against the stem grooves. The toy mount may be rotatably mounted onto the stem such that the axis of rotation of the toy mount is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the action arm. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a toy simulator as described herein. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the toy simulator shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is another side view of the toy simulator shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the toy simulator shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 5A-5C  are front views of alternative non-limiting examples of toy wheels and an auxiliary electronics mount adaptor that may be used with the toy simulator herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The toy simulator as described herein includes multiple ranges of motion. These ranges include both linear and rotational movement. The toy simulator provides a child user with many options for movement including combinations of movements. Ideally, the multiple ranges of motion enable a broad range of imagination and play simulation. Moreover, the simulator may accommodate movements with other devices including electronics devices. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 1-4 , there is shown an example of a toy simulator. The toy simulator includes a semi-rigid base  12  that is adapted to abut against the body of the child who wears the toy. Paired shoulder straps  15  are attached at their proximal extremities  17  to the base  12 . The semi-rigid 12 base is contoured so as to fit comfortably against a child&#39;s chest. The distal extremities  19  of straps  15  are provided with hook and loop attachment material  22  and are adapted to be inserted through slots  20  on opposite sides of the semi-rigid base  12 . When the distal extremities  19  are inserted into the slots  20 , they are folded upon themselves to achieve releasable securement by virtue of the hook and loop fastener material. There is also a waist strap  24  that is joined at its proximal extremity  28  to the semi-rigid base  12 . The distal extremity  26  of the waist strap  24  is provided with hook and loop fastener attachment material and is adapted to be inserted into a slot and releaseably attached around a slot on the opposite side of the semi-rigid base  12  from the proximal extremity  28  of the waist strap  24 . Of course the straps discussed herein may be attached around a user by deploying other types of fasteners including, but not limited to, snaps and buttons. 
     The semi-rigid base  12  has a rack  50  mounted thereon. The rack  50  has a plurality of parallel and horizontal grooves on the front face thereof. This rack  50  is mounted in a vertical orientation on the front face of the semi-rigid base  12 . An action arm  30  is mounted onto a carriage  34  at a lower, proximal end of the action arm  30 . The carriage  34  is slidably engaged with the semi-rigid base  12  through engagement of the rack  50  thereon. The carriage  34  on the proximal end of the action arm  30  further includes a tab  52  that is biased against the face of the rack  50  and the grooves therein. The tab  52  is stiff enough to retain the carriage  34  and therefore the action arm  30  in a vertical location on the rack  50 . The tab  52  engages the rack  50  by a friction fit so that the carriage  34  may be relatively easily moved up and down by a child and retain its position when released. 
     The action arm  30  is connected to the carriage  34  and the semi-rigid base  12  by way of a main spring  32 . The main spring  32  enables forward and back rotation of the action arm  30  pivoting around the axis of the main spring  32 . The main spring is positioned near the proximal end of the action arm  30 , and the axis of rotation of the action arm  30  around the main spring  32  is substantially parallel to the horizontal grooves on the front fact of the rack  50 . The main spring  32  is biased so that the action arm  30  is in the upright position where the length of the action arm is substantially parallel to the face of the semi-rigid base  12 . The action arm  30  further includes a stem  42  that supports a toy mount  36  at the distal end of the action arm. The mount  36  includes a tubular cavity  38  therein that acts as a connector for receiving an interactive toy handle  72 . The toy handle  72  is a round tubular component that rotatably mounts within the cavity  38  of the mount  36 . The mount  36  is also connected by way of hinge  46  to the stem  42 . Connector bolt  40  may fixed and non-rotatable for safety and stability, or alternatively, in could also be adapted to be rotatable like hinge  46 . If bolt  40  acts as a hinge, then each hinge  40  and  46  offers an additional range of motion of the toy handle  70 . 
     Turning specifically to  FIG. 2 , the carriage  34  onto which is mounted the main spring  32  is slidably engaged to the rack  50  by way of bracket arms  35 .  FIG. 2  illustrates the insertion of the toy handle  72  and toy wheel  70  into the mount  36 .  FIG. 2  further illustrates the stem  42  and how it is telescopingly received within the distal end of the action arm  30 . The stem  42  includes indents  62  along a longitudinal side thereof. A spring pin  52  allows a user to move the stem  42  in and out of the cavity  60  inside the distal end of the action arm  30 . 
       FIG. 3  is an alternative illustration of  FIG. 2  and shows the action arm  30  in the upright or at rest position with respect to the rack  50 . 
       FIG. 4  is a front view that illustrates the rack  50  and the carriage  34  mounted thereon. The action arm  30  includes the toy mount  36  and mounting cylinder  38  therein. 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate alternative examples  85  and  80  respectively of toy wheels that might be insertable in the mount  36  of the action arm  30 . Alternative designs of wheels or other toy components may be inserted within the mount  36 . The examples of  5 A and  5 B are not limiting in any way of the types of inserts that can be used with the toy simulator.  FIG. 5C  illustrates a mount adaptor  90  that could be used to carry an electronics device including a smart phone or a tablet. In this way, video games could also be used in conjunction with the wearable toy simulator. 
       FIG. 2  is also used to illustrate the multiple ranges of motion A-G that are enabled by the example of the toy simulator described herein. First, range of motion A indicates the up and down motion of the carriage  34  on the rack  50  that is enabled by the frictional engagement of the tab  52  on the face of the rack  50 . Second, there is rotational range of motion B that is enable by the main spring  32  at the proximal end of the action arm  30 . Next, linear range of motion C is enabled by the telescoping in and out movement of the stem  42  within the cavity  60  of the distal end of the action arm  30 . In the alternative where bolt  40  acts as a hinge, then bolt  40  and hinge  46  offer additional rotational ranges of motion D and E for the mount  36  on the stem  42 . Range of motion F is the linear movement of the handle  72  inside of and out of the cavity  38  in the mount  36 . Finally, a range of motion G is the rotational movement of toy wheel or other insert. It is readily apparent that the toy simulator described herein gives many opportunities for imagination and play by a child. 
     Other embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification. It is intended that the specification and figures be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.