Patent Publication Number: US-10315124-B2

Title: Track toy

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIE THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     The disclosure and prior art relates to track toys and more particularly pertains to a new track toy for entertainment. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a tube that defines an internal space. A rail is coupled to the tube and is positioned in the internal space. The rail is configured to couple to a source of electric power. A vehicle is slidably coupled to the rail. A roller is coupled to a bottom of the vehicle. A motor is coupled to and is positioned in the vehicle. The motor is operationally coupled to the rail and the roller. The roller is positioned on the vehicle such that the roller is positioned to rollably couple the vehicle to the tube. The motor is positioned to motivate rotation of the roller such that the vehicle is compelled along the rail within the internal space. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric perspective view of a track toy according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is an end view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is an end view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a detail view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 7  thereof, a new track toy embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 7 , the track toy  10  generally comprises a tube  12  that defines an internal space  14 . The tube  12  that has an interior surface  16 . In one embodiment, the interior surface  16  is textured. The tube  12  comprises a plurality of interlocking sections  18 . The plurality of interlocking sections  18  comprises a plurality of linear segments  20  and a plurality of curved segments  22 . The plurality of interlocking sections  18  is selectively positionable, such that the tube  12  is selectively shapeable. 
     The plurality of interlocking sections  18  comprises at least one loading segment  24 . The at least one loading segment  24  is configured for opening and closing, such that the internal space  14  of the at least one loading segment  24  is accessible to a user. In one embodiment, the at least one loading segment  24  comprises a cover  26  and a base  28 . In another embodiment, the cover  26  is spring-hingedly coupled to the base  28  such that the cover  26  is biased to a closed configuration. The cover  26  is positioned on the base  28  such that the cover  26  is configured for opening. 
     Each interlocking section  18  comprises a plurality of first couplers  30 , which is coupled to a first end  32  of the interlocking section  18 . A plurality of second couplers  34  is coupled to a second end  36  of the interlocking section  18 . The second couplers  34  are complementary to the first couplers  30 . The second couplers  34  are positioned on the second end  36  such that the second couplers  34  are positioned to couple to the first couplers  30  of an adjacently positioned interlocking section  18  to couple the interlocking sections  18 . 
     In one embodiment, the first coupler  30  comprises a hole  38 , which is positioned through a tab  40  that is coupled to and extends from the first end  32 . The second coupler  34  comprises a protrusion  42  that is coupled to and extends from an exterior surface  44  of the tube  12  proximate to the second end  36 . The protrusion  42  is complementary to the hole  38 . 
     In another embodiment, the first coupler  30  comprises a pin  46  that is coupled to and extends from the first end  32 . The second coupler  34  comprises a channel  48  that is positioned into the tube  12 . The channel  48  extends inwardly into the tube  12  from the second end  36 . The channel  48  is complementary to the pin  46 . 
     A rail  50  is coupled to the tube  12  and is positioned in the internal space  14 . The rail  50  is configured to couple to a source of electric power. In one embodiment, the rail  50  comprises a first plate  52  that is coupled to extends perpendicularly from the tube  12 . A second plate  54  is coupled to the first plate  52  distal from the tube  12 . The first plate  52  is positioned equally distant from opposing edges  60  of the second plate  54 . The second plate  54 , the first plate  52  and the interior surface  16  of the tube  12  define a pair of slots  56 . Each of a pair of connectors  58  is positioned longitudinally proximate to a respective opposing edge  60  of the second plate  54 . 
     A vehicle  62  is slidably coupled to the rail  50 . In one embodiment, the vehicle  62  is train shaped. A roller  64  is coupled to a bottom  66  of the vehicle  62 . The roller  64  is positioned on the vehicle  62  such that the roller  64  is positioned to rollably couple the vehicle  62  to the tube  12 . 
     In one embodiment, the roller  64  comprises a pair of arms  68  that is coupled to and extends from the bottom  66  of the vehicle  62 . An axle  70  is coupled to and extends between the arms  68  distal from the bottom  66 . A drive ball  72  is coupled to the axle  70 . The axle  70  is centrally positioned through the drive ball  72 . A groove  74  is positioned in the drive ball  72 . The groove  74  is substantially complementary to the rail  50 . The groove  74  is positioned in the drive ball  72  such that the groove  74  is positioned for the rail  50  to pass through the groove  74  as the drive ball  72  rotates along the rail  50 . In one embodiment, the drive ball  72  is studded, such that the drive ball  72  is positioned to grip the interior surface  16  of the tube  12 . 
     Each of a pair of annular rings  76  is coupled the drive ball  72  within the groove  74 . The annular rings  76  are metallic. Each annular ring  76  is positioned in the groove  74  such that the annular ring  76  is positioned to electrically couple to a respective connector  58  of the rail  50 . 
     A motor  78  is coupled to and is positioned in the vehicle  62 . The motor  78  is operationally coupled to the rail  50  and the roller  64 . 
     A retainer  80  is coupled to and extends from the bottom  66  of the vehicle  62 . The retainer  80  is slidably coupled to the rail  50 . The retainer  80  is positioned on the vehicle  62  such that the retainer  80  is positioned to maintain the vehicle  62  on the rail  50  as the vehicle  62  is motivated along the rail  50  by the motor  78 . 
     In one embodiment, the retainer  80  comprises a rod  82  that is coupled to and extends from the bottom  66  of the vehicle  62 . A crosspiece  84  is coupled to the rod  82  distal from the vehicle  62 . Each of a pair of extensions  86  is coupled to and extends from the crosspiece  84 . Each extension  86  is positioned proximate to a respective opposing endpoint  88  of the crosspiece  84 . Each of a pair of wheels  90  is axially coupled to a respective extension  86 . The wheel  90  is positioned on the extension  86  such that the wheel  90  is positioned in a respective slot  56  to rollably couple the vehicle  62  to the rail  50 . 
     Each of a pair of bearings  92  is coupled to the crosspiece  84  and extends to the second plate  54 . The bearings  92  are positioned on the crosspiece  84  such that the bearings  92  are positioned to separate the retainer  80  from the rail  50 . 
     In one embodiment, each of a plurality of flanges  94  is coupled to and extends from the first end  32  of a respective interlocking section  18 . The flange  94  is positioned on the first end  32  such that the flange  94  is positioned for insertion of a respective second end  36  of an adjacently positioned interlocking section  18 . 
     The present invention also anticipates a plurality of sensors. Each sensor would be coupled to the tube  12  and positioned to detect the vehicle  62  as the vehicle  62  is motivated along the rail  50 . Each sensor would be coupled to at least one of a plurality of devices external to the tube  12 , such as crossing signals and warning lights. The sensors also may be configured to actuate obstacles within the tube  12 . 
     In use, the plurality of interlocking sections  18  is selectively positionable, such that the tube  12  is selectively shapeable. The at least one loading segment  24  is configured for opening and closing such that the internal space  14  is accessible to a user. The roller  64  is positioned on the vehicle  62  such that the roller  64  is positioned to rollably couple the vehicle  62  to the tube  12 . The motor  78  is positioned to motivate rotation of the roller  64  such that the vehicle  62  is compelled along the rail  50  within the internal space  14 . The retainer  80  is positioned on the vehicle  62  such that the retainer  80  is positioned to maintain the vehicle  62  on the rail  50  as the vehicle  62  is motivated along the rail  50  by the motor  78 . 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.