Patent Publication Number: US-6902464-B1

Title: Rolling toy

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a rolling toy. More particularly, although not exclusively, the invention relates to a battery-powered, remote-controlled toy dominated by a pair of coaxial drive wheels that can be driven in the same or opposite directions so that the toy can perform a variety of dynamic movements. 
   Remotely controlled toy cars and other toy vehicles are known. These comprise a motor—usually powered by a rechargeable battery, and driving a pair of road wheels via a mechanical transmission. Control signals from a remote location are received by an onboard receiver that controls the motor. Steering control is accomplished by a separate servo unit that receives signals via the onboard receiver. 
   OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a remotely controlled rolling toy of alternative design and construction providing interesting dynamic movements. 
   DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
   There is disclosed herein a rolling toy comprising:
         a chassis,   an electric power source attached to the chassis,   a remote signal receiver,   an electric motor attached to the chassis and receiving power from the power source in response to a signal received by the remote signal receiver,   a pair of riding surface-engaging wheels mounted co-axially to the chassis and capable of rotating independently of one another, and wherein at least one of the wheels is driven to rotate by the electric motor, and   a dome-shaped profile formed on each wheel and adapted to bear upon the riding surface to assist in righting the toy, should it topple in use.       

   Preferably the chassis forms a hub flanked at opposed sides by the riding service-engaging wheels. 
   Preferably one of the wheels has connected with it an input gear, and the electric motor drives the input gear. 
   Preferably both of the wheels are driven to rotate by the electric motor. 
   Preferably the rolling toy further comprises a further electric motor and wherein the other wheel is driven to rotate by the further electric motor. 
   Preferably the other wheel has an input gear, and the further electric motor has an output sprocket that drivers this input gear. 
   Preferably the rolling toy further comprises an arm extending radially from the chassis and having an end that can engage with a riding surface to restrict counter-rotation of the hub. 
   Preferably the arm is light-transmissive, and the toy further comprises a light source at the chassis directing light into the arm. 
   Preferably the light source produces intermittent light, or light of differing colour. 
   Preferably the toy further comprises a speaker mounted to the chassis and a sound generator from which the speaker receives an electrical signal. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective illustration of a rolling toy, 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic front elevation of the rolling toy of  FIG. 1 , 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic plan view of the rolling toy of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic side elevation of the interior of the rolling toy of  FIGS. 1  to  3 , 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic illustration of a remote control unit for use with the toy of  FIG. 1  to  4 , and 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic parts-exploded perspective illustration of the internal driving mechanism of the rolling toys of  FIGS. 1  to  5 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   In the accompanying drawings there is depicted schematically a rolling toy  10 . The toy  10  includes a chassis  11  flanked at either side by a pair of dome-shaped wheels  12 . Each wheel has a tyre  13  attached at its periphery. There is a speaker grille  14  upon the periphery of the chassis  11  and a pair of arms  15  extending radially from the chassis—each arm having a ball-shaped end  16 . There is a battery compartment door  17  concealing a number of batteries  18  within the chassis  11 . Apart from powering the toy, the batteries provide “ballast” to by the toy into its upright configuration as depicted in FIG.  1  and have a significant role in defining the centre of gravity of the toy. 
   There is a speaker  19  mounted internally to the chassis and this receives sound signals from a sound processor located upon a printed circuit board  20 . 
   Also mounted internally of the chassis is a pair of electric motors  21 . 
   Each motor  21  receives power from the batteries  18  upon receipt of control signals from the printed circuit board  20 . The printed circuit board also serves as a remote signal receiver and processor for independently controlling operation of each motor  21 . There is also an LED  25  at the base of each arm  15  directing light through each arm. In this regard, it should be noted that each arm is light-transmissive and preferably transparent, so that the light emitted by each LED  25  reaches the ball-shaped end  16  of each arm. 
   The chassis comprises a pair of coaxial axles  22  upon which the wheels  12  are mounted. 
   A remote control unit  23  comprising a number of keys  24  is provided with the toy. Depression of one of the keys  24  or a combination of keys will result in different actions. One of keys might turn the LEDs on and off, or activate or deactivate a signal generator on the PCB  20  that sends illumination sequences to the LEDs. One key might activate one of the electric motors only and another key might activate the other electric motor only. One button might activate one motor in a reverse direction and another key might activate the other motor in a reverse direction. One key might activate both electric motors in the same direction or opposite directions etc. One key might turn the sound generator on and off. 
   As shown in  FIG. 6 , the internal drive mechanism includes a housing  26  within which the electric motors  21  are supported. Each motor comprises an output pinion  27  that drives a gear wheel  28  upon a shaft  29 . There is an intermediate pinion  30  formed integrally with the gear wheel  28  upon the shaft  29 . The intermediate pinion  30  drives a further gear wheel  31  with which there is formed integrally a further pinion  32 . This pinion  32  drives an output gear  33  upon each of shafts  22 . A sprocket  34  is fixed to each shaft  22  for attachment to a respective one of the domed wheels  12 . 
   In use, and upon carefully timed depression of selected keys, the toy can be made to roll in a straight line, turned a corner, spin on the spot, play music and flash its lights. During motion of the toy upon a floor surface, the ends  16  of the arms  15  engaged with the floor surface to limit the angular range through which the chassis can counter-rotate as a reaction to rotation of the wheels. Should the toy topple in use, the dome-shaped profile of each wheel bears against the riding surface so as to “roll” the toying to its upright position. The centre of gravity of the toying as influenced strongly by the position of the batteries assists in this return-to-use action. 
   Due to the substantially spherical construction of the toy body, the user can—with the remote control—create interesting dynamic movements by manipulating the position of the centre of gravity of the toy with respect to the position at which it contacts the riding surface. 
   The dynamic motion of the toy is affected by the position of the centre of gravity of the toy, the speed of rotation of the wheels. Due to the ballast provided by the batteries and the action of the arm, the toy will always return to the upright position when it returns to rest. 
   It should be appreciated that modifications and alterations obvious to those skilled in the art are not to be considered as beyond the scope of the present invention. For example, instead of having two separate motors, a single motor might suffice, and a simple output-selection gearbox might be associated with the single motor to enable unitary, reverse, or synchronised rotation of the wheels  12 .