Patent Abstract:
Provided may be a wind propelled rolling vehicle with a self-adjusting said that may be substantially formed in a relatively small, single sheet of material, or assembled onto a standard chassis. The exemplary embodiments may utilize bushings to spread dynamic loads so as to allow the use of very light structural material such as thin sheet foam thereby forming a safe, low-mass toy vehicle capable of achieving good acceleration and rolling speed relative to a given wind force, and configurable into many themes.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/498,397, filed on Aug. 27, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Wind driven toys are quite popular. For instance, some wind driven toys may include kites, toy sailboats, and pinwheels, among others. Toys for use in the outdoors are very popular and are probably increasing in popularity with the recent increase of people enjoying outdoor activity. Quite often, even the slightest breeze will bring out a number of kite fliers flying everything from the simplest kite to very elaborate stunt kites. Additionally, pinwheels, whirligigs, and other such wind driven toys can be amusing to watch on breezy days.  
         [0003]     Although these wind-actuated toys are well known and widely used, they may suffer from a serious drawback. Some wind driven toys are static, in that the user of a kite or toy sailboat, for example, uses these devices while remaining substantially stationary. Such devices are incompatible with the desire to enjoy a breezy day while exercising. This drawback of these toys is especially noticeable given the emphasis on activity and exercise prevalent in society today. It is quite well known that a sedentary lifestyle and maintaining a healthy body may be mutually exclusive ideas. Therefore, it may be advantageous to have an action toy that would allow people to have fun on a windy day as kites and other such devices allow, while also providing the opportunity for enjoying an aerobic workout. Such an action toy could also encourage people to abandon indoor, sedentary habits and activities, such as video games, watching television, surfing the Internet, and the like, among others.  
         [0004]     A drawback of many other popular action toys may be that they require a power source of some sort, whether batteries or otherwise. Advantageously, with the increased emphasis on environmental friendliness in all aspects of peoples&#39; lives, a decrease in power consumption and/or disposable battery consumption would be enjoyed by all. Therefore, it would be desirable to have an action toy not requiring an outside, polluting power source.  
         [0005]     Furthermore, flying discs and the like may be limited in the distance they travel by their design and by the amount of force that can be applied by a user. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a toy that would travel relative long distances with little or no force imparted to it by a user. Yet further, it would be advantageous to have an inexpensive toy that can be easily replaced if broken.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006]     Provided is a wind propelled rolling toy that may be formed in a relatively small, single sheet of material, and that may be easily assembled and used by a user. The device may include a body portion coupled to a sail portion wherein the sail portion is configured to utilize wind as a propulsion source, along with a self-adjusting device or configuration that may continuously optimize the sail angle relative to the direction of wind and the direction of travel of the device. Other exemplary embodiments may include a standardized frame portion that mat be configured to accommodate a wide variety of portions and accessories. Furthermore the system may be capable of many configurations and themes. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is an exemplary embodiment of a vehicle system according to the present invention.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is an exploded, elevational view of an exemplary embodiment of a vehicle system.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is an exploded, elevational view of an exemplary embodiment of a vehicle system.  
         [0010]      FIGS. 4   a - d  are perspective views of exemplary embodiments of axle systems.  
         [0011]      FIGS. 5   a - d  are perspective views of exemplary embodiments of axle systems.  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view from the underside of an exemplary embodiment of a vehicle system.  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  is an exploded, perspective view of a vehicle system according to an exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]     The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of exemplary embodiments and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the embodiments may be constructed and/or utilized. The description also sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the exemplary embodiments in connection with the illustrated embodiments. However, it is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.  
         [0015]     Exemplary embodiments disclosed herein may include a simple, wind-driven, generally non-mechanized action toy vehicle that does not require batteries or other power sources. The methods and systems disclosed herein may also provide an amusing play action wherein the user can actively walk or run along with the system and enjoy active exercise. The user and observers may enjoy its rolling travel and animated sail action, such as a rider assuming various reactive postures, and graphic effects. The play action and value may also be enhanced by the graphics and configuration of the system in the forms of a skateboarder, roller skater, racing vehicle, surfer, and the like. Furthermore, the manufacturing and packaging methods may reduce costs sufficiently to allow the system to be offered for a relatively low price, or given away as a promotional item.  
         [0016]     A vehicle system according to an exemplary embodiment is shown in  FIG. 1 , generally at  10 . System  10  may include a sheet  12  as well as coupling components  14  (not shown in this figure). Sheet  12  may include removable portions  20 . Removable portions  20  may include a first shape  22 , a second shape  26 , a third shape  30 , and a fourth shape  32 . In this embodiment, the first shape  22  may be in the form of a sail, while second shape  26  may be in the shape of a body portion. Third shape  30  may be in the form of a wheel in this embodiment, and fourth shape  32  may be in the form of a fin or tail in this embodiment. As shown, shapes may be removable from sheet  12  and may include graphics and/or other configurations such that they may be easily assembled into a three dimensional vehicle.  
         [0017]     In this embodiment, components  14  (not shown) may include an axle, a sail coupling adapter, as well as other adapters and piece parts that may facilitate coupling the shapes together to form a three dimensional vehicle. Alternatively an axle may be configured with the body portion, as desired. Sheet  12  may be made from a material such as expanded polystyrene, polyethylene, relatively thin cardboard, nerf-type foam material, or other generally lightweight, durable, and inexpensive material, but may be made from other materials, as desired. The shapes may be die cut or “kiss-cut” where the resultant sheet may be packaged and sold intact. Furthermore, they may be die cut to easily be removed from sheet  12  by a user, such as a child. However, some parts may be removed from the sheet during manufacturing, and placed within the package so as not to require them to be punched out by the user prior to assembly.  
         [0018]     Wheel  30  may include a bushing  34  which may facilitate the wheels rotating about an axle more easily to allow the system  10  to roll with little force acting upon it, such as a slight breeze, among others. Furthermore the bushings  34  may spread the dynamic load of the system to allow the use of low mass material for other portions of the system. With this configuration a vehicle system may be produced inexpensively and may be easily put together by a child and used as a toy. This type of system may be very inexpensive to manufacture and distribute, such that the price may be relatively low, which may make user&#39;s more likely to purchase multiple systems, or advertisers to give them away.  
         [0019]     Body portion  26  may include an orifice  36  and a slot  38 . Orifice  36  may be configured to allow a sail coupling adapter to fit therethrough. Furthermore, a bushing may be included in orifice  36  to facilitate the movement of components, as well as add to the durability and longevity of the system. Furthermore the bushings may spread the dynamic load of the system to allow the use of low mass material for other portions of the system. This bushing may have the same configuration as bushing  34  to further reduce manufacturing costs.  
         [0020]     Slot  38  may be configured to allow a portion of the coupler acting as a stop, to rotate within the angular limits of slot  38 , such that the sail may be limited in travel, such that it may move with the wind to utilize wind forces to move the entire system. Furthermore this configuration may provide a self-adjusting sail configuration that may adjust to the wind to allow the system to travel a longer distance.  
         [0021]     It will be appreciated that the sail may have many orientations with respect to the body portion, i.e. facing generally parallel, perpendicular, etc. with respect to the body portion. Furthermore, the sail may be located in many positions adjacent the body. More than one sail may be utilized with one body portion.  
         [0022]     System  10  may also further include other accessories, which may couple to various portions of the vehicle and/or system to enhance the appearance and may also enhance the play value of the system. These other accessories may also include noisemakers, lighting effects, stickers, graphics, and the like, which may be included in the system package, but not necessarily formed in sheet  12 .  
         [0023]     The systems disclosed herein are designed to depict a broad range of themes. It will be appreciated that various components of the system may be utilized with other systems, making the system highly configurable. The use of light-weight material may also provide safety and crash resistance, relatively fast acceleration, and low overall cost of construction and shipping, among others.  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  may show another exemplary embodiment of a system, generally at  40 . System  40  may include a body portion  42  as well as one or more axle portions  44  coupled thereto. Axle portions  44  may be coupled to body portion  42  in many different ways including gluing, adhesives, friction fit, interference fit, or other configurations and methods of coupling axle  44  to body portion  42 , as desired.  
         [0025]     Axles  44  may be telescoping or of varying widths to receive many different types, widths, etc. of wheels and bodies. This may include wider wheels, which may give the system a customized appearance. Furthermore a wider or longer axle configuration may aid the performance of the system in higher wind conditions.  
         [0026]     System  40  may also include a sail portion  46  which may be configured to rotatably couple to body portion  42 , generally at the top of body portion  42 , via sail or mast stop adapter  50  and sail bushing  52 . Sail bushing  52  may be configured to fit through orifice  54  and couple to retainer  56  to allow adapter  50  and sail portion  46  to be rotatably coupled to body portion  42 . Adapter  50  may include a portion that may extend through slot  58  within body portion  42  such that the sail  46  and adapter  50  may be limited in travel such that once the vehicle is moving, the sail may automatically adjust to utilize the forces of a breeze or wind to continue moving. Furthermore, adaptor  50  may couple to sail  46  and to body portion  42  to allow for continuous, self-adjusting, optimization of the sail position relative to the wind direction and vehicle travel direction. It will be appreciated that sail portions, and/or other portions of the various embodiments may be expandable and generally 3-dimensional.  
         [0027]     System  40  may further include one or more wheel portions  48  which may rotatably couple to axle  44  near the ends of axle  44 , and may be secured to axle  44  via hub  49 . Furthermore, wheel  48  may include a bushing  47  which may be made of a hard plastic or other material such that it would more freely rotate about axle  44 . As discussed in the previous embodiment, the coupling components/accessories included with the system may include the adapter  50 , sail bushing  52 , connector  56  and hub  49 , among others. In this manner, small piece parts may be included in the system separately from the sheet and/or preassembled onto their respective positions on the portions of the sheet. The user may assemble the preassembled subassemblies before use. The retainers, hubs, etc. may be precoupled to the system and the user may remove them and recouple them after assembling the system.  
         [0028]     Wheels in the various systems may be transparent or semi-transparent, which may make the system appear as if it is floating. Furthermore the wheels may be located under the body portion, such that the wheel may not be easily seen.  
         [0029]     In this embodiment body portion  42  may come with axles  44  already attached or coupled thereto, however there may be an adhesive strip or other configuration for coupling axle  44  to body portion  42 .  
         [0030]     In an exemplary embodiment, sail bushing  52  may be made from a plastic material and may be pre-affixed to the sail and/or body  42  prior to shipment, as desired. Adaptor  50  may be configured to extend through, and ride on, sail bushing  52  in the body such that the sail may be capable of lateral movement to better translate wind forces onto vehicle motion, depending upon the direction of the wind and the direction of the travel of the vehicle.  
         [0031]     With this configuration, a relatively small, lightweight, inexpensive, easy to assemble child&#39;s toy may be made such that a user, such as a child, will be able to construct and use the vehicle relatively easily. The relatively small package, as a wrapped/backed single sheet or as a box or such containing other parts, may make it very easy to ship numerous amounts of the article of the system such that it will not take up a lot of space in packaging, shipping, storage, and display, thus making the system more attractive to retailers and users. The inexpensive nature of the system may make the system attractive to buyers as it may be easily replaced if broken, or many systems with the same or different graphics and designs may be purchased for or by a child. Therefore, these systems may configured and manufactured in a variety of sizes, including sized and used as trading cards, and the like. Furthermore, many themes may be utilized that may appeal to potential purchasers as a trading-card type product.  
         [0032]     The system may be configured to allow the vehicle system to change directions, and/or to travel in one direction when the direction and velocity of the wind changes. Other accessories may be utilized, such as ballasts or other accessories, to enhance the characteristics of the vehicle and to enhance play value of the overall system.  
         [0033]     In an exemplary embodiment, the slot  58  may be configured to receive the adaptor  50 . It may be located along the centerline of the length of the body, and may be configured in a location where it can best convert the wind force from the sail into movement of the vehicle, without causing the vehicle to become unstable or to overturn. In an exemplary embodiment, the slot  58  may function to contain and permit free rotational movement of the adaptor  50  within the slot limits.  
         [0034]     Further aspects of the exemplary embodiments may include that the overall geometry and continuously self-adjusting sail configuration may automatically enable the vehicle to track the wind forces to allow the vehicle to move about. Another aspect of the exemplary embodiments may be that the resultant low weight and low mass design may limit damage to the system in the event of a crash. This aspect may also allow rapid animated acceleration and desirable speeds in response to mild wind forces and wind changes.  
         [0035]      FIG. 3  shows another exemplary embodiment of a toy vehicle system, generally at  60 . System  60  may include a body portion  62  as well as a frame  64 , which may be configured to removably couple to body portion  62  via securing structures  86 . It will be appreciated that although a generally flat body portion  62  is shown, many different three-dimensional configurations may be utilized with this embodiment for many different types, styles, and configurations of vehicles.  
         [0036]     System  60  may further include a wheel adapter  66  which may be configured to couple to wheel receivers  82 . With this configuration, the system may be highly configurable to allow a user to place wheel portions  68  and wheel adapter  66  in many different positions with respect to the frame  64 , as well as having multiple wheels on the vehicle, if desired. Furthermore, although five wheel receivers  82  are shown on each side of frame  64 , it will be appreciated that many other numbers and configurations may be utilized without straying from the concepts disclosed herein.  
         [0037]     This exemplary embodiment may include a dimensionally standardized chassis and universal configuration designed to accommodate a wide variety of vehicle configurations by allowing for alternate positions for axles, sail pivot points, plug in accessories, such as ballast, etc.  
         [0038]     System  60  may further include wheels  68  which may be configured to rotatably couple to wheel adapter  66 . This configuration will allow the system to move along a support surface with a reduced amount of force, such as, but not limited to, a breeze. System  60  may further include a coupler  70  which may be configured to removably couple wheel adapter  66  to frame  64 .  
         [0039]     System  60  may yet further include a sail portion  72  as well as a sail support  74  and coupling configuration  76  and mating structure  78 . With this configuration, sail support  74  may extend through coupling configuration  76 . Coupling configuration  76  may be configured to extend into an orifice  79  to rotatably couple sail portion  72  to frame  64 .  
         [0040]     System  60  may further include a sail stop  80  which may couple to coupling configuration  76  and/or sail support  74 , may be configured to limit the rotation of sail portion  72  with respect to frame  64 . As shown, there is more than one orifice included in frame  64  such that the sail may be coupled to the system at various points with respect to frame  64 . Furthermore, more than one sail may be coupled to the system, as desired.  
         [0041]     It will be appreciated that although an exemplary embodiment for frame  64  is shown, many other configurations for a frame may be utilized. Other configurations may include, but are not limited to, a generally I-shaped configuration, a box-like configuration, a “criss-cross”-type configuration, and/or a configuration with a generally central backbone and multiple cross beams, and the like. These alternate configurations may be utilized with none, some, or all of the portions disclosed herein, as desired, without straying from the concepts disclosed herein.  
         [0042]     Axles may be made from the expanded polystyrene, a generally hard plastic, or polyethylene material, and/or other materials and combinations thereof, as desired. In other exemplary embodiments the axles may be made of another material such as, but not limited to, wooden dowels, hard plastic, solid or tubular metal, and/or combinations thereof, and the like, and may be included in the configuration of the body portion, or shipped separately from the sheet, but in the same package, as desired.  
         [0043]     It will be appreciated with this highly configurable system, many different configurations may be utilized which may make it more attractive to a purchaser, such as a child. Furthermore, the portions may be interchangeable such that many different portions may be used with different systems to make the system even more configurable. Furthermore, with the removable coupling configuration of body portion  62  with respect to frame  64  many different styles of body portions may be utilized with this highly configurable system.  
         [0044]      FIG. 4   a  shows a wheel securing configuration and/or axle means according to an exemplary embodiment, generally at  90   a . Configuration  90   a  may include an axle  92  and a body  94  such that axle  92  may be coupled to body  94  as described above with an adhesive strip, as well as other securing configurations and methods, and also may come from the factory already secured to body portion  94 .  
         [0045]      FIG. 4   b  shows a wheel securing configuration and/or axle means according to another exemplary embodiment generally at  90   b . Configuration  90   b  includes an axle  92  and a body  94  as in the embodiment in  FIG. 4   a , as well as a coupling configuration  96  which may be configured to couple axle  92  to body  94 . This configuration may also come pre-made from the factory, and/or may be easily accomplished by a user, if desired.  
         [0046]      FIG. 4   c  shows a wheel securing configuration and/or axle means of another exemplary embodiment, generally at  90   c . Configuration  90   c  includes a body portion  94  and an axle  98  coupled thereto. In this configuration, axle  98  has a generally zigzag configuration which may improve the stability of the system as well as add to the aesthetics, among other considerations. Axle  98  may again be coupled to body  94  via an adhesive or other configurations or methods, or may come from the factory to the user already coupled.  
         [0047]      FIG. 4   d  shows another wheel securing configuration and/or axle means according to another exemplary embodiment, generally at  90   d . Configuration  90   d  may include a body portion  94  as well as one or more axles  100 . With this configuration axles  100  may not extend entirely across body portion  94  which may save money and/or reduce packaging size among other considerations. Furthermore, again axles  100  may be couplable to body portion  94  in various locations, by the user, or may come from the factory with this configuration. Body portion  94  is typically made of a styrofoam-type or polystyrene material, but may be made from balsa wood, woods, plastics, and/or combinations thereof, without straying from the concepts disclosed herein. Furthermore, in  FIGS. 4   a - 4   d , axle portions may be made of a metal, plastic, wood, polymers, and/or combinations thereof, as desired, without straying from the concepts disclosed herein.  
         [0048]      FIG. 5   a  shows a wheel coupling configuration and/or axle means according to an exemplary embodiment, generally at  110   a . Configuration  110   a  may include an axle portion  112  as well as a body portion  114 . In this configuration, axle may be made of a wood material and may be coupled to body portion  114  via an adhesive, or other configuration or method. Furthermore the axle  112  may be coupled to body portion  114  via an adhesive or other configuration and may be configured to be coupled by a user, or may come already assembled. With this configuration axle  112  may be made of wood and may be very inexpensive. Furthermore, the system may be highly configurable and inexpensive.  
         [0049]      FIG. 5   b  shows another exemplary embodiment of a wheel coupling and/or axle means configuration, generally at  110   b . Configuration  110   b  may include an axle  112  and a body portion  114  as well as an adapter  116 . Adapter  116  may couple to body portion  114  as well as axle portion  112 . This may add stability to the system and may also add rigidity to the system. Furthermore, this may allow for a alternate configuration as to the spacing of wheels with respect to body portion  114 .  
         [0050]      FIG. 5   c  shows another exemplary embodiment of a wheel coupling and/or axle means configuration, generally at  110   c . Configuration  110   c  may include a body portion  114  as well as wheel couplers  118  coupled thereto. With this configuration, wheel couplers  118  may be small injection molded parts, which may be included with the system easily and inexpensively. Again, wheel coupler  118  may come from the factory already fixed to body portion  114 , or may be fixed by the user, or may be removably fixed, as desired.  
         [0051]      FIG. 5   d  shows a wheel coupling configuration and/or axle means according to another exemplary embodiment, generally at  10   d . Configuration  110   d  may include a body portion  114  as well as adjustable wheel couplers  120 . As shown, adjustable wheel couplers  120  may be moveable and selectively postionable with respect to body portion  114 . This may make the system highly configurable and may make it more attractive to a potential purchaser such as a child. This again makes the system very highly configurable and highly adjustable, as desired.  
         [0052]     In  FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  axle  112  may be made of wood, plastic, or other material and/or combinations thereof. In  FIGS. 5   c  and  5   d , wheel coupler  118  and adjustable wheel coupler  120  may be made of plastic, metal, wood, polymers and/or combinations thereof, as desired.  
         [0053]      FIG. 6  shows a perspective view from the underside of a system  130  according to an exemplary embodiment of a wind powered vehicle. System  130  may include a frame  132  as well as axle portions  136 . Axle portions  136  may couple to frame  132  via a friction and/or interference fit, as well as other methods and configurations, as desired. Frame  132  may include orifices  134  which may allow other portions of the system to couple thereto.  
         [0054]     Axle portions  136  may include body coupling structures  138  which may be configured to reversibly couple to a body portion (not shown). It will be appreciated that although body coupling structures are shown as being able to couple to a body portion via friction or interference fit, other configurations may be utilized, without straying from the concepts disclosed herein.  
         [0055]     Axle portion  136  may further include wheel receivers  140  which may be configured to rotationally couple to wheel portions (not shown). It will be appreciated that since axle portions  136  may couple to frame portion  132  in many different configurations such that many axle portions  136  may couple to a body portion  132  as well as coupling to the body portion in many different positions, as desired. Axle portion  136  may also include tabs  142  which may facilitate coupling and decoupling of the body portions, wheel portions, and other portions of the system, as desired. Furthermore, tabs  142  may facilitate the telescoping action of axle portions  136  to accommodate for the use of different body portions and styles, as wall as different wheel configurations. This configuration may also facilitate altering the configuration of the system to adjust for different wind conditions.  
         [0056]     System  130  may further include a sail adapter  152  which may be configured to couple and decouple to a sail in many different positions. Sail adapter  152  may extend into and/or otherwise couple to bolt  148  which may extend through orifice  134  of body portion  132  to couple to nut  150 . Although a nut and bolt configuration has been shown, it will be appreciated that many other configurations and methods may be utilized to couple these items together, as desired.  
         [0057]     System  130  may further include limitors  146  and stop  144  which may also couple to bolt  148 . In this manner, the positions of limitors  146  may be varied to vary the travel of the sail as limited by stop  144 . Stop  144  may also be threaded and screw onto bolt  148  however, other coupling methods and configurations may be utilized as desired.  
         [0058]     System  130  may also include a sail receiver  154  which may be configured to receive the coupling configuration as described above. This may allow different positions for a sail to be coupled to the system as well as more than one sail being coupled to the system, as desired. This may further enhance the configurability of the system and may make the system more attractive to potential purchasers. Although a generally I-shaped configuration is shown, it will be appreciated that other simply configurations may be utilized with straying from the inventive concepts herein. Furthermore sail receiver  154  may be coupled at the ends of frame  132  to extend the frame  132  and to allow sails to be coupled to the system at those extensions.  
         [0059]     This exemplary embodiment may include a dimensionally standardized chassis and universal configuration designed to accommodate a wide variety of vehicle configurations by allowing for alternate positions for axles, sail pivot points, plug in accessories, such as ballast, etc.  
         [0060]     With this somewhat simple design, the system may be inexpensive, have very few parts, may be highly configurable, and may portions of the system may be utilized with other systems, as desired. These inexpensive and highly configurable configurations may make it more likely for a child or parent to purchase one or more systems.  
         [0061]     Wheels for the system may be of varying width and height and may be coupled to varying numbers of axles. Axles may be located through various parts of the system. One or more sails may be coupled to the system in different arrangements and may have different pivot locations located throughout the system. Furthermore, bodies may be included with the system that may have side skirts, wheel wells and/or body pans, as desired. Yet further, a variety of add-ons and accessories may be included and/or sold separately to further enhance the configurability of the overall system.  
         [0062]     Ballast and other accessories may be utilized with the system to change the characteristics thereof. Furthermore with this frame configuration, many different body portions  132  may be utilized by adjusting the frame and axle portions (undercarriage and chassis) thereof. Furthermore the axle portions  136  and wheel portions  140  may be extendable and may be made in different lengths and specifications such that many, many different wheels, bodies, sails, etc. may be utilized with the various systems.  
         [0063]      FIG. 7  shows an exemplary embodiment of a vehicle system, generally at  160 . System  160  may include a body portion  162  as well as a sail portion  164 . Body portion  162  as shown, may be three-dimensional and in this embodiment, shown as waves. Furthermore, sail portion  164  may include graphics such as a wind surfer and/or other graphics such that it may appear that a wind surfer is surfing through water as the vehicle moves along a surface.  
         [0064]     System  160  may further include a sail adapter  166  which may be configured to couple to sail  164  and configured to extend through orifice  168  within body portion  162 . This configuration may rotatably couple sail  164  to body  162 . Sail adapter  166  may be configured to couple to sail stop  170 . Sail adapter  166  may also extend through limitor  172  as well as adjustable limitor  174  that may make the limiting of rotation of sail  164  with respect to body portion  162  variable. With this configuration, the travel of sail laterally may be limited by sail stop  170  and limitor  172  such that it may be adjusted for various conditions. This configuration may make the system more configurable for different wind and/or other force conditions.  
         [0065]     System  160  may include an axle portion  176  which may be formed within and/or coupled to body portion  162 , or other configurations as shown in the previous figures, or other configurations, as desired. System  160  may further include a locking portion  180  which may be configured to couple axle portion  176  to body portion  162 .  
         [0066]     In this embodiment axle portion  176  may be configured to be telescoping. This configuration may accommodate for the use of different body portions and styles, as wall as different wheel configurations. This configuration may also facilitate altering the configuration of the system to adjust for different wind conditions.  
         [0067]     System  160  may further include a wheel portion  178  which may be configured to rotatably couple to axle portion  176  such that it would provide a configuration for the system to move on a support surface, utilizing very low forces such as a breeze, wind, and/or other forces, as desired.  
         [0068]     As shown by the various embodiments of this invention, the system is very highly configurable which may appeal to many different users and/or buyers, including children and/or parents. Furthermore, the system may be made from very lightweight and inexpensive products making it inexpensive to manufacture and to sell and/or give away. Furthermore, the system may be configured to be easily assemblable by a user such that it may be assemblable by children.  
         [0069]     Furthermore, as described by the exemplary embodiments, the system may include graphics and other accessories that may make it appealing to users, such as children. The systems may be formed relatively small such that they may be the size of trading cards to further make them attractive to children. In operation, the sail may move rapidly, in a self-adjusting manner. The additional movements of the sail and other accessories may cause the vehicle and/or other portions of the system to appear animated. Many different vehicles and toys may be configured and produced in this manner, with this configuration.  
         [0070]     In exemplary embodiments disclosed herein, the vehicle may be designed to be very lightweight and low mass, being primarily made from low-density foam sheets, and yet they may be stable, self-adjusting, and may uniquely portray a wide variety of subjects, including, but not limited to, human, animal, or fanciful figures, and/or high-performance land and water vehicles, and the like. Moreover, the system may incorporate a relatively simple configuration to allow the sail to continuously adjust to the wind direction and forces for any particular downwind or crosswind path of vehicle travel. In exemplary embodiments, the configuration may take advantage of the switching, opposing wind directions to enhance the animated effect of rolling to and fro. Furthermore, this may be a learning toy such that a child or other user may learn about wind and other forces, sailing and vehicles. This may make the system more likely to be purchased by a parent for a child to facilitate the learning of the child.  
         [0071]     In closing, it is to be understood that the exemplary embodiments described herein are illustrative of the principles of the present disclosure. Other modifications that may be employed are within the scope of this disclosure. Thus, by way of example, but not of limitation, alternative configurations may be utilized in accordance with the teachings herein. Accordingly, the drawing and description are illustrative and not meant to be a limitation thereof.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0