Patent ID: 7753755

Claim:
A battery powered, remotely-controlled toy vehicle configured for operation on a substantially flat horizontal, vertical, and ceiling-like surface, comprising: a chassis having an undersurface and having flexible skirts extending along long sides of the chassis to provide a partial seal between the undersurface of the chassis and the surface; at least one wheel mounted on and cooperating with said chassis so as to support said chassis with respect to the substantially flat surface against which said at least one wheel bears, such that the undersurface of said chassis is maintained at a predetermined distance from said surface, a receiver responsive to a control signal from a remote transmitter, a battery, a first drive motor being supplied with current from said battery responsive to signals provided from said receiver, at least one of said at least one wheel being controllably driven by said first drive motor, a second fan drive motor, also being supplied with current from a battery, and a fan driven by said second motor, said fan being mounted in a fan duct extending through said chassis and arranged generally orthogonally with respect to said surface, so as to draw a stream of air from between said undersurface of said chassis and said surface, wherein said undersurface of said chassis is shaped so that when said vehicle is placed on a surface with said at least one wheel in contact with said surface, said undersurface and said surface together define an underbody venturi duct, said underbody venturi duct extending from an entry portion at the periphery of said undersurface to said fan duct, whereby differential pressure between said stream of air flowing in said underbody venturi duct and the ambient air induces downforce urging said chassis toward said flat surface; and wherein the underbody venturi duct defined by said undersurface and said flat surface comprises (1) the entry portion extending between an inlet opening at the periphery of said underbody and a exit opening, (2) an extended transition portion, of substantially uniform cross-sectional area, joining the exit opening of said entry portion to (3) an exit portion, said exit portion being connected to said fan duct, whereby said fan draws said stream of air flowing freely through said underbody venturi duct, from said inlet opening of said entry portion to and out of said fan duct.