Mattel, Inc.

Ark-les Corporation

Jeffrey W Reynolds

Richard A Zirnheld

William R Howell

John Francis Rhein

Gerald P Sitarski

Steven Robert Drosendahl

Julian J Bishop

Chuck J Crofut

Stephen J Michalak

A children's ride-on vehicle is disclosed. In some embodiments, the vehicle may include at least one driven wheel and a drive assembly adapted to selectively drive the rotation of the at least one driven wheel. The drive assembly may include at least one electric motor, a battery assembly including at least one battery and adapted to provide a plurality of voltages to the at least one electric motor, and at least one user input device positioned to receive inputs from a child sitting on the at least one seat, and adapted to select among the plurality of voltages and to apply that selected voltage to the at least one electric motor; and an electronics system adapted to detect the applied voltage to the at least one electric motor and to generate at least one of an audio output and a visual output based, at least in part, on the applied voltage.

Operational-state responsive audiovisual systems

Children's ride-on vehicles having a drive assembly that is selectively configured between a plurality of drive configurations, such as responsive to user inputs via user input devices, and a ground detection system that is adapted to detect when at least one of a plurality of wheels loses contact with the ground surface. The ground detection system may be adapted to restrict the plurality of drive configurations responsive thereto. This restriction may be automatic responsive to loss of contact of the at least one of the plurality of wheels with the ground surface, and it may be made regardless, or independent, of user inputs that otherwise would select and/or enable one of the restricted drive configurations.

Children's ride-on vehicles having ground detection systems

Battery charging assemblies for children's ride-on vehicles, and children's ride-on vehicles that include the same. The charging assemblies may include a power adapter that is adapted to be electrically connected to a power source, a charger cord, and a charging connector that is adapted to electrically interconnect with the rechargeable battery of the ride-on vehicle. The battery charging assemblies further include at least one protective element to prevent or significantly reduce backflow current from the battery into the battery charging assembly. The protective element may be located in the charging probe or at any point along the charger cord of the battery charging assembly. The protective element may include any suitable current-limiting or current-interrupting device. Examples of such current limiting devices include, without limitation, a fuse, a circuit breaker, an anti-backflow diode, and a resettable fuse such as a positive temperature coefficient resistor (PTC resistor).

Children's ride-on vehicle charging assemblies with back feed protection

Children's ride-on vehicles having improved motor assemblies. The vehicles are reduced-scale vehicles, often formed substantially from molded plastic, that are sized for use by children and which include battery-powered motor assemblies. The vehicles may include a noise-suppression device that is adapted to reduce electromagnetic noise, a cutoff device that is adapted to selectively restrict operation of the motor assembly, or both devices. In some embodiments, the cutoff device may be a temperature-sensitive cutoff device and/or a current-sensitive cutoff device. In some embodiments, the device is disposed within a motor housing provided with the vehicle.

Children's ride-on vehicles having improved motor assemblies

A battery connector system for use with a powered ride-on vehicle for children, where the vehicle includes an electric motor adapted to drive one or more wheels of the vehicle and a wiring harness adapted to convey power to the motor. The battery connector system includes a plug attached to the wiring harness and has a case substantially enclosing positive and negative plug contacts. The plug further includes a normally-open switch interposed between a switched one of the plug contacts and the wiring harness with the switch having an actuator by which the switch may be closed, whereby the switched plug contact is not electrically connected to the wiring harness until the switch is closed. The system further includes a battery including positive and negative terminals and a socket including housing structure adapted to fit together with the plug case and substantially enclosing positive and negative socket contacts which are respectively connected to positive and negative terminals of the battery. The housing structure is adapted to position the positive and negative socket contacts to respectively engage the positive and negative contacts on the plug when the housing structure and case are fit together. The battery connector also includes a key adapted to engage the actuator and close the switch when the housing structure and case are fit together. A portion of the socket may serve as a charging jack for the battery.

Growing community of inventors

East Aurora, NY, United States of America

Jeffrey W Reynolds