Mattel, Inc.

The Quaker Oats Company

Fisher-price, Inc.

William R Howell

Kurt J Huntsberger

John L Jones, Jr

Karl D Lerch

Gary G Lenihan

Brian L Bienz

Ronald M Asbach

Mark J Bergum

Jon Paul Castiglione

David G Waples

Charles D Smith

John Francis Rhein

Gerald P Sitarski

Jeffrey W Reynolds

Richard A Zirnheld

Ross Rumfola, Iii

Eric T Shuler

Scott H McIlvain

Kevin Gastle

Peter Truman Vom Scheidt, Jr

Nicholas Chojecki

Alison Eisenberg

Christopher G Gromek

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a battery powered ride-on toy vehicle. The ride-on vehicle includes a main body, a front wheel assembly, and a steering assembly. The front wheel assembly is angularly offset from the main body so that steering the vehicle into a turn with the steering assembly creates a camber angle in the wheels of the front wheel assembly and tilts the main body into a turn. The ride-on vehicle may also include a rear wheel assembly and a drive assembly configured to drive any wheels included in the front wheel assembly and the rear assembly. The toy vehicle can also drift through turns while tilting into the turn.

Ride-on toy vehicle configured to tilt and drift

Latch assemblies and children's products that include the latch assemblies are disclosed herein. The children's products may include a children's ride-on vehicle. The children's ride-on vehicle may include a vehicle body, a plurality of wheels, and a hinged assembly that is coupled to the vehicle body. The hinged assembly may include a base member, a hinged member, and a latch assembly that is configured to selectively retain the hinged assembly in a closed orientation. The latch assembly may include a female member, a male member that is configured to be selectively interconnected with the female member, and a guide structure. The guide structure may be configured to direct the male member and the female member into an aligned orientation from which the male member may be received within the female member.

Latch assemblies and children's products that include latch assemblies

Hinged assemblies, and children's products including at least one hinged assembly, include a base member and a hinged member operatively and pivotally coupled to the base member to define a hinge. The hinge is configured to release if an obstruction is positioned between the hinged member and the base member while the hinged member is being closed and if a closing torque is greater than or equal to a release torque. The hinge also may be configured to not release when an opening torque is applied when the hinged member is in its open position even when the opening torque is greater than the release torque.

Pinch-relief hinged assemblies and children's products including pinch-relief hinged assemblies

Axle mounting assemblies including an object, an axle, and a bushing assembly that operatively couples the object to the axle. The bushing assembly includes a bushing portion that extends at least partially through and engages a hub of the object, a fastener operatively retained relative to a bore defined by the bushing portion and positioned around the end region of the axle, and a force-receiving portion configured to selectively receive an installation force for operatively positioning the fastener over the end region of the axle.

Axle mounting assemblies and children's products having axle mounting assemblies

A children's ride-on vehicle is disclosed. In some embodiments, the vehicle may include a body having a seat assembly configured to support a child; and a drive assembly adapted to selectively drive rotation of at least one driven wheel in a plurality of drive configurations, and including a motor assembly comprising at least one electric motor, at least one user input device positioned to receive inputs from a child supported by the seat assembly and adapted to selectively actuate the motor assembly, a battery assembly adapted to selectively energize the motor assembly, and a detection system adapted to detect whether an accessory is coupled to the body. The drive assembly being adapted to restrict driving of the at least one driven wheel to less than all drive configurations of the plurality of drive configurations based on the detection system detecting whether the accessory is coupled to the body.

Children's ride-on vehicles having detection systems

A system for preventing overinflation of an inner tube is disclosed. In some embodiments, the system may include a wheel; and a tube-bursting region of the wheel, wherein the tube-bursting region is configured to facilitate bursting of an associated inner tube when the associated inner tube is pressurized above a predetermined maximum pressure. A tire system also is disclosed. In some embodiments, the system may include a wheel; and a tube-bursting region of the wheel, wherein the tube-bursting region is configured to facilitate bursting of an associated inner tube when the associated inner tube is pressurized above a predetermined maximum pressure. A children's ride-on vehicle also is disclosed. In some embodiments, the vehicle may include a wheel; and a tube-bursting region of the wheel, wherein the tube-bursting region is configured to facilitate bursting of an associated inner tube when the associated inner tube is pressurized above a predetermined maximum pressure.

Systems for preventing overinflation of inner tubes and children's ride-on vehicles including the same

Children's ride-on vehicles. The ride-on, or ride-on vehicle, includes a frame having a seat adapted to support a child, and a drive assembly with a battery-powered motor assembly. The ride-on vehicle further includes one or more steerable wheels and one or more driven wheels. In some embodiments, the ride-on vehicle includes a biasing assembly that is connected to the frame and adapted to bias the seat away from the vehicle's driven wheels. In some embodiments, the ride-on vehicle includes a free-floating wheel, which is unbiased and travels within a defined range of positions with respect to the ride-on vehicle's frame as external forces are imparted to the wheel. In some embodiments, the ride-on vehicle includes a high-speed switch positioned for momentary high-speed operation of the ride-on vehicle and a user-manipulable portion may be provided to enable a child to select such a high-speed configuration.

Children's ride-on vehicle

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

Systems for preventing overinflation of inner tubes

Children's ride-on vehicle assemblies having leading and trailing vehicles that are removably coupled together by a connection apparatus. The leading vehicle is an independently operable ride-on vehicle having a drive assembly that is selectively configured between a plurality of drive configurations, such as responsive to user inputs via user input devices. The assembly further includes a detection system adapted to detect whether or not the connection apparatus is in its coupled configuration and to restrict the plurality of drive configurations responsive thereto. This restriction may be automatic responsive to coupling of the leading and trailing vehicles together, and it may be made regardless of user inputs that otherwise would select and/or enable one of the restricted drive configurations.

Children's ride-on vehicle assemblies having trailing vehicle detection systems

Children's ride-on vehicle assemblies that include a leading vehicle, a trailing vehicle, and a connection apparatus, such as a hitch assembly, that selectively interconnects the leading and trailing vehicles. At least the leading vehicle includes a drive assembly adapted to propel the vehicle along a ground surface. In some embodiments, at least the leading vehicle is a battery-powered ride-on vehicle. The hitch assembly is adapted to interconnect the leading and trailing vehicles and to provide a limited range of pivoting of the vehicles relative to each other. In some embodiments, the hitch assembly includes a pinch-relief mechanism that is adapted to provide at least a predetermined clearance between the vehicles. In some embodiments, the hitch assembly is adapted to provide limited pivotal ranges in at least two planes. In some embodiments, the hitch assembly is adapted to selectively uncouple and recouple the vehicles from and to each other.

Growing community of inventors

Arcade, NY, United States of America

William R Howell