The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 07, 1992
Filed:
Feb. 08, 1991
Sean T Mullaney, Chicago, IL (US);
Howard J Morrison, Riverwoods, IL (US);
Donald A Rosenwinkel, Oak Park, IL (US);
John V Zaruba, Oak Park, IL (US);
Breslow, Morrison, Terzian & Associates, Inc., Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
Toy vehicle wheels are each mounted on an axle having a gear with each of the wheels having a pair of diametrically opposed arcuate segments. Each of the arcuate segments includes an inwardly extending member with each member including a rack that is kept in engagement with an opposed toothed side of the gear. A coiled spring biases the two opposed arcuate segments toward each other. With a motor driving the axle in one direction, the wheel is initially rotated with the opposed arcuate segments in a first position proximate each other until the wheel encounters an impediment that stalls rotation of the wheel so that continued rotation of the axle in one direction drives the segments away from each other. For enhancing the visual effect of the arcuate segments being moved away from each other, edges of the arcuate segments are provided with projecting parts that are obscured when the arcuate segments are in the first position proximate each other.