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:
Jul. 01, 1997
Filed:
Feb. 10, 1995
Keith A Hippely, Manhattan Beach, CA (US);
Larry R Wood, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Brian E Walsh, Mission Hills, CA (US);
Terence A Choy, Lawndale, CA (US);
Mattel, Inc., El Segundo, CA (US);
Abstract
A toy vehicle playset includes a trackway having a vehicle launcher coupled to a looped track portion and a dual tank unit positioned within the travel path of the toy vehicle through the trackway. The trackway further includes an exit ramp on the opposite side of the dual tank unit from the track loop which is coupled to a toy vehicle catcher and a display area. The dual tank unit includes a pair of tank portions separated by an intervening wall. The dual tank unit is supported within the trackway travel path such that either tank portion is alternatively positionable within the travel path of the toy vehicle. The playset further includes a multiply articulated robot arm supporting one or more thermally conductive tools or stamps which are immersible within the proximate one of the dual water tanks and appliable to the surface of the toy vehicle when resting in the toy vehicle catcher. The toy vehicle when launched down the trackway traverses the track loop and passes through the aligned one of the tank portions of the dual tank unit to receive a hot or cold water bath. The toy vehicle is at least partially covered with a thermochromic paint or coating and undergoes a thermochromic appearance change in the bath. Ideally, each of the tank portions is filled with a different temperature water supply.