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:
Oct. 20, 1998
Filed:
May. 16, 1997
Charles Cummings, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Other;
Abstract
The present invention proposes a toy vehicle powered and propelled by a launching device. More specifically, the invention includes a toy vehicle, preferably about three inches long, with a flywheel at its midpoint. The body, chassis, wheel and other parts are preferably plastic. The flywheel, however, is preferably a non-ferrous metal, and most preferably a diecast zinc metal. In one embodiment of the invention, the toy vehicle is placed in the launching device. The vehicle rolls down a ramp to a car stop. Magnets in the flywheel activate a switch that turns on an electromagnet, causing the flywheel to accelerate. When the vehicle reaches the vehicle stop of the launcher, the flywheel is spinning and magnets on the flywheel activate a reed switch that turns on an electromagnet each time a magnet passes the reed switch. The reed switch, acting as a commutator along with the magnets in the flywheel, creates the effect of a D.C. motor. When the shifter is moved into a specific gear setting, preferably fourth gear, the vehicle stop is lowered and the vehicle accelerates off the ramp.