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:
Jan. 21, 2003
Filed:
Feb. 08, 2002
Robert Annis, Parkridge, IL (US);
Daniel Gleason, Brookfield, IL (US);
Trevor J. Hayes, Medford, NJ (US);
Robert A. Butkiewicz, Shamong, NJ (US);
Julian R. Payne, Delran, NJ (US);
Jeremy S. Robotham, Mt. Laurel, NJ (US);
Francis Ponton, Marlton, NJ (US);
Mattel, Inc., El Segundo, CA (US);
Abstract
A play set for use with unpowered (e.g. {fraction (1/64)} scale) toy vehicles having non-steerable, free rotating wheels includes a closed loop track with a conveyor that raises such unpowered toy vehicles from a lower end to an upper, elevated end and a driven, tilting roadway that randomly directs toy vehicles from the upper level to either of two track branches. At least part of each track branch can be opened to release a toy vehicle from the track. A merge track section joins together a lower level end of each of the two track branches and leads to the lower end of the conveyor. The upper end of the conveyor and the tilting roadway are simultaneously supported by a single and driven by a single motor.