TγγLE OF THE INVENTION

Flying Toy Vehicle CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is related to U.S. Provisional Application Serial Number 60/797,779, filed on May 4, 2006, entitled "Flying Toy Vehicle", by Anthony M. Martino.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates generally to flying toys. More specifically, the present invention relates flying toy vehicles for providing highly dynamic performance with increased engaging play particularly with wireless remote control (R/C).

[0003] Flying toy vehicles are well known. It is believed that a new toy vehicle capable of being operated on various types of supporting surfaces as well as being capable of flight would provide highly dynamic performance and more engaging play activity than previous toy vehicles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] In at least one aspect, the invention is a flying toy vehicle comprising: a fuselage; at least one wing member connected with a central portion of the fuselage; a propulsion device supported on the wing member rearwardly of a leading edge of the member, the propulsion device supporting a propeller for rotation, the propeller being supported for rotation through a slot extending laterally and vertically through the wing member; at least one vertical stabilizer secured with the fuselage rearwardly of the propeller and the wing member; at least one horizontal stabilizer secured with the fuselage and the at least one vertical stabilizer rearwardly of the propeller and the one wing member; at least a second vertical stabilizer on the wing member located laterally and longitudinally between a leading edge of the wing member and the propeller; and at least a third vertical stabilizer on the wing member located laterally and longitudinally between the slot and the trailing edge of the wing member.

[0005] These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent when considered in connection with the following, detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, which description is presented in conjunction with annexed drawings below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The foregoing summary as well as the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown herein. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

[0007] The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts. For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0008] Fig. 1 is a front, left-side perspective view of a flying toy vehicle in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

[0009] Fig. 2 is a left-side elevation view of the toy vehicle as depicted in Fig. 1;

[0010] Fig. 3 is a front elevation view of the toy vehicle as depicted in Figs. 1 and 2; and

[0011] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a remote control mechanism utilized in conjunction with the flying toy vehicle depicted in Figs. 1 through 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The following discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The general principles described herein may be applied to embodiments and applications other than those detailed below without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. The present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.

[0013] The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are indicative of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed

description thereof that follows maybe better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

[0014] Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words "right," "left," "lower" and "upper" designate directions in the photographs to which reference is made. The words "inwardly" and "outwardly" refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the toy vehicle and designated parts thereof. The terminology includes the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar import. The terms "horizontal" and "vertical" relate to the toy vehicle oriented with all of its wheels in contact with the ground. Additionally, the word "a" as used in the specification means "at least one."

[0015] Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout, there is shown in Figs. 1-3 a first embodiment of a flying toy vehicle ( or simply "toy vehicle") 10. The toy vehicle 10 comprises a central body assembly or fuselage 20 preferably constructed from EPP foam comprising a left side wing member 30 and a right side wing member 40 wherein at least one propulsion device 70 is disposed therewith each wing member 30, 40 rearwardlyof the leading edge 31. The toy vehicle 10 further comprises a tail assembly 80 comprising a plurality of vertical stabilizer members such as a left vertical tail stabilizer member 90, a central vertical tail stabilizer member 100, and a right vertical tail stabilizer member 110 and at least one horizontal tail stabilizer member 120 extending between the three vertical stabilizers 90, 100, 110.. Preferably, a second horizontal stabilizer 125 is provided between the lower ends of the vertical stabilizer members 90, 100, 110. As discussed below, the toy vehicle 10 is adapted for operation on a variety of supporting surfaces (e.g., concrete, grass, snow, and sand) as well as being capable of flight. With continued reference to Figs. 1-3, the toy vehicle 10 has a forward end 12 and a rear end 14 such that the central body assembly 20 is substantially disposed therebetween. The left side wing member 30 and the right side wing member 40 are integrally formed thereto or may be bonded or otherwise secured to each side of the central body assembly 20, respectively. The left side wing member 30 and the right side wing member 40 each comprise a leading edge 31 and a trailing edge 32 and form a generally cambered surface 35 between the leading edge 31 and the trailing edge 32 so as to effectuate increased aerodynamic lifting as the propulsion devices 70 (described below) propel the toy vehicle 10 forward.

[0016] As can be seen in Figs. 1-3, each wing member 30, 40 is configured with individual propulsion devices 70, wherein a drive motor (not shown) and gear box (not shown) for cooperating with the propulsion devices 70 is disposed in a housing 15 on each of respective wing members 30, 40. The drive motors can be conventional brushed electric motors or specialty motors, if desired. In the embodiment shown in the Figs. 1-3, each propulsion device 70 is a propeller 70a driven by a single brushed electrically driven motor. Each drive motor is preferably powered by a conventional power source, in the present embodiment a lithium polymer 40OmA battery (not shown) housed within the central body assembly 20. One skilled in the art will readily understand that there exists, now or in the future, any number of drive motors, propulsion devices 70 and power sources or batteries that can be accommodated with the present toy vehicle 10 as described without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. Therefore, any such alternative drive motors (not shown), propulsion devices 70, and batteries or other power sources (not shown) are fully contemplated for use by the present invention.

[0017] In the instance that, as presently preferred and shown a propeller 70a is selected as the propulsion device 70 for attachment to each drive motor (not shown) , a channel or "slot" 78 is provided in each of the left and right side wing members 30, 40 extending laterally and vertically through the respective wing member 30, 40 for providing an opening in which the propeller can freely rotate without obstruction. Housing 15 is located laterally and longitudinally between the leading edge 31 and the slot 78 and provides some further protection to and from propeller 70a. Further protection is provided by a partial ring member 74 supported at either end by connection to the wing 30, 40 extending over and partially around propeller 70a spanning the slot 78 and preferably supported at its center by a cantilever beam 72 extended upwardly from housing 15. Further protection is provided by a vertical member 16 extended downwardly from the wing member 30 along a portion of the wing located laterally and longitudinally between the leading edge 31 and the slot 78. Member 16 is further braced by a strut 16a extended laterally outwardly from a lower position on the fuselage 20. In addition, a vertical member 18 is extended forward from the tail assembly 80 and, at its leading end, forks into sections 18a and 18b over and under the trailing edge 32 of the wing 30. Sections 18a and 18b are located laterally and longitudinally between slot 78 and the trailing edge 32 of wing 30. Housing 15 and members 16 and 18 are all relatively long, tall and thin and act as first (15) and second (16) forward vertical stabilizers (between leading edge 31 and slot 78) while portions 18a, 18b of member 18 act as third and fourth rearward vertical stabilizers (between slot 78 and the trailing edge 32) to provide added yaw stability to the vehicle 10 in flight as well as υrotection to and from orooeller 70a.

[0018] As the propulsion devices 70 cause the toy vehicle 10 to be propelled forward to a minimum predetermined speed to effectuate aerodynamic forces to act upon the cambered surfaces 35 of the left side wing member 30 and the right side wing member 40, the at least one horizontal tail stabilizer member 120 causes the toy vehicle 10 to become airborne (or alternatively while in flight allows changes in climb attitude/angle) due to either a fixed or manually preset deflection thereon a trailing portion 122 of the horizontal tail stabilizer member 120. It is also, contemplated by the present invention, although not depicted, that the deflection of the trailing portion 122 of the horizontal tail stabilizer member 120 can be preset before operation or can be remotely controlled during operation by the radio controlled transmitter of the remote control unit 140 (described below). The plurality of vertical tail stabilizer members 90, 100, 110 provide lateral stability of the toy vehicle 10 during takeoff and flight.

[0019] With continued reference to Figs. 1-3, it is shown that a plurality (four in the illustrated embodiment) of wheels 130 are freely rotatably attached to the central body assembly 20 by way of individual struts 150 near the forward end 12 of the central body assembly 20 and on individual support mechanisms near the rear end 14 of the central body assembly 20. As shown, the wheels 130 preferably are relatively large in diameter to facilitate use of the toy vehicle on different supporting surfaces.

[0020] Now referring to Fig. 4, the toy vehicle 10 is preferably used in combination with a conventional wireless remote control unit or controller 140, wherein the controller 140 is activated by an operator preferably via an on/off switch 210. The toy vehicle 10 and the controller 140 are provided with conventional control electronics which in the present embodiment are adapted to control operation of the propeller drive motors. The construction and operation of controller 140 is described in greater detail in U.S. Patent Application No. 11/446,001, filed June 3, 2006, co-owned with the present application and incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

[0021] As stated above, the toy vehicle ϊ 0 is capable of operating on a surface such as pavement, concrete, grass, sand, or snow and can be made to be buoyant and water-proof, and adapted for use on water if so desired. Take-off and landing speed and direction of the toy vehicle 10 is controlled by desired displaced movement of individual controller sticks (e.g., left controller stick 200, right controller stick 205) located on the wireless remote controller 140.

[00221 Specifically _* by operating the left controller stick 200 forward or backward, as desired, the overall speed of the drive motors attached to the propulsion devices 70 are simultaneously incrementally changed. In addition, by operating the right controller stick 205 left or right, as "desired, the forward direction of the toy vehicle 10 is controlled. Such movement of the right controller stick 205 causes differential speed adjustments to the propulsion devices 70, thereby causing directional changes in the toy vehicle's 10 travel. For example, as the right controller stick 205 is deflected to the left by an operator, the rotational speed of the right side wing member's 40 propulsion device 70 is incrementally increased dependent upon the amount of deflection, thereby causing the toy vehicle to turn to the left due to increased RPM on the right side wing member's 40 propulsion device 70. Similarly, as the right controller stick 205 is deflected to the right by an operator, the rotational speed of the left side wing member's 30 propulsion device 70 is incrementally increased dependent upon the amount of deflection, thereby causing the toy vehicle to turn to the right due to increased RPM on the left side wing member's 30 propulsion device 70.

[0023] From the foregoing it can be seen that the present invention comprises toy vehicles capable of performing highly dynamic and entertaining stunt maneuvers. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiment described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. For example, although the invention is shown herein in terms of a four-wheeled embodiment, the present invention could also comprise a vehicle having two or three wheels, or more than four wheels. The toy vehicle 10 is preferably controlled via radio (wireless) signals from the wireless transmitter 140. However, other types of controllers may be used including other types of wireless controllers (e.g. infrared, ultrasonic and / or voice-activated controllers) and even wired controllers and the like. The vehicle 10 can be constructed of, for example, a polymeric material (plastic) or any other suitable material such as metal or composite materials. Also, the dimensions of the toy vehicle 10 shown can be varied, for example making components of the toy vehicle smaller or larger relative to the other components. It is understood, therefore, that changes could be made to the toy vehicle 10 described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present application.

[0024] Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain preferred embodiment or embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur

to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described components (assemblies, devices, circuits, etc.), the terms (including a reference to a "means") used to describe such components are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any component which performs the specified function of the described component (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary embodiments of the invention.

[0025] The toy vehicle is adapted for operation on a variety of supporting surfaces (e.g., but not limited thereto, concrete, grass, snow, and sand) as well as being capable of flight. The flying toy vehicle and the radio controlling transmitter mechanism are preferably formed of polymeric materials, or the like, with a minimum number of parts and which can be assembled and used with ease and of relatively low cost.

[0026] In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other embodiments as maybe desired.

[0027] It is therefore, contemplated that the claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments that fall within the true scope of the invention.