Background of the invention

The present invention relates to a modular track formed from a plurality of segments for use in racing remotely operated, digitally controlled miniature vehicles which derive power from the track surface by primarily, but not necessarily, spring contact shoes / brushes. This allows for the use of spring contacts on the moving vehicle/s and maintains almost constant electrical contact with the track dipole, provided the vehicle/s maintains lane discipline. Whilst periods of contact loss are catered for within the vehicle/s by the use of capacitance or rechargeable batteries facilitating lane change etc., however maximum contact efficiency is desired because the vehicle/s should include one or more magnets on the chassis to cause down force attraction to the ferromagnetic track surface to counteract the upwards force of the spring contacts, and also to improve overall driving performance of the normally super light-weight vehicle/s, which require more drive currents to the motor/s as result.

The continuous conductor pattern as described above has the additional advantage in that it also allows for a continuation of the magnetic flux generated between the car magnet/s and the track metal conductor/s thus reducing magnetic drag and improving driving performance whilst helping to maintain lane discipline.

Most importantly, the present invention allows for ease of manufacture and extremely low cost of track production, crucial in the game because of price competition from competing state-of-the-art slot-racing car games and non track- powered R/C racing car games.

Whilst the present invention is primarily aimed at R/C racing car games in general, it is not however exclusive to this sport, but may be applied to other types of racing sports and games.

Field of the invention.

It is known to use a surface/s composed of alternate polarity conductor strips separated by non-electrically conductive strips to deliver power to model electric vehicle/s, by the use of a number of contacts attached to the underside of said vehicle/s. US patent publication number US5868076 describes a slot less electric track for model electric vehicles composed of inter connectable panels with electrical and mechanical interlocking devices carried on each of the several sides of said panel/s, so that any one panel can have additional panels connected on each of it's sides.

Ohject of the Invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a low cost slot-less track consisting of modular track segments connected sequentially. The low cost of manufacture is achieved by virtue of the electrical and mechanical interconnections arranged on two sides only; whilst track directional

change is achieved by using curved shaped track sections similar to state- of-the-art slot-car track layouts. Further, the electrically conductive strips are retained on the surface of the non-conductive base material by simply bending the metal protrusions which pass vertically through slots in the non-conductive track material, simplifying the assembly operations considerably. Further, there is no requirement to make connections underneath the several track segments except where such a track segment is used to connect to an external power supply, thereby reducing manufacturing costs, in contrast to other known slot less track designs.

Another object of the present invention is to improve driving performance of the intending vehicle/s where magnetic down force is applied, by the use of magnet/s affixed to the vehicle/s chassis in conjunction with the ferromagnetic track surface conductor strips, since electrical contact between the track and vehicle/s and the resulting magnetic flux generated is uninterrupted, due to the said ferromagnetic conductor strips running in parallel to the primary direction of motion of the intending vehicle/s, provided lane discipline is maintained.

A further object of the present invention is to contain the vehicles onto the track at all times so as to provide non-stop racing action. This is achieved by the use of upright barrier strips which run in parallel to the primary direction of motion of the intending vehicle/s and retained by grooves at the sides of said track segments which may be further stabilised by the use of posts inserted into slots at the circumferential extremities of said track segment/s, and which also act to lock adjacent track segments together.

A further object of the invention is to provide automatic propulsion and guidance of a drone/s slot-car around the race track so as to provide competition for single operators.

Summary of the invention

According to the present invention, a slot less modular track for use with track-powered remote, digitally controlled miniature vehicle/s comprises a plurality of modular track segments having varying geometric shapes, electrically and mechanically inter-connectable to adjacent track segments by the use of protruding electrically conductive male protrusions which mate with female receptacles on adjacent track segments, the protrusions electrically connecting with their appropriate conductor on said track segment, the said track segments being each inter-connectable on both sides only, and whose smooth upper surface contains alternate polarity electrically conductive strips separated by non- electrically conductive strips, the latter being slightly wider than the shoe

contact area of the intending vehicle/s to avoid possible short-circuit of the imposed polarity.

Preferably, the track segments contain side barrier support grooves along the edge of the track segments and in parallel to the primary direction of motion of the intending vehicle/s.

Preferably also the segments each contain slots at the circumferential extremities to contain barrier support posts and which can also act to lock adjacent track panels together.

Preferably also, said alternate conductor strips are folded at both sides in parallel to the strip length and containing multiple protrusions which pass vertically through slots in the non-conductive track material so as to retain said conductive strips onto said track surface by bending said protrusions underneath the track, and which further act to connect the appropriate track segment/s to a power source, without necessarily obstructing vehicle movement on the top side. The alternate polarity conductor strips are beneficially composed of, but not exclusively, ferromagnetic material facilitating magnetic attraction by the use of magnet/s placed on the chassis of the intending vehicle/s.

Preferably further, the segments contain a groove in at least one or more of the non-conductive strips for the purpose of steering a slot-car drone/s around the track in addition to the operation of said remotely controlled vehicle/s. The segments can desirably be severally connected in a continuous loop fashion so as to emulate a race-track layout.

Advantages of the invention

The inventive significance of the present design over previous slot less track inventions is inherent in the two-side only contact arrangement between the modular track segments, facilitated by the shape of the inlaid metal conductors on the track surface which follow the primary direction of motion of the intending vehicle/s.

The main advantage of the present invention is that it allows for lower manufacturing costs than would otherwise be the case in previously patented slot less track designs. Secondly, the invention allows for improved operating performance of the remotely controlled vehicle/s due to the continuous electrical and magnetic flux pathway/s in the primary direction of motion of said vehicle/s, each of which generally contain a magnet/s on the chassis to increase down force and to assist in keeping lane discipline whilst driving around the track. Additionally, just a single pair of electrical contact shoes is necessary on the intending vehicle/s thereby reducing friction and increasing driving performance.

Variations and modifications can be made within 'the scope of the invention described above.

βetailed Description of the invention

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, Ui ¹ WhICh Fig 1 shows a prefelrred embodiment of the present invention showing a' track segment ^' s showing metal iήter-connectiήg protrusions 6 and soόkets 7, and folded metal conductors, ! .complete with end protrusions 8 being assembled onto a plastic track base 2 containing end barrier grooves 3 and end barrier support pillar-slots 4. ' < ^■ <

_' !

Fig 2 A shows the underside of a plastic moulded track segment 5 whilst' Fig 2B shows the top side of the said track segment 5.

Fig 3 A shows the top side of a completely assembled track segment _' 5 , complete with metal inter-connecting protrusions 6 and sockets 7 and contoured conductors 1 which follow the primary direction of motion of the intending vehicle/s 9 containing a pair of contact shoes 14 A arid ^• ' " 14 B.

Fig 3 B shows the underside of said assembled track segment 5, with metal protrusions 8 from the conductors 1 which are bent over to retain said conductors onto the track base 2 and which can also be used to electrically connect alternate polarity conductors 1 together and further, to an external power source.

Fig 4 shows both sides of a typical R/C vehicle accommodating a single pair of spring electrical contact shoes which connect with the track dipole conductors 1.

Referring to the drawings, a modular track comprises a plurality of modular track segments containing electro / mechanical extrusions and mating sockets on both of two sides and containing a smooth surface dipole whose conductor strips follow the primary direction of motion of the intending vehicles, each of which contains just two contact shoes and a chassis magnet/s. Various shaped modular track segments such as straight and curved sections allow a continuous looped course to be generated. The modular track segment material is composed of a non- electrically conductive material such as plastic, containing thru-hole slots to convey assembled top surface Ferro-magnetic conductor strips to mechanically and electrically connect to the bottom surface by virtue of the several extended fingers on the sides of the conductors which are then