FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a reversible race track system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Toy race track systems are known per se and usually include a plurality of straight and curved race-track sections that can be interconnected to form at least one closed loo The sections may be made of flexible or rigid plastic material and are usually available as a set

Some of the race track systems available consist of race track sections having one or two deep parallel grooves into which one or two self-propelled vehicles may travel and be kept inside the grooves by the walls on each side of each groove . The systems that have two parallel grooves may also include a race track section permitting the vehicles to switch from one groove to the other These systems will be hereinafter referred to as "speedway".

Other race track systems consist of race track sections having one or two central recesses into which a downwardly projecting pin protruding from the bottom of a wheeled vehicle may fit. The central recess provides lateral support for the vehicle in order to keep the vehicle on the track, and may also include a metallic conductor to provide an electric power source for the vehicle, or any other system for moving the vehicle along the race track. These systems will be hereinafter referred to as "grand prix".

However, the main disadvantage with these systems is their lack of versatility. Once assembled, a race track system with two deep grooves for a pair of vehicles to race around, i.e. a "speedway" circuit, may not be adapted to obtain a race track having a central recess for a single wheeled vehicle to tour around and thus form a "grand prix" circuit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a race track section which overcomes the above-noted disadvantages in the prior art and is versatile.

In accordance with the invention, this object is achieved with a reversible track section

for a toy car circuit The reversible track section has a length, two opposite ends, two opposite sides, a top surface and a bottom surface and comprises a thin, elongated plate including a central recess on the top surface, the central recess being of given height and rectangular cross-section and extending over the length and towards the bottom surface, defining two narrow pathways on the bottom surface, and a pair of longitudinal flanges on each of said opposite sides, extending perpendicular to the top surface and towards the bottom surface, where the longitudinal flanges are of the same height as the central recess and each is provided with an integral, outwardly projecting extension of constant width, the extension has a top surface, a bottom surface, a lateral surface, a thickness smaller than the height of the corresponding longitudinal flange, including a central portion and opposite ends thicker than the central portion, provided with alternating studs and cavities to receive the studs along the length on both the extension top and bottom surfaces and with an outwardly projecting stud extending perpendicularly to the lateral surface on each of the end portions

It is also an object of the invention to provide a kit for building a "speedway" or "grand prix" circuit forming at least one closed loop

In accordance with the invention, this object is achieved with a kit comprising a plurality of race track sections as described above, where some of the sections are straight and some of the sections are curved, such that, in use, a plurality of the reversible race track sections may be interconnected in series to form at least one closed loop with the top surface oriented upwardly to form a "grand prix" circuit for a wheeled vehicle having a downwardly projecting pin designed to fit in the central recess to help guide the vehicle around the circuit, or, alternatively, the plurality of reversible race track sections may be reversed and interconnected in series to form at least one closed loop with the bottom surface oriented upwardly to form a "speedway" circuit for a pair of wheeled vehicles designed to fit within the two narrow pathways

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention and its advantages will be more easily understood after reading

the following non-restrictive description of preferred embodiments thereof made with reference to the following drawings, where

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of two reversible race track sections according to the invention, Figure 2 is a side view of a portion of two interconnected reversible race track sections according to the invention.

Figure 3 is a side view of a portion of two reversible race track sections interconnected at an angle according to the invention,

Figure 4 is a schematic representation of an assembled toy race car "grand prix" circuit according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a schematic representation of an assembled toy race car "speedway" circuit according to the invention,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a riser block and a support block according to the invention, Figure 7 is a perspective view of an assembled embodiment of a riser block and a support block,

Figure 8a is a top plan view of the directional platform used in a "grand prix" circuit according to the invention oriented to permit passage in a straight path,

Figure 8b is a top plan view of the directional platform of Figure 8a oriented to permit passage in a curved path,

Figure 9a is a top plan view of the self-operated stopping pit used in a "grand prix" circuit according to the invention with the stopper bar aligned to permit passage,

Figure 9b is a top plan view of the self-operated stopping pit of Figure 9a with the stopper bar aligned to block passage, Figure 10a is a schematic cross-sectional view of a stopped wheeled vehicle in the self- operated stopping pit of Figures 9a and 9b showing the start button at rest, and

Figure 10b is a schematic cross-sectional representation of the operation of the start button of the self-operated stopping pit of Figures 9a and 9b

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 represents a portion of two interconnected reversible race track sections 1

according to the invention, each having a length, two opposite ends 3, two opposite sides 5, a top surface 7 and a bottom surface 9 As each of these sections are identical, the same reference numbers will be used to represent the same structural components

The reversible race track section 1 according to the invention comprises a thin, elongated plate 1 1 including a central recess 13 on the top surface 7, the central recess 13 being of given height and rectangular cross-section and extending over the length of the reversible race track section I, defining two narrow pathways 15 on the bottom surface 9, and a pair of longitudinal flanges 17 on each side 5 of the section 1 The longitudinal flanges 17 extend peφendicular to the top surface 7 and are of the same height as the central recess 13 Each of the longitudinal flanges 17 is provided with an integral, outwardly projecting extension 19 having a top surface 21 , a bottom surface 23, a lateral surface 25 and a thickness smaller than the height of the corresponding longitudinal flange 17 The extension 19 has a central portion 27 and opposite ends 29 which are thicker than the central portion 27, and the extension is provided with alternating studs 31 and cavities 33 to receive a stud from a construction toy block along its length on both the extension's top 21 and bottom 23 surfaces and an outwardly projecting stud 30 extending perpendicularly to the lateral surface 25 on each of the end portions 29.

The studs 31 and cavities 33, preferably aligned in pairs of studs 31 and pairs of cavities 33, are each separated by a distance d and each of the outwardly projecting studs 30 is located at a multiple of the distance d from each of the opposite ends 3, such that when two reversible track sections 1 are interconnected at a junction 35, the distance between the two outwardly projecting studs 30 on the reversible track sections 1 near the junction 35 is an integer multiple of the distance d, as shown on Figure 2 Thus, the reversible track sections I may be fastened together with one or more connector blocks 37, shaped in such a manner as to fit either over the studs 31 near the opposite ends 3 or under the cavities 33 near the opposite ends 3, as better shown in Figure 2 or over said outwardly projecting studs 30, as better shown in Figure 3

Preferably, the reversible track section 1 further comprises means to interconnect the reversible track section 1 , such as tongues 51 and grooves 53 projecting longitudinally on the opposite ends 29 of each of the extensions 19 Thus, the reversible track sections 1 may be interconnected by aligning the tongues 51 and grooves 53 of one reversible track section 1 with the corresponding tongues 51 and grooves 53 of another reversible track section I in order to

snap-lock the two sections together. Preferably, the tongues 51 and grooves 53 are oriented vertically, as shown on Figure 6, so as to permit interconnection at an angle, as better shown in Figure 3

The possibility of an angled interconnection permits assembly of a plurality of reversible track sections 1 in order to form, for example, an overpass or a bridge, as illustrated on Figures

5 and 4, respectively. To this effect, the reversible track sections I may be raised and lowered with the use of cooperating riser blocks 63 and support blocks 61 , as better shown in Figures

6 and 7. The support blocks 61 are designed to snap over the studs 31 or under the cavities 33 and the riser blocks 63 are stackable on one or more construction toy blocks 65 The support blocks 61 have an outwardly projecting winglet 64 having a ball 62 at its extremity, better shown on Figure 7, and the riser blocks 63 have an opening 67 designed to receive the ball 62 so as to form a universal joint when the ball 62 is inserted into the opening 67 Thus, the use of a universal joint permits not only raising and lowering of a portion of the circuit, but also permits construction of a portion of the circuit at an angle with respect to the horizontal, as illustrated in Figure 7, by varying the number of construction toy blocks 65 on either side 5 of the reversible track section 1.

In use, some of the reversible track sections 1 are straight and some of the reversible track sections 1 are curved and are interconnected in series with the top surface 7 oriented upwardly to form a "grand prix" circuit for a wheeled vehicle 101 having a downwardly projecting pin 102 designed to fit in the central recess 13 to help guide the wheeled vehicle 101 around the circuit, as illustrated in Figure 4 or, alternatively, are interconnected in series with the bottom surface 9 oriented upwardly to form a "speedway" circuit for a pair of wheeled vehicles 103 designed to fit within the two narrow pathways 15, as illustrated on Figure 5 In practice, the reversible track sections I are interconnected in order to form at least one closed loop

The reversible track sections 1 may also be interconnected in a "grand prix" circuit so as to order to form more than one loop as shown on Figure 4, by adding at least two directional platforms 71 for switching the wheeled vehicle 101 from one loop to another This directional platform 71 has a straight portion 73, similar in shape and structure to a straight reversible race track section 1, in combination with a curved section 75, similar in shape and structure to a curved reversible race track section 1, each section having a central recess 13' intersecting at a junction 77 and having a common portion 1 " The common portion 13" has two opposite

longitudinal walls 79, and forms a substantially Y-shaped central recess with the central recesses 13' of the straight portion 73 and the curved portion 75

The directional platform 71 further comprises a switching device 81 mounted at the apex 78 of the Y-shaped central recess This switching device 81 comprises a thin platform 82 located at the bottom surface 9, pivotably connected to the apex 78, and an elongated tongue 83, having opposite ends 84, 85, mounted on the platform 82 and having a height substantially equal to the central recess height 13', where one of the opposite ends 84 extends in the direction of the common portion 13" and the other opposite end 85 is located at the apex 78 The switching device 81 also comprises a head 86 having outwardly projecting winglets 87, 88 extending alternately in one or the other of the paths defined by the Y-shaped central recess and a switching arm 89, fastened to the thin platform 82, extending outwardly towards the straight side 73 The common portion central recess 13" has longitudinal openings (not shown) on each of the opposite walls 79 such that the elongated tongue 83 may pivot alternatively into one or the other of said longitudinal openings In use, when the elongated tongue 83 is oriented towards the curved portion 75 thereby directing the wheeled vehicle 101 in the straight path, as shown in Figure 8a, one of the outwardly projecting winglets 87 extends in the central recess 13' of the straight side 73 such that the downwardly projecting pin 102, as the wheeled vehicle 101 travels in the straight path, impacts the winglet 87 and pivots the elongated tongue 83 towards the straight portion 73 Thus, on the next passage, the wheeled vehicle 101 will be directed in the curved path When the elongated tongue 83 is oriented towards the straight portion 73 thereby directing the wheeled vehicle in a curved path, as shown on Figure 8b, the other outwardly projecting winglet 88 extends in the central recess of the curved side 75 such that the downwardly projecting pin 102, as the wheeled vehicle 101 travels in the curved path, impacts the winglet 88 and pivots the elongated tongue 83 towards the curved portion 75 Thus, on the next passage, the wheeled vehicle 101 will be automatically switched to the straight path Alternatively, the switching arm 89 may be used to manually pivot the elongated tongue 83 towards either the straight path or the curved path at will

The "grand prix" circuit may also include a self-operating stopping pit 121 having a construction similar in shape and structure to the reversible race track section of Figure I, and thus only the different structural components have been identified, for the sake of clarity Ε self-operating stopping pit 121 has length, a front end 123, a back end 125, two opposite sides 127, 129, a top surface 131 and a bottom surface 1 3 The self-operating stopping pit 121

comprises a thin, elongated plate 135 including a central recess 13 of given height and rectangular cross-section, extending over the length and towards the bottom surface 133, and defining a first 136 and second 1 7 flat sections on the top surface 13 1

A round selector 141 is rotatably mounted about a central axis 143 under the first flat section 1 6 near the back end 125 The round selector 141 has a circumference 145, an endless arcuate slot 147 having an outward progression and a plurality of projections 150 along the circumference 145, projecting outwardly into the central recess 13 and outside one of said longitudinal flanges 17 through a longitudinal slot (not shown) A stopper bar 151 , having pivot end 153 and a stopper end 155 is mounted on the first flat section 136 The pivot end 153 is pivotably fastened to the top surface 131 approximately in the center of the self-operated stopping pit 121 The stopper end 148 has a downwardly projecting rivet 157 such that the rivet 157 is engaged in the arcuate slot 1 7

The self-operating stopping pit 121 also has two parallel depressions 159, 161 on the first 136 and second 137 flat surfaces near the front end 123 A start button 163, having a first U-shaped section 165 located in the first flat section depression 161 , a second section 167 projecting outwardly pivotably fastened with a pin 169 along a longitudinal axis, to the first flat section 136 near the longitudinal flange 17 on the side 121 (see more particularly Figures 10a and 10b). A start plate 191 is movably fastened in the first flat section depression 161 above the first section 165 In use, when the wheeled vehicle 101 travels from the front end 123 to the back end

125 along the self-operated stopping pit 121, the downwardly projecting pin 102 engages one of the projections 150 and rotates the selector 141 incrementally clockwise The arcuate slot 147 progression pushes the rivet 157 towards the central recess 13, thereby pushing the stopper end 155 of the stopper bar 151 inside the central recess 13 such that after a number of passes, when the rivet 157 is located at the end 149 of the arcuate slot 147, the stopper end 155 blocks the central recess 13 and immobilizes the wheeled vehicle 101 in such a manner that the drive wheels 104 are located above the parallel depressions 159, 161 and thus are have no traction The selector 141 may then be reset manually by turning the selector 141 counter-clockwise until the rivet 157 is located at the beginning 148 of the arcuate slot 147 to disengage the downwardly projecting pin 102 The wheeled vehicle 101 may then be freed by pressing downwardly on the second section 167 of the start button such that the first section 165 pushes upwardly on the start plate 191 and the drive wheel 104 located above the depression 1 1 on

the first flat section 136 regains traction on the start plate 191 and thus may proceed along said closed circuit, as better shown on Figure 10b Preferably, the start plate 191 includes parallel corrugations 168 to improve the traction of the drive wheel 104 as is comes into contact with the start plate 191 Although the present invention has been explained hereinabove by way of a preferred embodiment thereof, it should be pointed out that any modifications to this preferred embodiment within the scope of the appended claims is not deemed to alter or change the nature and scope of the present invention For example, the disclosed reversible race track section could include two parallel grooves on its top surface, defining three parallel narrow pathways on its bottom surface