Patent US3740032A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3740032A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Helicopter toy
Assignee: Mattel Inc
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Filing: 1971-12-16
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Granted: 1973-06-19
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Expires: 1991-12-16
Abstract
Abstract A toy helicopter system that can be produced at low cost, and which enables remote control of the flight of a toy helicopter by tilting it. The system includes a housing designed to rest on the ground, and a modified parallelogram boom connecting the housing to the helicopter to control it and to guide a flexible shaft that drives the helicopter rotor from a motor in the housing. A child can make the helicopter fly forward or backward by operating an actuator that twists the boom to alter the pitch orientation of the helicopter so its rotor pulls it forward or backward. One of the arms of the boom is hollow and serves as a guide for a flexible shaft that extends from the housing to the helicopter rotor to drive it. The hollow arm is shorter than the other arm, and opposite ends of the hollow arm are connected by pivotally mounted links to the housing and helicopter, respectively, and the hollow arm is connected by slide connectors to the other arm.
Inventors
- 👤 R Chang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 09:03
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63H; A63H27/00; A63H27/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A toy helicopter system comprising: a helicopter having a rotor; a housing which can be supported upright independently of said helicopter; a bracket mounted on said housing for rotation about a substantially vertical first axis when said housing is upright; an elongated boom having upper and lower elongated arms extending substantially parallel to each other and being relatively movable in the direction of their length; coupling means pivotally coupling opposite ends of said arms to said bracket and helicopter at vertically spaced points on each, to limit banking of the helicopter; motor means coupled to said helicopter rotor to drive it; one of said arms being pivoted to said helicopter on a fore-andaft axis only; and operable means on said housing for twisting said one arm about an axis extending along its length, whereby to tilt said helicopter in pitch so its rotor has a selected forward or rearward inclination to fly said helicopter in a chosen direction about said housing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
A toy helicopter system comprising: a helicopter having a rotor; a housing which can be supported upright independently of said helicopter; a bracket mounted on said housing for rotation about a substantially vertical first axis when said housing is upright; an elongated boom having upper and lower elongated arms extending substantially parallel to each other and being relatively movable in the direction of their length; coupling means pivotally coupling opposite ends of said arms to said bracket and helicopter at vertically spaced points on each, to limit banking of the helicopter; motor means coupled to said helicopter rotor to drive it; one of said arms being pivoted to said helicopter on a fore-andaft axis only; and operable means on said housing for twisting said one arm about an axis extending along its length, whereby to tilt said helicopter in pitch so its rotor has a selected forward or rearward inclination to fly said helicopter in a chosen direction about said housing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
90 words
The toy helicopter system described in claim 1 wherein: said coupling means includes a pair of arm connectors mounted at opposite end portions of said boom, each arm connector slideably engaged with one of said arms and fixed to the other arm, means pivotally connecting opposite ends of said one arm respectively to said bracket and helicopter, and a pair of link means, each link means having one end pivotally connected to a different one of said connectors and an opposite end respectively pivotally connected to said bracket and helicopter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The toy helicopter described in claim 2 wherein: said other arm of said boom is hollow; and said motor means includes a motor mounted on said housing and a flexible shaft extending through said hollow arm and having opposite ends coupled to said motor and rotor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
105 words
The toy helicopter system described in claim 3 wherein: said bracket has means defining a bearing engaged with a first end of said one arm for enabling twisting of said end about a first axis extending along the length of the arm as well as pivoting about an axis which is substantially horizontal and angled from said first axis; and said means for twisting said arm includes an acitvator mounted for up and down movement and connected to a location on said first arm laterally spaced from the location thereon which is pivotally mounted on said bracket, for twisting said first arm about its length.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
77 words
The toy helicopter system described in claim 1 wherein: said operable means includes a bushing mounted on said bracket coaxial with said first axis to enable up and down sliding of said bushing on said bracket, linking means coupling said bushing to said one arm to twist it in accordance with the sliding movement of said bushing, and a manually controlled member mounted on said housing and coupled to said bushing to slide it up and down.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
159 words
A toy aircraft system comprising: an aircraft with a rotably mounted airscrew member for driving it through the air; a housing for support independently of said aircraft; an elongated first arm having first and second end portions, said first end portion pivotally coupled to said aircraft; means pivotally coupling said second end portion of said first arm to said housing; a second elongated arm extending parallel to said first arm, said second arm being tubular; arm connector means fixed to one of said arms and slideably engaged with the other arm; first and second links, each having a first end coupled to said arm connector means; means coupling a second end of said first link to said housing; means coupling a second end of said second link to said aircraft; a motor mounted on said housing; and elongated flexible shaft mEans extending through said tubular second arm and having opposite ends respectively connected to said motor and airscrew member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
159 words
A toy aircraft system comprising: an aircraft with a rotably mounted airscrew member for driving it through the air; a housing for support independently of said aircraft; an elongated first arm having first and second end portions, said first end portion pivotally coupled to said aircraft; means pivotally coupling said second end portion of said first arm to said housing; a second elongated arm extending parallel to said first arm, said second arm being tubular; arm connector means fixed to one of said arms and slideably engaged with the other arm; first and second links, each having a first end coupled to said arm connector means; means coupling a second end of said first link to said housing; means coupling a second end of said second link to said aircraft; a motor mounted on said housing; and elongated flexible shaft mEans extending through said tubular second arm and having opposite ends respectively connected to said motor and airscrew member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
134 words
The toy aircraft system descibed in claim 6 wherein: said means pivotally coupling said second end portion of said first arm to said housing includes a bracket mounted on said housing for rotation thereon about a substantially vertical axis when said housing is supported on a level surface, said bracket having a bearing that supports said end portion of said first arm for pivoting about a horizontal axis and twisting about an axis parallel to its length; said means coupling said second end of said first link to said housing includes means on said bracket pivotally supporting said second end of said first link; and including an actuator having manually operable means coupled to said second end portion of said first arm for twisting it, whereby to control tilt of said aircraft in pitch.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-18 | 1976-12-18 | 1977-06-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-18 | 1980-12-18 | 1981-06-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-18 | 1984-12-18 | 1985-06-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |