Roadbed apparatus for model vehicles

Claim 2

A roadbed for conduction of electric currents to model vehicles moving on the upper surface of the roadbed comprising a nonconductive base sheet, and conductors secured to said base sheet to define the upper surface of the roadbed on which the model vehicles are adapted to travel, said conductors being arranged to provide conducting segments of alternate opposite polarity, said base sheet being foldable between at least one pair of adjacent conducting segments for packaging and storing the roadbed.

Claim 3

The roadbed that is defined in claim 1, wherein said nonconductive base sheet comprises a continuous flexible sheet which can be rolled into a cylinder by limited folding between each pair of adjacent conducting segments.

Claim 4

The roadbed that is defined in claim 1, wherein said nonconductive base sheet comprises at least two relatively rigid panels hingedly connected together and said base sheet is foldable 180* at each hinged connection.

Claim 5

The roadbed that is defined in claim 1, including in combination therewith accessories mounted on the upper surface of the roadbed, each accessory having retention means for adhering to said roadbed.

Claim 6

The combination that is defined in claim 4, wherein said retention means comprises a base of resilient dielectric material having a plurality of suction cups on its bottom surface releasably attached to the upper surface of said roadbed.

Claim 7

The combination that is defined in claim 4, wherein said retention means comprises a base containing at least one magnet, the bottom of which is surfaced with a material that provides a frictional effect for engagement with the upper surface of said roadbed, and a disk of ferrous material bonded to the lower surface of the roadbed below said magnet so that the magnetic force between the magnet and the disk will retain the accessory in place on the upper surface of the roadbed.

Claim 8

A roadbed for conduction of electric currents to model vehicles moving on the upper surface of the roadbed comprising a nonconductive base sheet, and conductors secured to said base sheet to define the upper surface of the roadbed on which the model vehicles are adapted to travel, said conductors being arranged as two mutually insulated sets, said base sheet and said conductors being a relatively thin flexible laminate of nonconductive plastic and conductive foil, the laminate being sufficiently thin and flexible so that it can be rolled into the shape of a cylinder for storage purposes.

Claim 9

A roadbed for conduction of electric currents to model vehicles moving on the upper surface of the roadbed comprising a nonconductive base sheet, and conductors secured to said base sheet to define the upper surface of the roadbed on which the model vehicles are adapted to travel, said conductors being arranged as two mutually insulated sets, said base sheet and said conductors being a relatively thin flexible laminate of nonconductive plastic and conductive foil, the laminate being sufficiently thin and flexible so that it can be rolled into the shape of a cylinder for storage purposes.

Claim 10

The roadbed that is defined in claim 7, wherein a sheet of backing material of low density compressible material is bonded to the bottom surface of said laminate.

Claim 11

A roadbed for conduction of electric currents to model vehicles moving on the upper surface of the roadbed comprising a nonconductive base sheet, and conductors secured to said base sheet to define the upper surface of the roadbed on which the model vehicles are adapted to travel, said conductors being arranged to provide two mutually insulated sets of conductors, each set having an individual bus conductor affixed along a boundary of said base sheet, one bus conductor being integrally connected with one set of conductors and the other bus conductor being integrally connected with the other set of conductors, said roadbed being formed in a plurality of relatively rigid sections that are hingedly connected together by a flexible sheet of nonconductive material bonded to the under surface of said base sheet, the adjacent bus conductors at each hinge being electrically connected by a flexible conductor sandwiched between the flexible sheet of nonconductive material and said base sheet.

Claim 12

A roadbed for conduction of electric currents to model vehicles moving on the upper surface of the roadbed comprising a nonconductive base sheet, and conductors secured to said base sheet to define the upper surface of the roadbed on which the model vehicles are adapted to travel, said conductors being arranged to provide two mutually insulated sets of conductors, each set having an individual bus conductor affixed along a boundary of said base sheet, one bus conductor being integrally connected with one set of conductors and the other bus conductor being integrally connected with the other set of conductors, said roadbed being formed in a plurality of relatively rigid sections that are hingedly connected together by a flexible sheet of nonconductive material bonded to the under surface of said base sheet, the adjacent bus conductors at each hinge being electrically connected by a flexible conductor sandwiched between the flexible sheet of nonconductive material and said base sheet.