Patent US3797404A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3797404A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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System for operating miniature vehicles
Assignee: Glass Marvin and Associates
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Filing: 1973-01-31
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Granted: 1974-03-19
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Expires: 1993-01-31
Abstract
Abstract A system for operating electrically propelled miniature vehicles along a roadbed having side-by-side current conductive lanes with substantially flush tread surfaces and for remotely controlling the vehicles in a manner to turn out and pass one another at the will of the operator as the vehicles are transferred freely from one lane to another. The vehicles are driven by propulsion motors mounted on the vehicle body, for operating one or more driving wheels. Lever type flippers are mounted on the sides of the vehicles for movement outwardly in engagement with bordering side walls along the outer edges of the outermost lanes to urge the vehicle toward the opposite lane in response to a surge of current through a solenoid mounted on the vehicle and operatively associated with propulsion motor and the flippers.
Inventors
- 👤 G Barlow
- 👤 N Kramer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 01:36
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63H; A63H18/00; A63H18/12; A63H18/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
221 words
A system for operating electrically propelled miniature vehicles along a predetermIned path and for remotely controlling the vehicles in a manner to turn out and pass one another at the will of the operator, said vehicles each including a body providing with at least one surface engaging driving wheel on said body, an electrical current responsive propulsion motor on said body for operating said driving wheel, a roadbed travelled by said vehicles having side-by-side current conductive lanes with substantially flush tread surfaces permitting said vehicles to transfer from one lane to another, current collectors on said vehicles operatively connected to the respective propulsion motors and in conductive contact with at least a portion of either of said lanes, the improvement comprising steering means for guiding the direction of movement of the vehicle, including, in combination, lane bordering side wall means along the outer edges of the outermost lanes, and electrically operated direction actuating means on the vehicle and operatively connected to said current collectors for movement from a retracted position generally within the side bounds of the vehicle to a transversely extended position protruding from either side of the vehicle for engaging said side wall means and urging the vehicle toward the opposite lane in response to a surge of current through the current conductive lanes and the vehicle current collectors.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
221 words
A system for operating electrically propelled miniature vehicles along a predetermIned path and for remotely controlling the vehicles in a manner to turn out and pass one another at the will of the operator, said vehicles each including a body providing with at least one surface engaging driving wheel on said body, an electrical current responsive propulsion motor on said body for operating said driving wheel, a roadbed travelled by said vehicles having side-by-side current conductive lanes with substantially flush tread surfaces permitting said vehicles to transfer from one lane to another, current collectors on said vehicles operatively connected to the respective propulsion motors and in conductive contact with at least a portion of either of said lanes, the improvement comprising steering means for guiding the direction of movement of the vehicle, including, in combination, lane bordering side wall means along the outer edges of the outermost lanes, and electrically operated direction actuating means on the vehicle and operatively connected to said current collectors for movement from a retracted position generally within the side bounds of the vehicle to a transversely extended position protruding from either side of the vehicle for engaging said side wall means and urging the vehicle toward the opposite lane in response to a surge of current through the current conductive lanes and the vehicle current collectors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention of claim 1 including a solenoid on said vehicle in circuit with said current collectors and operatively associated with said direction actuating means to move the same from the retracted to the extended positions due to the magnetic field created by the solenoid in response to said surge of current.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
The invention of claim 2 wherein said direction actuating means comprises a pair of lever-type flippers mounted adjacent the opposite sides of the vehicle, one end of each lever comprising an armature for movement toward and away from the solenoid to pivot the opposite ends of the levers to the extended positions into engagement with said side wall means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The invention of claim 3 including biasing means to normally urge said opposite ends of the levers toward their retracted positions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention of claim 1 including means to operatively disengage the propulsion motor from the driving wheel during the changing of lanes by the vehicle so that the vehicle will free wheel from one lane to the other.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
89 words
The invention of claim 5 including a gear train between the propulsion motor and the driving wheel and a momentum engaging movably mounted idler gear in said gear train, the idler gear being moved into meshed engagement in the gear train under the force of the propulsion motor and moved out of meshed engagement by the momentum of the gear train when the current to the motor is cut by disengagement of the current collectors from said portion of the respective current conductive lane, when the vehicle changes lanes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
72 words
The invention of claim 1 including circuit means connected to a source of current and to said current conductive lanes and having circuit components operatively associated with said current conductive lanes and said vehicle current collectors so as to permit operators of a pair of vehicles to control the amount of current to the solenoid of a respective vehicle independently of the control of current to the solenoid of the other vehicle.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
232 words
A system for operating electrically propelled miniature vehicles along a predetermined path and for remotely controlling the vehicles in a manner to turn out and pass one another at the will of the operator, said vehicles each including a body provided with at least one surface engaging drive wheel, and a propulsion motor for driving said drive wheel, a roadbed travelled by said vehicles and having side-by-lanes with substantially flush tread surfaces permitting said vehicles to transfer from one lane to another, steering means for guiding the direction of movement of each vehicle, including lane bordering side wall means along the outer edges of the oUtermost lanes and electrically operated direction actuating means on the vehicle for movement from a retracted position generally within the side bounds of the vehicle to a transversely extended position protruding from either side of the vehicle for engaging the side wall means and urging the vehicle toward the opposite lane, and remote control means operatively associated with each of said vehicles to remotely control the direction actuating means on a respective vehicle independently of the control of the direction actuating means of any other vehicle so as to permit an operator to selectively turn his respective vehicle out and pass another vehicle at will by remotely moving the direction actuating means from said retracted position to said extended position into engagement with said side wall means.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
232 words
A system for operating electrically propelled miniature vehicles along a predetermined path and for remotely controlling the vehicles in a manner to turn out and pass one another at the will of the operator, said vehicles each including a body provided with at least one surface engaging drive wheel, and a propulsion motor for driving said drive wheel, a roadbed travelled by said vehicles and having side-by-lanes with substantially flush tread surfaces permitting said vehicles to transfer from one lane to another, steering means for guiding the direction of movement of each vehicle, including lane bordering side wall means along the outer edges of the oUtermost lanes and electrically operated direction actuating means on the vehicle for movement from a retracted position generally within the side bounds of the vehicle to a transversely extended position protruding from either side of the vehicle for engaging the side wall means and urging the vehicle toward the opposite lane, and remote control means operatively associated with each of said vehicles to remotely control the direction actuating means on a respective vehicle independently of the control of the direction actuating means of any other vehicle so as to permit an operator to selectively turn his respective vehicle out and pass another vehicle at will by remotely moving the direction actuating means from said retracted position to said extended position into engagement with said side wall means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-03-18 | 1977-09-17 | 1978-03-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-03-18 | 1981-09-17 | 1982-03-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-03-18 | 1985-09-17 | 1986-03-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |