Patent US4348480A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3858875A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3858875A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Gap jumping toy vehicle game
Assignee: Tyco Industries II Inc
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Filing: 1974-01-07
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Granted: 1975-01-07
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Expires: 1994-01-07
Abstract
Abstract The toy vehicle game includes a vehicle track and a toy vehicle adapted to move along the track and across a vehicle jump defined by a pair of ramps associated with the track. The ramps are independent of one another and longitudinally aligned in spaced relation to each other to define a gap therebetween. At least one of the ramps is movable with respect to the track and the other of the ramps in order to permit adjustment of the size of the gap or jump, thereby to vary the degree of difficulty of the jump. In addition, an uncontrolled obstacle is associated with the track for randomly engaging and slowing down a vehicle on the track to further affect the ability of the vehicle to traverse the vehicle jump.
Inventors
- 👤 Henry Nemeth
- 👤 Iii Edward Snyder
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 19:44
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63H; A63H18/00; A63H18/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
A toy vehicle game comprising a vehicle track, a toy vehicle adapted to move along said track and a pair of ramp assemblies associated with said track and having independent longitudinally aligned ramps respectively mounted therein and located in spaced relation to each other, thereby to define a gap between said ramp assemblies; at least one of said ramp assemblies being movable with respect to said track and the other of said ramp assemblies to permit adjustment of the size of said gap, and at least one of said ramps being movably mounted on its associated ramp assembly for selective movement between a horizontal position above said track and an inclined position wherein one end of said ramp is adjacent said track thereby to direct a vehicle on the track onto said one ramp across said gap towards the other of said ramp assemblies.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
144 words
A toy vehicle game comprising a vehicle track, a toy vehicle adapted to move along said track and a pair of ramp assemblies associated with said track and having independent longitudinally aligned ramps respectively mounted therein and located in spaced relation to each other, thereby to define a gap between said ramp assemblies; at least one of said ramp assemblies being movable with respect to said track and the other of said ramp assemblies to permit adjustment of the size of said gap, and at least one of said ramps being movably mounted on its associated ramp assembly for selective movement between a horizontal position above said track and an inclined position wherein one end of said ramp is adjacent said track thereby to direct a vehicle on the track onto said one ramp across said gap towards the other of said ramp assemblies.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
The game as defined in claim 1 wherein said ramp assemblies respectively comprise a launching ramp assemblY and a landing ramp assembly, each including a base, with the ramp of each ramp assembly being pivotally mounted on its associated base for movement between a horizontal position above the track and an inclined position wherein one end of the ramp is adjacent the track.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The game as defined in claim 2 wherein said ramps are normally biased into their horizontal positions to permit a vehicle on said track to pass along the track below the ramps.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
120 words
The game as defined in claim 3 wherein the base of each of said ramp assemblies includes support means for supporting said ramps in their horizontal positions, said support means being located to one side of the pivotal mounting of their associated ramps whereby said ramps can pivot to their inclined positions in only one direction and said ramp assemblies being positioned with respect to said track with their associated support means opposite one another, whereby during the play of the game said ramps pivot to their inclined positions in opposite directions with said launching ramp directing the vehicle upwardly from the track towards said gap and said landing ramp directing the vehicle from the gap downwardly toward the track.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
The game as defined in claim 4 including resilient means for normally biasing the ramp of said launching ramp assembly into its horizontal position whereby the ramp of said launching ramp assembly is selectively operable by manual depression against the bias of said resilient means to direct a vehicle from said track upwardly and across said gap.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
94 words
The game as defined in claim 5 wherein the ramp of said landing ramp assembly has a predetermined configuration selected to normally maintain the ramp in its horizontal position supported on its associated support means until a vehicle jumping said gap and landing on the ramp of said landing ramp assembly moves to the side of the pivot of the ramp which is opposite the support means therefore whereby the weight of the vehicle on the ramp causes the ramp to pivot to its inclined position to direct the vehicle back onto said track.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The game as defined in claim 1 wherein said track defines a closed continuous loop whereby a vehicle on said track makes a plurality of successive passes through said ramp means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The game as defined in claim 7 including uncontrolled obstacle means associated with said track in the path of travel of a vehicle thereon for randomly slowing down a vehicle on said track.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
94 words
The game as defined in claim 8 wherein said obstacle means includes a blade rotatably mounted for movement in a vertical plane extending in the direction of travel of a vehicle on said track and dimensioned to extend into said path of travel during a portion of its rotation whereby a vehicle moving through said obstacle means engages said blade and is slowed down while the blade is caused to rotate by such engagement and is thereby randomly returned to said path of travel for random engagement with a vehicle passing along said track.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
85 words
The game as defined in claim 8 wherein said vehicle is sef-propelled and includes means for storing a predetermined quantity of energy and delivering said energy to the vehicle to cause said vehicle to traverse said track for a maximum number of unobstructed laps whereby the vehicle will make a plurality of jumps of said gap and the number of such jumps will be affected by the energy in said storing means which is dissipated by said obstacle means in randomly slowing down the vehicle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
85 words
A toy vehicle game comprising a closed continuous vehicle track, a toy vehicle adapted to move along said track, means associated with said track for defining a selectively operable vehicle jump and uncontrolled obstacle means associated with said track in the path of travel of a vehicle thereon for randomly engaging and slowing down a vehicle moving along said track whereby the speed of said vehicle is randomly varied by said obstacle menas to affect the ability of the vehicle to traverse said vehicle jump.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
85 words
A toy vehicle game comprising a closed continuous vehicle track, a toy vehicle adapted to move along said track, means associated with said track for defining a selectively operable vehicle jump and uncontrolled obstacle means associated with said track in the path of travel of a vehicle thereon for randomly engaging and slowing down a vehicle moving along said track whereby the speed of said vehicle is randomly varied by said obstacle menas to affect the ability of the vehicle to traverse said vehicle jump.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
94 words
The game as defined in claim 11 wherein said obstacle means includes a blade rotatably mounted for movement in a vertical plane extending in the direction of travel of a vehicle on said track and dimensioned to extend into said path of travel during a portion of its rotation whereby a vehicle moving through said obstacle means engages said blade and is slowed down while the blade is caused to rotate by such engagement and is thereby randomly returned to said path of travel for random engagement with a vehicle passing along said track.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
68 words
The game as defined in cliam 12 wherein said obstacle means comprises a vertically extending support associated with said track and a wheel rotatably mounted on said support for rotation in said vertical plane, said blade being mounted on said wheel whereby engagement of said blade with a vehicle moving at sufficient speed to overcome the inertia of the blade and wheel will cause said wheel to rotate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
68 words
The game as defined in cliam 12 wherein said obstacle means comprises a vertically extending support associated with said track and a wheel rotatably mounted on said support for rotation in said vertical plane, said blade being mounted on said wheel whereby engagement of said blade with a vehicle moving at sufficient speed to overcome the inertia of the blade and wheel will cause said wheel to rotate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
88 words
The toy vehicle as defined in claim 12 wherein said selectively operable jump means includes a pair of longitudinally aligned movably mounted ramps positioned in spaced relation to each other and being selectively movable from horizontal positions above said track to oppositely inclined positions wherein adjacent ends of the ramps are above the track and the other ends of the ramps are on the track for guiding a vehicle on the track up one of the ramps, across the space therebetween and towards the other of the ramps.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
The toy vehicle as defined in claim 14 wherein at least one of said ramps is selectively movable along said track in the direction of travel of a vehicle thereon whereby the space between said ramps is adjustable.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
129 words
A toy vehicle game comprising a closed continuous vehicle track, a toy vehicle adapted to move along said track, and means associated with said track for defining a selectively operable vehicle jump including a pair of independent longitudinally aligned ramps located in spaced relation to each other to define a jump gap therebetween, with at least one of said ramps being movable with respect to said track and the other of said ramps to permit selective adjustment of the size of said jump gap; and uncontrolled obstacle means associated with said track for randomly engaging and slowing down a vehicle moving along said track whereby the speed of said vehicle is randomly varied by said obstacle means to affect the ability of the vehicle to traverse said jump gap.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
129 words
A toy vehicle game comprising a closed continuous vehicle track, a toy vehicle adapted to move along said track, and means associated with said track for defining a selectively operable vehicle jump including a pair of independent longitudinally aligned ramps located in spaced relation to each other to define a jump gap therebetween, with at least one of said ramps being movable with respect to said track and the other of said ramps to permit selective adjustment of the size of said jump gap; and uncontrolled obstacle means associated with said track for randomly engaging and slowing down a vehicle moving along said track whereby the speed of said vehicle is randomly varied by said obstacle means to affect the ability of the vehicle to traverse said jump gap.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
61 words
The game as defined in claim 16 wherein said vehicle jump means comprises a pair of independent ramp bases, said ramps being respectively pivotally mounted on said bases and defining respectively a vehicle launching ramp and a vehicle landing ramp, said ramps being normally biased into horizontal positions above said track to permit a vehicle on the track to pass therebelow.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
120 words
The game as defined in claim 17 wherein the base of each of said ramp bases includes support means for supporting said ramps in their horizontal positions, said support means being located to one side of the pivotal mounting of their associated ramps whereby said ramps can pivot to their inclined positions in only one direction and said ramp bases being positioned with respect to said track with their associated support means opposite one another whereby during the play of the game said ramps pivot to their inclined positions in opposite directions with said launching ramp directing the vehicle upwardly from the track towards said gap and said landing ramp directing the vehicle from the gap downwardly toward the track.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
49 words
The game as defined in claim 18 including resilient means for normally biasing said launching ramp into its horizontal position whereby said launching ramp is selectively operable by manual depression against the bias of said resilient means to direct a vehicle from said track upwardly and across said gap.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
86 words
The game as defined in claim 19 wherein said landing ramp has a predetermined configuration selected to normally maintain thE ramp in its horizontal position supported on its associated support means until a vehicle jumping said gap and landing on said landing ramp moves to the side of the pivot of the ramp which is opposite the support means therefore, whereby the weight of the vehicle on the ramp causes the ramp to pivot to its inclined position to direct the vehicle back onto said track.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
The toy vehicle as defined in claim 20 wherein at least one of said ramps is selectively movable along said track in the direction of travel of a vehicle thereon where the space between said ramps is adjustable.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
139 words
The game as defined in claim 17 wherein said obstacle means comprises a vertically extending support associated with said track, an inertial element rotatably mounted on said support for rotation in a vertical plane extending in the direction of travel of a vehicle on said track and a vehicle engaging blade mounted on said inertia element for rotation therewith and extending into the path of travel of a vehicle on the track during at least a portion of its rotation, whereby a vehicle moving through said obstacle means and engaging said blade with sufficient speed to overcome the inertia of said blade and inertia element will be slowed down and will simultaneously cause the blade and inertia element to rotate and thereby randomly position the blade in the path of travel of the vehicle for further random engagements therewith.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
85 words
The game as defined in claim 22 wherein said vehicle is self-propelled and includes means for storing a predetermined quantity of energy and delivering said energy to the vehicle to cause said vehicle to traverse said track for a maximum number of unobstructed laps whereby the vehicle can make a plurality of jumps of said gap and the number of such jumps will be affected by the energy in said storing means which is dissipated by said obstacle means in randomly slowing down the vehicle.
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) | 1978-01-06 | 1978-07-08 | 1979-01-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-01-06 | 1982-07-08 | 1983-01-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-01-06 | 1986-07-08 | 1987-01-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |