Toy vehicle racing game

Claim 2

A toy vehicle race game comprising: first and second toy vehicles; a toy vehicle race track comprising at least one region of sufficient width to enable one of said vehicles to pass another, said one track region being curved as seen in plan and banked at an angle which increases from the inside of said plan curve toi the outside thereof, whereby the faster one of said vehicles moving on the outside relative to said plan curve is restrained against centrifugal escape at said faster speed; said toy vehicles each comprising front wheels having a relatively low coefficient of friction and rear wheels having a relatively high coefficient of friction, respectively, relative to said track.

Claim 3

The toy vehicle race game of claim 1 wherein the curved track region is banked along a constant radius of curvature.

Claim 4

A toy vehicle racing game comprising: a toy vehicle race track formed as a closed loop and shaped to support and retain racing vehicles travelling therealong; a plurality of toy vehicles arranged to traverse said toy vehicle race track; vehicle obstacle means located in the path of travel of each of the vehicles and comprising individual vehicle slowdown devices respectively associated with said toy vehicles for decelerating the respective vehicles engaging their associated slowdown device, means for momentarily controlling the respective slowdown devices to alter the deceleration imparted to a racing vehicle as it passes said vehicle obstacle means; and means operatively disposed before said vehicle obstacLe means for directing respective vehicles past their associated slowdown device in said obstacle means; said race track including a region having an unobstructed vehicle travel surface disposed before said vehicle directing means and having a width sufficient to enable said toy vehicles to pass one another.

Claim 5

A toy vehicle racing game comprising: a toy vehicle race track formed as a closed loop and shaped to support and retain racing vehicles travelling therealong; a plurality of toy vehicles arranged to traverse said toy vehicle race track; vehicle obstacle means located in the path of travel of each of the vehicles and comprising individual vehicle slowdown devices respectively associated with said toy vehicles for decelerating the respective vehicles engaging their associated slowdown device, means for momentarily controlling the respective slowdown devices to alter the deceleration imparted to a racing vehicle as it passes said vehicle obstacle means; and means operatively disposed before said vehicle obstacLe means for directing respective vehicles past their associated slowdown device in said obstacle means; said race track including a region having an unobstructed vehicle travel surface disposed before said vehicle directing means and having a width sufficient to enable said toy vehicles to pass one another.

Claim 6

The toy vehicle racing game of claim 3 wherein the means for momentarily controlling the slow-down device includes means for adjusting the effectiveness of said vehicle obstacle means.

Claim 7

The toy vehicle racing game of claim 3 wherein said vehicle slow-down device is arranged to normally decelerate a vehicle unless momentarily disabled by said control means to enable vehicles to pass the said obstacle means free from vehicle slow-down effect.

Claim 8

A toy vehicle racing game comprising: a toy vehicle race track having a vehicle support surface whose width is selected to enable toy racing vehicles traveling therealong to pass one another; toy vehicles arranged to traverse the toy vehicle race track; guide elements mounted on the vehicles; obstacle means located in the travel path of each of the vehicles and comprising respective normally-enabled toy vehicle slow-down devices to decelerate respective vehicles engaging the slow-down devices; means for momentarily disabling individual ones of said slow-down devices to allow a racing vehicle to pass said obstacle means free from vehicle slow-down effect by the obstacle means; and a vehicle separator track segment operatively disposed before said obstacke means to direct individual ones of said vehicles to a slow-downs device, said vehicle separator track segment being provided with track-mounted guides which are located to engage said guides on the vehicles to direct the vehicles towards respective slow-down devices on the obstacle means.

Claim 9

A toy vehicle racing game comprising: a toy vehicle race track having a vehicle support surface whose width is selected to enable toy racing vehicles traveling therealong to pass one another; toy vehicles arranged to traverse the toy vehicle race track; guide elements mounted on the vehicles; obstacle means located in the travel path of each of the vehicles and comprising respective normally-enabled toy vehicle slow-down devices to decelerate respective vehicles engaging the slow-down devices; means for momentarily disabling individual ones of said slow-down devices to allow a racing vehicle to pass said obstacle means free from vehicle slow-down effect by the obstacle means; and a vehicle separator track segment operatively disposed before said obstacke means to direct individual ones of said vehicles to a slow-downs device, said vehicle separator track segment being provided with track-mounted guides which are located to engage said guides on the vehicles to direct the vehicles towards respective slow-down devices on the obstacle means.

Claim 10

A toy vehicle race game as in claim 6 wherein said guide elements mounted on the vehicles and said track mounted guides are complementary in shape for engagement in dovetail relationship whereby vehicles traveling at high speeds are retained on the track.

Claim 11

The toy vehicle racing game as in claim 6 further including lap counters aligned with respective vehicle slow-down devices on the obstacle means and responsive to said vehicle-mounted guides to register the completion of laps of the respective racing vehicles.

Claim 12

The toy vehicle racing game as in claim 8 wherein said lap counter means includes means responsive to said vehicle-mounted guides for registering the completion of laps.

Claim 13

The toy vehicle racing game as claimed in claim 6 wherein said vehicle-mounted guides are differentially located to identify individual vehicles and enable said track-mounted guides to direct different vehicles towards different slow-down devices.

Claim 14

A toy vehicle racing game comprising: a continuous vehicle race track; toy vehicles for movement over the track; means in said vehicles for storing energy and delivering said energy for said vehicles to traverse said continuous track for a predetermined maximum number of laps; separate cumulative lap counter means disposed at laterally spaced locations on said track and respectively associated with each of said vehicles, said respective lap counter means each being responsive to passage of only its associated vehicle, thereby to register said passage numerically, the maximum numerical capacity of each of said lap counter means being larger than said predetermined maximum number of laps traversed by the corresponding vehicle; and means operatively disposed before the lap counters for variously laterally directing respective vehicles through their associated lap counter means; said vehicles race track including a region having an open unobstructed vehicle travel surface disposed before said vehicle directing means and having a width sufficient to enable said toy vehicles to pass one another and to move from one side of the race track to the other.

Claim 15

A toy vehicle racing game comprising: a continuous vehicle race track; toy vehicles for movement over the track; means in said vehicles for storing energy and delivering said energy for said vehicles to traverse said continuous track for a predetermined maximum number of laps; separate cumulative lap counter means disposed at laterally spaced locations on said track and respectively associated with each of said vehicles, said respective lap counter means each being responsive to passage of only its associated vehicle, thereby to register said passage numerically, the maximum numerical capacity of each of said lap counter means being larger than said predetermined maximum number of laps traversed by the corresponding vehicle; and means operatively disposed before the lap counters for variously laterally directing respective vehicles through their associated lap counter means; said vehicles race track including a region having an open unobstructed vehicle travel surface disposed before said vehicle directing means and having a width sufficient to enable said toy vehicles to pass one another and to move from one side of the race track to the other.

Claim 16

The toy vehiCle racing game as defined in claim 11 wherein said energy storing and delivering means includes: a spring-wound motor; a gear train operatively coupling the motor to a wheel of a toy vehicle for propulsion thereof; and a stop gear operatively associated with the gear train; said stop gear having an interference segment located to inhibit gear train operation from a runout limiting position of said gear train, thereby to limit the runout distance of the toy vehicle motor race to said predetermined maximum number of laps.

Claim 17

The toy vehicle racing game as in claim 12 wherein said stop gear is geared to make a given number of revolutions for said predetermined maximum number of laps, and, when rotated said given number of revolutions from said run-out-limiting position during spring winding, is effective again to inhibit gear train operation for limiting said spring wind-up.

Claim 18

A toy vehicle racing game comprising: a plurality of toy vehicles; and a racing track for said vehicles including at least one laterally unobstructed portion wide enough for vehicles to pass abreast and to permit vehicles to move laterally along the track, a plurality of vehicle slowdown means respectively associated with individual toy vehicles, a vehicle diverter located in the path of oncoming toy vehicles ahead of the vehicle slowdown means, a lane restrictor disposed ahead of said diverter and sized to limit passage therethrough towards said vehicle diverter to a single vehicle at a time, said toy vehicles and said vehicle diverter having individually associated cooperating and substantially complementary surfaces which engage each other as said vehicles pass through said diverter, one at a time, for diverting the respective vehicles towards their individually associated slowdown means.

Claim 19

A toy vehicle racing game comprising: a plurality of toy vehicles; and a racing track for said vehicles including at least one laterally unobstructed portion wide enough for vehicles to pass abreast and to permit vehicles to move laterally along the track, a plurality of vehicle slowdown means respectively associated with individual toy vehicles, a vehicle diverter located in the path of oncoming toy vehicles ahead of the vehicle slowdown means, a lane restrictor disposed ahead of said diverter and sized to limit passage therethrough towards said vehicle diverter to a single vehicle at a time, said toy vehicles and said vehicle diverter having individually associated cooperating and substantially complementary surfaces which engage each other as said vehicles pass through said diverter, one at a time, for diverting the respective vehicles towards their individually associated slowdown means.

Claim 20

A toy vehicle racing game comprising: a toy vehicle race track having a vehicle support surface whose width is selected to enable toy racing vehicles traveling therealong to pass one another; toy vehicles arranged to traverse the toy vehicle race track; obstacle means in the travel path of each of the vehicles, said obstacle means being provided with respective normally-enabled toy vehicle slow-down devices to decelerate respective vehicles engaging the slow-down devices; and means for momentarily disabling individual ones of said slow-down devices to allow a racing vehicle to pass said obstacle means free from vehicle slow-down effect; said toy vehicles each including a spring-wound motor of the substantially constant output torque type and an output gear train which is geared up, whereby a speed reduction induced by said slow-down devices is followed by a relatively long interval of slow but constant acceleration to a relatively high but constant top speed.

Claim 21

A toy vehicle racing game comprising: a toy vehicle race track having a vehicle support surface whose width is selected to enable toy racing vehicles traveling therealong to pass one another; toy vehicles arranged to traverse the toy vehicle race track; obstacle means in the travel path of each of the vehicles, said obstacle means being provided with respective normally-enabled toy vehicle slow-down devices to decelerate respective vehicles engaging the slow-down devices; and means for momentarily disabling individual ones of said slow-down devices to allow a racing vehicle to pass said obstacle means free from vehicle slow-down effect; said toy vehicles each including a spring-wound motor of the substantially constant output torque type and an output gear train which is geared up, whereby a speed reduction induced by said slow-down devices is followed by a relatively long interval of slow but constant acceleration to a relatively high but constant top speed.

Claim 22

A toy vehicle race game comprising: at least two toy vehicles; a continuous toy vehicle race track having an unguided vehicle race surface with at least one region thereof having sufficient width to enable one of said vehicles to pass another; drive means in each of said vehicles for driving its associated vehicle about said track for a predetermined number of laps; said one track region being curved as seen in plan and banked at an angle which increases from the inside of said plan curve to the outside thereof whereby a faster one of said vehicles moving on the outside relative to said plan curve due to the action of centrifugal force and passing a slower one of said vehicles moving on the inside relative to said plan curve is restrained against centrifugal escape at said faster speed, obstacle means located in said track in the path of travel of each of said vehicles, respective normally-enabled toy vehicle slow-down devices in said obstacle means associated with each of said toy vehicles for decelerating respective vehicles; individual means for momentarily disabling an associated slow-down device to allow its associated racing vehicle to pass through said oBstacle means substantially free from vehicle slow-down effect; guide elements mounted at different lateral locations on each of said vehicles to identify individual vehicles; a vehicle separator track segment operatively disposed before said obstacle means having track-mounted guides thereon located to engage and cooperate with said guide elements on said vehicles for directing the vehicles towards respective slow-down devices; and a lane restrictor located in front of said vehicle separator track segment to limit passage through said vehicle separator track segment to a single vehicle at a time.

Claim 23

A toy vehicle race game comprising: at least two toy vehicles; a continuous toy vehicle race track having an unguided vehicle race surface with at least one region thereof having sufficient width to enable one of said vehicles to pass another; drive means in each of said vehicles for driving its associated vehicle about said track for a predetermined number of laps; said one track region being curved as seen in plan and banked at an angle which increases from the inside of said plan curve to the outside thereof whereby a faster one of said vehicles moving on the outside relative to said plan curve due to the action of centrifugal force and passing a slower one of said vehicles moving on the inside relative to said plan curve is restrained against centrifugal escape at said faster speed, obstacle means located in said track in the path of travel of each of said vehicles, respective normally-enabled toy vehicle slow-down devices in said obstacle means associated with each of said toy vehicles for decelerating respective vehicles; individual means for momentarily disabling an associated slow-down device to allow its associated racing vehicle to pass through said oBstacle means substantially free from vehicle slow-down effect; guide elements mounted at different lateral locations on each of said vehicles to identify individual vehicles; a vehicle separator track segment operatively disposed before said obstacle means having track-mounted guides thereon located to engage and cooperate with said guide elements on said vehicles for directing the vehicles towards respective slow-down devices; and a lane restrictor located in front of said vehicle separator track segment to limit passage through said vehicle separator track segment to a single vehicle at a time.

Claim 24

A toy vehicle racing game comprising a toy vehicle race track formed as a closed loop and shaped to support and retain racing vehicles travelling therealong; a plurality of toy vehicles arranged to traverse said toy vehicle race track; vehicle obstacle means located in the path of travel of each of the vehicles and comprising a vehicle slow-down device to decelerate the vehicles engaging the slow-down device, and means for momentarily controlling said slow-down device to alter the deceleration imparted to a racing vehicle as it passes said vehicle obstacle means, said vehicle slow-down device being arranged to normally decelerate a vehicle unless momentarily disabled by said control means to enable vehicles to pass said vehicle obstacle means free from vehicle slow-down effect.

Claim 25

A toy vehicle racing game comprising a toy vehicle race track formed as a closed loop and shaped to support and retain racing vehicles travelling therealong; a plurality of toy vehicles arranged to traverse said toy vehicle race track; vehicle obstacle means located in the path of travel of each of the vehicles and comprising a vehicle slow-down device to decelerate the vehicles engaging the slow-down device, and means for momentarily controlling said slow-down device to alter the deceleration imparted to a racing vehicle as it passes said vehicle obstacle means, said vehicle slow-down device being arranged to normally decelerate a vehicle unless momentarily disabled by said control means to enable vehicles to pass said vehicle obstacle means free from vehicle slow-down effect.