US3878642A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Propeller driven toy vehicle
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-05-17
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Granted: 1975-04-22
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Expires: 1993-05-17
Abstract
Abstract A vehicle toy is provided which is driven by the thrust generated by a propeller powered by a rubber band motor. In order to clear the ground, the propeller is supported for rotation above or along the upper portion of the body of the vehicle and is operable, when rotated by the rubber band, to generate sufficient thrust to push or pull the vehicle. In one form, the rubber band motor extends from the propeller shaft diagonally through the vehicle body and is anchored at the far end of the body or beyond. Thrust may be generated at an angle to the horizontal but the net component of thrust in the horizontal direction is sufficient to propel the vehicle. In another form the rubber band motor extends through a pod supported above the vehicle body and extending beyond the both ends of the body. Lightweight construction is derived to permit the limited amount of thrust generated by the rubber band motor rotated propeller by molding the vehicle body of expanded, cellular plastic. The plastic may contain a skin molded in situ thereon to protect the surface of the cellular plastic and substantially strengthening the body without greatly adding to its weight. Other features include structural improvements in wheels for the vehicle and the means for rotationally supporting same on the expanded plastic body.
Inventors
- 👤 Jerome H Lemelson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 15:23
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63H; A63H29/00; A63H29/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
218 words
A vehicle toy having a rigid body formed of a lightweight hollow shell having front and rear end-portions and a central portion joining said front and rear end-portions, wheels rotatably supported on said body for free wheeling movement of said toy across a surface, power means including a propeller disposed rearwardly of said rear end-portion of said vehicle body for imparting forward thrust to said toy vehicle, bearing means supported by said upper end-portion of said body for supporting said propeller for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally of said body and inclined downwardly towards said front end-portion of said body, an elongated rubber band motor secured at one end to said propeller and extending therefrom substantially the length of said vehicle body from said rear end-portion to said front endportion and means connecting the other end of said rubber band motor to said front end-portion of said body, said body being sufficiently light in weight to permit the thrust generated when said propeller rotates as said rubber band motor unwinds to overcome friction between said wheels and the surface on which saId wheels react and the friction between the means rotatably supporting said wheels to permit said vehicle to be propelled across said surface during substantially most of the time said rubber band motor rotates said propeller.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
218 words
A vehicle toy having a rigid body formed of a lightweight hollow shell having front and rear end-portions and a central portion joining said front and rear end-portions, wheels rotatably supported on said body for free wheeling movement of said toy across a surface, power means including a propeller disposed rearwardly of said rear end-portion of said vehicle body for imparting forward thrust to said toy vehicle, bearing means supported by said upper end-portion of said body for supporting said propeller for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally of said body and inclined downwardly towards said front end-portion of said body, an elongated rubber band motor secured at one end to said propeller and extending therefrom substantially the length of said vehicle body from said rear end-portion to said front endportion and means connecting the other end of said rubber band motor to said front end-portion of said body, said body being sufficiently light in weight to permit the thrust generated when said propeller rotates as said rubber band motor unwinds to overcome friction between said wheels and the surface on which saId wheels react and the friction between the means rotatably supporting said wheels to permit said vehicle to be propelled across said surface during substantially most of the time said rubber band motor rotates said propeller.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
218 words
A vehicle toy having a rigid body formed of a lightweight hollow shell having front and rear end-portions and a central portion joining said front and rear end-portions, wheels rotatably supported on said body for free wheeling movement of said toy across a surface, power means including a propeller disposed rearwardly of said rear end-portion of said vehicle body for imparting forward thrust to said toy vehicle, bearing means supported by said upper end-portion of said body for supporting said propeller for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally of said body and inclined downwardly towards said front end-portion of said body, an elongated rubber band motor secured at one end to said propeller and extending therefrom substantially the length of said vehicle body from said rear end-portion to said front end-portion and means connecting the other end of said rubber band motor to said front end-portion of said body, said body being sufficiently light in weight to permit the thrust generated when said propeller rotates as said rubber band motor unwinds to overcome friction between said wheels and the surface on which saId wheels react and the friction between the means rotatably supporting said wheels to permit said vehicle to be propelled across said surface during substantially most of the time said rubber band motor rotates said propeller.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
218 words
A vehicle toy having a rigid body formed of a lightweight hollow shell having front and rear end-portions and a central portion joining said front and rear end-portions, wheels rotatably supported on said body for free wheeling movement of said toy across a surface, power means including a propeller disposed rearwardly of said rear end-portion of said vehicle body for imparting forward thrust to said toy vehicle, bearing means supported by said upper end-portion of said body for supporting said propeller for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally of said body and inclined downwardly towards said front end-portion of said body, an elongated rubber band motor secured at one end to said propeller and extending therefrom substantially the length of said vehicle body from said rear end-portion to said front end-portion and means connecting the other end of said rubber band motor to said front end-portion of said body, said body being sufficiently light in weight to permit the thrust generated when said propeller rotates as said rubber band motor unwinds to overcome friction between said wheels and the surface on which saId wheels react and the friction between the means rotatably supporting said wheels to permit said vehicle to be propelled across said surface during substantially most of the time said rubber band motor rotates said propeller.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A vehicle toy in accordance with claim 1 wherein said vehicle body is a light weight shell open at the bottom.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A vehicle toy in accordance with claim 2 wherein said vehicle body is made of plastic with sheet-like walls.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A vehicle toy in accordance with claim 2 wherein said bearing means is supported above and to the rear of said central portion of said body.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
67 words
A vehicle toy in accordance with claim 4 wherein said inverted T-shaped cross-section defining said body is formed with said horizontal sheet-like formation as its bottom and a vertical sheet-like formation extending upwardly from said horizontal sheet-like formation along substantially the length of said body, said means for supporting said propeller shaft comprising bearing means provided at the rear and upper part of said vertical sheet-like formation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
68 words
A vehicle toy in accordance with claim 5 including an opening through said vertical sheet-like formation of said body near the front end thereof and an opening through said horizontal sheet-like formation aligned with the opening in said vertical sheet-like formation for accommodating a wheel, and means for rotatably supporting said wheel within said opening for rolling movement on a surface supporting the front end of said body.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
A vehicle toy in accordance with claim 6 including means for rotatably supporting respective wheels at both sides of said horizontal sheet-like formation for supporting the rear end of said vehicle toy.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
118 words
A powered vehicle toy comprising: an elongated vehicle body having an inverted T-shaped cross-section formed of vertical and horizontal sheet-like formations with the vertical formation configured to represent the side view shape of an automobile, means for rotatably supporting at least three wheels spaced apart on said body for providing wheeling support for said vehicle toy, propulsion means including a propeller and a shaft connected to said propeller, means for supporting said propeller shaft for rotation about an axis extending parallel to and above said vertical sheet-like formation, said rotatable supporting means disposing said propeller for rotation behind said vertical sheet-like formation and sufficiently above the ground to permit said propeller to clear the ground when it rotates.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
118 words
A powered vehicle toy comprising: an elongated vehicle body having an inverted T-shaped cross-section formed of vertical and horizontal sheet-like formations with the vertical formation configured to represent the side view shape of an automobile, means for rotatably supporting at least three wheels spaced apart on said body for providing wheeling support for said vehicle toy, propulsion means including a propeller and a shaft connected to said propeller, means for supporting said propeller shaft for rotation about an axis extending parallel to and above said vertical sheet-like formation, said rotatable supporting means disposing said propeller for rotation behind said vertical sheet-like formation and sufficiently above the ground to permit said propeller to clear the ground when it rotates.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
63 words
A vehicle toy in accordance with claim 8 wherein said vertical sheet-like formation is formed with a hook-like formation along its upper edge, the other end of said rubber band motor being secured to said hook-like formation, said vertical sheet-like formation being configured to permit rotation of said rubber band motor adjacent thereto when stretched between said propeller shaft and said hook-like formation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
239 words
A vehicle toy having a rigid body formed of a lightweight hollow shell which shell is open at the bottom and has front and rear end-portions and a central portion joining said front and rear end-portions, wheels rotatably supported by said body for free wheeling movement thereof across a surface, power means including a propeller disposed at the end of said rear end-portion of said body shell for imparting forward thrust to said vehicle toy, bearing means supported by said rear end-portion of said body for rotatably supporting said propeller to rotate about a longitudinal axis, said propeller having blades of such a length and disposed by said bearing means to rotate close to the surface on which said vehicle toy travels, an elongated rubber band motor extending the length of said vehicle body between said propeller at said rear end-portion of said body to said front end-portion of said body and means for connecting the front end of said rubber band motor to said front end-portion of said body, said body being sufficiently light in weight to pErmit the thrust generated when said propeller rotates as said rubber band motor unwinds to overcome friction between said wheels and the surface on which said wheels react and the friction between the means rotatably supporting said wheels to permit said vehicle to be propelled across said surface during substantially most of the time said rubber band motor rotates said propeller.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
239 words
A vehicle toy having a rigid body formed of a lightweight hollow shell which shell is open at the bottom and has front and rear end-portions and a central portion joining said front and rear end-portions, wheels rotatably supported by said body for free wheeling movement thereof across a surface, power means including a propeller disposed at the end of said rear end-portion of said body shell for imparting forward thrust to said vehicle toy, bearing means supported by said rear end-portion of said body for rotatably supporting said propeller to rotate about a longitudinal axis, said propeller having blades of such a length and disposed by said bearing means to rotate close to the surface on which said vehicle toy travels, an elongated rubber band motor extending the length of said vehicle body between said propeller at said rear end-portion of said body to said front end-portion of said body and means for connecting the front end of said rubber band motor to said front end-portion of said body, said body being sufficiently light in weight to pErmit the thrust generated when said propeller rotates as said rubber band motor unwinds to overcome friction between said wheels and the surface on which said wheels react and the friction between the means rotatably supporting said wheels to permit said vehicle to be propelled across said surface during substantially most of the time said rubber band motor rotates said propeller.
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) | 1978-04-21 | 1978-10-21 | 1979-04-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-21 | 1982-10-21 | 1983-04-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-21 | 1986-10-21 | 1987-04-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |