Toy vehicle with simulated headlights

Claim 1

A toy vehicle comprising: A. front and rear wheel sets; B. a DC motor operatively coupled to at least one of the wheel sets; C. a battery connectable to said motor to power same; D. A single light bulb shunted across the motor, said bulb being energized by the battery when the motor is powered thereby; E. a first light guide section formed of transparent plastic material having light conducting properties, said guide section being contoured to define a main block having an opening therin forming an optical light inlet which surrounds said bulb and a pair of legs extending in opposite directions from one end of the block, each leg terminating in a forwardly-projecting foot having a flat face disposed at the front of the vehicle to form an optical outlet simulating a headlight, said light guide at the junction of the block and legs being provided with a V-shaped notch forming a pair of opposed reflecting surfaces which cause the light beam from the inlet to split into two sub-beams which are directed into the respective legs, each leg having at its end opposite the flat face an inclined face directing the sub-beam toward the flat face; and F. a dashboard panel having apertures therein through which extend projections from a contoured second light guide section which overlies the first section and also receives light from the bulb, whereby when the headlights are illuminated, so are the projections which act as dashboard light indicators.