Amusement devices: toys – Rolling or tumbling – Wheeled vehicle
Patent
1989-05-19
1991-03-19
Hafer, Robert A.
Amusement devices: toys
Rolling or tumbling
Wheeled vehicle
446460, 280 94, 280 951, A63H 1736, B60G 00
Patent
active
050007165
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a steering device for toy cars, of a type which comprises a tie rod having opposite ends connected mechanically to respective spindles.
BACKGROUND ART
In order to provide a desired steering action on the steerable wheels of a toy car by operating its steering wheel, it is conventional practice to use steering devices which comprise essentially a steering column, to which the steering wheel is attached, arranged to act on a tie rod or crossbar of the steering system; the tie rod is in turn connected, as by means of links or steering arms, to two steering knuckles, a steerable wheel being associated with either knuckles. These prior steering devices usually employ such coupling arrangements as screw-and-nut, gear segment, or rack-and-pinion mechanisms for linking the steering column to the tie rod.
In general, the tie rod is, in common with the steering knuckles for the steerable wheels, steering arms and wheel axles, a part of the well-known articulated quadrilateral steering arrangement.
Such prior steering systems exhibit, however, the well-recognized drawbacks of a complex design and construction, and involve highly accurate designing and manufacturing procedures for their several members; all this reflects in costs which are objectionably high in view of the product for which they are intended, namely toy cars.
In an effort to obviate such drawbacks, a further type of steering device has been proposed which also conforms with the aforementioned articulated quadrilateral principle.
That further type, as disclosed in Italian Patent of Industrial Invention No. 1096250, for example, comprises a steering system tie rod which is formed with weakening lines effective to define two parallel hinges intervening to the end portions and the middle portion of the tie rod. Said end portions form, on bending, the aforementioned steering arms for connection to the steering knuckles. The steering column acts at some intermediate location on the middle portion of the tie rod, in between the weakening lines.
While advantageous in more than one way, not even this latter conventional type of steering device is devoid of such drawbacks as overall vulnerability as is evinced, especially after prolonged use, by the occurrence of breakage and deformation due to the stresses brought into play be the steering action on the steerable wheels concentrating at the very weakening lines, that is in areas which have been slenderized and whose construction has become inherently more fragile.
Still another drawback is, moreover, that the assembly procedure for such a conventional steering device involves an additional step, since the end portions of the tie rod must be properly bent relatively to the tie rod prior to assembling to the bodywork of the toy car.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide a steering device for toy cars, which as such constructional and operational features as to overcome the cited prior drawbacks.
This object is achieved, according to the invention, by a steering device of the general type outlined above being characterized in that it comprises spring means mounted and operative between each of said opposing ends and a respective one of said spindles.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Further features and the advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of illustration and not of limitation with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing diagramatically a steering device according to this invention as installed on the bodywork of a toy car;
FIG. 2 is a detail plan of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a an elevation view of the same detail as shown in FIG. 2.
BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
With reference to the drawing figures, the numeral 1 denotes a bodywork of a toy car equipped with a steering device 2 according to the invention and effective to apply a preset steering effort to a p
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patent: 3290818 (1966-12-01), Mills
patent: 3474564 (1969-10-01), Perryman
patent: 3635304 (1972-01-01), Hills
patent: 4741718 (1988-05-01), Moolman
patent: 4799915 (1989-01-01), Lehmann et al.
Hafer Robert A.
Muir D. Neal
Polistil Generale Giocattoli S.p.A.
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