Toy racing car track bridge

Details Toy racing car track bridge Toy racing car track bridge

1999-07-26

2001-01-23

Rimell, Sam (Department: 3712)

Amusement devices: toys

Rolling or tumbling

Including extrinsic guide or means cooperable with extrinsic...

C446S484000, C446S487000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06176760

ABSTRACT:

The present invention relates to a bridge for use in an electric toy racing car track system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In a conventional construction, an electric toy racing car track system is formed by a loop of track sections which are connected end-to-end together to form a pair of co-extending lanes for respective toy cars to race with each other. Each lane is provided with a central groove for guiding a respective toy car by its bottom guide pin and a pair of conductive rails on opposite sides of the guiding groove for supplying electrical power to the toy car via respective brush contacts on the bottom of the car. The track system may sometimes include an elevated portion, in the form of a bridge or flyover, for crossing over another portion below it.
The subject invention seeks to provide a bridge for use in a toy racing car track system, which adds variation and fun to the game.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, there is provided a bridge for use in a toy racing car track system formed by a loop of track sections connected end-to-end together to form at least one lane for an electric toy car to run along and including a groove for guiding the movement of and a pair of conductive rails on opposite sides of the groove for supplying electrical power to the toy car, which bridge comprises a flexible body formed by a series of interconnected links and a pair of supports provided at opposite ends of and for supporting the body and for connection to the other track sections of the system, said body and supports having a said guiding groove and pair of power supply rails.
Preferably, the links are pivotably connected together by means of laterally extending hinge pins between each pair of adjacent links.
More preferably, each pair of adjacent links are formed with complementary side protrusion and recess in engagement.
It is preferred that the links are connected together with a narrow gap formed between adjacent links.
It is preferred that the link at each end of the body and the end of the adjacent support are formed with said complementary side protrusion and recess in engagement.
Advantageously, a spring is provided between each pair of adjacent links to enable the body to sag in a smoothly contoured manner.
In a preferred embodiment, the power supply rails of the body are provided by respective conductive helical springs extending across the links.
More preferably, the body is formed with a pair of grooves on opposite sides of the guiding groove for locating the respective springs, each of said side grooves having a part-circular cross-section which extends over an angle exceeding 180° to form a restricted open top side for the groove for exposing the upper side of a respective spring to allow the spring to supply electrical power to a toy car.
Further more preferably, the springs are located through insertion endwise into the respective grooves of the inter-connected links.
It is preferred that each end of the springs is connected to the adjacent end of the power supply rails of the supports by means of a conductive plug.
The invention also provides a toy car racing track system including the aforesaid bridge.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2821938 (1958-02-01), Muller
patent: 3722131 (1973-03-01), Rossi
patent: 4386777 (1983-06-01), Prehodka
patent: 4726515 (1988-02-01), Bolli et al.
patent: 5102133 (1992-04-01), Chilton et al.
patent: 5405080 (1995-04-01), Yeung et al.
patent: 5628670 (1997-05-01), Hill
patent: 5678489 (1997-10-01), Wang
patent: 5848503 (1998-12-01), Toft et al.

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