Toy vehicle with stabilized front wheel

Abstract

A toy vehicle with a flywheel operatively associated with a front wheel. The toy vehicle comprises a chassis having a front end supported by the front wheel and a rear end supported by a rear wheel. A motor is operatively connected to the flywheel to rotate the flywheel and generate a gyroscopic effect while the toy vehicle is moving. The flywheel is adapted to rotate independently of the front wheel. Accordingly, the front wheel rotates about the axle whenever the toy vehicle is in motion whereas the flywheel rotates about a front axle whenever the motor is energized. The motion of the toy vehicle may be controlled by a propulsion drive operatively associated with the chassis and drivingly coupled to the rear wheel. The direction of the toy vehicle may be controlled by a steering drive.

1 . A toy vehicle, comprising: 
 a chassis having front and rear ends    front and rear wheels operatively connected to and supporting the respective front and rear ends, the front wheel being moveable to steer the toy vehicle;    a flywheel operatively associated with the front wheel, the flywheel being adapted to rotate independently of the front wheel; and    a motor operatively connected to the flywheel to rotate the flywheel and generate a gyroscopic effect to stabilize the toy vehicle while the toy vehicle is moving.    
     
     
         2 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a fixed axle, the front wheel being rotatably mounted about the fixed axle; and    a motor mount fixedly connected to the axle, the motor being positioned within the motor mount.    
     
     
         3 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 two or more intermeshing gears operatively connecting the motor and the flywheel.    
     
     
         4 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a drive belt operatively connecting the motor and the flywheel.    
     
     
         5 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a power supply operatively associated with the chassis; and    one or more wires electrically coupling the power supply to the motor.    
     
     
         6 . The toy vehicle of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 a front fork operatively connecting the front wheel to the front end of the chassis, the front fork having substantially parallel first and second members operatively connected to each other; and    an axle fixedly attached to the front fork, the front wheel being rotatably mounted about the fixed axle and positioned between the first and second members;    wherein at least one of the first and second members is hollow so that the one or more wires may be routed therethrough from the power supply to the motor.    
     
     
         7 . The toy vehicle of  claim 6  wherein at least a portion of the fixed axle is hollow so that the one or more wires may be further routed from the at least one hollow member to the motor without interfering with the rotation of the flywheel or front wheel.  
     
     
         8 . The toy vehicle of  claim 5 , further comprising 
 a first set of wires operatively connecting the power supply to a first end of the front fork; and    a second set of wires operatively connecting a second end of the front fork to the motor;    wherein the first and second members are adapted to conduct electricity.    
     
     
         9 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a front fork operatively connecting the front wheel to the front end of the chassis, the front fork having substantially parallel first and second members operatively connected to each other; and    a steering drive supported by the chassis and operatively connected to the front fork, the steering drive being adapted to generate steering outputs to steer the toy vehicle.    
     
     
         10 . The toy vehicle of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a fork coupler pivotally connected to the front end of the chassis, the front fork being connected to the fork coupler so as to pivot about a castering axis.    
     
     
         11 . The toy vehicle of  claim 10  wherein when the toy vehicle travels on a surface and the castering axis projects ahead of where the front wheel contacts the surface.  
     
     
         12 . The toy vehicle of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a receiver operatively connected to the steering drive, the receiver being adapted to receive remotely generated steering signals to selectively move the steering drive and steer the toy vehicle.    
     
     
         13 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a propulsion drive operatively associated with the chassis and drivingly coupled to the rear wheel.    
     
     
         14 . The toy vehicle of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of intermeshing gears drivingly coupling the motor to the rear wheel.    
     
     
         15 . The toy vehicle of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 a drive chain drivingly coupling the motor to the rear wheel.    
     
     
         16 . A remotely controlled, wheel-supported toy vehicle, comprising: 
 a chassis having front and rear ends;    front and rear wheels, the front wheel being moveable to steer the toy vehicle, the rear wheel being operatively connected to the rear end;    a front fork operatively connecting the front wheel to the front end of the chassis;    an axle fixedly attached to the front fork, the front wheel being rotatably mounted about the fixed axle;    a flywheel operatively associated with the front wheel, the flywheel being adapted to rotate independently of the front wheel;    a motor operatively connected to the flywheel to rotate the flywheel and generate a gyroscopic effect to stabilize the toy vehicle while the toy vehicle is moving;    a steering drive supported by the chassis and operatively connected to the front fork, the steering drive being adapted to generate steering outputs to steer the toy vehicle;    a propulsion drive operatively associated with the chassis and drivingly coupled to the rear wheel; and    a receiver adapted to receive remotely generated steering and propulsion signals, the receiver being operatively connected to the steering drive such that upon receiving a steering signal the steering drive generates a steering output to steer the toy vehicle, the receiver also being operatively connected to the propulsion drive such that upon receiving a propulsion signal the propulsion drive becomes operative.    
     
     
         17 . The toy vehicle of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 a power supply operatively associated with the chassis; and    one or more wires electrically coupling the power supply to the motor.    
     
     
         18 . The toy vehicle of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 a switch operatively associated with the power supply such that when the switch is placed in an on position the motor becomes operative to rotate the flywheel.    
     
     
         19 . The toy vehicle of  claim 17  wherein the motor is operatively connected to the receiver such that the motor becomes operative when the receiver receives a propulsion signal.  
     
     
         20 . The toy vehicle of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 a control board supported by the chassis and electrically coupled to the receiver, the control board having a timing mechanism adapted to deactivate the motor after a predetermined time period of inactivity by the propulsion drive.