Toy vehicle with stabilized front wheel

Abstract

A toy vehicle generally comprises a chassis, front and rear wheels supporting the chassis, and a flywheel configured to rotate within the front wheel to provide a gyroscopic effect. An engagement mechanism housed within and operatively coupled to the front wheel is configured to rotate the flywheel in a first direction when driven by the front wheel in the first direction. The engagement mechanism is also configured to allow the flywheel to continue to rotate in the first direction independently of the front wheel when the front wheel decelerates.

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 configured to rotate within the front wheel; and    an engagement mechanism including a first component housed within and operatively coupled to the front wheel so as to be driven thereby and a second component coupled to the flywheel so as to rotate therewith, the first component being configured to engage the second component when driven by the front wheel in a first direction so that the flywheel is rotated in the first direction as well, the second component being configured to cease engaging the first component when the front wheel decelerates in the first direction such that the flywheel continues to rotate in the first direction independently of the front wheel.    
   
   
       2 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , the front wheel having a front axis, the first component including a first arcuate portion rotatable about the front axis and the second component defining a socket in which the first arcuate portion rotates, the engagement mechanism further comprising: 
 a first friction element configured to frictionally engage the first arcuate portion and an outer rim of the socket when the first component is rotated in the first direction, the first friction element further configured to cease engaging the first arcuate portion and the outer rim when the front wheel decelerates in the first direction.    
   
   
       3 . The toy vehicle of  claim 2 , the first friction element being a spherical ball positioned within the socket.  
   
   
       4 . The toy vehicle of  claim 2 , the first friction element being a cylindrical disc positioned within the socket.  
   
   
       5 . The toy vehicle of  claim 2 , the first component including a second arcuate portion, the engagement mechanism further comprising: 
 a second friction element configured to frictionally engage the second arcuate portion and the outer rim of the socket when the first component is rotated in the first direction, the second friction element further configured to cease engaging the first arcuate portion and the outer rim when the front wheel decelerates in the first direction.    
   
   
       6 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , the first component being a paw wheel having an arm extending therefrom, and the second component defining a socket in which the paw wheel rotates, the socket having a plurality of notches configured to engage the arm when the paw wheel is rotated in the first direction.  
   
   
       7 . The toy vehicle of  claim 6 , the arm being a resilient arm, wherein the paw wheel includes a plurality of the resilient arms.  
   
   
       8 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , the first component being a ratchet wheel having a plurality of projections and the second component being a ratchet tab pivotally connected to the flywheel, the ratchet tab configured to engage one of the plurality of projections when the ratchet wheel is rotated in the first direction and configured to be deflected by the plurality of projections when the ratchet wheel is rotated in a second direction.  
   
   
       9 . The toy vehicle of  claim 8 , the ratchet tab being biased against the ratchet wheel.  
   
   
       10 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the first component of the engagement mechanism is operatively coupled to the front wheel by a gear train, the gear train being configured to rotate the first component at a faster rate than the front wheel thereby causing the flywheel to rotate faster than the front wheel.  
   
   
       11 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , the first and second components of the engagement mechanism being configured to allow the front wheel to rotate in a second direction independently of the flywheel.  
   
   
       12 . 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.    
   
   
       13 . The toy vehicle of  claim 13 , 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;    wherein the toy vehicle travels on a surface and the castering axis projects ahead of where the front wheel contacts the surface.    
   
   
       14 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a propulsion drive operatively associated with the chassis and drivingly coupled to the rear wheel.    
   
   
       15 . 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 configured to rotate within the front wheel; and    an engagement mechanism housed within and operatively coupled to the front wheel so as to be driven thereby, the engagement mechanism being configured to rotate the flywheel in a first direction when driven by the front wheel in the first direction;    wherein the engagement mechanism is further configured to allow the flywheel to independently rotate in the first direction when the front wheel decelerates in the first direction.    
   
   
       16 . The toy vehicle of  claim 16 , the engagement mechanism being operatively coupled to the front wheel by a gear train, the gear train being configured to allow the engagement mechanism to rotate the flywheel at a faster rate than the front wheel.  
   
   
       17 . The toy vehicle of  claim 16 , the engagement mechanism being configured to allow the front wheel to rotate in a second direction independently of the flywheel.  
   
   
       18 . A toy vehicle, comprising: 
 a chassis having first and second ends;    first and second wheels operatively connected to and supporting the respective first and second ends;    a flywheel configured to rotate within the first wheel; and an engagement mechanism including a first component housed within and operatively coupled to the first wheel so as to be driven thereby and a second component coupled to the flywheel so as to rotate therewith, the first component being configured to engage the second component when rotated in a first direction by the first wheel so that the flywheel is rotated in the first direction as well, the second component being configured to cease engaging the first component when the first wheel decelerates in the first direction such that the flywheel continues to rotate in the first direction independently of the first wheel.