Toy Vehicle with Pivoting Action

Abstract

A pivoting mechanism for a vehicle such as a radio control toy vehicle includes a rotating element loosely mounted on a wheel axle and extending slightly beyond the wheel radius. When the vehicle moves forward, the rotating element rotates up out of the way and does not create substantial friction with the ground. When the vehicle moves in reverse, the rotating element catches the ground, which causes the rotating element to kick up underneath the vehicle into a generally downward position, thus raising the vehicle up onto the rotating element rather its associated wheel, which causes the vehicle to turn sharply about the rotating element. A stop prevents the rotating element from rotating past its vertically downward position. When the vehicle moves forward again, the rotating element automatically rotates up again out of the way so that the vehicle drives forward in a substantially straight line.

1 . A mobile toy vehicle with a pivoting apparatus adapted to move over a travel surface, the vehicle comprising:
 a body;   a plurality of wheels rotatably attached to the body;   a rotating element, mounted on an axle of at least one of said wheels, separate from said wheels and not biased toward any rotational position;   wherein said rotating element is adapted to rotate from a first position to a second and engagement position in which it contacts the travel surface with sufficient friction to induce a change in vehicle motion.   
   
   
       2 . The mobile toy vehicle of  claim 1  further comprising:
 at least one fixed stop;   wherein said rotating element, when rotated toward said engagement position, is limited to a maximum rotation by the presence and location of said stop.   
   
   
       3 . The mobile toy vehicle of  claim 1  wherein said rotating element has an insubstantial amount of frictional contact with said axle such that the rotating element, when in the first position, rotates freely on the axle to contact the travel surface. 
   
   
       4 . The mobile toy vehicle of  claim 1  wherein said rotating element has sufficient frictional contact with said axle such that the rotating element rotates with the wheel associated with said axle about the axle for at least a portion of a revolution. 
   
   
       5 . The mobile toy vehicle of  claim 1  wherein:
 said one of said wheels has an outer perimeter surface which contacts said travel surface; and   said rotating element has a rounded contact surface which extends beyond the outer perimeter surface of the wheel and contacts the travel surface when rotated into said engagement position.   
   
   
       6 . The mobile toy vehicle of  claim 1  wherein said rotating element is radial in shape, having a radius between 1% and 10% greater than a radius of said one of said wheels. 
   
   
       7 . The mobile toy vehicle of  claim 1 , in combination with a remote control transmitter for controlling operation of the vehicle, the transmitter having no control for controlling direction of the vehicle other than a forward control and a backward control. 
   
   
       8 . A vehicle adapted to move over a travel surface, the vehicle having an apparatus for turning the vehicle comprising:
 a contact member which rotates about an axle of said vehicle, the contact member not biased toward any rotational position thereabout;   wherein rotation of said contact device into and out of substantial frictional contact with said travel surface is controlled by direction of motion of said vehicle.   
   
   
       9 . The vehicle of  claim 8  wherein the contact member is rotated into substantial frictional contact with the travel surface when the vehicle is moving forward. 
   
   
       10 . The vehicle of  claim 8  wherein the contact member is rotated into substantial frictional contact with the travel surface when the vehicle is moving backward. 
   
   
       11 . A vehicle adapted to move over a travel surface, the vehicle having an apparatus for turning the vehicle comprising:
 a frictional device loosely and rotatably mounted to the vehicle, the frictional device having a first position which creates a point of sufficiently high friction with the contact travel surface to turn the vehicle and a second position which creates a point of friction with the travel surface lower than the first position; and   means for rotating said frictional device such that, when the frictional device is rotated into the first position, the vehicle turns about the point of sufficiently high friction between the vehicle and the travel surface;   wherein rotation of the frictional device is controlled by direction of motion of the vehicle.   
   
   
       12 . The vehicle of  claim 11  wherein said frictional device is loosely and rotatably mounted to the vehicle about an axle. 
   
   
       13 . The vehicle of  claim 11  wherein said frictional device, when rotated into the first position, contacts the travel surface, creating the point of contact and sufficiently high friction about which the vehicle turns. 
   
   
       14 . The vehicle of  claim 11  wherein said frictional device, when rotated into the first position, causes a wheel of the vehicle to be the point of contact and sufficiently high friction with the travel surface about which the vehicle turns. 
   
   
       15 . The vehicle of  claim 11  wherein rotation of the frictional device between said first and second positions is the only means of directional control. 
   
   
       16 . The vehicle of  claim 11  wherein the frictional device is rotated into the first position of sufficiently high friction with the travel surface when the vehicle is moving backward. 
   
   
       17 . The vehicle of  claim 11  further comprising at least one fixed stop, wherein said frictional device, when rotated into said first position, is limited to a maximum rotation by the presence and location of said fixed stop. 
   
   
       18 . A radio control toy vehicle comprising:
 a vehicle body and a plurality of wheels for contacting the ground over which the vehicle travels;   means for causing a frictional element to automatically contact the ground on one side of the vehicle when the vehicle moves in a reverse direction, the frictional element contacting the ground with sufficient friction to cause the vehicle to turn; and   means for automatically causing the frictional element to substantially cease frictional contact with the ground when the vehicle moves in a forward direction, thus allowing the vehicle to move forward in a substantially straight line.   
   
   
       19 . The radio control toy vehicle of  claim 18  wherein:
 said frictional element is rotatably and coaxially mounted with one of said vehicle wheels, said frictional element having a radius slightly greater than a radius of said one of said wheels; and   said vehicle has a detent which prevents rotation of said frictional element significantly past a vertical position when said vehicle travels in reverse.   
   
   
       20 . The radio control toy vehicle of  claim 19  wherein said frictional element is a generally pie-shaped piece mounted inside of said one of said wheels relative to the vehicle body.