Toy vehicle and method of launching

Abstract

A toy vehicle configured to travel along a surface, the toy vehicle having: a main body portion; a plurality of wheels rotatably secured to the main body portion; a lower body portion having an elongated channel passing therethrough, the elongated channel having an open end at at least a forward end of the toy vehicle; an elastic member secured to an outer periphery of the lower portion such that the elastic member is disposed across the open end of the elongated channel; and a tab member pivotally secured to the toy vehicle, the tab member extending from a rear portion of the toy vehicle.

1 . A toy vehicle configured to travel along a surface, the toy vehicle comprising:
 a main body portion;   a plurality of wheels rotatably secured to the main body portion;   a lower body portion having an elongated channel passing therethrough, the elongated channel having an open end at at least a forward end of the toy vehicle;   an elastic member secured to an outer periphery of the lower portion such that the elastic member is disposed across the open end of the elongated channel; and   a tab member pivotally secured to the toy vehicle, the tab member extending from a rear portion of the toy vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The toy vehicle as in  claim 1 , wherein the elongated channel is defined by an inner surface of a pair of side walls extending downwardly from a bottom surface of the toy vehicle in a facing spaced relationship, each of the sidewalls having a flange portion extending away from an outer surface of the pair of sides walls, wherein the elastic member is positioned upon the flange portions when the elastic member is secured to the toy vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The toy vehicle as in  claim 2 , wherein the elongated channel extends from the forward portion of the toy vehicle to the rearward portion of the toy vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The toy vehicle as in  claim 2 , wherein the pair of side walls are configured to provide the elongated channel with a “V” shaped configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The toy vehicle as in  claim 1 , wherein the elongated channel has an open end at a rearward end of the toy vehicle and the toy vehicle further comprises a feature for receiving and engaging a portion of the elastic member as it traverses from one of the pair of side walls to the other one of the pair of side walls, the feature being located above the open end of the elongated channel at the rearward end of the toy vehicle, such that the open end of the elongated channel at the rearward end of the toy vehicle is unobstructed by the elastic member. 
     
     
         6 . The toy vehicle as in  claim 5 , wherein the tab member is pivotally secured to a bar member extending from a rearward end of the toy vehicle, the bar member being positioned above the open end of the elongated channel at the rearward end of the toy vehicle, such that the open end of the elongated channel at the rearward end of the toy vehicle is unobstructed by the bar member and the tab member. 
     
     
         7 . The toy vehicle as in  claim 5 , wherein the elongated channel is defined by an inner surface of a pair of side walls extending downwardly from a bottom surface of the toy vehicle in a facing spaced relationship, each of the sidewalls having a flange portion extending away from an outer surface of the pair of sides walls, wherein the elastic member is positioned upon the flange portions when the elastic member is secured to the toy vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The toy vehicle as in  claim 7 , wherein the elongated channel extends from the forward portion of the toy vehicle to the rearward portion of the toy vehicle and wherein the pair of side walls are configured to provide the elongated channel with a “V” shaped configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The toy vehicle as in  claim 7 , wherein the flange portion of each of the pair of side walls is generally parallel to an axis of rotation of the plurality of wheels rotatably secured to the main body portion. 
     
     
         10 . The toy vehicle as in  claim 1 , wherein the tab member is pivotally secured to a bar member extending from a rearward end of the toy vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . A toy vehicle play set, comprising:
 at least one toy vehicle configured to travel along a surface, the toy vehicle comprising:
 a main body portion; 
 a plurality of wheels rotatably secured to the main body portion; 
 a lower body portion having an elongated channel passing therethrough, the elongated channel having an open end at at least a forward end of the toy vehicle; 
 an elastic member secured to an outer periphery of the lower portion such that the elastic member is disposed across the open end of the elongated channel; and 
 a tab member pivotally secured to the toy vehicle, the tab member extending from a rear portion of the toy vehicle; and 
   a launcher for the toy vehicle, the launcher having a vertical wall configured to be received within the elongated channel and a distal end portion of the vertical wall is configured to contact a portion of the elastic member extending across open end of the elongated channel, wherein the elastic member is extended away from the forward end of the toy vehicle in a first direction when the elongated channel is positioned over the distal end of the vertical wall and the toy vehicle is pulled in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction.   
     
     
         12 . The toy vehicle play set as in  claim 11 , wherein the vertical wall is longer than a length of the toy vehicle and the distal end of the vertical wall has a hook feature configured to engage the elastic member. 
     
     
         13 . The toy vehicle play set as in  claim 12 , wherein the launcher further comprises a base structure and the vertical wall extends upwardly from the base structure and the launcher has a handle portion. 
     
     
         14 . The toy vehicle play set as in  claim 12 , wherein the vertical wall has a gap along its length, the gap being configured to contact the portion of the elastic member extending across open end of the elongated channel, wherein the elastic member is extended away from the forward end of the toy vehicle in a first direction when the elongated channel is positioned over the gap and the toy vehicle is pulled in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         15 . The toy vehicle play set as in  claim 11 , wherein the launcher is configured to launch two vehicles and the launcher further comprises a second vertical wall configured to be received within an elongated channel of a second toy vehicle, the second toy vehicle comprising:
 a main body portion;   a plurality of wheels rotatably secured to the main body portion;   a lower body portion having the elongated channel passing therethrough, the elongated channel having an open end at at least a forward end of the second toy vehicle;   an elastic member secured to an outer periphery of the lower portion such that the elastic member is disposed across the open end of the elongated channel; and   a tab member pivotally secured to the second toy vehicle, the tab member extending from a rear portion of the second toy vehicle; and   wherein a distal end portion of the second vertical wall is configured to contact a portion of the elastic member extending across open end of the elongated channel of the second toy vehicle, wherein the elastic member is extended away from the forward end of the second toy vehicle in a first direction when the elongated channel is positioned over the distal end of the second vertical wall and the second toy vehicle is pulled in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction.   
     
     
         16 . The toy vehicle play set as in  claim 15 , the vertical wall is longer than a length of the toy vehicle and the distal end of the vertical wall has a hook feature configured to engage the elastic member disposed across the open end of the elongated channel of the toy vehicle and wherein the second vertical wall is longer than a length of the second toy vehicle and the distal end of the second vertical wall has a hook feature configured to engage the elastic member disposed across the open end of the elongated channel of the second vehicle and the second vertical wall is parallel to the vertical wall such that the toy vehicle and the second toy vehicle may be launched simultaneously. 
     
     
         17 . The toy vehicle play set as in  claim 16 , wherein the launcher further comprises a base structure and the vertical wall and the second vertical wall extend upwardly from the base structure and the launcher has a handle portion and wherein the vertical wall has a gap along its length, the gap being configured to contact the portion of the elastic member extending across open end of the elongated channel of the toy vehicle, wherein the elastic member is extended away from the forward end of the toy vehicle in a first direction when the elongated channel is positioned over the gap and the toy vehicle is pulled in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction and
 wherein the second vertical wall has a gap along its length, the gap being configured to contact the portion of the elastic member extending across open end of the elongated channel of the second toy vehicle, wherein the elastic member is extended away from the forward end of the second toy vehicle in a first direction when the elongated channel is positioned over the gap and the second toy vehicle is pulled in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction.   
     
     
         18 . The toy vehicle play set as in  claim 16 , wherein the launcher further comprises a releasable catch for engaging the tab member of the toy vehicle after the elastic member of the toy vehicle is extended away from the forward end of the toy vehicle in a first direction when the elongated channel is positioned over the vertical wall and the toy vehicle is pulled in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction and for engaging the tab member of the second toy vehicle when the elastic member of the second toy vehicle is extended away from the forward end of the second toy vehicle in a first direction when the elongated channel is positioned over the second vertical wall and the second toy vehicle is pulled in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         19 . The toy vehicle play set as in  claim 17 , wherein the releasable catch is configured to independently release the tab member of either the toy vehicle or the second toy vehicle or simultaneously release the tab member of either the toy vehicle or the second toy vehicle when a button of the releasable catch is depressed. 
     
     
         20 . The toy vehicle play set as in  claim 19 , wherein the launcher further comprises a protective shield pivotally mounted to the launcher for movement between a first position and a second position, wherein the shield covers the button of the releasable catch when the shield is in the first position and wherein the shield does not cover the button of the releasable catch when it is in the second position. 
     
     
         21 . A method for launching a toy vehicle along a surface, the method comprising:
 placing the toy vehicle on a vertical wall of a launcher, the toy vehicle comprising: a main body portion; a plurality of wheels rotatably secured to the main body portion and configured to allow the toy vehicle to travel along the surface; a lower body portion having an elongated channel passing therethrough, the elongated channel having an open end at at least a forward end of the toy vehicle; an elastic member secured to an outer periphery of the lower portion such that the elastic member is disposed across the open end of the elongated channel; and a tab member pivotally secured to the toy vehicle, the tab member extending from a rear portion of the toy vehicle;   engaging a portion of the elastic member disposed across the open end of the elongated channel with a distal end of the vertical wall;   pulling the toy vehicle away from the distal end of the vertical wall such that the elastic member is extended away from the forward end of the toy vehicle in a first direction when the toy vehicle is pulled in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction; and   releasing the toy vehicle such that the elastic member propels the toy vehicle along the surface in a direction substantially similar to the first direction.