Toy Helicopter

Abstract

A toy helicopter with a functioning rotor blade and winch is disclosed. In one embodiment, a toy helicopter includes a rotor blade and winch coupled to a drive mechanism housed in the helicopter. The drive mechanism is coupled to a drive shaft, and is operated by an actuator with a winch attached thereto. Pulling the winch away from the helicopter body loads or winds up the drive mechanism, and releasing the winch allows the drive mechanism to rotate the drive shaft and retract the winch.

1 . A toy, comprising:
 a helicopter body;   a drive shaft rotationally coupled to the body, the drive shaft including a blade;   a drive mechanism connected to the drive shaft;   an actuator operationally coupled to the drive mechanism; and   a winch coupled to the actuator, wherein moving the winch relative to the body loads the drive mechanism, and releasing the winch causes the drive mechanism to rotate the drive shaft and retract the winch and the actuator towards the body.   
     
     
         2 . The toy of  claim 1 , wherein the winch is manually operated by a user. 
     
     
         3 . The toy of  claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism includes a user operated drive. 
     
     
         4 . The toy of  claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism includes a rotatably mounted gear, and the drive mechanism further comprises:
 a biasing member coupled to the gear to move the gear and retract the actuator.   
     
     
         5 . The toy of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a clutch coupled to the drive mechanism, the clutch allowing continuous rotation of the drive shaft while the actuator is actuated and released.   
     
     
         6 . The toy of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a control circuit;   a power source operably coupled to the control circuit;   an electric motor mechanically coupled to the drive mechanism and operably coupled to the control circuit; and   a trigger coupled to the body, wherein activating the trigger causes the control circuit to drive the electric motor.   
     
     
         7 . The toy of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a control circuit;   a power source operably coupled to the control circuit;   an output generator operably coupled to the control circuit, the output generator being configured to generate one of an audible output or a visual output; and   a trigger coupled to the body, wherein activating the trigger causes the control circuitry to generate an output via the output generator.   
     
     
         8 . A toy vehicle, comprising:
 a vehicle body;   a drive shaft rotatably coupled to the vehicle body;   a blade coupled the drive shaft;   a drive mechanism operably connected to the drive shaft, the drive mechanism including:
 a drive gear; 
 a biasing mechanism coupled to the drive gear; 
 a plurality of gears operably connected to the drive gear; and 
 a drive body movably mounted to the vehicle body, the drive body being positionable in a disengaged position and in an engaged position; 
   an actuator connected to the drive mechanism, the actuator being movable relative to the vehicle body; and   a winch connected to the actuator, wherein movement of the actuator and the winch relative to the vehicle body moves the drive gear against the biasing mechanism and moves the drive body relative to the vehicle body into engagement with the drive shaft.   
     
     
         9 . The toy vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the biasing mechanism includes a first end coupled to the drive gear and a second end coupled to the vehicle body. 
     
     
         10 . The toy vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the drive body is positionable in an idle position, the idle position being located between the disengaged position and the engaged position. 
     
     
         11 . The toy vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein a biasing member is coupled to the drive body, the biasing member biasing the drive body to the idle position. 
     
     
         12 . The toy vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the drive body includes a drive body gear coupled thereto, the drive body gear being engaged with the drive shaft when the drive body is in its engaged position and being spaced apart from the drive shaft when the drive body is in its idle position and its disengaged position. 
     
     
         13 . The toy vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the drive body includes a drive body gear coupled thereto, the drive body gear being engaged with the drive shaft when the drive body is in its engaged position and being spaced apart from the drive shaft when the drive body is in its disengaged position. 
     
     
         14 . The toy vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the winch is manually operated by a user. 
     
     
         15 . The toy vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the biasing mechanism causes the actuator to retract. 
     
     
         16 . The toy vehicle of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a clutch coupled to the drive mechanism, the clutch allowing continuous rotation of the drive shaft when the actuator is released.   
     
     
         17 . The toy vehicle of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a control circuit;   a power source operably coupled to the control circuit;   an electric motor mechanically coupled to the drive mechanism and operably coupled to the control circuit; and   a trigger coupled to the body, wherein activating the trigger causes the control circuit to drive the electric motor.   
     
     
         18 . The toy vehicle of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a control circuit;   a power source operably coupled to the control circuit;   an output generator operably coupled to the control circuit, the output generator being configured to generate one of an audible output or a visual output; and   a trigger coupled to the body, wherein activating the trigger causes the control circuitry to generate an output via the output generator.   
     
     
         19 . A toy helicopter, comprising:
 a body;   a drive shaft coupled to the body;   a rotor blade coupled to the drive shaft;   a drive mechanism operably connected to the drive shaft, the drive mechanism comprising:
 a motor; 
 a drive gear in communication with the motor; 
 a lock mechanism operably coupled to one of the motor or the drive gear, and 
 a release mechanism operably connected to the lock mechanism; and 
   an actuator coupled to the drive mechanism; and   a winch coupled to the actuator, wherein the actuator and winch are movable relative to the body.   
     
     
         20 . The toy helicopter of  claim 19 , wherein the drive mechanism includes a clutch mechanism selectively engageable with the drive shaft.