Toy Race Car with Tactical Reactivation

Abstract

A battery powered toy car has a large momentary pushbutton on its top surface that is suitable for a small child to smash down on the pushbutton with his fist thus activating the pushbutton. When the pushbutton is pressed, the car will drive forward for a given amount of time or distance such as 10 feet and then stop until the pushbutton is depressed again. When the pushbutton is depressed again, the car will again drive forward for another 10 feet. A race between two such cars thus involves children running behind or alongside of the cars and smashing down on the cars every 10 feet in order to keep the cars moving forward. In this way a race between the cars actively involves children as running participants in the race and involves eye-hand coordination.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A toy vehicle comprising:
 a vehicle body;   a plurality of wheels attached to the vehicle body, the wheels for contacting a support surface to allow the toy vehicle to roll along the support surface;   a power supply selectively coupled to a motor for providing power to the wheels;   a depressible member adapted for being depressed by a child; and   a controller for:
 controlling power to be coupled from the power supply to the motor for a first duration of time such that the vehicle is propelled under power for the first duration of time; and 
 after the first duration of time has begun, receiving an indication that the depressible member has been depressed by the child, and in response thereto controlling power to be coupled to the motor for an additional duration of time. 
   
     
     
         2 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1  wherein an uppermost extent of the depressible member defines an uppermost extent of the vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a spring operatively connected to the depressible member so as to bias the depressible member toward a position away from the vehicle body, and such that spring absorbs force when a child presses the depressible member. 
 
     
     
         4 . The toy vehicle of  claim 3  wherein the spring provides a sufficient bias force of at least 2 oz. against the depressible member in the depressible member's undepressed position. 
     
     
         5 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1  wherein the depressible member must be displaced by a distance of at least 3 mm before the controller will couple the power supply to the motor for said additional duration of time. 
     
     
         6 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1  wherein the depressible member comprises at least 10% of a top-projection surface area of the toy vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1  wherein the depressible member has a top-projection surface area of greater than 1 inch 2 . 
     
     
         8 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1  wherein the depressible member has a dome shaped top having a top-projection surface area of greater than 1 inch 2 . 
     
     
         9 . A toy vehicle comprising:
 a vehicle body;   at least one ground contacting member attached to the body, the ground contacting member contacting a support surface to allow the toy vehicle to roll along the support surface;   a power source selectively coupled to the ground contacting member for providing power thereto;   a sensor attached to the vehicle body for detecting that a child has physically interacted with the toy vehicle via a physical interaction in a predetermined manner, and generating a first signal in response thereto; and   a controller for:
 directing power to the ground contacting member for a first duration of time such that the vehicle is propelled under power along the support surface for the first duration of time; and 
 after the first duration of time has begun, receiving the first signal in response to the child interacting with the toy vehicle and in response thereto directing power to the ground contacting member for an additional duration of time. 
   
     
     
         10 . The toy vehicle of  claim 9  wherein:
 said physical interaction comprises a physical interaction that can be performed by the child while the toy vehicle is traveling along the support surface under its own power. 
 
     
     
         11 . The toy vehicle of  claim 9  wherein said physical interaction comprises pressing a portion of the toy vehicle on a top end thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The toy vehicle of  claim 9  wherein said physical interaction comprises depressing a portion of the toy vehicle on a top end thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The toy vehicle of  claim 9  wherein the sensor is a touch sensor, and the physical interaction comprises touching the touch sensor. 
     
     
         14 . A toy vehicle comprising:
 a vehicle body;   at least one wheel attached to the body for rolling along a ground surface;   a motor for driving the wheel;   a power supply selectively coupled to the motor for providing power thereto;   means for allowing a child who is traveling on foot alongside the toy vehicle to interact with the vehicle as the vehicle is rolling along the ground surface in a predetermined manner defining a first interaction between the child and the toy vehicle, the first interaction causing the power supply to be coupled to the motor such that the motor drives the toy vehicle for a first distance of greater than 2 feet and less than 50 feet after the first interaction.   
     
     
         15 . The toy vehicle of  claim 14  wherein said first distance is between 5 and 15 feet. 
     
     
         16 . The toy vehicle of  claim 14  wherein additional interactions between the child and the vehicle in said predetermined manner each cause the power supply to be coupled to the motor such that the motor drives the toy vehicle for a second distance of greater than 2 feet and less than 50 feet after said additional interactions. 
     
     
         17 . The toy vehicle of  claim 14  wherein interaction between the child and the toy vehicle comprises a physical interaction. 
     
     
         18 . The toy vehicle of  claim 17  wherein said means comprises:
 a momentary pushbutton switch that is suitable for a child to smash down upon with his fist as the vehicle is rolling along the ground surface; and 
 a controller for sensing that the momentary pushbutton switch has been activated and for directing power to the motor thereby driving the toy vehicle forward and thereafter automatically removing power from the motor. 
 
     
     
         19 . The toy vehicle of  claim 17  wherein said means comprises:
 a switch whose uppermost surface defines an uppermost portion of the vehicle; 
 a controller for sensing that the switch has been activated and for directing power to the motor thereby driving the toy vehicle forward and thereafter automatically removing power from the motor. 
 
     
     
         20 . The toy vehicle of  claim 14  further comprising:
 a sound generator that, upon an additional interaction between the child and the vehicle in said predetermined manner defining a second interaction, generates:
 a first sound if the second interaction occurred within a predetermined time limit after the first interaction; and 
 a second sound different from the first sound, if the second interaction occurred after the predetermined time limit.