Play toy system using remote controlled traveling toy, remote-controlled traveling toy, and play board

Abstract

A play toy system using a remote-controlled traveling toy, which enables the remote-controlled traveling toy to make a movement that is more unexpected than before. The remote-controlled traveling toy includes one front wheel and two rear wheels. The traveling toy is remotely controlled by remote control signals and is so constructed as to travel on a traveling surface of a play board. The diameter sizes of the two rear wheels 7 and 9 are different. With one front wheel and two rear wheels having a different diameter, the remote-controlled traveling toy can move more unexpectedly than anyone has ever experienced, according to the state of the traveling surface of the play board.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a play toy system using a remote-controlled traveling toy, a remote-controlled traveling toy, and a play board. BACKGROUND ART [0002] There have been hitherto known play toy systems played by causing remote-controllable traveling toys to compete with each other. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 000962 / 2002 discloses a play toy system played by making remote-controllable top toys travel on the travel surface of a play board and then flipping the top toy of an opponent out of the play board or knocking down the top toy of the opponent. Japanese Utility Model Registration Publication No. 3092080 discloses an example of a play board for top toys, provided with a plurality of concave portions in the central portion thereof for receiving magnets. [0003] The players' interest cannot be enhanced simply by causing the remote-controlled traveling toys to compete with each other as in the prior art, because the travel...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] Since the remote-controlled traveling toy makes an unexpected movement, fine control rather becomes an obstacle to speeding up as well as a cause of reducing controllability. Thus, as the remote control device, the simple one is suitable that includes a switch to be operated for outputting a signal for rotating the electric motor at a normal speed and an acceleration switch to be operated for outputting an acceleration signal for rotating the electric motor at a speed faster than the normal speed. When such the simple remote control device is employed, what angle is set for the front wheel before the start of a play greatly affects subsequent control. Thus, setting the angle of the front wheel also becomes part of the play, so that the interest of players can be more enhanced.

[0010] When the diameter sizes of the two rear wheels are made to be different, the body of the remote-controlled traveling toy becomes inclined. Thus, depending on the angle of traveling, tumbling or turning over will readily occur. Thus, preferably, in the body, one or more batteries connected to the electric motor are juxtaposedly arranged so that longitudinal axes thereof extend in the same direction as a direction in which the two rear wheels are arranged. In other words, preferably, the batteries are arranged so that the longitudinal axes thereof extend in directions that cross the center line of the body of the traveling toy extends in the longitudinal direction of the body. With this arrangement, not only the center of gravity becomes lower but also a stable operation with respect to the lateral movement of the body can be obtained. Accordingly, even when inclination of the travel surface of the play board is sharp or complicated, tumbling will not readily occur, so that unexpected yet stable traveling can be obtained. Incidentally, when the electric motor is arranged between the two rear wheels and the one or more batteries are arranged between the electric motor and the front wheel, more stable traveling can be obtained.

[0011] The angle setting of the front wheel of the remote-controlled traveling toy can be changed, and the wheel sections of the front wheel and the rear wheels are so formed that a dynamic friction resistance between the play board and the front wheel becomes smaller than dynamic friction resistances between the rear wheels and the play board. When such the play toy system is used, the movement of the remote-controlled traveling toy can be made to be complicated, so that a more unexpected movement can be implemented. Incidentally, when the dynamic friction resistance between the front wheel and the play board is too small, the remote-controlled traveling toy is apt to slip during traveling, so that the controllability of the remote-controlled traveling toy is reduced. Thus, the wheel section of the front wheel is formed of an ethylene polymer including high-density polyethylene and low-density polyethylene. With this arrangement, due to the presence of the low-density polyethylene, the surface roughness of the front wheel of the remote-controlled traveling toy becomes coarse. Thus, the dynamic friction resistance of the front wheel can be increased more than in the case where no high-density polyethylene is included, so that the controllability of the remote-controlled traveling toy can be maintained. Incidentally, as a result of study by the inventor, it was found that if the low-density polyethylene accounts for 30 weight percents or less of the ethylene polymer, the controllability of the remote-controlled traveling toy could be maintained most effectively.

[0012] In principle, any board may be used as the play board. However, it is preferable that the travel surface of the play board as well is so designed as to take advantage of the difference in the diameters of the rear wheels and obtain more unexpected traveling. When the travel surface is continuous in a circumferential direction and is shaped so that a height thereof from an installation surface is decreasing toward a central portion thereof, for example, a concave section is formed that has a size capable of fully receiving the front wheel and / or the rear wheels and a depth allowing the remote-controlled traveling toy to get out of there by itself is formed. Depending on the size and depth of the concave section and the speed of the remote-controlled traveling toy, the remote-controlled traveling toy falls into a state in which it is incapable of traveling or incapable of getting out of the concave section. In other words, this is when the front wheel and all of the rear wheels have fallen into the concave section and the speed of the remote-controlled traveling toy cannot be increased to a necessary and sufficient speed or when the body or an exterior attached to the body is caught by the inner wall of the concave section and advancement cannot be made with part or all of the wheels fallen into the concave section. When such the concave portion is formed in the central portion and one of the rear wheels has fallen into the concave section, the remote-controlled traveling toy may abruptly make a reversed movement. A more unexpected movement can be thereby given to the remote-controlled traveling toy. Further, when the state, in which the traveling toy is incapable of getting out from the concave section, is defined as a losing condition of the competition play, the play will not become boring. Unlike a competition play which involves just escaping around, the play will become more interesting because a fall into the concave section occurs during an escape around a lower area.

[0015] Further, the effect of changing the diameter sizes of the two rear wheels of the remote-controlled traveling toy can be made to be more outstanding when the travel surface is constituted by a first inclined surface adjacent to the concave section and having a first radius of curvature, a second inclined surface continuous with the outside of the first inclined surface and having a second radius of curvature close to infinity, a third inclined surface continuous with the outside of the second inclined surface and having a third radius of curvature smaller than the first radius of curvature, and a fourth inclined surface continuous with the outside of the third inclined surface and having a fourth radius of curvature smaller than the third radius of curvature, when width sizes are set to become smaller in the order of the second inclined surface, first inclined surface, third inclined surface, and fourth inclined surface, and when the angle of the second inclined surface from the installation surface is set in the angle range of 32.2° to 42.2°.

[0016] Then, when an angle between the third inclined surface and the installation surface is set in the angle range of 48±2°, when an angle between the fourth inclined surface and the installation surface is set in the angle range of 89±1°, or when substantially a horizontal surface is provided outside the fourth inclined surface, an unexpected or unpredictable movement can be made in each case by the remote-controlled traveling toy. Incidentally, a combination of these angle ranges may be changed as necessary according to the condition of the wheels of the remote-controlled traveling toy and the like. The remote-controlled traveling toy and the play board used in the present invention in themselves have technically excellent features. Though they have a simple configuration with small number of parts, they can be amusingly played with both by children and adults.

Problems solved by technology

Since the remote-controlled traveling toy makes an unexpected movement, fine control rather becomes an obstacle to speeding up as well as a cause of reducing controllability.

When such the simple remote control device is employed, what angle is set for the front wheel before the start of a play greatly affects subsequent control.

Thus, depending on the angle of traveling, tumbling or turning over will readily occur.

Incidentally, when the dynamic friction resistance between the front wheel and the play board is too small, the remote-controlled traveling toy is apt to slip during traveling, so that the controllability of the remote-controlled traveling toy is reduced.

With this arrangement, due to the presence of the low-density polyethylene, the surface roughness of the front wheel of the remote-controlled traveling toy becomes coarse.

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