Vehicle toy drive system and vehicle toy

Abstract

To provide a drive mechanism for a toy vehicle that enables further miniaturization of the toy vehicle, and a toy vehicle equipped with this drive mechanism. [Solution] The drive device for a toy vehicle according to the present disclosure comprises: a first rotating body configured to be rotatable by a motor along a first rotation axis and having a wall portion formed with a surface whose distance from the first rotation axis gradually decreases along the circumferential direction centered on the first rotation axis; a second rotating body configured to be rotatable along a second rotation axis by being pressed against the surface of the rotating wall portion; and a third rotating body configured to be rotatable along a third rotation axis by the second rotating body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving device for a vehicle toy and a vehicle toy.

Background Art

[0002] An extremely small vehicle toy called a T gauge is known. As an example of an invention applicable to such a vehicle toy, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle toy that travels while being adsorbed by a magnet on a pair of metal rails. In this document, in order to transmit the rotational driving force of the drive motor 116 to the wheels 20 of the wheel device 1, a crown gear 122, a small gear 123, a large gear 125, a small gear 126, a large gear 127, a small gear 128, a large gear 129, and a small gear meshing with the large gear 129 and a final gear 130 integrally formed therewith and meshing with the gear 8 are disclosed. A configuration including a gear group composed of a number of gears and a gear box 131 that rotatably supports each gear is disclosed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The inventor of the present application focused on changing the configuration of the drive device described in the document, which is composed of a number of gears, in order to further miniaturize the vehicle toy.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a driving device for a vehicle toy that enables further miniaturization of the vehicle toy, and a vehicle toy provided with this driving device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] This application discloses a drive device for a toy vehicle. This drive device comprises a first rotating body configured to be rotatable by a motor along a first rotation axis and having a wall portion formed on which the distance from the first rotation axis gradually decreases along the circumferential direction centered on the first rotation axis; a second rotating body configured to be rotatable along a second rotation axis by being pressed against the surface of the rotating wall portion; and a third rotating body configured to be rotatable along a third rotation axis by the second rotating body.

[0007] Furthermore, this application discloses a vehicle toy equipped with such a drive device. This vehicle toy comprises a vehicle toy body containing the motor and the drive device, and wheels that rotate by the rotation of the third rotating body. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1A] Figure 1A is a side view of the drive mechanism of a toy vehicle according to one embodiment. [Figure 1B] Figure 1B is a perspective view of the drive mechanism of a toy vehicle according to one embodiment. [Figure 1C] Figure 1C is a front view of the drive mechanism of a toy vehicle according to one embodiment. [Figure 2A] Figure 2A is an explanatory diagram illustrating the position of the base and other components as viewed from the first rotation axis direction in a drive device for a toy vehicle according to one embodiment. [Figure 2B] Figure 2B is a cross-sectional view obtained by cutting the rib through a virtual plane that passes through each position in Figure 2A and the first rotation axis AX1. [Figure 3A] Figure 3A is an exploded view of a conventional toy vehicle. [Figure 3B] Figure 3B is an assembly diagram for a conventional toy vehicle. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a perspective view comparing a conventional toy vehicle drive system with a toy vehicle drive system according to one embodiment. [Figure 5A] Figure 5A is a perspective view of the drive mechanism of a toy vehicle according to one embodiment. [Figure 5B]Figure 5B is a perspective view of the drive mechanism of a toy vehicle according to one embodiment. [Figure 6A] Figure 6A is a side view showing the main components of a vehicle toy according to another embodiment. [Figure 6B] Figure 6B is a perspective view showing the main components of a vehicle toy according to another embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are illustrative examples for explaining the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention to these embodiments only.

[0010] [Drive System Configuration] First, the configuration of the drive unit installed in the toy vehicle will be described. Figures 1A, 1B, and 1C are a side view, a perspective view, and a front view, respectively, of the drive unit 100 of the toy vehicle according to this embodiment, viewed from the side, from the oblique front, and from the front.

[0011] As shown in the figure, the drive device 100 includes a first rotating body 1001 that rotates along a first rotation axis AX1 by a drive motor 116 (Figure 4A), which will be described later; a gear 1002 (an example of a "second rotating body") that rotates along a second rotation axis AX2 by being pressed against the surface of a rib 1001R (an example of a "wall") of the first rotating body 1001, which rotates by the drive motor 116; and a gear 1003 (an example of a "third rotating body") that rotates along a third rotation axis AX3 by meshing with the gear 1002. In this configuration, the rib 1001R is formed to have a surface that gradually decreases in distance from the first rotation axis AX1 along the circumferential direction centered on the first rotation axis AX1. Each component will be described in detail below.

[0012] In this embodiment, the first rotating body 1001 comprises a disc portion 1001D and a rib 1001R formed by extending upright from the disc portion 1001D.

[0013] The disk portion 1001D is a member for transmitting the rotational force of the drive motor 116 to the rib 1001R. However, the disk portion 1001D may be formed in a shape other than a disk (for example, a rectangular shape) as long as it is a member capable of supporting the rib 1001R.

[0014] A hole (FIG. 1B) extending in the thickness direction is formed at the center of the disk portion 1001D of the present embodiment, and the output shaft of the drive motor 116 (FIG. 3) is inserted into this hole. With such a configuration, the first rotating body 1001 is directly connected to the drive motor 116 and is configured to be rotatable in both directions by the drive motor 116. However, the first rotating body 1001 does not necessarily have to be directly connected to the drive motor 116, and it may be configured to be rotatable by being indirectly connected to the drive motor 116 via other gears or the like.

[0015] The rib 1001R is a member for pressing and rotating the gear 1002 by having a surface that approaches the first rotation axis AX1 as it rotates (it may be a surface that separates from the first rotation axis AX1 as it rotates as described later). In the present embodiment, the rib 1001R and the disk portion 1001D are integrally formed, but it is not limited to this, and they may be composed of separable separate parts or may include other parts.

[0016] As shown in the front view of FIG. 1C and the like, the rib 1001R of the present embodiment is formed to stand upright from the disk portion 1001D in the direction of the first rotation axis AX1, corresponds to one end portion in the circumferential direction, and has a first end portion 1001R1 having an inner wall surface with the maximum distance R1 from the first rotation axis AX1, corresponds to the other end portion in the circumferential direction, and has a second end portion 1001R2 having an inner wall surface with the minimum distance R2 from the first rotation axis AX1, and connects these both end portions and is formed along the circumferential direction (that is, the rotation direction) centered on the first rotation axis AX1 (extends in the circumferential direction), proceeds in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 1C, and has a connecting portion 1001RC having an inner wall surface whose distance from the first rotation axis AX1 decreases (gradually decreases) as it separates from the first end portion 1001R1 and approaches the second end portion 1001R2.

[0017] According to such a configuration, as the first rotating body 1001 rotates, the distance between the surface of the rib 1001R and the first rotation axis AX1 varies periodically each time it rotates. Therefore, by arranging the teeth T of the gear 1002 at a position facing the surface of the rib 1001R that moves in the radial direction approaching the first rotation axis AX1 (or in the radial direction away from the first rotation axis AX1 when the first rotating body 1001 rotates in the opposite direction), the gear 1002 can be rotated according to the second rotation axis AX2.

[0018] Here, the connecting portion 1001RC of the rib 1001R in the present embodiment is formed so as to generally go around the first rotation axis AX1, that is, so as to have a central angle of 360 degrees or approximately 360 degrees (for example, 360 degrees ± 15 degrees) as a whole rib 1001R. Therefore, when viewed from the direction of the first rotation axis AX1, the straight line connecting a point of the first end portion 1001R1 and the first rotation axis AX1 and the straight line connecting a point of the second end portion 1001R2 and the first rotation axis AX1 are generally in the same direction, and the angle formed by both straight lines is, for example, within ± 15 degrees.

[0019] According to such a configuration of the connecting portion 1001RC, while the first rotating body 1001 is rotating, the rib 1001R presses the teeth T of the gear 1002 constantly or for most of the time, so that the rotation speed of the gear 1002 can be stabilized.

[0020] Also, the difference (R1 - R2) in the radial distance between the inner wall surface of the first end portion 1001R1 and the inner wall surface of the second end portion 1001R2 in the present embodiment is the same as or greater than the circumferential interval between two adjacent teeth of the gear 1002.

[0021] According to such a configuration, when the second end portion 1001R2 presses and extrudes the tooth T, it is possible to prevent the first end portion 1001R1 from colliding with an unintended portion such as the end surface facing the second rotation axis AX2 of the next adjacent tooth T, and to preferably start pressing the next tooth T.

[0022] The amount of variation in the distance between the inner wall surface of the connecting portion 1001RC and the first rotation axis AX1, and the configuration of various modified wall portions included in the first rotating body of the present invention, which have a surface whose distance from the rotation axis varies, will be described later.

[0023] Gear 1002 is a component that transmits the rotational force of the drive motor 116 to the gear 1003, which is the third rotating body, by being pressed against the rib 1001R of the first rotating body 1001 and rotating along the second rotating shaft AX2.

[0024] The gear 1002 in this embodiment is a spur gear with 10 teeth, and in this embodiment, it is configured to rotate along a second rotation axis AX2 which is perpendicular to the direction of the first rotation axis AX1. As shown in Figure 1A, adjacent teeth T of the gear 1002 are called teeth T1, teeth T2, teeth T3, etc., and when referring to them without distinction, they are sometimes simply called teeth T.

[0025] Gear 1002 is positioned such that a portion of rib 1001R is inserted between adjacent teeth T. This arrangement causes a portion of the inner wall surface of rib 1001R to contact or closely face the teeth T of gear 1002.

[0026] With this configuration, as the rib 1001R rotates, a radial force acts on the tooth T from the inner wall surface of the rib 1001R toward the first rotation axis AX1. This makes it possible to apply a rotational moment from the rib 1001R to the tooth T around the second rotation axis AX2. Therefore, the gear 1002 can rotate according to the second rotation axis AX2 by the rotational force of the drive motor 116.

[0027] As described above, the pitch of adjacent teeth T on the pitch circle where the teeth of gear 1002 and rib 1001R contact is smaller than the difference in radial distance (R1-R2) between the inner wall surface of the first end 1001R1 and the inner wall surface of the second end 1001R2 with respect to the first rotation axis AX1 when viewed from the direction of the first rotation axis AX1 (in other words, when viewed from the direction of the first rotation axis AX1, the difference in distance (R1-R2) is larger than the pitch of the teeth T of gear 1002). Therefore, when the second end 1001R2 presses against a tooth T and pushes it out, the first end 1001R1 can then enter the space between the next two adjacent teeth T and begin pressing against the next tooth T.

[0028] In this embodiment, a configuration was adopted in which the direction of the first rotation axis AX1 and the direction of the second rotation axis AX2 are orthogonal in order to efficiently transmit the rotational force of the drive motor 116, but this is not the only configuration. For example, the gear 1002 may be arranged so that the direction of the first rotation axis AX1 and the direction of the second rotation axis AX2 intersect at an acute angle.

[0029] Gear 1003 is a driven gear that, by meshing with the drive gear 1002, rotates according to the third rotation axis AX3 by gear 1002 (for this reason, "gear 1002" is sometimes called "drive gear 1002" and "gear 1003" is sometimes called "driven gear 1003").

[0030] The gear 1003 in this embodiment is a spur gear with 45 teeth, and in this embodiment, it is configured to rotate along a third rotation axis AX3 that is perpendicular to the direction of the first rotation axis AX1 and parallel to the direction of the second rotation axis AX2. Therefore, the speed ratio of gear 1002 and gear 1003 is (10 / 45), and the transmission ratio is (45 / 10).

[0031] [Operation of the drive unit] The operation of the drive unit 100 having the above configuration will be described below. First, the drive motor 116 starts rotating. Consequently, the first rotating body 1001, which is connected to the output shaft of the drive motor 116, starts rotating, for example, counterclockwise in the plane of the paper (arrow AR1) as shown in Figure 1C, along the first rotation axis AX1.

[0032] The rib 1001R of the first rotating body 1001 is positioned such that a portion of it is inserted into the space between two adjacent teeth T of the gear 1002, for example, tooth T1 and tooth T2. The rib 1001R also has an inner wall surface formed thereon, where the distance from the first rotation axis AX1 decreases (gradually decreases) as it moves away from the first end 1001R1 and closer to the second end 1001R2.

[0033] Under this configuration, when the rib 1001R begins to rotate along the first rotation axis AX1, the inner wall surface of the rib 1001R passing through the space between teeth T1 and T2 is displaced in a direction approaching the first rotation axis AX1. As a result, the inner wall surface of the connecting portion 1001RC comes into contact with the tooth T1 of the gear 1002 and continues to rotate while acting a force that abuts against the tooth T1 and moves in the direction approaching the first rotation axis AX1 (upwards in Figure 1A).

[0034] The displacement direction of the inner wall surface of rib 1001R is approximately perpendicular to (or has a component perpendicular to) the second rotation axis AX2. Therefore, gear 1002 rotates in the direction indicated by arrow AR2 along the second rotation axis AX2 due to the force (rotational moment) that the teeth T1 receive from the inner wall surface of rib 1001R, and driven gear 1003, which meshes with gear 1002, also rotates in the direction indicated by arrow AR3 along the third rotation axis AX3.

[0035] When the second end portion 1001R2, which corresponds to the end of the rib 1001R, passes through the space between teeth T1 and T2, teeth T1 and the rib 1001R separate, and the pressure from the rib 1001R on tooth T1 ends. However, at this time, the first end portion 1001R1, which corresponds to the beginning of the rib 1001R, enters the space between the next two teeth T, teeth T2 and T3, so the gear 1002 continues to rotate due to the force (rotational moment) that tooth T2 receives from the inner wall surface of the rib 1001R.

[0036] As described above, each time the first rotating body 1001 rotates once, the rib 1001R presses against one tooth T, causing the gear 1002 to rotate, passing between two adjacent teeth T, then presses against another adjacent tooth T, causing the gear 1002 to rotate, and repeats this process, thereby continuing the rotation of the gear 1002.

[0037] Next, we will explain the case where the drive motor 116 rotates in the opposite direction. When the drive motor 116 starts rotating in the opposite direction, the first rotating body 1001, which is connected to the output shaft of the drive motor 116, starts rotating, for example, clockwise in Figure 1C, along the first rotation axis AX1.

[0038] As described above, the first rotating body 1001 is positioned such that a portion of the rib 1001R is inserted between adjacent teeth T. For example, if a portion of the rib 1001R is inserted in the space between teeth T2 and T3, when the rib 1001R starts rotating along the first rotation axis AX1, the inner wall surface of the rib 1001R passing through the space between teeth T2 and T3 is displaced in a direction away from the first rotation axis AX1. As a result, the inner wall surface of the connecting portion 1001RC comes into contact with the tooth T3 of the gear 1002 and continues to rotate while acting a force on the tooth T3 in a direction away from the first rotation axis AX1 (downward in Figure 1A). Therefore, gear 1002 rotates in the opposite direction to arrow AR2 along the second rotation axis AX2 due to the force (rotational moment) that teeth T3 receive from the inner wall surface of rib 1001R, and driven gear 1003, which meshes with gear 1002, also rotates in the opposite direction to arrow AR3 along the third rotation axis AX3.

[0039] Then, when the rib 1001R rotates in the opposite direction, the first end 1001R1, which corresponds to the end of the rib 1001R, passes through the space between teeth T2 and T3, causing teeth T3 and the rib 1001R to separate, and thus ending the pressure from the rib 1001R on teeth T3. However, at this time, the second end 1001R2, which corresponds to the beginning of the rib 1001R, enters the space between the next two teeth T, teeth T1 and T2, so the gear 1002 continues to rotate due to the force (rotational moment) that tooth T2 receives from the inner wall surface of the rib 1001R. Therefore, when the first rotating body 1001 rotates in the opposite direction, it is possible to rotate gears 1002 and 1003 in the opposite direction.

[0040] According to the drive unit 100 of this embodiment, the number of parts can be reduced compared to the drive unit described in Patent Document 1, making it possible to further miniaturize the toy vehicle. For example, since the number of parts such as gears that are present in the drive unit of a conventional toy vehicle can be reduced, it is possible to shorten the dimensions in the front-rear direction (direction of the first rotation axis AX1).

[0041] [Detailed structure of the ribs] In the configuration described above, the inventors of this application conceived of the possibility of further smoothing the rotation of the gear 1002 by changing the cross-sectional structure of the rib 1001R.

[0042] Specifically, in a configuration in which the rib 1001R (an example of a "wall portion") has two parts, a base portion (for example, base portion B1 in Figure 2B) that is connected to the disc portion 1001D (or other member connected to the drive motor 116) and does not come into contact with the teeth T of the gear 1002, and a pressing portion that is connected to the base and has an inner wall surface formed to press the teeth T of the gear 1002, the pressing portion of the first end portion 1001R1 (for example, pressing portion PU1 in Figure 2B) is The rib 1001R may be formed such that the pressing portion of the connecting portion 1001RC near the center of the end (for example, pressing portion PU4 in Figure 2B) is inclined in a direction away from the first rotation axis AX1, while the pressing portion of the second end 1001R2 (for example, pressing portion PU7 in Figure 2B) is inclined in a direction approaching the first rotation axis AX1 compared to the pressing portion of the connecting portion 1001RC near the center of both ends (for example, pressing portion PU4 in Figure 2B).

[0043] With this configuration, the pressing portion of the first end 1001R1, which corresponds to the starting point where the pressing of the teeth T of the gear 1002 begins, is inclined in a direction away from the first rotation axis AX1. Compared to the case where an upright wall portion is provided on the base, this suppresses the situation in which the rib 1001R collides with unintended parts such as the end face of the teeth T of the gear 1002, causing a force that hinders rotation, and makes it possible to smoothly initiate the pressing of the teeth T of the gear 1002 by the rib 1001R. Furthermore, since the pressing portion of the second end 1001R2 is inclined in a direction approaching the first rotation axis AX1, in the process of pushing out the teeth T of the gear 1002 from the pressing portion of the first end 1001R1 through the pressing portion of the connecting portion 1001RC (for example, the pressing portions PU2 to PU6 in Figure 2B) to the second end 1001R2 by the pressing portion, it is possible to increase the distance that the inner wall surface of the pressing portion moves radially in the first rotation axis AX1 compared to the case where a wall portion standing upright on the base is provided, thus making it possible to suitably push out the teeth T of the gear 1002.

[0044] Figure 2A is an explanatory diagram illustrating the position of the base B as viewed from the direction of the first rotation axis AX1, as an example of the above-described configuration. Figure 2B is a cross-sectional view of the rib 1001R cut by a virtual plane passing through each of positions P1 to P7 and the first rotation axis AX1 in the configuration of Figure 2A. However, in all cross-sectional views, the first rotation axis AX1 is located to the right of the rib 1001R in the plane of the paper.

[0045] In Figure 2A, position P1 indicates the radial center of the base B1 at the first end 1001R1 of rib 1001R (hereafter, the base and pressing portion at position P1 may be referred to as base B1 and pressing portion PU1, the base and pressing portion at position P2 may be referred to as base B2 and pressing portion PU2, etc.) with respect to the first rotation axis AX1. Position P7 indicates the radial center of the base B7 at the second end 1001R2 of rib 1001R with respect to the first rotation axis AX1. Similarly, positions P2 to P6 indicate the radial centers of the bases B2 to B6 at the connecting portion 1001RC at 60-degree intervals. Circle C1 is a circle centered on the first rotation axis AX1 and passing through position P1, and circle C2 is a circle centered on the first rotation axis AX1 and passing through position P7.

[0046] As described above, the radii of circles C1 and C2 are defined such that when the inner wall surface S7 of the pressing portion PU7 of the second end 1001R2 of rib 1001R is spaced apart from the teeth T of gear 1002, the inner wall surface S1 of the pressing portion PU1 of the first end 1001R1 of rib 1001R contacts the next tooth T of gear 1002. For example, the radius of circle C1 may be 11.3 mm and the radius of circle C2 may be 8.5 mm. The distances of positions P2 to P6 from the first rotation axis AX1 may be determined by dividing the difference between the radii of circles C1 and C2 into six equal parts. For example, the distance between position P2 and the first rotation axis AX1 may be approximately 10.8 (= 8.5 + 2.8 × 5 ÷ 6) mm, and the same may be determined for the other positions P3 to P6 thereafter. By setting spline curves that pass through these positions P1 to P7, it is possible to set a curve that passes through the center of the base B of the rib 1001R.

[0047] On the one hand, as shown in Figure 2B, the pressing portion PU1 is inclined in a direction away from the first rotation axis AX1 compared to the pressing portion PU4, which is the pressing portion of the connecting portion 1001RC near the center of both ends, while the pressing portion PU7 is inclined in a direction closer to the first rotation axis AX1 compared to the pressing portion PU4. Furthermore, the inner wall surfaces S2 to S6, which are inner wall surfaces S2 to S6 that contact the teeth of the gear 1002 of the pressing portion PU, including pressing portions PU2 to PU6 provided along the circumferential direction centered on the first rotation axis AX1, may be formed such that as they move away from the first end portion 1001R1 and closer to the second end portion 1001R2, their relative position to the base portion B is displaced to a position closer to the first rotation axis AX1.

[0048] In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the first end 1001R1 and the cross-sectional shape of the second end 1001R2 are formed symmetrically. The rib 1001R is formed to have a spline curved surface that smoothly connects the first end 1001R1 and the second end 1001R2, which have these two cross-sectional shapes. Furthermore, when designing a mold for mass production, the pressing portion PU, which requires precision, is defined by the mold, and the base portion B, which is not engaged by the teeth T of the gear 1002, is omitted from the mold, thereby enabling a thinner pressing portion PU.

[0049] In this embodiment, the base is provided such that the distance from the first rotation axis AX1 gradually decreases along the circumferential direction centered on the first rotation axis AX1. However, the present invention is not limited thereto and includes other configurations in which the surface that presses against the gear 1002 is formed such that the distance from the first rotation axis AX1 gradually decreases. For example, the wall portion of the present invention may be composed of a base provided on concentric circles centered on the first rotation axis AX1 and a pressing portion having an inner wall surface that has a surface that gradually decreases in distance from the first rotation axis AX1.

[0050] [Toy vehicles] Next, an embodiment in which the drive unit 100 of this embodiment is mounted on a toy vehicle will be described. Figures 3A and 3B are exploded perspective views of the toy vehicle 101 described in Patent Document 1, which is a comparative example. As shown in the figure, the vehicle toy 101 comprises a vehicle toy body 102, a chassis 103, a body 105 attached to the chassis 103, two bogie frames 71 attached to the front and rear of the chassis 103, a wheel set 1 and a wheel set 31 provided on the bogie frames 71, a drive motor 116 attached to the chassis 103, a final gear 130 for transmitting the rotational force of the drive motor 116 to the gear 8 of the wheel set 1 to rotate the wheel body 21, a drive gear 121 for transmitting the rotational force of the drive motor 116 to the final gear 130, a crown gear 122, a small gear 123 integrated with the crown gear 122, a large gear 125, a small gear 126 integrated with the large gear 125, a large gear 127, a small gear 128 integrated with the large gear 127, and a large gear 129 that meshes with the small gear 128, and a gearbox 131 that rotatably supports these gears. Other configurations are well-known and therefore will not be explained.

[0051] In this configuration, the drive gear 121 is replaced by the first rotating body 1001 of the drive device 100, the components from the crown gear 122 to the large gear 129 are replaced by the gear 1002, and the gear 1002 is meshed with the final gear 130 (an example of the "third rotating body"), thereby making it possible to rotate the wheel body 21 on the rail (not shown). Figure 4 is a perspective view comparing the drive unit of a comparative example, toy vehicle 101, with the drive unit 100 of this embodiment. In this view, two toy vehicle 101s are shown in the background: one with the body 105 attached to the chassis 103, and the other with the body 105 removed, exposing the final gear 130, etc. The drive unit 100 of this embodiment is shown in the foreground.

[0052] As is clear from the figure, the drive unit 100 of this embodiment makes it possible to reduce the number of parts and shorten the dimensions in the front-rear direction (direction of the first rotation axis AX1). In this configuration, when the first rotating body 1001 rotates in one direction, the toy vehicle 101 can be moved forward along the rail, and when the first rotating body 1001 rotates in the opposite direction, the toy vehicle 101 can be moved backward along the rail.

[0053] At this time, the first rotation axis AX1 of the drive gear 121 is parallel to the front-to-back direction, which is the direction of travel of the toy vehicle 101, while the second rotation axis AX2 and the third rotation axis AX3 are perpendicular to the direction of travel of the toy vehicle 101.

[0054] Figures 5A and 5B show perspective views of the drive unit 100 with the gear 1003 attached to the bogie frame 71. Note that the rib 1001R of the drive unit 100 shown in Figures 5A and 5B is the opposite of the rib 1001R of the drive unit 100 shown in Figures 1A to 1C, in which the position of the first end 1001R1, which has an inner wall surface that maximizes the distance R1 from the first rotation axis AX1, and the position of the second end 1001R2, which has an inner wall surface that minimizes the distance R2 from the first rotation axis AX1, are reversed. However, since the present invention can also be implemented with the configurations shown in Figures 5A and 5B, its operation will be described using the same reference numerals as those used for the drive unit 100 shown in Figures 1A to 1C.

[0055] Figure 5A is a perspective view of the drive unit 100 in the state when the first end 1001R1 of the rib 1001R is inserted into the space between two teeth T, for example, teeth T2 and T3, and the inner wall surface of the first end 1001R1 or the adjacent connecting portion 1001RC begins to make contact with the tooth T2 of the gear 1002. At this time, the second end 1001R2 of the rib 1001R presses against and pushes out the tooth T1. As rotation continues, the inner wall surface of the rib 1001R is displaced in a direction approaching the first rotation axis AX1. As a result, the inner wall surface of the connecting portion 1001RC contacts the teeth T2 of the gear 1002, and while applying a force in a direction approaching the first rotation axis AX1, it becomes possible to continue the rotation of the gear 1002. Figure 5B is a perspective view of the drive unit 100 with the first end 1001R1 of the rib 1001R rotated approximately 180 degrees from the state shown in Figure 5A. At this time, the central part of the connecting portion 1001RC comes into contact with the teeth T2 of the gear 1002. The rotation of the gear 1002 is shown in comparison to Figure 5A. By rotating the first rotating body 1001, which includes the rib 1001R, as described above, it becomes possible to rotate the second rotating body 1002, which has a different axis of rotation.

[0056] As described above, the drive device shown in this embodiment makes it possible to omit the numerous gears required in the toy vehicle described in Patent Document 1, thereby enabling further miniaturization of the toy vehicle, simplification of its structure, and reduction of manufacturing costs due to the decrease in the number of parts. For example, since the number of parts such as gears that were present in the drive device of a conventional toy vehicle can be reduced, it is possible to shorten the dimensions in the front-rear direction (direction of the first rotation axis AX1). The inventors of this application have prototyped the drive device 100 according to this embodiment. When the drive motor 116 was turned on and rotated, it was confirmed that the first rotating body 1001 connected to the output shaft of the drive motor 116 rotated according to the first rotation axis AX1, the gear 1002 rotated according to the second rotation axis AX2, and the gear 1003 rotated according to the third rotation axis AX3. Furthermore, when the rotational speed of the drive motor 116 was increased and decreased, it was confirmed that increasing the rotational speed of the drive motor 116 increased the rotational speeds of the first rotating body 1001, gear 1002, and gear 1003, respectively, and decreasing the rotational speed of the drive motor 116 decreased the rotational speeds of the first rotating body 1001, gear 1002, and gear 1003, respectively. Subsequently, when the drive motor 116 was rotated in the opposite direction, it was confirmed that the first rotating body 1001, gear 1002, and gear 1003 rotated in the opposite direction. Thus, the practicality of the drive device 100 according to this embodiment was confirmed.

[0057] [Differentiation] The following describes some variations of the drive unit 100. The "surface whose distance from the first rotation axis gradually decreases" of the present invention does not necessarily have to be provided on the inner wall surface. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which the "surface whose distance from the first rotation axis gradually decreases" is formed on the outer wall surface of the rib 1001R, and a second rotating body such as the gear 1002 is rotated using the outer wall surface.

[0058] Furthermore, the "wall portion" of the present invention may be composed of a plurality of wall portions that are provided along the circumferential direction and are separated from each other. For example, the rib 1001R may be composed of four wall portions, each having a central angle of 80 to 90 degrees.

[0059] Even with this configuration, by forming each wall section such that the distance between the wall surface and the first rotation axis AX1 fluctuates periodically, it becomes possible to rotate the gear 1002 by the rib 1001R as the first rotating body 1001 rotates.

[0060] In this embodiment, the rib 1001R, which is the "first rotating body," is configured to pass between two adjacent teeth once for each rotation, but it is not limited to this configuration. For example, the rib 1001R may be separated into two wall sections having a central angle of approximately less than 180 degrees, and deformed so that for each half rotation, one wall section passes between two adjacent teeth of the gear 1002, which constitutes the second rotating body, once. Here, by configuring the end of one wall section to push out tooth T1 of the gear 1002 and pass through the space between tooth T1 and tooth T2, and the end of the other wall section to enter the space between tooth T2 and tooth T3 and begin pressing on tooth T2, it becomes possible to rotate the gear 1002, which is the second rotating body, stably. Similarly, rib 1001R may be separated into three or more wall sections.

[0061] Furthermore, the first end 1001R1 and the second end 1001R2 are not limited to the circumferential edges of the wall portion. For example, in a configuration where the rib 1001R is formed to be longer along the circumferential direction in order to contact the teeth T of the gear 1002 with a margin, and the teeth T of the gear 1002 and the rib 1001R first come into contact at a position slightly towards the center from the circumferential edge of the rib 1001R, the position where the teeth T of the gear 1002 and the rib 1001R first come into contact is understood to be included in the first end 1001R1 (or the second end 1001R2). Similarly, the position where the rib 1001R pushes the teeth T of the gear 1002 apart is understood to be included in the second end 1001R2 (or the first end 1001R1).

[0062] Furthermore, the rate of increase or decrease in the distance between the region of contact with the teeth T on the inner wall surface of the rib 1001R and the first rotation axis AX1 in response to a change in the circumferential direction of the first rotation axis AX1 may be constant. By keeping it constant, it becomes possible to rotate the gear 1002, which is the second rotating body, at a stable speed.

[0063] Furthermore, the height of the surface of the wall portion such as the rib 1001R at the position in contact with the second rotating body such as the gear 1002 (for example, the height from the disc portion 1001D) may be formed to vary in the circumferential direction.

[0064] Furthermore, when the inner wall surface of a wall portion such as rib 1001R is in contact with a second rotating body such as gear 1002, the shape of the outer wall surface of these wall portions is not limited to the configuration shown in this embodiment. For example, the thickness of rib 1001R may vary in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the first rotating body, such as rib 1001R, may be configured to rotate in only one direction, rather than both directions.

[0065] [Second Embodiment] A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Configurations identical or similar to those of the first embodiment will be omitted or simplified, and the focus will be on the differences. In the drive device 100 of the first embodiment, the drive motor 116, the first rotating body 1001, the second rotating body, which is gear 1002, and the third rotating body, which is gear 1003, were arranged in this order axially forward of the first rotating shaft AX1. That is, with reference to the axial direction of the first rotating shaft AX1, the first rotating body 1001 was positioned in front of the drive motor 116 (more specifically, the rotor of the drive motor 116), the gear 1002 (more specifically, the rotation center of gear 1002) was positioned in front of the first rotating body 1001, and the gear 1003 (more specifically, the rotation center of gear 1003) was positioned in front of gear 1002. More specifically, the rib 1001R, which is the wall portion of the first rotating body 1001, is positioned in front of the disc portion 1001D and is formed by standing upright in front of the disc portion 1001D (in the direction away from the drive motor 116).

[0066] The inventors of this application have conceived a configuration to further shorten the dimensions of the drive unit 100 in the front-rear direction (direction of the first rotation axis AX1) by forming the rib 1001R, which is the wall portion of the first rotating body 1001, to be erected in a direction approaching the drive motor 116 (for example, axially rearward of the first rotation axis AX1), and arranging the gear 1002, which is the second rotating body, between the drive motor 116 and the rib 1001R of the first rotating body 1001. In other words, it can be said that the gear 1002, which is the second rotating body, is arranged in the opposite direction compared to the first embodiment. The gear 1003, which is the third rotating body, only needs to be arranged in a position to engage (mesh) with the gear 1002, and is typically arranged between the drive motor 116 and the gear 1002.

[0067] With this configuration, it becomes possible to transmit power to the area below the drive motor 116 or to the area below the region between the drive motor 116 and the first rotating body 1001, thereby making it possible to further shorten the dimensions of the drive device 100 in the front-rear direction (direction of the first rotating axis AX1). Furthermore, it is preferable that the third rotating body, gear 1003, is positioned so as not to interfere with the output shaft of the drive motor 116, and known configurations may be adopted for this purpose.

[0068] For example, gear 1003 may be formed with a small diameter so as not to interfere with the output shaft of the drive motor 116. Also, gears 1002 and 1003, or at least gear 1003, may be displaced in the direction of the third rotation axis AX3 so as not to interfere with the output shaft of the drive motor 116. If gears 1002 and 1003 are spur gears, they can transmit the rotational force from the drive motor 116 even if their relative positions differ in the direction of the third rotation axis AX3.

[0069] The following describes one embodiment in which the drive unit of this embodiment is mounted on a toy vehicle 121. Note that components identical or similar to those shown in the first embodiment will be given the same or similar names as appropriate, and their descriptions will be omitted or simplified. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, components other than the main parts (for example, bearings and shafts for holding gears, etc.) will be omitted as appropriate.

[0070] Figure 6A is a side view showing the main components of the toy vehicle 121. Figure 6B is a perspective view of a part of the toy vehicle 121, seen from below, to show the positional relationship between the wheels 51A of the toy vehicle 121 and the second rotating body, gear 1022A, and the third rotating body, gear 1023A. As shown in Figure 6A, the drive unit 120 of the toy vehicle 121 includes a first drive motor 136A, a first rotating body 1021A configured to rotate along a first rotation axis AX1 by the first drive motor 136A, a gear 1022A configured to rotate along a rotation axis AX2A (an example of a "second rotation axis") by being pressed against the surface of a rib 1021RA which is a rotating wall portion of the first rotating body 1021A, a gear 1023A configured to rotate along a rotation axis AX3A (an example of a "third rotation axis") by the gear 1022A, and a wheel 51A configured to rotate by the gear 1023A.

[0071] The first rotating body 1021A is similar to the first rotating body 1001 in that it includes ribs 1021R, which are wall portions formed along the circumferential direction centered on the first rotation axis AX1, with a surface whose distance from the first rotation axis AX1 gradually decreases. However, the rib 1021RA differs from the first rotating body 1001 in that it is erected in a direction approaching the first drive motor 136A, rather than in a direction away from the first drive motor 136A.

[0072] Furthermore, gear 1022A is positioned between the first drive motor 136A and rib 1021RA, which is different from drive unit 100, where rib 1001R is positioned between gear 1002 and drive motor 116. Furthermore, the wheel 51A is configured to rotate coaxially with the wheel 51A by being mounted on its axle, and is equipped with a gear 51GA that meshes with the gear 1023A. With this configuration, it becomes possible to transmit power to the area below the first drive motor 136A, which further reduces the front-to-rear dimensions of the drive unit 120A and the vehicle toy 121.

[0073] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6B, the toy vehicle 121, with its shortened length in the front-to-back direction, does not necessarily require a bogie truck. Therefore, it is possible to reproduce early streetcars and short-length locomotives such as the "Yoshitsune" using the same configuration as the toy vehicle 121, which do not have bogie trucks.

[0074] As shown in Figure 6A, the toy vehicle 121 may be equipped with multiple drive motors. For example, the toy vehicle 121 may have a first drive motor 136A having an output shaft 136OA extending forward (sometimes referred to as the "first direction"), and a motor configured to be rotatable by the first drive motor 136A along the first rotation axis AX1, and formed having a surface whose distance from the first rotation axis AX1 gradually decreases along the circumferential direction centered on the first rotation axis AX1, and erected facing backward (sometimes referred to as the "second direction," which also corresponds to the direction approaching the first drive motor 136A). The device comprises a first rotating body 1021A having a rib 1021RA, a gear 1022A disposed between the first rotating body 1021A and the first drive motor 136A and configured to rotate according to a rotation axis AX2A, which is an example of a second rotation axis, by being pressed against the surface of the rotating rib 1021RA, a gear 1023A configured by the gear 1022A to rotate according to a rotation axis AX3A, which is an example of a third rotation axis, and a wheel 51A configured to rotate according to the gear 1023A.

[0075] In addition, the vehicle toy 121 has a second drive motor 136B having an output shaft 136OB extending to the rear (sometimes referred to as the "second direction"), and is configured to be rotatable by the second drive motor 136B along the first rotation axis AX1, and is formed having a surface whose distance from the first rotation axis AX1 gradually decreases along the circumferential direction centered on the first rotation axis AX1, and is erected facing forward (sometimes referred to as the "first direction," and also corresponding to the direction approaching the second drive motor 136B). The system includes a first rotating body 1021B having a rib 1021RB, a gear 1022B disposed between the first rotating body 1021B and the second drive motor 136B and pressed against the surface of the rotating rib 1021RB so as to be rotatable according to a rotation axis AX2B, which is an example of a second rotation axis, a gear 1023B configured by the gear 1022B so as to be rotatable according to a rotation axis AX3B, which is an example of a third rotation axis, and a wheel 51B configured to be rotatable according to the gear 1023B. The wheel 51B is provided on the axle of the wheel 51B so as to be rotatable coaxially with the wheel 51B and includes a gear 51GB that meshes with the gear 1023B. This configuration makes it possible to provide a toy vehicle with improved output and a shorter front-to-back dimension by incorporating two drive motors.

[0076] Furthermore, the present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from its essence. For example, within the ordinary creative ability of those skilled in the art, some components of a certain embodiment can be replaced with other known components. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0077] 1 Wheel device 8 gears 20 wheels 21 Wheel body 31 Wheel device 71 Bogie frame 100 Drive unit 101 Vehicle Toys 102 Vehicle Toy Body 103 Chassis 105 car body 116 Drive motor 130 Final gear 131 Gearbox 1001 First Rotating Body 1001D Disc section 1001R Rib 1001R1 1st end 1001R2 2nd end 1001RC connector 1002 Gear (Drive Gear) 1003 Gear (Driven Gear) B, B1~B7 base PU, PU1~PU7 Pressing parts

Claims

1. A drive system for a toy vehicle, A first rotating body is configured to be rotatable by a motor along a first rotation axis, and has a wall portion formed with a surface whose distance from the first rotation axis gradually decreases along the circumferential direction centered on the first rotation axis, A second rotating body, which is configured to rotate along a second rotation axis by being pressed against the surface of the rotating wall, A third rotating body is configured to be rotatable along a third rotation axis by the aforementioned second rotating body, and A drive system for a toy vehicle equipped with the following features.

2. The aforementioned wall portion is The first end portion where the distance between the first rotation axis and the wall surface is maximum, The second end portion, which has the minimum distance between the first rotation axis and the wall surface, A connecting portion having a wall surface formed along the circumferential direction centered on the first rotation axis so as to connect the first end and the second end, with the wall surface moving away from the first end and decreasing in distance from the first rotation axis as it approaches the second end, and A drive device for a vehicle toy according to claim 1, comprising:

3. The second rotating body is composed of a gear having multiple teeth, The wall portion is configured to press against the teeth and rotate the second rotating body as the first rotating body rotates, passing between two adjacent teeth. The drive device for the vehicle toy according to claim 2.

4. The second rotating body is composed of a gear having multiple teeth, The difference between the distance between the first rotation axis and the first end and the distance between the first rotation axis and the second end is greater than the pitch of the teeth of the gear. The drive device for the vehicle toy according to claim 2.

5. The motor and the vehicle toy body equipped with the drive device described in claim 2, The wheel rotates due to the rotation of the third rotating body and A vehicle toy equipped with [features / equipment].

6. The first rotation axis is parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle toy, The second and third rotation axes are perpendicular to the direction of travel of the toy vehicle. The vehicle toy according to claim 5.

7. The first rotating body is configured to be rotatable in a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction opposite to it. When the first rotating body rotates in the first rotational direction, it moves forward. The first rotating body is configured to retract when it rotates in the second rotational direction. The vehicle toy according to claim 6.

8. The wall portion of the first rotating body is formed to be erected in a direction approaching the motor, The second rotating body is disposed between the motor and the wall portion of the first rotating body. A drive device for a toy vehicle according to claim 1.

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