초록 ▼

An improved tumbling toy vehicle has a shape that is cambered from left to right to provide a directional bias toward the instantaneous lowest point on a play surface. When a play surface is manipulated by the user, the user can effectively control the speed and direction of the tumbling toy vehicle

An improved tumbling toy vehicle has a shape that is cambered from left to right to provide a directional bias toward the instantaneous lowest point on a play surface. When a play surface is manipulated by the user, the user can effectively control the speed and direction of the tumbling toy vehicle.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A tumbling toy vehicle comprised of an elongated body and a rolling mass, wherein the rolling mass is constrained to move longitudinally with respect to the elongated body, wherein the elongated body comprises a medial plane and a central longitudinal axis, wherein the central longitudinal axis l

1. A tumbling toy vehicle comprised of an elongated body and a rolling mass, wherein the rolling mass is constrained to move longitudinally with respect to the elongated body, wherein the elongated body comprises a medial plane and a central longitudinal axis, wherein the central longitudinal axis lies in the medial plane, wherein the medial plane divides the elongated body into symmetrical right and left portions, and wherein at least a portion of the elongated body has an outward camber from left to right to provide a directional bias toward an incline with a lateral component on a user manipulated play surface, wherein the outward camber has a center of curvature that lies on the medial plane, wherein the outward camber and the center of curvature are on opposite sides of the central longitudinal axis. 2. A tumbling toy vehicle comprised of an elongated body and a movable mass, wherein the elongated body comprises a medial plane, wherein the medial plane divides the elongated body into symmetrical right and left portions, wherein the movable mass moves longitudinally with respect to the elongated body, wherein the elongated body is non-axisymmetric and at least a portion of the elongated body is outwardly cambered from left to right with a center of curvature outside the elongated body. 3. A tumbling toy vehicle comprising an elongated body and a mass, wherein the mass moves along a central longitudinal axis relative to the elongated body, wherein the elongated body extends along the longitudinal axis and includes a first end outer surface, a second end outer surface, a first longitudinal outer surface, and a second longitudinal outer surface, wherein a medial plane divides the first longitudinal outer surface into right and left portions, wherein the first longitudinal outer surface is associated with a first transverse contour line which is orthogonal to the medial plane, wherein the first transverse contour line is outwardly cambered and extends from left to right, wherein a first reference line is normal to the first transverse contour line, wherein the first reference line intersects the medial plane at an intersection point, wherein the intersection point and the first transverse contour line are on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis. 4. A tumbling toy vehicle comprised of an elongated body associated with a longitudinal axis and a mass contained by and movable longitudinally with respect to the elongated body, wherein the elongated body has a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal portion, and a medial plane extending along the longitudinal axis and dividing the elongated body into right and left portions, wherein the first end comprises a convex outer surface having a pitch contour line lying in the medial plane and a lateral contour line extending right to left which is orthogonal to the pitch contour line where the lateral contour line intersects the pitch contour line, wherein the pitch contour line comprises a first curvature, wherein the lateral contour line comprises a second curvature and a center of curvature, wherein the first curvature has a greater degree of curvature than the second curvature. 5. A tumbling toy vehicle comprised of a non-axisymmetric elongated body associated with a medial plane extending along a central longitudinal axis of the elongated body and dividing the elongated body into right and left portions, and a mass contained by and movable longitudinally with respect to the elongated body, wherein the elongated body has a first end, second end, and a longitudinal portion, wherein the elongated body is associated with an outwardly cambered contour line extending from left to right; and the contour line having a first normal line extending from a first point along the contour line and a second normal line extending from a second point along the contour line, wherein the first normal line intersects the medial plane at a first location and the second normal line intersects the medial plane at a second location, wherein the second location is spaced apart from the first location. 6. A tumbling toy vehicle comprised of an elongated body having a medial plane dividing the elongated body into right and left portions and a longitudinal axis lying in the medial plane, and a mass movable longitudinally with respect to the elongated body, wherein the elongated body has a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal portion, wherein the first end comprises a first outwardly cambered contour line within the medial plane and a second outwardly cambered contour line extending from left to right orthogonal to the first outwardly cambered contour line, wherein the first outwardly cambered contour line and second outwardly cambered contour line have different curvatures. 7. A tumbling toy vehicle as in claim 4, wherein the right and left portions are symmetrical. 8. A tumbling toy vehicle as in claim 5, wherein the right and left portions are symmetrical.