Dynamic skater toy

Abstract

A dynamic skater toy includes a trunk member having a front pivot shaft that projects from left and right sides of a lower front portion of the trunk member. Each of a pair of leg members is coupled pivotally to the front pivot shaft adjacent to a respective one of the left and right sides of the lower front portion, and is capable of forward and rearward swinging movement about the front pivot shaft. A link mechanism is disposed in each leg member and couples pivotally the respective leg member to a respective foot member such that the former is capable of limited forward and rearward pivoting movement relative to the latter. A wheel mechanism is mounted in each foot member and includes a plurality of rollers to be placed in rolling contact with a surface, and a drive unit for driving the foot member to translate on the surface.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A dynamic skater toy comprising: 
 a trunk member having a lower front portion with left and right sides, and a front pivot shaft that projects from said left and right sides of said lower front portion;    a pair of leg members, each of which is coupled pivotally to said front pivot shaft adjacent to a respective one of said left and right sides of said lower front portion, and is capable of forward and rearward swinging movement about said front pivot shaft;    a pair of foot members;    a pair of link mechanisms, each of which is disposed in a respective one of said leg members and couples pivotally the respective one of said leg members to a respective one of said foot members such that the respective one of said leg members is capable of limited forward and rearward pivoting movement relative to the respective one of said foot members; and    a pair of wheel mechanisms, each of which is mounted in a respective one of said foot members and includes a plurality of rollers adapted to be placed in rolling contact with a surface, and a drive unit adapted to drive the respective one of said foot members to translate on the surface.    
     
     
         2 . The dynamic skater toy of  claim 1 , wherein said trunk member further has a lower rear portion with left and right sides, and a support shaft that projects from said left and right sides of said lower rear portion, each of said link mechanisms including a pivot seat that has an upper end coupled to the respective one of said leg members, and a lower end coupled to the respective one of said foot members, each of said link mechanisms further including a link shaft that has an upper end coupled pivotally to said support shaft, and a lower end coupled pivotally to said pivot seat.  
     
     
         3 . The dynamic skater toy of  claim 2 , wherein said pivot seat includes an upper seat body coupled pivotally to the respective one of said leg members, and a lower rotary block connected to the respective one of said foot members, said lower rotary block being coupled rotatably to said upper seat body such that the respective one of said foot members is rotatable relative to the respective one said leg members about a vertical axis.  
     
     
         4 . The dynamic skater toy of  claim 1 , wherein said trunk member includes a balancing shaft having an axially rotatable upright portion with left and right sides, and a pair of horizontal portions that project respectively from said left and right sides of said balancing shaft, each of said leg members being further coupled pivotally to a respective one of said horizontal portions.  
     
     
         5 . The dynamic skater toy of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of arm members, each of which is coupled pivotally to said trunk member and is connected to a respective one of said leg members for synchronized movement therewith.  
     
     
         6 . The dynamic skater toy of  claim 1 , wherein each of said wheel mechanisms further includes a housing formed with a plurality of sets of vertically extending axle slots for rotatably supporting said rollers.  
     
     
         7 . The dynamic skater toy of  claim 1 , further comprising a control mechanism that includes a circuit board mounted in said trunk member and connected electrically to said drive units of said wheel mechanisms, and a controller associated with said circuit board and operable so as to transmit control signals received by said circuit board for independent control of operations of said drive units of said wheel mechanisms.  
     
     
         8 . The dynamic skater toy of  claim 1 , wherein said trunk member includes a housing with a trunk housing part and a head housing coupled rotatably to said trunk housing part, said dynamic skater toy further comprising a head drive mechanism that includes a first gear unit connected to said head housing part, a second gear unit connected to one of said leg members for rotation therewith when said one of said leg members swings forward and rearward about said front pivot shaft, and a third gear unit that is mounted rotatably in said trunk housing part and that meshes with said first and second gear units such that rotation of said second gear unit results in turning movement of said head housing part relative to said trunk housing part.