Toy for collecting and dispersing toy vehicles

Abstract

Disclosed is a toy, comprising of rotating means for collecting and dispersing an item and power means coupled to said rotating means, said power means powering said rotating means at a first speed in a first direction to collect said toy, and powering said rotating means at a second speed in a second direction to disperse said toy, said first speed different from said second speed, and said first direction different from said second direction.

1 . A toy, comprising: 
 rotating means for collecting and dispersing an item;    power means coupled to said rotating means, said power means powering said rotating means at a first speed in a first direction to collect said toy, and powering said rotating means at a second speed in a second direction to disperse said toy, said first speed different from said second speed, and said first direction different from said second direction.    
   
   
       2 . The toy of  claim 1  wherein said item is a scale vehicle  
   
   
       3 . The toy of  claim 2  wherein said scale is approximately 1/64.  
   
   
       4 . The toy of  claim 2  wherein said scale is greater than approximately 1/120.  
   
   
       5 . The toy of  claim 1  further comprising gear means coupled between said power means and said rotating means, said gear means for transmitting torque from said power means to said rotating means.  
   
   
       6 . The toy of  claim 1  wherein said rotation means comprises rubber.  
   
   
       7 . The toy of  claim 1  wherein said rotation means comprises foam.  
   
   
       8 . The toy of  claim 1  wherein said rotation means comprises paddles.  
   
   
       9 . The toy of  claim 1  wherein said rotation means comprises parallel disks.  
   
   
       10 . The toy of  claim 1  wherein said rotation means comprises three parallel disks.  
   
   
       11 . The toy of  claim 1  further comprising a separator means for separating items collected by said rotating means.  
   
   
       12 . The toy of  claim 1  wherein said first speed is slower than said second speed.  
   
   
       13 . The toy of  claim 8  wherein said rotating means includes at least one of a paddle wheel and a plurality of parallel disk extensions, said power means includes an electric motor, and said gear means includes at least one of a planetary gear set, a rack and pinion gear set, a mesh gear set, a friction gear set, a tongue and groove gear set, a toothed wheel gear set, a speed reducing gear set, and a speed increasing gear set.  
   
   
       14 . A toy, comprising: 
 a cylinder configured to rotate about an axis, said cylinder configured so that when the toy is placed in a first position, said axis of said cylinder is substantially parallel to a surface on which the toy vehicle can travel;    an electric motor coupled through a gear mechanism to said cylinder, where said motor is configured to rotate said cylinder in a first direction to draw an item into the toy at a first speed, and to rotate said cylinder in a second direction opposite said first direction to expel said item at a second speed higher than said first speed.    
   
   
       15 . The toy of  claim 14  wherein said item is smaller than, said toy.  
   
   
       16 . The toy of  claim 14  wherein said motor is further configured to rotate at a third speed.  
   
   
       17 . The toy of  claim 14  wherein said toy is configured to couple to a track on which said item travels.  
   
   
       18 . A toy vehicle, comprising: 
 a cylinder configured to rotate about its circular axis, said cylinder configured so that when said toy is placed in a first position, said circular axis of said cylinder is substantially parallel to a surface on which the toy vehicle can travel, said cylinder having a plurality of cylindrical extensions extending from said cylinder.    
   
   
       19 . The toy of  claim 18  wherein said extensions include at least 2 rubber paddle wheels extending from said cylinder.  
   
   
       20 . The toy of  claim 19  wherein said paddle wheels include a raised texture on said paddles.  
   
   
       21 . The toy of  claim 20  wherein said cylinder is driven by rotation of at least a wheel of the toy that interface the toy to said surface.  
   
   
       22 . The toy of  claim 21  wherein said wheel is driven by a user playing with the toy vehicle.  
   
   
       23 . The toy of  claim 18  wherein said extensions include at least 2 parallel disks extending from said cylinder.  
   
   
       24 . The toy of  claim 23  comprising at least three parallel disk extensions.  
   
   
       25 . The toy of  claim 23  wherein said cylinder is driven by an electrically actuated device.  
   
   
       26 . The toy of  claim 25  wherein said cylinder is driven in a first direction at a first speed, and a second direction at a second speed.  
   
   
       27 . A toy, comprising: 
 a cylinder configured to rotate about its circular axis, said cylinder configured so that when said toy is placed in a first position, said circular axis of said cylinder is substantially parallel to a surface on which the toy vehicle can travel, said cylinder having a plurality of rubber paddles extending radially from said cylinder.    
   
   
       28 . The toy of  claim 27  wherein said paddle wheels include a raised texture on said paddles.  
   
   
       29 . The toy of  claim 28  wherein said cylinder is driven by rotation of at least a wheel of the toy that interface the toy to said surface.  
   
   
       30 . The toy of  claim 29  wherein said wheel is driven by a user playing with the toy vehicle without requiring battery power.  
   
   
       31 . The toy of  claim 27  wherein said paddles are substantially trapezoidally shaped.  
   
   
       32 . A first scale vehicle, comprising: 
 rubber means for collecting and expelling a second scale vehicle of smaller scale than the first scale vehicle.    
   
   
       33 . The vehicle of  claim 32  wherein said rubber means comprise rubber fins extending from a cylinder.  
   
   
       34 . The vehicle of  claim 32  wherein said rubber means comprise rubber paddles extending from a cylinder.  
   
   
       35 . The vehicle of  claim 32  wherein said rubber means comprise rubber disks extending from a cylinder.  
   
   
       36 . A toy, comprising: 
 a body;    a collection device configured to collect an item and retain the vehicle within the body; and    a release device configured to release the item from the body;    wherein the toy is configured to be operatively coupled to a track for the item.    
   
   
       37 . The toy of  claim 36  wherein said item is a toy vehicle.  
   
   
       38 . The toy of  claim 37  wherein said toy is configured to travel along said track.  
   
   
       39 . The toy of  claim 37  wherein said toy is configured to receive said item while said item travels along said track.  
   
   
       40 . A first scale vehicle, comprising: 
 parallel cylinder extension means for collecting and expelling a second scale vehicle of smaller scale than the first scale vehicle.