Toy track and toy vehicle

Abstract

A toy track comprising guide channels for guiding a toy vehicle to move along predetermined paths and ramping means for facilitating the toy vehicle to select a guide channel from a plurality of guide channels when the toy vehicle approaches a guide channel junction, said plurality of guide channels at said guide channel junction comprising a primary guide channel and a diversion guide channel which branches out from said primary guide channel, said ramping means being disposed on said primary guiding channel at a location approaching said guide channel junction, said guide channel junction including a diversion guide channel junction guide wall portion which forms part of said diversion guide channel at said guide channel junction, the height of said diversion guide channel junction guide wall portion being significantly less than the typical height of a guide channel wall of a typical guide channel outside said guide channel junction.

1 . A toy track comprising guide channels for guiding a toy vehicle to move along predetermined paths and ramping means for facilitating the toy vehicle to select a guide channel from a plurality of guide channels when the toy vehicle approaches a guide channel junction, said plurality of guide channels at said guide channel junction comprising a primary guide channel and a diversion guide channel which branches out from said primary guide channel, said ramping means being disposed on said primary guiding channel at a location approaching said guide channel junction, said guide channel junction including a diversion guide channel junction guide wall portion which forms part of said diversion guide channel at said guide channel junction, the height of said diversion guide channel junction guide wall portion being significantly less than the typical height of a guide channel wall of a typical guide channel outside said guide channel junction.  
   
   
       2 . A toy track according to  claim 1 , wherein said diversion guide channel junction guide wall portion extends obliquely across the width of said primary channel guide at said guide channel junction to form part of said diversion guide channel at said guide channel junction.  
   
   
       3 . A toy track according to  claim 2 , wherein said diversion guide channel junction guide wall portion extends from one of the channel walls of said primary guide channel to abut one of the channel walls of a diversion guide channel at the end of said guide channel junction.  
   
   
       4 . A toy track according to  claim 2 , wherein said diversion guide channel junction guide wall portion curves convexly away from a channel wall of said primary guide channel at said guide channel junction to form part of said diversion guide channel at said guide channel junction.  
   
   
       5 . A toy track according to  claim 1 , wherein the portion of said guide channel junction outside the footprint of said diversion guide channel including an elevated platform which is substantially levelled with said diversion guide channel junction guide wall portion.  
   
   
       6 . A toy track according to  claim 5 , wherein said elevated platform extends between said diversion guide junction guide wall portion and the wall of said primary guide channel of said guide channel junction.  
   
   
       7 . A toy track according to  claim 5 , wherein said elevated platform gradually slopes away from said diversion guide junction guide wall portion and downwardly away from said guide channel junction.  
   
   
       8 . A toy track according to  claim 5 , wherein said elevated platform having a generally wedged shape and diverging from the approaching side of said guide channel junction towards the departing side of said guide channel junction and along the primary guiding channel at the guide channel junction.  
   
   
       9 . A toy track of  claim 5 , wherein said ramping means being disposed immediately before said elevated platform.  
   
   
       10 . A toy track of  claim 5 , wherein the height of the top surface of said ramping means being comparable to that of the top surface of said elevated platform.  
   
   
       11 . A toy track of  claim 10 , wherein the top surface of said ramping means being between 1 mm to 1.5 mm above the bottom of said diversion guide channel at said guide channel junction.  
   
   
       12 . A toy track of  claim 5 , wherein said guide channels outside said guide channel junction having a substantially rectangular cross-section.  
   
   
       13 . A toy track of  claim 12 , wherein the width of said guide channels outside said guide channel junction being comparable to the height of the walls of said guiding channel.  
   
   
       14 . A toy track according to  claim 1 , wherein said ramping means including an surface ascending towards said guide channel junction, said ascending surface being adapted for interacting with a retractable channel guiding member of a toy vehicle adapted for use with said toy track so as to facilitate guide channel selection at said guide channel junction.  
   
   
       15 . A toy track according to  claim 14 , wherein said ascending surface of said ramping device being adapted for gradually reducing the length of said retractable channel guiding member of said toy vehicle while said toy vehicle transiting through said ramping means towards said guide channel junction during normal operation.  
   
   
       16 . A toy track according to  claim 14 , wherein said ramping means interacts with said channel guiding member of said toy vehicle while said toy vehicle transiting through said ramping means towards said guide channel junction during normal operation so that said channel guiding member of said toy vehicle will move from a first operating position to a second operating position.  
   
   
       17 . A toy vehicle comprising a channel guiding member for guiding the motion of said toy vehicle along a guide channel of a toy track, said toy track comprising at least a primary guide channel and at least a diversion guide channel, said diversion guide branches out from said primary guide channel at a guide channel junction of said primary guide channel and said diversion guide channel, said channel guiding member being movable from a first operating position to a second operating position, wherein the spring urge against said channel guiding member being adapted so that, in use, the distance travelled by said vehicle during the time when said channel guiding member moves from said second operating position to said first operating position will substantially determine the channel guide along which said toy vehicle will travel after the channel junction.  
   
   
       18 . A toy vehicle according to  claim 17 , wherein said channel guiding member being movable from a first operating position to a second operating position by spring urge and/or gravitation.  
   
   
       19 . A toy vehicle according to  claim 17 , wherein said channel guiding member protruding downwardly from the bottom of said toy vehicle, said channel guiding member being retractable from said first operating position to said second operating position, said first operating position being further away from the bottom of said vehicle than said second operating position.  
   
   
       20 . A toy vehicle according to  claim 19 , wherein said channel guiding member being retractable under spring urge for about 1 mm to 1.5 mm to move from said first operating position to said second operating position.  
   
   
       21 . A toy vehicle according to  claim 17 , wherein channel guiding member being retractable under spring bias along a substantially vertical direction when transiting through a ramping means at said guide channel junction when travelling along a guide channel and towards said guide channel junction.  
   
   
       22 . A toy vehicle according to  claim 17 , wherein said channel guiding member including a shank which is extendable between said first operating position and said second operating position, wherein, in both said first and second operating positions, said shank being clear of the bottom surface of the guide channels except the ramping means and, when in said second position, said shank being in contact with said ramping means.  
   
   
       23 . A toy vehicle according to  claim 21 , wherein, when said toy vehicle is travelling outside of said ramping means, said shank being at least 0.5 mm clear of the bottom surface of the guide channels.  
   
   
       24 . A toy vehicle according to  claim 17 , wherein said toy vehicle including a magnet for holding the toy vehicle close to the surface of said toy track, said toy track being provided with corresponding magnetic material for magnetic coupling with said toy vehicle.  
   
   
       25 . A toy vehicle according to  claim 24 , wherein said toy track including power supply rails of magnetic material for magnetic coupling with said toy vehicle.  
   
   
       26 . A toy set comprising a toy track and a toy vehicle, said toy track comprising guide channels for guiding said toy vehicle to move along predetermined paths on said track and guide channel selection means to facilitate said toy vehicle to select a guide channel from a plurality of guide channels when said toy vehicle approaches a guide channel junction at which junction a diversion guide channel branches out from a primary guide channel, said toy vehicle comprising corresponding guide channel selection means so that, when said toy vehicle approaches said guide channel junction, the guide channel selection means of said toy vehicle and toy track cooperate such that a player can select the guide channel along which said toy vehicle will travel after said guide channel junction by manoeuvring the operation of said toy vehicle.  
   
   
       27 . A toy set of  claim 26 , wherein the operation of said toy vehicle being manoeuvred including the speed of said toy vehicle so that the guide channel along which said toy vehicle will travel after said guide channel junction being substantially dependent on the speed of said toy vehicle approaching said guide channel junction.  
   
   
       28 . A toy set of  claim 27 , wherein said toy track comprises guide channels for guiding the toy vehicle to move along predetermined paths and ramping means for facilitating the toy vehicle to select a guide channel from a plurality of guide channels when the toy vehicle approaches a guide channel junction, said plurality of guide channels at said guide channel junction comprising a primary guide channel and a diversion guide channel which branches out from said primary guide channel, said ramping means being disposed on said primary guiding channel at a location approaching said guide channel junction, said guide channel junction including a diversion guide channel junction guide wall portion which forms part of said diversion guide channel at said guide channel junction, the height of said diversion guide channel junction guide wall portion being significantly less than the typical height of a guide channel wall of a typical guide channel outside said guide channel junction, 
 and wherein said toy vehicle comprises a channel guiding member for guiding the motion of said toy vehicle along a guide channel of a toy track, said channel guiding member being movable from a first operating position to a second operating position, wherein the spring urge against said channel guiding member is adapted so that, in use, the distance travelled by said vehicle during the time when said channel guiding member moves from said second operating position to said first operating position will substantially determine the channel guide along which said toy vehicle will travel after the channel junction.    
   
   
       29 . A toy set of  claim 28 , wherein said diversion guide channel junction guide wall portion extends obliquely across the width of said primary channel guide at said guide channel junction to form part of said diversion guide channel at said guide channel junction.  
   
   
       30 . A toy set of  claim 28 , wherein the portion of said guide channel junction outside the footprint of said diversion guide channel includes an elevated platform which is substantially level with said diversion guide channel junction guide wall portion.  
   
   
       31 . A toy set of  claim 28 , wherein said ramping means includes a surface ascending towards said guide channel junction, said ascending surface being adapted for interacting with a retractable channel guiding member of said toy vehicle so as to facilitate guide channel selection at said guide channel junction.