Dump truck toy

Abstract

Dump Truck Toy with a truck cab, a truck chassis, a truck bed, a motorized drive mechanism, a truck bed tilting mechanism, a microprocessor, a printed circuit board, a power source and a plurality of programming blocks. The blocks communicate with the microprocessor and the microprocessor gives directions to the motorized drive mechanism causing the truck toy to move in a programmed manner. A preferred embodiment includes the blocks are releasably held down in the truck bed sockets causing the switch heads to be held down thereby forcing them to interact with switch contacts on the printed printed circuit board. A preferred embodiment includes the blocks to be automatically dumped out at the end of the programmed set of truck movements.

1 . Dump Truck Toy comprising:
 a truck cab;   a truck chassis;   a truck bed;   a motorized drive mechanism;   a truck bed tilting mechanism;   a microprocessor;   a printed circuit board;   an audio speaker,   a power source and   a plurality of programming blocks;   said programming blocks including physical means to communicate with said microprocessor and   said microprocessor giving directions to said motorized drive mechanism causing said truck toy to move forward or backward in a preprogrammed manner.   
   
   
       2 . Dump Truck Toy as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said truck bed tilting mechanism tilts up at the end of the said programmed sequence of directional events causing said blocks to dump out. 
   
   
       3 . Dump Truck Toy as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said truck bed includes a plurality of sockets that are capable of receiving said programming blocks and where said programming blocks interact with a receiving means found on said circuit board thereby communicating directional commands to said microprocessor. 
   
   
       4 . Dump Truck Toy as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said programming blocks include a plurality of protruding posts that are capable of pressing down on corresponding switch heads located above said printed circuit board thereby communicating directional instructions to said microprocessor 
   
   
       5 . Dump Truck Toy as claimed in  claim 1  wherein an alternate version of said interaction means between said blocks and said microprocessor includes the use of bar codes located on the surfaces of said blocks and a plurality of bar code readers located under said socket portions in the base of said truck bed. 
   
   
       6 . Dump Truck Toy as claimed in  claim 1  wherein an alternate version of said interaction means between said blocks and said microprocessor includes the use of light and dark colored graphics printed on said blocks and a plurality of photo sensors located under said socket portions in the base of said truck bed. 
   
   
       7 . Dump Truck Toy as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said motorized drive mechanism is a standard mechanism such as one that can independently drive the left rear wheel and the right rear wheel thereby allowing said truck to to turn left or right or straight ahead or backward. 
   
   
       8 . Dump Truck Toy as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said truck bed tilting mechanism is a standard mechanism such as a motorized cam that interacts with the bottom surface of the truck bed thereby lifting it up and causing said blocks to dump out. 
   
   
       9 . Dump Truck Toy as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said blocks are releasably held down in said truck bed sockets causing said switch heads to be held down thereby forcing them to interact with switch contacts on said printed printed circuit board. 
   
   
       10 . Dump Truck Toy as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said blocks include at least one depression located on the side of each said block and where a spring biased finger assembly mounted within said truck bed can engage said depressed area causing said block to remain forced down against the bottom of said truck bed socket, and said finger capable of being electro-mechanically released from said depression at the end of the set of said programmed driving events thereby allowing said blocks to tumble out of said truck bed when said truck bed is tilted up fully. 
   
   
       11 . Dump Truck Toy as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the start of said programmed driving events is triggered by the user pressing down on the head of a driver located in said truck cab thereby activating an electrical switch connected to said printed circuit board.