Guiding and supply of miniature vehicles

Abstract

A miniature vehicle and associated track set system including: a track formed of sections placed end-to-end, each section including, across its thickness, at least one conductor taking part in the generation of a magnetic field; at least one first circuit of power supply and of generation of A.C. electric signals for exciting the conductors; and at least one miniature vehicle comprising: a first winding and a second winding having different orientations, likely to detect a magnetic field generated by the track; and at least one second electronic circuit receiving the respective amplitudes measured across the windings, programmed to determine the lateral position of the vehicle on the track.

1 . A miniature vehicle and associated track set system comprising:
 a track formed of sections placed end-to-end, each section comprising, across its thickness, at least one conductor taking part in the generation of a magnetic field;   at least one first power supply circuit generating A.C. electric signals for exciting the conductors; and   at least one miniature vehicle comprising:
 a first winding and a second winding having different orientations, likely to detect a magnetic field generated by the track; and 
 at least one second electronic circuit receiving the respective amplitudes measured across the windings, programmed to determine the lateral position of the vehicle on the track. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second windings are respectively horizontal and vertical. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises a third transversal winding enabling the second electronic circuit to detect an angular position of the vehicle with respect to the axis of the magnetic field. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each track section comprises an arrangement of conductors taking part in the forming of several parallel magnetic fields across the track width. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second electronic circuit comprises a microcontroller programmed to have the position of the vehicle on the track servo-controlled by the controlling of a motor-driven steering system equipping the vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises means for extracting the power necessary to its operation from the magnetic field radiated by the track. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises means of radiofrequency communication with a control handle. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claims 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises means for detecting data transmitted by the first electronic circuit, via the magnetic field, said first circuit communicating with a control handle. 
     
     
         9 . A miniature vehicle comprising:
 a first winding and a second winding having different orientations, likely to detect a magnetic field generated by a track; and   at least one electronic circuit receiving the respective amplitudes measured across the windings, programmed to determine the lateral position of the vehicle on the track.   
     
     
         10 . The vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second windings are respectively horizontal and vertical. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein a third transversal winding enables the electronic circuit to detect an angular position of the vehicle with respect to the axis of the magnetic field. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the electronic circuit comprises a microcontroller programmed to have the position of the vehicle on the track servo-controlled by the controlling of a motor-driven steering system equipping the vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle of  claim 9 , comprising means for extracting the power necessary to its operation from the magnetic field radiated by the track. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle of  claim 9 , comprising means for detecting data transmitted by the first electronic circuit, via the magnetic field, said first circuit communicating with a control handle. 
     
     
         15 . A track section of the system of  claim 1 .