Toy vehicle systems and methods

Abstract

Toy vehicle systems and methods for propelling toy vehicles are disclosed. The system may include a toy vehicle having a body, a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body, and a first elongate container having a first open end that is configured to receive a first reactant. The toy vehicle system may additionally include a launcher assembly having a base and a second elongate container including a second open end that is configured to receive a second reactant. One of the first and second open ends may be configured to further receive the other of the first and second open ends such that the first and second elongate containers are in fluid communication with each other. The launcher assembly may additionally include a locking mechanism configured to secure the toy vehicle to the base, and including a trigger configured, when activated, to release the toy vehicle from the base.

1 . A toy vehicle system, comprising:
 a toy vehicle, including:   a body,   a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body,   a first elongate container attached to the body and having a first open end that is configured to receive a first reactant; and   a launcher assembly, including:   a base,   a second elongate container attached to the base and having a second open end that is configured to receive a second reactant, wherein one of the first and second open ends is configured to further receive the other of the first and second open ends such that the first and second elongate containers are in fluid communication with each other; and   a locking mechanism configured to secure the toy vehicle to the base, the locking mechanism including a trigger configured, when activated, to release the toy vehicle from the base,   wherein the first and second reactants may chemically react when the first and second elongate containers are in fluid communication with each other to build pressure within the first and second elongate containers allowing the toy vehicle to be propelled relative to the launcher assembly across a support surface when the trigger is activated.   
     
     
         2 . The toy vehicle system of  claim 1 , wherein the first elongate container includes a first longitudinal axis, and the second elongate container includes a second longitudinal axis, the first and second elongate containers being configured such that the first and second longitudinal axes are co-axial when the other of the first and second open ends is received in the one of the first and second open ends. 
     
     
         3 . The toy vehicle system of  claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is configured to secure the toy vehicle to the base when the other of the first and second open ends is received in the one of the first and second open ends. 
     
     
         4 . The toy vehicle system of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes at least one aperture and the locking mechanism includes at least one locking lever configured to be received in the at least one aperture, the at least one locking lever configured to move between a locking position in which the at least one locking lever is received in the at least one aperture, and an unlocking position in which the at least one locking lever is spaced from the at least one aperture relative to the locking position. 
     
     
         5 . The toy vehicle system of  claim 4 , wherein the trigger is configured, when activated, to move the at least one locking lever from the locking position toward the unlocking position. 
     
     
         6 . The toy vehicle system of  claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism further includes a surface lock configured to (a) detect whether the base is supported on a support surface, (b) prevent the trigger from being activated when the surface lock does not detect that the base is supported on a support surface, and (c) allow the trigger to be activated when the surface lock detects that the base is supported on a support surface. 
     
     
         7 . The toy vehicle system of  claim 1 , wherein the base includes a projecting portion configured to allow a user to apply pressure to the projecting portion to keep the launcher assembly stationary when the trigger is activated. 
     
     
         8 . The toy vehicle system of  claim 7 , wherein the projecting portion is configured to allow a user to step on the projecting portion to keep the launcher assembly stationary when the trigger is activated. 
     
     
         9 . The toy vehicle system of  claim 1 , wherein the trigger includes a user-actuable button. 
     
     
         10 . The toy vehicle system of  claim 9 , wherein the user-actuable button is configured to be activated by a user by stepping on the user-actuable button. 
     
     
         11 . The toy vehicle system of  claim 1 , wherein the first elongate container is free from openings other than the first open end, and the second elongate container is free from openings other than the second open end. 
     
     
         12 . A toy vehicle system, comprising:
 a first reactant;   a toy vehicle, including:   a body,   a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body,   a first elongate tube attached to the body and sized to contain the first reactant, the first elongate tube having a first open end;   a second reactant; and   a launcher assembly, including:
 a base, 
   a second elongate tube attached to the base and sized to contain the second reactant, the second elongate tube having a second open end, wherein one of the first and second open ends is configured to further receive the other of the first and second open ends such that the first and second elongate tubes are in fluid communication with each other; and   a locking mechanism configured to secure the toy vehicle to the base, the locking mechanism including:
 a trigger configured, when activated, to release the toy vehicle from the base, and 
 a surface lock configured to (a) detect whether the base is supported on a support surface, (b) prevent the trigger from being activated when the surface lock does not detect that the base is supported on a support surface, and (c) allow the trigger to be activated when the surface lock detects that the base is supported on a support surface, 
   wherein the first and second reactants may chemically react when the first and second elongate tubes are in fluid communication with each other to build pressure within the first and second elongate tubes allowing the toy vehicle to be propelled relative to the launcher assembly across a support surface when the trigger is activated.   
     
     
         13 . The toy vehicle system of  claim 12 , wherein the first reactant includes citric acid. 
     
     
         14 . The toy vehicle system of  claim 13 , wherein the second reactant includes sodium bicarbonate. 
     
     
         15 . The toy vehicle system of  claim 14 , wherein the citric acid and sodium bicarbonate are in powder form, and wherein at least one of the first and second elongate tubes is sized to contain water. 
     
     
         16 . A method for propelling a toy vehicle across a support surface via a launcher assembly, the toy vehicle including a body, a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body, and a first elongate container attached to the body and having a first open end, the launcher assembly including a base, a second elongate container attached to the base and having a second open end, wherein one of the first and second open ends is configured to further receive the other of the first and second open ends such that the first and second elongate containers are in fluid communication with each other, and a locking mechanism configured to secure the toy vehicle to the base, the locking mechanism including a trigger configured, when activated, to release the toy vehicle from the base, the method comprising:
 adding a first reactant into the first elongate container through the first open end;   adding a second reactant into the second elongate container through the second open end;   attaching the toy vehicle to the base of the launcher assembly such that the other of the first and second open ends is received in the one of the first and second open ends; and   activating the trigger to release the toy vehicle from the base of the launcher assembly.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , where the first and second reactants are in solid form, further comprising adding a mixing fluid into at least one of the first and second elongate containers prior to attaching the toy vehicle to the launcher assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising placing the base on a support surface prior to activating the trigger. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , where the base includes a projecting portion, and further comprising applying pressure to the projecting portion to keep the launcher assembly stationary relative to the toy vehicle when the trigger is activated. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein applying pressure to the projecting portion includes stepping on the projecting portion to keep the launcher assembly stationary relative to the toy vehicle when the trigger is activated.