Toy vehicle having variable heights

Abstract

A toy vehicle comprises a frame, a suspension arm pivotally coupled to the frame and arranged under a portion of the frame, at least one wheel coupled to the suspension arm, and a height switching unit coupled to the frame and the suspension arm and configured to move the portion of the frame between a non-elevated position and an elevated position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toy vehicle, comprising:
 a frame;   a suspension arm pivotally coupled to the frame and arranged under a portion of the frame;   at least one wheel coupled to the suspension arm; and   a height switching unit coupled to the frame and the suspension arm and configured to move the portion of the frame between a non-elevated position and an elevated position.   
     
     
         2 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the height switching unit comprises a locking unit configured to lock the portion of the frame in the non-elevated position and to unlock the portion of the frame from the non-elevated position. 
     
     
         3 . The toy vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein the height switching unit is further configured to automatically move the portion of the frame to the elevated position when the portion of the frame is unlocked from the non-elevated position. 
     
     
         4 . The toy vehicle of  claim 3 , wherein the height switching unit comprises a spring arranged to push the portion of frame and the suspension arm away from each other when the portion of the frame is unlocked from the non-elevated position. 
     
     
         5 . The toy vehicle of  claim 4 , wherein the height switching unit further comprises a knob configured to lock and unlock the portion of the frame in and from the non-elevated position. 
     
     
         6 . The toy vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the height switching unit further comprises:
 a first pillar arranged on the suspension arm and surrounding a through hole extending from a first opening formed at a bottom surface of the suspension arm to a second opening formed at a top portion of the first pillar; and   a second pillar arranged on the portion the frame and surrounding an inner space extending from a third opening formed at a bottom surface of the portion the frame, the second pillar comprising a top hole, the top hole connected to the inner space of the second pillar;   wherein the spring is extending through the through hole of the first pillar and the inner space of the second pillar; and   wherein the first pillar is inserted into the second pillar when the portion of the frame is in the non-elevated position.   
     
     
         7 . The toy vehicle of  claim 6 , wherein the knob comprises:
 a head arranged to cover the first opening of the suspension arm; and   a body extending from the head via the through hole of the first pillar and the inner space of the second pillar;   wherein the body of the knob is configured to move through the top hole of the second pillar.   
     
     
         8 . The toy vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the height switching unit further comprises a stopper arranged above the top surface of the second pillar and coupled to a top end of the body of the knob. 
     
     
         9 . The toy vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the second pillar further comprises a cutout connected to the top hole of the top pillar, and the knob further comprises a protrusion protruding from the body and configured to move through the cutout of the second pillar;
 wherein the portion of the frame is locked in the non-elevated position when the knob is pushed upwardly to pass the protrusion through the cutout of the second pillar and then the knob is rotated to move the protrusion away from the cutout of the second pillar; and   wherein the portion of the frame is unlocked from the non-elevated position when the knob is rotated to align the protrusion of the knob and the cutout of the second pillar to allow the protrusion of the knob to slip through the cutout of the second pillar.   
     
     
         10 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the frame and the suspension arm are substantially completely folded when the portion of the frame is in the non-elevated position. 
     
     
         11 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising an axle coupled to the suspension arm, wherein the at least one wheel comprises a pair of wheels connected to both ends of the axle. 
     
     
         12 . The toy vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the frame comprises an axle slot, wherein the axle is inserted into the axle slot when the portion of the frame is in the non-elevated position. 
     
     
         13 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a plurality of suspension arms pivotally coupled to the frame and arranged under different portions of the frame;   the at least one wheel comprises a plurality of wheels connected to the plurality of suspension arms; and   the height switching unit comprises a plurality of individual height switching units, each individual height switching unit configured to move each of the different portions of the frame between the non-elevated position and the elevated position.   
     
     
         14 . The toy vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein the locking unit is configured to automatically lock the portion of the frame in the non-elevated position when the frame and the suspension arm are folded together. 
     
     
         15 . The toy vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the locking unit comprises:
 a locking hole formed at the suspension arm;   a locking tongue arranged on the frame and configured to engage the locking hole of the suspension arm; and   a locking spring configured to push the locking tongue toward the locking hole of the suspension arm when the frame and the suspension arm are folded.   
     
     
         16 . The toy vehicle of  claim 15 , wherein the locking unit further comprises a release button configured to unlock the portion of the frame from the non-elevated position. 
     
     
         17 . The toy vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the release button comprises:
 a bottom portion protruding outwardly from the frame; and   a top portion configured to move the locking tongue away from the locking hole of the frame when the bottom portion is pushed.   
     
     
         18 . A method of switching a height position of a toy vehicle, the method comprising:
 folding a frame and a suspension arm pivotally coupled to the frame and arranged under a portion of the frame;   activating a locking unit to keep the frame and the suspension arm folded and to lock the portion of the frame in a non-elevated position;   deactivating the locking unit to unlock the portion of the frame from the non-elevated position and to place the portion of the frame in an elevated position.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the activating the locking unit comprises turning a knob coupled to the suspension arm in a first direction to form a contact between the knob and the frame, and the deactivating the locking unit comprises turning the knob in a second direction to break the contact between the knob and the frame. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the locking unit is automatically activated when the frame and the suspension arm are folded, and the locking unit is deactivated when a release button connected to the locking unit is activated. 
     
     
         21 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the wheel comprises:
 a core; and   a multi-piece peripheral part; and   a tire coupled to the multi-piece peripheral part;   wherein the multi-piece peripheral part is detachably engaged and is configured to expand when being coupled to the core.