Toy Vehicle and Launcher

Abstract

A toy vehicle includes a rear wheel assembly, front wheel assembly, a driving mechanism and a frame. Each wheel assembly may include two wheels while the driving mechanism may be disposed within the toy vehicle and may include a flywheel motor operably coupled to the rear wheel assembly. The flywheel motor may provide for various types of play, including allowing the toy vehicle to balance on a part of the frame, drive on four wheels, or drive on its side, such that only the wheels disposed on one side of the toy vehicle are contacting the ground. The toy vehicle may drive in different pathways when driving on its side depending upon whether it is driving on its first or second side, as each side may include projections of different shapes extending from the wheels.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toy vehicle, comprising:
 a body having a front end, a back end, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side;   a drive mechanism disposed within the body;   a first wheel rotatably coupled to the body on the first side, the first wheel including a first projection extending outwardly therefrom; and   a second wheel rotatably coupled to the body on the second side, the second wheel including a second projection extending outwardly therefrom, the toy vehicle traveling along a first pathway when riding on the first projection and a second pathway when riding along the second projection, the first pathway being different from the second pathway.   
     
     
         2 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the second projection differs from the first projection. 
     
     
         3 . The toy vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein the first projection is a first frustoconical projection, the second projection is a second frustoconical projection, the first frustoconical projection having a first height and the second frustoconical projection having a second height, wherein the first and second heights are different. 
     
     
         4 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second wheels are each operably connected to the drive mechanism and may each propel the toy vehicle forwards. 
     
     
         5 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the first projection extends from a distal end of the first wheel and the second projection extends from a distal end of the second wheel, the distal end of the first wheel being disposed closer to the body than the distal end of the second wheel. 
     
     
         6 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the first pathway is a non-linear pathway and the second pathway is a linear pathway. 
     
     
         7 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the toy vehicle further comprises:
 a third wheel, the third wheel rotatably coupled to the body on the first side, the third wheel including a third projection extending outwardly therefrom, the third projection being equal in size and shape to the first projection; and   a fourth wheel, the fourth wheel rotatably coupled to the body on the second side, the fourth wheel including a fourth projection extending outwardly therefrom, the fourth projection being equal in size and shape to the second projection.   
     
     
         8 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism is a flywheel. 
     
     
         9 . A toy vehicle, comprising:
 a body having a front, a back, a first side, and a second side;   a drive mechanism disposed within the body;   a first set of wheels rotatably coupled to the body on the first side, each of the wheels in the first set of wheels having a portion that is at least partially conical, wherein at least one wheel of the first set of wheels is operably coupled to the drive mechanism; and   a second set of wheels rotatably coupled to the body on the second side, each of the wheels in the second set of wheels having a portion that is at least partially conical, the conical portions of the second set of wheels being different from the conical portions of the first set of wheels, wherein at least one wheel of the second set of wheels is operably coupled to the drive mechanism and the toy vehicle is configured to drive on only the conical portions of the first set of shaped wheels, only the conical portions of the second set of wheels, or both sets of wheels simultaneously.   
     
     
         10 . The toy vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the toy vehicle is configured to travel in a linear path when driving on only the conical portions of the first set of wheels, and the toy vehicle is configured to travel in an arcuate path when driving on only the conical portions of the second set of wheels. 
     
     
         11 . The toy vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the arcuate path is a circular path. 
     
     
         12 . The toy vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the conical portions of the first set of wheels have first exterior faces extending from first positions and the second conical portions of the second set of wheels have second exterior faces extending from second positions, the first positions being the distal ends of the wheels in the first set of wheels and the second positions being the distal ends of the wheels in the second set of wheels, wherein the first exterior faces extend from the first positions at a first angle and the second exterior faces extend from the second positions at a second angle. 
     
     
         13 . The toy vehicle of  claim 12 , wherein the first angle is greater than approximately sixty degrees and the second angle is less than approximately forty-six degrees. 
     
     
         14 . The toy vehicle of  claim 12 , wherein the distal ends of the first set of wheels are the same distance from the first side of the body and the distal ends of the second set of wheels extend different distances from the second side of the body. 
     
     
         15 . A toy vehicle playset comprising:
 a toy vehicle comprising:
 a chassis including a first side and a second side; 
 a drive mechanism; 
 a first set of wheels including a first wheel and a second wheel, the first wheel having a first projection and the second wheel having a second projection, the second projection being larger than the first projection; and 
 a second set of wheels including a third wheel and a fourth wheel, the third wheel having a third projection equal in size and shape to the first projection and the fourth wheel having a fourth projection equal in size and shape to the second projection; and 
   a launching mechanism configured to cause the toy vehicle to drive on one of the first and third projections and the second and fourth projections.   
     
     
         16 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 15 , wherein the launching mechanism includes a charging mechanism configured to transfer energy to the drive mechanism and the drive mechanism includes at least one gear exposed exteriorly of the chassis, the charging mechanism being configured to charge the drive mechanism via the gear exposed exteriorly of the chassis. 
     
     
         17 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 15 , wherein the projections are substantially conical, the first projections having a first height and the second projections having a second height. 
     
     
         18 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 15  wherein the toy vehicle drives in a first pathway when driving on the first and third projections and the toy vehicle drives in a second pathway when driving on second and fourth projections. 
     
     
         19 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 18 , wherein the first pathway is substantially straight and the second pathway is substantially arcuate. 
     
     
         20 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 15 , wherein the launching mechanism comprises at least one track, the track including a curved section with a banked curve, the banked curve causing the toy vehicle to begin driving on one of the first and third projections and the second and fourth projections.