Assembly for Toy Entities

Abstract

An assembly to spin a toy entity includes a body, a flywheel, a first input for rotation, a clutch, and a first pin. The flywheel is mounted for rotation within the body. The first input for rotation is mounted to the body and in communication with the flywheel. The clutch is arranged with the body for engagement to transfer energy between the body and flywheel. The first pin is arranged with the body for the toy entity to spin thereupon when the flywheel is energized and the clutch is engaged.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toy vehicle comprising:
 a chassis defining a cavity;   at least two wheels mounted for rotation to the chassis to support the chassis upon an underlying support surface;   a shaft mounted to the chassis for translation between raised and lowered positions;   a flywheel located within the cavity and mounted for rotation upon the shaft;   a pin fixed to the shaft to engage the support surface;   an actuator in cooperation with at least one of the pin and the shaft to selectively hold the shaft and pin in the raised position and to selectively release the pin such that the shaft moves to the lowered position;   a clutch in cooperation with the flywheel and the chassis; and   a spring tab secured to the chassis in cooperation with the shaft to exert a force on the shaft and the clutch to move the shaft to the lowered position and to engage the clutch to the chassis.   
     
     
         2 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a transfer gear secured to the flywheel. 
     
     
         3 . The toy vehicle of  claim 2 , further comprising a first input for rotation mounted to the chassis, comprising a charge wheel and a gear secured thereto, the charge wheel being in mechanical cooperation with the transfer gear to transfer energy generated by rotation of the charge wheel to the flywheel. 
     
     
         4 . The toy vehicle of  claim 2 , further comprising a second input for rotation comprising a housing secured to the chassis to contain the flywheel and define a channel sized to receive a gear rack, wherein the channel is arranged with the transfer gear such that the gear rack meshes with the transfer gear when inserted into the channel. 
     
     
         5 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator further comprises:
 a segment mounted for translation to the chassis;   a bumper at one end;   a stopper at another end and with a raised edge about a through-hole therethrough; and   a spring oriented between the stopper and the chassis to exert a force toward the shaft, so that a force opposite and greater than the force exerted by the spring against the bumper moves the segment thereby releasing the pin from the raised position.   
     
     
         6 . The toy vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the clutch defines a lip to frictionally engage the chassis under the force generated by the spring tab such that the vehicle and flywheel spin about the shaft when the flywheel releases energy. 
     
     
         7 . An assembly to spin a toy entity comprising:
 a body;   a flywheel mounted for rotation within the body;   a first input for rotation mounted to the body and in communication with the flywheel;   a clutch arranged with the body for engagement and to transfer energy between the body and the flywheel; and   a first pin arranged with the body for the toy entity to spin thereupon when the flywheel is energized and the clutch is engaged.   
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the first input for rotation comprises:
 a charge wheel mounted for rotation to the body;   an input gear secured to the charge wheel; and   a first transfer gear secured to the flywheel in engagement with the input gear such that energy generated by rotation of the charge wheel transfers to the flywheel, and wherein the first input for rotation is mounted to the body.   
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8  further comprising a second input for rotation including a channel defined by the body and sized to receive a gear rack, and wherein the channel is arranged with a second transfer gear secured to the flywheel such that the gear rack meshes with the second transfer gear when inserted into the channel to facilitate a transfer of energy from the gear rack to the flywheel. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a spin shaft extending through the body and mounted thereto for translation between at least two positions; and 
 two or more wheels mounted for rotation to the body and sized such that the spin shaft lifts at least a portion of one of the wheels off of a surface therebelow when in one of the positions. 
 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the spin shaft includes a second pin attached at a lower portion, and wherein the second pin selectively holds the spin shaft in the raised position. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 11 , further comprising an actuator including:
 a segment mounted for translation to the body;   a bumper at one end;   a stopper at another end and with a raised edge about a through-hole therethrough; and   a spring oriented between the stopper and the body to exert a force toward the spin shaft such that a force opposite and greater than the force exerted by the spring against the bumper moves the segment thereby releasing the second pin from the raised position.   
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising a spring tab secured to the body in cooperation with a spin shaft extending through the body to exert a downward force on the spin shaft and the clutch to move the spin shaft between the positions to engage the clutch to the body. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the clutch is fixed to a transfer gear secured to the flywheel and defines a lip to frictionally engage the body under a force applied thereto and exerted toward the flywheel. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 7  further comprising two or more wheels mounted to the body for rotation to support the body upon an underlying surface.