Track vehicle for moving in toy track system

Abstract

A track vehicle for traveling through a toy track system which includes pipe track sections connected together. The track vehicle includes a body having opposite ends and two sides; two diverting pulleys on the sides; a motor in the vehicle; a drive wheel, connected to the motor, at an end of the body; a battery; a control connected to the motor and the battery; two driving pulleys on the sides of the body, at an end of the body, wherein the driving pulleys and the drive wheel allow the track vehicle to stand and run on a plane; and a biasing wheel on top of the track vehicle for applying a force to an inner wall of a pipe track section, that is in contact with the drive wheel, to maintain the drive wheel in contact with the inner wall for driving the track vehicle along the pipe track section.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A track vehicle traveling within a toy track system which includes a pipe track portion comprising a plurality of pipe track sections, connected together and having an inlet end through which the track vehicle may enter the pipe track portion, for traveling through the pipe track portion, and an outlet end though which the track vehicle may exit the pipe track portion, wherein the track vehicle comprises:
 a vehicle body having opposite first and second ends, two opposed sides, a top, and a bottom;   at least two diverting pulleys respectively arranged on the two sides of the vehicle body;   a motor located in the vehicle body;   at least one drive wheel mechanically connected to the motor and disposed at the second end of the vehicle body;   a battery;   a control unit connected to the motor and to the battery;   at least two driving pulleys respectively disposed on the two sides of the vehicle body, at the first end of the vehicle body, wherein the at least two driving pulleys and the at least one drive wheel are configured so that the track vehicle stands and runs on a planar surface; and   a biasing wheel disposed on the top of the track vehicle body, wherein the biasing wheel is configured for applying a biasing force to an inner wall of a pipe track section that is in contact with the drive wheel of the track vehicle, to maintain the drive wheel in frictional contact with the inner wall for driving the track vehicle along the pipe track section.   
     
     
         17 . The track vehicle according to  claim 16 , wherein the biasing wheel is located on the track vehicle in a position directly opposite the drive wheel. 
     
     
         18 . The track vehicle according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least two diverting pulleys of the track vehicle are disposed at a position closer to the second end or at a position between the at least two driving pulleys and the at least one drive wheel. 
     
     
         19 . The track vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one drive wheel of the track vehicle is a single drive wheel. 
     
     
         20 . The track vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one drive wheel of the track vehicle is a pair of drive wheels. 
     
     
         21 . The track vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein
 the at least two diverting pulleys of the track vehicle, the at least two driving pulleys of the track vehicle, and the at least one drive wheel of the track vehicle have respective axes, and   the axis of the at least two diverting pulleys is perpendicular to the axis of the at least two driving pulleys or to the axis of the at least one drive wheel.   
     
     
         22 . The track vehicle of  claim 16 , including a spring-biased arm, wherein the biasing wheel is biased by the spring-biased arm. 
     
     
         23 . The track vehicle according to  claim 22 , wherein
 the track vehicle further comprises at least one auxiliary biasing wheel pivotally mounted on the spring biased arm, closer to the first end of the spring-biased arm than is the biasing wheel, and   both the biasing wheel and the auxiliary biasing wheel are radially displaceable.   
     
     
         24 . The track vehicle according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the track vehicle further comprises at least two guide members,   the guide members include at least two protrusions located on the top of the track vehicle, and   the guide members have a smooth and rounded surface for slidably moving along the inner surface of the pipe track section.   
     
     
         25 - 26 . (canceled)