Tubular Transport System With Motorized Vehicle

Abstract

A tubular transport system with a motorized vehicle includes a) an at least partially transparent hollow tube being semi-flexible so as to bend to a predetermined minimum radius and no further; b) a motorized vehicle within tube; c) a motor within or connected to the vehicle for movement by traction; d) a power source for the motor; e) a traction mechanism for assisting in movement of said motor vehicle. The vehicle may be themed, and may be singular, plural articulated and/or plural separate vehicles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tubular transport system with motorized vehicle, which comprises:
 a) a hollow tube having a proximal end and a distal end, said hollow tube being semi-flexible so as to bend no less than a predetermined minimum radius and to bend no farther than a predetermined maximum radius without kinking, said hollow tube having a transparency selected from the group consisting of translucent, transparent, opaque, or combinations thereof, said hollow tube having a supportive spine to facilitate control of bending and holding a bent portion of said hollow tube;   b) a motorized vehicle moveably positioned within said hollow tube;   c) a motor connected to said vehicle for advancing said motorized vehicle by driving a traction mechanism;   d) a power source connected to said motor, said power source being located in a position selected from the group consisting of: (i) within said motor vehicle: (ii) within said hollow tube external from said motor vehicle, and (iii) functionally connected to said motor of said motor vehicle;   e) said traction mechanism for assisting in movement of said motor vehicle, said traction mechanism selected from the group consisting of: (i) wheels connected to said motor vehicle, said wheels being friction wheels; (ii) wheels and tracks, one of said wheels and one of said tracks being located on said motor vehicle and the other of said wheels and said tracks being located in said hollow tube; (iii) a monorail system connected to said motor vehicle and said hollow tube; (iv) a magnetic drive connected to said motor vehicle and said hollow tube; and (v) a slot, detent and propulsion mechanism connected to said motor vehicle and said hollow tube.   
     
     
         2 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 1  wherein said hollow tube has background scenery on a portion thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 1  wherein said hollow tube supportive spine is at least one set of fingers wherein each finger has a first end, being a proximal end, that is connected to said hollow tube, and has a second end, being a distal end, that is extended away from said hollow tube, having a first position with open space between each adjacent finger distal end when said hollow tube is unbent, and having a second position with each said adjacent finger distal end contacting one another when said hollow tube is bent to said minimum radius (maximum bending position), and wherein said contacting creates stops to inhibit further bending. 
     
     
         4 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 1  wherein said hollow tube supportive spine is an exoskeleton attached to said hollow tube. 
     
     
         5 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 1  wherein said hollow tube supportive spine is embedded within said hollow tube. 
     
     
         6 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 1  wherein said hollow tube supportive spine is selected from the group consisting of at least one continuous support coil, a plurality of disconnected linear supports, and a plurality of disconnected arcuate supports. 
     
     
         7 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 1  wherein said hollow tube includes at least one light thereon, said light being selected from the group consisting of: (i) at least one spotlight; (ii) at least one backlight; (iii) at least one overhead light; (iv) at least one string of LED lights; and (v) a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 1  wherein said motor vehicle includes a top that has a receiver adapted for attachment and removal of interchangeable overcaps, and said tubular transport system includes at least one theme-based over cap. 
     
     
         9 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 1  wherein said motor is an electric motor and said power source is selected from the group consisting of an AC power source and a DC power source. 
     
     
         10 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 9  wherein said power source is a DC power source, said DC power source being a battery. 
     
     
         11 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 9  wherein said power source is an AC power source that includes a transformer and an outlet plug. 
     
     
         12 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 10  wherein said motor is a fixed output DC motor. 
     
     
         13 . The tubular transport system with a motorized vehicle of  claim 11  wherein said motor is a variable output motor and said system further includes a variable speed manual controller. 
     
     
         14 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 1  wherein said hollow tube is selected from the group consisting of: (i) a hollow tube having a closed side wall; and (ii) a hollow tube having an open side wall. 
     
     
         15 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 14  wherein said hollow tube has an open side wall and said hollow tube supportive spine is at least one set of fingers wherein each finger has a first end, being a proximal end that is connected to said hollow tube, and has a second end, being a distal end that is extended away from said hollow tube, having a first position with open space between each adjacent finger distal end when said hollow tube is unbent, and having a second position with said each adjacent finger distal end contacting one another when said hollow tube is bent to said minimum radius (maximum bending position), and wherein said contacting creates stops to inhibit further bending. 
     
     
         16 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 15  wherein at least one set of said fingers is located in a position selected from the group consisting of: (i) a bottom of said open side wall hollow tube; (ii) a top of said open side wall hollow tube; and (iii) both a bottom of said open side wall hollow tube and a top of said open side wall hollow tube. 
     
     
         17 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 15  wherein one set of fingers is also a set of tracks as part of said traction mechanism. 
     
     
         18 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 15  wherein said open side wall hollow tube has a closed side wall with at least a portion thereof having a decorative sheet-receiving mechanism. 
     
     
         19 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 18  wherein said closed wall portion is selected from the group consisting of transparent and translucent and wherein said closed wall portion has an outside surface that includes at least one backlight. 
     
     
         20 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 15  wherein said closed wall portion includes a guide rail for attachment of a vehicle thereto. 
     
     
         21 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 20  wherein said closed wall portion guide rail includes electric power rails to power a vehicle. 
     
     
         22 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 14  wherein a portion of said motor vehicle extends through said open side wall. 
     
     
         23 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 14  wherein said tube is a plurality of separate sections that includes interconnectors at each end for assembly. 
     
     
         24 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 1  wherein said hollow tube has a hatch on at least one of said proximal end and said distal end, for accessing said motorized vehicle. 
     
     
         25 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 1  wherein said motorized vehicle is a train. 
     
     
         26 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 1  wherein said motorized vehicle includes a structure selected from the group consisting of: (i) a support for mounting and moving an object; (ii) a carrier for transporting an object; (iii) at least one illumination system; (iv) at least one sounding system; and (v) combinations of foregoing. 
     
     
         27 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 1  wherein said system is comprised of a plurality of connected sections and at least one section is comprised of a plurality of individual interconnected links that are rotatable relative to one another. 
     
     
         28 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 27  wherein each of said individual interconnected links has an inner portion and an outer portion and an inner portion of one link is connected by being inserted into the outer portion of an adjacent link. 
     
     
         29 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 28  wherein said individual interconnected links are connected with rotator clips. 
     
     
         30 . The tubular transport system with motorized vehicle of  claim 29  wherein at least two of said rotator clips have hanging loops.