Toy vehicles are well known in the art and have been produced in a virtually endless variety. Thus, practitioners in the toy arts have provided toy vehicles which are unpowered and which comprise freely rolling toys. Other toy vehicles are self-powered relying upon internal battery and electric motor power mechanisms or other devices such as spring-driven wind-up mechanisms to propel the toy vehicle. Still other toy vehicles have been provided which employ different types of crash features, most of which are responsive to impact with an object or another toy vehicle. These crash features have included toy vehicles which are formed of flexible materials and which deform upon impact. Also familiar in the art are toy vehicles which upon impact with an object undergo an abrupt flip or roll action. Still other toy vehicles having crash features utilize some type of simulation of explosion upon impact. Typically, the toy vehicles so equipped utilize a plurality of outer body parts which are coupled to spring-loaded mechanisms triggered in response to an impact.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,757,482 issued to Brown, et al. sets forth a SELECTIVELY SELF-WRECKING TOY VEHICLE having a chassis supporting rolling wheels and a plurality of body components resting thereon. A plurality of impact trigger spring-loaded mechanisms eject the body parts upon a triggering impact.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,669 issued to Parker sets forth a TOY SIMULATED EXPLODING VEHICLE having a battery-powered drive mechanism together with an impact responsive pivotal lever. A portion of the frontal body of the toy vehicle is removable and is impacted and sent flying by the pivotable lever within the interior of the car.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,197 issued to Kulesza, et al. sets forth an IMPACT RESPONSIVE TOY VEHICLE having front and rear vehicle portions joined by a spring-loaded release. The spring-loaded release is triggered by impacts on the front of the car and is operative to allow the car to separate into two pieces following impact.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,890 issued to Myers sets forth a REMOTELY-CONTROLLED TOY VEHICLE WITH WATER EJECTION CAPABILITIES having a tractor-like vehicle supporting an internal water reservoir and a pressurizing pump. A nozzle is coupled to the pressurized reservoir and is directed forwardly and upwardly to produce a correspondingly directed stream of water.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,231 issued to Brovelli sets forth a TOY THAT DISASSEMBLES UPON AN IMPACT having a toy vehicle body supporting a plurality of removable components. A plurality of spring mechanisms are operative in combination with a plurality of latches to captivate the body parts against the chassis in a spring-loaded latch attachment. Upon impact, a latch release member trips each latch whereupon the springs operate to eject the body parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,000,137 issued to Vine sets forth a SELF-UPSETTING TOY VEHICLE having a chassis, a body and a plurality of rolling wheels. The front bumper of the toy vehicle is movable in response to impacts and is spring biased toward an extended frontal position. A spring-driven arm is controlled by a latch and supported on the underside of the toy vehicle. In response to an impact, the latch is released and the lever strikes downwardly flipping the toy vehicle over.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,256 issued to Symons sets forth an AMUSEMENT DEVICE PROPELLED BY AN ECCENTRIC APPARATUS which responds to remotely transmitted communication.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have improved the art and in some instances enjoyed commercial success, they have nonetheless fallen short of providing the degree of excitement and realism which one would expect in a so-called exploding toy vehicle. Accordingly, there remains a continuing need in the art for evermore realistic, entertaining and exciting explosion simulating toy vehicles.