1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toy comprising a remote control device and a remote controlled model vehicle to be controlled by a control signal from the remote control device.
2. Description of Related Art
According to an earlier development, a toy having a remote controller and a remote controlled model airplane (vehicle) is known.
According to the toy as described above, the remote controller and the remote controlled model airplane are designed that the remote controlled model airplane moves forward when a forward button of the remote controller is pressed, the remote controlled model airplane moves backward when a backward button of the remote controller is pressed, and the remote controlled model airplane turns when a turn button of the remote controller is pressed.
Further, as a model airplane capable of expressing a state of taking-off and landing, a self-propelled model airplane is known. Although the self-propelled model airplane is not a remote controlled model vehicle, the self-propelled model airplane is designed to raise the front portion thereof when taking off and to lower the rear portion thereof when landing on (Japanese Utility Model Application Publication (Examined) No. Jitsuko hei-7-6951). According to the self-propelled model airplane, it simulates an engine sound generated when an airplane takes off and lands on. The self-propelled model airplane changes the artificial engine sound to one having a higher frequency when taking off, while the self-propelled model airplane changes the artificial engine sound to one having a lower frequency when landing on.
However, according to the toy having the remote controller and the remote controlled model airplane and the self-propelled model airplane as described above, the following problems occur.
That is, according to the former toy having the remote controller and the remote controlled model airplane, the remote controlled model airplane is moved by the control by the remote controller so that a player can have senses that he pilots a real airplane at a cockpit thereof. However, the remote controlled model airplane does not change the form thereof other than the direction of wheels thereof. The remote controlled model airplane only moves forward and backward and turns on the flour by the control by the remote controller. Accordingly, the toy has been a little interesting to the visual sense of the player.
On the other hand, according to the later self-propelled model airplane as described above, the self-propelled model airplane changes the form thereof and the artificial engine sound when taking off and landing on so that the self-propelled model airplane is interesting to the visual sense and the auditory sense of the player. However, the self-propelled model airplane is uncontrolled by any controller. Accordingly, the player cannot have senses that he pilots a real airplane at a cockpit thereof at all.
The present invention was developed in view of the above-described problems.
An object of the present invention is to provide a toy comprising a remote control device and a remote controlled model vehicle for changing a form thereof while moving, according to a control by the remote control device.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a toy comprises a remote control device (for example, a controller 100 shown in FIG. 1) and a remote controlled model vehicle (for example, a model airplane 200 shown in FIG. 2) capable of turning at least rightward and leftward according to a control signal from the remote control device, wherein the remote control device comprises: a tilt detecting unit (for example, switches SW 5 and SW 6 of a detector unit shown in FIG. 6) for detecting rightward and leftward tilt directions thereof; and the remote controlled model vehicle comprises: a lower body part (for example, a lower body part 202b shown in FIG. 7); an upper body part (for example, an upper body part 202a shown in FIGS. 2 and 7) capable of tilting rightward and leftward to the lower body part; a tilting unit (for example, a forked member 211 shown in FIG. 10) for tilting the upper body part in the same direction as a tilt direction of the remote control device, detected by the tilt detecting unit; and a steering unit (for example, a front wheel 203 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9) for turning in the same direction as the tilt direction of the remote control device in synchronization with a tilt of the upper body part.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a toy comprises a remote control device and a remote controlled model vehicle capable of turning at least rightward and leftward according to a control signal from the remote control device, wherein the remote control device comprises: a tilt detecting unit for detecting rightward and leftward tilt directions thereof; and the remote controlled model vehicle comprises: a body (for example, an upper body part 202a and a lower body part 202b shown in FIG. 7) capable of tilting rightward and leftward; a tilting unit for tilting the body in the same direction as a tilt direction of the remote control device, detected by the tilt detecting unit; and a steering unit for turning in the same direction as the tilt direction of the remote control device in synchronization with a tilt of the body.
Herein, the remote controlled model vehicle includes, for example, a model airplane, a model helicopter, a model railroad car, a model ship and the like. Further, the remote controlled model vehicle can turn rightward and leftward, that is, in a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction about an approximately vertical axis.
The remote control device can be tilted rightward and leftward, that is, can be rotated in a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction about an approximately horizontal axis, when the remote control device is stood, as shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, the tilt detecting unit can detect rightward and leftward tilt directions of the remote control device, that is, can detect whether the remote control device is rotated in a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction about the approximately horizontal axis.
According to the remote controlled model vehicle, the tilting unit can tilt the upper body part and the body rightward and leftward, that is, can rotate the upper body part and the body in a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction about an approximately horizontal axis extended along a travel direction of the remote controlled model vehicle. Further, the steering unit can turn in synchronization with a tilt of the upper body part and the body, that is, can rotate in a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction about an approximately vertical axis in synchronization with a rotation of the upper body part and the body.
According to the toy as described above, the remote controlled model vehicle can tilt the upper body part and the body in the same direction about the approximately horizontal axis by the tilting unit and turn in the same direction about the approximately vertical axis by the steering unit, according as whether the remote control device is tilted in a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction about the approximately horizontal axis, while the remote controlled model vehicle is moving.
For example, the remote controlled model vehicle tilts the upper body part or the body in a clockwise direction about the approximately horizontal axis when turning in a clockwise direction about the approximately vertical axis, while the remote controlled model vehicle tilts the upper body part or the body in a counterclockwise direction about the approximately horizontal axis when turning in a counterclockwise direction about the approximately vertical axis. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a toy comprising a remote control device and a remote controlled model vehicle capable of moving with reality.
Further, the remote controlled model vehicle is controlled by standing or tilting the remote control device. Accordingly, it is possible to sufficiently provide senses that a player pilots a real airplane at a cockpit thereof.
Preferably, a toy as described above, comprises a remote control device and a remote controlled model; wherein the remote controlled model vehicle further comprises: a wheel (for example, a front wheel 203 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9) provided at the lower body part, as the steering unit; and a shaft (for example, a shaft 202c shown in FIG. 7) extending forward and backward thereof and provided at the lower body part, around which the upper body part is capable of tilting rightward and leftward; and a direction of the wheel and a tilt direction of the upper body part is determined according to the tilt direction of the remote control device, detected by the tilt detecting unit.
Preferably, a toy according to another aspect as described above, comprises a remote control device and a remote controlled model vehicle, wherein the remote controlled model vehicle further comprises a wheel provided at the body, as the steering unit.
According to the toy as described above, the direction of the wheel and the tilt direction of the upper body part or the body are changed according to the tilt direction of the remote control device. Accordingly, the remote controlled model vehicle turns to and tilts in the same direction as each other, while the remote controlled model vehicle is moving. Consequently, it is possible to provide a toy having a remote control device and a remote controlled model vehicle capable of moving with reality.
Preferably, a toy as described above, comprises a remote control device and a remote controlled model vehicle, wherein the remote control device further comprises at least a handle (for example, handles 102 and 103 shown in FIG. 1) provided thereat and held by a hand to operate the remote control device.
The remote control device may comprise one handle provided at the center or the like, of the remote control device, or two handle provided at both sides of the remote control device respectively.
According to the toy as described above, the handle is provided at the remote control device and held by a hand to operate the remote control device thereby. Consequently, it is possible to produce senses that a player pilots a real airplane at a cockpit thereof.
Preferably, a toy as described above, comprises a remote control device and a remote controlled model vehicle, wherein the remote control device further comprises a dummy compass (for example, a dummy compass 108 shown in FIG. 1) for indicating rightward and leftward tilt directions of the remote control device and a travel direction of the remote controlled model vehicle indirectly.
Preferably, a toy according to another aspect as described above, comprises a remote control device and a remote controlled model vehicle, wherein the remote control device further comprises a dummy compass for indicating a travel direction of the remote controlled model vehicle.
According to the toy as described above, the dummy compass is provided at the remote control device so that it is possible to provide a remote control device with more reality. Further, a player can know the travel direction of the remote controlled model vehicle with the dummy compass of the remote control device to some extent. Accordingly, the player can play with the toy so that the player moves the remote controlled model vehicle to the destination with only watching the dummy compass of the remote control device. As a result, it is possible to realize a more interesting toy.
Preferably, a toy as described above, comprises a remote control device and a remote controlled model vehicle, wherein the dummy compass comprises: a vehicle figure (for example, an airplane figure 111 shown in FIG. 1) fixedly provided at a transparent plate (for example, a transparent plate 110 shown in FIG. 1) provided at a window of the remote control device; a compass card (for example, a dummy compass card 112 shown in FIG. 4) provided at an inside of the window of the remote control device and rotatable on a basis of a pendulum principal according to rightward and leftward tilts of the remote control device; and a predetermined lubber line (for example, a cross line 113 shown in FIGS. 1 and 4) provided at the compass card, for indicating the travel direction of the remote controlled vehicle by a position relation with the vehicle figure.
According to the toy as described above, the compass card rotates on the basis of the pendulum principal according to the tilt of the remote control device. Thereby the dummy compass indicates the travel direction of the remote controlled model vehicle. Consequently, it is unnecessary to provide an expensive sensor at the remote control device and it is possible to realize a dummy compass at a low cost.