CN108499131B

CN108499131B - Coupling and toy vehicle using the same and method of manufacturing the same

Info

Publication number: CN108499131B
Application number: CN201810264135.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 肖飞龙; 曾珣; 彭亮
Original assignee: Ji'an Crabkingdom Technology Co ltd
Current assignee: Ji'an Crabkingdom Technology Co ltd
Priority date: 2018-03-28
Filing date: 2018-03-28
Publication date: 2020-11-17
Anticipated expiration: 2038-03-28
Also published as: CN108499131A

Abstract

The invention provides a coupling and a toy vehicle using the same and a manufacturing method thereof, wherein the toy vehicle comprises a toy vehicle body and a transmission system for supporting the toy vehicle body to walk, wherein the transmission system comprises at least one transmission shaft and at least one wheel rotating around the transmission shaft, wherein the coupling is arranged to be drivably connected with the transmission shaft and the wheel, wherein the coupling comprises an actuator and at least two guard arms, wherein the actuator is arranged to be coupled with the transmission shaft, wherein the actuator is also synchronously coupled with the wheel, the wheel is driven to rotate around the transmission shaft by the actuator, any guard arm is connected with the wheel, the guard arms keep the actuator to drive the wheel to rotate, and the coupling is prevented from being disengaged from the wheel.

Description

Coupling and toy vehicle using the same and method of manufacturing the same

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a toy vehicle, and more particularly, to a coupler and a toy vehicle using the coupler and a method of manufacturing the same.

Background

Toy vehicles are now popular toys in society and are well received by children and parents of children. The toy car not only has great interest, but also can exercise the mental and operational abilities of children during the operation and use. There are many types of children's toy vehicles on the market, any of which has a unique structure, but the transmission principle of the toy vehicles is basically the same.

Fig. 1 shows a conventional toy vehicle which is now commercially available, and includes a vehicle body 1, a power supply device 2 provided to the vehicle body 1, a motor 3, and four tires 4 driven by the motor 3. Such a conventional toy vehicle is configured such that the power supply device 2 provided to the vehicle body 1 supplies electric power to the motor 3, and then the power output shaft of the motor 3 drives the tires 4 of the toy vehicle to rotate. The transmission system of the conventional toy vehicle is that a power output shaft connected by the motor 3 or the motor 3 is pivotally connected to the tire 4, and the rotation of the tire 4 is directly driven by the power output shaft.

The motor 3 or the power output shaft connected with the motor 3 of the conventional toy vehicle is matched with the tire 4. In other words, the assembly connection between the motor 3 and the wheel 4 and the power output shaft of the toy car is a single matching type, and the size of the shaft diameter of the motor 3 and the size of the connecting hole diameter of the wheel 4 need to be strictly matched. Then the same toy vehicle can only use the matched motor 3 or tyre 4, etc., and can not replace different kinds of motors 3 or tyres 4 according to the use requirements of users. Simply stated, conventional toy vehicles do not use a fixed motor to match different types of tires, or the same tire to match different types of motors.

On the other hand, the conventional toy vehicles, whether the motor 3 or the wheel 4 needs to be replaced, are limited by the shape and size of the rotating shaft, and meanwhile, the motor 3 needs to be disassembled and assembled in an integral structure. Secondly, for traditional toy car, wheel 4 that often appears wanting to use can not be used because the pivot hole site mismatches, or after the motor electrical parameter is changed/new, but does not have the manufacturer to produce the motor model that matches the 4 axle hole sites of wheel, can not be very good and effectual resource maximize utilizes each other.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that such conventional toy vehicles are pivotally connected directly to the axle bore of the tire 4 by the motor 3 or a motor-connected drive shaft, and the stability of such connection is limited by the shape and size of the shaft and the axle bore. In particular, when the toy vehicle is improperly operated or used for a long time, the connection between the tire 4 of the toy vehicle and the rotating shaft of the motor 3 is easily loosened, and the whole toy vehicle is easily scrapped because the tire 4 is not matched.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a coupling and a toy vehicle using the same and a method of manufacturing the same that can use the same motor to match wheels with different axle holes.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a coupling and a toy vehicle using the same, which can use the same wheel to match different motors or power output shafts to which the motors are connected, and a method of manufacturing the same.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a coupling, a toy vehicle using the coupling, and a method for manufacturing the same, in which the motor or the power output shaft of the toy vehicle is connected to the wheel through a coupling, the motor or the power output shaft drives the coupling, and the coupling drives the wheel to rotate.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a coupling and a toy vehicle using the same, which are capable of preventing the abrasion of the wheel shaft caused by the direct driving of the motor or the power output shaft by driving the rotation of the wheel by the coupling, and a method for manufacturing the same.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a coupling and a toy vehicle using the same, which can better maintain the balance of the wheels during driving by coupling the wheels, and a method for manufacturing the same.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a coupling, a toy vehicle using the coupling, and a method for manufacturing the same, in which the coupling is coupled to the wheel, so that the center axis of the coupling can be more stably adjusted with respect to the center axis of the wheel hub.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a coupling, a toy vehicle using the same, and a method for manufacturing the same, in which the transmission shaft directly drives the coupling, and then the coupling drives the wheel, thereby reducing the difficulty of manufacturing the wheel and the manufacturing cost of the wheel.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a coupling and a toy vehicle using the same, and a method for manufacturing the same, in which the coupling is connected to the wheel, and then the transmission shaft drives the coupling to rotate, so that the coupling relieves the impact or pressure on the transmission shaft and the wheel, and reduces the wear on the transmission shaft or the wheel.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a coupling and a toy vehicle using the same and a method of manufacturing the same, wherein the transmission system of the motor or power take-off shaft, the coupling, and the wheels can be applied to a variety of different types of toy vehicles.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a coupling and a toy vehicle using the same, wherein the coupling includes at least one arm guard configured to be coupled to a hub of the wheel, thereby more stably coupling the power take-off shaft to the wheel via the coupling.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a coupling and a toy vehicle using the same and a method of manufacturing the same, which do not require a change in an original structure, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the toy vehicle.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a coupling and a toy vehicle using the same and a method of manufacturing the same, such that the above objects of the present invention are achieved without requiring complicated mechanical structures and expensive equipment. The invention thus provides a cost-effective solution.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a coupling adapted to connect a wheel to a drive shaft, comprising:

an actuator, wherein the actuator is configured to be coupled to the transmission shaft, and the actuator rotates around the transmission shaft under the driving of the transmission shaft, wherein the actuator is further synchronously coupled to the wheel, and the wheel is driven to rotate around the transmission shaft by the actuator; and

at least two guard arms, wherein any one of said guard arms is connected to said actuator of said coupling, said guard arms further connected to said wheel, said guard arms holding said actuator to drive said wheel to rotate, and said coupling prevented from disengaging from said wheel.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the actuator further has a shaft groove, the shape of the shaft groove is adapted to the shape of the transmission shaft, the transmission shaft is coupled to the shaft groove of the actuator, and the transmission shaft synchronously drives the coupler to rotate through the shaft groove.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the actuator of the coupling has a cylindrical structure, and an outer surface of the actuator is configured to be coupled to a driving portion of the wheel, wherein the outer surface of the actuator is engaged with the driving portion of the wheel, and the actuator drives the wheel to rotate through the outer surface of the actuator.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the actuator of the coupling is configured to be detachably coupled to the driving shaft and the wheel, wherein the actuator is coupled to the driving shaft by an interference fit, and the actuator receives a rotational force of the driving shaft to drive the wheel to rotate.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the guard arms are integrally extended outward from the actuator, and each of the guard arms includes a connecting portion configured to be connected to the wheel, and the connecting portion of the guard arm holds the actuator of the coupling to the driving portion of the wheel.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the guard arm is detachably mounted on the wheel, and the wheel is driven by the guard arm to synchronously rotate by the actuator, and the guard arm and the actuator of the coupling together drive the wheel to rotate around the transmission shaft, so as to form a dual-drive structure.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a transmission system for a toy vehicle, comprising:

at least one transmission shaft, and at least one wheel rotating around the transmission shaft; and

the coupler, wherein the coupler is configured to drivably couple to the drive shaft and the wheel, receive the drive force from the drive shaft via the coupler, and drive the wheel to rotate about the drive shaft.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the wheel includes at least one hub and a tire disposed on the hub, and the coupling is configured to couple to the hub of the wheel and to drive the hub to rotate synchronously.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the hub of the wheel has a drive portion having a shape and size adapted to a shape and size of the actuator of the coupling, wherein the actuator of the coupling is arranged to be coupled to the drive portion of the hub.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the actuator of the coupling is a square cylinder structure, the driving portion is a square groove adapted to the actuator, and the actuator drives the wheels to rotate synchronously by the driving portion.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the transmission system further comprises a power device, the transmission shaft is pivotally connected to the power device, wherein the transmission shaft drives the coupler to rotate under the driving action of the power device.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the transmission shaft of the transmission system is integrally arranged on the power device, and the coupling is directly driven by the power device to rotate around the transmission shaft.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a toy vehicle, comprising:

a toy vehicle body; and

the transmission system of at least one of the toy vehicles, wherein the transmission system is disposed in the toy vehicle body, and the transmission system upwardly supports the toy vehicle body and moves the toy vehicle body.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the body of the toy vehicle further comprises a power supply device, wherein the power supply device is configured to be electrically connected to the power device of the toy vehicle to provide power to the power device.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a method of manufacturing a toy vehicle, comprising the method steps of:

(a) mounting at least one coupling to a wheel;

(b) a drive shaft pivotally coupling the coupling to a drive system; and

(c) the transmission system is mounted to a toy vehicle body.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be fully apparent from the ensuing description and drawings. These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is an overall schematic view of a conventional toy vehicle.

Fig. 2 is an overall schematic view of a toy vehicle according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3A is a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of a transmission according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3B is a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of the transmission according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is an overall view of the walking device according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5A is an alternative embodiment of the coupling according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the coupling has two guard arms.

Fig. 5B is another alternative embodiment of the coupling according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the coupling has three guard arms.

Fig. 5C is another alternative embodiment of the coupling according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the coupling has four guard arms.

Fig. 5D is another alternative embodiment of the coupling according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the coupling has five guard arms.

Fig. 6A is an alternative embodiment of the coupling according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the actuator of the coupling is a square cylinder.

Fig. 6B is another alternative embodiment of the coupling according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the actuator of the coupling is a triangular cylinder.

Fig. 6C is another alternative embodiment of the coupling according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the actuators of the coupling are hexagonal cylinders.

Fig. 6D is another alternative embodiment of the coupling according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the actuator of the coupling is an elliptical cylinder.

Fig. 7A is an alternative embodiment of the wheel apparatus according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7B is another alternative embodiment of the wheel apparatus according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7C is another alternative embodiment of the wheel apparatus according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7D is another alternative embodiment of the wheel apparatus according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is an overall schematic view of a first alternative embodiment of the coupling according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 9 is a schematic view of the installation of a first alternative embodiment of the coupling according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 10 is a general schematic view of a first alternative embodiment of the transmission according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 11 is a schematic view of the installation of a first alternative embodiment of the transmission according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 12 is a general schematic view of a second alternative embodiment of the transmission according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 13 is a schematic view of the installation of a second alternative embodiment of the transmission according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 14 is another overall mounting schematic of the toy vehicle according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The following description is presented to disclose the invention so as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention. The preferred embodiments in the following description are given by way of example only, and other obvious variations will occur to those skilled in the art. The basic principles of the invention, as defined in the following description, may be applied to other embodiments, variations, modifications, equivalents, and other technical solutions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that in the present disclosure, the terms "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," and the like are used in an orientation or positional relationship indicated in the drawings for ease of description and simplicity of description, and do not indicate or imply that the referenced devices or components must be in a particular orientation, constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and thus the above terms are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

It is understood that the terms "a" and "an" should be interpreted as meaning that a number of one element or element is one in one embodiment, while a number of other elements is one in another embodiment, and the terms "a" and "an" should not be interpreted as limiting the number.

Referring to fig. 2-7D of the drawings, a toy vehicle according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is set forth in the description that follows. According to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the toy vehicle comprises a toy vehicle body 10, at least one transmission system 20 disposed on the toy vehicle body 10, wherein the transmission system 20 supports the toy vehicle body 10 upward, and the transmission system 20 moves the toy vehicle body 10.

As shown in fig. 2 to 3B, the toy vehicle body 10 includes a vehicle body support 11, a power supply device 12 disposed on the vehicle body support 11, a power control switch 13 for controlling the power supply device 12 to discharge power, and a vehicle controller 14 for controlling the operation of the transmission system 20. It will be appreciated that the power supply means 12 of the toy vehicle is electrically connected to the power control switch 13 and supplies power to the drive train 20 under the control of the power control switch 13. Accordingly, the transmission system 20 moves the toy vehicle body 10 of the toy vehicle forward or backward under the control of the vehicle controller 14.

The power control switch 13 is adjustably switchable between an on state and an off state, and when the power control switch 13 is in the on state, the power supply unit 12 is configured to supply power to the transmission system 20, and the transmission system 20 is in the on state, and accordingly, the toy vehicle is in the running state. The vehicle controller 14 is controllably connected to the drive train 20 and the direction of operation of the drive train 20, i.e., the direction of travel of the toy vehicle, is controlled by the vehicle controller 14. Briefly, the vehicle controller 14 adjustably controls forward and reverse rotation of the drive train 20, and the toy vehicle moves forward under the influence of the drive train 20 when the drive train 20 is rotating in the forward direction. Conversely, when the drive train 20 is in reverse rotation, the toy vehicle is moved rearwardly by the drive train 20.

As shown in fig. 3A and 3B, the transmission system 20 includes at least one power device 21, at least one transmission shaft 22 pivotably connected to the power device 21, and at least two traveling devices 23 connected to the transmission shaft 22. The power unit 21 is electrically connected to the power control unit 13 of the toy vehicle body 10, and the power control unit 13 controls the power unit 12 to supply power to the power unit 21. The power device 21 converts electric energy into kinetic energy under the power supply of the power device 12, and transmits the kinetic energy to the transmission shaft 22. It is understood that the power unit 21 is controllably connected to the vehicle controller 14 of the toy vehicle body 10, and the power running direction of the power unit 21, i.e., the forward and reverse rotation directions of the power unit 21, is controlled by the vehicle controller 14.

Preferably, in the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, said power means 21 is implemented as an electric motor means. The motor device 21 is rotated in the forward direction or the reverse direction under the control of the power supply device 12 and the vehicle controller 14.

The transmission shaft 22 is pivotally connected to the power device 21, the power device 21 drives the transmission shaft 22 to rotate, and then the transmission shaft 22 drives the running gear 23 connected to the transmission shaft 22 to rotate.

Fig. 3A and 3B illustrate two different embodiments of drive shaft 22 of drive train 20 of the toy vehicle of the present invention. As shown in fig. 3A, the transmission shaft 22 is independent of the power device 21 of the transmission system 20, is pivotally connected to the transmission shaft 22 by the power device 21, and is driven by the power device 21 to rotate the transmission shaft 22. One end of the transmission shaft 22 is respectively connected to the traveling devices 23 of the transmission system 20, and the traveling devices 23 are driven by the transmission shaft 22 to rotate. Preferably, the power unit 21 is pivotally connected to the transmission shaft 22 by means of a gear mesh.

As shown in fig. 3B, the propeller shaft 22 is integrally formed at the power unit 21, and outputs kinetic energy to the outside by the power unit 21. In other words, the transmission shaft 22 and the power device 21 are of an integral structure, and the transmission shaft 22 and the power device 21 together constitute the motor device. Accordingly, the transmission shaft 22 driven by the power device 21 drives the traveling device 23 coupled to the transmission shaft 22. It should be noted that the transmission shaft 22 is integrally formed on the power device 21, and the power device 21 can drive only one traveling device 23 coupled to the transmission shaft 22.

As shown in fig. 4 to 6D, each of the traveling devices 23 includes a wheel 231 and a coupling 232 connecting the wheel 231 to the transmission shaft 22. The wheel 231 is a wheel device understood by those skilled in the art, the wheel 231 is coupled to the transmission shaft 22 through the coupling 232, and the wheel 231 and the coupling 232 rotate coaxially under the driving of the power device 21. The coupler 232 is configured to be connected to the drive shaft 22 and is coupled to the drive shaft 22. It is understood that the traveling device 23 drives the coupling 232 to rotate via the transmission shaft 22, and then drives the wheels 231 to rotate synchronously via the coupling 232.

In detail, the coupling 232 includes an actuator 2321 and at least one protection arm 2322 extending outwardly from the actuator 2321. The actuator 2321 of the coupling 232 is configured for coupling with the drive shaft 22 and rotating synchronously with the drive shaft 22. The actuator 2321 of the coupling 232 is further configured to couple to the wheel 231, and the rotation of the wheel 231 is driven by the actuator 2321 of the coupling 232. The arm 2322 is connected to the wheel 231 and the coupling 232 is disposed on the wheel 231 through the arm 2322. It is worth mentioning that, in order to balance the rotation of the walking device 23, the coupling 232 includes two or more of the protection arms 2322, and the protection arms 2322 are symmetrical to each other. In other words, the terminal end of any one of the protection arms 2322 is a regular polygon, such as a regular triangle, a regular quadrangle, etc.

Fig. 5A to 5D show several alternative embodiments of the coupling 232 according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 5A, the coupling 232 includes the actuator 2321 and two protection arms 2322 extending outward from the actuator 2321, and the protection arms 2322 are symmetrically formed at both ends of the actuator 2321. As shown in fig. 5B, the coupling 232 includes an actuator 2321 and three protection arms 2322 extending outward from the actuator 2321, and the protection arms 2322 are extended radially outward, and the center of gravity of the coupling 232 is formed at the center of the actuator 2321. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the center of gravity of the guard 2322 of the coupling 232 is formed at the center of the actuator 2321 of the coupling 232, thereby avoiding eccentricity of the coupling 232 during rotation. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the shape of the coupler 232 is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting, and thus, other shapes or types of couplers 232 may be used in the present invention as desired.

Preferably, in the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the coupling 232 includes two protection arms 2322, and the protection arms 2322 are symmetrically disposed at both ends of the actuator 2321. The actuator 2321 can connect the wheel to the transmission shaft 22 and reduce the weight of the coupling 232 to some extent.

Fig. 6A to 6D of the drawings illustrate several alternative embodiments of the actuator 2321 of the coupling 232 according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The actuator 2321 of the coupling 232 is implemented as a non-circular cylinder, such as a triangular prism, a quadrangular prism, or an elliptical cylinder. It is worth mentioning that the shape of the actuator 2321 is adapted to the shape of the coupling site of the wheel 231. It is understood that the coupling 232 is coupled to the wheel 231 through the actuator 2321, and the wheel 231 is driven to rotate by the actuator 2321. The actuator 2321 of the coupling 232 is configured to be coupled to the wheel 231, support the wheel 231 upward by the actuator 2321 and adjust the rotation central axis of the wheel 231 to the central axis of the transmission shaft 22. Preferably, the actuator 2321 of the coupling 232 is a cylindrical structure with a square cross section.

It should be noted that the shape of the actuator 2321 of the coupling 232 according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is merely an example and not a limitation of the present invention. The shape of the actuator 2321 according to another embodiment of the present invention is not limited in this respect as long as it can drive the wheel 231 to rotate. It is understood that the shape of the actuator 2321 of the coupling 232 and the number of the protection arms 2322 are not limited only, and any combination may be performed according to the disclosure of the present invention.

It is worth mentioning that the coupling 232 is configured to couple the transmission shaft 22 and the wheel 231 to rotate synchronously during the transmission of motion and power, the actuator 2321 of the coupling 232 is configured to drive the wheel 231 to rotate, and the guard 2322 of the coupling 232 keeps the central axis of the wheel 231 in the central axis of the transmission shaft, so as to prevent the motion axis of the wheel 231 from being not parallel to the transmission shaft. In other words, the coupling 232 can compensate for manufacturing mounting inaccuracies between the drive shaft 22 and the wheel 231 by adjusting the actuator 2321.

As shown in fig. 4 to 5D, the actuator 2321 of the coupling 232 is configured to be coupled to the transmission shaft 22, and the transmission shaft 22 synchronously drives the actuator 2321, and then the actuator 2321 drives the wheel 231. The coupling 232 has a shaft slot 2323, wherein the transmission shaft 22 is coupled to the shaft slot 2323, and the shape of the shaft slot 2323 of the coupling 232 is adapted to the connection end of the transmission shaft 22. According to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the transmission shaft 22 comprises a proximal portion 221 and a distal portion 222 integrally extending from the proximal portion 221, wherein the proximal portion 221 is pivotally connected to the power device 21, and the power device 21 drives the transmission shaft 22 to rotate. It will be appreciated that the drive shaft 22 is driven in rotation by the distal end 222 of the drive shaft 22 of the coupler 232. Distal portion 222 has a driving surface 2221, wherein driving surface 2221 is a flat surface, and distal portion 222 drives rotation of coupling 232 via driving surface 2221. Briefly, the distal end 222 of the drive shaft 22 is a "D" shaped shaft.

Accordingly, the bore size and shape of the shaft slot 2323 of the coupling 232 is adapted to the shape and size of the distal end portion 222 of the drive shaft 22. That is, the shaft slot 2323 of the coupler is also "D" shaped, and the non-circular configuration of the distal end 222 of the drive shaft 22 prevents slippage with the coupler during rotation. The shaft slot 2323 has a passive driving surface 23231, the passive driving surface 23231 is formed on the inner wall of the shaft slot 2323, wherein the passive driving surface 23231 is engaged with the active driving surface 2221 of the distal end portion 222 of the transmission shaft 22, and the passive driving surface 23231 is driven to move by the active driving surface 2221.

It is worth mentioning that the shaft groove 2323 of the coupling 232 is formed at the actuator 2321 of the coupling 232, and the shaft groove 2323 penetrates through front and rear ends of the actuator 2321 of the coupling 232. It is understood that the shaft groove 2323 of the coupling 232 is formed at a central position of the actuator 2321 so that the coupling 232 is not eccentric.

It will be appreciated that the distal end 222 of the drive shaft 22 is coupled to the coupler 232 with an interference fit, and the coupler 232 is prevented from slipping off the drive shaft 22 by the compressive friction of the distal end 222 with the axial slot 2323 of the coupler 232. The coupling 232 further includes an adapting groove 2324, the adapting groove 2324 is communicated with the shaft groove 2323 of the coupling 232, and after the transmission shaft 22 is coupled to the coupling 232, a friction-increasing article is added into the adapting groove 2324, so as to further prevent the coupling 232 from slipping.

As shown in fig. 4 and 6, the protection arm 2322 is used to connect the coupling 232 to the wheel 231, so as to arrange the coupling 232 on the wheel 231 and to rotate the wheel 231 and the coupling 232 synchronously. On the other hand, the protection arm 2322 is configured to connect the coupling 232 to the wheel 231, and when the wheel 231 is subjected to a large impact force or pressure, the protection arm 2322 can buffer the pressure applied to the transmission shaft 22 connected to the coupling 232, so as to prevent the transmission shaft 22 from being subjected to an excessive pressure.

Any one of the protection arms 2322 includes a connection portion 23221, and the protection arm 2322 is connected to the wheel 231 through the connection portion 23221. Preferably, any one of the protection arms 2322 has a connection hole 23222, the connection hole 23222 is formed at the connection portion 23221, and the connection portion 23221 is connected to the wheel 231 through a connection member. It is worth mentioning that the coupling 232 is disposed outside the wheel 231, and can support and protect the wheel. In the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the connector is implemented as a threaded connector, that is, the coupling 232 is fixed to the wheel 231 by screws and nuts.

As shown in fig. 7A to 7D, the wheel 231 of the traveling device 23 includes at least a hub 2311 and a tire 2312 disposed on the hub 2311, wherein the coupling 232 is coupled to the hub 2311 of the wheel 231 through the actuator 2321. Accordingly, the hub 2311 of the wheel 231 has a driving portion 23111 and at least one mounting portion 23112, wherein the actuator 2321 of the coupling 232 is configured to be coupled to the driving portion 23111, and the arm 2322 of the coupling 232 is configured to be connected to the mounting portion 23112 of the hub 2311. The hub 2311 of the wheel 231 carries the tire along. It is understood that the wheel 231 may be provided in a split structure, that is, the tire 2312 of the wheel 231 is detachably provided to the hub 2311; conversely, the wheel 231 may also be provided as an integral structure, that is, the tire 2312 of the wheel 231 is integrally formed at the hub 2311.

Fig. 6 to 7D of the drawings show several different embodiments of the wheel 231 of the running gear 23 according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The tire 2312 of the wheel 231 is mounted to the hub 2311 by a meshing engagement. In detail, the mounting portion 23112 further includes an engaging gear 23113 and a non-slip gear 23114, wherein the tire 2312 is engaged with the engaging gear of the mounting portion 23112. The anti-slip gear 23114 is adjacently disposed to the meshing gear, wherein the anti-slip gear 23114 is provided for preventing relative rotation between the hub 2311 and the tire. It is understood that the meshing gear 23113 of the mounting portion 23112 and the anti-slip gear 23114 rotate synchronously, rotation of the tire is carried out by rotation of the meshing gear 23113, and the tire 2312 is prevented from being disengaged from the mounting portion 23112 by the anti-slip gear 23114.

Fig. 7A to 7D show two different sizes of the wheel 231 embodiments of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The driving portion 23111 and the mounting portion 23112 of the hub 2311 of the wheel 231 are coupled and supported by a plurality of ribs. The two different embodiments differ mainly in the size of the diameter of the wheel and the width of the wheel. So that the user can choose to use different sizes or a wide range of gears. Fig. 7B and 7D illustrate another embodiment of the wheel 231, in which the driving portion 23111 and the mounting portion 23112 of the hub 2311 are implemented as a disc structure therebetween.

It is understood that the driving portion 23111 of the hub 2311 is a groove adapted to the actuator 2321 of the coupling 232, and the shape and size of the driving portion 23111 is adapted to the size of the actuator 2321 of the coupling 232. That is, the driving portion 23111 of the hub 2311 of the wheel 231 may be a triangular groove, a rectangular groove, or another groove structure. Preferably, the driving part 23111 is a quadrangular groove adapted to the actuator 2321. The actuator 2321 of the coupling 232 is configured to be embedded in the driving portion 23111, so that the actuator 2321 of the coupling 232 drives the driving portion 23111, and further drives the wheel 231 to rotate.

According to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein said hub 2311 of said wheel 231 has at least two mounting portions 23112, preferably said hub 2311 of said wheel 231 is provided with four said mounting portions 23112 to facilitate mounting of said coupling 232 in different directions.

It should be noted that, in the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the actuator 2321 of the coupling 232 is coupled to the wheel 231, and the arm 2322 of the coupling 232 is also configured to be connected to the hub 2311 of the wheel 231. In other words, both the actuator 2321 and the guard 2322 of the coupling 232 can be configured to drive the wheel 321 to rotate, forming a dual-drive structure. On the other hand, the coupling 232 is coupled to the transmission shaft 22 in parallel through the shaft slot 2323 of the coupling 232, the protection arm 2322 of the coupling 232 is connected to the hub 2311 of the wheel 231, and the protection arm 2322 prevents the hub 2311 of the wheel 231 from shifting, so as to maintain the rotation central axis of the wheel 231 at the central axis of the transmission shaft 22.

It can be understood that the actuator 2321 of the coupling rotates around the transmission shaft 22 under the driving action of the transmission shaft 22 by a driving force given by the transmission shaft, and the protection arm 2322 connected to the actuator 2321 further drives the wheel 231 to rotate under the driving action of the actuator 2321. That is, the wheel 231 is acted upon by the driving force of the actuator 2321 of the coupling 232 and simultaneously acted upon by the driving force of the guard arm 2322 to which the actuator 2321 is connected, so that the driving relationship between the coupling 232 and the wheel 231 is more secured. In addition, the guard 2322 mounts the coupling 232 to the wheel 231, preventing the wheel 231 from disengaging from the coupling 232 during high speed operation of the vehicle.

Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings illustrate a first alternative embodiment of the coupling 232A of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The coupling 232A includes an actuator 2321A and at least one guard arm 2322A extending outwardly from the actuator 2321A. The actuator 2321A of the coupling 232A is configured for coupling with the drive shaft 22 and rotating synchronously with the drive shaft 22. The actuator 2321A of the coupling 232A is also configured to couple to the wheel 231, driving rotation of the wheel 231 via the actuator 2321A of the coupling 232A. The arm 2322A is connected to the wheel 231 and the coupling 232A is disposed on the wheel 231 via the arm 2322A. It is worth mentioning that, in order to balance the rotation of the walking device 23, the coupling 232A includes two or more of the protection arms 2322A, and the protection arms 2322A are symmetrical to each other. Preferably, the coupling 232A includes two guard arms 2322A.

It should be noted that, in the present modified embodiment, the structure and function of the actuator 2321A of the coupling 232A are substantially the same as those of the actuator 2321A of the first preferred embodiment, and the difference is that the guard 2322A of the coupling 232A. Any one of the protection arms 2322A includes a connection portion 23221A, and the protection arm 2322A is connected to the wheel 231 through the connection portion 23221A. The connecting portion 23221A extends upward from the distal end of the protection arm 2322A, and the connecting portion 23221A and the actuator 2321A form a "chevron" shaped structure. In other words, the actuator 2321A of the coupling 232A is configured to be coupled to the wheel 231, and the connection 23221A of the coupling 232A connects the coupling 232A to the hub 2311 of the wheel 231.

It is worth mentioning that the connecting portion 23221A connects the coupling 232A to the hub 2311 of the wheel 231 by means of a snap-fit. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the connection manner of the connection portion 23221A to the hub 2311 is only an example and not a limitation of the present invention. Connection means according to other embodiments of the present invention may also be implemented in this modified embodiment.

An alternative embodiment of the transmission system 20 according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is set forth in the following description with reference to figures 10 and 11 of the drawings. The transmission system 20 includes at least one power device 21, at least one transmission shaft 22B pivotally connected to the power device 21, and at least two traveling devices 23B connected to the transmission shaft 22B. The power unit 21 is electrically connected to the power control unit 13 of the toy vehicle body 10, and the power control unit 13 controls the power unit 12 to supply power to the power unit 21. The power unit 21 converts electric energy into kinetic energy by the power supply of the power supply unit 12, and transmits the kinetic energy to the transmission shaft 22B. It is understood that the power unit 21 is controllably connected to the vehicle controller 14 of the toy vehicle body 10, and the power running direction of the power unit 21, i.e., the forward and reverse rotation directions of the power unit 21, is controlled by the vehicle controller 14.

Preferably, in the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, said power means 21 is implemented as an electric motor means. The motor device is rotated in a forward direction or a reverse direction under the control of the power supply device 12 and the vehicle controller 14.

The transmission shaft 22B is pivotally connected to the power device 21, the power device 21 drives the transmission shaft 22B to rotate, and then the transmission shaft 22B drives the traveling device 23B connected to the transmission shaft 22B to rotate.

In the present modified embodiment, the propeller shaft 22B of the drive train 20 is integrally provided to the power unit 21, and the rotation of the propeller shaft 22B is driven by the power unit 21. The drive shaft 22B includes a proximal portion 221B and a distal portion 222B extending outwardly from the proximal portion 221B. The proximal portion 221B is provided to the power unit 21, and the distal portion 222B is provided to be coupled to the traveling unit 23B. The distal end portion 222B of the transmission shaft 22B has a hexagonal cylindrical structure, and the rotation of the traveling device 23B is driven by the distal end portion 222B of the transmission shaft 22B.

Accordingly, the traveling device 23B includes a wheel 231B and a coupling 232B disposed on the wheel 231B for connecting the wheel 231B to the transmission shaft 22B. It should be noted that, in the present modified embodiment, the wheel 231B has the same structure and function as the wheel 231 described in the first preferred embodiment, and the difference is the structure of the coupling 232B. The coupling 232B includes an actuator 2321B and at least one guard arm 2322B extending outwardly from the actuator 2321B. The coupler 232B further has a shaft slot 2323B, and the distal end portion 222B of the drive shaft 22B is coupled to the coupler 232B through the shaft slot 2323B. It will be appreciated that the shaft slot 2323B of the coupler 232B is shaped and sized to fit the distal end portion 222B of the drive shaft 22B, and thus, the shaft slot 2323B is also a hexagonal slot sized to fit the distal end portion 222B of the drive shaft 22B.

It is worth mentioning that the transmission shaft 22B is configured to be coupled to the coupling 232B by an interference fit. That is, the coupler 232B tightly presses against the drive shaft 22B, and the coupler 232B and the drive shaft 22B rely on compression and frictional forces to prevent the coupler 232B from slipping off the distal end 222B of the drive shaft 22B.

An alternative embodiment of the transmission system 20 according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is set forth in the following description with reference to figures 12 and 13 of the drawings. The transmission system 20 includes at least one power device 21, at least one transmission shaft 22C pivotally connected to the power device 21, and at least two traveling devices 23C connected to the transmission shaft 22C. The power unit 21 is electrically connected to the power control unit 13 of the toy vehicle body 10, and the power control unit 13 controls the power unit 12 to supply power to the power unit 21. The power unit 21 converts electric energy into kinetic energy by the power supply of the power supply unit 12, and transmits the kinetic energy to the transmission shaft 22C. It is understood that the power unit 21 is controllably connected to the vehicle controller 14 of the toy vehicle body 10, and the power running direction of the power unit 21, i.e., the forward and reverse rotation directions of the power unit 21, is controlled by the vehicle controller 14.

The transmission shaft 22C is pivotally connected to the power device 21, the power device 21 drives the transmission shaft 22C to rotate, and then the transmission shaft 22C drives the traveling device 23C connected to the transmission shaft 22C to rotate. It should be noted that, in the above alternative embodiment, the transmission shaft 22C is detachably disposed on the power device 21, the power device 21 drives the transmission shaft 22C to rotate, and then the transmission shaft 22C drives the running gear 23C to rotate. The drive shaft 22C includes a proximal portion 221C and a distal portion 222C extending outwardly from the proximal portion 221C. The proximal portion 221C is provided to the power unit 21, and the distal portion 222C is provided to be coupled to the traveling unit 23C.

The transmission shaft 22C has a cylindrical structure, and the transmission shaft 22C is coupled to the traveling unit 23C and drives the traveling unit 23C to rotate. The traveling device 23C includes a wheel 231C and a coupling 232C disposed on the wheel 231C for connecting the wheel 231C to the transmission shaft 22C. It should be noted that, in the present modified embodiment, the wheel 231C has the same structure and function as the wheel 231 described in the first preferred embodiment, and the difference is the structure of the coupling 232C. The coupling 232C includes an actuator 2321C and at least one arm 2322C extending outwardly from the actuator 2321C. The coupler 232C further has a shaft slot 2323C through which the distal end portion 222C of the drive shaft 22C is coupled to the coupler 232C. It will be appreciated that the shaft slot 2323C of the coupler 232C is shaped and sized to fit the distal end portion 222C of the drive shaft 22C, and thus, the shaft slot 2323C is also a cylindrical slot.

It should be noted that the transmission shaft 22C is coupled to the coupler 232C by interference connection, and the coupler 232C is prevented from being disengaged from the transmission shaft 22C by friction between the transmission shaft 22C and the coupler 232C.

Fig. 14 of the drawings shows a second method of assembling the wheel 231 of the toy vehicle, the coupling 232 is disposed inside the wheel 231, and then the coupling 232 is coupled to the wheel 231 and coupled to the drive shaft 22.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the present invention further provides a method of manufacturing the toy vehicle, comprising the method steps of:

(a) a driving portion 23111 and at least two mounting portions 23112 are respectively arranged on hubs 2311 of the four wheels 231;

(b) coupling a coupling 232 to a wheel 231; and

(c) the coupling 232 coupling the four wheels 231 is mounted to two drive shafts 22 of a toy vehicle.

In the above-mentioned manufacturing method (b), an actuator 2321 of the coupling 232 is coupled to the driving portion 23111 of a hub 2311 of the wheel 231. The method step (b) further includes the step (b.1) of connecting at least two arms 2322 of the coupling 232 to the mounting portion 23112 of the hub 2311 of the wheel 231.

In the manufacturing method (b), the coupling 232 is provided outside the wheel 231.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the embodiments of the invention described above and shown in the drawings are given by way of example only and are not limiting of the invention. The objects of the invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. The functional and structural principles of the present invention have been shown and described in the examples, and any variations or modifications of the embodiments of the present invention may be made without departing from the principles.

Claims

1. A coupling adapted to connect a wheel to a drive shaft, comprising:

an actuator, wherein the actuator is configured to be coupled to the transmission shaft, the actuator rotates around the transmission shaft under the driving of the transmission shaft, and the wheel has a polygonal driving portion, wherein the actuator is a polygonal cylinder structure adapted to the driving portion, so that the actuator is coupled to the driving portion of the wheel, and the wheel is driven to rotate around the transmission shaft by the actuator; and

at least two armguards, wherein any one the armguard is connected in the actuator of shaft coupling, the armguard still is connected in the wheel, the armguard from the actuator outwards extends integratively and forms, wherein the armguard includes a connecting portion, the connecting portion extends to the distal end of armguard integratively, the connecting portion of armguard by detachably be connected to the wheel, in order to keep the actuator with the connection of wheel drive, the armguard will the shaft coupling is installed at the wheel, the shaft coupling is set up in the outside of wheel, prevents the shaft coupling from breaking away from the wheel.

2. The coupling according to claim 1, wherein the actuator further has a shaft groove having a shape adapted to a shape of the transmission shaft, the transmission shaft being coupled to the shaft groove of the actuator, the transmission shaft synchronously driving the coupling to rotate through the shaft groove.

3. The coupling of claim 2, wherein the actuator of the coupling has a cylindrical configuration, the outer surface of the actuator being configured to couple to a drive portion of the wheel, wherein the outer surface of the actuator engages the drive portion of the wheel, the actuator driving rotation of the wheel through the outer surface of the actuator.

4. The coupling of claim 3, wherein the actuator of the coupling is configured to be removably coupled to the drive shaft and the wheel, wherein the actuator is coupled to the drive shaft by an interference fit, and wherein the actuator receives rotational force from the drive shaft to drive the wheel to rotate.

5. The coupling of claim 4, wherein the guard arm is detachably mounted to the wheel, and the wheel is driven by the guard arm to rotate synchronously with the actuator, and the guard arm and the actuator of the coupling together drive the wheel to rotate around the transmission shaft, so as to form a dual-drive structure.

6. A transmission system for a toy vehicle, comprising:

the coupling of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the coupling is configured to drivably connect to the drive shaft and the wheel, receive drive force from the drive shaft by the coupling, and drive the wheel about the drive shaft.

7. A transmission system according to claim 6, wherein the wheel includes at least one hub and a tyre provided on the hub, the coupling being arranged to couple to the hub of the wheel and to drive synchronous rotation of the hub.

8. A transmission system according to claim 7, wherein the hub of the wheel has a drive portion shaped and sized to fit the shape and size of the actuator of the coupling, wherein the actuator of the coupling is arranged to be coupled to the drive portion of the hub.

9. The transmission system according to claim 8, wherein the actuator of the coupling is a square cylinder structure, and the driving portion is a square groove adapted to the actuator, and the actuator drives the synchronous rotation of the wheels by the driving portion.

10. The transmission system according to claim 6, wherein the transmission system further comprises a power device, the transmission shaft is pivotally connected to the power device, and the transmission shaft drives the coupling to rotate under the driving action of the power device.

11. The transmission system according to claim 10, wherein the drive shaft of the transmission system is integrally provided at the power unit, and the coupling is directly driven by the power unit to rotate around the drive shaft.

12. A toy vehicle, comprising:

a toy vehicle body; and

a drive train for a toy vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 11, wherein the drive train is disposed on the toy vehicle body, and the drive train supports the toy vehicle body upwardly and moves the toy vehicle body.

13. The toy vehicle of claim 12, wherein the toy vehicle body of the toy vehicle further includes a power device, wherein the power device is configured to be electrically coupled to the motive device of the toy vehicle to provide power to the motive device.