The toy vehicle track connector apparatus (or track connector) is a one piece construction that provides a support structure for a toy racetrack while increasing the degrees of freedom (DoF) of said track. The track connector may be used to create and support a variety of different racetrack structures or race car scenarios. Multiple track connectors may be used in a system to create an entire toy race car track. The track connector is a fully modular component of the toy racetrack system; track connectors may be swapped or replaced in a system without affecting the rest of the system. The track connector may be in the form of a substantially rectangular block, preferably a cube, forming six substantially planar faces or sides, and further comprising a connector protrusion, a connector aperture, a channel portion, a groove, a raised aperture portion, and a recessed line.

The toy vehicle track connector apparatus (or track connector) is a one piece construction that provides a support structure for a toy racetrack while increasing the degrees of freedom (DoF) of said track. The track connector may be used to create and support a variety of different racetrack structures or race car scenarios. Multiple track connectors may be used in a system to create an entire toy race car track. The track connector is a fully modular component of the toy racetrack system; track connectors may be swapped or replaced in a system without affecting the rest of the system. The track connector may be in the form of a substantially rectangular block, preferably a cube, forming six substantially planar faces or sides, and further comprising a connector protrusion, a connector aperture, a channel portion, a groove, a raised aperture portion, and a recessed line.

A toy vehicle having a longitudinal central axis aligned in a direction of travel and for travel through a passageway of an elongated tubular track having a non-linear pathway which extends in three dimensions and which at least partly confines said toy vehicle, said toy vehicle comprising a first plurality of translational elements comprising two+2n, wherein n=1 or more, translational elements spaced about the longitudinal central axis of the toy vehicle for engagement with the inner surface of the elongated tubular track; and a second plurality of translational elements comprising two+2m, wherein m=1 or more, translational elements spaced about the longitudinal central axis of the toy vehicle for engagement with the curved inner surface of the elongated tubular track, wherein each of the translational elements of the first plurality of translational elements and each of the translational elements of the second plurality of translation elements are independently moveable in relation to each other and are biased in at least an outward radial direction from the longitudinal central axis of the toy vehicle, and a control system for controlling at least the operable rotational speed of at least two translational elements, wherein said at least two translational elements are drive translational elements.

A toy vehicle having a longitudinal central axis aligned in a direction of travel and for travel through a passageway of an elongated tubular track having a non-linear pathway which extends in three dimensions and which at least partly confines said toy vehicle, said toy vehicle comprising a first plurality of translational elements comprising two+2n, wherein n=1 or more, translational elements spaced about the longitudinal central axis of the toy vehicle for engagement with the inner surface of the elongated tubular track; and a second plurality of translational elements comprising two+2m, wherein m=1 or more, translational elements spaced about the longitudinal central axis of the toy vehicle for engagement with the curved inner surface of the elongated tubular track, wherein each of the translational elements of the first plurality of translational elements and each of the translational elements of the second plurality of translation elements are independently moveable in relation to each other and are biased in at least an outward radial direction from the longitudinal central axis of the toy vehicle, and a control system for controlling at least the operable rotational speed of at least two translational elements, wherein said at least two translational elements are drive translational elements.

A toy vehicle booster includes a launcher that can be actuated via repeated user actuations of an actuator. The force of each actuation is mechanically transferred to a booster assembly to cause rotation of the booster assembly and repeated actuations of the actuator continuously increase the rotational speed of the booster assembly. The toy vehicle booster also includes a feedback portion configured to provide feedback based on a rotational speed of the booster assembly and/or a speed at which the booster assembly will boost a toy vehicle. In at least some instances, the feedback is based on the detected rotational speed of booster wheels. The detected rotational speed may also be transmitted to an electronic device to provide additional feedback at the electronic device.

A toy vehicle track system of the present application includes electrical connections between the track pieces that allow a central hub, referred to herein as a portal piece, to communicate with any track pieces included in the track system. In order to ensure that the portal piece can quickly and accurately identify track configurations that are built, the toy vehicle track system implements a communications protocol that supports communications between any two pieces of track. Based on these communications, the portal piece can determine an orientation, a track type, and a position of any track pieces attached, whether directly or indirectly, to the portal piece. The portal piece can then transmit this information to an electronic device executing an application associated with the track system to allow for digital play on a digital version of the track configuration (among other digital play modes).

A toy vehicle track system of the present application includes electrical connections between the track pieces that allow a central hub, referred to herein as a portal piece, to communicate with any track pieces included in the track system. In order to ensure that the portal piece can quickly and accurately identify track configurations that are built, the toy vehicle track system implements a communications protocol that supports communications between any two pieces of track. Based on these communications, the portal piece can determine an orientation, a track type, and a position of any track pieces attached, whether directly or indirectly, to the portal piece. The portal piece can then transmit this information to an electronic device executing an application associated with the track system to allow for digital play on a digital version of the track configuration (among other digital play modes).

The present invention discloses a car racing system includes: a lane configured for car racing: a car includes: a first magnet for attracting a second magnet; the second magnet configured at one end of a second locking device so that the second locking device operates while being attracted by the first magnet; the second locking device for releasing a first locking device by that the second magnet is attracted to the first magnet; the first locking device for operating the car to be lifted and be departed from the lane by being released by the second locking device; and a remote controller for controlling the car.

A model train track is provided that includes a plurality of track segments. Each track segment may include a roadbed, a plurality of rails, and a plurality of magnetic devices that are used to physically connect a track segment with an adjacent track segment. In other words, as two track segments move close to one another, the attraction between the magnetic devices on the two segments will not only pull the segments together, but, once connected, will maintain a physical connection therebetween until sufficient force is applied to overcome the magnetic attraction. Each track segment may also include at least one alignment portion, for aligning adjacent track segments during user assembly, and a plurality of contacts (e.g., biased or spring-loaded contacts) providing electrical continuity between adjacent track segments and components thereof (e.g., rails).

Improved toy vehicle raceways, the connector assembly mounted in the track sections of the toy vehicle raceways, the connector assembly comprising: a plug comprising a plug base, plug ribs extending from opposite side walls of the plug base and a mating tongue extending through the plug base, plug contacts located on the upper surface and lower surface of the mating tongue, wherein one of the plug contacts is positive contact and the other plug contact is negative contact, the positive contact and negative contact of the plug are arranged vertically; a socket comprising a socket base, socket ribs extending from opposite side walls of the socket base and an end extending from the rear side wall of the socket base, the socket base defining a socket housing, socket contacts located within the socket housing, wherein one of the socket contacts is positive contact and the other socket contact is negative contact, the positive contact and negative contact of the socket are arranged vertically. The present invention solves the directional problems when assembling the track sections of the toy vehicle raceways and provides more interesting, exciting and innovative toy vehicle raceways.