A propulsion system for a vehicle or toy vehicle is disclosed. The system comprises rotary drive means for driving the vehicle along ground, the rotary drive means operating in a plane and having a peripheral ground-engagement part. The system further comprises a rotor comprising one or more rotor blades rotatable about a rotor axis for producing thrust, wherein the rotary drive means and the rotor are positioned relative to each other so that during rotation of the rotor, the rotor blades pass through the plane of the rotary drive means, inside the peripheral ground-engagement part. In this way, the rotor blades are protected by the peripheral ground-engagement part.

A housing for providing lateral support to a rotor mast of a remote controlled hovering toy creature. The hovering toy creature has a propulsion system, a control system, a body, and an optional wing actuation assembly for actuating any wings attached to the body. One embodiment of the propulsion system comprises a motor drive driving a primary rotor and a secondary rotor via at least one rotor mast, wherein the primary rotor and the secondary rotor are arranged in a co-axial configuration. The secondary rotor is located at a height on the rotor mast that is lower than the height of the primary rotor. The housing comprises at least a lower segment and an upper segment, the lower segment attached to the body and disposed around the rotor mast below the primary rotor, and the upper segment is disposed around the rotor mast above the primary rotor.

Disclosed is a pop-up toy device for recreational purposes of a user. The pop-up toy device includes a flexible elastic hemispherical shell and a propeller unit. The flexible elastic hemispherical shell includes a convex outer surface having an inlet, and a concave inner surface. The propeller unit fits inside the inlet of the convex outer surface. The propeller unit includes a housing unit that fits inside the inlet, a coiled spring is configured in the housing unit and interfaces the coiled spring, a stem attaches to the housing unit and plurality of fan blades attached to the stem. The coiled spring rotates the stem and the plurality of fan blades. The user applies pressure to the convex outer surface to create a near flat surface. The flexible elastic hemispherical shell stores energy when deformed to the near flat surface. The flexible elastic hemispherical shell returns to its original convex outer surface from the near flat surface when dropped onto a fixed surface. The drop results in pop up of the flexible elastic hemi-spherical shell thereby releasing the stored energy. Further during pop up, the fan blades start rotating along with the stem to provide thrust against gravitational pull on the flexible elastic hemi-spherical shell. Furthermore, the stem may be detachably attached to the housing unit and thus detaches from the housing unit during pop-up after drop by the user.

A hovering remote-control flying craft having a molded frame assembly includes a plurality of arms extending from a center body with an electric motor and corresponding propeller on each arm. In various embodiments, the motor and propeller are mounted downward-facing at a distal portion of each arm with a motor cover over the motor. The center body can be formed of a two-piece molded structure that sandwiches a circuit board to provide structural support for the frame. The circuit board can include a plurality of tabs that facilitate mounting of wire connectors, and can also provide antennas and emitters for both IR and RF communications. In some embodiments, a removable safety ring protects the propellers from lateral contact.

A hovering toy creature having a propulsion system, a control system, a winged body, and a wing actuation assembly. The winged body is mounted to the propulsion system, which is controlled by the control system. The wing actuation assembly is mounted to the winged body, and the wing actuation assembly is powered by the control system. The wing actuation assembly drives the wings in an oscillating flapping motion. The wings comprise apertures permitting air passage through the wing, thus reducing the aerodynamic effect of the flapping motion. In this manner, the wings produce a bouncing flight action, thus creating a realistic flight motion. In another embodiment, the propulsion system comprises one or more rotors in a coaxial arrangement. The hovering toy creature is operated by either a wireless control device or a timer device.

In an example embodiment, a yoyo includes an axle, a first body and a second body coupled to the axle, and a string windable about the axle within a gap between the first body and the second body. The first body includes an outer rim and multiple propeller blades that extend inward from the outer rim toward the axle. The gap between the first body and the second body is smaller than three times a diameter of the string. A diameter of the axle is no larger than one sixth of the diameter of the first or second outer rim. An aggregate mass of the first and second outer rims is at least one quarter of an aggregate mass of the yoyo, string excluded.

A hovering remote-control flying craft having a molded frame assembly includes a plurality of arms extending from a center body with an electric motor and corresponding propeller on each arm. In various embodiments, the motor and propeller are mounted downward-facing at a distal portion of each arm with a motor cover over the motor. The center body can be formed of a two-piece molded structure that sandwiches a circuit board to provide structural support for the frame. The circuit board can include a plurality of tabs that facilitate mounting of wire connectors, and can also provide antennas and emitters for both IR and RF communications. In some embodiments, a removable safety ring protects the propellers from lateral contact.

A toy character includes a body, a first propeller assembly, a second propeller assembly, and a motor. The body extends in a longitudinal direction and has a longitudinal axis. The first propeller assembly is mounted to the body to rotate in a first direction about the longitudinal axis and positioned at a mid-portion of the body. The second propeller assembly is mounted to the body to rotate in a second direction about the longitudinal axis and spaced apart from the first propeller assembly. The second propeller assembly is mechanically linked to the first propeller assembly for counter-rotation in the second direction when the first propeller assembly rotates in the first direction. The motor is in communication with the first and second propeller assemblies to drive rotations in the first direction and the second direction.

A hovering toy creature having a propulsion system, a control system, a winged body, and a wing actuation assembly. The winged body is mounted to the propulsion system, which is controlled by the control system. The wing actuation assembly is mounted to the winged body, and the wing actuation assembly is powered by the control system. The wing actuation assembly drives the wings in an oscillating flapping motion. The wings comprise apertures permitting air passage through the wing, thus reducing the aerodynamic effect of the flapping motion. In this manner, the wings produce a bouncing flight action, thus creating a realistic flight motion. In another embodiment, the propulsion system comprises one or more rotors in a coaxial arrangement. The hovering toy creature is operated by either a wireless control device or a timer device.