Toy formed of tools

Abstract

An educational toy that is formed of parts that function as tools. For example, a toy car axle can be a screwdriver.

Claims

1. A knockdown compound toy vehicle comprising: a chassis having two side bars, a connecting plate connecting the two side bars together, and a plurality of bolt-receiving holes defined in each side bar, a body frame; a plurality of bolts releasably connecting the body frame to the chassis by means of the bolt-receiving holes; two axle units mounted on the chassis, each axle unit having a hollow tubular portion having a first end and a second end, and a screw driver element having a size to be accommodated in the hollow tubular portion, the screw driver element further including a first end and a second end, the second end having a phillips head screw driver element thereon and being accommodated inside the hollow tubular portion during storage and being outside the hollow tubular portion during use of the screw driver element; a plurality of C-shaped clips mounted on each axle unit and to the chassis; four wheel units, each wheel unit having a tire element and a neck element mounted on the tire element, each wheel unit being rotatably and releasably supported on the chassis, two of the four wheel units being connected to corresponding hollow tubular portions of each axle unit and two of the four wheel units being securely connected to corresponding screw driver elements of each axle unit; a license plate unit releasably mounted on the body frame and including a hollow tube mounted on the body frame, and a screw driver unit releasably accommodated in the hollow tube, the screw driver unit including a body which is sized to be accommodated in the hollow tube, the screw driver unit body having a socket on one end and a head on another end with the socket being located inside the hollow tube when the screw driver unit is stored, the head of the screw driver unit body being rectangular in shape and being located outside the body frame when the screw driver unit body is accommodated in the license plate unit hollow tube; a first door having a plurality of fastener-receiving holes, a pouch, and hooks on one side edge thereof, a second door having a pouch, and hooks on one side edge thereof, and a plurality of fasteners releasably mounting the first door on the body frame, each fastener of the plurality of fasteners being accommodated in an associated fastener-receiving hole of the first door and having a head which is sized and shaped to be accommodated in the socket of the license plate unit screw driver unit; a plurality of hook-accommodating elements on the body frame, the hooks of the doors being releasably and pivotally accommodated on the hook-accommodating elements to releasably and pivotally mount the doors on the body frame; a bumper element releasably mounted on the body frame; a fastener releasably mounting the bumper element on the body frame; a motor/transmission unit releasably mounted on the chassis in the body frame.

2. The knockdown compound toy vehicle defined in claim 1 wherein each of the first and second door further includes a window unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

(1) The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.

(2) FIG. 1 shows one form of the assembled vehicle embodying the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a body frame of the vehicle embodying the present invention.

(4) FIG. 3A shows a frame element of the vehicle.

(5) FIG. 3B shows a fastener used in assembling the vehicle.

(6) FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the vehicle.

(7) FIG. 5 shows one portion of the license plate unit of the vehicle.

(8) FIG. 6 shows a frame of the vehicle.

(9) FIG. 7A shows one door unit of the vehicle.

(10) FIG. 7B shows a door unit of the vehicle.

(11) FIG. 7C shows another view of the door of FIG. 7A

(12) FIG. 8 shows a fastener and door unit of the vehicle.

(13) FIG. 9A shows the inside of a door unit.

(14) FIG. 9B shows the inside of a door unit.

(15) FIG. 10A shows one portion of an axle unit of the vehicle.

(16) FIG. 10B shows another portion of an axle unit of the vehicle.

(17) FIG. 11 shows an axle unit.

(18) FIG. 12 shows an assembled axle unit.

(19) FIG. 13 shows an element attaching the axle to the chassis.

(20) FIG. 14 shows a bolt used to affix a bumper to the frame.

(21) FIG. 15 shows a motor and transmission unit that is mounted on the chassis in the frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(22) Referring to the figures, it can be understood that the present invention is embodied in a knockdown compound toy vehicle 10 which comprises a chassis 20 having two side bars 30 and 32, a connecting plate 40 connecting the two side bars together, and a plurality of bolt-receiving holes, such as hole 50 defined in each side bar.

(23) A body frame 60 is sized as a toy and can be of various sizes so various parts of the vehicle can be used to build different vehicles as will occur to those skilled in the art based on the teaching of this disclosure. A plurality of bolts, such as bolt 70, releasably connect the body frame to the chassis by means of the bolt-receiving holes. A plurality of C-shaped clips, such as clip 80, are mounted on the chassis for a purpose which will be understood from the teaching of this disclosure.

(24) Two axle units, such as axle unit 90, are mounted on the chassis by means of the C-shaped clips. Each axle unit has a hollow tubular portion 92 having a first end 94 and a second end 96 and a screw driver element 100 having a size to be accommodated in bore 101 of hollow tubular portion, the screw driver element further having a first end 102 and a second end 104 with the second end having a phillips head screw driver element 106 thereon and being accommodated inside the hollow tubular portion during storage and being outside the hollow tubular portion during use of the screw driver element.

(25) The toy vehicle further includes four wheel units 110, 112, 114 and 116. Each wheel unit has a tire element, such as tire element 120 of wheel unit 110, and a neck element, such as neck element 122 of tire element 110, mounted on the tire element. Each wheel being rotatably and releasably supported on the chassis by one of the C-shaped clips being releasably connected to the neck element of thereof. As can be understood from FIG. 12, two of the four wheel units are connected to corresponding hollow tubular portions of the axle units and two of the four wheel units are securely connected to corresponding screw driver elements of the axle units.

(26) The vehicle further includes a license plate unit 140 releasably mounted on the body frame. License plate unit 140 includes a hollow tube 150 mounted on the body frame, and a screw driver unit 160 releasably accommodated in the hollow tube. The screw driver unit includes a body 162 which is sized to be accommodated in the hollow tube. The screw driver unit body has a socket 164 on one end and a head on another end with the socket being located inside the hollow tube when the screw driver unit is stored. The screw driver unit 160 further including a head 166 on another end of the license plate unit screw driver unit body 162 with the head of the screw driver unit body being rectangular in shape and being located outside the body frame when the screw driver unit body is accommodated in the license plate unit hollow tube.

(27) Doors 170 and 172 are mounted on body 60. Door 170 includes a plurality of fastener-receiving holes, such as hole 182, a pouch 184 (FIG. 9A), and hooks, such as hooks 186 (FIG. 7A), on one side edge thereof. Door 172 has a tool-accommodating pouch 190, and hooks 192 on one side edge thereof. Door 170 further including a window unit, such as window unit 200 (FIG. 9A).

(28) A plurality of fasteners, such as fastener 210 (FIG. 8), releasably doors 170 and 172 on the body frame. Each fastener is accommodated in an associated fastener-receiving hole and has a head 220 which is sized and shaped to be accommodated in the socket 164 of the license plate unit screw driver unit.

(29) A plurality of hook-accommodating elements, such as hook-accommodating elements 230 (FIG. 6), are on the body frame. Hooks 186 are releasably and pivotally accommodated in the hook-accommodating elements to releasably and pivotally mount the door units on the body frame.

(30) A bumper element, such as element 240 can be releasably attached to the frame by bolts, such as bolt 242. Having a hexagonal head 244 so the tools, such as the screwdriver 100 or the socket 164, included with the car can be used to mount the bumper on the frame. Bolts, such as bolts 70 or 242, can be used to attach the axle unit to the chassis using fastener-accommodating holes, such as holes 243.

(31) A motor 250 and transmission 252 (see FIG. 15) can be mounted on the chassis in the frame to complete the vehicle. Bolts, such as bolts 70 or 242, that are amenable to the tools included in the vehicle are used to mount the motor/transmission unit in the vehicle via fastener-accommodating holes, such as holes 253.

(32) While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of this invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.