Children's ride-on vehicles having improved shifter assemblies
US7487850B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 24, 2006 |
| Grant date | Feb 10, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 22, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T74/20012
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Children's ride-on vehicles having improved shifter assemblies. The vehicles include a drive assembly comprising a velocity control assembly that selectively configures the drive assembly within a plurality of drive configurations and which includes a switch assembly adapted to be selectively configured between a plurality of velocity settings. Each velocity setting configures the drive assembly to a predetermined drive configuration. The velocity control assembly may include an actuator assembly that receives user inputs via a shifter handle moveable between a plurality of shift positions along a plurality of shift paths. Each shift position configures the switch assembly to a particular velocity setting. At least two of the shift paths have non-linear relative orientations. In some embodiments, the actuator assembly includes a biasing mechanism, which urges the shifter handle towards a selected shift position, and/or a restraining mechanism, which selectively prevents the shifter handle from being moved to a selected shift position.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.