Abstract:
A toy having: a main body portion, the main body portion defining a receiving area; a member configured to be received within the receiving area; a mechanism for releasably securing the member in the receiving area, wherein the mechanism has a pair of arm members each having a protrusion for releasably engaging a detent on the member.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/710,163 filed Oct. 5, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a toy figure and an apparatus and/or method for launching the toy figure. 
         [0003]    Toys or toy figures are desired by children and adults. Toys or toy figures that can slid, roll, move or otherwise traverse across a play surface provide an enhanced feature that is further desired by the user whether they be an adult or child. Still further, a unique feature that allows the toy or toy figure or combination thereof to move across the play surface in a distinctive manner may further enhance the user&#39;s experience. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a toy or toy figure or configured to traverse along a play surface as well as a method and/or apparatus for launching the same. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0005]    In one embodiment, the invention relates to a toy that has a main body portion, the main body portion defining a receiving area; a member configured to be received within the receiving area; a mechanism for releasably securing the member in the receiving area, wherein the mechanism has a pair of arm members each having a protrusion for releasably engaging a detent on the member. 
         [0006]    In another exemplary embodiment, the invention relates to a combination of a toy and a figure. The toy has a main body portion defining a receiving area; a mechanism for releasably securing the figure in the receiving area, wherein the mechanism has a pair of arm members each having a protrusion for releasably engaging a detent on the figure and wherein the figure further comprises a weighted bottom portion and a pair of members rotatably secured to the action figure so that the figure can move upon a surface. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment, the invention relates to a method for releasably retaining a figure in a toy. The method includes the steps of: biasing a pair of arm members into a first position, wherein each of the pair of arm members have a protrusion configured to be received within a detent of the figure when it is received within a receiving area of the toy; biasing a plunger into a first position; moving the plunger to a second position via actuation of an actuation member, wherein the plunger pushes the figure out of the receiving area when it is in the second position; and wherein the figure has a weighted bottom with a pair of members rotatably mounted to the weighted bottom of the figure so that the figure can move along a surface when it is pushed out of the receiving area. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    These and/or other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a toy in a first configuration; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a toy of  FIG. 1  in a second configuration; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the toy of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the toy of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  are front view of the toy of  FIG. 1  in the first and second positions; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a component or figure used with the toy of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a toy  10  is capable of transitioning from a first configuration  12  (see at least  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 5A ) to a second configuration  14  (see at least  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5B ). In one embodiment, the toy  10  resembles an airplane or other flying vehicle. However, in other embodiments, the toy  10  may have different configurations. 
         [0016]    The toy  10  has a main body portion  16 . The main body portion  16  is configured to have a receiving area  18 . Receiving area  18  is configured to releasably receive a member  20  in the receiving area. The toy  10  includes a mechanism  22  that releasably secures the member  20  in the receiving area  18 . 
         [0017]    In one non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the mechanism  22  (illustrated by the dashed lines in the attached figures) includes a pair of arm members  24  (see  FIGS. 5A and 5B ). Each arm member  24  is pivotally mounted to the main body portion  16  proximate to receiving area  18  and is configured for movement. The arm members  24  are movable between a first position (see at least  FIG. 5A ) in which a portion  26  of each arm member  24  is positioned within receiving area  18  and a second position (see at least  FIG. 5B ) in which the portion  26  of each arm member  24  is retracted or moved away from receiving area  18  through actuation of mechanism  22 . 
         [0018]    In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, portions  26  are used to retain member  20  within receiving area  18 . Portion  26  is a protrusion configured to be received within a corresponding detent or recessed area  28  (see  FIG. 6 ) located on either side of member  20 . 
         [0019]    Accordingly, as mechanism  22  is actuated, each arm member  24  moves from its first position in which protrusions  26  are received within detents or receiving areas  28  to the second position in which each protrusion is removed from detents or receiving areas  28 . At this point, the member  20  is free to be removed or launched from receiving area  18 . 
         [0020]    The mechanism  22  also includes a plunger  30  that can move between a first position (see at least  FIG. 5A ) in which the plunger  30  is retracted from receiving area  18  and a second position (see at least  FIG. 5B ) in which the plunger  30  extends into the receiving area  18  through actuation of mechanism  22 . The plunger is biased into its first position by a biasing member, such as spring  32 . As the plunger  30  moves from the first position to the second position, the plunger  30  contacts member  20  and forces the member  20  out of receiving area  18 . Simultaneously, the arm members  24  are moved from their first position to their second position. Similar to plunger  30 , the arm members  24  are biased into their first position by biasing members, such as a pair of springs  34 . 
         [0021]    Movement of plunger  30  and the arm members  24  from their respective first positions to their respective second positions is achieved through movement of an actuation member  36  that is movably mounted to toy  10 . Actuation member  36  is coupled to plunger  30  and the pair of arm members  24  via linkage members and/or cam members located within the main body portion  16  of toy  10 . As illustrated in at least  FIGS. 1 and 2 , actuation member  36  is capable of movement from a first position ( FIG. 1 ) to a second position ( FIG. 2 ). Actuation member  36  is spring biased into the first position by a spring  38  received within main body portion  16 . 
         [0022]    Accordingly, as actuation member  36  is moved downwardly in the direction of arrow  40  in  FIG. 1 , plunger  30  moves into receiving area  18  while the protrusions  26  of the arm members  24  are retracted from area  18  as well as areas  28  of member  20 . The movement of plunger  30  downward causes member  20  to be forced out of receiving area  18  in the direction of arrow  42  (see  FIG. 2 ). 
         [0023]    In addition, the main body portion  16  has a canopy  44  pivotally mounted thereto and configured for movement between a first position (see  FIG. 1 ) in which the receiving area  18  and member  20  are covered by canopy  44  and a second position (see at least  FIGS. 2 ,  4 ,  5 A,  5 B) in which the canopy  44  is moved upwardly in the direction of arrow  46  as member  20  is forced out of receiving area  18  via plunger  30 . 
         [0024]    In accordance with one embodiment, member  20  is configured to resemble a figure or character. Member  20  may be referred to as an action figure alternatively herein. Member  20  has a weighted bottom portion  48  such that the member  20  maintains a generally upright configuration when member  20  rests upon a surface  50 . Member  20  is configured to roll along surface  50  via a pair of rotating members  52  secured to member or  FIG. 20 . The rotating members  52  are hemispheres or substantially hemispherical and are rotatably mounted to the weighted bottom portion  48  of member  20 . Accordingly, the rotating members  52  allow member  22  roll upon surface  50  when a force is impacted thereon such as, a force applied by plunger  30  as the plunger  30  moves from the first position to the second position. 
         [0025]    In addition and since member  20  has a weighted bottom portion  48 , which in one non-limiting configuration has a curved surface, member  20  is capable of oscillating or wobbling as it travels or rolls along surface  50 . Thereafter, the weighted bottom portion  48  causes member  20  to rest in an upright position. 
         [0026]    Afterwards, a user can grasp member  20  and reinsert the member  20  back into receiving area  18  so that protrusions  28  engage recesses  28  on member  20 . Then, the user can once again launch the member  20  from the receiving area  18  of the toy  10 . 
         [0027]    Receiving area  18  is open to surface  50  when the toy  10  is resting upon the surface  50 . As such, the rotating members  52  are already resting on surface  50  or are in close proximity thereto such that when actuation button  36  is depressed, member  20  moves along surface  50 . 
         [0028]    In accordance with various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, member  20  can resemble a character from a story, book, movie, etc. and the toy  10  can be configured to resemble a vehicle related to the aforementioned story, book, movie, etc. For example and as illustrated in the attached FIGS. the toy  10  resembles a flying spacecraft and member  20  resembles a character from a movie. Of course, numerous other variations are contemplated to be within the scope of various embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0029]    As used herein, the terms “first,” “second,” and the like, herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another, and the terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item. In addition, it is noted that the terms “bottom” and “top” are used herein, unless otherwise noted, merely for convenience of description, and are not limited to any one position or spatial orientation. 
         [0030]    The modifier “about” used in connection with a quantity is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., includes the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity). 
         [0031]    In the preceding detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without these specific details, that the present invention is not limited to the depicted embodiments, and that the present invention may be practiced in a variety of alternative embodiments. Moreover, repeated usage of the phrase “in an embodiment” does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may. Lastly, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and the like, as used in the present application, are intended to be synonymous unless otherwise indicated.