Patent ID: 7695340

Claim:
An action figure toy, comprising: a base; at least two cords suspended from the base; an action figure configured to travel along and ascend the at least two cords toward the base by manipulation of the at least two cords by a user, wherein the action figure includes a first coupling disposed on the action figure and at least one arm, and the first coupling comprises an elongate projection disposed on the at least one arm and a first magnetic-attraction element disposed on the at least one arm; and a flipping mechanism disposed on the base, wherein the flipping mechanism is configured to: engage the action figure when the action figure ascends to the flipping mechanism, and enable the action figure to rotate about an axis that is transverse to a line parallel to at least a portion of at least one of the at least two cords when the flipping mechanism engages the action figure; wherein the flipping mechanism includes: a flipping member pivotingly mounted to the base and configured to pivot about the axis between a first position and a second position, wherein the flipping member is biased toward the second position, and a second coupling disposed on the flipping member, wherein the second coupling comprises a slot in the flipping member that is configured to receive the elongate projection, the flipping member is configured to guide the first coupling into engagement with the second coupling as the action figure travels along and ascends the at least two cords, the second coupling is configured to engage the first coupling, and the engagement of the first and second couplings retains the action figure proximate the flipping member and prevents relative rotation between the action figure and the flipping member; and wherein the second coupling further comprises a second magnetic-attraction element disposed on the flipping member, the second magnetic-attraction element is complementary with the first magnetic-attraction element to provide magnetic attraction between the first and second magnetic-attraction elements, and the first magnetic-attraction element is magnetically held proximate the second magnetic-attraction element when the elongate projection is received in the slot such that the action figure is retained proximate the flipping member.