Disclosed herein is a toy launcher including a base having a slot and a housing movably coupled to move along the slot. The housing has a latch pivotally coupled to the housing and the latch has a first portion and a second portion. The weight of the first portion of the latch is greater than the weight of the second portion of the latch. The second portion of the latch engages with a toy and the first portion of the latch corresponds to a rear portion of the toy. A first engagement element is coupled to the base near a first end of the base and a second engagement element is coupled to the housing and movable along the slot. The second engagement element is configured to couple with the first engagement element to retain the housing in a fixed position against a force of a biasing member. A release mechanism is coupled to the base. The release mechanism is configured to disengage the first engagement element from the second engagement element so that the biasing member moves the housing and the latch away from the first engagement element and the latch pushes the toy to launch the toy from the base.

A toy set is provided including a reconfigurable toy capable of transitioning between a first configuration and a second configuration. The toy set also includes a launch mechanism having an activation means and a toy receiver. A propulsion mechanism transfers movement of the activation means to the reconfigurable toy to propel the reconfigurable toy in a second configuration from the launch mechanism along a propulsion axis.

A toy or game with an illuminable transparent or translucent tube has a moveable part in the tube and a power source adjacent an end of the tube for selectively controllable movement of the part. The part may be a moveable light source or a separate stationary light source may be adjacent one end of the tube with the moveable part blocking light from the light source. The power source and the light source may be adjacent the same end of the tube or may be adjacent opposed ends. The power source may be an elastic element or compressed gas. Air flow through the blower is adjusted by user manipulable controls.

A system is provided having a launch mechanism with an energy generation capability and a capability to launch toy entities such as surface based entities and flying entities. The launch mechanism may include multiple orientations and configurations to facilitate launch sequences for the toy entities. The energy generation capability may include a handle, a trigger and a rack extending from the trigger capable of charging a gear box. The launch mechanism may also include a capability to transfer energy from the gear box to the toy entity. The system may also be used with game play to launch the flying entities and then utilize an upper portion of the launch mechanism to catch the flying entities.

A toy set is provided including a reconfigurable toy capable of transitioning between a first configuration and a second configuration. The toy set also includes a launch mechanism having an activation means and a toy receiver. A propulsion mechanism transfers movement of the activation means to the reconfigurable toy to propel the reconfigurable toy in a second configuration from the launch mechanism along a propulsion axis.

Economical toy vehicles powered by stored elastic energy. In one embodiment, an economical toy vehicle includes: a vehicle body; an axle rotatably attached to the vehicle body; a gear integrally affixed to the axle such that rotation of the gear causes rotation of the axle; at least one slotted member integrally affixed to the axle, the slotted member including at least one slot; a hook-pinion assembly characterized by a hook integrally adjoined to a pinion; where the hook-pinion assembly is rotatably attached to the vehicle body; where the pinion is interlockingly engaged with the gear affixed to the axle; and a rubber band detachably attached to the vehicle body on a first end and detachably attached to the hook at a second end, such that the at least one slot can be used to rotate the axle, consequently resulting in the application of a torsional force to the rubber band.

A launching apparatus for toy vehicles is provided herein. The launching apparatus is structured for sequentially launching a plurality of the toy vehicles, and includes a holding section that supports the plurality of toy vehicles in a sequential line, where at least part of the holding section is formed as an inverted support region that is structured to hold at least some of the plurality of vehicles in an at least partially upside-down orientation. The launching apparatus also includes a launching section that is connected to the holding section; and a release element that movable between a blocking position where the release element retains the plurality of toy vehicles on the holding section, and a launching position where the release element permits a toy vehicle of the plurality of toy vehicles to be released onto the launching section from the holding section, under the influence of gravity.

A model car has a car chassis having at least three wheels, a steerable wheel and a steering gear, a spring mechanism that stores energy used to steer the steerable wheel, and a coupling/decoupling mechanism arranged between the spring mechanism and the steering gear. The steering gear has an input gear wheel connected to the spring mechanism, an output gear wheel connected to the steerable wheel, and two intermediate gear wheel paths each comprising an intermediate gear wheel providing an connection between the input and output gear wheels on alternative intermediate gear wheel paths, and the input gear wheel is movable by the coupling/decoupling mechanism to mesh with at least two of the intermediate gear wheels.

A toy vehicle launcher assembly for launching a toy vehicle includes a housing and a launcher that is at least partially disposed in the housing. The launcher includes a load mechanism, an actuator mechanism, and a push mechanism. The load mechanism includes a first arm with a handle portion and a second arm with an engagement extension. The handle portion is configured to pivot along a first axis to move the engagement extension and the length of the first arm is longer than the length of the second arm. The actuator mechanism includes a catch. The push mechanism includes a launching member having a first end for engaging with the catch and a second end opposite the first end for engaging a toy vehicle. Rotating the handle portion of the load mechanism towards the push mechanism causes the engagement extension to pull the launching member laterally towards the actuator mechanism.