Abstract
A system for easy, quick and inexpensive coupling of the shells of a toy housing, without screws fasteners, comprising a first shell having an inside T-shaped projecting member with side edges of the arms of the T being captured between a set of apertures located in a pair of parallel, opposed and resilient walls of the other housing shell, such that pressing the two shell pieces together causes the edges of the arms of the T shaped member to cam outwardly the otherwise parallel walls of the other shell until the edges are captured in apertures in the side walls of the second shell member. Also disclosed is a simple tool, like a pair of pliers for disassembling the toy having a first arm, a hinged second arm, a first tip or prong, and a second tip or prong, wherein the tips and a portion of the arms extend into the cavity of the housing and when the handles of the tool are squeezed, the side walls, which are resilient, spread apart to release the capture of the arms of the T shaped member from the apertures of the parallel walls to allow pulling apart of the housing shells.
Claims
1. A tool for disassembling a toy comprised of at least two housing components, said tool comprising: a first projecting arm with a tip; a second projecting arm with its own tip; a handle mechanically secured to each of said first and said second connecting arms, said handles being biased apart; and said handles being mechanically coupled to said arms and said tips such that squeezing the handles together results in moving said arms and said tips apart from one another.
2. The tool of claim 1 further comprising a planar stopper support mechanism for maintaining perpendicularity between said arms of said tool and the surface of a housing into which said tips of said tool are inserted for disassembly of said housing.
3. The tool of claim 1 wherein said tips are narrowed in comparison to the width of said arms along their length.
4. The tool of claim 1 wherein said tips and said arms are separated by a predetermined limit distance and restrained from coming into contact with one another.
5. The tool of claim 1 wherein said bias is provided by a spring connected between said handles.
6. The tool of claim 2 wherein said planar stopper support mechanism is a pair of opposed U shaped members which are secured about the said arms of said tool.
7. The tool of claim 4 wherein said predetermined limit distance is controlled by the diameter of a bolt passing between said projecting arms.
8. The tool of claim 1, further comprising separating limit means for controlling the distance of separation of said first tip and said second tip even when said handles squeezed together.
9. The tool of claim 1, wherein a coil tension spring is attached to and disposed between the first arm and the second arm and said spring is biased to bringing said arms towards one another.
10. The tool of claim 1, wherein said handle portion of each of the first arm and said second arm is provided with a rubber or plastic covering.
11. The tool of claim 1, wherein the cross section of said first arm and said second arm is basically flat and the cross section of said first tip and said second tip are circular.
12. A system for assembling a toy housing, comprising: a first toy housing shell component having an inner surface comprising one or more pairs of substantially parallel and closely spaced, outwardly resilient interior-located side walls, each side wall comprising an aperture disposed therethrough and aligned with the aperture of a paired and opposing side wall, and the inner surface of said first toy housing shell component having an aperture therethrough, inwardly spaced from an intersection of said side walls and an outside surface of said shell component; a second toy housing shell component having an inner surface comprising one or more inwardly directed, perpendicularly extending T shaped elements, corresponding in location to said side walls yet extending across said side walls, with outward edges of arms of said T shaped elements having a width a bit greater than a distance between said apertures of the side walls such that pressing of said first toy housing shell component toward said second toy housing shell component causes said outward edges of said arms of said T shaped elements to cam said side walls outwardly until said outward edges of said arms of said T shaped elements are captured by said apertures of said side walls; and a tool for disengaging said outward edges of said arms of said T shaped elements from the apertures of said side walls when said first and second toy housing shell components are being pulled apart, by said tool outwardly bending said side walls, wherein said first toy housing shell component has at least one additional aperture, each additional aperture located proximal to a pair of side walls, disposed perpendicularly and spanning a distance between both side walls in said pair of side walls, configured to permit said tool to mechanically interact and spread said pair of side walls.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein said outward edges of said T shaped elements are outwardly flared to present camming surfaces for outwardly pressing said side walls when said first and second toy housing shell components are pressed together.
14. (canceled)
15. The system of claim 12, wherein said tool comprises a pair of handles which are mechanically connected to a pair of opposed tips such that squeezing said handles causes said tips to separate, and said tips are selectively insertable between said side walls of said first toy housing shell component to separate said side walls from one another.
16. The system of claim 15 further comprising mechanically limiting means for said tool which limits the proximity of said tips to a predetermined minimum distance of separation.
17. The system of claim 15 wherein said tool further comprises a spring biasing said tips against the force of squeezing said handles.
18. The system of claim 12 further comprising said tool comprising a pair of opposed handles and forwardly projecting arms with tips such that squeezing said handles causes said tips to move apart from one another.
19. (canceled)
20. The system of claim 18 wherein said tool further comprises planar stopper members for holding said tool in a perpendicular manner with respect to the outside surface of said first toy housing shell component.
21. The system of claim 20 wherein said planar members are U-shaped planar members and are located on both sides of the forwardly projecting arms of said tool.
22. The system of claim 21 wherein said U-shaped planar members are held to said tool by a pair of bolts passing therethrough, wherein one of said bolts serves as a hinged point for said arms of said tool and the other bolt serves to limit a minimum distance between the forwardly projecting arms of said tool.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 illustrates a system according to one embodiment of the present invention, including a toy formed from a pair of mating shell housings (a top and a bottom housing) and also showing a tool on the top of the housing, for use in selective disassembling the housing shells or halves of the toy;
[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates an enlarged and perspective, front view of a tool according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing the arms, opposed tips or prongs, handles, and some planar edged, U-shaped plates helpful in using the tool for selective disassembly of the halves of a toy housing;
[0017] FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of the tool of FIG. 2, showing the handles, the spring between the handles, a central pivot point, the arms of the tool, the forwardly projecting prongs with tips, and a separating bolt near the prongs, along with a pair of planar, U-shaped plates with flat edges for helping to hold the components and facilitating the use of the tool, as desired;
[0018] FIG. 4 illustrates a front end view of the tool of FIG. 2, showing the handles, the separating bolt, the U-shaped planar plates with flat edges, and a separating bolt along with the tool's arms and forwardly projecting prongs;
[0019] FIG. 5 illustrates a view of the inside surface of the first shell or half portion of a first toy component formed of mating housing shells, for a toy according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 6 illustrates an enlarged, partial view of the inside of the first shell or half portion of the toy and shows the resilient, opposed, parallel walls extending from the inside surface of the housing shell, with capturing holes or apertures for the arms of the T-shape (not shown) for a first snap connection;
[0021] FIG. 7 illustrates an inside portion of the second shell or half of a toy housing component, according to one embodiment of the present invention; this shell or half will mate with and be secured to the first shell of FIGS. 5 and 6, when the arms of the T-shapes of the inside of this shell or half are pressed into and thus cammed into the opposed apertures or holes of the opposed walls of the other shell half (the resilient walls spreading outwardly) until the outside edges of the arms of the T-shapes are captured by the opposing holes of the walls of the first shell or half;
[0022] FIG. 8 is an enlarged underside view of the second half or shell of the toy housing, showing the T-shape projection, extending from that half shell into the cavity, as it would extend towards the opposed and parallel walls of the first shell or half of the housing;
[0023] FIG. 9 illustrates the capturing mechanism used for the shell halves of a toy housing, comprising an enlarged T-shape plastic component extending from the inside wall of the second half or shell of the toy housing, extending into the cavity formed between the two shells and extending into the space formed between the opposed, parallel and resilient walls of the first shell, with the arms of the T-shape first camming the walls outwardly until the arms of the T-shape pop into the opposed holes or apertures of the spaced walls, whereupon the arms are captured between the opposed walls;
[0024] FIG. 10 illustrates a partial view of the tool or mechanism for pushing outwardly the opposed walls of the first shell of the housing to release the arms of the T shape of the opposed shell or half of the housing; and
[0025] FIG. 11 illustrates an underside view of the interaction between a first housing component of the toy and the leading tips or prongs of the arms of a tool, extending between holes in the outside and bottom surface of the shell of the housing, with the prongs extending between the resilient walls of the shell, to push the same outwardly to release the arms of the T shape of the other housing shell, all according to one embodiment of the present invention, thereby releasing the arms of the T-shape from the opposed apertures of the resilient walls.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS AND THE DRAWINGS
[0026] FIG. 1 provides a system for making a toy comprised of two mating housing components and also shows a tool for use in connection with selective disassembly of the housing to gain access if needed into the cavity. Basically, the invention relates to a tool 10 and a toy 11, comprised of a top half or shell 12 and a bottom half or shell 14. Both the top shell and the bottom shell are preferably made from a thin plastic. The tool 10 is shown on the top of the top shell, for ease of illustration. The tool is only used for selective splitting of the housing, to gain access to its interior or cavity. The top shell or half 12 and the bottom shell or half 14 are provided with quite similar outside circumference edges and shape so that the two mate together and a cavity is formed between them. The inside surface of the top shell or half 12 opposes the inside surface of the bottom half or shell 14 to form the cavity between the two. Preferably, a handle is formed in the housing to ease carrying the toy from location to location. Such a handle is shown in FIG. 1. Preferably, the top half or shell 12 is provided with a slightly larger and overlapping exterior or perimeter edge which fits over the corresponding edge of the bottom half or shell 14 so that the two housing halves mate with one another. The upper or top surface 15 of the top shell 12 is provided with pegs, hubs, or other toy components for a child to interact with, generally with other pieces of the toy. In the shown embodiment, a series or rotatable short axles are shown along with one or more interlocking gears which fit over the stubby axles and mate with one another to create a fun toy. In this embodiment, the housing is meant to hold a set of batteries and a motor to turn one or more of the axles, when an switch (accessible to the user/child) is activated (not shown). The rotation of one of the gears will cause other meshed gears to rotate and, thus, the toy housing provides a fun and interactive toy for a child. The size and color of the gears can be exchanged to create other and varied effects. A bubble on top of a gear is shown in the center of the top housing and when it rotates a pleasing visual effect is provided. According to the present invention, the two housing halves 12 and 14, are easily snapped together, as will be detailed, and form a single complete housing 11 with no access to the interior unless and until the housing is opened by use of the new tool, shown on the top of the housing in FIG. 1. Tool 10 is used to separate the two housing halves 11 and 12, when desired, to disassemble the toy, as when there is a need to replace the motor, the switch, replace batteries, etc. The tool is intended to be held by the manufacturer or a retail store, not sold to consumers at retail, but, of course, the tool can be provided, too, with the sale of the toy or sold separately. FIG. 1 shows the toy, comprised of the top and bottom halves 11 and 12, with some gears held on the rotatable axles which pass through the top surface 15 of the top half or shell 12. The tool is also shown. Other forms for the housing can be appreciated as these types of central cavity housings are common for toys. The gears, with a motor and battery is used for illustration purposes only. The present invention generally relates to a new mechanism for simply, quickly and without screws, assembling housing components to one another and the tool is then used for quickly, easily and inexpensively allowing for the disassembly of the housing halves, when desired and without destruction of the housing halves.
[0027] The tool 10 is best shown in FIGS. 2-4. Tool 10 includes a first arm 101 and a second arm 102. The first arm 101 and second arm 102 are hinged together at or around their midpoint. Each arm 101 and 102 has a handle portion with a rubber coating, a central section, and a forwardly projecting piece. The crossing over the central sections of the two arms is the location of a central hinge or screw member. At the tip of the projecting pieces is a small prong member or a tip, preferably rounded or having a square cross section. The two arms, 101 and 102 are hinged and held together by a screw and bolt passing through their central sections. When the two handles are squeezed together, the prong or tips separate from one another. Screw 124 is shown in FIG. 3 and it is held to the two arms by a connecting nut passing through a first flat flange of the first arm overlapping another flat flange on the other arm thereby connecting the central sections of the arms. As stated, simple squeezing together of the handles of the arms effects a simple separation of the prongs or tips of the arms of the tool. This can be accomplished in a variety of mechanical arrangements.
[0028] As can be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the left handle 101 continues on as left projecting piece 112 and the right handle 102 continues as the right projecting piece 111. Alternatively, the forwardly projecting arms and their prongs or tips can be mechanically connected in other ways but, in any event, the squeezing of the handles is meant to result in a small further separation of the prongs or tips. A spring 103 is provided between the two handles to bias the handles of the tool apart from one another. This keeps the prongs or tips near to one another. The spring 103 biases the projecting pieces 111 and 112, along with their prongs or tips 151 and 153 so the tool, when not squeezed, has the prongs or tips close to one another. Squeezing the handles together, against the outward bias of the spring 103, will cause the handles to near one another and in turn causes the tips 151 and 153, to further separate. However, as can be seen in FIG. 3, a large bolt 123 passes through two plates and that bolt and its threaded extension or body prevents the two projecting pieces and the prongs or tips 151 and 153 from actually touching, even when the tool is idle. The bolt 123 is a limiter for how close the two projecting pieces and the prongs/tips can come towards one another. The connecting bolt 124 also passes through the two plates. As can be appreciated, there are many different mechanisms which can be used for allowing the squeezing of the handles to effect the desired separation of the tips and the release of the handles to effect a closing together of the tips, to the extent allowed by the space limiting bolt 123.
[0029] Turning back to the toy housing, the top half or shell 12 is snapped to the bottom half or shell 14 by one or more interior snap connectors. These avoid the use of screws to connect together the halves of the housing. Simple alignment of the outside rims of the two halves and pressing of the halves together will cause the opposed and engaging snap connector pieces to mate and secure the housing into a single toy housing with an interior cavity. The inside surface 20 of the top half or shell 12 is provided with one component of the snap connectors while the inside surface 22 of the bottom shell or half 14 is provided with the other and mating component of the snap connectors 16. Each snap connector is comprised of a T shaped plastic piece extending into the cavity (with the arms or larger part of the T being disposed away from the inside surface of the housing half) while the inside surface of the bottom half (the components of the snap connectors can, of course, be switched) is provided with a pair of opposed parallel walls 26 and 27 which extend into the cavity and extend toward the inside surface 20 of the top shell. When connected together the outwardly extending arms of the T shaped component is captured and held within the opposed and aligned holes or apertures 28 of the opposed parallel and resilient walls 26 and 27. The distance between the opposed walls 26, 27 (when the walls are not cammed outwardly) is less than the distance between the edges 32 and 33 of the top or arms of the T shaped component.
[0030] In practice and use, to mate the two halves and form an integrated cavity-containing housing, the two halves of the housing are merely aligned and pushed toward one another. The outward edges of the top or arms of the T shaped component, which slant downwardly and outwardly from bottom of arms of the T to the top of the T, cam or push the opposed parallel walls of the other member of the snap connector outwardly (See FIG. 10). Then, the extending arms of the T will snap into the opposed apertures or holes of the parallel walls and the walls will capture the arms of the T shaped component. When the arms are captured, the walls will again become parallel to one another, with the arms of the T shaped component contained within the apertures or holes of the walls. This snap mechanism will hold the two housing halves together. The resilience of the walls to flex outwardly, when pushed that way by the downwardly sliding inverted T shape, will allow the T shape to be moved into position such that when the edges of the arms of the T align with the apertures in the walls, the walls will snap back into parallel alignment. Thus, pushing the two halves of the housing together will easily, quickly, and without screws, result in a unified whole housing. The resilience of the opposed walls extending up from the inside surface of the bottom half or shell 14 cooperates with the camming edges of the T shaped connector element, extending from the inside surface of the top shell or half 12all to hold the housing halves together. This is the manner of assembling the two halves of a toy housing into a unified housing with a central cavity, extending between the halves.
[0031] To selectively disassemble the two halves, if required, a tool is provided. The tips of the tool are first inserted into the housing through aligned apertures in that housing half's surface. Those apertures are aligned to be just inside the space defined by the parallel walls. Then, a user preferably operates tool 10 by placing first arm 101 and second arm 102 within the user's hand and applying pressure to, i.e., squeezing together, first arm 101 and second arm 102. First arm 101 and second arm 102 may optionally be configured with a grip, such as a rubber or plastic grip, on a portion thereof. A coil tension spring 103 may be attached to and disposed between first arm 101 and second arm 102 to provide a release of the splitting apart tension of the tool, a consequence of the squeezing of the handles towards one another.
[0032] Tool 10 includes a first prong 111 and a second prong 112; each provided with a distal tip member. First prong 111 and second prong 112 are connected to first projecting arm 101 and second projecting arm 102 via a bottom screw 124. First prong 111 and second prong 112 may taper down toward their respective ends, preferably the tip ends are round or square in cross section, at a portion distally located from the connection between prongs 111 and 112 and arms 101 and 102. First prong 111 and second prong 112 may be configured with an additional cylindrical or substantially cylindrical point at their respective ends, preferably the ends distally located from the connection between prongs 111 and 112 and arms 101 and 102.
[0033] Tool 10 may also include a housing engaging, planar stopper element 120. Stopper 120 may have a first stopper side 121 and a second stopper side 122, disposed on opposite sides of the assemblage of prongs 111 and 112 and arms 101 and 102. The tips project past the front edge of the stopper element 120. First stopper side 121 and second stopper side 122 are affixed to one another via a top screw 123 and the separate bottom screw 124. Top screw 123 passes between first prong 111 and second prong 112 in affixing first stopper side 121 and second stopper side 122 together. Therefore, as a result of the placement of top screw 123, first prong 111 and second prong 112 do not fully close to contact each other but rest against the outside diameter or screw threads of the top screw 123 when tool 10 is inactive. This prevents the prongs and tips from coming into contact with one another. Bottom screw 124 passes between prongs 111 and 112 and arms 101 and 102 in affixing first stopper side 121 and second stopper side 122 together. The front and preferable U-shaped edges of the stopper 120 prevents tool 10, specifically prongs 111 and 112, from fully penetrating certain objects, and rests on an outer surface, the true bottom of the bottom half or shell 14, when the tool is deployed to separate the halves of the housing. The U shaped front edges of the stopper rests against the housing bottom surface when prongs 111 and 112 and their tips are inserted into toy housing 20 for disassembly.
[0034] The bottom half or shell 14 is preferably the shell half provided with the inwardly projecting (i.e., towards the center of the cavity), originally parallel, yet outwardly bendable, resilient walls. These have their free ends extending toward the inside of the housing, and project toward the inside surface of the top half or shell 12. Those walls are provided, near their distal ends, with a pair of opposed, aligned apertures. It is those apertures that capture the sides or edges of the arms of the T shaped extension. Those T shaped extensions (See FIG. 10) come towards the parallel walls from the inside surface of the top half or shell 12. The parallel sets of walls are spaced apart a distance such that the side edges of the arms of the T shaped extensions can cam the parallel walls outwardly, (since the walls are resilient they can be bent outwardly) when the housing halves are pressed together and then, with the arm extensions of the T captured in the apertures of the walls, the walls snap back (into parallel alignment with one another) and hold the arms of the T such that it cannot be accidentally disengaged from the apertures of the walls. This holds the two housing halves together.
[0035] The tool however can be selectively inserted into holes in the bottom housing. These holes are located just on the inside i.e., between the parallel walls. The holes accept the tips of the projecting arms and the surface of the stopper will abut the outside surface of the bottom half or shell of the housing. With the tips inserted into the cavity of the housing, the forwardly projecting arms will glide on the inside of the opposed walls. Then, with the tips and part of the arms inserted between the walls, the user can gently squeeze the handles of the tool. That will cause the tips and the arms to separate. They are on the inside, i.e. between the parallel walls of the bottom shell. Squeezing of the handles separates the tips. Separating the tips causes the resilient walls, extending from the inside surface of the bottom shell, to be pushed or cammed outwardly. As those walls separate outwardly and along with the pulling of one housing half away from the other housing half, the apertures of the walls clear beyond the outward extension of the arms of the T shaped component (both arms of the T). These, it will be recalled, project from the inside of the housing and are distal from the inside surface of the top half or shell. Then, at the same time as maintaining the walls separated (so that they are no longer parallel within the cavity) the mechanic can continue to pull and thus easily separate the top shell from the bottom shell for easy access to the cavity. A pair of slots or apertures are located through the bottom shell or half 14, aligned with the inside surfaces of the opposed walls and it is through those apertures or slots that the tips of the tool and part of the tool's arms project when the tool is placed into engagement (stopper against the surface of the housing) with the toy housing's bottom surface. The tips and a portion of the projecting arms separate the parallel walls so that the edges of the arms of the T shaped component clear the apertures of the resilient and outwardly spread side walls.
[0036] FIGS. 5 and 6 present a first toy component or housing shell 201 (the bottom of the toy housing) of toy 20, particularly showing an inner portion or inside surface of first toy component shell or half 201. First toy component 201 includes several snap joints 210 disposed near and around the edges of the toy housing. Each snap joint 210 includes a first snap joint side wall 211 and a second snap joint side wall 212. First snap joint side wall 211 and second snap joint side 212 extend perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly from the inner surface of first toy component 201 and are disposed parallel or substantially parallel to one another. They are secured to the inside surface but are resilient thereto so that they can bend, when outwardly flexed, by either the tips and arms of the tool or by the outward camming of the edges of the arms of the T shaped component of the opposite toy housing half. First snap joint side wall 211 includes a slit or slot 213 and an opening or aperture 215. Opening 215 is disposed entirely within first snap joint side 211, while slit 213 runs from a portion of first snap joint side 211 to a portion of the inner portion of first toy component 201, penetrating first toy component 201. Similarly, second snap joint side wall 212 includes a slit or slot 214 and an opening or aperture 216, in which opening 216 is disposed entirely within second snap joint side 212 and slit 214 runs from a portion of second snap joint side 212 to a portion of the inner portion of first toy component 201, penetrating first toy component 201. These slots (or slits) and apertures allow for the partial insertion of the arms of the tool and for the tips of the arms to pass into the cavity, when desired, between the walls. When the tips are inserted into the cavity, through the apertures and slits, the arms will be pressed against the inside walls of the parallel walls.
[0037] FIGS. 7 and 8 present a second toy component housing or shell 202 (the top of the housing) of toy 20, particularly an inner surface or portion of second toy component 202. Second toy component 202 includes several snap projections or prongs 220 disposed near the outside edges of second toy component 202. Snap prongs 220 extend perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly from the inner portion of second toy component 202. A distal end of snap prong 220 may include a wider portion (the head of the T) that is wider than the base or connecting portion of snap prong 220. This wider portion may include a slightly hooked configuration (See FIG. 9) where the hooks or ends/edges of the arms of T of the prongs are directed outwardly toward the inside surface of second toy component 202. The snap prong 220 has the basic look of a T, with the base of the T attached to the inside surface of the housing shell and the enlarged end or arms of the T projecting outwardly yet toward the apertures of the bottom shell. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the far edges of the arms of the T or enlarged lateral part of the T are slightly extending outwardly (See FIGS. 9 and 10) from top of the T toward the base of the T) so that when the edges touch upon the opposed side walls, as the housing halves are pressed together, the edges cam upon and help to separate the resilient walls, until the outside edges are captured by the apertures of the walls, whereupon the resilient walls snap back and the arms of the T are held within and between the resilient walls.
[0038] It should be easily appreciated and understood that the T shaped snap prongs are spaced about the top shell of the housing to coordinate with the opposed walls of the bottom shell. The snap prongs extend across the parallel walls so that, when assembled, the arms of the snap prongs will snap into the aligned and opposed holes of the parallel walls.
[0039] In FIG. 9, a mechanism by which components or housing halves of a toy shell, such as toy 20, may be affixed, is illustrated. Specifically, the toy includes a first component or shell half (the bottom housing) having a pair of opposed, parallel, resilient walls with apertures, is provided. It is intended to mate with the snap prongs of the opposed toy housing half (the top). The side wall 211 (an outwardly, flexible resilient wall), and second side wall 212 (also outwardly flexible and resilient) is shown. It will capture and release (when the walls are outwardly biased) a second componentthe snap prong (the outside edges of the arms of the T). The snap prong or T shaped element is preferably extending from the inside surface of the second toy component housing 202. Snap prong 220 is inserted between side walls 211 and side wall 212, whereby a wider portion of snap prong 220 enters and gets caught between openings or apertures 215 and 216, respectively. A slightly hooked configuration to this wider (the top of the T) portion assists snap prongs 220 in catching into openings 215 and 216. The taper of the top of the T shape cams the outwardly resilient side walls until the edges of the arms are within the openings 215, 216, and then the side walls snap back, substantially parallel to one another. This secures the top half of the housing to the bottom half of the housing.
[0040] In FIG. 10, a mechanism by which components or the housing halves of a toy, such as toy 20, may be disassembled is illustrated. Specifically, a toy housing is shown including one toy housing or shell component having snap prongs 220 affixed to the inside surface of the housing and mated and secured to another toy component or housing half, comprised of a pair of opposed resilient parallel walls extending from the inside surface of the other housing shell. The tool is shown as inserted into the cavity of the housing and squeezing of the arms of the tool causes an outward pushing of the parallel walls so that the outwardly extending edges of the arms of the T shaped member of the top shell are released from capture by the apertures in the side walls. The tips and arms of the tool pass through small openings (slits, slots and/or apertures) in the bottom shell and then, when the handles of the tool squeezed, the tips and arms push outwardly from within to separate the side walls. This, coupled with pulling of the shell halves apart, will release one shell half from the other, to thereby gain access to the cavity of the toy housing. Then, after repair or replacement is accomplished, the two halves are rematedthe T shapes of the upper housing aligned across the parallel walls, such that the arms are aligned with the opposed apertures of the side walls, and the two halves pushed together. The flared surfaces or edges of the arms of the T components push or cam outwardly the resilient walls and then when the edges are aligned with the apertures of the walls, the T shaped components captured within the apertures of the walls. This allows the walls to snap back into their substantially parallel orientation with respect to one another. This will reassemble the halves into an integrated toy housing, without the need for screws and in a minimum of time and effort.
[0041] To use the tool for disassembly, prongs 111 and 112 of tool 10 may be inserted into slits or openings 213 and 214 of the bottom shell. Those openings pass completely through the bottom shell's wall's thickness. Upon squeezing arms 101 and 102 of tool 10, prongs 111 and 112 move outward from one another. Since prongs 111 and 112 have already been inserted into slits 213 and 214, such outward movement of prongs 111 and 112 causes first side wall 211 and second side wall 212 to bend away from each other. This bending releases the snap prong 220, particularly the wider (outward extension of the arms of the T) portion of snap prong 220, from openings 215 and 216. This bending and release is illustrated in FIG. 10 and is allowed by the resilience of the opposed walls. FIG. 11 also provides a view of tool 10 and its prongs 111 and 112 being inserted into slits or apertures 213 and 214 of snap connection 210 of first toy component 201. This view only shows a part of the tips and the projecting arms, as they pass into the cavity by being inserted through the thickness of the bottom shell.
[0042] The embodiments and examples above are illustrative, and many variations can be introduced to them without departing from the spirit of the disclosure or from the scope of the invention. For example, elements and/or features of different illustrative and exemplary embodiments herein may be combined with each other and/or substituted with each other within the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter, in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention.
