Expander and Action Figure with an Expander

Abstract

An expander has a collapsed configuration and a deployed configuration. The expander has at least one expander component that is movably coupled to another expander component. The expander may be used with a toy figure. In one implementation, each of the expander components is pivotally coupled to another expander component. The expander includes a biasing member that biases adjacent expander components away from each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toy comprising:
 a first expander member having a thin, planar configuration, a first end, and a second end opposite to the first end;   a second expander member having a thin, planar configuration, a first end, and a second end opposite to the first end of the second expander member, the second end of the first expander member being pivotally coupled to the second end of the second expander member in an end-to-end arrangement, the first expander member being movable relative to the second expander member, the first expander member and the second expander member being placeable in retracted positions and in expanded or deployed positions relative to each other, the first expander member and the second expander member being angled away from each other in the expanded positions and parallel to each other in the retracted positions.   
     
     
         2 . The toy of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first biasing member coupled to the first expander member and to the second expander member, the first biasing member biasing the first expander member and the second expander member away from each other to the expanded positions.   
     
     
         3 . The toy of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a latch mechanism that is configured to retain the first expander member and the second expander member in their retracted positions against the force of the first biasing member.   
     
     
         4 . The toy of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third expander member having a thin, planar configuration, a first end, and a second end opposite to the first end of the third expander member, the second end of the third expander member being pivotally coupled to the first end of the second expander member in an end-to-end arrangement, the third expander member being movable relative to the second expander member, the third expander member and the second expander member being placeable in retracted positions and in expanded positions relative to each other, the third expander member and the second expander member being angled away from each other in their expanded positions and parallel to each other in their retracted positions.   
     
     
         5 . The toy of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a second biasing member coupled to the third expander member and to the second expander member, the second biasing member moving the third expander member and the second expander member away from each other to their expanded positions, the first expander member, the second expander member, and the third expander member are proximate to each other and extend along and parallel to each other in their retracted positions when the toy is in its collapsed configuration, and the first expander member, the second expander member, and the third expander member are angled away from each other in their expanded positions when the toy is in its deployed configuration.   
     
     
         6 . The toy of  claim 4 , wherein the first expander member, the second expander member, and the third expander member are co-planar in their expanded positions. 
     
     
         7 . The toy of  claim 4 , wherein the first expander member and the third expander member overly the second expander member when the first expander member, the second expander member, and the third expander member are in their retracted positions. 
     
     
         8 . A reconfigurable toy having a flat, collapsed configuration and a deployed configuration, comprising
 a first expander member having a flat configuration and an outer perimeter edge;   a second expander member having a flat configuration and an outer perimeter edge, the outer perimeter edge of the first expander member being pivotally coupled to the outer perimeter edge of the second expander member, the first expander member and the second expander member being movable between retracted positions and expanded positions relative to each other, the first expander member and the second expander member being angled away from each other in their expanded positions and extending along and parallel to each other in their retracted positions;   a first biasing member coupled to the first expander member and to the second expander member, the first biasing member moving the first expander member and the second expander member to their expanded positions;   a third expander member having a flat configuration and an outer perimeter edge, the other perimeter edge of the third expander member being pivotally coupled to the outer perimeter edge of the second expander member, the third expander member and the second expander member being movable between retracted positions and expanded positions relative to each other, the third expander member and the second expander member being angled away from each other in their expanded positions and extending along and parallel to each other in their retracted positions; and   a second biasing member coupled to the third expander member and to the second expander member, the second biasing member moving the third expander member and the second expander member to their expanded positions, the first expander member, the second expander member, and the third expander member are in their expanded positions when the toy is in its deployed configuration, and the first expander member, the second expander member, and the third expander member are in their retracted positions when the toy is in its collapsed configuration.   
     
     
         9 . The reconfigurable toy of  claim 8 , wherein the first expander member is coupled to the second expander member in an end-to-end arrangement. 
     
     
         10 . The reconfigurable toy of  claim 8 , wherein the first expander member and the second expander member contact each other along their length in their retracted positions, and the third expander member and the second expander member contact each other along their length in their retracted positions. 
     
     
         11 . The toy of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a latch mechanism that is configured to retain the first expander member and the second expander member in their retracted positions against the bias of the first biasing member.   
     
     
         12 . The toy of  claim 11 , wherein the latch mechanism retains the second expander member and the third expander member in their retracted positions against the bias of the second biasing member. 
     
     
         13 . The toy of  claim 8 , wherein the first expander member, the second expander member, and the third expander member are co-planar in their expanded positions. 
     
     
         14 . The toy of  claim 8 , wherein the first expander member and the third expander member overly the second expander member when the first expander member, the second expander member, and the third expander member are in their retracted positions. 
     
     
         15 . An action figure, comprising:
 a body; and   an expander coupled to the body, the expander having a collapsed configuration and a deployed configuration, the expander including multiple expander components, each of the multiple expander components is pivotally coupled to at least one other expander component, the expander components extending substantially parallel to each other in the deployed configuration and being placed along and next to adjacent expander components in the collapsed configuration.   
     
     
         16 . The action figure of  claim 15 , wherein the expander includes a retaining mechanism and at least one biasing member located between expander components that are coupled together, and the release of the retaining mechanism allows the expander components to move to deployed positions due to the at least one biasing member. 
     
     
         17 . The action figure of  claim 15 , wherein the body has a hand and the expander is mounted to the hand. 
     
     
         18 . The action figure of  claim 15 , wherein the multiple expander components include a first expander component, a second expander component, and a third expander component, the first expander component is pivotally coupled to the second expander component, and the second expander component is pivotally coupled to the third expander component. 
     
     
         19 . The action figure of  claim 18 , wherein the first expander member, the second expander member, and the third expander member are co-planar in their expanded positions. 
     
     
         20 . The toy of  claim 18 , wherein the first expander member and the third expander member overly the second expander member when the first expander member, the second expander member, and the third expander member are in their retracted positions.