Toy Figurine with an Extensible Appendage

Abstract

A toy figurine with an extensible appendage includes a body and a resilient member. The resilient member extends through the body and at least a portion of the resilient member is secured within the body without being coupled thereto such that the resilient portion may extend or stretch without affecting the body. In some embodiments, the body may include an outer shell and a tubular member and the resilient member may extend through the tubular member. The tubular member may be the only portion of the figurine composed from a stiff plastic and the remaining portions of the figurine may be composed of soft elastomers of varying resiliency. The composition and configuration of the figurine renders the figurine posable while also allowing the figurine to be launched as a projectile.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toy figurine comprising:
 a body including an outer shell and a tubular member, the tubular member being substantially encased with the outer shell; and   a resilient member extending through the tubular member and including at least one appendage.   
     
     
         2 . The toy figurine of  claim 1 , wherein the resilient member includes a first appendage and a second appendage, the first and second appendages being connected via a connecting portion, the connecting portion extending through the tubular member. 
     
     
         3 . The toy figurine of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second appendages have a first degree of resiliency and the connecting portion has a second degree of resiliency. 
     
     
         4 . The toy figurine of  claim 3 , wherein the second degree of resiliency is greater than the first degree of resiliency. 
     
     
         5 . The toy figurine of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one appendages includes an attachment portion, each attachment portion being configured to removably couple the figurine to a launcher. 
     
     
         6 . The toy figurine of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell is formed from a first resilient material, the resilient member is formed from a second resilient material and the tubular member is formed from a stiff material, the first resilient material having greater resiliency than the second resilient material. 
     
     
         7 . A toy figurine comprising:
 a body including a passageway extending through the body; and   a resilient member extending through the passageway, wherein the resilient member is secured within the passageway without being coupled to the body.   
     
     
         8 . The toy figurine of  claim 7 , wherein the body and resilient member are configured to provide a frictional engagement between any portions of the body and the resilient member in contact therewith to allow for selectively positionable articulation of the resilient member with respect to the body. 
     
     
         9 . The toy figurine of  claim 8 , wherein the body is formed from a first material, the resilient member is formed from a second material, and the first material and second material are configured to provide the frictional engagement. 
     
     
         10 . The toy figurine of  claim 7 , wherein the body further comprises:
 an outer shell; and   a tubular member extending between a first side and a second side of the body, wherein the passageway extends within the tubular member.   
     
     
         11 . The toy figurine of  claim 10 , wherein the body extends laterally beyond the tubular member, such that a portion of the resilient member may contact a portion of the outer shell exterior of the tubular member to provide a frictional engagement between the body and the resilient member to allow for selectively positionable articulation of the resilient member with respect to the body. 
     
     
         12 . The toy figurine of  claim 7 , wherein the resilient member further comprises:
 a first appendage including a proximal portion and a distal portion;   a second appendage including a proximal portion and a distal portion; and   a connecting member extending through the passageway and between the proximal portions of the first and second appendages.   
     
     
         13 . The toy figurine of  claim 12 , wherein the body further comprises;
 a tubular member extending between a first side and a second side of the body, wherein the passageway extends within the tubular member and the resilient member extends through the passageway and between the first side and the second side of the body.   
     
     
         14 . The toy figurine of  claim 13 , wherein the proximal portions of the first and second appendages are each substantially larger than a diameter of the passageway, such that the neither the first appendage nor the second appendage can enter the passageway. 
     
     
         15 . The toy figurine of  claim 12 , wherein the resilient member further comprises:
 a first attachment portion disposed on the distal portion of the first appendage; and   a second attachment portion disposed on the distal portion of the second appendage, the first and second attachment portions being configured to removably secure the toy figurine to a launcher.   
     
     
         16 . The toy figurine of  claim 7 , wherein the toy figurine is configured to be launched through the air when the resilient member is stretched away from the body and then released. 
     
     
         17 . A toy figurine comprising;
 a body;   a resilient member extending through the body without being coupled thereto and comprising:
 a first appendage disposed exteriorly of the body and including a proximal portion and a distal portion; 
 a second appendage disposed exteriorly of the body and including a proximal portion and a distal portion; and 
 a connecting member extending through the body and between the proximal portions of the first and second appendages. 
   
     
     
         18 . The toy figurine of  claim 17 , wherein the body further comprises:
 a tubular member extending from a first side of the body to a second side of the body, the tubular member providing a passageway through the body, the connecting member being disposed within the passageway, the proximal portion of the first appendage being adjacent the tubular member at the first side of the body and the proximal portion of the second appendage being adjacent the tubular member at the second side of the body.   
     
     
         19 . The toy figurine of  claim 18 , wherein the passageway has a diameter and the proximal portions of the first and second appendages are larger than the diameter of passageway so that the first and second appendages cannot enter the passageway. 
     
     
         20 . The toy figurine of  claim 18 , wherein resilient member is formed from a first material and the tubular member is formed from a second material, the second material being stiffer than the first such that the resilient member may be stretched away from the body without impacting the shape or disposition of the body.