Toy playset

Abstract

A toy playset including a transportable component such as a toy car, which includes a mesh portion having a plurality of loop structures defining apertures therein, and a transporting component including an engagement portion for engaging the transportable component and moving the transportable component from a first position to a second position. The transporting component can be, for example, a track on which the transportable component rolls, a pivoting ramp or track switch, a crane that grips and lifts the transportable component, a pivoting support pad, or a bounce pad.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toy playset comprising:
 a transportable component comprising a mesh portion having a plurality of loop structures defining apertures therein; and   a transporting component comprising an engagement portion for engaging the transportable component and moving the transportable component from a first position to a second position.   
     
     
         2 . The toy playset of  claim 1 , wherein the transportable component comprises a toy vehicle comprising a plurality of wheels. 
     
     
         3 . The toy playset of  claim 1 , wherein the transportable component comprises a ball at least partially comprising a resilient polymeric mesh material forming the mesh portion having a plurality of loop structures defining apertures therein. 
     
     
         4 . The toy playset of  claim 1 , wherein the transportable component further comprises non-mesh portion. 
     
     
         5 . The toy playset of  claim 1 , wherein the transporting component comprises a track, and the engagement portion of the transporting component comprises a contact surface of the track upon which the transportable component rolls. 
     
     
         6 . The toy playset of  claim 5 , wherein the track comprises a pivoting ramp movable between a first position aligned with a first portion of the track and a second position aligned with a second portion of the track, wherein movement of the pivoting ramp between the first and second positions transfers the transportable component from the first portion of the track to the second portion of the track. 
     
     
         7 . The toy playset of  claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the track is inclined relative to horizontal. 
     
     
         8 . The toy playset of  claim 5 , wherein the track comprises a switch for receiving the transportable component at a receiving portion thereof, and discharging the transportable component to one of a plurality of discharging portions thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The toy playset of  claim 8 , wherein switch alternates sequentially between the plurality of discharging portions. 
     
     
         10 . The toy playset of  claim 1 , wherein the transporting component comprises a resilient bounce pad configured to receive and rebound the transportable component. 
     
     
         11 . The toy playset of  claim 1 , wherein the transporting component comprises a crane for gripping and lifting the transportable component. 
     
     
         12 . The toy playset of  claim 11 , wherein the crane comprises fingers for engagement within the apertures of the mesh portion of the transportable component. 
     
     
         13 . The toy playset of  claim 11 , wherein the crane comprises a claw and a pickup platform for holding the transportable component in pickup position for engagement by the claw. 
     
     
         14 . The toy playset of  claim 13 , wherein the pickup platform pivots away from the pickup position after engagement of the transportable component by the claw. 
     
     
         15 . The toy playset of  claim 11 , wherein the crane comprises a speed control mechanism controlling a lifting rate of the crane. 
     
     
         16 . The toy playset of  claim 15 , wherein the speed control mechanism comprises a reducing gear system. 
     
     
         17 . The toy playset of  claim 11 , wherein the crane comprises an articulating jaw mechanism movable between a closed position for engaging the transportable component and an open position for releasing the transportable component. 
     
     
         18 . The toy playset of  claim 17 , wherein the crane further comprises a release mechanism for releasing the articulating jaw mechanism to move from its closed position to its open position when the crane moves into an elevated position. 
     
     
         19 . The toy playset of  claim 18 , further comprising a bounce pad positioned beneath the jaw mechanism, wherein the transportable component is released from the jaw mechanism when the crane moves into the elevated position and falls onto the bounce pad below. 
     
     
         20 . A toy playset comprising:
 a transportable component;   a track having a rolling contact surface configured to receive the transportable component and allow the transportable component to roll along the rolling contact surface of the track; and   a crane comprising a pickup platform for supporting the transportable component at a pickup position, and an articulating jaw mechanism for gripping the transportable component and lifting the transportable component from the pickup position to an elevated position.   
     
     
         21 . The toy playset of  claim 20 , wherein the transportable component comprises a mesh portion having a plurality of loop structures defining apertures therein, and wherein the articulating jaw mechanism grips the mesh portion of the transportable component. 
     
     
         22 . The toy playset of  claim 21 , wherein the transportable component further comprises non-mesh portion. 
     
     
         23 . The toy playset of  claim 20 , wherein the transportable component comprises a toy vehicle comprising a plurality of wheels for rolling along the rolling contact surface of the track. 
     
     
         24 . The toy playset of  claim 20 , wherein the transportable component comprises a ball at least partially comprising a resilient polymeric mesh material forming the mesh portion having a plurality of loop structures defining apertures therein. 
     
     
         25 . The toy playset of  claim 20 , wherein the track comprises a pivoting ramp movable between a first position aligned with a first portion of the track and a second position aligned with a second portion of the track, wherein movement of the pivoting ramp between the first and second positions transfers the transportable component from the first portion of the track to the second portion of the track. 
     
     
         26 . The toy playset of  claim 20 , wherein at least a portion of the track is inclined relative to horizontal. 
     
     
         27 . The toy playset of  claim 20 , wherein the track comprises a switch for receiving the transportable component at a receiving portion thereof, and discharging the transportable component to one of a plurality of discharging portions thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The toy playset of  claim 27 , wherein switch alternates sequentially between the plurality of discharging portions. 
     
     
         29 . The toy playset of  claim 20 , wherein the pickup platform pivots away from the pickup position after engagement of the transportable component by the claw. 
     
     
         30 . The toy playset of  claim 20 , wherein the crane comprises a speed control mechanism controlling a rate at which the crane lifts the transportable component from the pickup position to the elevated position. 
     
     
         31 . The toy playset of  claim 30 , wherein the speed control mechanism comprises a reducing gear system. 
     
     
         32 . The toy playset of  claim 20 , further comprising a bounce pad positioned beneath the articulating jaw mechanism, wherein the transportable component is released from the articulating jaw mechanism when the crane moves into the elevated position and falls onto the bounce pad below. 
     
     
         33 . The toy playset of  claim 20 , further comprising a base and support frame supporting the track and the crane. 
     
     
         34 . A toy playset comprising:
 a transportable component comprising a mesh portion having a plurality of loop structures defining apertures therein, and a plurality of wheels;   a track having a rolling contact surface configured to receive the transportable component and allow the transportable component to roll along the rolling contact surface, the track further comprising a transfer mechanism for receiving the transportable component from a first section of the track and transferring the transportable component to a second section of the track;   a crane having an articulating jaw mechanism for engaging the transportable component at a pickup position, lifting the transportable component from the pickup position to an elevated position, and releasing the transportable component from the articulating jaw mechanism at the elevated position; and   a bounce pad positioned beneath the crane, wherein the transportable component falls from the articulating jaw mechanism onto the bounce pad below after the transportable component is released at the elevated position.   
     
     
         35 . The toy playset of  claim 34 , wherein the transfer mechanism of the track comprises a pivoting ramp. 
     
     
         36 . The toy playset of  claim 34 , wherein the transfer mechanism of the track comprises a switch. 
     
     
         37 . The toy playset of  claim 34 , further comprising a pivoting pickup platform movable between a first position at the pickup position and a second position away from the pickup position.