Detachable garment or accessory for toy

Abstract

A detachable garment or accessory is provided for a toy. The detachable garment or accessory includes at least a first front part and a second rear part pivotably or hingedly movable relative to each other via pivot or hinge means provided on or associated with the parts between an open position, wherein the garment or accessory can be attached to or removed from at least part of the toy, and a closed position, wherein the garment or accessory can be secured to the toy. Each of the at least first front part and second rear part include a top edge, a base edge and lateral edges. The pivot or hinge means provided between one or more of the lateral edges of said front and rear parts allow at least a portion of the lateral edges of the parts to be separated to form the open position and moved towards each other to form the closed position.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A multiple part toy system comprising:
 a figurine comprising: a trunk, an arm, a leg, a neck and a head, wherein said trunk of said figurine defines an exterior surface and wherein said figurine has an overall length;   a garment or accessory that is removably attachable to said figurine, said garment or accessory comprising:
 a first part including a first top edge, a first base edge, a first right side lateral edge and a first left side lateral edge; and 
 a second part including a second top edge, a second base edge and a second right side lateral edge and a second left side lateral edge; 
 a first hinge arrangement pivotally coupling said first part to said second part; and 
 a second hinge arrangement pivotally coupling said first part to said second part; 
 wherein said first and second parts define an open position where said first and second top edges are spaced apart and a closed position where said first and second top edges abut; 
 a spring that biases said first and second parts toward the closed position; 
 wherein, in the closed position, said first and second top edges together define a first opening, wherein said neck of said figurine extends through the first opening when said garment or accessory is attached to said figurine and wherein the first opening is too small to receive said truck; 
 wherein, in the closed position, said first and second parts together define a cavity adapted to snugly fit said trunk; and 
 wherein said first and second hinge arrangements are positioned on opposite sides of the cavity. 
   
     
     
         2 . The multiple part toy system of  claim 1 , wherein, when said garment or accessory is attached to said figurine, said figurine extends through a space between said first and second hinge arrangements. 
     
     
         3 . The multiple part toy system of  claim 2 , wherein said first and second hinge arrangements both pivot about a common axis. 
     
     
         4 . The multiple part toy system of  claim 3 , wherein the common axis is parallel to said first base edge. 
     
     
         5 . The multiple part toy system of  claim 1 , wherein said first hinge arrangement pivotally couples said first part to said second part along said first right side lateral edge and said second right side lateral edge. 
     
     
         6 . The multiple part toy system of  claim 5 , wherein, in the closed position, said first right side edge is substantially parallel to said second right side edge. 
     
     
         7 . The multiple part toy system of  claim 6 , wherein, in the open position, said first right side edge is angled at an acute angle relative to said second right side edge. 
     
     
         8 . The multiple part toy system of  claim 5 , wherein said second hinge arrangement pivotally couples said first part to said second part along said first left side lateral edge and said second left side lateral edge. 
     
     
         9 . The multiple part toy system of  claim 8 , wherein said first and second hinge arrangements are proximate to said first and second base edges. 
     
     
         10 . The multiple part toy system of  claim 9 , wherein squeezing said first and second parts together near said first and second based edges moves said first and second base edges towards each other and moves said first and second parts to the open position. 
     
     
         11 . The multiple part toy system of  claim 10 , wherein said first and second base edges define a second opening. 
     
     
         12 . The multiple part toy system of  claim 11 , wherein said leg of said figurine extends through said second opening when said garment or accessory is attached to said figurine. 
     
     
         13 . The multiple part toy system of  claim 11 , wherein said first and second parts define interior surface contours adapted to cooperate with said figurine such that, with said garment or accessory starting in the closed position, inserting the head of the figurine into the cavity and moving the figurine toward the second opening, said figurine wedges between the interior surface contours and causes the first and second parts to move apart to the open position until the head of the figurine extends completely through the first opening. 
     
     
         14 . The multiple part toy system of  claim 1 , wherein said first part has a height and wherein the overall length of said figurine is longer than the height of said first part such that, when said garment or accessory is attached to said figurine, said head extends away from said first top edge and said leg extends away from said first base edge opposite said first top edge. 
     
     
         15 . The multiple part toy system of  claim 1 , wherein, in the closed position, said first and second right side lateral edges together define a shaped recess and wherein said arm of said figurine extends through the shaped recess when said garment or accessory is attached to said figurine. 
     
     
         16 . The multiple part toy system of  claim 15 , wherein, in the closed position, an entire length of said first and second lateral edges abut except for where the shaped recess is defined. 
     
     
         17 . The multiple part toy system of  claim 1 , further comprising first and second pin members attached to said first part and first and second sleeve members attached to said second part, wherein said first pin member pivotally engages said first sleeve member, and wherein said second pin member pivotally engages said second sleeve member. 
     
     
         18 . The multiple part toy system of  claim 17 , wherein said first and second pin members are fully contained within the cavity defined by the first and second parts when the first and second parts are in the closed position. 
     
     
         19 . The multiple part toy system of  claim 1 , wherein a first inside surface of said first part has a concave shape that defines a portion of the cavity that fits around a front side of said figurine. 
     
     
         20 . A multiple part toy system comprising:
 a figurine comprising: a trunk, a pair of arms, a pair of leg, a neck and a head, wherein said trunk of said figurine defines an exterior surface and wherein said figurine has an overall length;   a garment that is removably attachable to said figurine, said garment comprising:
 a first part including a first top edge, a first base edge, a first right side lateral edge a first right side hinge element, a first left side lateral edge, a first left side hinge element, wherein said first right and left side hinge elements are proximate to said first base edge, wherein said first part is substantially rigid in form; and 
 a second part including a second top edge, a second base edge, a second right side lateral edge, a second right side hinge element, a second left side lateral edge and a second left side hinge element, wherein said second right and left side hinge elements are proximate to said second base edge; 
 wherein said first and second right side hinge elements together define a first hinge arrangement that pivotally couples said first part to said second part; 
 wherein said first and second left side hinge elements together define a second hinge arrangement that pivotally couples said first part to said second part; 
 wherein said first and second hinge arrangements both pivot about a common axis; 
 wherein said first and second parts define an open position where said first and second top edges are spaced apart and a closed position where said first and second top edges abut; 
 a spring that biases said first and second parts toward the closed position; 
 wherein squeezing said first and second parts together near said first and second based edges moves said first and second base edges towards each other and moves said first and second parts to the open position; 
 wherein, in the closed position, said first and second top edges together define a first opening adapted to receive said neck of said figurine which extends through the first opening when said garment is attached to said figurine, wherein the first opening is too small to receive said truck; 
 wherein, in the closed position, said first and second right side lateral edges together define a right side shaped recess adapted to receive a right side arm of said figurine which extends through the right side shaped recess when said garment is attached to said figurine; 
 wherein, in the closed position, said first and second left side lateral edges together define a left side shaped recess adapted to receive a left side arm of said figurine which extends through the left side shaped recess when said garment is attached to said figurine; 
 wherein said first and second based edges together define a second opening that the legs of said figurine extend below when said garment is attached to said figurine; 
 wherein a first inside surface of said first part has a concave shape that defines a first cavity adapted to fit around a front side of said figurine; 
 wherein a second inside surface of said second part defines a second cavity adapted to fit around a back side of said figure; 
 wherein, in the closed position, said first and second cavity are adapted to snugly fit said trunk; and 
 wherein said first and second hinge arrangements are positioned on opposite sides of the cavity such that, when said garment is attached to said figurine, said figurine extends through a space between said first and second hinge arrangements.