Toy system

Abstract

Disclosed are toy pieces, each toy piece having a body with a first arm and a second arm. The first arm can have a first engagement portion. The second arm can have a second engagement portion. The first arm and second arm can be configured to move relative to one another to transition the toy piece between a resting or disengaged state and a tensioned or engaged state in which the first engagement portion is releasably secured within the second engagement portion. At least one of the first arm and second arm can be biased when the toy piece is in the tensioned state such that an application of an external force to the toy piece above a threshold causes the toy piece to rapidly transition from the tensioned or engaged state to the resting or disengaged state.

1 . A toy piece, the toy piece comprising:
 a body;   a first arm projecting from the body and connected to a first engagement structure; and   a second arm projecting from the body and connected to a second engagement structure, the second engagement structure comprising:
 a receptacle having a curved base surface configured to releasably receive the first engagement structure in an engaged state; and 
 a locking tab protruding from the curved base surface of the receptacle, the locking tab configured to releasably restrain the first engagement structure within the receptacle in the engaged state until a triggering force is applied to the toy piece; 
   wherein at least one of the first arm and the second arm is movable relative to the other of the first arm and the second arm to transition the toy piece from a disengaged state to the engaged state; and   wherein the second arm is disposed relative to the first arm so that the first engagement structure is spaced apart from the second engagement structure when the body is in the disengaged state.   
     
     
         2 . The toy piece of  claim 1 , wherein the first engagement structure comprises a protrusion sized and shaped to be received by the second engagement structure. 
     
     
         3 . The toy piece of  claim 2 , wherein the protrusion is at least partially spherical in shape. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The toy piece of  claim 1 , wherein the triggering force comprises a force having a magnitude above a threshold magnitude applied in a direction for dislodging the first engagement structure from the second engagement structure. 
     
     
         8 . The toy piece of  claim 7 , wherein the threshold is defined at least partially by elastic properties of the toy piece. 
     
     
         9 . The toy piece of  claim 7 , wherein the threshold is defined at least partially by relative positions of the first engagement structure and the second engagement structure in the disengaged state. 
     
     
         10 . The toy piece of  claim 7 , wherein the threshold is defined at least partially by an angle between one of the first arm and the second arm and the body in the disengaged state. 
     
     
         11 . The toy piece of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first arm and the second arm is biased relative to the other one of the first arm and the second arm to move to the disengaged state when the body is in the engaged state. 
     
     
         12 . The toy piece of  claim 1 , wherein the toy piece is monolithically formed. 
     
     
         13 . The toy piece of  claim 1 , further comprising a protrusion extending from the body, the protrusion configured to be gripped in use. 
     
     
         14 . The toy piece of  claim 1 , wherein the first arm and the second arm are configured to move relative to one another to transition the toy piece between the disengaged state and the engaged state. 
     
     
         15 . The toy piece of  claim 1 , wherein the toy piece comprises a flexible plastic. 
     
     
         16 . A toy system, the toy system comprising:
 a plurality of toy pieces, each toy piece comprising:
 a body; 
 a first arm projecting from the body and connected to a first engagement structure; and 
 a second arm projecting from the body and connected to a second engagement structure, the second engagement structure comprising:
 a receptacle having a curved base surface configured to releasably receive the first engagement structure in an engaged state; and 
 a locking tab protruding from the curved base surface of the receptacle, the locking tab configured to releasably restrain the first engagement structure within the receptacle in the engaged state until a triggering force is applied to the toy piece; 
 
 wherein at least one of the first arm and the second arm is movable relative to the other of the first arm and the second arm to transition the toy piece from a disengaged state to the engaged state; and 
 wherein the second arm is disposed relative to the first arm so that the first engagement structure is spaced apart from the second engagement structure when the body is in the disengaged state; and 
   a playing surface.   
     
     
         17 . The toy system of  claim 16 , wherein the playing surface comprises a tray having a recess, the recess configured to receive at least some of the plurality of toy pieces. 
     
     
         18 . The toy system of  claim 17 , wherein the recess is concave. 
     
     
         19 . The toy system of  claim 17 , wherein the playing surface further comprises an edge defining an exterior boundary of the recess. 
     
     
         20 . The toy system of  claim 16 , wherein each toy piece comprises one or more surface features shaped to interlock with one or more of the other toy pieces.