US20230138167A1

US20230138167A1 - Tile track piece for a toy vehicle

Info

Publication number: US20230138167A1
Application number: US17/519,158
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul Schmid; Alex Au
Original assignee: Mattel Inc
Current assignee: Mattel Inc
Priority date: 2021-11-04
Filing date: 2021-11-04
Publication date: 2023-05-04

Abstract

A connection arrangement for directly connecting two tile track pieces for a toy vehicle is disclosed. The tile track piece includes a first face and a first set of primary connection assemblies of a first type disposed on the first face. Each primary connection assembly comprising a male coupler and a female coupler configured to engage corresponding connectors of a second set of primary connection assemblies included on a second tile. The tile track piece further includes a first set of receiving portions of secondary connection assemblies disposed on the first face. Each secondary connection assembly is a second type of connection assembly, and each receiving portion is configured to receive at least a portion of a connector.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of toy vehicles and, in particular, to track pieces for toy vehicles that include new connection arrangements.

BACKGROUND

Toy vehicles continue to be popular products. Trackways for use with toy vehicles may be set up in multiple configurations. They may be open or closed looped. The toy vehicles used on the trackways can be free-wheeling unpowered vehicles or vehicles which utilize an on-board power drive mechanism. Generally, track pieces may be connected together to create a trackway in multiple configurations. As new track pieces are developed, legacy connector arrangements may not be compatible. However, greater flexibility in arrangements of legacy track pieces with new track pieces may be desirable, for example, to increase or extend the play value of a track set. Moreover, connector arrangements that allow new and interesting track set configurations are continuously desired, since such new configurations add play value to new and/or existing track sets.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates to a connection arrangement for a tile for a toy vehicle. In accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention, a tile track piece for a toy vehicle includes: a first face; a first set of primary connection assemblies of a first type disposed on the first face, each primary connection assembly including a male coupler and a female coupler configured to engage corresponding connectors of a second set of primary connection assemblies included on a second tile; and a first set of receiving portions of secondary connection assemblies disposed on the first face, wherein each secondary connection assembly is a second type of connection assembly, and wherein each receiving portion is configured to receive at least a portion of a connector.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a tile track piece, wherein: the first set of primary connection assemblies includes two or more primary connection assemblies; and the first set of receiving portions of the secondary connection assemblies includes two or more receiving portions.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a tile track piece, wherein each receiving portion of the first set of receiving portions further includes a through-hole configured to receive at least a portion of a locking protrusion of the connector.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a tile track piece, further including: a second face perpendicular to the first face; and a second set of receiving portions disposed on the second face.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a tile track piece, wherein the tile track piece further includes another set of primary connection assemblies on the second face.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a tile track piece, wherein each receiving portion of the first set of receiving portions is disposed between the male coupler and the female coupler of each primary connection assembly.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a tile track piece, further including a plurality of lateral faces wherein each lateral face of the plurality of lateral faces includes a set of primary connection assemblies and a set of receiving portions of the second type of connection assembly.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method of connecting at least three track pieces for a toy vehicle, the method including: coupling a first tile track piece to a second tile track piece via a primary connection assembly of a first connection type; and coupling an elongated track piece to the first tile track piece via a secondary connection assembly of a second connection type.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein coupling the first tile track piece to the second tile track piece includes: mating a first male coupler of the first tile track piece with a second female coupler of the second tile track piece; and mating a second male coupler of the second tile track piece with a first female coupler of the first tile track piece.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein coupling the elongated track piece to the first tile track piece includes: inserting a first engaging portion of a connector into a first slot of the secondary connection assembly disposed in the first tile track piece; and inserting a second engaging portion of the connector into a second slot disposed in the elongated track piece.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, further including: coupling a second elongated track piece to the second tile track piece including: inserting a third engaging portion of a second connector into a third slot of a secondary connection assembly disposed in the second tile track piece; and inserting a fourth engaging portion of the second connector into a fourth slot disposed in the second elongated track piece.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a track piece for a toy vehicle including: a tile having a substantially flat front lateral face, a substantially flat back lateral face, a substantially flat first side lateral face, a substantially flat second side lateral face, each lateral face having: two primary connection assemblies of a first connection type, each primary connection assembly configured to engage a primary connection assembly of a second tile, and two slots of secondary connection assemblies of a second connection type, wherein each slot is configured to receive at least a portion of a connector; and a top face perpendicular to each lateral face.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a track piece, wherein each primary connection assembly includes a male coupler protruding from a corresponding face, and a female coupler extending into the corresponding face.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a track piece, wherein each slot of the secondary connection assembly is disposed between the male coupler and the female coupler of each primary connection assembly.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a track piece, further including the connector that extends from an elongated track piece having the second connection type.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a track piece, wherein the connector is configured to engage a second slot of a second track having the second connection type.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a track piece, wherein at least two faces of the tile each include a third primary connection assembly.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a track piece, wherein at least two faces of the tile each include a third secondary connection assembly.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a toy play set including the track piece and further including: the second tile; and one or more additional elongated track pieces.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a toy play set, wherein the toy play set is configurable into a plurality of configurations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complete the description and in order to provide for a better understanding of the present invention, a set of drawings is provided. The drawings form an integral part of the description and illustrate an embodiment of the present invention, which should not be interpreted as restricting the scope of the invention, but just as an example of how the invention can be carried out. The drawings comprise the following figures:

FIG. 1 illustrates a track set connected in a track configuration according to an example embodiment.

FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate track sets connected in three different track configurations, according to additional example embodiments.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a tile track piece for a toy vehicle, according to an example embodiment.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a tile track piece for a toy vehicle, according to another example embodiment.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate couplings between a first tile track piece and a second tile track piece via primary connection assemblies, according to an embodiment.

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate an example elongated track that is coupleable to tiles of FIGS. 3A-5B.

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate a connector of or usable with a secondary connection assembly, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates various tiles having different lengths and widths, according to example embodiments.

FIGS. 9A and 9B, illustrate a tile having a play feature according to an example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is given solely for the purpose of describing the broad principles of the invention. Embodiments of the invention will be described by way of example, with reference to the above-mentioned drawings showing elements and results according to the present invention.
Generally, a tile track piece for a toy vehicle (referred to hereafter as “tile” for clarity) as presented herein includes a primary connection assembly having a first connection type and a secondary connection assembly having a second connection type. The primary connection assembly is configured to directly connect or couple the tile to another tile having a second primary connection assembly. Additionally, other track pieces (e.g., play sets, boosters, elongated tracks, etc.) may be coupled to the tile via the primary connection assembly. The secondary connection assembly is configured to connect the tile to track pieces (e.g., play sets, boosters, elongated tracks, etc.) via a second connection type, different from the first connection type. The second connection type may be a legacy connection type.
The connection assemblies allow any number of tiles and track pieces to be connected in a desired configuration to define one or more vehicle pathways. For example, the primary connection assembly may connect a tile with another tile along a first lateral face of the tile so that the two tiles define at least a first vehicle pathway along which a toy vehicle can travel. Meanwhile, the secondary connection assembly can connect the tile to a track piece (e.g., a legacy or standard type of track piece) along a second lateral face of the tile so that the connected tile and track piece define a second vehicle pathway along which a toy vehicle can travel. Thus, a user can build playsets resembling or including city blocks, tracks/trackways, or some combination thereof.
The tile track pieces presented herein may include or define a trackway/pathways and/or playsets/play features, such as an accelerating device for accelerating the toy vehicles on the vehicle pathway. Such accelerating devices are known generally in the art as “boosters” and often include one or more motor-driven rotating wheels adjacent to a vehicle pathway. As a toy vehicle passes through the booster, the rotating wheels temporarily engage the passing toy vehicle and impart a force thereto.
Now referring to FIG. 1 , a track set 1 connected in a track configuration C1 is depicted. The track set 1 includes a plurality of first type of track pieces 10 and a second type of track piece 30. The first track piece type 10 comprises a tile 100 having a first or primary connection assembly 200 and a second or secondary connection assembly 300. The second track piece type 30 comprises a first elongated tracks 120 configured to connect via the primary connection assembly 200 and/or the secondary connection assembly 300. Additionally, the second track piece type 30 comprises elongated tracks 130 configured to connect to other elongated tracks 130, the elongated tracks 120 and/or the tiles 100 via the secondary connection assembly 300. Accordingly, each tile 100 can connect to another tile 100′ and/or an elongated track 120 with the primary connection assembly 200. Additionally, or alternatively, each tile 100, 100′ can connect to the elongated tracks 120, 130 via the secondary connection assembly 300.
In the depicted embodiment, a top face 105 of the tiles 100, 100′ includes vehicle pathways 107 and play features 108 (e.g., sidewalks, buildings, parking garages, etc.). The primary and secondary connection assemblies 200, 300 are aligned with the pathway 107 of the tile 100, which aligns the pathway 107 with a pathway 107′ of a connected track piece 100′ and/or of an elongated track piece 120 and/or 130. Notably, when a tile is connected directly with another tile, such as the three-tile layout between tile 100 and two tiles 100′ shown in FIG. 1 , the tiles can form a continuous, flat pathway across their top faces 105.
The secondary connection assembly 300 is a different type of connection assembly than connection assembly 200. For example, the secondary connection assembly 300 may be a traditional or legacy connection system having a connector 310, separate from the tile 100, 100′, configured to engage receiving assemblies (described below with reference to FIGS. 3A-6B) disposed in the tile 100, 100′, and track pieces 120, and/or 130. For example, in FIG. 1 , one connector 310 is disposed between and couples together a tile 100′ and the track 130. That is, the connector 310 is received in a receiving assembly disposed in the tile 100′ and a receiving assembly disposed in the track 130. The primary and secondary connection assemblies 200, 300 are described in greater detail blow.
FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate a track set 2 connected in three different track configurations C2-C4, respectively, using the primary connection assemblies 200, 200′. FIGS. 2B and 2C depict at least two tiles 100, 100′ directly coupled to each other via a set of primary connection assemblies 200, 200′. Additionally, each tile 100, 100′ is further coupled to an elongated track 120 via a second primary connection assembly 200, 200′. As can be seen, with the tiles presented herein, a number of different play configurations can be built, including traditional closed-loop configurations (e.g., FIG. 2A) and configurations with tile-to-tile pathways included therein. The tiles may provide more than one discrete pathway, and, thus, may add more variability and allow for more creative play that elongate track that typically allows only forwards or backwards movement.
FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a tile 100 capable of being connected to another tile 100′ (see FIG. 1 ) and/or an elongated track 120, 130. The tile 100 is connectable to another tile 100′ or the elongate track 120 using the primary connection assembly 200 and is connectable to another tile 100′, the elongate track 120, or the elongate track 130 via the secondary connection assembly 300. The tile 100 generally has a square plate shape and includes a substantially flat lateral front face 101, a substantially flat back face 102 opposite the front face 101, a substantially flat first side face 103, a substantially flat second side face 104 opposite the first side face 103, a top face 105, and a bottom face 106 opposite the top face 105. The front and back faces 101 and 102 are substantially perpendicular to the first and second side faces 103 and 104. The top and bottom faces 105 and 106 are substantially perpendicular to each lateral face 101-104 and, thus, lateral faces 101-104 may each be substantially perpendicular to a surface on which the tile 100 is disposed. The top face 105 defines a pathway 107 for toy vehicles to travel. Tile 100′ is substantially the same as tile 100. Consequently, any lateral face 101-104 of one tile 100 may abut a lateral face 101-104 of another tile 100′ to create continuous pathways 107 extending across multiple top faces 105.
The front face 101 includes two primary connection assemblies 200, 200′ and two receiving assemblies 320, 320′ each corresponding to secondary connection assemblies 300, 300′ of FIG. 1 . Each primary connection assembly 200, 200′ includes a male coupler 210, 210′ extending, or protruding, from the front face 101 and a female coupler 220, 220′ extending into the tile 100 from the front face 101. The male couplers 210, 210′ and female coupler 220, 220′ of each primary connection assembly 200, 200′ are separated from each other by a predetermined distance along the front face 101. Each male coupler 210, 210′ is configured to engage, or mate to, a corresponding female coupler 220′, 220 of another tile 100′ and/or a track 120. For example, the male couplers 210, 210′ engages the corresponding female couplers 220′, 220 of the other tile 100′.
In the depicted embodiment, each male coupler 210, 210′ includes a head 212, 212′, a neck 214, 214′, and a vertically extending gap 216, 216′ defining prongs 218, 218′. The prongs 218, 218′ resiliently flex into the gap 216, 216′ of the head 212, 212′ allowing the head 212, 212′ to resiliently engage and disengage with the female coupler 220′, 220.
Meanwhile, each female coupler 220, 220′ is configured to receive a corresponding male coupler 210′, 210 of the other tile 100′ and/or the elongated track 120. Thus, in the depicted embodiment, each female coupler 220, 220′ comprises a groove 222, 222′ extending into the front face 101. Each groove 222, 222′ is configured to conform to a corresponding head 212′, 212 of the other tile 100′. That is, the heads 212′, 212 of the other tile 100′ are received by the female couplers 220, 220′ with an interference fit. Thus, the tiles 100 and 100′ may by directly coupled to each other via the primary connection assemblies 200, 200′. Moreover, the substantially flat faces 101-104 of the tiles 100, 100′ do not obstruct the primary connection assemblies 200, 200′ and enable the tiles 100, 100′ to be in close contact with one another when coupled together.
Still referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the tile 100 may also connect to one or more elongated tracks 130 via the secondary connection assemblies 300, 300′. Lateral faces 101, 102 each includes a set of receiving portions comprising a first receiving portion 320 and a second receiving portion 320′ of the secondary assembly 300, 300′. For example, disposed between each male coupler 210, 210′ and each female coupler 220, 220′ is a receiving assembly 320, 320′. That is, a first receiving assembly 320 is disposed in the front face 101 between the male coupler 210 and the female coupler 220, and a second receiving assembly 320′ is disposed in the front face 101 between the male coupler 210′ and the female coupler 220′. The second receiving assembly 320′ is substantially the same as the first receiving assembly 320.
Each receiving assembly 320, 320′ is configured to receive at least portion of a corresponding traditional or legacy connector 310 of (see FIGS. 6A and 6B). Each receiving assembly 320, 320′ comprises a slot 321, 321′ extending into the tile 100 and a through- hole 322, 322′ extending from the top face 105 to the slot 321, 321′ (i.e., perpendicular to a main direction in which the slot extends), and a connector stop 323, 323′. Each slot 321, 321′ further includes shoulders 324, 324′ configured to engage at least a portion of the connector 310.
The receiving assemblies 320, 320′ enable the tile 100 to connect to the second track type 30. That is, the receiving assembly 320, 320′ is configured to receive a legacy connector 310 connected to, or extending from, the second track type 30 (e.g., track 130). The receiving assemblies 320, 320′ are arranged on the tile 100 to align a track 130 with a pathway 107 of the tile 100 via the secondary connection assembly 300, 300′ (see FIG. 1 ).
As depicted in FIGS. 3A and 3B, each lateral face (e.g., the front face 101, back face 102, first side face 103, and second side face 104) includes two primary connection assembly 200, 200′. Each of the front face 101 and the back face 102 also includes two receiving assembly 320, 320′. That is, the front face 101 has two primary connection assemblies 200, 200′ and two receiving assemblies 320, 320′, and the back face 102 has two primary connection assemblies 200, 200′ and two receiving assemblies 320, 320′. In some implementation, each lateral face 101-104 includes two or more primary connection assemblies 200, 200′ and two or more receiving assemblies 320, 320′.
FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a tile 400 having two primary connection assemblies 200, 200′ and two secondary receiving assemblies 320, 320′ on each lateral face 401-404. Specifically, the tile 400 includes a front face 401, a back face 402, a first side face 403, and a second side face 404. Each lateral face 401-404 includes two primary connection assemblies 200, 200′ and two secondary receiving assemblies 320, 320′ of a secondary connection assembly 300. That is, each lateral face 401, 402, 403, and 404, has a first male coupler 210, a first female coupler 220, a first receiving assembly 320 disposed between the first male and female couplers 210, 220, a second male coupler 210′, a second female coupler 220′, and a second receiving assembly 320′ disposed between the second male and female couplers 210′, 220′.
FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a first tile 100A being coupled a second tile 100B via the primary connection assemblies 200, 200′. During operation, the primary connection assemblies 200, 200′ of tile 100A are aligned with the primary connection assemblies 200′, 200 of tile 100B. The primary connection assemblies 200, 200′ may be aligned and engaged vertically, (FIG. 5A) or aligned and engaged horizontally (FIG. 5B). That is, the male couplers 210, 210′ of tile 100A are aligned and engage the female couplers 220′, 220 of tile 100B. Meanwhile, the male couplers 210, 210′ of tile 100B are aligned and engage the female couplers 220′, 220 of tile 100A. Thus, the connection assemblies 200, 200′ engage each other to fix the tiles 100A, 100B together. Notably, during both horizontal and vertical couplings, the substantially flat faces 101-104 of the tiles 100A and 100B allow close contact between the tile 100A, 100B to provide a continuous (i.e., gapless or almost gapless) pathway 107 between tiles 100A, 100B.
FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate a track 120 having a primary connection assembly 200 and a receiving assembly 320 for a secondary connection assembly 300 according to an example embodiment. The track 120 is capable of coupling to a tile 100, 100′, 400 or another track 120 via the primary connection assembly 200, or a legacy track 130 via a receiving assembly 320 and a connector 310.
FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate a connector 310 of a secondary connection assembly 300 according to an embodiment. The connector 310 includes a first engagement portion 311A, a second engagement portion 311B opposite the first engagement portion 311A, a main body 312, wings 313, locking protrusions 314, and a release button 315. The locking protrusions 314 include a front angled surface 314A and a rear angled surface 314B. The front and rear angled surfaces 314A, 314B assist in engaging and disengaging the locking protrusions 314 with/from the through-holes 322 of the receiving assembly 320 of a track piece type 10, 30.
During operation, the first engagement portion 311A is inserted into a receiving assembly 320 of a tile 100, 100′, 400 until the release button 315 contacts the connector stop 323 and the locking protrusion 314 extend into the through-hole 322. The wings 313 bear against and are supported by the shoulders 324 of the slot 321. Meanwhile, the second engagement portion 311B may be inserted into an elongated track 130 in a similar manner, thereby coupling the tile 100, 100′, 400, and elongated track 130 together (see, e.g., FIG. 1 ). To disengage the connector 310, the release button 315 is depressed, causing the locking protrusions 314 to retract from the through-holes 322. Thus, the connector 310 can be pulled from the track piece 100, 100′, 400, and/or 130.
With reference to FIG. 8 , various tiles 500-503 are depicted having different lengths and widths. As can be seen, the tiles 500-503 may have any desired length L or width W. For example, tile 500 is a substantially square tile having a width substantially equal to its length. The width and length may be based on a predetermined unit of distance D. Thus, tile 500 is a one by one tile (e.g., L≈W≈D) having two primary connector assemblies 200 and two receiving assemblies 320 disposed on each lateral face. Tile 501 is one by two tile (e.g., W≈D, and L≈2D) having two lateral faces parallel along its width W, each having two primary connector assemblies 200 and two receiving assemblies 320, and two faces parallel along its length L each having four primary connector assemblies 200 and four receiving assemblies 320.
Tile 502 is a two by one tile (e.g., W≈2D, and L≈D) having four primary connector assemblies 200 and four receiving assemblies 320 disposed at two faces parallel along its width W, and two primary connector assemblies 200 and two receiving assemblies 320 disposed on two lateral faces parallel along its length L. Tile 503 is a one by four tile (e.g., W≈D, and L≈4D) having two faces parallel along its width W each having two primary connector assemblies 200 and two receiving assemblies 320, and two faces parallel along its length L each having eight primary connector assemblies 200 and eight receiving assemblies 320. Accordingly, each face of each tile 500-503 may be coupled to one or more track pieces 100, 100′, 120, and/or 130 via the primary connection assembly 200 and/or via the secondary connection assembly 300.
Now referring to FIGS. 9A and 9B, a tile 410 having a play feature 412 according to an example embodiment is illustrated. In the depicted embodiment, the play feature 412 includes a spiral ramp and includes indicia shaped in the form of a hamburger (e.g., to resemble a hamburger restaurant). In some implementations, the play feature 412 may be shaped to resemble other forms such as a dinosaur, mountainous terrain, a parking garage, sidewalks, etc. In yet another implementation, the tile 410 may include a plurality of play features 412, including one or more movable or actionable play features, such as boosters, lifts, launchers, etc.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since it will be apparent that various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the inventions and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. In addition, various features from one of the embodiments may be incorporated into another of the embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the disclosure as set forth in the following claims.
It is also to be understood that the track set described herein, or portions thereof, may be fabricated from any suitable material or combination of materials, such as plastic, foamed plastic, wood, cardboard, pressed paper, metal, supple natural or synthetic materials including, but not limited to, cotton, elastomers, polyester, plastic, rubber, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof. Suitable plastics may include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), or the like. Suitable foamed plastics may include expanded or extruded polystyrene, expanded or extruded polypropylene, EVA foam, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.
Reference may be made to the spatial relationships between various components and to the spatial orientation of various aspects of components as depicted in the attached drawings. However, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art after a complete reading of the present disclosure, the devices, components, members, apparatuses, etc. described herein may be positioned in any desired orientation. Thus, the use of terms such as “above”, “below”, “upper”, “lower”, “top”, “bottom”, “left,” “right,” “front,” “rear,” “side,” “height,” “length,” “width,” “interior,” “exterior,” “inner,” “outer” or other similar terms merely describe points of reference and do not limit the present invention to any particular orientation or configuration. When used to describe a range of dimensions and/or other characteristics (e.g., time, pressure, temperature, distance, etc.) of an element, operations, conditions, etc. the phrase “between X and Y” represents a range that includes X and Y.
Further, the term “exemplary” is used herein to describe an example or illustration. Any embodiment described herein as exemplary is not to be construed as a preferred or advantageous embodiment, but rather as one example or illustration of a possible embodiment.
Further, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity, and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.
When used herein, the term “comprises” and its derivations (such as “comprising”, “including,” “containing,” etc.) should not be understood in an excluding sense, that is, these terms should not be interpreted as excluding the possibility that what is described and defined may include further elements, steps, etc. Meanwhile, when used herein, the term “approximately” and terms of its family (such as “approximate”, etc.) should be understood as indicating values very near to those which accompany the aforementioned term. That is to say, a deviation within reasonable limits from an exact value should be accepted, because a skilled person in the art will understand that such a deviation from the values indicated is inevitable due to measurement inaccuracies, etc. The same applies to the similar terms, such as, but not limited to, “about,” “around,” and “substantially.”
As used herein, unless expressly stated to the contrary, use of the phrase “at least one of”, “one or more of”, “and/or”, and variations thereof are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation for any and all possible combination of the associated listed items. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of X, Y and Z”, “at least one of X, Y or Z”, “one or more of X, Y and Z”, “one or more of X, Y or Z” and “X, Y and/or Z” can mean any of the following: 1) X, but not Y and not Z; 2) Y, but not X and not Z; 3) Z, but not X and not Y; 4) X and Y, but not Z; 5) X and Z, but not Y; 6) Y and Z, but not X; or 7) X, Y, and Z. Further as referred to herein, “at least one of” and “one or more of” can be represented using the “(s)” nomenclature (e.g., one or more element(s)).
Additionally, unless expressly stated to the contrary, the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., are intended to distinguish the particular nouns they modify (e.g., element, condition, node, module, activity, operation, etc.). Unless expressly stated to the contrary, the use of these terms is not intended to indicate any type of order, rank, importance, temporal sequence, or hierarchy of the modified noun. For example, “first X” and “second X” are intended to designate two “X” elements that are not necessarily limited by any order, rank, importance, temporal sequence, or hierarchy of the two elements.

Claims

1. A tile track piece for a toy vehicle comprising:

a first face;

a first set of primary connection assemblies of a first type disposed on the first face, each primary connection assembly comprising a male coupler and a female coupler configured to engage corresponding connectors of a second set of primary connection assemblies included on a second tile; and

a first set of receiving portions of secondary connection assemblies disposed on the first face, wherein each secondary connection assembly is a second type of connection assembly, and wherein each receiving portion is configured to receive at least a portion of a connector.

2. The tile track piece of claim 1, wherein:

the first set of primary connection assemblies comprises two or more primary connection assemblies; and

the first set of receiving portions of the secondary connection assemblies comprises two or more receiving portions.

3. The tile track piece of claim 1, wherein each receiving portion of the first set of receiving portions further comprises a through-hole configured to receive at least a portion of a locking protrusion of the connector.

4. The tile track piece of claim 1, further comprising:

a second face perpendicular to the first face; and

a second set of receiving portions is disposed on the second face.

5. The tile track piece of claim 4, wherein the tile track piece further comprises another set of primary connection assemblies on the second face.

6. The tile track piece of claim 1, wherein each receiving portion of the first set of receiving portions is disposed between the male coupler and the female coupler of each primary connection assembly.

7. The tile track piece of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of lateral faces wherein each lateral face of the plurality of lateral faces includes a set of primary connection assemblies and a set of receiving portions the second type of connection assembly.

8. A method of connecting at least three track pieces for a toy vehicle, the method comprising:

coupling a first tile track piece to a second tile track piece via a primary connection assembly of a first connection type; and

coupling an elongated track piece to the first tile track piece via a secondary connection assembly of a second connection type.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein coupling the first tile track piece to the second tile track piece comprises:

mating a first male coupler of the first tile track piece with a second female coupler of the second tile track piece; and

mating a second male coupler of the second tile track piece with a first female coupler of the first tile track piece.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein coupling the elongated track piece to the first tile track piece comprises:

inserting a first engaging portion of a connector into a first slot of the secondary connection assembly disposed in the first tile track piece; and

inserting a second engaging portion of the connector into a second slot disposed in the elongated track piece.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

coupling a second elongated track piece to the second tile track piece comprising:

inserting a third engaging portion of a second connector into a third slot of a secondary connection assembly disposed in the second tile track piece; and

inserting a fourth engaging portion of the second connector into a fourth slot disposed in the second elongated track piece.

12. A track piece for a toy vehicle comprising:

a tile having a substantially flat front lateral face, a substantially flat back lateral face, a substantially flat first side lateral face, a substantially flat second side lateral face, each lateral face having:

two primary connection assemblies of a first connection type, each primary connection assembly configured to engage a primary connection assembly of a second tile, and

two slots of secondary connection assemblies of a second connection type, wherein each slot is configured to receive at least a portion of a connector; and

a top face perpendicular to each lateral face.

13. The track piece of claim 12, wherein each primary connection assembly comprises a male coupler protruding from a corresponding face, and a female coupler extending into the corresponding face.

14. The track piece of claim 13, wherein each slot of the secondary connection assembly is disposed between the male coupler and the female coupler of each primary connection assembly.

15. The track piece of claim 14, further comprising the connector that extends from an elongated track piece having the second connection type.

16. The track piece of claim 14, wherein the connector is configured to engage a second slot of a second track having the second connection type.

17. The track piece of claim 12, wherein at least two faces of the tile each comprise a third primary connection assembly.

18. The track piece of claim 12, wherein at least two faces of the tile each comprise a third secondary connection assembly.

19. A toy play set including the track piece of claim 14 and further comprising:

the second tile; and

one or more additional elongated track pieces.

20. The toy play set of claim 19, wherein the toy play set is configurable into a plurality of configurations.