Toy assembly

Abstract

A toy assembly is disclosed having nestable figures made of polyresin or other suitable material in which some of the nestable figures are separable into at least two parts. The parts on at least some of the figures are aligned and held together by various devices. The exterior surfaces of the nestable figures include a representations of an object or objects that are formed by raised relief and life-like three-dimensional portions relative to the surface. The nestable figures form a set in which each figure of the set has the same or different ratio of cross-sectional dimensions and the same or different ratio of cross-sectional dimensions for the representation on the figure.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A toy comprising a plurality of nestable figures, wherein at least some of said figures are hollow and separable into at least two parts, and wherein a portion of the exterior of said figures includes a proportional representation thereon of substantially the same object or objects, and wherein said representation includes three-dimensional portions.  
     
     
         2 . The toy according to  claim 1 , further comprising closure means located on at least one of said figures for aligning and securing said separable parts so that such parts can be assembled in at least one pre-determined orientation and then held together.  
     
     
         3 . The toy according to  claim 2 , wherein said closure means comprises at least two oppositely facing, oppositely polarized magnets, wherein one of said magnets is embedded in one of the parts of said at least one of said figures, and the other one of said magnets is embedded in the other part of said at least one of said figures, whereby said parts of said at least one of said figures are aligned and magnetically coupled when the magnets are in close proximity.  
     
     
         4 . The toy according to  claim 1 , further comprising a closure device located on at least one of said figures, wherein said closure device aligns and secures said separable parts so they can be assembled in at least one pre-determined orientation and held together.  
     
     
         5 . The toy according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of cross-sectional body dimensions of said figures is substantially constant from one figure to the next.  
     
     
         6 . The toy according to  claim 1 , wherein the exterior dimensions of some of said figures are entirely contained within the interior dimensions of some of the other figures.  
     
     
         7 . The toy according to  claim 1 , wherein the smallest of said figures has a solid body.  
     
     
         8 . The toy according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said exterior representation is a caricature.  
     
     
         9 . The toy according to  claim 8 , wherein said caricature portion is one of a caricature of a person, animal, and cartoon character.  
     
     
         10 . The toy according to  claim 8 , wherein said caricature portion is a caricature of an athlete.  
     
     
         11 . A toy comprising: 
 a plurality of nestable figures, wherein at least some of said figures are hollow and separable into at least two parts, and wherein a portion of the exterior of said figures includes a proportional representation thereon of substantially the same object or objects, and wherein said representation includes three-dimensional portions; and    a closure device located on at least one of said figures, wherein said closure device aligns and secures said separable parts so they can be assembled in at least one pre-determined orientation and held together.    
     
     
         12 . The toy according to  claim 11 , wherein said closure device comprises at least two oppositely facing, oppositely polarized magnets, wherein one of said magnets is embedded in one of the parts of said separable figures, and the other one of said magnets is embedded in the other part of said separable figures, whereby said parts of said separable figures are magnetically coupled when said magnets are in close proximity.  
     
     
         13 . The toy according to  claim 11 , wherein the ratio of cross-sectional body dimensions of said figures is substantially constant from one figure to the next.  
     
     
         14 . The toy according to  claim 11 , wherein said figures are separable into top and a bottom parts such that the bottom part includes an upper edge at the top of the walls formed by the sides of the bottom part and the top part includes a lower edge at the bottom of the walls formed by the sides of the top part, wherein said upper edge and lower edge lie in first and second planes substantially parallel to each other when said top and bottom parts are in a closed position.  
     
     
         15 . The toy according to  claim 11 , wherein the exterior dimensions of some of said figures are entirely contained within the interior dimensions of some of the other figures.  
     
     
         16 . The toy according to  claim 11 , wherein the smallest of said figures has a solid body.  
     
     
         17 . The toy according to  claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of said exterior representation is a caricature.  
     
     
         18 . The toy according to  claim 17 , wherein said caricature portion is one of a caricature of a person, animal, and cartoon character.  
     
     
         19 . The toy according to  claim 17 , wherein said caricature portion is a caricature of an athlete.  
     
     
         20 . A toy comprising: 
 a plurality of nestable figures, wherein the ratio of cross-sectional body dimensions of said figures is substantially constant from one figure to the next, and wherein at least some of said figures are hollow and separable into top and a bottom parts such that the bottom parts include an upper edge at the top of the walls formed by the sides of the bottom parts, and the top parts include a lower edge at the bottom of the walls formed by the sides of the top parts, wherein said upper edges and lower edges lie in first and second planes substantially parallel to each other when said top and bottom parts are in a closed position, and wherein a portion of the exterior of said figures includes a proportional caricature of an athlete, and wherein said caricature includes three-dimensional portions; and    a closure device located on at least one of said figures, wherein said closure device aligns and secures said separable parts so they can be assembled in at least one pre-determined orientation and held together.    
     
     
         21  The toy according to  claim 20 , wherein said closure device comprises at least two oppositely facing, oppositely polarized magnets, wherein one of said magnets is embedded in one of the parts of said separable figures, and the other one of said magnets is embedded in the other part of said separable figures, whereby said parts of said separable figures are magnetically coupled when said magnets are in close proximity.  
     
     
         22 . The toy according to  claim 20 , wherein the exterior dimensions of some of said figures is entirely contained within the interior dimensions of some of the other figures.  
     
     
         23 . The toy according to  claim 20 , wherein the smallest of said figures has a solid body.  
     
     
         24 . A toy comprising: 
 a first hollow figure separable into a top and a bottom part, said first hollow figure comprising two pairs of oppositely facing, oppositely polarized magnets, wherein the first one of the pairs of said magnets is embedded in the top part and the second one of the pairs of magnets is embedded in the bottom part, whereby said top and bottom parts are magnetically coupled by said pairs of magnets;    a second hollow figure separable into a top and a bottom part and nestable in said first hollow figure such that the exterior dimensions of said second, hollow figure is entirely contained within the interior dimensions of said first hollow figure; and    a third figure nestable in said first and second hollow figures such that the exterior dimensions of said third figure is entirely contained within the interior dimensions of said first and second hollow figures,    wherein a portion of the exterior of said first, second and third figures includes a proportional high-relief representation thereon of substantially the same object or objects and wherein said representation includes three-dimensional portions.    
     
     
         25 . The toy according to  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 a substantially uniform cross-sectional raised rim, wherein said rim extends above an upper edge at the top of the wall formed by the sides of said bottom part of said first figure; and    a shoulder sized to received said rim, wherein said shoulder is formed on a lower edge at the bottom of the wall formed by the sides of said top part of said first figure,    wherein said upper edge and said lower edge lie in first and second planes substantially parallel to each other when said top and bottom parts of said first figure are in a closed position.    
     
     
         26 . The toy according to  claim 24 , wherein the ratio of cross-sectional body dimensions of said figures is substantially constant from one figure to the next.  
     
     
         27 . The toy according to  claim 24 , wherein said figures are made from one of a wood, polymeric, ceramic, glass, and metal material or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         28 . The toy according to  claim 24 , wherein at least a portion of said exterior representation is a caricature.  
     
     
         29 . The toy according to  claim 28 , wherein said caricature portion is one of a caricature of a person, animal, and cartoon character.  
     
     
         30 . The toy according to  claim 28 , wherein said caricature portion is a caricature of an athlete.