Water toy

Abstract

A water toy useable in a bathtub or shower area includes a frame assembly attachable to a supporting wall by suction cups, and a plurality of track pieces that are attachable to and supported by the frame assembly. The track pieces are interconnectable, and each piece defines a trough for the flow of water or objects therein by gravity. When assembled, the track pieces define a water slide for a child to play with when taking a bath or shower.

1 . A water toy, which comprises: 
 a frame assembly, the frame assembly being mountable to a supporting surface in proximity to a source of water; and    a track assembly, the track assembly being mountable to the frame assembly and being supported thereby, the track assembly including corner pieces and intermediate track pieces connectable to the corner pieces, the corner pieces and intermediate track pieces when connected together define a water flow path.    
   
   
       2 . A water toy as defined by  claim 1 , wherein the frame assembly includes a first vertical member and a second vertical member, the first vertical member having a plurality of first track mounting means situated thereon, the second vertical member having a plurality of the first mounting means situated thereon, at least one of the corner pieces and the intermediate track pieces having a second mounting means situated thereon, the first mounting means being engageable with the second mounting means to secure the track assembly to the frame assembly.  
   
   
       3 . A water toy as defined by  claim 2 , wherein the first mounting means is engageable with the second mounting means to removably secure the track assembly to the frame assembly.  
   
   
       4 . A water toy as defined by  claim 3 , wherein each of the first and second vertical members includes a wall; wherein the first mounting means is a slot formed through the wall of the first and second vertical members; and wherein the second mounting means is a projection situated on at least one of the corner pieces and intermediate track pieces, the projection being receivable in a corresponding slot.  
   
   
       5 . A water toy as defined by  claim 4 , wherein the slot has a keyhole shape, and wherein the projection includes a radially extending flange.  
   
   
       6 . A water toy as defined by  claim 3 , wherein each of the first and second vertical members includes a wall; wherein the first mounting means is a projection formed on the wall of the first and second vertical members; and wherein the second mounting means is a slot formed on one of the corner pieces and the intermediate track pieces, the projection being receivable in a corresponding slot.  
   
   
       7 . A water toy as defined by  claim 6 , wherein the slot has a keyhole shape, and wherein the projection includes a radially extending flange.  
   
   
       8 . A water toy as defined by  claim 2 , wherein the frame assembly further includes a cross-brace member, the first vertical member being spaced apart from the second vertical member, the cross-brace member being interposed between and joined to the first and second vertical members.  
   
   
       9 . A water toy as defined by  claim 2 , wherein the frame assembly includes means for mounting the frame assembly to the supporting surface.  
   
   
       10 . A water toy as defined by  claim 9 , wherein the frame assembly mounting means includes a plurality of suction cups affixed to the frame assembly.  
   
   
       11 . A water toy as defined by  claim 10 , wherein at least one suction cup of the plurality of suction cups is situated on each of the first and second vertical members.  
   
   
       12 . A water toy as defined by  claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second vertical members includes at least one flange extending laterally therefrom, the at least one flange having one of the plurality of suction cups mounted thereon.  
   
   
       13 . A water toy as defined by  claim 8 , wherein the cross-brace member includes means for mounting the frame assembly to the supporting surface.  
   
   
       14 . A water toy as defined by  claim 13 , wherein the frame assembly mounting means includes at least one suction cup affixed to the cross-brace member.  
   
   
       15 . A water toy as defined by  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the corner pieces define a first trough for a flow of water therethrough, and wherein at least one of the intermediate track pieces defines a second trough for the flow of water therethrough, at least one of the corner pieces defining the first trough and the at least one intermediate track piece defining the second trough being connectable to define a water path through the first and second troughs.  
   
   
       16 . A water toy as defined by  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the corner pieces defines at least one of a banked turn, a teeter-totter, a jump turn, a spiral slide and a reservoir for releasably holding water.  
   
   
       17 . A water toy as defined by  claim 1 , wherein the frame assembly includes a first vertical member and a second vertical member, each of the first and second vertical members having means for releasably mounting the vertical member to the supporting surface, each of the first and second vertical members having a wall through which is formed a plurality of spaced apart keyhole-shaped slots; and 
 wherein each of the corner pieces of the track assembly includes a first projection extending therefrom, the first projection being receivable in one of the keyhole-shaped slots of the plurality of slots of one of the first vertical member and the second vertical member to removably secure the corner pieces to one of the first and second vertical members, the intermediate track pieces extending between and being supported by one of the corner pieces secured to the first vertical member and another of the corner pieces secured to the second vertical member.    
   
   
       18 . A water toy as defined by  claim 17 , wherein each of the corner pieces includes a posterior side and an anterior side; and wherein each of at least some of the corner pieces includes the first projection situated on the posterior side and a second projection situated on the anterior side and extending therefrom, the second projection having a shape which is similar to that of the first projection to allow at least some of the corner pieces to be removably secured to the first vertical member and the second vertical member by one of the keyhole slots of the first vertical member and the second vertical member receiving one of the first projection on the posterior side and the second projection on the anterior side of the at least some of the corner pieces.  
   
   
       19 . A water toy as defined by  claim 1 , which further comprises: 
 an object moveably receivable by the track assembly and travelable along the water flow path defined by the corner pieces and the intermediate track pieces when connected together.    
   
   
       20 . A water toy as defined by  claim 19 , wherein the object is propelled by water flowing through the track assembly along the water flow path.