Toy device

Abstract

A toy device has a resilient tubular housing defining a strip chamber and having an opening at each end. A strip bundle constituting a mutiplicity of elongate strip members are located within the strip chamber and are frictionally retained against inadvertent movement by the compressive force of the resilient tubular housing on the strips and are each linearly moveable relative to said strip chamber and relative to one another. The strips are composed of a polymer such as a vinyl or of other suitable materials and can be marked with educational indicia or game indicia to promote the use of the toy device for educational purposes as well as for entertainment and pleasure.

1 . A toy device, comprising:
 a tubular housing defining a strip chamber and having an opening at each end thereof;   a bundle of elongate strip members being located within said strip receptacle each being linearly moveable relative to said strip chamber and being linearly moveable relative to one another; and   said tubular housing applying compression force on said bundle of elongate strip members and developing frictional resistance to minimize inadvertent linear movement of said elongate strip members from said strip chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The toy device of  claim 1 , comprising:
 each of said elongate strip members being of generally rectangular cross-section defining opposed substantially planar surfaces and edge surfaces, said opposed substantially planar surfaces having movement retarding frictional engagement with opposed substantially planar surfaces or opposed edge surfaces of other elongate strip members; and   some of said elongate strip members having frictional engagement with said tubular housing.   
     
     
         3 . The toy device of  claim 1 , comprising:
 each of said elongate strip members having a cross-sectional geometry defining substantially planar surfaces, said substantially planar surfaces having movement retarding frictional engagement with substantially planar surfaces of other elongate strip members; and   some of said elongate strip members having frictional engagement with said tubular housing.   
     
     
         4 . The toy device of  claim 1 , comprising:
 said tubular housing being defined by a elastic housing band and being stretched over said bundle of elongate strip members.   
     
     
         5 . The toy device of  claim 1 , comprising:
 said tubular housing being defined by a plurality of elastic housing bands being positioned in side by side relation with one another and each being stretched over said bundle of elongate strip members.   
     
     
         6 . The toy device of  claim 1 , comprising:
 said tubular housing having a defined length; and   each of said elongate strip members having a length substantially equal to said defined length.   
     
     
         7 . The toy device of  claim 1 , comprising:
 said elongate strip members being marked with educational indicia and promoting use of the toy device for educational purposes as well as for entertainment and pleasure.   
     
     
         8 . The toy device of  claim 1 , comprising:
 each of said elongate strip members having opposed substantially planar surfaces and defining substantially parallel opposed edge surfaces and having end surfaces, said opposed substantially planar surfaces each having a surface finish providing resistance to linear sliding movement when in engagement with a like substantially planar surface of an adjacent elongate strip member.   
     
     
         9 . The toy device of  claim 8 , comprising:
 said substantially planar surfaces of said elongate strip members having a roughened sandpaper-like surface preparation.   
     
     
         10 . The toy device of  claim 8 , comprising:
 said substantially planar surfaces of said elongate strip members defining a multiplicity of ridges and grooves similar to the surface preparation of a file.   
     
     
         11 . The toy device of  claim 1 , comprising:
 said elongate strip members having a triangular cross-sectional configuration and defining three substantially planar surfaces disposed in frictional engagement with like substantially planar surfaces of adjacent elongate strip members.   
     
     
         12 . The toy device of  claim 1 , comprising:
 said elongate strip members defining strip edges having a plurality of spaced projection on one side thereof and having a plurality of spaced recesses on another side thereof.   
     
     
         13 . A toy device, comprising:
 an elastic tubular housing defining a strip chamber therein and having an opening at each end thereof;   a bundle of elongate strip members being located within said strip receptacle and being oriented in substantially parallel relation with each other, each of said elongate strip members being linearly moveable relative to said strip chamber and being linearly moveable relative to one another; and   said elastic tubular housing being stretched over said bundle of elongate strip members and applying compression force to said bundle of elongate strip members and developing frictional resistance of said elongate strip members to minimize inadvertent linear movement thereof from said strip chamber through said open ends of said elastic tubular housing.   
     
     
         14 . The toy device of  claim 13 , comprising:
 said elastic tubular housing being defined by a plurality of elastic bands each arranged in side by side relation and each being stretched over said bundle of elongate strip members.   
     
     
         15 . The toy device of  claim 13 , comprising:
 said elastic tubular housing having a defined length defined by the combined lengths of said elastic bands; and   each of said elongate strip members having a length substantially equal to said defined length.   
     
     
         16 . The toy device of  claim 13 , comprising:
 said elongate strip members being marked with educational indicia and promoting use of the toy device for educational purposes as well as for entertainment and pleasure.   
     
     
         17 . The toy device of  claim 13 , comprising:
 each of said elongate strip members having opposed substantially planar surfaces and defining substantially parallel opposed edge surfaces and having end surfaces, said opposed substantially planar surfaces each having a surface finish providing resistance to linear sliding movement when in engagement with a like substantially planar surface of an adjacent elongate strip member.   
     
     
         18 . A toy device, comprising:
 an elastic tubular housing having a plurality of elastic housing bands collectively defining an internal strip chamber and having an opening at each end of said elastic tubular housing;   a bundle of substantially identical elongate strip members being located within said strip chamber and being oriented in substantially parallel relation with each other, each of said elongate strip members being linearly moveable relative to said strip chamber and being linearly moveable relative to one another; and   said plurality of elastic housing bands of said elastic tubular housing being stretched over said bundle of elongate strip members and applying compression force to said bundle of elongate strip members and developing frictional resistance of said elongate strip members minimizing inadvertent linear movement thereof from said strip chamber through said open ends of said elastic tubular housing.   
     
     
         19 . The toy device of  claim 18 , comprising:
 said tubular housing having a defined length; and   each of said elongate strip members having a length substantially equal to said defined length.   
     
     
         20 . The toy device of  claim 18 , comprising:
 some of said elongate strip members defining elongate rib members;   some of said elongate strip members defining elongate grooves of dimensions receiving said elongate rib members therein and establishing a structural interrelation permitting relative longitudinal sliding movement of adjacent elongate strip members and minimizing relative lateral movement of adjacent elongate strip members.