Race course play set for floating toy vehicles

Abstract

Playsets for use on a water surface, including a toy vehicle configured to travel along the water surface and a buoyant race course, where the race course includes a guide that defines the race course on the water surface, a start platform that supports the toy vehicle, a start gate that releases the toy vehicle from the start platform onto the water surface at the start of the race course, and a finish gate that marks the end of the race course.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A playset for use by a user on a water surface, comprising:
 a toy vehicle configured to travel along the water surface; and   a buoyant race course set including:   a guide defining a race course on the water surface;   a start platform adapted to support the toy vehicle;   a start gate adapted to release the toy vehicle from the start platform onto the water surface at a start of the race course; and   a finish gate marking an end of the race course.   
     
     
         2 . The playset of  claim 1 , wherein the toy vehicle is buoyant and configured to propel itself along the water surface. 
     
     
         3 . The playset of  claim 2 , wherein the toy vehicle includes an energy storage device adapted to store energy; and a propulsion element that is adapted to convert the stored energy to motion of the toy vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The playset of  claim 3 , wherein the energy storage device is adapted to store mechanical energy. 
     
     
         5 . The playset of  claim 4 , wherein the energy storage device is a pullback motor, and the mechanical energy is stored in a component of the pullback motor that is a spring. 
     
     
         6 . The playset of  claim 3 , wherein the propulsion element is configured to propel the toy vehicle on the surface of the water and includes a propeller or a paddle. 
     
     
         7 . The playset of  claim 1 , wherein the start platform includes a ramp sloping down to the surface of the water. 
     
     
         8 . The playset of  claim 1 , wherein the start gate includes a barrier having a closed configuration that prevents the toy vehicle from leaving the start platform, and an open configuration that permits the toy vehicle to leave the start platform. 
     
     
         9 . The playset of  claim 8 , wherein the barrier is pivotably coupled to the start platform at a lower edge of the inclined ramp, and is configured to be selectively transitioned between the closed configuration and the open configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The playset of  claim 1 , wherein the guide includes two edge boundaries configured to float on the water surface. 
     
     
         11 . The playset of  claim 10 , wherein the edge boundaries can be flexed to define a nonlinear race course. 
     
     
         12 . The playset of  claim 11 , wherein each edge boundary includes an elongate tube, the tube including corrugations that permit the tube to be flexed and/or extended. 
     
     
         13 . The playset of  claim 11 , wherein each edge boundary includes a flexible foam tube. 
     
     
         14 . The playset of  claim 10 , wherein each edge boundary is coupled to the start platform at a first end, and coupled to the finish gate at a second end. 
     
     
         15 . The playset of  claim 1 , wherein the finish gate includes an archway defining the finish line of the race course. 
     
     
         16 . A race course playset, comprising:
 a first buoyant toy car and a second buoyant toy car, each buoyant toy car configured to propel itself along a water surface; and   a buoyant race course including:   an inclined start platform defining a start of the buoyant race course;   a start gate coupled to the start platform that is configured to be selectively transitioned between a closed configuration that retains the buoyant toy cars on the start platform and an open configuration that release the buoyant toy cars at the start of the race course;   an arched finish gate that defines the end of the buoyant race course; and   a first side boundary and a second side boundary that are each coupled at a first end to the start platform and coupled at a second end to the arched finish gate, where the first side boundary and second side boundary are configured to flexibly define the race course.   
     
     
         17 . The race course playset of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second side boundaries each include a flexible and buoyant tube member. 
     
     
         18 . A playset for use on a water surface, comprising:
 a buoyant start platform with a start gate for a toy vehicle;   a buoyant finish gate for a toy vehicle race course;   a first flexible and buoyant tube member interconnecting the buoyant start platform to the buoyant finish gate; and   a second flexible and buoyant tube member interconnecting the buoyant start platform to the buoyant finish gate;   wherein the first tube member and the second tube member collectively define side boundaries of a flexible and buoyant toy vehicle race course.   
     
     
         19 . The playset of  claim 18 , wherein the start platform includes a ramp sloping down to the surface of the water. 
     
     
         20 . The playset of  claim 18 , wherein the start gate includes a barrier having a closed configuration that prevents a toy vehicle from leaving the start platform, and an open configuration that permits the toy vehicle to leave the start platform.