Skill toy

Abstract

A skill toy comprises: a first piece having a male member extended from a male mating end and having a first tether end opposite the male mating end; a second piece having a receptacle in a female mating end and having a second tether end opposite the female mating end; and a tether connected between the first tether end and the second tether end. Other skill toys are disclosed.

1 . A skill toy comprising:
 a first piece having a male member extended from a male mating end and having a first tether end opposite the male mating end;   a second piece having a receptacle in a female mating end and having a second tether end opposite the female mating end; and   a tether connected between the first tether end and the second tether end.   
     
     
         2 . The skill toy of  claim 1  in which the first piece has a first center of gravity closer to the male mating end than the first tether end, and the second piece has a second center of gravity closer to the female mating end than the second tether end. 
     
     
         3 . The skill toy of  claim 2  in which the first tether end and the second tether end are convex. 
     
     
         4 . The skill toy of  claim 3  in which the first tether end and the second tether end are hemi-spherical. 
     
     
         5 . The skill toy of  claim 2  in which the first center of gravity is closer than or equal to the first tether end than to a tip end defined by the male member. 
     
     
         6 . The skill toy of  claim 1  in which the first piece has a first encircling sidewall, the second piece has a second encircling sidewall, and the skill toy has a mated position in which the male member is inserted into the receptacle. 
     
     
         7 . The skill toy of  claim 6  in which the first encircling sidewall is adjacent and flush in relation to the second encircling sidewall along an encircling joint defined between the first encircling sidewall and the second encircling sidewall when the skill toy is in the mated position. 
     
     
         8 . The skill toy of  claim 7  in which all outer surfaces of a mated combination of the first piece and second piece are convex or planar when in the mated position. 
     
     
         9 . The skill toy of  claim 6  in which the first encircling sidewall and the second encircling sidewall are cylindrical in shape. 
     
     
         10 . The skill toy of  claim 9  in which the mated combination has a capsule shape. 
     
     
         11 . The skill toy of  claim 6  in which each of the first encircling sidewall and the second encircling sidewall form a geometric shape in cross section. 
     
     
         12 . The skill toy of  claim 6  in which a plane of symmetry is defined through a transition mating surface zone between the first piece and the second piece when in the mated position. 
     
     
         13 . The skill toy of  claim 6  in which the female mating end has a planar or concave landing surface surrounding the receptacle, and the second encircling sidewall shares a perimeter edge with the female mating end, in which the planar or concave landing surface is sized sufficient to statically support the first piece in an unmated position. 
     
     
         14 . A skill toy comprising:
 a first piece having a first end, a first encircling sidewall, and a male member extended from the first end;   a second piece having a second end, a second encircling sidewall, and a receptacle in the second end; and   a tether connected between the first piece and the second piece;   the skill toy having a mated position in which the male member is inserted within the receptacle and the first encircling sidewall is adjacent and flush in relation to the second encircling sidewall along an encircling joint defined between the first encircling sidewall and the second encircling sidewall.   
     
     
         15 . The skill toy of  claim 14  in which all outer surfaces of a mated combination of the first piece and second piece are convex or planar when in the mated position. 
     
     
         16 . The skill toy of  claim 14  in which respective transitional surfaces, of the first encircling sidewall and second encircling sidewalls, adjacent the encircling joint collectively define a concave or planar shape along an axial direction across the encircling joint. 
     
     
         17 . The skill toy of  claim 14  in which the first encircling sidewall shares a first perimeter edge with the first end, the second encircling sidewall shares a second perimeter edge with the second end, and the first perimeter edge contacts the second perimeter edge to define the encircling joint when in the mated position. 
     
     
         18 . A skill toy comprising:
 a first piece having a male member extended from the first piece;   a second piece having a second end, with a planar or concave landing surface surrounding a receptacle in the second end, and an encircling sidewall sharing a perimeter edge with the second end; and   a tether connected between the first piece and the second piece;   in which the planar or concave landing surface is sized sufficient to statically support the first piece in an unmated position.   
     
     
         19 . The skill toy of  claim 18  in which the male member is extended from a first end, of the first piece, opposite a first tether end, the second end of the second piece is opposite a second tether end, and the tether is connected between the first tether end and the second tether end.