Tubular racetrack

Abstract

A racetrack for toy vehicles is constructed from a racetrack set including closed track sections that reversibly snap together end-to-end. The inner surface of the closed track sections serves as the track for the toy vehicles. The closed track sections preferably include different shapes to provide building options to the user. In some embodiments, the closed track sections include fasteners, or loops for attaching fasteners, extending from the outer surfaces of the track sections to fasten the closed track sections to stationary objects for stability. In some embodiments, the racetrack set includes supports to elevate portions of the racetrack above a surface. In some embodiments, the racetrack set includes lighting reversibly attachable to the closed track sections or permanently attached to the walls of closed track sections.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A racetrack set comprising:
 a plurality of closed track sections, each closed track section comprising a track wall having an inner surface forming a track enclosure having a first open end comprising a first coupling and a second open end opposite the first open end comprising a second coupling, the inner surface serving as a track, the closed track sections being sized to permit at least one wheeled toy vehicle to travel through the plurality of closed track sections;   wherein the first couplings are complementary to the second couplings to reversibly couple the first open end of one closed track section to the second open end of another closed track section to construct a racetrack formed along the inner surfaces of the plurality of closed track sections.   
     
     
         2 . The racetrack set of  claim 1 , wherein each first coupling comprises at least one first ridge and each second coupling comprises at least one second ridge complementary in shape to the first ridge such that when the first open end of one closed track section is inserted into the second open end of another closed track section and the first ridge is inserted past the second ridge, the first ridge interlocks with the second ridge to hold the closed track sections together. 
     
     
         3 . The racetrack set of  claim 2 , wherein each first coupling further comprises first ridgeless sections flanking the first ridges and each second coupling further comprises second ridgeless sections flanking the second ridges such that when the first ridges are interlocked with the second ridges, rotating the first open end with respect to the second open end aligns the first ridges with the second ridgeless sections, thereby disengaging the first ridges from the second ridges to ease removal of the first open end from the second open end. 
     
     
         4 . The racetrack set of  claim 1 , wherein the first coupling comprises a first tapered surface and at least one first external fastener half and the second coupling comprises a second tapered surface complementary to the first tapered surface and at least one second external fastener half complementary to the first external fastener half such that inserting the first tapered surface into the second open end along the second tapered surface and fastening the first external fastener half to the second external fastener half couples the first open end of one closed track section to the second open end of another closed track section. 
     
     
         5 . The racetrack set of  claim 4 , wherein the first external fastener half of one closed track section and the second external fastener half of another closed track section fasten by a fastening mechanism selected from the group consisting of: magnets, hooks and loops, snaps, latches and holes, and buckles. 
     
     
         6 . The racetrack set of  claim 1 , wherein the inner surface is concavely curved and each first open end and each second open end has a substantially circular cross section. 
     
     
         7 . The racetrack set of  claim 6 , wherein the substantially circular cross section has an inner diameter in the range of about two inches to about four inches. 
     
     
         8 . The racetrack set of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of closed track sections comprises a light source. 
     
     
         9 . The racetrack set of  claim 1 , wherein each closed track section has a directional contour selected from the group consisting of:
 a straight contour;   a curved contour;   an S-shaped contour;   a looped contour; and   a corkscrew contour.   
     
     
         10 . The racetrack set of  claim 1  further comprising at least one track support comprising:
 a base; 
 a vertical section extending from the base; and 
 a support section extending from the vertical section, the support section being shaped to receive and support at least one of the plurality of closed track sections; 
 wherein a height of the vertical section is adjustable to adjust a height of the support section with respect to the base. 
 
     
     
         11 . The racetrack set of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the racetrack set glows in the dark. 
     
     
         12 . The racetrack set of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of closed track sections further comprises at least one fastener extending from an outer surface of the track wall. 
     
     
         13 . The racetrack set of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of closed track sections further comprises at least one loop extending from an outer surface of the track wall. 
     
     
         14 . The racetrack set of  claim 13  further comprising at least one strap to extend through the loop and to fasten the closed track section to at least one stationary object. 
     
     
         15 . The racetrack set of  claim 1  further comprising a starter comprising:
 a spring; 
 a starter block biased by the spring toward an open end of one of the closed track sections; and 
 a switch holding the spring in an energized state in a first position and activating the starter in a second position by releasing the spring to drive the block toward the open end of one of the closed track sections. 
 
     
     
         16 . The racetrack set of  claim 1  further comprising the at least one wheeled toy vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . The racetrack set of  claim 1 , wherein the track wall of at least one of the closed track sections is translucent. 
     
     
         18 . The racetrack set of  claim 1  further comprising at least one crash-out section attachable to the first open end or the second open end of at least two of the closed track sections, the crash-out section comprising:
 a base having an inner surface; and 
 a lid removable from the base to provide access to a crash-out enclosure formed by the base and the lid; 
 wherein the crash-out section directs toy vehicles entering the crash-out section from the closed track sections to crash into each other in the crash-out enclosure. 
 
     
     
         19 . The racetrack set of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the closed track sections comprises at least one irregularity disrupting the shape of the inner surface of the closed track section. 
     
     
         20 . The racetrack set of  claim 1 , wherein the track wall of at least one of the closed track sections comprises a breakthrough wall in a wall opening of the track wall, the breakthrough wall being coupled to the track wall to pivot when activated by contact with the toy vehicle racing along the inner surface to eject the toy vehicle from the track enclosure though the wall opening.