Projectile Firing Building Element

Abstract

A toy assembly includes a projectile that includes a linear portion and an engagement portion. The toy assembly also includes a base that includes a pivot point and defines an opening that receives the linear portion of the projectile, and the base retains the projectile in a frictional engagement. The assembly also includes an actuator that includes a trigger portion. The actuator is coupled to the base at the pivot point. Applying force to the trigger portion of the actuator in a first direction causes movement of the engagement portion of the projectile in a second direction, distinct from the first direction, and releases the projectile from the frictional engagement.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A toy assembly comprising:
 a projectile comprising an engagement portion and a linear portion that extends from the engagement portion along a longitudinal axis, the linear portion having a cylindrical shape and a circular cross-section;   an actuator comprising a trigger portion;   a base comprising:
 a pivot point configured to receive the actuator, and 
 a body that defines an opening, the opening being configured to receive and hold the linear portion of the projectile in the opening; and 
   a base post extending outward from the body of the base, the base post being configured to couple the base to a separate and distinct building element, wherein   the projectile is released from the opening of the body in a first direction that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the linear portion in response to force being applied to the trigger portion of the actuator in a second direction, the second direction being distinct from the first direction.   
     
     
         21 . The toy assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the building element that is separate and distinct from the base comprises a portion of a toy figure, and the base post is configured to be held in a c-clip that forms a hand of the toy figure. 
     
     
         22 . The toy assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the base comprises a coupling stud configured to connect the base to a separate and distinct building element, and the projectile comprises a coupling stud configured to connect the projectile to a separate and distinct building element. 
     
     
         23 . The toy assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the body of the base has an outer surface that is at least partially cylindrical. 
     
     
         24 . The toy assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the base comprises a coupling stud configured to connect the base to a separate and distinct building element. 
     
     
         25 . The toy assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the engagement portion of the projectile has a circular cross-section, and a diameter of the circular cross-section of the engagement portion is larger than a diameter of the circular cross-section of the linear portion. 
     
     
         26 . The toy assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the linear portion comprises a first end and a second end, the engagement portion being at the first end, and further comprising applying force in the first direction to the second end of the linear portion. 
     
     
         27 . The toy assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the trigger portion partially surrounds the linear portion of the projectile. 
     
     
         28 . The toy assembly of  claim 27 , wherein, when the linear portion of the projectile is received in the opening of the base, the trigger portion partially surrounds the linear portion of the projectile without obscuring the opening of the body. 
     
     
         29 . The toy assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the trigger portion comprises a notch that partially surrounds the linear portion. 
     
     
         30 . The toy assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. 
     
     
         31 . A toy assembly comprising:
 a projectile comprising an engagement portion and a linear portion extending from the engagement portion along a longitudinal axis, the linear portion having a cylindrical shape and a circular cross-section;   an actuator comprising a trigger portion;   a base comprising:
 a first side that defines a pivot point, the pivot point being configured to receive the actuator, the actuator being configured to rotate about the pivot point when received at the pivot point, 
 a second side defining an opening, the opening being configured to receive and hold the linear portion of the projectile, and 
 a third side, opposite to the first side, the third side defining at least one recess configured to receive and hold a coupling stud of a separate and distinct building element in a frictional engagement, wherein 
 the base is a molded, single-piece element, and 
 the projectile is released from the base in a first direction that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the linear portion in response to force being applied to the trigger portion of the actuator in a second direction, the second direction being distinct from the first direction. 
   
     
     
         32 . The toy assembly of  claim 31 , wherein the first side of the base comprises a surface and a coupling stud that extends from the surface. 
     
     
         33 . The toy assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the surface is in a plane, an end of the coupling stud that is farthest from the surface in a direction that is normal to the plane is a first distance from the plane along the direction that is normal to the surface, the pivot point is a second distance from the plane along the direction that is normal to the surface, and the first and second distances are different. 
     
     
         34 . The toy assembly of  claim 33 , wherein the first distance is less than the second distance. 
     
     
         35 . The toy assembly of  claim 32 , wherein a center of the coupling stud of the first side and a center of one of the at least one recesses of the third side are aligned in the second direction. 
     
     
         36 . The toy assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the trigger portion partially surrounds the linear portion of the projectile. 
     
     
         37 . The toy assembly of  claim 36 , wherein the trigger portion comprises a notch that partially surrounds the linear portion. 
     
     
         38 . A toy construction set comprising:
 a plurality of interconnectible building elements; and   a toy assembly configured to connect to at least one of the interconnectible building elements, the toy assembly comprising:
 a projectile comprising an engagement portion and a linear portion that extends from the engagement portion along a longitudinal axis, the linear portion having a cylindrical shape and a circular cross-section; 
 an actuator comprising a trigger portion; 
 a base comprising:
 a pivot point configured to receive the actuator, and 
 a body that defines an opening, the opening being configured to receive and hold the linear portion of the projectile in the opening; and 
 
 a base post extending outward from the body of the base, the base post being configured to couple the base to a separate and distinct building element, wherein 
 the projectile is released from the opening of the body in a first direction that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the linear portion in response to force being applied to the trigger portion of the actuator in a second direction, the second direction being distinct from the first direction. 
   
     
     
         39 . A toy construction set comprising:
 a plurality of interconnectible building elements; and   a toy assembly configured to connect to at least one of the interconnectible building elements, the toy assembly comprising:
 a projectile comprising an engagement portion and a linear portion extending from the engagement portion along a longitudinal axis, the linear portion having a cylindrical shape and a circular cross-section; 
 an actuator comprising a trigger portion; 
 a base comprising:
 a first side that defines a pivot point, the pivot point being configured to receive the actuator, the actuator being configured to rotate about the pivot point when received at the pivot point, 
 a second side defining an opening, the opening being configured to receive and hold the linear portion of the projectile, and 
 a third side, opposite to the first side, the third side defining at least one recess configured to receive and hold a coupling stud of a separate and distinct building element in a frictional engagement, wherein 
 the base is a molded, single-piece element, and 
 the projectile is released from the base in a first direction that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the linear portion in response to force being applied to the trigger portion of the actuator in a second direction, the second direction being distinct from the first direction. 
 
   
     
     
         40 . A toy assembly comprising:
 a projectile comprising:
 an engagement portion comprising a flat face, the flat face having a circular cross-section, and 
 a linear portion extending from the flat face of the engagement portion along a longitudinal axis, the linear portion having a cylindrical shape and a circular cross-section, a diameter of the circular cross-section of the flat face being larger than a diameter of the circular cross-section of the linear portion; 
   a base comprising a body that defines an opening, the opening being configured to receive and hold the linear portion of the projectile in the opening;   an actuator configured to couple to the body of the base and to rotate relative to the body of the base when connected to the base, the actuator comprising a wall portion and a trigger portion, the trigger portion extending in a direction that is perpendicular to a direction along which the wall portion extends, the actuator, wherein   the wall portion of the actuator applies force at least a portion of the flat face of the projectile in a first direction in response to rotating the trigger portion relative to the body of the base, and   the projectile is released from the opening of the body in a second direction that is distinct from the first direction in response to the wall portion of the actuator applying force to the flat face of the projectile.   
     
     
         41 . The toy assembly of  claim 40 , wherein the actuator is accessible from an outside of the body of the base.