Toy Vehicle Playset with Flipping Mechanism

Abstract

A toy vehicle playset includes a track portion, a repositionable lever, an actuator, and a repositionable engagement member. The repositionable lever is disposed adjacent to the track portion, where the repositionable lever is repositionable between a first position and a second position. The actuator and the engagement member are disposed on the track portion, with the engagement member being disposed proximate to the actuator. The engagement member is operatively coupled to the repositionable lever and the actuator. When the repositionable lever is in the first position, the engagement member remains unengaged with a toy vehicle as the toy vehicle travels over the track portion and engages the actuator. However, when the repositionable lever is in the second position, engagement of the actuator by the toy vehicle traveling over the track portion causes the engagement member to engage and flip the toy vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toy vehicle playset, comprising:
 a track portion;   a repositionable lever disposed adjacent the track portion, the repositionable lever being reconfigurable between a first position and a second position;   an actuator disposed on the track portion; and   an engagement member disposed on the track portion proximate to the actuator and operatively coupled with the repositionable lever and the actuator, wherein when the repositionable lever is in the second position, actuation of the actuator by a toy vehicle traveling over the track portion causes the engagement member to engage the toy vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 1 , wherein when the repositionable lever is positioned in the first position, the engagement member remains unengaged with the toy vehicle when the toy vehicle traveling over the track portion actuates the actuator. 
     
     
         3 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 1 , wherein engagement of the engagement member with the toy vehicle causes the toy vehicle to flip off of the track portion. 
     
     
         4 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 1 , wherein the track portion defines a plane with a first end and a second end, and the engagement member is elongated with a distal end and a proximal end. 
     
     
         5 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 4 , wherein the engagement member is repositionable between an unengaged position, where the proximal and distal ends of the engagement member are aligned in the plane of the track portion, and an engaged position, where the distal end of the engagement member is disposed above the plane of the track portion. 
     
     
         6 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 5 , wherein the engagement member is biased into the engaged position by a resilient member. 
     
     
         7 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 4 , wherein the track portion is a ramp with a first end and an opposite second end, the second end being higher in height than the second end. 
     
     
         8 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 4 , wherein the actuator is a planar member that is rotatable between an unactuated position, where the actuator extends upward from the plane of the track portion, and an actuated position, where the actuator is aligned in the plane of the track portion. 
     
     
         9 . A toy vehicle playset, comprising:
 a base;   a track portion coupled to the base, the track portion including an actuator;   a lever coupled to the base and movable between a first position and a second position; and   an engagement member coupled to the track portion proximate to the actuator, the engagement member being movable relative to the track portion, the engagement member being operatively coupled to the lever and the actuator, wherein when the lever is in the second position, actuation of the actuator by a toy vehicle traveling over the track portion causes the engagement member to engage the toy vehicle.   
     
     
         10 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 9 , wherein when the lever is positioned in the first position, the engagement member does not engage the toy vehicle when the toy vehicle actuates the actuator. 
     
     
         11 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 9 , wherein engagement of the engagement member with the toy vehicle causes the toy vehicle to flip off of the track portion. 
     
     
         12 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 9 , wherein the track portion defines a plane with a first end and a second end, and the engagement member is elongated with a distal end and a proximal end. 
     
     
         13 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 12 , wherein the engagement member is repositionable between an unengaged position, where the proximal and distal ends of the engagement member are aligned in the plane of the track portion, and an engaged position, where the distal end of the engagement member is disposed above the plane of the track portion. 
     
     
         14 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 13 , wherein the engagement member is biased into the engaged position by a resilient member. 
     
     
         15 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 11 , wherein the track portion is a ramp with a first end and an opposite second end, the second end being higher in height than the first end. 
     
     
         16 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 12 , wherein the actuator is a planar member that is rotatable between an unactuated position, where the actuator extends upward from the plane of the track portion, and an actuated position, where the actuator is aligned in the plane of the track portion. 
     
     
         17 . A toy vehicle playset, comprising:
 a base having a track portion along which a toy vehicle can travel;   a repositionable lever coupled to the base and disposed adjacent the track portion, the repositionable lever being movable between a first position and a second position;   an actuator coupled to the base and disposed proximate to the track portion; and   an engagement member coupled to the base and disposed proximate to the track portion and proximate to the actuator, the engagement member being operatively coupled to the repositionable lever and the actuator, wherein when the repositionable lever is positioned in the first position, the engagement member remains unengaged with the toy vehicle when the toy vehicle traveling over the track portion actuates the actuator.   
     
     
         18 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 17 , wherein when the repositionable lever is in the second position, actuation of the actuator by a toy vehicle traveling over the track portion causes the engagement member to engage the toy vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 17 , wherein engagement of the engagement member with the toy vehicle causes the toy vehicle to flip off of the track portion. 
     
     
         20 . The toy vehicle playset of  claim 17 , wherein the track portion defines a plane with a first end and a second end, the engagement member is elongated with a distal end and a proximal end, the engagement member is repositionable between an unengaged position, where the proximal and distal ends of the engagement member are aligned in the plane of the track portion, and an engaged position, where the distal end of the engagement member is disposed above the plane of the track portion.