Toy housing structure and tool for disassembling toy housing

Abstract

A system for easy, quick and inexpensive coupling of the shells of a toy housing, without screws fasteners, comprising a first shell having an inside T-shaped projecting member with side edges of the arms of the T being captured between a set of apertures located in a pair of parallel, opposed and resilient walls of the other housing shell, such that pressing the two shell pieces together causes the edges of the arms of the T shaped member to cam outwardly the otherwise parallel walls of the other shell until the edges are captured in apertures in the side walls of the second shell member. Also disclosed is a simple tool, like a pair of pliers for disassembling the toy having a first arm, a hinged second arm, a first tip or prong, and a second tip or prong, wherein the tips and a portion of the arms extend into the cavity of the housing and when the handles of the tool are squeezed, the side walls, which are resilient, spread apart to release the capture of the arms of the T shaped member from the apertures of the parallel walls to allow pulling apart of the housing shells.

1 . A tool for disassembling a toy comprised of at least two housing components, said tool comprising:
 a first projecting arm with a tip;   a second projecting arm with its own tip;   a handle mechanically secured to each of said first and said second connecting arms, said handles being biased apart; and   said handles being mechanically coupled to said arms and said tips such that squeezing the handles together results in moving said arms and said tips apart from one another.   
     
     
         2 . The tool of  claim 1  further comprising a planar stopper support mechanism for maintaining perpendicularity between said arms of said tool and the surface of a housing into which said tips of said tool are inserted for disassembly of said housing. 
     
     
         3 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein said tips are narrowed in comparison to the width of said arms along their length. 
     
     
         4 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein said tips and said arms are separated by a predetermined limit distance and restrained from coming into contact with one another. 
     
     
         5 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein said bias is provided by a spring connected between said handles. 
     
     
         6 . The tool of  claim 2  wherein said planar stopper support mechanism is a pair of opposed U shaped members which are secured about the said arms of said tool. 
     
     
         7 . The tool of  claim 4  wherein said predetermined limit distance is controlled by the diameter of a bolt passing between said projecting arms. 
     
     
         8 . The tool of  claim 1 , further comprising separating limit means for controlling the distance of separation of said first tip and said second tip even when said handles squeezed together. 
     
     
         9 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein a coil tension spring is attached to and disposed between the first arm and the second arm and said spring is biased to bringing said arms towards one another. 
     
     
         10 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein said handle portion of each of the first arm and said second arm is provided with a rubber or plastic covering. 
     
     
         11 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the cross section of said first arm and said second arm is basically flat and the cross section of said first tip and said second tip are circular. 
     
     
         12 . A system for assembling a toy housing, comprising:
 a first toy housing shell component having an inner surface comprising one or more pairs of substantially parallel and closely spaced, outwardly resilient interior-located side walls, each side wall comprising an aperture disposed therethrough and aligned with the aperture of a paired and opposing side wall, and the inner surface of said first toy housing shell component having an aperture therethrough, inwardly spaced from an intersection of said side walls and an outside surface of said shell component;   a second toy housing shell component having an inner surface comprising one or more inwardly directed, perpendicularly extending T shaped elements, corresponding in location to said side walls yet extending across said side walls, with outward edges of arms of said T shaped elements having a width a bit greater than a distance between said apertures of the side walls such that pressing of said first toy housing shell component toward said second toy housing shell component causes said outward edges of said arms of said T shaped elements to cam said side walls outwardly until said outward edges of said arms of said T shaped elements are captured by said apertures of said side walls; and   a tool for disengaging said outward edges of said arms of said T shaped elements from the apertures of said side walls when said first and second toy housing shell components are being pulled apart, by said tool outwardly bending said side walls,   wherein said first toy housing shell component has at least one additional aperture, each additional aperture located proximal to a pair of side walls, disposed perpendicularly and spanning a distance between both side walls in said pair of side walls, configured to permit said tool to mechanically interact and spread said pair of side walls.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein said outward edges of said T shaped elements are outwardly flared to present camming surfaces for outwardly pressing said side walls when said first and second toy housing shell components are pressed together. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein said tool comprises a pair of handles which are mechanically connected to a pair of opposed tips such that squeezing said handles causes said tips to separate, and said tips are selectively insertable between said side walls of said first toy housing shell component to separate said side walls from one another. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  further comprising mechanically limiting means for said tool which limits the proximity of said tips to a predetermined minimum distance of separation. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15  wherein said tool further comprises a spring biasing said tips against the force of squeezing said handles. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising said tool comprising a pair of opposed handles and forwardly projecting arms with tips such that squeezing said handles causes said tips to move apart from one another. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18  wherein said tool further comprises planar stopper members for holding said tool in a perpendicular manner with respect to the outside surface of said first toy housing shell component. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein said planar members are U-shaped planar members and are located on both sides of the forwardly projecting arms of said tool. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21  wherein said U-shaped planar members are held to said tool by a pair of bolts passing therethrough, wherein one of said bolts serves as a hinged point for said arms of said tool and the other bolt serves to limit a minimum distance between the forwardly projecting arms of said tool.