Tile track piece for a toy vehicle

Abstract

A connection arrangement for directly connecting two tile track pieces for a toy vehicle is disclosed. The tile track piece includes a first face and a first set of primary connection assemblies of a first type disposed on the first face. Each primary connection assembly comprising a male coupler and a female coupler configured to engage corresponding connectors of a second set of primary connection assemblies included on a second tile. The tile track piece further includes a first set of receiving portions of secondary connection assemblies disposed on the first face. Each secondary connection assembly is a second type of connection assembly, and each receiving portion is configured to receive at least a portion of a connector.

1 . A tile track piece for a toy vehicle comprising:
 a first face;   a first set of primary connection assemblies of a first type disposed on the first face, each primary connection assembly comprising a male coupler and a female coupler configured to engage corresponding connectors of a second set of primary connection assemblies included on a second tile; and   a first set of receiving portions of secondary connection assemblies disposed on the first face, wherein each secondary connection assembly is a second type of connection assembly, and wherein each receiving portion is configured to receive at least a portion of a connector.   
     
     
         2 . The tile track piece of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first set of primary connection assemblies comprises two or more primary connection assemblies; and   the first set of receiving portions of the secondary connection assemblies comprises two or more receiving portions.   
     
     
         3 . The tile track piece of  claim 1 , wherein each receiving portion of the first set of receiving portions further comprises a through-hole configured to receive at least a portion of a locking protrusion of the connector. 
     
     
         4 . The tile track piece of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second face perpendicular to the first face; and   a second set of receiving portions is disposed on the second face.   
     
     
         5 . The tile track piece of  claim 4 , wherein the tile track piece further comprises another set of primary connection assemblies on the second face. 
     
     
         6 . The tile track piece of  claim 1 , wherein each receiving portion of the first set of receiving portions is disposed between the male coupler and the female coupler of each primary connection assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The tile track piece of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of lateral faces wherein each lateral face of the plurality of lateral faces includes a set of primary connection assemblies and a set of receiving portions the second type of connection assembly. 
     
     
         8 . A method of connecting at least three track pieces for a toy vehicle, the method comprising:
 coupling a first tile track piece to a second tile track piece via a primary connection assembly of a first connection type; and   coupling an elongated track piece to the first tile track piece via a secondary connection assembly of a second connection type.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein coupling the first tile track piece to the second tile track piece comprises:
 mating a first male coupler of the first tile track piece with a second female coupler of the second tile track piece; and   mating a second male coupler of the second tile track piece with a first female coupler of the first tile track piece.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein coupling the elongated track piece to the first tile track piece comprises:
 inserting a first engaging portion of a connector into a first slot of the secondary connection assembly disposed in the first tile track piece; and   inserting a second engaging portion of the connector into a second slot disposed in the elongated track piece.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 coupling a second elongated track piece to the second tile track piece comprising:
 inserting a third engaging portion of a second connector into a third slot of a secondary connection assembly disposed in the second tile track piece; and 
 inserting a fourth engaging portion of the second connector into a fourth slot disposed in the second elongated track piece. 
   
     
     
         12 . A track piece for a toy vehicle comprising:
 a tile having a substantially flat front lateral face, a substantially flat back lateral face, a substantially flat first side lateral face, a substantially flat second side lateral face, each lateral face having:
 two primary connection assemblies of a first connection type, each primary connection assembly configured to engage a primary connection assembly of a second tile, and 
 two slots of secondary connection assemblies of a second connection type, wherein each slot is configured to receive at least a portion of a connector; and 
 a top face perpendicular to each lateral face. 
   
     
     
         13 . The track piece of  claim 12 , wherein each primary connection assembly comprises a male coupler protruding from a corresponding face, and a female coupler extending into the corresponding face. 
     
     
         14 . The track piece of  claim 13 , wherein each slot of the secondary connection assembly is disposed between the male coupler and the female coupler of each primary connection assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The track piece of  claim 14 , further comprising the connector that extends from an elongated track piece having the second connection type. 
     
     
         16 . The track piece of  claim 14 , wherein the connector is configured to engage a second slot of a second track having the second connection type. 
     
     
         17 . The track piece of  claim 12 , wherein at least two faces of the tile each comprise a third primary connection assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The track piece of  claim 12 , wherein at least two faces of the tile each comprise a third secondary connection assembly. 
     
     
         19 . A toy play set including the track piece of  claim 14  and further comprising:
 the second tile; and 
 one or more additional elongated track pieces. 
 
     
     
         20 . The toy play set of  claim 19 , wherein the toy play set is configurable into a plurality of configurations.