Interactive toy

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an interactive tube that when stretched and released compresses to a random configuration.

I claim: 
     
         1 : A manually manipulatable flexible toy, comprising:
 an elongated tube, said tube having a one-piece structure unitarily fabricated of semi-rigid material, said tube constructed with a plurality of larger diameter rings and a plurality of smaller diameter rings joined in an alternating array lengthwise of said tube by a plurality of frusto-conical walls, wherein a pair of frusto-conical walls diverge radially inwardly from any given larger diameter ring to any adjacent pair of smaller diameter rings when in an extended condition of said tube, and each pair of radially inwardly diverging walls extends radially inwardly offset to one side of any given larger diameter ring when said tube is in a retracted condition, and said tube maintains either of these conditions when manually manipulatable thereto;   opposite end caps, said end caps secured to said tube; and   an elastic member secured within said tube at said end caps, said elastic member being stretchable from a normal resting configuration and having a tendency to return to its normal resting configuration, wherein stretching said elastic member and subsequently releasing it causes said tube to bend into a random configuration.   
     
     
         2 : The toy of  claim 1 , wherein said tube is capable of being manually manipulated into various configurations, including being twisted, turned, stretched, and compressed. 
     
     
         3 : The toy of  claim 1 , wherein said elastic member is an elastic band, a rubber band, an o-ring, or an elastic fiber. 
     
     
         4 : The toy of  claim 1 , wherein said tube can be twisted upon itself or wrapped around objects. 
     
     
         5 : The toy of  claim 1 , wherein multiple tubes having the same configuration can be assembled together to form a toy with arms, legs, and hair strands. 
     
     
         7 : The toy of  claim 1 , wherein two tubes are connected together using a coupler. 
     
     
         8 : The toy of  claim 1 , further comprising an airtight suction tube that uses air to expand said tube, said airtight suction tube including a flapper valve to maintain air inside, and optionally including an internal elastic member, wherein said tube is capable of floating when the air pressure is maintained and returns to a compressed or random configuration when the air pressure is released. 
     
     
         9 : A toy assembly, comprising:
 a toy body with a plurality of tubes, said tubes having a one-piece structure unitarily fabricated of semi-rigid material, said tubes constructed with a plurality of larger diameter rings and a plurality of smaller diameter rings joined in an alternating array lengthwise of each tube by a plurality of frusto-conical walls, wherein a pair of frusto-conical walls diverge radially inwardly from any given larger diameter ring to any adjacent pair of smaller diameter rings when in an extended condition of each tube, and each pair of radially inwardly diverging walls extends radially inwardly offset to one side of any given larger diameter ring when each tube is in a retracted condition, and each tube maintains either of these conditions when manually manipulatable thereto;   an elastic member secured to each tube at end caps; and   attachment sections securing an end of one of the tubes within the toy body, wherein each of the tubes is configured such that when stretched and released the elastic member snaps back the ends towards the other end of said tube, causing said tube to bend in a random configuration.   
     
     
         10 : The toy of  claim 9 , wherein said attachment sections being a single attachment that secures a tube to a portion of the toy body, a double straight attachment securing two opposed tubes in a straight junction, or a double angled attachment securing two opposed tubes at an angle, 
     
     
         11 : The toy of  claim 1 , wherein the tubes can be assembled into the toy to form arms, legs, and hair strands. 
     
     
         12 : An airtight suction tube toy, comprising:
 a tube with a one-piece structure unitarily fabricated of semi-rigid material, said tube constructed with a plurality of larger diameter rings and a plurality of smaller diameter rings joined in an alternating array lengthwise of said tube by a plurality of frusto-conical walls, wherein a pair of frusto-conical walls diverge radially inwardly from any given larger diameter ring to any adjacent pair of smaller diameter rings when in an extended condition of said tube, and each pair of radially inwardly diverging walls extends radially inwardly offset to one side of any given larger diameter ring when said tube is in a retracted condition, and said tube maintains either of these conditions when manually manipulatable thereto; and   a flapper valve to maintain air inside the tube, wherein the tube is capable of floating when the air pressure is maintained and returns to a compressed or random configuration when the air pressure is released.