Abstract: A system and method for an amusement construction system offering simple, safe, and efficient features and solutions unavailable in any other amusement construction system. An anchor body supports one or more extensions, each extension may include one or more semi-flexible loops. The loops are semi-flexible in that they may be deformed to pass through another semi-flexible loop while springingly returning to the undeformed state which is rigid enough to maintain a desired level of coupling. A decoupling strength is related to how easily the semi-flexible loops deform sufficiently to pass through a loop to which it is coupled.

Abstract: An amusement system and method for adding an element of playfulness to placing used/soiled clothing within a hamper or other clothing container. A non-motorized mechanical flapper mechanism is rotationally coupled to an opening of a clothing hamper. The flapper mechanism is biased into a reception mode such that placement of soiled clothing on a target panel rotates the target panel to deposit the clothing into the hamper and the biasing mechanism returns the target panel to the reception mode automatically after deposit. An F/X module may be used to add effects to the transitions of the target panel.

Abstract: An amusement system and method for adding an element of playfulness to placing used/soiled clothing within a hamper or other clothing container. A non-motorized mechanical flapper mechanism is rotationally coupled to an opening of a clothing hamper. The flapper mechanism is biased into a reception mode such that placement of soiled clothing on a target panel rotates the target panel to deposit the clothing into the hamper and the biasing mechanism returns the target panel to the reception mode automatically after deposit. An F/X module may be used to add effects to the transitions of the target panel.

Abstract: A transforming toy vehicle, includes a chassis; a motive system coupled to the chassis translating a location of the chassis over a surface, the motive system including a free drive mode and an inhibited drive mode wherein the mode of the motive system establishes a state for a mode control latch, the mode control latch including a latched state and a not latched state; a housing, coupled to the chassis and responsive to the state of the mode control latch, the housing having an untransformed mode and a transformed mode, the housing transitioning from the untransformed mode to the transformed mode when the state of the mode control latch changes from the latched state to the unlatched state; and a detector, coupled to the chassis the motive system changing from the free drive mode to the inhibited drive mode when the carriage overlies the particular environmental feature wherein the housing transitions to the transformed mode.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and computer program product for an interactive toy vehicle that provides new structures and combinations of features for enhancing education and amusement, particularly for an improved small-scale vehicle toy that produces feedback (e.g., sounds or lights and a motorized output event) directly related to the amount of a child's input. The apparatus, method, and computer program product for a toy vehicle includes: a chassis; a motive element, coupled to the chassis, for moving the chassis; an impulse detector for generating an impulse signal responsive to one or more impulses applied to the chassis; and a controller, coupled to the chassis and responsive to the impulse signal, for: counting a number N of impulse signals received during a setup period; determining an operational mode responsive to the number N; setting a duty mode for the motive element responsive to the operational mode.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and computer program product for an interactive toy vehicle that provides new structures and combinations of features for enhancing education and amusement, particularly for an improved small-scale vehicle toy that produces feedback (e.g., sounds or lights and a motorized output event) directly related to the amount of a child's input. The apparatus, method, and computer program product for a toy vehicle includes: a chassis; a motive element, coupled to the chassis, for moving the chassis; an impulse detector for generating an impulse signal responsive to one or more impulses applied to the chassis; and a controller, coupled to the chassis and responsive to the impulse signal, for: counting a number N of impulse signals received during a setup period; determining an operational mode responsive to the number N; setting a duty mode for the motive element responsive to the operational mode.