Abstract: In an aspect, a braiding machine is provided, and has a set of spool shuttles that each dispense a strand of flexible material under tension. A strand retractor releasably retracts the strands from the spool shuttles. A plurality of shuttle stations at which the spool shuttles can be positioned are arranged in a circuit. At least one shuttle carriage, when driven, repeatedly selects an immediately previously unselected spool shuttle and moves the immediately previously unselected spool shuttle from an associated shuttle station to another shuttle station along the circuit spaced from the associated shuttle station by at least one shuttle station that is intermediate the associated shuttle station and the other shuttle station. At least one spool shuttle is parkable at the at least one shuttle station. A drive arrangement is coupled to the shuttle carriage to drive the shuttle carriage.

Abstract: A transformable toy kit for use on a support surface is provided. The transformable toy kit includes a transformable toy which has a movable housing element that moves between retracted and expanded positions when a catch and a latch of the transformable toy are secured and released by an actuator of the transformable toy, respectively. The transformable toy further includes a shaft assembly including a shaft rotatably mounted within the housing, and a flywheel mounted to the shaft, which includes a gear. The kit includes a ripcord member that is insertable into an access aperture in the housing to engage with the gear. The ripcord member is pullable once inserted into the access aperture so as to drive rotation of the flywheel, thereby driving spinning of the transformable toy.

Abstract: A sewing apparatus for applying a stitch of thread to a piece of fabric is provided. The apparatus housing includes a platform for supporting a piece of fabric, and contains a grasping member that is moved to grasp and release a thread segment fed through the housing by a needle holder. The needle holder is positioned to hold a needle that has a needle aperture for pass-through, therethrough of the thread segment, and is movable between a withdrawn position, and an advanced position in which the needle holder drives the needle through the piece of fabric to bring the thread segment into position for grasping by the grasping member. The sewing apparatus also including a needle holder driver for driving the movement of the needle holder and a thread puller for pulling the thread segment to an exterior of the housing for a user to cut.

Abstract: In an aspect, there is provided an elastic ring-based ornament making device for constructing an elastic ring-based ornament that includes at least one elastic ring and a plurality of ornamental members positioned thereon. The elastic ring-based ornament making device includes an elastic ring support including a plurality of extension arms which are movable between retracted and extended positions. When the arms are retracted, the elastic ring support supports the at least one elastic ring in a first state. When the arms are extended, the elastic ring support supports the at least one elastic ring in a second state. The at least one elastic ring is stretched more in the second state than in the first state. The arms when extended are spaced from one another sufficiently to permit mounting of the ornamental members on the at least one elastic ring between the arms.

Abstract: A toy vehicle track system includes a lifting apparatus, a releasing apparatus, and a stunt apparatus. The lifting apparatus includes a drive wheel rotatable to pull a carrier line attached to a carrier including a vehicle holder that is positioned for holding a toy vehicle. The release apparatus includes a stop structure attached to the track that engages the carrier to actuate calipers of the vehicle holder to release the vehicle. The stunt apparatus includes a plurality of stunt track segments attached to a rotary indexer. The rotary indexer allows the stunt track segments to be rotated about an axis that is substantially parallel to a travel direction defined by the toy track to align each of the stunt track segments individually with the toy track to form a continuous travel path.

Abstract: In one aspect, there is provided a toy vehicle that includes a vehicle body, at least one motor and a plurality of wheels. The at least one motor is mounted to the vehicle body, and is sized to have a selected amount of torque. The plurality of wheels includes at least one driven wheel which includes at least one flip-over wheel which has an axis closer to one end of the vehicle than the other end. In an upright orientation the vehicle body extends above the plurality of wheels. The toy vehicle has a centre of gravity that is positioned, such that, application of torque from the at least one motor causes the vehicle body to drive rotation of the vehicle body about the axis of rotation from an inverted orientation over to the upright orientation.

Abstract: In an aspect, a toy assembly is provided, and includes a toy assembly housing, an extensible object inside the toy assembly housing, an extension mechanism, and an extension member power source. The extensible object includes a base, and first and second extension members. The extension mechanism is operable to drive the first and second extension members towards extended positions, and is operatively connected to the second extension member via a lost motion connection. Driving of the extension mechanism by the extension mechanism power source drives the first extension member towards the extended position for the first extension member to break or open the toy assembly housing to expose the extensible object while consuming at least a portion of the lost motion in the lost motion connection. Upon consuming the lost motion, further driving the extension mechanism drives the first and second extension members towards the extended positions.

Abstract: An aspect provides a toy assembly comprising: a toy character; an enclosure including an enclosure biasing structure and positionable in a closed position to at least partially enclose the toy character; and a latch assembly including: a latching member; and a deformable member that deforms upon application of an electric current. The enclosure biasing structure is positioned to urge the enclosure towards an open position to expose the toy character. The latching member is movable between (i) a latched position in which the latching member is releasably engaged with a connecting member to hold the enclosure in the closed position, and (ii) an unlatched position in which the latching member is disengaged from the connecting member to permit the enclosure biasing structure to drive the enclosure towards the open position. Deformation of the deformable member causes the latching member to move from the latched position to the unlatched position.

Abstract: A toy with an exterior structure. Constructed to transform from a rollable first shape to a second shape. An interior structure inside the exterior structure is endowed with a magnetic body that moves by way of a magnetic force that acts from the exterior of the toy, an interior locking portion that moves simultaneously with the movement of this magnetic body, and a biasing member that effects a force which moves or turns this interior locking portion in a particular direction. If the magnetic force does not act from the exterior of the toy, the first shape of the exterior structure maintained. In the event that a magnetic force has acted from the exterior of the said toy, the exterior structure transforms from the first shape to the second shape.

Abstract: In an aspect, a toy assembly is provided, and includes a housing and a toy vehicle inside the housing. The housing has a movable housing portion, and at least one functional element that is movable and is separate from the movable housing portion. The toy vehicle has a drive wheel that, when driven in a first rotational direction causes the drive wheel to drive movement of the functional element so as to carry out a function without driving movement of the toy vehicle towards the movable housing portion, and when driven in a second rotational direction causes the drive wheel to drive the vehicle towards the movable housing portion.

Abstract: In an aspect, a kit is provided for constructing a craft, and includes a plurality of blocks. Each block has a main body having an exterior surface that is made from a material that is adherent when exposed to water so as to permit the blocks to adhere to one another. Each block further includes a top surface and a block projection extending from the top surface. Each block further includes a bottom aperture extending into the main body towards the top surface, and defining a longitudinal axis. The bottom aperture includes a first aperture region that is shaped to receive the block projection of the second block of the plurality of blocks. The bottom aperture includes a second aperture region that is shaped to receive a distal portion of a block tray projection on a block tray.

Abstract: In an aspect, a transformable toy is provided and includes a first rotary member and a second rotary member, which are rotatable relative to one another between first and second rotary positions. A projection member is rotationally fixed to the first rotary member, and is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. A helical guide is connected and a helical guide follower are connected to the second rotary member and the projection member. Relative rotation between the first rotary member and the second rotary member between the first and second rotary positions drives relative rotation between the helical guide and the helical guide follower, which in turn drives the projection member to move between the retracted and extended positions.

Abstract: In an aspect, a toy assembly is provided and includes a housing and an inner object inside the housing. The inner object includes a breakout mechanism that includes a hammer and an actuation lever. The hammer is movable between a retracted position in which the hammer is spaced from the housing and an advanced position in which the hammer is positioned to break the housing. The actuation lever is pivotable from a hammer retraction position towards a hammer driving position so as to drive the hammer towards the advanced position.

Abstract: In an aspect, a storage device is provided and includes a container including an exterior surface and an opening therethrough. The storage device further includes at least one movable facial feature element. The storage device further includes an actuator operatively connected to the at least one movable facial feature element for driving movement of the at least one movable facial feature element. The storage device further includes a closure structure extending along the opening, and a traveler that is movably mounted to the closure structure for movement between a first traveler position and a second traveler position to open or close the closure structure. A coupling arrangement connects the traveler to the actuator such that movement of the traveler drives movement of the actuator, which in turn drives movement of the at least one movable facial feature element.

Abstract: In an aspect, a toy assembly is provided, and includes a housing, an inner object (which may, in some embodiments, represent a character) inside the housing, a tether, and a motor. The tether is driven by the motor to pull at least one removable housing portion from the housing.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a flying toy is shown and described herein. The flying toy may transmit a signal and receive a return signal after the signal reflects off of a surface. The return signal may be compared to the transmitted signal to determine information indicative of an error between the transmitted signal and the return signal. A control signal may be sent to a motor to control the speed of the motor based on the information indicative of the error. The motor may operate a propeller to control the distance between the flying toy and the surface.