Building element for set of toy building blocks

Details Building element for set of toy building blocks Building element for set of toy building blocks

1999-02-08

2001-06-26

Muir, D. Neal (Department: 3712)

Amusement devices: toys

Construction toy

C446S121000, C446S127000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06250986

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally pertains to assembly toys and is particularly directed to an improved building element for a set of toy building blocks.
Referring to
FIGS. 1A and 1B
, one type of prior art building element for a set of toy building blocks that has been popular for many years comprises a box
10
having a top
11
, a bottom
12
and side walls
13
, wherein the top
11
of the box
10
includes a two-dimensional array of cylindrical projections
14
and the bottom
12
of the box
10
is open. The interior surfaces
15
of the box
10
and an interior tube
16
are accessible through the bottom
12
of the box
10
for interconnecting with one or more of the projections
14
on the top
11
of another such building element in a releasable frictional engagement. The side walls
13
of this type of building element do not include any means for directly coupling a side wall
13
of the building element to a side wall
13
of another such building element.
Another type of prior art building element for a set of toy building blocks, as shown in
FIGS. 2A and 2B
, comprises a box
20
having a top
21
including a cylindrical projection
22
; a bottom
23
which is open to expose interior surfaces
24
that are accessible for interconnecting with the projection
22
on the top
21
of another such building element in a releasable frictional engagement; and side walls
25
,
26
that include means for directly coupling a side wall
25
,
26
of the building element to a side wall
26
,
25
of another such building element. Each of a pair of side walls
25
on opposite sides of the box
10
include a groove
27
having an entry opening of a given predominant width w
g
and the other two side walls
26
include a projection in the shape of a tongue
28
having a distal portion of a predominant width w
t
that is greater than the given predominant width w
g
of the groove entry opening for interconnecting in a releasable restraining engagement with a groove
27
in another such building element. The tongue
28
can be engaged with and disengaged from the groove
27
in the other such building element by sliding the tongue
28
into or from one end of the groove
27
in the other building element. Also, the building element is made of plastic material having sufficient flexibility that the tongue
28
can be engaged with the groove
27
in the other such building element by frontally pressing the tongue
28
into the groove
27
and can be disengaged therefrom by either twisting or frontally pulling the building element from the other such building element. Based upon experience in interconnecting and disconnecting this type of building element, it seems that at least as much force is required to engage a tongue
28
into a groove
27
when frontally pressing the tongue
28
into the groove
27
as is required to disengage the tongue
28
from the groove
27
by frontally pulling the building element from the other said building element. This type of building element is further described in International Patent Application Publication No. WO 93/04749.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, the present invention provides a building element for a set of toy building blocks that are capable of being interconnected in a releasable engagement, comprising: a box having a top, a bottom and side walls, wherein the top of the box includes a first type of coupling means and the bottom of the box includes a second type of coupling means for interconnecting with the first type of coupling means on another said building element in a releasable frictional engagement; wherein at least one of the side walls includes at least one groove having an entry opening of a given predominant width; wherein at least one of the side walls includes at least one tongue having a distal portion of a predominant width that is greater than the given predominant width of the groove entry opening for interconnecting in a releasable restraining engagement with a said groove in another said building element; and wherein the tongue is flexible and split longitudinally so that the tongue can be compressed laterally in order to effect said restraining engagement by frontally pressing the tongue into a said groove in another said building element.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a building element for a set of toy building blocks that are capable of being interconnected in a releasable engagement, comprising: a box having side walls; wherein at least one of the side walls includes a plurality of projections and a plurality of sockets which are so disposed that said at least one side wall of the building element can be interconnected to said at least one side wall of each of at least two other said building elements with at least two said projection-and-socket engagements between each pair of said interconnected building elements.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a building element for a set of toy building blocks that are capable of being interconnected in a releasable engagement, comprising: a box having side walls; wherein at least one of the side walls includes at least one socket having an entry opening of a given predominant width; wherein at least one of the side walls includes at least one projection having a distal portion of a predominant width that is greater than the given predominant width of the socket entry opening for interconnecting in a releasable restraining engagement with a said socket in another said building element by frontally pressing the tongue into a said socket in another said building element; wherein the projection and/or the socket is flexible for facilitating said restraining engagement; and wherein less force is required to effect said engagement than is required to disengage the tongue from the socket by frontally pulling the building element from the other said building element.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a building element for a set of toy building blocks that are capable of being interconnected in a releasable engagement, comprising: a box having side walls; wherein at least one of the side walls includes at least one socket having an entry opening of a given predominant width; wherein at least one of the side walls includes at least one projection having a distal portion of a predominant width that is greater than the given predominant width of the socket entry opening for interconnecting in a releasable restraining engagement with a said socket in another said building element; wherein a said side wall including the at least one projection has a primary surface that includes recesses adjacent the projection so that the projection extends outward from below the primary surface.
In yet a further aspect, the present invention provides a building element for a set of toy building blocks that are capable of being interconnected in a releasable engagement, comprising: a box having side walls; wherein at least one of the side walls includes at least one groove having an entry opening of a given predominant width; wherein at least one of the side walls includes at least one tongue having a distal portion of a predominant width that is greater than the given predominant width of the groove entry opening for interconnecting in a releasable restraining engagement with a said groove in another said building element; wherein the width of at least one end of the tongue is not greater than said given predominant width of the groove entry opening.
In still another aspect, the present invention provides a building element for a set of toy building blocks that are capable of being interconnected in a releasable engagement, comprising: a box having side walls; wherein at least one of the side walls includes at least one groove having an entry opening of a given predominant width; wherein at least one of the side walls includes at least one tongue having a distal portion of a predominant width that is greater than the given predominant width of the groove entry opening for interconnecting in a releas

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Building element for set of toy building blocks does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Building element for set of toy building blocks, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Building element for set of toy building blocks will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2500849