Amusement devices: toys – Construction toy – Interfitting elements
Patent
1997-06-09
1998-12-15
Hindenburg, Max
Amusement devices: toys
Construction toy
Interfitting elements
446 85, 446124, 525926, A63H 3308
Patent
active
058489274
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a stacking block system comprising stacking blocks each having a body part which is provided with one coupling knob or a plurality of coupling knobs with a mutual firm modular distance on its upper side and is downwardly provided with complementary coupling means adapted to be coupled with coupling knobs of another of said blocks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such stacking block systems or building block systems are available in numerous different embodiments, which are frequently specially designed for the building of structures of different types. Since these known systems are frequently designed such that there are no gaps between two blocks which are stacked on top of each other, these blocks can be separated only by pulling or twisting off the blocks from above.
If a wall or a column of a certain dimension is built, it is extremely difficult to separate the blocks e.g. at the center of the wall or the column.
The object of the present invention is to provide a stacking block system which, to a higher degree than the known ones, provides blocks which are simple to separate, in particular for small children, i.e. children under 2-3 years of age.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This is achieved with a stacking block system of the type mentioned in the opening paragraph in that the blocks downwardly have one or more spacers which are shaped such that when two stacking blocks are stacked on top of each other, the body parts of the stacking blocks will be spaced from each other along their entire periphery. This provides a recess or a gripping edge which ensures that e.g. the fingers of a child can easily catch hold of the lower edge of a given stacking block, also even if the stacking block concerned should be present in the center of a constructed wall or column or the like.
It is stated in claim 2 that the distance between the body parts is expediently greater than 3 mm, so that the recess established between the body parts of two stacking blocks stacked on top of each other serves extremely well as a gripping edge for the hand of a child of the above-mentioned age.
As stated in claims 3 and 4, respectively, the coupling connection may be established either in that the height of the coupling knobs above the body parts of the stacking blocks is greater than the distance between the body parts of the stacking blocks when stacked, or in that the height of the coupling knobs above the body parts of the stacking blocks is smaller than the distance between the body parts of the stacking blocks when stacked, and that the complementary coupling means extend somewhat below the body parts of the stacking blocks.
The spacers establishing the distance between two stacking blocks upon stacking, may be provided as elements having just this function, but in a preferred embodiment according to claim 5, the spacers form part of the complementary coupling means.
The coupling knobs and the complementary coupling means may be provided in many ways. However, claims 6 and 7 define preferred embodiments of these.
The large coupling knobs may expediently have a mutual modular distance which is three times greater than the modular distance between the small coupling knobs, as stated in claim 8. This ensures a high degree of compatibility between the coupling knobs, thereby providing increased play value since the stacking blocks may be stacked arbitrarily on top of each other irrespective of which coupling knobs are present on the individual stacking block.
Claim 9 defines an expedient embodiment of the invention, in which the stacking blocks have a substantially box-shaped body part with outer transverse dimensions corresponding to an integer multiple of the modular distance between the large coupling knobs, and wherein the small coupling knobs have a height above the body part of the stacking block which is smaller than the distance between the body parts of the stacking blocks when stacked. This ensures additionally increased compatibility, s
REFERENCES:
patent: 3597875 (1971-08-01), Christiansen
patent: 4919635 (1990-04-01), Bertrand
patent: 5238231 (1993-08-01), Huang
Hindenburg Max
INTERLEGO AG
Marmor II Charles
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