Amusement devices: toys – Construction toy – Including connectable panels or strips
Reexamination Certificate
2003-07-29
2004-06-08
Ackun, Jacob K. (Department: 3712)
Amusement devices: toys
Construction toy
Including connectable panels or strips
C446S120000, C446S122000, C446S124000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06746297
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to a toy building construction set.
Toy building construction sets are generally known. Such sets usually have a plurality of standard elements or building blocks with connection means that can be used together to form toy buildings and various other toy structures. Although easy to produce for the manufacturer, such sets generally require a certain amount of skill and dexterity to construct a structure. This level of skill, although present in many older children, is not usually present in younger children. Therefore, it is desirable for a toy building construction set to be comprised of a plurality of larger building units that are easier to use to construct a structure. Such a construction set would be easier for young children to learn how to use. Although such a construction set would require a little adult supervision in the beginning, within a relatively short time, it would be possible for even young children to construct a toy building without any adult assistance. Using the toy building set of the present invention, even a small child could construct a building for use with action figures and/or toy vehicles. Such a toy building could then be disassembled and reassembled in a different configuration as the child desires. In this way, the toy building set, although easy to use, is versatile enough to keep a child's interest for a long period of time.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly stated, in one aspect, the present invention is a toy building construction set including a plurality of building units. Each building unit includes an integral panel, an elongate column, and a connection member. The integral panel has opposing outer and inner major sides connected by a first lateral side, an opposing second lateral side, a top, and an opposing bottom. The first lateral side has a first connection structure and the second lateral side has a second connection structure. The elongate column has four elongate sides. One elongate side is open such that the other three elongate sides form a generally U-shaped channel of the column accessible along the one open side. The column channel receives and is engaged with the second connection structure of the panel. At least one of the other three elongate sides of the elongate column has at least one female connection structure to provide a female connection side to the building unit. The connection member has a first male side and a second male side. The first male side is engaged with the first connection structure of the panel and at least part of the second male side projects outwardly from the panel to define at least one male connection structure and provide a male connection side to the building unit. The male connection structure is configured to releasably engage with any of the female connection structures of the female connection side of a second building unit, thereby allowing interconnection of building units to construct a toy building.
In another aspect, the present invention is a toy building construction set including a plurality of building units. Each building unit includes an integral panel. The integral panel has opposing outer and inner major sides connected by a first lateral side, an opposing second lateral side, a top, and an opposing bottom. The first lateral side has a first connection structure. The second lateral side has a second connection structure. The first connection structure includes three pairs of second protrusions generally equally spaced from each other along a length of the first connection structure. Each second protrusion is semicircular when viewed from a distal end. Each pair of second protrusions collectively is generally circular when viewed together from the distal end. At least one pair of the second protrusions has a barb on each second protrusion of the pair. The second connection structure includes three generally equally spaced second apertures along at least one of three sides of the second connection structure to enable engagement with the three pairs of second protrusions in the at least one of three sides of the second connection structure. Each pair of second protrusions of a first building unit fits within the coinciding second aperture of a second building unit through one of the sides of the second connection structure. The barb extends through the corresponding second aperture and engages an inner side of the second connection structure when the second connection structure is in facing engagement with and abuts one of the sides of the first connection structure, enabling locking engagement of the pair of second protrusions within the coinciding second aperture and the locking engagement of the first building unit with the second building unit.
In another aspect, the present invention is a toy building construction set including a plurality of building units. Each building unit includes an integral panel and a connection member. The integral panel has opposing outer and inner major sides connected by a first lateral side, an opposing second lateral side, a top, and an opposing bottom. The first lateral side has a first connection structure. The second lateral side has a second connection structure. The connection member has a first male side and a second male side. The first male side is engaged with the first connection structure of the panel and at least part of the second male side projects outwardly from the panel to provide a male connection side to the building unit. The male connection side is configured to releasably engage with a female connection side of another building unit. The male connection side is configured to releasably engage with any of three female connection sides of other building units, thereby allowing the interconnection of the building units. The second male side include three pairs of second protrusions generally equally spaced from each other along a length of the male connection side. Each second protrusion is generally semicircular when viewed from a distal end. Each pair of second protrusions collectively is generally circular when viewed together from the distal end. At least one pair of second protrusions has a barb on each second protrusion of the pair. The second connection structure has three generally equally spaced second apertures along at least one of three sides of the second connection structure to enable engagement with the three pairs of second protrusions. Each pair of second protrusions of the connection member of a first building unit fits within the coinciding second aperture of a second connection structure of a second building unit through one of the sides of the second connection structure. The barbs of the second protrusion pair extend through the corresponding second aperture and engage an inner side of the second connection structure when the second connection structure is in facing engagement with and abuts one of the sides of the connection member, enabling locking engagement of the pair of second protrusions within the coinciding second aperture and the locking engagement of the first building unit with the second building unit
In another aspect, the present invention is a toy building construction set including a plurality of building units. Each building unit includes an integral panel and an elongate column. The integral panel has opposing outer and inner major sides connected by a first lateral side, an opposing second lateral side, a top, and an opposing bottom. The first lateral side has a first connection structure. The second lateral side has a second connection structure. The elongate column has four elongate sides. One elongate side is open such that the other three elongate sides form a generally U-shaped channel of the column accessible along the one open side. The column channel receives and is engaged with the second connection structure of the panel. The other three elongate sides of the elongate column each have female connection structures to provide a female connection side to the building unit. The first connection structure
DuBois David M.
Goszewski Robert M.
Robjent Frederick B.
Ackun Jacob K.
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld & LLP
Mattel Inc.
Miller Bena B.
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