Amusement devices: toys – Construction toy – Interfitting elements
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-19
2004-11-30
Banks, Derris H. (Department: 3712)
Amusement devices: toys
Construction toy
Interfitting elements
C446S085000, C446S116000, C446S120000, C446S121000, C024SDIG009
Reexamination Certificate
active
06824440
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an element of erection set, and erection set provided therewith.
Erection sets are known, which includes elements formed as prisms with four-cornered or triangular sides. Projections of identical thickness with gaps therebetween are formed on the sides of the elements. The ends of the projections have thickened portions oriented toward the gaps. Opposite to the thickenings, there are recesses on the opposite ends of the projections. When the elements is connected with one another, the thickenings on the ends of one block coincide with the recesses of the other block and are fixed in them. This is disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,477. This construction has a disadvantage that it is necessary to make the projections and gaps with a high accuracy, which is possible only with the use of highly stable, high grade plastic materials. Also, the erection set is complicated for forming production equipment, since the projection has a complicated shape.
Another set is disclosed in Russian patent document RU2048842. Each element has a box-shaped body with a bottom and side walls, and the projections and gaps formed by a group of cantilevered elements which are flexible. The cantilevered elements are engageable with one another to deform each other. The disadvantage of this erection set is that the elements have only two opposite surfaces for interengagement, which reduces the versatility of the set for various combinations.
Still another set is disclosed in the German patent document DE 1156688. Here the elements have alternating projections and gaps with rigid projections have shaped sides, and flexible projections. The flexible plates are used to connect the elements with one another, and they are arranged symmetrically in the gaps formed in the elements. For connection of the elements the flexible tongues are introduced into the gaps between the surfaces of the rigid elements. The disadvantage of this set is that the flexible tongues extend beyond the surface of the elements thus forming the connecting surface unstable and non usable as a base, and also the projecting part of the flexible plate can be broken. Also, the tendency of the bent flexible tongues to return to the initial position can lead to the displacement of the blocks relative to one another and inaccurate engagement of their surfaces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an element, and an erection set which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide such an element and an erection set, in which the elements have several connectable surfaces which reliable and convenient elements for interengagement, so that the assembly can be made faster and more convenient, and so that the constructions to be assembled are more versatile, with simultaneous increase of the reliablity of connections of the blocks and accuracy of their interengagement.
In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of present invention resides, briefly stated, in an element which has a body provided with a rigid projection and a flexible plate spaced from one another so as to form a gap therebetween such that a width of said gap between ends of said projection and said plate is greater than a width of said gap between tops of said rigid projection and said flexible plate is greater than a width of said gap between bottoms of said rigid projection and said flexible plate, and said plates of at least two of such elements are engageable with one another and displaceable relative to one another due to equalization of stresses generated by deformation of said flexible plate during displacement of said flexible plates over said rigid projections of two elements relative to one another and bending of said flexible plates over a surface of said rigid projections during connection of two elements with one another.
In accordance with another feature of present invention said width of said gap between said bottoms of said flexible plate and said rigid projection corresponds to or less than a thickness of said flexible plate.
In accordance with another feature of present invention said width of said gap between said bottoms of said flexible plate and said rigid projection is less than a width of said flexible plate.
In accordance with another feature of present invention a second such flexible plate is provided, said rigid projections being located between said flexible plates.
In accordance with another feature of present invention said flexible plates and said rigid projection is formed so that when two elements are connected with one another, each of said flexible plates, with the exception of extreme flexible plates, of one of the elements is located between sides of said flexible plate and said rigid projection of the other of the elements.
In accordance with another feature or present invention said flexible plate and said rigid projection are formed so that when two elements are connected with one another, said rigid projection of one element is located between two flexible plates of the other element.
In accordance with a further feature of present invention, a set is proposed which has a plurality of elements each having a body provided with a rigid projection and a flexible plate spaced from one another so as to form a gap therebetween such that a width of said gap between ends of said projection and said plate is greater than a width of said gap between tops of said rigid projection and said flexible plate is greater than a width of said gap between bottoms of said rigid projection and said flexible plate, and said plates of at least two of such elements are engageable with one another and displaceable relative to one another due to equalization of stresses formed by deformation of said flexible plate during displacement of said flexible plates over said rigid projections of two elements relative to one another and bending of said flexible plates over a surface of said rigid projections during connection of two elements with one another.
In accordance with still a further feature of present invention each of said elements has a side surface which has a shape selected from the group consisting of a rectangular shape and a parallelogram shape.
In accordance with still a further feature of present invention each of said element has a triangular surfaces having edges between sides selected from the group consisting of equal angles and unequal angles.
In accordance with still a further feature of present invention said flexible tongue and said rigid projection is provided on each sides of said elements.
In accordance with still a further feature of present invention said flexible tongues and said rigid projections are formed on sides of said element with an orientation relative to one of an edge of said sides selected from the group consisting of a perpendicular orientation, a parallel orientation and orientation with different angles.
In accordance with still a further feature of present invention said elements have a shape selected from the group consisting of a four-sided prism, and a three sided truncated prism.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
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patent: 4147007 (1979-04-01), Eppich
patent: 4752269 (1988-06-01), Feinstein
patent: 5183430 (1993-02-01), Swann
patent: 5486127 (1996-01-01), Wolfe
patent: 5501626 (19
Banks Derris H.
Cegielnik Urszula M
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