EP0092542A1

EP0092542A1 - Catenary toy consisting of solids for producing different plain and spatial configurations

Info

Publication number: EP0092542A1
Application number: EP81902991A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Antal Kelle
Original assignee: GENERALIMPEX HUNGARIAN FOREIGN TRADE Co
Current assignee: GENERALIMPEX HUNGARIAN FOREIGN TRADE COMPANY
Priority date: 1981-10-23
Filing date: 1981-10-23
Publication date: 1983-11-02
Also published as: EP0092542A4; WO1983001393A1

Abstract

Jouet caténaire consistant en solides reliés les uns aux autres sous la forme d'une chaîne et dont le but est d'obtenir des configurations spatiales et dans un plan, selon une forme prédéterminée. De manière à amuser des personnes ayant des qualités bien développées et moins bien développées pour combiner des objets, le nombre de difficultés des problèmes à résoudre est très élevé, et par conséquent personne ne s'ennuie avec ce jouet. Il peut être utilisé pour organiser des concours et peut être produit à de faibles coûts sans qu'il ne perde pour autant ses caractéristiques favorables. Selon la présente invention, les solides (3, 8, 9) sont rattachés par une corde sur l'élément de connexion (2) ou sur le train d'éléments de connexion (6, 7, 11) sous la forme d'une chaîne, l'un après l'autre, et les extrémités de l'élément de connexion (2) ou des séries d'éléments de connexion sont attachées au premier ou au dernier solide de la chaîne ou sont reliées entre eux de manière libérable. Les surfaces latérales d'accouplement des solides (3, 8, 9) ayant été rattachées par une corde sur les éléments de connexion ou les séries de l'éléments de connexion ou les séries d'éléments de connexion sont formées par des plans.Catenary toy consisting of solids connected to each other in the form of a chain and the aim of which is to obtain spatial configurations and in a plane, according to a predetermined shape. In order to amuse people with well-developed and less well-developed qualities for combining objects, the number of difficulties of the problems to be solved is very high, and therefore nobody is bored with this toy. It can be used to organize contests and can be produced at low cost without losing its favorable characteristics. According to the present invention, the solids (3, 8, 9) are attached by a rope to the connection element (2) or to the train of connection elements (6, 7, 11) in the form of a chain, one after the other, and the ends of the connection element (2) or series of connection elements are attached to the first or the last solid of the chain or are releasably linked together. The lateral mating surfaces of the solids (3, 8, 9) having been attached by a rope to the connection elements or the series of the connection elements or the series of connection elements are formed by planes.

Description

CATENARY TOY CONSISTING OF SOLIDS FOR PRODUCING DIFFERENT PLAIN AND SPATIAL CONFIGURATIONS

Technical Fields

The invention relates to a toy consisting of solids for producing different plain and spatial configu rations.

Background Art

The so-called "building brick" toys consisting of different solids, cubes, pyramids, prisms etc., form a large group of a toys, the independent pieces of which are placed beside or above each other and in such a manner different buildings or configurations may be obtained. The building brick toys serve part ly for the entertainment, partly for developing logical way of thinking and observational ability, in particular with children.

The disadvantageous features of the known toys of this kind lies in that pieces get easily lost and if any of the pieces needed for the building illustra ted in the auxiliary picture enclosed, is missing, the child looses its interest in the play and throws away the toy. A further drawback of this type of building brick toys lies in that playing with it means a pleasure but for quite little children, as their assembly does not require lengthy cogitation, besides the toy is relatively voluminous, play is possible only in a room or similar place.

Several toys have been prepared, wherein solids are fastened to each other in an unreleasable manner. This type of toys is known e.g. from the HU-PS 170 062. Elementary cubes are assembled into one big cube in such a manner, that the coplanar elementary cubes can be simultaneously turned-of-f in relation to the ele mentary cubes lying in other planes along any at the three spatial axes, whereby a big cube of predetermined quality, e.g. of predetermined colour may be obtained.

The drawback of said solution lies in that it is suitable for solving one single task. If the player has arrived once to the logical reasoning, which leads to the solution of the task, he is loosing his interest in the play. A further drawback lies in that only people with a certain mental ability are able to play with the cube, however, if the task can be easily solved, the toy does not entertain people with a higher intelli gency. At the same time, of the task can be solved by complicated logical reasoning only, it is unsuitable for less intelligent people, so e.g. for children.

Disclosure of Invention

The aim of the invention is to develop a building brick toy, the solids of which cannot be lost, its space requirement is inconsiderable, accordingly, it is portable, that means, that it can be enjoyed in course of travelling or excursions, at the same time the number of the task to be solved therewith is practically infinite. The grade- of difficulty of the solution of the tasks can be changed within wide limits. In such a manner people with different intellectual abilities can equally enjoy the play with the toy according to the invention. The toy is well suitable as means for intellectual contests, whereby the score may be considered in dependence of the number and complexity of the tasks solved in a predetermined length of time.

According to the invention the task is solved by means of solids being suitable for producing different planer and spatial configurations, wherein the solids are stringed onto a connecting element or onto the train thereof in a chain-like manner, one after the other, and the ends of the connecting elements or the series of the connecting elements are fastened to the first or last solid of the chain or they are interconnected with each other in a releasable manner, furtheron the matching surfaces of the solids having been stringed onto the connecting element or the series of connecting elements are formed by planes.

A further characteristic of the catenary toy lies in that the connecting element is made of a flexible string -like material.

At preferred embodiment of the invention holes are formed in the solids receiving the connecting elements, interconnecting the centres of two opposite lying and/or two adjacent lateral surfaces.

A further feature of the invention lies in, that the series of the connecting elements (interconnecting the solids in a chain-like manner) consist of a hole with an enlarged internal diameter being formed in the solids of the chain, and of fixing pins being elastic in the radial direction and projecting from the solids lying adjacent to the holes and which can be pressed into said holes.

A further feature of the invention lies in that the solids are proved with sleeve-elements being open on one side and in one side lying perpendicularly to the open side or in the side running parallel with the open side holes are formed, furtheron it is provided with inserts, which may be moved into said sleeve-element. The inserts are open on one side and there are holes either in the two sides facing each other and lying perpendicularly to the- open side or in the two adjacent sides lying perpendicularly to the open side, while from the sides facing one of the holes fixing pins are projecting.

At the catenary toy according to the invention the holes receiving the fixing pins can be formed as pins and nut-pins projecting from the inner surface of the solids and can be widened in the radial direction in an elastic manner.

Brief Description of Drawings

The invention is described in details below with reference to drawings which illustrate some preferred embodiments, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a spatial configu ration of the toy according to the invention formed by the chain of solids, partly in section, Figure 2 is a perspective view of a solid in which the centres of the two sides facing each other are connected by the hole receiving the string serving as a connecting element, Figure 3 is the perspective view of a solid in which the centres of the two adjacent sides are connected by the hole receiving the string serving as a connecting element,

Figure 4 shows the perspective view of a possible connection of three solids, Figure 5 shows the perspective view of a further possible connection of a solids according to Figure 4, Figure 6 is a perspective view of a further possible connection of the three solids illustrated in Figures 4 and 5,

Figure 7 gives a perspective view of further possible connections for the three solids illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6,

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a possible solid deviating from the cube, Figure 9 is a perspective view of a fαrhter possible solid deviating from the cube, Figure 10 shows a schematical view of five solids (partly in section) which are interconnected by means of fixing pins to be snapped into the hole instead of the string-like connecting element, Figure 11 illustrates a perspective and partly sectional view of a component part of the solid illustrated in Figure 10, Figure 12 is the perspective view of a further embodiment of a component part of the solid illust rated in Figure 10,

Figure 13 illustrates a perspective and partially sectional view of another component part of the solid illustrated in Figure 10, Figure 14 is a perspective view of a further possible embodiment of the component part illustrated in Figure 13. Figure 15 shows a perspective view of an insert element together with the fixing pin, Figure 16 is a further possible embodiment of the insert and the fixing pin, shown in a perspective view, Figure 17 is a perspective view of a solid provided with a fixing pin, Figure 18 is a parial section, i.e. partial view of a chain consisting of the inserts and solids differing from the previously shown solution, Figure 19 is a perspective view of one of the solids of tiie chain according to Figure 18, Figure 20 is a perspective view of an other solid con tained in the chain according to Figure 18,

Figure 21 is a perspective view of the insert of the chain shown in Figure 18, Figure 22 is a partial section of the chain consisting of the cubiform solids being different from the formation of the previous ones,

Figure 23 to 26 are perspective views of the chain with differently arranged fixing pins and nut -pins, Figure 27 is the partial section of a chain consist ing of solids and inserts differing from the previous ones to a certain extent, Figure 28 is a perspective view of one of the solids of the chain according to Figure 27, Figure 29 is a perspective view of a further solid of a chain according to Figure 27.

Best Mode of Carrying out the Invention

In Figure 1 an embodiment of a catenary toy according to the invention consisting of solids is to be seen, where the solids are formed as elementary cubes, and by folding respectively, turning a larger cube may be formed. As it is to be seen from the sectional view of the Figure 1, in a part of the elementary solids there is a hole 1, which is connecting the centres of two adjacent sides. Whils folding and turning, the holes 1 in the single elementary cubes remain in the connected state, even after having formed the big cube. A connecting element 2 is passing through the holes 1 and the two ends thereof are connected to the first and last solid of the chain in a releasable man ner, known in itself or they are interconnected with each other.

The cube illustrated in Figure 1 represents only one version of the numerous solids which can be produced; by the aid of one single chain, in addition to the solids several planar figures and plane configurations may be formed, while the same cube may be formed with different chains.

In Figures 2 and 3 solids 3 are to be seen, which can be used with a string as a connecting element. In the solids 3 there is either a trough-hole 1 connecting the centres of two sides facing each other or the through-hole 1 connecting the centres of two adjacent sides.

Figures 4 to 7 show the manner in which three elementary solids 3 - in the present case three elementary cubes can be arranged in their relative position, e.g. by turning, also showing the positions of the connecting elements 2, i.e. the strings in relation to the elementary cubes. From these a great number of the possible versions becomes obvious.

Figures 8 and 9 are giving embodiments for other possible formation of the solids deviating from the cube.

In Figure 10 a part of an embodiment of the catenary toy according to the invetion, consisting of solids, may be seen, with which instead of the string-like connecting element 2 connecting elements consisting of a resilient fixing pin are used and the pin is snapped into- the hole. In this embodiment the solids 3 comprise a sleeve-element 4 and an insert 5 , which can be pushed into said sleeve-element 4. On one σr more sides of the sleeve-element 4 a hole 6 has been formed in the middle thereof, and the same hole(s) is (are) to be found on one or more sides of the insert 5. From one of the sides of the insert 5 a fixing pin 7 projects. The head of the fixing pin 7 is elastic in the radial direction, as it is out-in in several places along its periphery. After haying pushed the fixing pins 7 into the corresponding hole 6, a connection will be established between the solids 3 belonging to the fixing pin 7 and the solid 3 with the hole 6, which allows the relative rotation of the solids 3 but does not enable their separation under the influence of a force inducing a normal load. Instead of the elastic formation of the heads of the fixing pins 7 the wall-parts confining the holes 6 may be formed in an elastically extensible manner.

In Figures 11 to 17 the different embodiments of the sleeve-element 4 and the inisert 5 can be seen. In the embodiments illustrated in Figures 14 to 16 the holes 6 are formed as grooves extending to one surface (to the open surface); this arrangement may facilitate production in certain cases.

In Figure 18' the assembled state of solids 3, 8, 9 and inserts 10 according to Figures 19, 20 and 21 is shown. In Figure 19 solid 8 is formed by a body, which corresponds to the half of a cube having been obtained by cutting the cube along one of its diagonal plane. The solid 9 according to Figure 20 has a similar shape, as the solid 8, with the difference, that one.of. the surfaces is not flat but convex. In figure 21 the insert 10 is to be seen, having a similar shape, as the solid 8 in Figure 19; on one side of said insert 10 a fixing pin 7 is to be found.

The solids 8 and 9, as well as the inserts 10 are formed as hollow bodies. The corresponding sides are provided with the holes 6, assembly takes place according to Figure 18.

In Figures 22 to 29 cubiform solids 3, solids 8 of the shape of a halved cube, as well as the solids 9 with a shape approximating the halved cube are to be seen. In these embodiments fixing pins 7 may project from both the outer and the inner surface of the solids 3, 8, 9 while the fixing pins 7 are nutted-up by nut- -pins 11 instead of being connected to the holes. In the solids the nut-pins 11 may be formed in the same manner and on the same sides, as the holes 6 described in connection with the previous embodiments. The nut-pins 11 may be also formed in an elastically extensibel manner, whereas the heads of the fixing pins may elastically contract.

The catenary tσy according to the invention conasting of the solids is to be used, as follows:

Every single packet of the catenary toy contains solids 3, 8, 9 of the proper shape and in due number being sufficient for producing planar or spatial configurations according to the patterns enclosed to the packet. In the patterns - serving as a guide - the perspective outline drawing of the planar or spatial configu ration to be formed is given. Below the outline drawing e.g. the outspread shape of the chain is to be seen showing the order of sequence of the single solids of different shapes in the chain resulting in the formation of the planar or spatial configuration.

After having taken out the solids 3, 8, 9 from the packet containing the catenary toy, the solids are stringed onto the connecting element 2 one after the other. The ends of the connecting element 2 are either fastened to the first and last solid of the chain or interconnected with each other. Hereafter we may begin to form the desired planar or spatial configuration by the proper turning and folding of the chain.

The most important advantages of the catenary toy consisting of solids, are as follows:

The toy equally entertains -people with well developed and less developed combinative ability. The number of the planar or spatial figurations is optional, it may lie in the range between 100 and 500, as a consequence, one never gets bored with the toy. The solids serving as a start for forming the single configurations can be arranged within the chain at the beginning. In such a manner the level of difficulty can be optionally chosen. The toy can be well used for contests, increasing thus the entertaining character.

A further advantageous feature lies in, that it may be produced of simple and cheap solids, furtheron play becomes possible anywhere, so e.g. while travelling.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. Catenary toy consisting of solids for producing different planar and spatial configurations, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the solids. (3, 8, 9) are stringed onto a connecting ele ment (2) or onto a train thereof (6, 7, 11) in a chain -like manner, one after the other, and the ends of the connecting element (2) or the ends of the series of the connecting elements (6, 7, 11) are fastened to the first or /and last solids (3, 8, 9) of the chain or interconnected with each other in a releasable manner, furtheron the matching surfaces of the solids (3, 8, 9) being stringed onto the connecting element (2) or the series of connecting elements (6, 7, 11) are formed by planes.

2. Catenary toy consisting of solids as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the connecting element (2) interconnecting the solids (3) in a chain-like manner is a flexible string-like element.

3. Catenary toy consisting of solids as claimed in claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t in the solids (3) holes (1) are formed receiving the connecting element (2) interconnecting the centres of two opposite lying and/or two adjacent lateral surfaces.

4. Catenary toy consisting of solids as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the series of the elements interconnecting the solids (3, 8, 9) in a chain-like manner consists of a hole (6) with an enlarged inner diameter being formed in the solids (3, 8, 9) of the chain and a fixing pin (7) being resilient in radial direction is projecting from the solids (3, 8, 9) lying adjacent to the holes (6) and can be pressed into said holes (6).

5. Catenary toy consisting of solids as claimed in claim 1 or 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t ha t the solids (3) are provided with sleeve-elements (4) being open on one side and in one side lying perpendicularly to the open side or in the side running parallel with the open side holes (6) are formed, furtheron it is provided with insers (5) which may be moved into said sleeve-elements (4) and the inserts (5) are open on one side and there are holes (6) either in the two sides facing each other and lying perpendicularly to the open side or in the two adjacent sides lying perpendicularly to the open side, while from the sides facing one of the holes fixing pins (7) are projecting.

6. Catenary toy consisting of solids as claimed in claim 1 or 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h at the holes receiving the fixing pins (7) projecting from the inner surface of the solids (3, 8, 9) are formed as nut-pins (11) being advantageously extensible in. a radial direction.