EP0151979B1 - Guide-track for ball game - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a ball track with a ball leading from trough sections that can be connected in alignment in the manner of travel rails to a spatial structure assembled ball trough and this receiving, spaced apart supports.

Ball roller tracks are very popular with children. In a known and widely used ball track, the channel sections are straight and U-shaped in cross-section. The supports are put together from individual hollow cylinders, each hollow cylinder having a recess on the circumference into which a channel section can be inserted and the clear width of which is dimensioned such that a single ball can pass through. The channel sections are provided at their ends with peg-like extensions which reach through the wall of the hollow cylinder on the side opposite the recess. The two pegs on opposite ends of each channel section are of different lengths, so that the ball entering the hollow cylinder can fall through between the longer pegs in the column and is collected and forwarded by a channel section below with shorter pegs. With a corresponding construction of the ball roller track as a spatial structure, the ball is thrown into the longest support in the hollow cylinder at the highest point. It then rolls on the inclined first channel section to the next support, falls down onto the next channel section, etc., until it finally reaches the end of the ball track.

Ball roller tracks in the manner of roller coasters are also known, in which the ball is guided between two parallel rail-like strands. These strands are arranged at a distance from one another on parallel supports at a distance from one another which is less than the ball diameter. The strands are endless and flexible, so that they can be laid in any spatial shape. For this purpose, supports of different heights can be plugged between the parallel supports, which in turn receive the parallel strands by means of plug connections. Furthermore, individual plug-in pieces are provided, which are plugged onto the strands between supports located one behind the other in order to ensure their spacing also in the area between the supports. Compared to the first-mentioned embodiment, this ball raceway has the advantage of almost any curve and slope guidance. Disadvantages are the very small components and the required assembly system, so that this ball track is not suitable for small children. Also, only balls of a defined diameter can be used, because balls that are too small fall through, balls that are too large are stopped by the clamping pieces, the parallel columns, etc. Because of the very long guide strands, the structures created must always have a certain length, so that the guide strands extend to the end of the runway, but also do not protrude unnecessarily long, while also taking into account the different length requirements in the curve area.

In a known ball track of the structure described at the beginning (US-PS 2000 808, corresponds to the preamble of the first claim), a U-shaped ball channel is provided, the channel sections of which can be connected in alignment with one another via plug connections. The supports are arranged at a distance from each other and, due to their different heights, enable the slope of the trough required for the balls. Compared to the aforementioned ball track, these balls can accommodate different diameters, and the structure of the entire channel is much easier and can also be carried out by small children. However, a secure cohesion of the channel sections with one another is not guaranteed, since the plug connections run in the axial direction of the channel, in which the slope also lies and in which the balls move, so that the plug connections begin to loosen after a certain playing time. The purpose of the game is restricted by the fact that only balls can be moved on this runway.

The invention has for its object to create a new game purpose for a ball track of the structure described above and to adapt the ball track to it.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the channel sections have at least one guide rail for a toy vehicle on their side opposite the channel, and in that the supports on their heads have projections which are matched to the width of the channel sections and the channel sections also match the projections adapted receptacles are provided.

The ball roller track according to the invention can be used in a conventional manner as a ball roller track, whereby the design of the trough sections in the form of composable rails also allows a continuous ball run over a longer distance. On the other hand, the channel sections can be assembled by turning to their other side to form a closed roadway, so that toy vehicles can then be moved on this roadway. If the road is laid with a steady gradient, it is sufficient to move the toy vehicles, such as the balls, only by gravity. Short incline sections that can be overcome thanks to the kinetic energy of the ball or toy vehicles are also possible. If the toy vehicles are equipped with a drive, for example a flywheel drive, a spring drive or also an electric drive, the roadway can also have larger, rising sections. The guide rail and corresponding guide means on the toy vehicle are designed in such a way that the toy vehicle is properly guided over the track. For the connection of the channel sections, plug connections can be made in be conventionally provided, for example in the form of a peg and a corresponding receptacle at each end, with pegs and receptacles being offset at the two ends on a channel section. The channel sections are preferably injection molded from plastic and the pins are injected in the form of metal pins. In order to safely absorb the forces that act on the gutter joints, especially when operating as a vehicle track, the gutter sections are guided on supports which have projections on their heads which are matched to the width of the gutter sections, while the gutter sections are provided with receptacles adapted to the projections for attachment. Simple plug connections are accordingly provided for holding and supporting the channel sections, and these can be produced from above. This ensures that the gutter sections cannot easily loosen when playing or with robust handling, even if the track has very steep sections.

It is known (US Pat. No. 3,013,726) to design one side of the track sections as a rail for a toy train, and the other side as a track for toy cars, in the case of a roadway laid in the plane. The track sections can be used for one or the other vehicle type at any time, but only vehicles that are very similar to each other can be used, but not spheres with their different construction and movement principle. Securing the rail sections with each other and stabilizing the entire system also play no role, since the running rails are laid on one level and on a firm surface. The channel sections preferably have the receptacles in the region of their ends, so that the channel sections are at the same time fixed to the supports in the area of their plug connection with the advantage that the plug connection of the channel sections cannot be loosened or loosened.

According to a further exemplary embodiment, the supports each have two pairs of projections on their heads with such a spacing from one another that two interconnected channel sections are held in the region of the channel joint, so the channel sections can be guided over the column in different directions.

The supports are advantageously square in cross-section and have raised angular webs on the head in the region of their corners, which engage in slot-like receptacles on the outside of the channel sections. The height of the angular webs preferably corresponds to the height of the channel sections. This allows the plug connections to be driven over without any hindrance.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, each support is formed from a plurality of support parts, each of which has receptacles on its foot, which are adapted to the projections on the head of each support part to form a plug connection.

This allows supports of different heights to be produced by simple plug-in connection of the support parts, the particular advantage being that the same projections, which serve to hold the channel sections, are used to connect the support parts to one another.

Preferably, the support parts consist essentially of two support walls, which form a passage between them, and a pedestal connecting the support walls at the head of the support part, which has the projections for the channel sections, the support walls at its foot the receptacles for the projections on Head. This training is not only for reasons of material savings, but also gives the opportunity to make passages, especially in the lower level of the built-up ball runway or roadway.

In a further embodiment, the platform has at least one central continuous groove on its upper side which is adapted to the width of the guide rail on the channel section. This makes it possible to properly support the channel section on the pedestal regardless of its use for a ball track or a track.

In addition, individual support parts can be provided with a base plate on their foot or the supports can be inserted into base plates with their receptacles on the foot. The standing plates ensure the necessary stability of the entire ball runway or track.

According to a further exemplary embodiment, the guide rail is designed in the center in the manner of a monorail and the toy vehicle is provided with corresponding guide members which overlap the guide rail. This design has the advantage that the carriageway side of each channel section can also be made relatively narrow in relation to the corresponding ball channel and essentially only one guide surface is necessary.

In addition to straight-line channel sections and curve sections, it is also advantageous to provide slope or riser sections which are arcuate in the plane perpendicular to the channel section. By means of these slope or riser pieces, in combination with the straight channel sections and curve pieces, any spatial structures for the ball track or the track can be built.

Finally, the curve pieces advantageously have correspondingly shaped guide strips on the side having the guide rail on the outside of the curve. Furthermore, separate, band-shaped guide strips can be plugged onto the curve pieces. These curves have the task of safely guiding the toy vehicle even in curves and preventing it from being thrown out.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the channel sections in length and shape follow a spatial grid of identical cuboids with a square base and top surface and any side surface of any height, and that the length of the straight pieces and the radius of the curve pieces correspond to the edge length of the Base area or an integer part or multiples thereof and the radius of the incline or slope is dimensioned so that a convex and a concave channel section - connected to one another - have a height corresponding to the height of the side surface of the cuboid or to an integer part or multiples thereof with tangential entry into the base and top surfaces at opposite points of the side surfaces.

This design makes it possible to essentially get by with four different gutter sections, namely a straight section, a curve section, a convex section and a concave slope section. These pieces follow a cuboid grid, so that any spatial structure can be built up from the track sections. The user can make practically no mistakes during assembly, since he can always end with these gutter sections on the assembly surface at any height. The structure itself between the start and end point of the path can be chosen as desired, and relatively complicated structures can be built even on the smallest footprint. The user only has to make sure that the necessary slope from the starting point to the end point is available for non-powered toy vehicles or balls. With powered toy vehicles, this is also not important. The manufacturing and storage costs can be kept low due to the few uniform components.

If necessary, in addition to the straight pieces, straight incline or slope pieces can be provided, the length of which corresponds to a part or a multiple of the length of the diagonals of the side surface of the cuboid.

With the above-mentioned track sections, larger inclines or descents can be overcome in a straight line. Of course, these incline or descent pieces can also be assembled from the straight pieces by supplementing them with corresponding shorter pieces.

In line with this grid, the vertical supports are composed of support parts, the height of which corresponds to the height of the cuboid. With this design, the track sections can be supported at any point, especially where it is necessary for the stability of the track or the ball track.

The invention is described below using an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing.

• Figur 1 eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Stützenteils mit abgebrochener Ansicht eines Rinnen- Abschnittes;
• Figur 2 eine Draufsicht auf einen Stoss zweier Rinnen-Abschnitte im Bereich einer Stütze bei Verwendung als Fahrbahn;
• Figur 3 eine schematische Darstellung eines Aufbaus der Kugelrollbahn bzw. Fahrbahn und
• Figur 4 eine schematische Darstellung einer weiteren Ausführung des Aufbaus der Kugelrollbahn bzw. Fahrbahn.

The drawing shows:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a support member with a broken view of a channel portion;
• FIG. 2 shows a plan view of an abutment of two gutter sections in the area of a support when used as a carriageway;
• Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a structure of the ball track or lane and
• Figure 4 is a schematic representation of a further embodiment of the structure of the ball raceway or track.

FIG. 1 shows a part of a channel section 1, which is provided on one side with a channel 2 to form a ball channel, and on the other side with a central guide rail 3 in the manner of a monorail. The channel section has a pin 4 on one end and a hole 5 adapted to this pin on its other side. At the opposite, not shown end of the trough section 1, the pin 4 and the hole 5 are arranged in reverse, so that the trough sections 1 can be plugged together in any assignment to form a closed ball track or roadway.

The channel sections 1 have receptacles 6 in the form of incisions in the area of their ends, which serve on the one hand to fix the channel sections 1 to vertical supports and on the other hand to secure the plug connection between the channel sections.

The supports are formed from individual support parts 7, which have a substantially square outline. In the exemplary embodiment shown, they are formed by two supporting walls 8, the spacing of which preferably corresponds to the width of the channel sections 1. The support walls 8 are connected to each other at the head of each support part 7 via a platform 9. The platform 9 is surmounted by projections which, in the exemplary embodiment shown, are formed from angular webs 10. At each corner of the support part 7, such an angular web 10 projects upwards. The wall thickness of the webs is dimensioned such that they correspond to the width of the incisions 6 of the channel sections 1. Furthermore, the platform 9 has intersecting grooves 11 which are adapted to the width of the central guide rail 3 on the carriageway side of the channel sections 1.

The support part 7 has receptacles 12 on its foot, the spacing of which corresponds to the spacing of the angular webs 10. Furthermore, their outer contour corresponds to the inner contour of the angular webs 10. In this way, it is possible to plug several support parts 7 onto one another in order to form higher supports.

Furthermore, stand plates (not shown) can be provided for the bottom support parts 7 of a support, which have corresponding shapes for inserting the receptacles 12 of the support parts.

FIG. 2 shows the connection of a straight channel section 1 to another channel section in the form of a curve piece 13. The two channel sections are first plugged together by means of the pins 4 and then plugged into the corner angles of the support part 7 from above by means of their incisions 6. From Fig. 2 it can be seen that the plug connection between corner bracket 10 and incisions 6 also secures the joint 14 of the two channel sections 1 against loosening. In the assembled position, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, that side of the channel section 1 which has the channel 2 lies flat on the platform 9 with its cheeks, so that a secure support is created and a roadway on the top is formed with a middle guide rail 3. When used as a ball roller track, i.e. reverse arrangement of the channel Sections 1 engage the guide rail 3 in one of the grooves 11 on the pedestal 9, so that the channel section rests on the pedestal with the remaining surface part.

The groove sections 1 designed as curve pieces 13 can have a guide bar 15 on the outer curve, which laterally secure the toy vehicle running on the road. In the case of elongated curves, separate band-shaped guide strips can optionally also be attached to the channel sections 1. In addition to the straight-line channel sections and curve sections shown in FIG. 2, gradient or ascending sections can also be provided which are curved in a plane perpendicular to the channel section. Such gradients or risers are indicated in Figures 3 and 4, which represent schematic representations of a roadway structure.

In the illustration according to FIG. 4, two partially intertwined tracks 16, 17 are shown on a rectangular base area, the track 16 from the starting point 18 to a curvaceous area initially guided in one plane, then a downhill section 19, then a climbing section 20 and finally has a slope 21 leading to the end point. The path 17 begins at its starting point 22 with a steep downhill section 23 which merges into a climbing section 24. This is followed by a flat, curved section which leads over a further downhill section 25 into the base area to the end point 26.

FIG. 3 shows a single path that starts from the starting point 27 with a steep downhill section 28, then changes into an elongated, winding horizontal section and finally leads with a downhill section 29 to the end point 30.

In Figures 3 and 4, the supports or support parts 7, as well as the channel or road sections are only indicated schematically. Furthermore, both figures show a spatial grid that is intended to represent the schematic structure of a path. The grid consists of rectangular cubes with a square base and top surface. In this grid, the length of the straight channel sections corresponds to the long side of the grid. The projection of the curve sections also corresponds to such a layer side. While the ascending or descending sections can be arched in a circular arc so that they connect a corner point on the long side of the grid with the diagonally opposite corner point. Such an ascending or descending piece is designated by 31 in FIG. The curvature can be convex or concave. Instead, the curvature can also only extend to the central axis of the grid, so that two channel sections plugged together with opposite curvature in turn lead from one corner point to the diagonally opposite corner point on the long side of the grid. Such ascending or descending sections are designated by 32 in FIG. In addition to the channel sections shaped in this way, straight-line diagonal pieces can also be provided, which measure one or more quadrants of a grid, as is shown, for example, in FIG. 3 with the channel section 33. Likewise, it is of course possible to form channel sections whose length corresponds to a multiple or whole part of the channel sections described.

Claims (17)

1. Guide track for ball game with a ball-guiding ball groove (2) assembled to give a three-dimensional structure from groove portions interconnectable in line manner like rails and spaced supports (7) receiving said grooves, characterized in that the groove portions on their side facing the groove (2) have at least one guide rail (3) for a toy vehicle and that the supports (7) are provided at the top with projections (10) matched to the width of the groove portions (1) and the latter are equipped with receptacles (6) adapted to the projections (10) for fitting on purposes.

2. Guide track for ball game according to claim 1, characterized in that the receptacle (6) on the groove portions (1) are provided in the vicinity of the ends thereof and on the top of the supports (7) is in each case provided two pairs of projections (10) spaced in such a way that two interconnected groove portions (1) are secured in the vicinity of the groove joint (14).

3. Guide track for ball game according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the supports are square in cross-section and have at the top raised angular webs (10) in the vicinity of their corners and said webs engage in slot-like receptacles (6) on the outside of groove portions (1).

4. Guide track for ball game according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the height of the angular webs (10) corresponds roughly to the height of the groove portions (1).

5. Guide track for ball game according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each support comprises several support parts (7), whereof each is provided at its base with receptacles (12) adapted to the projections (10) on the top of each support part (7) for forming a plug-in connection.

6. Guide track for ball game according to one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the support part (7) essentially comprise two support walls (8), which form a passage between them and a platform (9), connecting the support walls, at the top of the support part (7) having the projections (10) for groove portions (1), the support walls (8) having on the base thereof the receptacles (12) for the projections (10) on the top.

7. Guide track for ball game according to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the platform (9) of each support part (7) is provided on its top surface with at least one central, through slot (11) adapted to the width and height of the guide rail (3) on groove portion (1).

8. Guide track for ball game according to claim 7, characterized in that the platform (9) has two crossing slots (11).

9. Guide track for ball game according to one of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that individual support parts (7) are provided at the bottom with a stand plate.

10. Guide track for ball game according to one of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that supports (7) with their receptacles (12) at the bottom can be fitted in stand plates.

11. Guide track for ball game according to one of the claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the guide rail (3) is centrally constructed in the manner of a monorail and the toy vehicle is provided with corresponding guide members.

12. Guide track for ball game according to one of the claims 1 to 11 with groove portions in the form of curved portions (13), characterized in that the curved portions on the side having the guide rail have correspondingly shaped guide strips (14) on the outside of the curve.

13. Guide track for ball game according to claim 12, characterized in that separate, band-like guide strips can be fitted onto the curved portions (13).

14. Guide track for ball game according to one of the claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the groove portions (1) are curved in pitch circle-like manner as rising or falling portions in the plane at right angles thereto.

15. Guide track for ball game according to one of the claims 1 to 14, characterized in that in length and shape the groove portions (1) follow a three-dimensional grid constituted by identical parallelepipeds with a square top and bottom surface and lateral surfaces of random height and the length of the straight portions and the radius of the curved portions correspond to the edge length of the bottom surface or an integral part or multiple thereof and the radius of the rising and falling portions (31, 32) is dimensioned in such a way that a convex and a concave groove portion, which are interconnected, have a height corresponding to the height of the lateral face of a parallelepiped or an integral part or multiple thereof in the case of tangential introduction into the bottom and top surface at opposite points of the lateral faces.

16. Guide track for ball game according to claim 15, characterized in that in addition to the straight portions there are linear rising or falling portions (33), whose length corresponds to a part for a multiple of the length of the diagonals of the lateral face of the parallelepiped.

17. Guide track for ball game according to one of the claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the supports (7) are assembled from support parts (13), whose height corresponds to the height of the parallelepiped.

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