EP0377440B1 - Building block set with panel elements and with support elements - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a plug-in toy kit with plate elements and with add-on elements, the plate elements being formed with recesses and the add-on elements with connecting elements that can be inserted into the recesses, the add-on elements having a sleeve-shaped connecting element, and the recesses as being adapted to the sleeve-shaped connecting elements Main surface of the plate element open slit-shaped depressions are formed.

Such a plug-in toy kit is known from US-A-41 64 091. In this known plug-in toy kit, the recesses in the central surface area of each plate element are designed as cylindrical depressions which have a circular cross-sectional profile. Along the edge of the rectangular plate elements, the recesses are slit-shaped with a semicircular profile, so that they are adjacent to one another plate elements to be arranged form slot-shaped depressions into which sleeve-shaped connecting members can be inserted for connecting the adjacent plate elements. The cylindrical recesses in the plate elements result in an uneven surface. If, for example, a toy vehicle is moved over such a surface, it often results in an undesirable bouncing movement.

From DE-U-74 17 652 a toy kit is known which contains at least one plate made of wood, in which plastic push-in sockets are fastened. Further components can be detachably inserted into the plug-in sleeves, which are designed with plug-in pins for this purpose. With such a toy kit, it is possible, for example, buildings, vehicles or the like. assemble. From DE-A-30 30 659 and from EP-A-045 963, which is parallel to this, a plug-in kit made of plastic is known, which is formed on at least one of its surfaces with at least two knob elements and on another of its surfaces a corresponding number of clamping receptacles for the knob elements. At least some of the corners of the plug-in modules are rounded, the radius of the roundings being equal to half the center distance of the knob elements. With such a plug-in module, it is possible to allow versatile construction with just a few basic shapes.

The invention has for its object to provide a plug-in toy kit of the type mentioned, with which a variety of design options for the production of buildings, toy vehicles or the like. is given, in particular. The plate elements can also be used as a base for toy vehicles without them Toy vehicles make noticeable jump movements when moving over this surface.

This object is achieved in that all the recesses in the plate elements are formed as annular slot-shaped depressions. This design results in a quasi-flat design of the plate elements at least on the side from which the annular slot-shaped depressions extend, so that unwanted or undesirable jumping movements of a toy vehicle moving over this surface are avoided. Due to the fact that the cross-sectional profile of the annular slot-shaped recesses is adapted to the cross-sectional profile of the sleeve-shaped connecting elements of the attachment elements, it is possible to mechanically firmly connect the attachment elements by inserting their at least one sleeve-shaped connecting element into any of the annular slot-shaped depressions with the corresponding plate element. With the plate elements and with the add-on elements, it is possible to be creative, so that not only the play instinct of a child, but also its creative properties are promoted.

The annular slot-shaped depressions in the / each plate element can have an annular cross-sectional profile. This makes it possible to be able to rotate the add-on elements in relation to the plate elements. However, it is also possible for the depressions to have a square, regularly polygonal or any other cross-sectional profile. The only thing that matters is the fact that the depressions are not simply hollow cylindrical but slit-shaped.

Each annular slot-shaped depression is preferably surrounded by a shoulder on the opposite second main surface of the plate element and / or a central depression is formed. The add-on element can be designed as a column, each of which has a connecting member at its end sections facing away from one another, the one connecting member having cross-sectional dimensions matched to the / each annular slot-shaped depression. The cross-sectional dimensions of the second connecting element are preferably adapted to the shoulder surrounding the slot-shaped depression or to the central depression. Such a design of the plug-in toy kit makes it possible to arrange plate elements above or below one another in several levels and to space them apart by any number of column-shaped add-on elements.

The sleeve-shaped connecting element of the attachment element and / or the / each central depression in the plate element can be designed with clamping ribs. By means of such clamping ribs, it is possible to tolerances in the manufacture of the plate elements, i.e. especially their central depressions, and in the manufacture of the add-on elements, i.e. in particular to compensate for their sleeve-shaped connecting elements.

The attachment element can also have a flat base area and at least one hole which opens into the base area, and the sleeve-shaped connecting element can be arranged in such a way in a removable manner in the hole that it protrudes with an end section over the base area of the attachment element. One, one with a flat base, the attachment element can easily be placed on a base with good stability if the sleeve-shaped connecting element is removed from the corresponding hole in the attachment element for this purpose. The sleeve-shaped connecting element is arranged in the corresponding hole of the attachment element so that it has an end section protrudes beyond the base of the attachment element, it is possible to connect the attachment element with the aid of the protruding end section of the sleeve-shaped connecting element, for example to the plate element described above, by inserting the end section of the connecting element into one of the annular slot-shaped depressions of the plate element.

In the case of an add-on element of the type described last with a flat base area and at least one hole, the / each hole can be designed as a through hole or as a blind hole. If the attachment element is designed with at least one through hole, it can be combined with a sleeve-shaped connecting element which corresponds in shape to the column-shaped attachment element described above. If the attachment element is formed with at least one blind hole, the blind hole simultaneously forms a stop for the sleeve-shaped connecting element, by means of which the axial longitudinal extension of the end section of the sleeve-shaped connecting element projecting beyond the base of the attachment element is also fixed.

The attachment element described above with a flat base area and at least one hole can have a cover surface opposite the base area, which has at least one annular slot-shaped depression for receiving the protruding end portion of a connecting member of an adjacent extension element is formed. The / each annular slot-shaped recess has a cross-sectional profile corresponding to the end section of the / each sleeve-shaped connecting element projecting beyond the base of the attachment element and a depth that is greater or at most the same size as the axial longitudinal extent of the projecting end section of the corresponding connecting element. The adaptation of the cross-sectional profile of the end portion of the sleeve-shaped connecting member and the annular slot-shaped depression is such that the parts can be connected to one another with a not too great effort, the connection can also be broken again with a certain, not too great effort, so that such a plug-in toy kit is also suitable for small children.

The add-on element of the type described above can or the like as a wall element, as a gate element, as a mountain, as a fantasy figure, as a replica of an animal. be trained. The attachment element can have a smooth surface or a suitable surface structure.

The add-on element preferably consists of a plastic material with a small specific weight. Such add-on elements with a specific weight of less than 1 g / cm 3 can also be handled by small children without any problems, thereby promoting the play instinct of a small child. The add-on elements consist, for example, of a porous, hardened foam material with relatively small pores. However, the add-on element can also consist of a soft, resilient material, whereby the advantage is achieved that such a Attachment element possible risk of injury to a child is excluded. Such an add-on element can be produced in particular from a soft, resilient material, because the sleeve-shaped connecting element, which protrudes with an end section over the base of the add-on element, does not have to be made of the same material as the add-on element, that is to say preferably from one in comparison to soft, resilient material of the attachment element can be dimensionally stable material, so that even when using a soft, resilient material for the / each attachment element, a secure connection of attachment elements to one another or an attachment element with a plate element described above is simple and easy.

The attachment element can also have the shape of a flat structure, which has at least two surface parts which are connected to one another by means of a hinge, at least one of the surface parts having at least one sleeve-shaped connecting element on its underside. The hinge can be a so-called film hinge if the add-on element is made of plastic material. With a flat add-on element it is possible, for example, to design an access ramp between spaced-apart plate elements, the one flat part being connected with its at least one sleeve-shaped connecting element to the one plate element, in particular to the upper plate element, while the second flat part is connected the film hinge swung around to the lower plate element. With an extension element of the last-mentioned type, it is also possible, for example. A balcony or the like protruding from a plate element. to shape. If such an attachment element has only a sleeve-shaped connecting element, it is also possible to pivot this attachment element around the plate element to which it is connected, as desired.

The annular slot-shaped depressions are preferably provided in the plate element in a square grid. Such a plate element is easy to manufacture and handle.

• Fig. 1 eine Ansicht eines Plattenelementes von oben,
• Fig. 2 eine teilweise geschnittene Seitenansicht des Plattenelementes in Blickrichtung des Pfeiles II in Fig.1,
• Fig. 3 eine Ansicht des Plattenelementes gem. Fig. 1 in Blickrichtung von unten,
• Fig. 4 eine Darstellung des Details IV in Fig. 2 in einem größeren Maßstab,
• Fig. 5 einen Längsschnitt durch ein säulenförmiges Anbauelement,
• Fig. 6 eine Ansicht des Anbauelementes gem. Fig. 5 in Blickrichtung des Pfeiles VI in einem stark vergrösserten Maßstab ,
• Fig. 7 eine halbseitige Darstellung des Details in Blickrichtung des Pfeiles VII aus Fig. 4,
• Fig. 8 eine Seitenansicht eines zweiten Anbauelementes, das als Auffahrrampe dienen kann,
• Fig. 9 eine Ansicht des Anbauelementes gem. Fig. 8 in Blickrichtung des Pfeiles IX,
• Fig.10 einen Schnitt durch ein abschnittweise gezeichnetes quaderförmiges Anbauelement,
• Fig.11 eine der Fig. 10 ähnliche Schnittdarstellung durch ein anderes abschnittweise gezeichnetes quaderförmiges Anbauelement, und
• Fig.12 ein den Figuren 10 und 11 ähnliches Anbauelement in einer Schnittdarstellung, das ebenfalls nur abschnittweise gezeichnet ist.

Details of an embodiment of the toy plug-in kit according to the invention are shown in the drawing and are described below. Show it:

• 1 is a view of a plate element from above,
• 2 is a partially sectioned side view of the plate element in the direction of arrow II in Fig.1,
• Fig. 3 is a view of the plate element acc. 1 in the direction of view from below,
• 4 shows a representation of the detail IV in FIG. 2 on a larger scale,
• 5 shows a longitudinal section through a column-shaped add-on element,
• Fig. 6 is a view of the attachment according to. 5 in the direction of arrow VI on a greatly enlarged scale,
• 7 is a half-page representation of the detail in the direction of arrow VII from FIG. 4,
• 8 is a side view of a second add-on element that can serve as a ramp,
• Fig. 9 is a view of the attachment according to. 8 in the direction of arrow IX,
• 10 shows a section through a cuboidal extension element drawn in sections,
• 11 shows a sectional illustration similar to FIG. 10 through another cuboidal attachment element drawn in sections, and
• 12 shows an attachment element similar to FIGS. 10 and 11 in a sectional view, which is also only drawn in sections.

1 shows a plate element 10 which has a square base shape and which has annular slot-shaped depressions 12 which are arranged in a square grid. The square grid is represented by thin dash-dotted lines 14 and 16. The depressions 12 have relatively small radial Width dimensions so that the upper main surface 18 of the plate element 10 visible in FIG. 1 is, as it were, flat. This is also clearly evident from Fig. 2. This figure not only shows the quasi-flat upper main surface 18 of the plate element 10, but also an annular slot-shaped depression 12 which is open to the upper main surface 18. The / each annular slot-shaped depression 12 is concentrically surrounded by an extension 20. In addition, a depression 22 is formed in the central region of the / each depression 12. The depressions 22 are open towards the underside 24 of the plate element 10. Each depression 22 is formed with clamping ribs 26 which, as can be seen in FIG. 3, are evenly distributed along the circumference of each depression 22.

As can be seen from FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, a collar-shaped collar 28 runs along the outer circumference of the plate element 10, which not only results in stiffening of the plate element 10, but also protects the lugs 12 surrounding the slot-shaped recesses 12 against damage. As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the individual lugs 20 are connected to one another by stiffening ribs 30. Connecting ribs 32 are provided between the collar-shaped collar 28 and the shoulders 20 adjacent to the collar-shaped collar 28.

7 shows the inner contour of a depression 22 on one side on a greatly enlarged scale. In particular, the clamping ribs 26 protruding into the center of the depression 22 can be seen from this figure.

5 shows in a longitudinal section a columnar attachment element 34 in a longitudinal section, each of which at its end sections 36 and 38 facing away from one another has a connecting member. The connecting member 40 provided at the end section 36 is sleeve-shaped, its cross-sectional profile being adapted to the cross-sectional dimensions of the annular slot-shaped depressions 12 of the plate element 10. As can be seen from FIGS. 5 and 6, the connecting element 40 has clamping ribs 42 which are provided evenly distributed along the circumference of the connecting element 40 and which are radially inward. The end section 38 of the column-shaped attachment element 34 is designed as a cap-shaped extension 44, the outer dimensions of which are adapted to the clear inner dimensions of the depressions 22 of the plate element 10. It is thus possible either to insert the column-shaped add-on element 34 with its sleeve-shaped connecting element 40 into one of the annular slot-shaped depressions 12 of the plate element 10 in order to mechanically firmly connect the column-shaped add-on element 34 to the plate element 10, or, as desired, it is possible to insert the column-shaped add-on element 34 with its cap-shaped shoulder 44 to insert into a depression 22 of the plate element 10 in order to mechanically firmly connect the attachment element 34 to the plate element 10.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show another add-on element 46, which has a flat structure with two flat parts 48 and 50. The two surface parts 48 and 50 are pivotally connected to one another by means of a film hinge 52. The surface part 48 is formed with two edge boundaries 54 pointing in the same direction. The surface part 50 has at least one sleeve-shaped connecting element 56, the radial and axial dimensions of which correspond to those of the sleeve-shaped connecting element 40 at the end section 36 of the columnar attachment element 34 (see FIG. 5). It is thus possible to connect the attachment element 46 to the plate element 10 in that the sleeve-shaped connecting member 56 is inserted into an annular slot-shaped depression 12 of the plate element 10.

10 shows a sectional view of an add-on element 58 drawn in sections, which is cuboid with a flat base surface 60, a flat cover surface 62 parallel to the base surface 60 and a circumferential outer surface 64. The lateral surface 64 can be formed with a surface structuring at least along a partial section. The attachment element 58 has at least one through hole 66, in which a hat-shaped element 68 is fastened in such a way that its outer end face 70 is flush with the top surface 62 of the attachment element 58. The hat-shaped element 68 in the through hole 66 defines an annular slot-shaped depression 12 in the attachment element 58. Arranged in the through hole 66 is a sleeve-shaped connecting element 40 which projects with an end section 36 beyond the flat base surface 60 of the attachment element 58 when it abuts the hat-shaped element 68 forming a stop, as can be seen from FIG. 10. The sleeve-shaped connecting element 40 is fitted into the through-hole 66 or adapted to the hat-shaped element 68 in such a way that the connecting element 40 is securely and captively fixed in the attachment element 58, but that it is also possible, if desired, to remove the sleeve-shaped connecting element 40 without too much remove large force from the add-on element 58 if necessary.

The end section 36 of the sleeve-shaped connecting member 40 protruding over the flat base surface 60 and the annular slot-shaped depression 12 are adapted to one another in such a way that it is possible to insert the end section 36 of one attachment element 58 into the depression 12 of another attachment element 58 by two To connect add-on elements 58. The add-on element 58 can be made, for example, of a small specific weight, hardened plastic foam material, of a soft, resilient material, of wood, or the like. consist. The / each sleeve-shaped connecting element 40 preferably consists of a dimensionally stable material, which can correspond to the material for the attachment element 58. Preferably, the / each sleeve-shaped connecting element 40 consists of a plastic material.

In FIG. 11, an attachment element 58 is drawn in sections in a sectional view, in which the / each through hole 66 extends from the base surface 60 to the cover surface 62, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, but the sleeve-shaped connecting element 40 compared to The connecting element shown in FIG. 10 is itself intended to form both the annular slot-shaped depression 12 and the end section 36 projecting beyond the flat base surface 60 if the connecting element 40 is inserted into the through hole 66 in such a way that the end face 70 of its hat-shaped End section 72 is flush with the flat top surface 62 of the extension element 58. In this embodiment, too, the sleeve-shaped connecting member 40 can be removed from the attachment element 58 in order to be able to set up the attachment element 58 with its flat base surface 60 on a base in a stable manner.

FIG. 12 shows a further embodiment of the add-on element 58 drawn in sections in longitudinal section, which is formed with a blind hole 74 starting from the flat base surface 60 and with an annular slot-shaped depression 12 starting from the top surface 62. In the blind hole 74, a connecting member 40 is removably arranged, the one has such an axial longitudinal extent that it projects with a sleeve-shaped end section 36 over the flat base surface 60. In this embodiment too, the sleeve-shaped end section 36 of the connecting member 40 is adapted to the annular slot-shaped depression 12 in such a way that add-on elements 58 can be connected to one another.

Claims (11)

1. Plug-in toy construction kit having plate elements (10) and having attachment elements (34, 46, 58), the plate elements (10) being constructed with cutouts (12,22) and the attachment elements (34, 46, 58) with connection members (40, 44; 56) which can be plugged into the cutouts, the attachment elements (34, 46, 58) having at least one socket-type connection member (40, 56), and the cutouts (12) being constructed as slot-type depressions which are adapted to the socket-type connection members (40, 56) and are open towards a main surface (18) of the plate element (10), characterised in that all the cutouts (12) in the plate elements (10) are constructed as annular slot-type depressions.
2. Plug-in toy construction kit according to Claim 1, characterised in that each depression (12) on the opposite second main surface (24) of the plate element (10) is surrounded by a shoulder (20) and/or forms a central recess (22).
3. Plug-in toy construction kit according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the attachment element (34) is constructed as a column which has a connection member on each of its end portions (36, 38) facing away from one another, the one connection member (40) having cross-sectional dimensions adapted to the/each depression (12).
4. Plug-in toy construction kit according to Claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the second connection member (44) is adapted with its cross-sectional dimensions to the shoulder (20) surrounding the depression (12) or to the central recess (22).
5. Plug-in toy construction kit according to one of Claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the socket-type connection member (40) of the attachment element (34) and/or the/each central recess (22) are constructed with clamping ribs (42, 26).
6. Plug-in toy construction kit according to Claim 1, characterised in that the attachment element (58) has a flat base surface (60) and at least one hole (66, 74) which opens out into the base surface (60), and in that the socket-type connection member (40) is arranged removably in the hole (66, 74) in such a way that it projects with one end portion (36) over the base surface (60) of the attachment element (58).
7. Plug-in toy construction kit according to Claim 6, characterised in that the attachment element (58) has a covering surface (62) opposite the base surface (60) which is constructed with at least one depression (12) for receiving the projecting end portion (36) of the connection member (40).
8. Plug-in toy construction kit according to Claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the attachment element (58) consists of a synthetic material having a low specific weight.
9. Plug-in toy construction kit according to Claim 8, characterised in that the attachment element (58) consists of a soft, elastically resilient material.
10. Plug-in toy construction kit according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the attachment element (46) is a flat structure which has at least two surface parts (48, 50) which are connected to one another by means of a hinge (52), at least one of the surface parts (50) having at least one socket-type connection member (56) on its underside.
11. Plug-in toy construction kit according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the depressions (12) in the plate element (10) are provided in a square grid (14, 16).

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