Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
  • A63H33/00—Other toys
  • A63H33/04—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts

Definitions

• This invention relates to an educational toy and, in particular to constructional toys which can be interconnected.
• Polydron One well known toy of this type is sold under the registered trade mark "Polydron".
• the Polydron toy has along its length one portion which extends outwardly to a notional periphery of the side and a portion which is located inwardly of this, the outwardly directed portion having a cut away portion adjacent its outer edge and the inward portion having an outwardly extending portion on its outer edge, the inward edge portion being effectively in line with the inward portion of the edge and the outward end portion being effectively in line with the outward portion.
• a spring member which is formed of the same material as the body of the toy and defined by two cut outs directed towards the centre of the toy.
• the portions are formed with a pip on the outer edge of the outwardly directed portion and a dimple on the outwardly directed end portion adjacent the inward portion so that when two like members are engaged but are inverted one relative to the other, the pips and dimples engage and there is a resilient outward pressure provided by the spring members which are in contact with each other.
• the Polydron toy whilst satisfactory has a number of disadvantages.
• the spring members are put under stress when adjacent members are interconnected and they can well break and, once, one of these members is broken, there is no pressure put on the junction between the pips and dimples and the components do not hold together.
• the second is that where the members are solid it can be difficult to construct a complex shape as the building of the shape has to all be done from effectively the outer surface.
• a further disadvantage is that the members are relatively expensive in that they are formed from solid plastics material and the quantity of plastics in each component is relatively high.
• the invention in its broadest sense, includes a constructional toy component adapted to be connected to at least one other component having a similar formation, the toy component having at least one edge which has two portions with one being further away from the interior of the component relative to the other, the portions being connected at their adjacent ends, the outer portion having at its other end a first complementary member, the other portion having adjacent its other end a second complementary member, the arrangement being such that when two components are brought together and one of the components is flexed so that the spacing between the complementary members thereof is reduced, the first complementary member of one component can be brought into contact with the second complementary member of the other component, and the other complementary members can also be brought into engagement but, after engagement is completed, and the flexing is released, there is effectively no deformation of either component, but the components are held together by the inter-relationship of the complementary members.
• each portion is a rod-like member. It is also preferred that toy component is made of a number portions each of which is a rod-like members and is open.
• the portions effectively have parallel axes the arrangement being such that when the adjacent components are engaged, the portions of the adjacent components closely abut.
• Fig 1. shows a plan view of a triangular component made in accordance with the invention
• Fig 2. is a section along line A-A of Fig 1;
• Fig 3. is a plan view of a square component of the invention
• Fig 4. is a section along line A-A of Fig 3
• Fig 5. is a view showing several of the components of the invention connected together.
• the simplest form of construction component made in accordance with the invention is a triangle, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 and, in accordance with the first embodiment, it is an open triangle having three sides 10, 11, 12 each of which is similar to that described hereinbefore with the central portion of the triangle open. Each side has a pair of rod like portions 15, 16 which are interconnected 17 at their inner ends.
• the rod like portion 16 has an extension 18 which is coaxial with the portion and the rod like portion 15 has a recess 19 which is also coaxial with the rod like portion 16 and which is on an extension 20 which is directly outwardly from the portion 15.
• the extension 18 and the recess 19 may both be in the forms of generally hemispherical members.
• the general shape of the portion 22 which, amongst other includes the recess 19 is adapted to assist in providing the triangular shape and one side of which 23 acts to receive the side 24 of an adjacent side, where members are connected.
• each of the sides 10, 11 and 12, can be considered to be identical.
• the component can, as has been the case with previous systems, be of a number of different shapes, including pentagon, hexagon or even rhomboid and, if required, they could have internal components.
• Figure 5 shows the interconnection of four different shapes, the triangle and square already illustrated, a triangle having an internal configuration which will be described more fully later, and a pentagon.
• Figure 5 shows these components lying in a single plane.
• the component to be connected thereto is rotated so that the side is complimentary to the side of the first component and that is so that the extension 18 are in each case adjacent the recesses 19.
• the length of the portions 15 and 16 permit this as do the spacings of the axis of these portions one from the other.
• the flexure can be in any direction, in the plane or away from the plane of the component.
• a major feature of the present invention is that when the adjacent sides are so engaged, there is effectively no stress on either of the components. This means that the flexing occurs only during the period of engagement when the components are being inter-connected. Once engagement has occurred, the arrangement is without further stress. Thus, there can be no long term change in the components as a result of their interconnection.
• the arrangement of the various shapes of members are such that they can inter-engage into each other with no difficulty and, again, once inter-engagement has occurred, there is no stress on the members. In this way, a substantial three dimensional construction can be made.
• the component of the present invention has the advantages previously set out as being required and that is that it can readily be fitted together and, in particular, if there is a complex shape to be made it is possible to work both from the inside and outside of individual components, which has not generally previously been possible, although some components have been proposed with central apertures. These have been generally relatively small compared to the overall component whereas the rods that constitute the sides of the components of the present invention are small relative to the overall size.
• the component of the invention can also have certain enhancements if these be required.
• the actual mode of connection of the circular member can vary depending upon the shape of the particular component.
• This component may act as a connector to a rod having a deformable mouth extending from each end thereof, which mouths are adapted to pass over and be retained by the circular member.
• the diameter of the periphery of the circular member must be such as to engage with the mouth of the rod.
• the rods can be formed with a mouth in the form of two spaced members and rods themselves may be interconnected to obtain an extension by engagement end to end.
• panes may have integral clips which are adapted to fit over the members of the shape to be covered, the clips being complimentary with the shape of the rods and, one again, the clips may be deformed whilst being fitted but be in a non- stressed condition once fitted.
• This arrangement is such that a space frame can be built from the constructional members and then, if required, the space frame can be sheathed to provide the final end product.

Landscapes

• Toys (AREA)
• Pinball Game Machines (AREA)
• Slot Machines And Peripheral Devices (AREA)
• Bidet-Like Cleaning Device And Other Flush Toilet Accessories (AREA)
• Photoreceptors In Electrophotography (AREA)
• Acyclic And Carbocyclic Compounds In Medicinal Compositions (AREA)
• Bakery Products And Manufacturing Methods Therefor (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (3)

Family

ID=3776386

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

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Family Cites Families (5)

• 1993
  • 1993-08-27 AT AT93918787T patent/ATE175361T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1993-08-27 WO PCT/AU1993/000440 patent/WO1994005391A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1993-08-27 JP JP50667094A patent/JP3193719B2/ja not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1993-08-27 DE DE69322950T patent/DE69322950T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1993-08-27 EP EP93918787A patent/EP0614395B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1993-08-27 AU AU49345/93A patent/AU677226B2/en not_active Expired

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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