EP0783908B1

EP0783908B1 - Toy building block puzzle

Info

Publication number: EP0783908B1
Application number: EP19960300188
Authority: EP
Inventors: Li-Ho Yao
Original assignee: Yao Li Ho
Current assignee: Yao Li Ho
Priority date: 1996-01-10
Filing date: 1996-01-10
Publication date: 2001-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 2016-01-10
Also published as: ES2166426T3; DE69616262T2; EP0783908A1; DE69616262D1

Description

This invention relates to a toy building block puzzle comprising different shapes and sizes such as triangles and squares, which may have interlocking means on each face and further have a central bore extending therethrough. Furthermore, a variety of adapters are provided to increase permutations of interlocking ability between the blocks.
WO-A-86/01738 discloses a toy building element set comprising a plurality of elements, each constituting a hollow block having an open end, a closed end and connecting sidewalls therebetween. The elements have C-shaped slots on their sidewalls, cylindrical protrusions on their upper ends and recesses on their lower ends shaped to receive the cylindrical protrusions.
US-A-3558138 discloses a toy building element set comprising elements constituting a hollow block having an open end, a closed end and connecting walls therebetween. A plurality of matably engaging C-shaped lugs and slots is formed on the sidewalls of the elements.
GB-A-1127168 discloses a building brick which has a hollow open ended body portion whose cross-section provides for interlocking engagement with other bricks by means of a re-entrant tongue and groove connection. The hollow body portion is closed at at least one end by means of an end cap which is also adapted for interlocking engagement with other bricks.
The prior art toy building blocks have many sizes and shapes but many have interlocking means extending only from two opposite faces thereof which limits the possibilities of designs ultimately constructible with the blocks.
Furthermore, the simple interlocking means of prior art toy building blocks is usually a longitudinal press fit between protrusions of an upper face of a first block and corresponding recesses of a lower face in a second block. Such an interconnection is weak, particularly when subjected to a force perpendicular to a longitudinal force used to combine the blocks. Thus, a user may experience considerable frustration when, after having spent a lot of time constructing a model, e.g. an airplane, from the blocks, the model starts to disintegrate when played with as a toy.
Thus, it is found that there is a long and unfulfilled need for a toy building element which has interlocking means provided on each face thereof, which interlocking means has a high resistance to impact yet can be simply overcome when desired.
One object of the present invention is to provide a set of toy building blocks which can be built either longitudinally or interconnected laterally.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a set of toy building blocks such that a structure constructed with the blocks cannot be separated by opposite lateral forces being applied respectively thereto and has considerable resistance to potentially destructive impact, yet can easily be disassembled when required.
In order to achieve the above objects, there is provided a toy building elements set comprising:
first, second and third elements, each constituting a substantially hollow block having an open lower end, a closed upper end and at least one connecting sidewall constituting a side surface therebetween and a passage extending between the upper and lower ends and within the sidewalls;
the first, second and third elements each having a first means for interconnecting formed on the individual sidewalls thereof and extending between the lower end and the upper end of the associated block, a second interconnecting means formed on the individual upper ends thereof and a third interconnecting means formed on the individual lower ends thereof;
the first interconnecting means comprising a plurality of "C" shaped slots;
the second interconnecting means comprising a plurality of cylindrical protrusions extending perpendicularly from the upper end and extending between the lower end and the upper end of the associated block;
the third interconnecting means comprising the lower end having a plurality of recesses, said recesses being spaced and shaped to receive the cylindrical protrusions;

It is preferred that the "C"-shaped lugs each have an arc greater than 180° extending perpendicularly and outwardly from a mediate point of the peripheral wall.
The passage is defined by a tubular wall extending integrally from an inner face of the upper end to the lower end.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the toy building elements further comprises a second plurality of elements each sized and configured to interlock with the first plurality of toy building elements to increase the number of permutations of engagement therebetween.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in accompaniment with the drawings.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a top end view of a first element of the present invention;
Fig. 1A is a perspective view of the first element shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 2 is an end view of a second element of the present invention;
Fig. 2A is a perspective view of the second element shown in Fig. 2;
Fig. 3 is an end view of a third element of the present invention;
Fig. 3A is a perspective view of the third element shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is an end view of a fourth element of the present invention;
Fig. 4A is a perspective view of the fourth element shown in Fig. 4;
Fig. 5 is an end view of a fifth element of the present invention;
Fig. 5A is a perspective view of the fifth element shown in Fig. 5;
Fig. 6 is an isometric view of a sixth element of the present invention;
Fig. 7 is an isometric view of a seventh element of the present invention;
Fig. 8 is an isometric view of an eighth element of the present invention;
Fig. 9 is an isometric view of a ninth element of the present invention;
Fig. 10 is an isometric view of a tenth element of the present invention;
Fig. 11 is a second end view of the fifth element of the present invention; and
Fig. 12 shows an assembly example of building blocks and adapters in accordance with the present invention.
Referring to the drawings, a toy building block puzzle includes at least a first group of different toy building elements [hereinafter the first group of elements are individually referred to as blocks] and a second group of elements preferably having three adapters. Each block of the first group is substantially hollow with an open bottom, a closed top wall, the top wall having a generally planar upper surface and a plurality of side walls extending downwardly from the top wall. Preferably, each block may have a plurality of 'C'-shaped lugs and 'C'-shaped slots which are sized and shaped to laterally and slidingly engage with each other when two blocks are mated. Each lug and slot is disposed at a mediate point of a respective sidewall and extends along a height thereof. Furthermore, each straight sidewall of a block has a same height and width as a respectively sized block although it may have a configuration different thereto. Each block has a plurality of protrusions extending integrally and upwardly from the top wall thereof and a corresponding plurality of recesses defined in the open bottom thereof, the protrusions and recesses sized and configured such that a top face of one block may be longitudinally engaged to a bottom of another block. The engagement is due to an interference fit between the recesses and protrusions which requires a predetermined force to engage and disengage two blocks.
Preferably, a block of a different size but of a same shape as another block may have protrusions and recesses of a size different to the other block.
Advantageously, when a block having at least four sidewalls has both lugs and slots, each lug and each slot is alternately disposed in respective sidewalls so that the lugs and slots alternate in sequence in a periphery of the block.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 1A, a first block 5 is square in cross-section, having a top wall, an open bottom, four straight sides extending between the top wall and the bottom, two lugs 52, two slots 54, four projections 58, four recesses (not numbered) and a central passage 56 also extending between the top wall and the bottom and defined by a tubular portion.
Referring to Figs. 2 and 2A, a second block 10 is hexagonal in cross-section, having a top wall, an open bottom, six straight sides, three lugs 102, three slots 104, four upper projections 108, four lower recesses (not numbered) and a central passage 106 defined by a tubular portion extending between the top wall and the bottom.
Referring to Figs. 3 and 3A, a third block 15 is circular in cross-section, having a top wall, an open bottom, a circular side wall, four lugs 152, four slots 154, four upper projections 158, four lower recesses (not numbered) and a central passage 156 defined by a tubular portion extending integrally from the top wall to the bottom. Preferably, each lug and each slot are alternately and equidistantly disposed in the circular periphery.
Referring to Figs. 4 and 4A, a fourth block 20 has a cross-section which is a truncated sector of a circle having a top wall, an open bottom, three straight side walls and an arcuate side wall, four slots 204, four upper protrusions 208, four lower recesses (not numbered) and a central passage 206 defined by a tubular portion extending integrally from the top wall to the bottom.
Referring to Figs. 5, 5A and 11, a fifth block 25 has a cross-section which is a truncated sector of a circle having a top wall, an open bottom, three straight side walls and an arcuate side wall, two slots 254, two lugs 252, four upper protrusions 258, four lower recesses (not numbered) and a central passage 256 defined by a tubular portion extending integrally from the top wall to the bottom. Preferably, each recess is defined in the arcuate sidewall and a straight side wall opposite thereto and each lug is formed in the remaining two straight sidewalls.
Referring to Fig. 6, a sixth block 30 is triangular in cross-section, having a top wall, an open bottom, three side walls, one lug 302, two slots 304, three upper projections 308, and three lower recesses (not numbered). Preferably, the triangular shape is an isoseles triangle.
Referring to Fig. 7, a seventh block 35 is triangular in cross-section, having a top wall, an open bottom, three side walls, two lugs 352, one slot 354 three upper projections 358, and three lower recesses (not numbered). Preferably, the triangular shape is an isoseles triangle.
Referring to Fig. 8, a first adapter element 40 of the present invention is tri-lobic in cross-section wherein three lobes are preferably sized and configured to be each equal to a lug of the blocks and integrally formed in an arc to define a central slot sized and configured to receive a lug of a corresponding block.
Referring to Fig. 9, a second adapter element 45 of the present invention includes a hollow rod, '8'-shaped in cross-section, thereby defining a first lug-like portion 452 integrally and longitudinally formed to a second lug-like portion 454, each lug-like portion being sized and configured to be receivable in a slot of a corresponding block.
Referring to Fig. 10, a third adapter element 50 of the present invention is a hollow rod, '8'-shaped in cross-section, thereby defining a first lug-like portion 502 integrally and longitudinally formed to a second lug-like portion 504 with a third short lug-like portion 506 integrally and perpendicularly formed at one end of the first and second lug- like portions 502, 504. Each of the first, second and third lug- like portions 502, 504, 506 is sized and configured to be receivable in a slot of a corresponding block.
Furthermore, the blocks are preferably made of plastics material which is suitable for injection moulding.
It is to be further noted that building blocks of the present invention may have different heights yet still be engageable together.
Building blocks and adapters of the present invention provide novelty in the construction of geometric and alphabetic shapes as shown in Fig. 12.
Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

A toy building elements set comprising:

first, second and third elements (5; 10; 15), each constituting a substantially hollow block having an open lower end, a closed upper end and at least one connecting sidewall constituting a side surface therebetween and a passage (56; 106; 156) extending between the upper and lower ends and within the sidewalls;

the first, second and third elements each having a first means (52, 54; 102, 104; 152, 154) for interconnecting formed on the individual sidewalls thereof and extending between the lower end and the upper end of the associated block, a second interconnecting means (58; 108; 158) formed on the individual upper ends thereof and a third interconnecting means formed on the individual lower ends thereof;

the first interconnecting means comprising a plurality of "C" shaped slots (54; 104; 154);

the second interconnecting means comprising a plurality of cylindrical protrusions (58; 108; 158) extending perpendicularly from the upper end and extending between the lower end and the upper end of the associated block;

the third interconnecting means comprising the lower end having a plurality of recesses, said recesses being spaced and shaped to receive the cylindrical protrusions (58; 108; 158);

characterised in that the first element (5) is substantially square in plan shape, the second element (10) is substantially hexagonal in plan shape and the third element (15) is substantially circular in plan shape, that the first interconnecting means also comprise a plurality of "C" shaped lugs (52; 102; 152) which are matably engageable with the "C" shaped slots (54; 104; 154), respectively and that the "C" shaped lugs (52; 102; 152) and slots (54; 104; 154) alternate around the side surface of each block,
whereby the elements (5; 10; 15) can interlock directly with each other in a plane parallel to the upper surfaces via the first interconnecting means and a plane perpendicular to the upper surfaces via the second and the third interconnecting means.
A toy building elements set as claimed in Claim 1, further including:

a fourth element having substantially the shape of a truncated sector of a circle in plan shape;

a fifth element having substantially the shape of a truncated sector of a circle in plan shape;

a sixth element substantially triangular in plan shape;

the fourth, fifth and sixth elements each having first means for interconnecting formed on the individual sidewalls thereof, a second interconnecting means formed on the individual upper ends thereof and a third interconnecting means formed on the individual lower ends thereof;

the first interconnecting means comprising a plurality of matably engaging "C" shaped lugs and slots;

the second interconnecting means comprising a plurality of cylindrical protrusions extending perpendicularly and upwardly from the upper end;

the third interconnecting means comprising the lower end having a plurality of recesses, said recess spaced and shaped to receive the cylindrical protrusions.
A toy building elements set as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a first adapter comprised of two integrally formed longitudinal lugs being "8"-shaped in cross-section, the lugs being dimensioned and spaced such that when the adapter is matably engaged with two slots of two elements, the elements are placed in close proximity.
A toy building elements set as claimed in claim 2 or 3, further comprising a second adapter comprised of two integrally formed longitudinal lugs being "8"-shaped in cross-section and a lug integrally and perpendicularly disposed at an end of the two longitudinal lugs.
A toy building elements set as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, further comprising a third adapter having three lugs in a radially spaced apart relationship about a centre point, the third adapter having a slot as the centre point.
A toy building elements set as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein:

the first element comprises a first, second, third and fourth sidewall;

the first interconnecting means of the first element comprises the first and third sidewalls each having a lug disposed thereon and the second and fourth sidewall each having a slot disposed therein.
A toy building elements set as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein:

the second element comprises a first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth sidewall;

the first interconnecting means of the second element comprises the first, third and fifth sidewalls having a lug disposed thereon, the second, fourth and sixth sidewall having a slot disposed therein.
A toy building elements set as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein:
the first interconnecting means of the third element comprises four lugs in an equally spaced apart relationship disposed on the sidewall, and the sidewall having four slots therein, each slot spaced equally between two lugs.
A toy building elements set as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the fourth element comprises four sidewalls, said sidewalls comprising three flat sidewalls and a curved sidewall; and

the first interconnecting means of the fourth element comprises each of the four sidewalls having a slot disposed therein.
A toy building elements set as claimed in claim 2 or 9, wherein:

the fifth element comprises four sidewalls, said sidewalls comprise three flat sidewalls and a curved sidewall;

the first interconnecting means of the fourth element comprises two of the three flat sidewalls having a lug disposed thereon, the flat sidewall opposite said curved sidewall having a slot therein, and the curved sidewall having a slot disposed therein.
A toy building elements set as claimed in claim 2, 9 or 10, wherein the first, second, third, fourth and fifth elements each having a passage centrally disposed therethrough.