EP1099460A2

EP1099460A2 - A method of assembling a rotatable bayonet joint and such joint

Info

Publication number: EP1099460A2
Application number: EP00610114A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Klaus Rotne
Original assignee: Lego AS
Current assignee: Lego AS
Priority date: 1999-11-10
Filing date: 2000-11-09
Publication date: 2001-05-16
Also published as: CA2325313A1; CN1173759C; DK199901621A; CN1295874A; EP1099460A3

Abstract

A method is provided for the assembly of a first and a second element that are, following assembly, rotatable relative to each other. The first element is provided with a mounting aperture (4) with bayonet protrusions (5), and the second element is provided with a mounting pin (7) with bayonet protrusions (8) that are complementary with the bayonet protrusions (5) in the mounting aperture (4). Following assembly of the first and the second element a third element is mounted on the first or the second element, which third element allows rotation between the first and the second elements, but prevents the first and the second elements from being, at a later stage, rotated to the mounting position.

Such rotatable joint between a first and a second element is also provided.

Description

The invention relates to a method of assembling a first and a second element that are, following assembly, rotatable relative to each other, wherein the first element is provided with a mounting aperture with bayonet protrusions and the second element is provided with a mounting pin with bayonet protrusions that are complementary with the bayonet protrusions in the mounting aperture, said method comprising the steps of:

positioning the first and the second elements in a mounting position in which the mounting pin can be shifted into the mounting aperture;
shifting the mounting pin into the mounting aperture;
rotating the first element relative to the second element.

The invention further relates to a joint between a first and a second element, said joint comprising the same technical features as given above.
Bayonet joints are used in many contexts where it is desired to be able to carry out easy and quick assembly of two elements with large holding force. Most bayonet joints are configured such that the one element is rotated to a permanent end position relative to the second element after their complementary bayonet protrusions have been caused to engage with each other.
In the present invention that is directed primarily towards mounting of limbs on toy figures, but is not limited thereto, a joint is desired wherein the elements are, in their use-position, able to rotate relative to each other at least over a certain angle. Precisely in case of mounting of limbs on toy figures, it is desirable to use a method of assembly that exhibits a high degree of resistance to separation, since for instance an arm that has been pulled out of a mounting aperture provided in the body of a toy figure constitutes a small element that can be for instance swallowed by a child. Therefore, bayonet joints that exhibit precisely such high degree of holding force are extremely interesting in this context.
Such mounting of arms on a toy figure is known from WO 96/20768 that shows a toy figure where each arm is provided with a mounting pin with bayonet protrusions, whereas the body of the toy figure is provided with mounting apertures that are configured complementarily with the mounting pins of the arms. The bayonet protrusions are configured such that the arms can be mounted only when in vertical position. Following mounting, the arms are able to rotate all the way around, and thus also to their mounting position where they can be dismounted.
US-A-1 702 208 teaches a doll, wherein arms and legs are provided with a mounting pin with bayonet protrusions. The body of the doll is configured with four mounting apertures that are configured to be complementary with the mounting pins of the limbs and the limbs can be mounted in the mounting apertures when they occupy a specific angulation that is preferably as far away from the normal angulation of the limbs as possible. Also the limbs of this doll, however, can be turned back to the mounting position in which they can be dismounted.
A corresponding doll is known from FR patent No. 417,112. It is the object of the invention to provide a method and a joint for assembling two elements that are, following assembly, rotatable relative to each other while ensuring, however, that the two elements cannot be separated from each other again.
This is obtained in that the method described above is followed by mounting of a third element on the first or the second element, which third element allows rotation between the first and the second element, but prevents the first and the second elements from being rotated to occupy a mounting position. Besides, it is obtained by configuring the joint described above with a third element mounted in this manner.
A joint configured with such third element yields a high degree of resistance to separation while simultaneously the two elements are able to rotate relative to each other, at least over a certain angle.
According to a preferred embodiment the first element consists of a body for a toy figure, whereas the second element is an arm for a toy figure. As mentioned it is important that small elements, such as an arm, cannot readily be separated from the body of a toy figure, since such elements constitute a hazard to children who may eg swallow them with an ensuing risk of asphyxiation.
In case of a toy figure, the third element can advantageously be the toy figure head that has such expanse that the mounted arm cannot be rotated past the head to occupy a mounting position. Dimensioning of the head such that it can be used as the third element enables the toy figure to be made from the same number of parts as in case a mere snap joint were used between arms and body. Thus, the toy figure need not comprise more parts than the known toy figures.
According to a particularly simple embodiment, the third element is mounted by means of a snap joint.
The invention will now be explained in further detail with reference to the drawings, wherein
Figure 1 shows a torso, an arm and a head for a toy figure prior to assembly; and
Figure 2 shows a torso, two arms and a head following assembly thereof.
Figure 1 shows three elements for a toy figure, viz. a body 1, an arm 2, and a head 3. The three elements can be assembled as indicated by the dotted lines between the body 1 and arm 2 and the body 1 and head 3, respectively, the joining between the body 1 and arm 2 being accomplished by a bayonet joint and the joining of the body with the head 3 being accomplished by means of a snap joint.
The body 1 is configured as a hollow shell and for joining with the arm 2 it is provided with a mounting aperture 4, the interior of which is provided with three bayonet protrusions 5 separated by three spaces 6. The bayonet protrusions 5 are slightly countersunk relative to the outer wall of the body 1, but otherwise it has a depth that corresponds essentially to the wall thickness of the body 1. A corresponding mounting aperture is provided on the opposite side of the body 1 (not shown).
The arm 2 that is shown in a schematical view only, since - in practice - it will be configured more organically with at least the outline of a hand, is provided with a mounting pin 7 with bayonet protrusions 8 whose width and shape correspond to the spaces 6 between the bayonet protrusions 5 provided in the mounting aperture 4 in the body 1. In a corresponding manner the bayonet protrusions 8 are separated by spaces 9, the width and shape of which correspond exactly to the spaces 6 between the bayonet protrusions 5 in the mounting aperture 4 in the body 1. In this manner the bayonet protrusions 5 in the mounting apertures 4 become complementary with the bayonet protrusions 8 on the mounting pin 7.
With the embodiment shown of the bayonet protrusions 5 and 8 the arm 2 can be mounted in the body 1 only when it is oriented as shown in Figure 1, ie that there is only one mounting position. When the arm 2 is mounted the mounting pin 7 is, in the position shown, inserted into the mounting aperture 4, whereby the bayonet protrusions 5 and 8 are shifted past each other. The arm 2 is subsequently turned such that the bayonet protrusions 8 on the mounting pin 7 engage behind the bayonet protrusions 5 in the mounting aperture 4. The arm 2 can now be rotated completely without disengaging from the body 1. Not until the arm 2 reaches the mounting position again, can it be dismounted from the body 1.
However, dismounting of the arm 2 can be accomplished only for as long as the head 3 is not mounted on the body 1, the head 3 serving - when mounted - to prevent the arm 2 from being rotated to the mounting position, as will be described in further detail below with reference to Figure 2.
The body 1 is provided with a neck portion 10 on which a head 3 can be mounted. The head 3 is configured with an aperture in the bottom that corresponds to the neck portion 10 such that it can be mounted thereon. The neck portion 10 and the head 3 are configured such that the head 3 can be mounted on the neck portion 10 with a snap joint that allows the head 3 to rotate, but ensures that it cannot be pulled off the body 1. Such snap joint is commonly known and will not be described in further detail herein.
Figure 2 shows an assembled toy figure with a body 1, two arms 2,2' and a head 3. The body 1, the arm 2 and the head 3 correspond to the same elements shown in Figure 1, whereas the functioning and mounting method of the arm 2' corresponds completely to the arm 2. Thus, the arm 2' is provided with a mounting pin with bayonet protrusions that are complementary with the bayonet protrusions provided in a mounting aperture in the body 1 on the not shown side.
When the arms 2,2' are mounted on the body they are turned away from their mounting positions, following which the head 3 is mounted by being pressed downwards over the neck portion 10 until the two parts engage snap-lockingly with each other.
The head 3 is configured such that parts thereof - irrespective of its angulation - extend into the path of rotation of the arms and thereby prevent that they can rotate completely. The angulation of each arm 2,2' is thus limited to an interval between a position in which it is oriented backwards and upwards, and a position in which it points forwards and upwards as shown with the arms 2,2' in Figure 2. The arms 2,2' do not reach their mounting position within the given interval and it follows that they cannot be dismounted.
Above the invention was described with reference to a concrete embodiment concerning mounting of arms on a toy figure. However, the invention is more encompassing in that the general principle may also apply within other areas where it is desired to provide a powerful joining of two elements that must be able to rotate relative to each other without an ensuing risk of separation.
The configuration of the bayonet joint can also be different from the one shown in Figure 1. For instance there can be provided more than one mounting position between the first and the second element, the third element then serving to prevent the first and the second elements from being rotated to any of the mounting positions.

Claims

A method of assembling a first and a second element that are, following assembly, rotatable relative to each other, wherein the first element is provided with a mounting aperture (4) with bayonet protrusions (5); and the second element is provided with a mounting pin (7) with bayonet protrusions (8) that are complementary with the bayonet protrusions (5) in the mounting aperture (4), said method comprising the steps of:

positioning the first and the second elements in a mounting position, in which the mounting pin (7) can be shifted into the mounting aperture (4);

shifting the mounting pin (7) into the mounting aperture (4);

rotating the first element relative to the second element

characterised in

mounting a third element on the first or the second element, said third element allowing rotation between the first and the second elements, but preventing the first and the second elements from being rotated to occupy a mounting position.
A method according to claim 1, characterised in that the first element is a body (1) for a toy figure, whereas the second element is an arm (2) for a toy figure.
A method according to claim 2, characterised in that the third element is a head (3) for a toy figure, which head is mounted on the toy figure body (1) and has such expanse that the mounted arm (2) cannot be rotated past the head (3) to occupy a mounting position.
A method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterised in that the third element is mounted by means of a snap joint.
A joint between a first and a second element that are rotatable relative to each other, wherein the first element is provided with a mounting aperture (4) with bayonet protrusions (5) and the second element is provided with a mounting pin (7) with bayonet protrusions (8) that are complementary with the bayonet protrusions (5) in the mounting aperture (4), said bayonet protrusions (5,8) being configured such that the mounting pin (7) can be shifted into the mounting aperture (4) when the two elements are arranged in a mounting position, characterised in that a third element is mounted on the first or the second element, which third element is configured such that it allows rotation between the first and the second elements, but prevents the first and the second elements from being rotated to a mounting position.
A joint according to claim 5, characterised in that the first element is a body (1) for a toy figure, whereas the second element is an arm (2) for a toy figure.
A joint according to claim 6, characterised in that the third element is a head (3) for a toy figure, said head (3) being mounted on the toy figure body (1) and having such expanse that the mounted arm (2) cannot be rotated past the head (3) to occupy a mounting position.
A joint according to any one of claims 5-7, characterised in that the third element is mounted by means of a snap joint.