EP1333901B1

EP1333901B1 - A set of constructional elements

Info

Publication number: EP1333901B1
Application number: EP01979218A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lubomir Hasan
Original assignee: HASAN LUBOMIR ING DIMOLD
Current assignee: HASAN Lubomir Ing DIMOLD
Priority date: 2000-11-03
Filing date: 2001-10-22
Publication date: 2006-01-25
Anticipated expiration: 2021-10-22
Also published as: CZ20031531A3; ES2261488T3; DE60116891T2; ATE316412T1; AU2002211204A1; WO2002036229A1; CZ294739B6; DE60116891D1; SK16602000A3; SK285053B6; EP1333901A1

Abstract

This invention refers to the solution of a set of constructional elements, a basic element (1) of which is formed by a flange with external walls in the shape of an equilateral octagon. There are central projections (12) formed on a smaller circle and circumferential projections (13) on a greater circle in the octagon corners on the upper side thereof. The connecting elements formed on the lower side consist of a cylindrical wall (14) and stiffening ribs (15) having slots (16) formed at the octagon peaks.

Description

Technical Field

This invention falls within the field of toys and refers to a set of constructional elements for a puzzle game.

Description of the Prior Art

There are many known constructional games the system of which is composed of differently shaped elements and which are joined together in various ways.
For example, the constructional set for children, known from the disclosed International invention applications Nos. WO 96/09869 and WO 96/09870 wherein the basic element of a set is formed by a square enabling to match the elements along a straight line or under an angle of 90°. The connection of elements is solved here by means of coupling projections being in contact only on the internal surface of an additional connecting cylinder, which is attached to an external flange by stiffening ribs, situated off the peaks of a prism. These solutions do not enable to create more complicated configuration patterns, whereby the perpendicularity of the square edges must be rounded with regard to the sharpness.
Other known solutions refer to the US Patents Nos. 4,964,834 and 5,057,049 wherein the basic element of a set is formed by a triangle, possibly by a hexagon, enabling to match the elements either along a straight line or under an angle of 60° and of 120°, whereby these constructions enable mainly to arrange elements into columns. The elements connection is ensured in a complicated way resulting in that it is labour accuracy demanding and time consuming thus increasing the total production costs.
An another known solution, wherein an octagon has already been used in the construction, is that according to the NL Patent No. 1439343. The basic constructional element of a toy consists of at least two cup-like parts having two levels, fixedly interconnected by at least one connecting part. Although the use of an octagon enables significantly greater variability of the assembly, a complicated construction of a basic element and a cup-like method of the assembly considerably limit the configuration variability of this solution.

Summary of the Invention

The drawbacks mentioned above are to a large extent removed by the solution of a set of constructional elements comprising at least two basic elements having each an upper side which is provided with a number of coupling projections, arranged in uniform patterns with a fix modular distance of one to another and having a lower side which is provided with a connecting element in the form of a cylindrical wall with stiffening ribs and having further lateral flanged walls; the subject-matter of which consists in that all the lateral flanged walls of the basic element are made in the shape of an equilateral octagon. The upper side of every basic element has at least four coupling projections each, placed on connecting lines of opposed octagon peaks, out of which two central projections are situated on a smaller circle and two circumferential projections are situated on a greater circle. The interconnection with other constructional elements derived from the configuration of the basic elements is ensured by contacts of the coupling projections with the cylindrical walls and respectively or with the flanged walls and respectively or with the stiffening ribs. The stiffening ribs are advantageously formed in the octagon peaks points and have got slots in their lower part to place and contact the coupling projections of other constructional elements. The slot depth size is greater than the central projections height size. One of the derived elements is a two-cylinder vertical element, consisting of a basic element to which is as if built-in an additional basic element under an angle of principal axes equal to 90° at an imaginary contact point, and wherein the back part of the built-in element is completed by an another, as if a flange cutoff in the form of a basic element. A modular pattern is made out of a set of two complete central projections kits and of a set of a part of circumferential projections kits on the upper side of such a vertical element.
An another of the derived elements is a two-cylinder oblique element consisting also of a basic element to which is as if built-in an another basic element under an angle equal to 135° and its back part is completed by as if a cutoff of the next basic element. A modular pattern is made out of a set of two complete kits of the central projections and of a set of a part of circumferential projections kits on the upper side of such an oblique element.
A still another of the derived elements is a two-cylinder straight element, consisting of as if two coaxially, successively arranged basic elements with a flange having flush lateral walls. The modular patterns are made out of as if two identical basic elements on the upper side of such a straight element.
A still another of the derived elements is also a three-cylinder element consisting of a basic element to which are as if from both sides built-in two additional basic elements under an angle of their principal axes equal to 135° at an imaginary contact point. A modular pattern is made out of a set of three complete central projections kits and of a set of a part of circumferential projections kits on the upper side of such a three-cylinder element.
Other two of the derived elements are a half-size element and a quarter-size element consisting of as if a half-size and a quarter-size cutoffs of a basic element. A modular pattern is formed on the upper side of such elements consisting of a corresponding amount of the central and circumferential projections.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is explained more in detail in the enclosed drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 shows two diagonal views of the basic element of a set so as to see the positioning of coupling projections on the upper side thereof and also the construction of connecting elements on the lower side thereof ,
Fig. 2a) shows the top view of a quarter-size element with dash-marked bottom parts thereof,
Fig. 2b) shows the top view of a half-size element with dash-marked bottom parts thereof and indicated section through a broken plane B-B,
Fig. 2c) shows the lateral view of a half-size element dissected by a broken plane B-B of the figure 2b,
Fig. 3 shows a two-cylinder vertical element, wherein the position 3a represents the bottom view thereof, the position 3c the top view thereof with indicated section plane C-C and the position 3b represents the view thereof in the direction of the plane section C-C,
Fig. 4 shows a two-cylinder oblique element, where the position 4a represents the bottom view thereof, the position 4b the front view thereof and the position 4c the top view thereof,
Fig. 5 shows a two-cylinder straight element, wherein the position 5a represents the bottom view thereof, the position 5b the front view thereof and the position 5c the top view thereof,
Fig. 6 shows the three-cylinder element, wherein the position 6a represents the bottom view thereof, the position 6b the front view thereof and the position 6c the top view thereof,
Fig. 7 shows the assembly procedure of a two-level simple set, wherein 7a represents the assembly of the first level of elements, 7b represents the assembly of the second level of elements and 7c the two-level assembled arrangement,
Fig. 8 shows the assembly procedure of the two-level more complicated rounded assembly, wherein 8a represents the assembly of the first level elements, 8b represents the assembly of the second level elements and 8c the two-level assembled set.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment

Example 1

A basic element 1 of the constructional set shown in the Fig. 1 is composed of lateral flanged watts 11 in the shape of an equilateral octagon with a plane upper wall. Two groups of coupling projections are formed on the upper side of the plane wall of the basic element 1. The first group consists of eight central projections 12 situated on a smaller circle m and the second group consists of eight circumferential projections 13, situated at the peaks of an octagon on a greater circle n.
The bottom part of the basic element 1 of the constructional set is completed by a cylindrical connecting wall 14, engaging concurrently with flanged walls 11 into an octagon being interconnected with the same by means of stiffening ribs 15 in the area of its peaks. These stiffening ribs 15 have the slots 16 formed in their lower part to place the coupling projections of an another constructional element. The depth a of the slot 16 is approximately double the size of the height b of the central projection 12.
An another element of the constructional set is a derived two-cylinder straight element 4 shown in the Fig. 5, which is formed as if by the connection of two successively arranged basic elements 1 with a direct flushing of two lateral flanged walls 11.
The third element of the constructional set is a derived half-size element 6 shown in the Fig. 2b, which is formed by as if a dissection of the basic element 1 in the direction of a principal axis whereby the section point is completed by an interconnecting external flange.
The last element of this example is a derived quarter-size element 7 shown in Fig. 2a, which is formed by as if a quarter-size cutoff of the basic element 1 and completed by a broken interconnecting external flange.
The described elements form a simple set of the constructional elements. The very simple pattern as for example a cross (see Fig. 7) can be created from these as follows. Two basic elements 1 are put side by side in the form of a cross on a plane base (not shown), one two-cylinder straight element 4 is inserted crosswise in between them and two half-size elements 6 are put to its both ends, forming the first level of a pattern. The second level of a pattern is gradually formed by taking an another two-cylinder straight element 4 and placing it crosswise into the centre of a pattern, taking care for that both internal cylindrical surfaces 141 thereof slide in between the central projections 12 of the three elements 1, 4, 1 of the first level spanning them by means of a principal contact. The connection by means of a secondary contact is done by sliding further central projections 12 and circumferential projections 13 of the three elements 1, 4, 1 of the first level over the internal surfaces 112 and external surfaces 111 of the flanged walls 11 and also over the contact surfaces 151 of stiffening ribs 15 of the straight element 4. Similarly, a patern is gradually completed along the edges by placing other two basic elements 1 and two half-size elements 6 so that the whole second level is filled in the pattern configuration.
The basic element 1 in this example can also be replaced by one half-size element 6 and two quarter-size elements 7, or the half-size element 6 can be replaced by two quarter-size elements 7.

Example 2

This example describes a set of constructional elements composed of different types of elements except the basic element 1 formed in accordance with the description of the Example 1.
An another element of this set is a derived two-cylinder vertical element 2 shown in Fig. 3, formed as if by a vertical connection of two basic elements 1 and an additional forming of the external flanged walls 11 by a cutoff of the third basic element 1.
An another element of this set is a derived two-cylinder oblique element 3 shown in Fig. 4 which is formed by as if a crosswise connection of two basic elements 1 and an additional forming of external flanged walls 11 by a cutoff of the third basic element 1.
The last element in this example is a derived three-cylinder element 5 shown in the Fig. 6, which is formed of as if a connection of three basic elements 1 under the defined angles.
The described four elements form a more complicated set of the constructional elements enabling to create also more complicated patterns having more rounded shapes. Such a more complicated pattern (see Fig. 8) will be formed from these as follows. Similarly as in the example 1, the basic elements 1 are put on a plane base in the form of a pattern thus forming the first level. The second level is formed similarly as in the example 1, with the difference that instead of the elements 4, 1, 6, vertical elements 2, oblique elements 3 and three-cylinder elements 5 are gradually placed in this second level.
The described particular examples are only model examples of the possible embodiments of the set of constructional elements according to this invention, however, the actual extent of the invention is not restricted. The utilization of the main principle can be accomplished in many other embodiments.

Claims

A set of constructional elements comprising at least two basic elements (1) having each an upper side which is provided with a number of coupling projections (12, 13) arranged in uniform patterns with a fix modular distance of one to another and having a lower side which is provided with a connecting element in the form of a cylindrical wall (14) with stiffening ribs (15) and having further lateral flanged walls (11),
characterized in
that all lateral flanged walls (11) of the basic element (1) are made in the shape of an equilateral octagon, that the upper side of every basic element (1) has at least four coupling projections (12, 13) each, placed on connecting lines of opposed octagon peaks, out of which two central projections (12) are situated on a smaller circle (m) and two circumferential projections (13) are situated on a greater circle (n) and that the interconnection with other constructional elements derived from the configuration of the basic elements (1) is ensured by contacts of the coupling projections (12, 13) with the cylindrical walls (14) and respectively or with the flanged walls (11) and respectively or with the stiffening ribs (15).
A set of constructional elements according to claim 1 in combination with a derived element,
characterized in
that the derived element is a two-cylinder vertical element (2) consisting of a basic element (1) to which is as if built-in an additional basic element (1) under an angle of principal axes equal to 90° at an imaginary contact point (A), passing through the half of the back surface of an octagon, that the backpart of the built-in complex is completed by an another as if a flange cutoff in the form of a basic element (1) and that a modular pattern is made out of a group of two complete central projections (12) kits and of a group of parts of circumferential projections (13) kits on the upper side of the vertical element (2).
A set of constructional elements according to claim 1 in combination with a derived element,
characterized in
that the derived element is a two cylinder oblique element (3) consisting of a basic element (1) to which is as if built-in an additional basic element (1) under an angle of principal axes equal to 135° at an imaginary contact point (A), passing through the half of the back surface of an octagon, that the back part of the built-in complex is completed by an another as if a flange cutoff in the form of a basic element (1) and that a modular pattern is made out of a group of two complete central projections (12) kits and of a group of a part of circumferential projections (13) kits on the upper side of the oblique element (3).
A set of constructional elements according to claim 1 in combination with a derived element,
characterized in
that the derived element is a two-cylinder straight element (4) consisting of a basic element (1) to which is coaxially as if enclosed an another basic element (1), that the lateral parts of a flange are completed by a flushing cutoff of a flanged wall (11) at a contact point and that a modular pattern is made out of a group of two complete central projections (12) kits and of two complete circumferential projections (13) kits on the upper side of the straight element (4).
A set of constructional elements according to claim 1 in combination with a derived element,
characterized in
that the derived element is a three-cylinder element (5) consisting of a basic element (1) to which are as if from both sides built-in another two basic elements (1) under angles of their principal axes equal to 135° at an imaginary contact point (A) and that a modular pattern is made out of a group of three complete central projections (12) kits and of a group of a part of circumferential projections (13) kits on the upper side of the three-cylinder element (5).
A set of constructional elements according to claim 1 in combination with a derived element,
characterized in
that the derived element is a half-size element (6) consisting of as if one half-size of the basic element (1) closed by a complete flange wall and that a pattern with a corresponding number of central projections (12) and a corresponding number of circumferential projections (13) is formed on the upper side of the half-size element (6).
A set of constructional elements according to claim 1 in combination with a derived element,
characterized in
that the derived element is a quarter-size element (7) consisting of as if one quarter-size of the basic element (1) closed by a broken flange wall and that a pattern with a corresponding number of central projections (12) and corresponding number of circumferential projections (13) is formed on the upper side of the quarter-size element (7).
A set of constructional elements according to anyone of claims 1 to 7,
characterized in
that the stiffening ribs (15) are formed at the octagon peaks points and have slots (16) in the lower part to place and to contact the coupling projections of other constructional elements and that the depth size (a) of a slot (16) is greater than the height size (b) of the central projection (12).