EP1658790B1 - A multi-facet decoration assembly - Google Patents

A multi-facet decoration assembly Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1658790B1
EP1658790B1 EP04257219A EP04257219A EP1658790B1 EP 1658790 B1 EP1658790 B1 EP 1658790B1 EP 04257219 A EP04257219 A EP 04257219A EP 04257219 A EP04257219 A EP 04257219A EP 1658790 B1 EP1658790 B1 EP 1658790B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
grate
hexagonal
grates
pentagonal
polygonal
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Not-in-force
Application number
EP04257219A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1658790A1 (en
Inventor
Chen-Tien Lee
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
DongGuan Winjo Giftware Co Ltd
Original Assignee
DongGuan Winjo Giftware Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by DongGuan Winjo Giftware Co Ltd filed Critical DongGuan Winjo Giftware Co Ltd
Priority to DE602004006876T priority Critical patent/DE602004006876D1/en
Priority to AT04257219T priority patent/ATE363849T1/en
Priority to EP04257219A priority patent/EP1658790B1/en
Publication of EP1658790A1 publication Critical patent/EP1658790A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1658790B1 publication Critical patent/EP1658790B1/en
Not-in-force legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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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
    • A63H33/06—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements
    • A63H33/08—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B44—DECORATIVE ARTS
    • B44C—PRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS; MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK; PAPERHANGING
    • B44C3/00—Processes, not specifically provided for elsewhere, for producing ornamental structures
    • B44C3/12—Uniting ornamental elements to structures, e.g. mosaic plates

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a multi-facet decoration, and in particular to a decoration ball that is assembled from multiple polygonal grates with interlock mechanism, in which polygonal grates with catch pins and slot pins are linked with other corresponding polygonal grates together forming a hollow spherical structure.
  • Multi-facet decorations are popular for parties to enhance the festive atmosphere. Multi-facet decorations are also favored by discriminating designers, who often use them to decorate modem homes and offices.
  • ball decorations are eye appeasing, few people pay attention to the interior material or the internal structure.
  • Many different kinds of ball-shaped decorations are made available to the consumers, but most of them have hollow interior for the purpose of reducing the material cost and the body weight, in spite of that their bulky size creates a problem for the conventional packaging, as large boxes are needed to hold the spherical body, which directly affects their transportation and storage costs.
  • polygonal grates that can be assembled into ball or other spherical shapes using a set of identical grates. These polygonal grates are fabricated with connecting side boards along the edges, so that multiple nodes and cups on the surface of the side board are used to lock against each other when many polygonal grates are assembled to create a hollow spherical structure.
  • the polygonal grates with connecting side boards are not easy to manipulate, especially when many polygonal grates are to be cascaded to create an article with geometrical shape.
  • the designer has to be very careful when assembling this type of ball structure, because it just takes a little pushing force on one side to have the assembly structure completely disintegrate
  • the decoration set shall also promote efficient packaging to save on transportation and storage costs.
  • the first objective of the present invention is to provide a multi-facet decoration assembly, which is composed of multiple polygonal grates with catch pins and slot pins alternately arranged on the outer edges of each grate to link up other grates with similar interlock mechanism, together forming a hollow spherical structure.
  • the second objective of the invention is to provide a multi-facet decoration assembly using multiple polygonal grates that can be locked against each other when assembled to act as a truss for the hollow decoration structure, exhibiting strong rigidity almost equivalent to a solid structure.
  • the third objective of the invention is to provide a multi-facet decoration assembly that is easy to build by snapping the polygonal grates together, and easy to store away when the polygonal grates and panels are completely knocked down, thus the storage and transportation costs can be reduced considerably.
  • Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram of the conventional decoration ball assembly as disclosed in document EP-A-1 316 441;
  • Figure 2 is an exploded view of a section of the decoration ball assembly according to the invention from the inner surface;
  • Figure 3 is a diagram of the decoration ball assembly with one polygonal grate removed showing the internal structure
  • Figure 4 is a perspective view of an assembled decoration ball assembly in accordance with the present invention.
  • Figure 5 shows a decoration ball assembly using hexagonal grates and pentagonal grates to form an interlocking structure
  • Figure 6 shows the structure of a decoration ball assembly
  • Figure 6 shows a fully assembled decoration ball assembly using the polygonal grates in accordance with the present invention.
  • Figure 7 shows the detailed structure of a polygonal grate and the surface panel.
  • a multi-facet decoration assembly comprising multiple hexagonal grates 1 and pentagonal grates 2.
  • the hexagonal grate 1 is equilateral and slightly dished toward the center, and each corner of the hexagonal grate 1 has a catch pin 11 and a slot pin 12 alternately arranged on the underside, and the center of each polygonal grate 1 has a hole 13.
  • the pentagonal grate 2 is also equilateral and slightly dished toward the center, and each corner of the pentagonal grate 2 has a catch pin 21 and on the underside, and the center of each polygonal grate 2 has a hole 23.
  • the catch pin 11 on one hexagonal grate 1 is to be matched with a slot pin 12 on another hexagonal grate 1, or a slot pin 22 on one pentagonal grate 2 depending on the intended shape of the assembly structure, whereas the slot pin 12 on one hexagonal grate 1 is to be matched with a catch pin 11 on the other hexagonal grate 1 or a catch pin 21 on the pentagonal grate 2, depending on the intended shape of the assembly structure.
  • the decoration ball shown in Figure 2 is assembled with a number of hexagonal grates 1 and a multiple number of pentagonal grates 2.
  • one hexagonal grate 1 is linked by five pentagonal grates 2 using five of the six sides, and one hexagonal grate 1 on the remaining side, so that all catch pins 11/21 and slot pins 12/22 on all polygonal grates are locked against each other when assembled to build a hollow spherical structure.
  • the arrangement and the combination of the polygonal grates can be modified to build an assembly structure with different geometrical shape.
  • each hexagonal grate 1 has a raised band 10 on the outer rim to create a dished area in the center, where the band 10 has a gap 101 in the middle.
  • the pentagonal grate 2 also has a raised band 20 on the outer rim to create a dished area in the center, where the band 20 has a gap 201 in the middle.
  • a hexagonal panel 3 is inserted into the dished area of each hexagonal grate 1 and secured by the raised band 10 when the decoration structure is assembled.
  • a pentagonal panel 4 is fitted into the dished area of each pentagonal grate 2 and secured by the raised band 20.
  • the gaps 101, 201 on the polygonal grates are reserved for decoration designers who may insert a finger nail into the gap to pry open the surface panel in order to need to remove the surface panel over the polygonal grate.
  • each hexagonal grate 1 is shown in Figure 7, composed of six sides of equal length, a raised band 10 on the outer rim, a gap 101 in the middle of the raised band 10, and a hole 13 in the center of the dished hexagonal grate 1.
  • the hexagonal grate includes a unique interlock mechanism, in which each corner has a catch pin 11 and a slot pin 12 disposed on the underside.
  • the structure of the pentagonal grate 2 basically resembles the hexagonal grate 1, except that the pentagonal grate 2 has five sides of equal length.
  • each polygonal surface panel 3 shall be decorated with an insignia.
  • the surface panels 3 may display other symbols or insignia according to the designer's choice.
  • To secure the insignia there is a clamping device 31 on the underside of the surface panel 3, which is to be inserted through the hole 13 on the polygonal grate 1 when the panel 3 is assembled onto the decoration ball.
  • the clamping device 31 can be a commonly used clip to secure an insignia onto a button hole.
  • a pentagonal panel 4 can be fitted with an insignia or other symbol as the hexagonal panel 3.
  • the insignias or symbols on the polygonal surface panels can be collectively designed to create a decoration ball with a distinctive pattern.
  • the present invention has provided a unique multi-facet decoration assembly with hollow interior that can be easily assembled.
  • the assembly procedure only takes few steps by snapping the polygonal grates together to cause the alternate catch pins and slot pins to be engaged with each other.
  • the polygonal grates when linked together become a strong truss to support the assembly structure, thus a hollow decoration ball can be constructed using much less materials than its solid counterpart.
  • the decoration ball assembly can be easily stored away with the polygonal grates and surface panels in the knock-down form, thereby the storage and transportation costs for the decoration ball can be considerably reduced.

Abstract

A multi-facet decoration assembly is provided, comprising multiple polygonal grates with equilateral sides. Each corner of the polygonal grate has one catch pin and one slot pin disposed on the underside. This unique decoration ball assembly can be easily assembled by snapping multiple polygonal grates together so that all catch pins and slot pins on all polygonal grates are locked against each other. The decoration ball can be easily stored away when the polygonal grates and the panels are knocked down occupying only a small space, thus the storage and transportation costs can be reduced considerably.

Description

    BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention
  • The present invention relates to a multi-facet decoration, and in particular to a decoration ball that is assembled from multiple polygonal grates with interlock mechanism, in which polygonal grates with catch pins and slot pins are linked with other corresponding polygonal grates together forming a hollow spherical structure.
    • 2. The Related Art
  • Conventional ball-shaped decorations are popular for parties to enhance the festive atmosphere. Multi-facet decorations are also favored by discriminating designers, who often use them to decorate modem homes and offices.
  • Though these ball decorations are eye appeasing, few people pay attention to the interior material or the internal structure. Many different kinds of ball-shaped decorations are made available to the consumers, but most of them have hollow interior for the purpose of reducing the material cost and the body weight, in spite of that their bulky size creates a problem for the conventional packaging, as large boxes are needed to hold the spherical body, which directly affects their transportation and storage costs.
  • Some prudent designers then provide polygonal grates that can be assembled into ball or other spherical shapes using a set of identical grates. These polygonal grates are fabricated with connecting side boards along the edges, so that multiple nodes and cups on the surface of the side board are used to lock against each other when many polygonal grates are assembled to create a hollow spherical structure.
  • See documents FR-A-2 136 897, US-A-5 100 359 and EP-A-1 316 441.
  • However, the polygonal grates with connecting side boards are not easy to manipulate, especially when many polygonal grates are to be cascaded to create an article with geometrical shape. The designer has to be very careful when assembling this type of ball structure, because it just takes a little pushing force on one side to have the assembly structure completely disintegrate
  • Therefore, a structural modification is needed for the decoration set, so that the decoration set can be easily assembled to be ball or other spherical shapes, and stored away with a small space. The decoration set shall also promote efficient packaging to save on transportation and storage costs.
    • SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
  • The first objective of the present invention is to provide a multi-facet decoration assembly, which is composed of multiple polygonal grates with catch pins and slot pins alternately arranged on the outer edges of each grate to link up other grates with similar interlock mechanism, together forming a hollow spherical structure.
  • The second objective of the invention is to provide a multi-facet decoration assembly using multiple polygonal grates that can be locked against each other when assembled to act as a truss for the hollow decoration structure, exhibiting strong rigidity almost equivalent to a solid structure.
  • The third objective of the invention is to provide a multi-facet decoration assembly that is easy to build by snapping the polygonal grates together, and easy to store away when the polygonal grates and panels are completely knocked down, thus the storage and transportation costs can be reduced considerably.
  • These objects are achieved by a decoration assembly as defined in the claims.
  • The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.
    • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
  • Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram of the conventional decoration ball assembly as disclosed in document EP-A-1 316 441;
  • Figure 2 is an exploded view of a section of the decoration ball assembly according to the invention from the inner surface;
  • Figure 3 is a diagram of the decoration ball assembly with one polygonal grate removed showing the internal structure;
  • Figure 4 is a perspective view of an assembled decoration ball assembly in accordance with the present invention;
  • Figure 5 shows a decoration ball assembly using hexagonal grates and pentagonal grates to form an interlocking structure;
  • Figure 6 shows the structure of a decoration ball assembly;
  • Figure 6 shows a fully assembled decoration ball assembly using the polygonal grates in accordance with the present invention; and
  • Figure 7 shows the detailed structure of a polygonal grate and the surface panel.
    • DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
  • Referring to Figures 2-4, a multi-facet decoration assembly is disclosed comprising multiple hexagonal grates 1 and pentagonal grates 2.
  • The hexagonal grate 1 is equilateral and slightly dished toward the center, and each corner of the hexagonal grate 1 has a catch pin 11 and a slot pin 12 alternately arranged on the underside, and the center of each polygonal grate 1 has a hole 13.
  • The pentagonal grate 2 is also equilateral and slightly dished toward the center, and each corner of the pentagonal grate 2 has a catch pin 21 and on the underside, and the center of each polygonal grate 2 has a hole 23.
  • The catch pin 11 on one hexagonal grate 1 is to be matched with a slot pin 12 on another hexagonal grate 1, or a slot pin 22 on one pentagonal grate 2 depending on the intended shape of the assembly structure, whereas the slot pin 12 on one hexagonal grate 1 is to be matched with a catch pin 11 on the other hexagonal grate 1 or a catch pin 21 on the pentagonal grate 2, depending on the intended shape of the assembly structure.
  • The decoration ball shown in Figure 2 is assembled with a number of hexagonal grates 1 and a multiple number of pentagonal grates 2. When assembling the decoration ball, as in the present example, one hexagonal grate 1 is linked by five pentagonal grates 2 using five of the six sides, and one hexagonal grate 1 on the remaining side, so that all catch pins 11/21 and slot pins 12/22 on all polygonal grates are locked against each other when assembled to build a hollow spherical structure. However, the arrangement and the combination of the polygonal grates can be modified to build an assembly structure with different geometrical shape.
  • Referring to Figures 5 and 6, each hexagonal grate 1 has a raised band 10 on the outer rim to create a dished area in the center, where the band 10 has a gap 101 in the middle. The pentagonal grate 2 also has a raised band 20 on the outer rim to create a dished area in the center, where the band 20 has a gap 201 in the middle. A hexagonal panel 3 is inserted into the dished area of each hexagonal grate 1 and secured by the raised band 10 when the decoration structure is assembled. Likewise, a pentagonal panel 4 is fitted into the dished area of each pentagonal grate 2 and secured by the raised band 20.
  • The gaps 101, 201 on the polygonal grates are reserved for decoration designers who may insert a finger nail into the gap to pry open the surface panel in order to need to remove the surface panel over the polygonal grate.
  • The detailed structure of each hexagonal grate 1 is shown in Figure 7, composed of six sides of equal length, a raised band 10 on the outer rim, a gap 101 in the middle of the raised band 10, and a hole 13 in the center of the dished hexagonal grate 1. The hexagonal grate includes a unique interlock mechanism, in which each corner has a catch pin 11 and a slot pin 12 disposed on the underside. The structure of the pentagonal grate 2 basically resembles the hexagonal grate 1, except that the pentagonal grate 2 has five sides of equal length.
  • When the decoration ball is assembled, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, each polygonal surface panel 3 shall be decorated with an insignia. The surface panels 3 may display other symbols or insignia according to the designer's choice. To secure the insignia, there is a clamping device 31 on the underside of the surface panel 3, which is to be inserted through the hole 13 on the polygonal grate 1 when the panel 3 is assembled onto the decoration ball. The clamping device 31 can be a commonly used clip to secure an insignia onto a button hole.
  • Likewise, a pentagonal panel 4 can be fitted with an insignia or other symbol as the hexagonal panel 3. The insignias or symbols on the polygonal surface panels can be collectively designed to create a decoration ball with a distinctive pattern.
  • From the foregoing, the present invention has provided a unique multi-facet decoration assembly with hollow interior that can be easily assembled. The assembly procedure only takes few steps by snapping the polygonal grates together to cause the alternate catch pins and slot pins to be engaged with each other. The polygonal grates when linked together become a strong truss to support the assembly structure, thus a hollow decoration ball can be constructed using much less materials than its solid counterpart. The decoration ball assembly can be easily stored away with the polygonal grates and surface panels in the knock-down form, thereby the storage and transportation costs for the decoration ball can be considerably reduced.
  • Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.

Claims (7)

  1. A multi-facet decoration assembly, comprising multiple hexagonal grates (1) and pentagonal grates (2), wherein:
    each hexagonal grate (1) is equilateral, slightly dished toward the center, with a hole (13) in the center, and a catch pin (11) and a slot pin (12) alternately arranged near each corner and on the underside;
    each pentagonal grate (2) is also equilateral, slightly dished toward the center, with a hole (23) in the center, and a catch pin (21) and a slot pin (22) alternately arranged near each corner and on the underside;
    each catch (11) pin on a hexagonal grate (1) is to correspond with a slot pin (12) on another hexagonal grate (1), or a slot pin (22) on a pentagonal grate (2); and
    each slot pin (12) on a hexagonal grate (1) is to correspond with a catch pin (11) on another hexagonal grate (1) or a catch pin (21) on a pentagonal grate (2), such that all catch pins and slot pins on all polygonal grates are locked against each other in order to build a hollow ball-shaped structure.
  2. The multi-facet decoration assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the hexagonal grate (1) has a raised band (10) on the outer edges to create a dished area in the center, and the raised band has a gap (101); whereby each hexagonal grate is fitted with a hexagonal surface panel (3) when the decoration is assembled and secured by the raised band on all sides.
  3. The multi-facet decoration assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the pentagonal grate (2) has a raised band (20) on the outer edges to create a dished area in the center, and the raised band has a gap (201), whereby each pentagonal grate is fitted with a pentagonal surface panel (4) when the decoration is assembled and secured by the raised band on all sides.
  4. The multi-facet decoration assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each hexagonal panel is decorated with an insignia.
  5. The multi-facet decoration assembly as claimed in Claim 2, wherein each hexagonal panel is decorated with an insignia.
  6. The multi-facet decoration assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each pentagonal panel is decorated with an insignia.
  7. The multi-facet decoration assembly as claimed in Claim 3, wherein each pentagonal panel is decorated with an insignia.
EP04257219A 2004-11-20 2004-11-20 A multi-facet decoration assembly Not-in-force EP1658790B1 (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE602004006876T DE602004006876D1 (en) 2004-11-20 2004-11-20 Multi-facet decoration assembly
AT04257219T ATE363849T1 (en) 2004-11-20 2004-11-20 MULTI-FACET DECORATION ARRANGEMENT
EP04257219A EP1658790B1 (en) 2004-11-20 2004-11-20 A multi-facet decoration assembly

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP04257219A EP1658790B1 (en) 2004-11-20 2004-11-20 A multi-facet decoration assembly

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1658790A1 EP1658790A1 (en) 2006-05-24
EP1658790B1 true EP1658790B1 (en) 2007-06-06

Family

ID=34930817

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP04257219A Not-in-force EP1658790B1 (en) 2004-11-20 2004-11-20 A multi-facet decoration assembly

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1658790B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE363849T1 (en)
DE (1) DE602004006876D1 (en)

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2136897B1 (en) * 1971-05-07 1973-05-11 Berg Julia
US4792319A (en) * 1987-07-08 1988-12-20 Svagerko Daniel E Building blocks
IT1230312B (en) * 1989-07-07 1991-10-18 Francesco Maria Gorio GAME STRUCTURE WITH JOINTED MODULAR ELEMENTS.
US5236196A (en) * 1991-12-02 1993-08-17 Karl Blankenburg Spherical body formed of polygonal members
JP3082505U (en) * 2001-06-07 2001-12-14 株式会社電通テック Collection holder
JP2003019368A (en) * 2001-07-10 2003-01-21 Takashi Morimoto Assembling spherical toy

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ATE363849T1 (en) 2007-06-15
DE602004006876D1 (en) 2007-07-19
EP1658790A1 (en) 2006-05-24

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