EP1922126A1 - Toy building set - Google Patents

Toy building set

Info

Publication number
EP1922126A1
EP1922126A1 EP06776834A EP06776834A EP1922126A1 EP 1922126 A1 EP1922126 A1 EP 1922126A1 EP 06776834 A EP06776834 A EP 06776834A EP 06776834 A EP06776834 A EP 06776834A EP 1922126 A1 EP1922126 A1 EP 1922126A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
pins
toy building
building set
projections
insertable
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP06776834A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Ettore Fulgenzi
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.)
Giochi Puliti Srl
Original Assignee
Giochi Puliti Srl
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 Giochi Puliti Srl filed Critical Giochi Puliti Srl
Publication of EP1922126A1 publication Critical patent/EP1922126A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

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
    • A63H33/086—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 with primary projections fitting by friction in complementary spaces between secondary projections, e.g. sidewalls

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a toy building set of the type comprising a plurality of modular molded elements made of a synthetic material, so-called "bricks", which can be linked together by a friction fit to build tridimensional models representing fancy figures or real objects such as buildings, vehicles, pieces of forniture, as well as animals, plants, etc.
  • the toy building sets of the above type are generally packed in cartons containing a predetermined number of bricks.
  • the simplest bricks typically have a prismatic profile with a square or rectangular contour and, although they may differ from one another for size and shape, they have the common feature of being provided with projections on one base, which are shaped to fit into corresponding recesses formed on one opposite base.
  • certain bricks may have only one base provided with projections or recesses.
  • the toy building sets have evolved over the years, with the production of a variety of assorted bricks having more and more complex shapes specifically intended for creating predetermined profiles.
  • these bricks have a limited polyvalence and high manufacturing costs due to their complexity and to the wide range of different shapes.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide the above toy building set with a case which can be used as integral part of the toy.
  • Fig. 1 is a plan view from above of a brick belonging to a toy building set according to the invention
  • Fig. 2 is a plan view from below of the brick of Fig. 1;
  • Fig. 3 is a view in cross section of the brick of Fig. 1 along line IH-III;
  • Fig. 4 is a view in cross section of the brick of Fig. 1 along line IV-IV;
  • Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a case for the toy building set according to the invention.
  • a toy building set according to the invention is based on interconnectable modular elements or bricks of the type shown in Figs. 1-4.
  • Said bricks 10 each have a substantially square, flat contour 10 with two interconnectable, opposite main faces.
  • One first face 12 has a thin peripheral frame 13 surrounding a square hollow 14 defining a corresponding, square convex area 16 on the opposite face 18.
  • Four hollow, square-profiled pins 20 rise from the bottom of hollow 14 and arranged in square. The ends of the pins lie at the level of peripheral frame 13.
  • Convex area 16 has a salient, peripheral edge 21 , which is insertable with a friction fit into hollow 14 of another brick, as well as four salient seats 22 which are aligned to pins
  • peripheral frame 13 is bent at right angles dowstream and is shaped to define interconnectable lateral profiles.
  • two adjacent side faces 26, 28 of the brick are each provided with a wide central projection 30, 32, while the other two adjacent side faces 34, 36 are each provided with two spaced, lateral projections 38, 40, between which one of the central projections 30, 32 of another brick is insertable with a friction fit.
  • the sizes of, and the distances between, the various interconnectable profiles are multiple of a modular length L, thereby providing a wide range of possible configurations.
  • the width of each of the lateral projections 38, 40 is equal to L, and the distance between the external side end of the lateral projection and the nearest corner is also equal to L (Fig. 1).
  • the width of each of the central projections 30, 32 is equal to 3L, and the distance between the side ends of the central projection and the respective nearest corners is equal to 2L (Fig. 1).
  • the heigth of edge 24 is constant along the perimeter of the brick and is equal to L (Fig. 3).
  • the length of the side of square hollow 14 is equal to 5L (Fig.
  • the bricks are preferably made of a low density, synthetic material.
  • two bricks 10 may be linked together both laterally, with a central projection 30, 32 of one brick inserted between two side-by-side lateral projections 38, 40 of another brick, and on top of each other, with pins 20 of one brick inserted in seats 22 of another brick.
  • two bricks may be linked together at right angles in a T configuration, with either a central projection 30, 32 or two side-by-side, lateral projections 38, 40 of one brick inserted in the gaps defined by projections 20 in square hollow 14 on first face 12.
  • Fig. 5 shows a case that is specifically shaped to house a plurality of bricks of the above type and which can be used as an integral part of the toy building set.
  • the case comprises a flat shell 50 having a rectangular profile, on which an identical upturned shell 50' acting as a cover is connectable.
  • shell 50 has four plugs 56b and four holes 58a, 58b at its respective four corners, which are arranged to cooperate with a friction fit with the plugs and the holes of another shell rotated of 180°.
  • two plugs 56a at the opposite ends of one of the short sides of the shell are arranged nearer to the edge than the holes 58a in the same area, while the two plugs 56b at the opposite ends of the other short side of the shell are arranged farther from the edge then the holes 58b in the same area.
  • Main base 60 of shell 50 has three cross-shaped grooves 62 aligned along the longitudinal axis of the shell, as well as eight rectilinear grooves 64a, 64b along the periphery of the shell, with three rectilinear grooves 64a aligned along each of the long sides, and one rectilinear groove 64b aligned along each of the short sides.
  • the grooves on the shell also are sized on the basis of the modular length L, thereby allowing a wide range of possible configurations.
  • the width of the cross- shaped grooves and of the rectilinear grooves is equal to L.
  • the length of each of the two sides of the cross-shaped grooves 62, as well as the length of each of the rectilinear grooves 64a, 64b, is equal to 5L. This allows a brick 10 to be connected at right angles to the shell by fitting two lateral projections 38, 40 into one of the sides of the cross-shaped grooves 62 or into one of the rectilinear grooves 64a, 64b.
  • the distance between the ends of two adjacent cross-shaped grooves 62 and between the ends of two adjacent rectilinear grooves 64a is equal to 3L. This allows a brick 10 to be connected at right angles to the shell by fitting two side-by-side lateral projections 38, 40 astride two adjacent cross-shaped grooves 62 or two adjacent rectilinear grooves 64a.

Landscapes

  • Toys (AREA)

Abstract

The brick (10) has a substantially square, flat contour with two opposite main faces. One first face (12) has a substantially square hollow (14) having four projections (20) rising from its bottom. One second face (18) has four seats (22) aligned to the pins (20), in which the pins (20) of another brick are insertable with a friction fit. Two first side faces (26, 28) have respective central projections (30, 32) extending therefrom. Two second side faces (34, 36) have two lateral projections (38, 40) extending therefrom, between which one central projection (30) of another brick in insertable with a friction fit.

Description

"Toy building set"
The present invention relates to a toy building set of the type comprising a plurality of modular molded elements made of a synthetic material, so-called "bricks", which can be linked together by a friction fit to build tridimensional models representing fancy figures or real objects such as buildings, vehicles, pieces of forniture, as well as animals, plants, etc.
The toy building sets of the above type are generally packed in cartons containing a predetermined number of bricks. The simplest bricks typically have a prismatic profile with a square or rectangular contour and, although they may differ from one another for size and shape, they have the common feature of being provided with projections on one base, which are shaped to fit into corresponding recesses formed on one opposite base. Alternatively, certain bricks may have only one base provided with projections or recesses.
As known, in relation to bricks having a relatively simple profile, the known toy building sets only allow the bricks to be linked together on top of each other or side by side. This deficiency considerably affects the versatility of the toy and the creative possibilities offered thereby.
The toy building sets have evolved over the years, with the production of a variety of assorted bricks having more and more complex shapes specifically intended for creating predetermined profiles. However, these bricks have a limited polyvalence and high manufacturing costs due to their complexity and to the wide range of different shapes.
Therefore, it is a main object of the present invention to provide a toy building set based on a brick having a relatively simple profile and shaped in such a way as to have high polivalence and modularity, with possibility of multilateral connections, with the bricks linked together on top of each other or side by side, as well as of transversal or "T" connections.
It is another object of the invention to provide the brick with a profile which allows substantially solid (i.e., without hollow areas) flat surfaces to be formed simply by linking together a plurality of bricks side by side. It is a further object of the invention to provide the above brick with a high degree of safety in relation to the use of the toy by children.
A further object of the invention is to provide the above toy building set with a case which can be used as integral part of the toy.
The above objects and other advantages, which will better appear below, are achieved by the toy building set having the features recited in claim 1, while the dependent claims state other advantageous features of the invention.
The invention will be now described in more detail with reference to a preferred, non- exlusive embodiment shown by way of non limiting example in the attached drawings, wherein:
Fig. 1 is a plan view from above of a brick belonging to a toy building set according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a plan view from below of the brick of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a view in cross section of the brick of Fig. 1 along line IH-III;
Fig. 4 is a view in cross section of the brick of Fig. 1 along line IV-IV;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a case for the toy building set according to the invention.
A toy building set according to the invention is based on interconnectable modular elements or bricks of the type shown in Figs. 1-4. Said bricks 10 each have a substantially square, flat contour 10 with two interconnectable, opposite main faces. One first face 12 has a thin peripheral frame 13 surrounding a square hollow 14 defining a corresponding, square convex area 16 on the opposite face 18. Four hollow, square-profiled pins 20 rise from the bottom of hollow 14 and arranged in square. The ends of the pins lie at the level of peripheral frame 13.
Convex area 16 has a salient, peripheral edge 21 , which is insertable with a friction fit into hollow 14 of another brick, as well as four salient seats 22 which are aligned to pins
20 and have a complementary square profile, thereby allowing interconnection of bricks arranged on top of each other by inserting the pins of one brick into the seats of another brick.
The edge 24 of peripheral frame 13 is bent at right angles dowstream and is shaped to define interconnectable lateral profiles. In particular, two adjacent side faces 26, 28 of the brick are each provided with a wide central projection 30, 32, while the other two adjacent side faces 34, 36 are each provided with two spaced, lateral projections 38, 40, between which one of the central projections 30, 32 of another brick is insertable with a friction fit.
Preferably, the sizes of, and the distances between, the various interconnectable profiles are multiple of a modular length L, thereby providing a wide range of possible configurations. In particular, the width of each of the lateral projections 38, 40 is equal to L, and the distance between the external side end of the lateral projection and the nearest corner is also equal to L (Fig. 1). The width of each of the central projections 30, 32 is equal to 3L, and the distance between the side ends of the central projection and the respective nearest corners is equal to 2L (Fig. 1). The heigth of edge 24 is constant along the perimeter of the brick and is equal to L (Fig. 3). The length of the side of square hollow 14 is equal to 5L (Fig. 4), and the length of the side of pins 20 is equal to L (Fig. 3). The distance between the mutually facing side faces of pins 20 is equal to L, and the distance between the side faces facing outwardly of pins 20 and the peripheral surface of square hollow 14 is also equal to L (Fig. 4).
The bricks are preferably made of a low density, synthetic material.
In use, two bricks 10 may be linked together both laterally, with a central projection 30, 32 of one brick inserted between two side-by-side lateral projections 38, 40 of another brick, and on top of each other, with pins 20 of one brick inserted in seats 22 of another brick. Furthermore, two bricks may be linked together at right angles in a T configuration, with either a central projection 30, 32 or two side-by-side, lateral projections 38, 40 of one brick inserted in the gaps defined by projections 20 in square hollow 14 on first face 12.
Fig. 5 shows a case that is specifically shaped to house a plurality of bricks of the above type and which can be used as an integral part of the toy building set. The case comprises a flat shell 50 having a rectangular profile, on which an identical upturned shell 50' acting as a cover is connectable. In particular, shell 50 has four plugs 56b and four holes 58a, 58b at its respective four corners, which are arranged to cooperate with a friction fit with the plugs and the holes of another shell rotated of 180°. To this purpose, two plugs 56a at the opposite ends of one of the short sides of the shell are arranged nearer to the edge than the holes 58a in the same area, while the two plugs 56b at the opposite ends of the other short side of the shell are arranged farther from the edge then the holes 58b in the same area.
Main base 60 of shell 50 has three cross-shaped grooves 62 aligned along the longitudinal axis of the shell, as well as eight rectilinear grooves 64a, 64b along the periphery of the shell, with three rectilinear grooves 64a aligned along each of the long sides, and one rectilinear groove 64b aligned along each of the short sides.
The grooves on the shell also are sized on the basis of the modular length L, thereby allowing a wide range of possible configurations. In particular, the width of the cross- shaped grooves and of the rectilinear grooves is equal to L. The length of each of the two sides of the cross-shaped grooves 62, as well as the length of each of the rectilinear grooves 64a, 64b, is equal to 5L. This allows a brick 10 to be connected at right angles to the shell by fitting two lateral projections 38, 40 into one of the sides of the cross-shaped grooves 62 or into one of the rectilinear grooves 64a, 64b. Furthermore, the distance between the ends of two adjacent cross-shaped grooves 62 and between the ends of two adjacent rectilinear grooves 64a is equal to 3L. This allows a brick 10 to be connected at right angles to the shell by fitting two side-by-side lateral projections 38, 40 astride two adjacent cross-shaped grooves 62 or two adjacent rectilinear grooves 64a.

Claims

Claims
1. A toy building set comprising interconnectable bricks, characterized in that said bricks (10) each have a substantially square, flat contour with
- two opposite main faces, a first one of which (12) has a substantially square hollow (14) having at least two pins (20) rising from its bottom, and a second one of which (18) has at least two seats (22) aligned to the pins (20), in which the pins (20) of another brick are insertable by a friction fit,
- two first side faces (26, 28) each having a central projection (30, 32) extending therefrom,
- two second side faces (34, 36) each having two lateral projections (38, 40) extending therefrom, between which one central projection (30) of another brick in insertable with a friction fit.
2. The toy building set of claim 1, characterized in that it comprises four of said pins (20) arranged in square and four of said seats (22) aligned to the pins (20).
3. The toy building set of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said pins (20) and said seats (22) have complementary square profiles.
4. The toy building set of any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said second main face (18) has a salient edge (21) insertable with a friction fit into the square hollow (14) of another brick.
5. The toy building set of claim 1, characterized in that the shortest distance between the side faces of two adjacent pins (20) is substantially equal to the thickness of said lateral projections (30, 32) and central projections (38, 40), whereby said lateral projections and central projections are insertable at righ angles with a friction fit between adjacent pins.
6. The toy building set of claim 1 , characterized in that the shortest distance between the side faces of each of the pins (20) and the inner, peripheral surface of the square hollow
(14) is substantially equal to the thickness of said lateral projections (30, 32) and central projections (38, 40), whereby said lateral projections and central projections are insertable at righ angles with a friction fit between the pins and the peripheral inner surface of the square hollow.
7. The toy building set of claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises a flat shell having a rectangular profile (50), to which an identical, upturned shell is connectable to contain a plurality of bricks, and having a plurality of grooves (62, 64a, 64b) in which said lateral projections (30, 32) and central projections (38, 40) are insertable at right angles with a friction fit.
8. The toy building set of claim 7, characterized in that at least one of said grooves is cross-shaped (62).
9. The toy building set of claim 1, characterized in that at least one of said grooves is rectilinear (64a, 64b).
EP06776834A 2005-09-02 2006-08-14 Toy building set Withdrawn EP1922126A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT000600A ITTO20050600A1 (en) 2005-09-02 2005-09-02 BUILDING GAME, MADE UP OF TWO MODULAR ELEMENTS MADE OF LOW DENSITY PLASTIC MATERIAL
PCT/EP2006/008024 WO2007025646A1 (en) 2005-09-02 2006-08-14 Toy building set

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1922126A1 true EP1922126A1 (en) 2008-05-21

Family

ID=37311873

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP06776834A Withdrawn EP1922126A1 (en) 2005-09-02 2006-08-14 Toy building set

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US20090130947A1 (en)
EP (1) EP1922126A1 (en)
IT (1) ITTO20050600A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2007025646A1 (en)

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES2331166B1 (en) * 2007-06-12 2010-09-24 Universitat Politecnica De Catalunya GEOMETRIC CONSTRUCTION GAME.
US20150037773A1 (en) * 2011-10-06 2015-02-05 Cesar Quirarte Catano Tissue-Simulation Device for Learning and Training in Basic Techniques of Laparoscopic, Endoscopic or Minimally-Invasive Surgery
WO2017209344A1 (en) * 2016-06-03 2017-12-07 최소영 Building block toy set
US11358071B1 (en) * 2020-12-30 2022-06-14 Gracewood Management, Inc. Building block toy

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US1608273A (en) * 1924-07-26 1926-11-23 Paul R Glasgow Building block
GB1008459A (en) * 1962-06-09 1965-10-27 Hasel Heinz Hollow box-shaped toy building elements
GB1212537A (en) * 1967-11-08 1970-11-18 Keith Broughton Shackleton Constructional toy
CA1222869A (en) * 1983-03-30 1987-06-16 284215 Alberta Limited Connectable polygonal construction modules
US4792319A (en) * 1987-07-08 1988-12-20 Svagerko Daniel E Building blocks
US5022885A (en) * 1989-10-10 1991-06-11 Lyman Ronald L Toy construction set featuring radiating face and complementary edge connectors
US5215490A (en) * 1991-09-17 1993-06-01 Charles A. Szoradi Building block set of tenon engaging edge connecting members
US5681201A (en) * 1995-03-20 1997-10-28 Silverlit Technology Ltd. Toy building system
CA2337238A1 (en) * 1998-07-27 2000-02-10 Eric G. Mcintosh Building block
US6086444A (en) * 1998-12-21 2000-07-11 Connector Set Limited Partnership Block-type construction toy
US6447360B1 (en) * 2000-04-26 2002-09-10 Soren Christian Sorensen Interconnection of toy building elements in a releasable restraining engagement
SE0100117D0 (en) * 2001-01-16 2001-01-16 Stefan Fard Taheri Weedo
US6648715B2 (en) * 2001-10-25 2003-11-18 Benjamin I. Wiens Snap-fit construction system
SK9322002A3 (en) * 2002-06-25 2004-01-08 Pavol Sandor A simple set of constructional elements
ITTO20050183A1 (en) * 2005-03-18 2006-09-19 Giochi Puliti Srl MODULAR ELEMENT OF SQUARE SHAPE OF PROJECTIONS THAT ALLOW THE CONNECTION TO JOIN WITH OTHER MODULAR ELEMENTS IN ORDER TO REALIZE A CONSTRUCTION GAME
US7588476B2 (en) * 2005-04-08 2009-09-15 K'nex Limited Partnership Group Hinged connector for multi-part construction toy

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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Title
See references of WO2007025646A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US20090130947A1 (en) 2009-05-21
WO2007025646A1 (en) 2007-03-08
ITTO20050600A1 (en) 2007-03-03

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