EP2259853B1 - A toy block, a toy block connecting element and a toy block element for producing a toy block - Google Patents
A toy block, a toy block connecting element and a toy block element for producing a toy block Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP2259853B1 EP2259853B1 EP09728205A EP09728205A EP2259853B1 EP 2259853 B1 EP2259853 B1 EP 2259853B1 EP 09728205 A EP09728205 A EP 09728205A EP 09728205 A EP09728205 A EP 09728205A EP 2259853 B1 EP2259853 B1 EP 2259853B1
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- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- toy block
- catch
- toy
- leg
- hole
- 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
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Classifications
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- 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
- A63H33/10—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled by means of additional non-adhesive elements
- A63H33/101—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled by means of additional non-adhesive elements with clip or snap mechanism
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a toy block comprising a sidewall with an inner surface and an outer surface intended for abutment against a surface of a corresponding toy block said sidewall comprising a through hole for receipt of a catch portion of a connecting element and a recess in said outer surface adjacent the through hole, and said toy block comprising a catch for engaging and holding the catch portion of a connecting element.
- the present invention further relates to a toy block connecting element for interconnecting such toy blocks.
- the present invention further relates to a toy block element for producing such a toy block.
- a toy block of the abovementioned type is known from US 5,645,464 .
- the known toy block is hollow and has a wall with a circular opening, a flange recessed within said opening, a central aperture and at least two holes adjacent to and in connection with said aperture.
- Each of the at least two holes further comprise semi-cylindrical resilient supports supporting two semicircular shaped knobs integrally connected with said flange for the purpose of interconnecting two toy blocks.
- US 5,645,464 discloses a switch lock for interconnecting said toy blocks by engagement with said retaining knob means.
- the switch lock comprises a rigid disc and two shafts attached to opposite sides of said disc.
- Each shaft comprises a head portion adapted to fit in said aperture and said holes of said opening in said toy block wall to be retained by said knobs.
- the head portion of said switch lock serves both the purpose of holding the blocks connected and prevent mutual rotation of block and connection element.
- the prior known toy block is disadvantageous primarily in that the switch lock and the knob retaining means provide an unsatisfactory prevention of mutual rotation between block and connecting element during the engaging action.
- the object of the present invention is to satisfactorily prevent mutual rotation between a toy block and a connection element for such a toy block when the connecting element is inserted in the toy block.
- Another object of the invention is to provide a toy block element for producing such an improved toy block, which toy block element may be moulded in one piece and using one mould, hence being manufacturable in a simple and less costly process.
- a toy block of the abovementioned type wherein said catch is situated in the interior of the toy block in a distance from said inner surface, and in that at least one of said recess and said through hole is non-circular.
- said distance from said inner surface to said catch is at least 1 mm.
- a toy block in which prevention of mutual rotation between block and connecting element is provided by the non-circular recess and/or hole, and in which the catch portion serves to hold the blocks connected, hence separating these two actions spatially.
- Such a construction provides a considerable improvement of the prevention of mutual rotation between block and connecting element.
- a toy block connecting element for interconnecting toy blocks comprising a central flat portion with two opposite surfaces and a circumference, a catch portion for engagement with a catch of the toy block rising from at least one of said surfaces, wherein at least one of the cross section of catch portion and the circumference of the flat portion is non-circular and wherein said catch portion comprises at least one catch leg, said catch leg comprising at least one engagement means on an outer section of the catch leg opposite said central flat portion.
- a toy block connecting element in which the at least one of the flat portion and the catch portion being non-circular upon insertion in a toy block may engage with that of the recess or through hole respectively likewise being noncircular of a toy block to lock the toy block connecting element with the toy block such that prevention of mutual rotation is considerably improved.
- a toy block element for producing a toy block according to the invention, wherein the toy block element comprises a circumferential wall comprising an outer surface, an inner surface and an open edge adapted to be joined with an open edge of a corresponding toy block element, said circumferential wall being cylindrical adjacent the open edge having a generator direction, said wall comprising adjacent its open edge in its outer surface at least one recess, said recess comprising a bottom, and a through hole in said bottom, said hole opening into the open edge, at least one of said recess and said through hole being non-semicircular, said toy block element further comprising at least one first leg portion extending parallel to the generator direction to a level in a vicinity of a level of the open edge to provide at least part of a catch of a toy block.
- a toy block element for producing a toy block according to the first aspect of the invention and as described above in a particularly simple and advantageous manner by joining the open edge of the toy block element with a corresponding toy block element such that the recesses of the respective toy block elements join to form a recess of the produced toy block, while the respective first leg portions form a catch of the toy block, hence providing the abovementioned advantages.
- the first leg element is resilient and flexible in a direction perpendicular to said generator direction, thereby providing a coupling between catch and catch portion and thereby block and connecting element making it easier, particularly for a child, to insert and remove said connecting element in and from said toy block.
- the toy block element according to the invention further comprises at least one second leg portion extending parallel to the generator direction to a level in a vicinity of a peripheral point of the through hole opposite said open edge to provide part of a catch of a toy block.
- At least one of said first leg portion and said second leg portion comprises a transversal portion extending over at least part of the distance between the inner surface of the circumferential wall and the respective leg portion.
- the at least one of said recess and said through hole being non-semicircular is shaped substantially as a halved cross.
- a non-semicircular recess, or through hole is provided which may be constructed such that it is symmetric about a centre axis, whereby all toy block elements having identically shaped circumferential walls may be moulded using one and the same mould, thus providing a particularly cost effective toy block element.
- the at least one of said recess and said through hole being non-semicircular comprises a first and a second leg parts extending substantially in parallel with said open edge and separated by a third leg part extending substantially perpendicular to said open edge.
- the toy block element comprises a base wall being merged in at least one of a curve and an angle with the circumferential wall opposite said open edge, wherein said base wall comprises at least one non-circular recess, said recess comprising a bottom and a through hole in said bottom, at least one of said recess and said through hole being non-circular, at least one third leg portion rising from the base wall adjacent said through hole into an interior of the toy block to provide at least part of a catch of a toy block.
- a toy block element is provided by which toy blocks produced by the use of such elements as a consequence of the additional wall provided may assume a wider range of geometrical shapes and may by the use of toy block connecting elements be combined in a wider range of possibilities as compared to a toy block produced by the use of toy block elements with no such base wall, the prior mentioned advantages regarding the hold and rotation of a toy block connecting element also being maintained as regards a catch of the base wall.
- said third leg portion is resilient and flexible in a direction perpendicular to said generator direction, thereby providing a coupling between catch and catch portion and thereby block and connecting element making it easier, particularly for a child, to insert and remove said connecting element in and from said toy block.
- the base wall further comprises at least one fourth leg portion rising from the base wall adjacent said through hole to provide part of a catch of a toy block.
- the fourth leg portion further comprises a transversal portion.
- the said first, second, third and/or fourth leg portion further comprises at least one adjacent element adapted to support the first, second, third and/or fourth leg portion, whereby a toy block having further improved catch regarding stability and durability may be provided using such toy block elements.
- At least a part of said circumferential wall and/or of said base wall is curved, thereby expanding the possible range of shapes of block elements considerably.
- the toy block element is moulded in one piece.
- the toy block may be produced using a particularly simple and cost efficient production process.
- a toy block comprising two toy block elements according to the invention is provided, said toy block elements being joined together by their respective open edges.
- the joining together of said toy block elements is preferably accomplished by welding, preferably ultrasonic sealing.
- a toy block with the desired advantages and a particularly simple and efficient sealing may be achieved by the use of a particularly simple sealing process.
- a toy building set comprising a plurality of toy blocks according to the invention, said toy blocks having one or more different outer shapes, and a plurality of toy block connecting elements according to the invention is provided.
- a toy block 1 comprises a side wall 2 with an inner surface (not visible) facing the interior of the toy block 1 and an outer surface 3 intended for abutment with another toy block.
- the side wall 2 comprises one or more through holes 4 (a total of three are shown) and a recess 5 in the surface 3 adjacent each through hole 4. At least one of the recess 5 and the through hole 4 is non-circular.
- both the recess 5 and the through hole 4 are shaped substantially as a cross, but any non-circular shape such as for instance rectangular or triangular may in principle be used and only one of the recess 5 and the through hole 4 need necessarily be non-circular.
- the through hole 4 is intended for receipt of a toy block connecting element, a preferred embodiment of such a toy block connecting element being shown in figs. 2A and 2B .
- the toy block consists of two toy block elements according to the invention being joined along a joint 24.
- the toy block element according to the invention and the joining together of such toy block elements will be described in detail below.
- a preferred embodiment of a toy block connecting element 6 comprises a central flat portion 9 with two opposite surfaces 10a, 10b, the flat portion 9 having a circumference 8.
- the shape of the circumference 8 is such that it fits in a recess of a toy block.
- the circumference 8 is shaped substantially as a cross to fit in the cross shaped recess 5 of the toy block 1 according to fig. 1 , but any shape of circumference may in principle be used, as long as the shape of the circumference matches at least a part of that of a recess of a toy block.
- Rising from either surface 10a, 10b is a catch portion 7.
- each of the catch portions 7 comprise four separate catch legs 30.
- Each catch leg 30 is preferably resilient and comprises an inner catch leg section 30a and an outer catch leg section 30b.
- the inner catch leg section 30a comprises an outward facing surface 33.
- the outer catch leg section 30b comprises an outward facing surface having two surface sections 31 and 32.
- the surface section 31 raises gradually from the level of the outward facing surface 33 of the inner catch leg section 30a to a highest point 36 situated between the ends of the outer catch leg section 30b.
- the surface sections 31 and 32 adjoin at said highest point 36 from which the surface section 32 gradually falls to reach its lowest level at its end opposite surface section 31.
- the surface sections 31, 32 in combination provide an engagement means in the form of a projection on the outer catch leg section 30b.
- the engagement means could also be an indentation in the outer catch leg section 30b.
- the length of the inner catch leg 30a substantially equals a distance between the inner surface and the corresponding leg portion of the catch of a toy block 1, such that the outer catch leg portion 30b with its projection may in a snap locking manner engage with a catch of a toy block 1, the catch portion 7 thus providing an engagement with a catch of a toy block 1 upon insertion in the toy block 1.
- Such a catch of a toy block 1 will be described in detail below.
- Fig. 3A and 3B shows an alternative embodiment of a toy block connecting element according to the invention.
- the toy block connecting element 6 of figs. 3A and 3B is identical with that of figs. 2A and 2B except for the embodiment of the outer catch leg section 30b.
- the surface section 31 of the outer catch leg section 30b rises substantially perpendicular to the outward facing surface 33 of the inner catch leg section 30a to a highest point 36 from which the surface section 32 falls gradually to reach its lowest level at its end opposite surface section 31.
- This embodiment provides for a tighter engagement with a catch of a toy block as compared to the preferred embodiment of figs. 2A and 2B , the latter being somewhat easier to release in order to separate toy block and connecting element.
- a steeper raising angle of the surface section 31 provides a tighter engagement with a catch of a toy block.
- the gradual raise of the surface section 32 serves to provide an easier insertion of the catch portion 7 into a through hole of a toy
- the catch legs 30 may be resilient or rigid, and fewer or more catch legs 30 may be provided i.a. depending on the shape of the central portion 9 and/or the shape of the catch of the toy block.
- a central intermediate portion rising from the central flat portion 9 and extending between at least two of the catch legs 30 may be provided joining two or more of the catch legs 30.
- the presence of such a central intermediate portion may result in a catch portion having a cross sectional shape of for instance a plus or a circle.
- the tip 34 of each of the outer catch leg sections 30b of each catch leg 30 is preferably rounded such as to prevent sharp ends, that may inflict damage upon blocks and/or users when connecting toy blocks 1.
- the shape of the flat central section 9 and the recess 5 match and that the cross sectional shape of the catch portion 7 is such that it at least may be inserted in the hole 4 and preferably matches the shape of the hole 4.
- FIG. 4A and 4B Shown in figs. 4A and 4B is another embodiment of a connecting element 6 according to the invention.
- This embodiment differs from that of figs 2A and 2B in two regards.
- the circumference 8 of the flat portion 9 is provided with a number of notches 37 situated on the part of the circumference 8 intermediate between a catch leg 30 of each of the catch portions 7.
- This embodiment provides for added flexibility of the catch legs 30 as compared to the embodiment of figs. 2A and 2B .
- the part of the circumference 8 intended to abut the recess 5 of a toy block 1 as described further below is limited to constitute the sections between each two catch legs 30.
- a catch portion 7 is pushed through the through hole 4 to be received by a catch of a toy block 1, the catch being situated in the inside of the toy block, thus not being visible in fig. 1 .
- the catch portion 7 is pushed into the toy block 1 until the circumference 8 of the flat portion 9 abuts the recess 5 of the toy block 1.
- the engagement between the catch of the toy block and the catch portion 7 of the connecting element prevents longitudinal movement of the connecting element 6, while the engagement between those of flat portion 9 and recess 5 or through hole 4 and catch portion 7 having at least partially matching non-circular circumferences prevent radial movement of the connecting element 6.
- the other catch portion 7 of the connecting element 6 may then be inserted in a through hole 4 and catch of another toy block 1, thus connecting the two toy blocks. In this way the engagement holding the toy blocks together and the engagement preventing rotation of the blocks both with respect to each other and with respect to the connecting element are separated.
- the thickness of the central flat portion 9 of the connecting element 6 preferably substantially equals or is slightly smaller than the combined depth of the recesses 5 in the respective surfaces 3.
- a connecting element may, in another embodiment shown in figs. 5A and 5B , be provided in two parts coupled together using a frictional coupling.
- a frictional coupling may provide for continuous or graduated rotation. In this way the two catch portions 7 may be rotated relative to each other about their longitudinal axis.
- a toy block element 11 comprises in the embodiment shown a circumferential wall 12 and a base wall 21.
- the circumferential wall 12 comprises an outer surface 13, an inner surface 14 and an open edge 15. Adjacent the open edge 15 the circumferential wall 12 is cylindrical with an axial direction being parallel with a generator direction defined by an arrow 16 shown in fig. 6 .
- the circumferential wall 12 furthermore comprises adjacent its open edge 15 a recess 5a. As it is seen more clearly in fig. 9 , the recess 5a comprises a bottom 18 and a through hole 4a in the bottom 18.
- the through hole 4a opens into the open edge 15 such that the adjacent recess 5a forms a transition 15a with the open edge 15 at either side of the through hole 4a.
- the transitions 15a of the toy block element 11 are intended to coincide with the corresponding transitions between the open edge and the recess of the corresponding toy block element.
- at least one of the recess 5a and the through hole 4 is non-semicircular.
- both the through hole 4a and the recess 5a are shaped substantially as a halved cross.
- the recess 5a and the hole 4a comprise two recess legs 17a, 17b extending substantially in parallel with the open edge 15 and separated by a recess leg 17c extending substantially perpendicular to the open edge 15.
- any non-semicircular shape may in principle be used and only one of the recess 5a and the through hole 4a need be non-semicircular in shape.
- the circumferential wall 12 comprises four equally sized sides, thus forming a block element 11 with a quadratic shape.
- a circumferential wall of a toy block element according to the invention however merely need have at least one side, and may in principle have any number of sides equal to or larger than one, and each side may be straight, partially curved or curved as desired, thus providing for a large variety of shapes of toy block elements.
- the toy block element 11 further comprises at least one first leg portion 19.
- the first leg portion 19 extends in a direction parallel to a generator direction denoted on fig. 6 by an arrow 16 to a level in a vicinity of a level of the open edge 15 and is situated inside the circumferential wall 12 at a distance from the inner surface 14, the distance preferably in any case being at least 1 mm. In the preferred embodiment of a toy block according to the invention, this distance is preferably approximately 4 mm. This distance, however, obviously depends on the overall size of the toy block such that the larger the toy block is, the larger the preferred distance will be, the mentioned approximately 4 mm being intended used in a toy block having a size in the order of 3x3x3 cm in the cubic version shown in fig.
- the first leg portion 19 thus provides at least part of a catch of a toy block 1 according to the invention.
- the first leg portion 19 may be resilient in a direction perpendicular to said generator direction 16.
- the first leg portion 19 may furthermore comprise a transverse portion 19a extending over at least part of the distance between inner surface 14 and first leg portion 19.
- the transverse portion 19a covers the entire said distance, thus connecting the first leg portion 19 and the inner surface 14.
- the transverse portion 19a is preferably shaped such as to be substantially flush with the adjacent section of the circumference of the through hole 4a, substantially without covering any of the open area of the through hole 4a.
- the toy block element 11 may further comprise at least one second leg portion 20.
- the second leg portion 20 extends in a direction parallel to the generator direction 16 to a level in a vicinity of peripheral point of the through hole 4a opposite the open edge 15 and is situated inside the circumferential wall 12 at a distance from the inner surface 14, the distance preferably being between 3 mm and 10 mm.
- the second leg portion 20 thus provides part of a catch of a toy block 1 according to the invention.
- the second leg portion 20 is preferably of a rigid structure.
- the second leg portion 20 may furthermore comprise a transverse portion 20a extending over at least part of the distance between inner surface 14 and second leg portion 20. In the embodiment shown the transverse portion 20a covers the entire said distance, thus connecting the second leg portion 20 and the inner surface 14.
- the transverse portion 20a is preferably shaped such as to be substantially flush with the adjacent section of the circumference of the through hole 4a, substantially without covering any of the open area of the through hole 4a.
- the transverse portions 19a, 20a extend in the generator direction 16 and may furthermore serve to support the catch portion 7 of a connecting element 6 upon insertion such that the outward facing surface 33 and surface sections 31, 32 of a catch leg 30 may slide along a surface of a transverse portion 19a or 20a, thus facilitating the insertion (and later removal) of a connecting element 6 in a toy block 1.
- the transverse portions 19a, 20a extend to a level flush with the level to which the corresponding leg portion 19, 20 respectively extends.
- the thickness of the transverse portions 19a and in particular 20a should preferably be sufficient to serve their supportive purpose, but is otherwise of lesser importance.
- both the first 19 and the second 20 leg portion furthermore extend in a plane parallel to the circumferential wall 12 such that they meet each other. This provides for a simple and particularly durable structure of the catch. The presence of transverse portions 19a and 20a would improve durability of the catch of the toy block even further.
- first 19 and/or the second 20 leg portion may comprise one or more further adjacent elements (not shown) to further support and stabilize the leg portions 19, 20.
- a complete catch of a toy block assembled of two toy block elements 11 would thus comprise two first leg portions 19 and two second leg portions 20.
- the second leg portions 20 it is in principle possible in the simplest form to omit (or indeed substitute them for further first leg portions 19) the second leg portions 20, thus letting the catch comprise two leg portions 19 only.
- the toy block element 11 further comprises a base wall 21.
- the base wall 21 is shown as merged in a right angle with the circumferential wall 12, but may also in other embodiments be merged in another angle or in a curve with the circumferential wall 12, thus increasing the number of possible shapes of toy block elements according to the invention even further.
- the base wall 21 further comprises a recess 5 with a bottom 18 and a through hole 4 in the bottom 18.
- two third leg portions 22 extend from the base wall 21 and into the interior of the toy block element, the third leg portions 22 being situated adjacent said through hole 4.
- the third leg portion 22 provides at least part of a catch of a toy block according to the invention.
- the third leg portion 22 may be resilient and flexible in a direction perpendicular to the generator direction 16.
- fourth leg portions 23 are shown to and may extend from the base wall 21 and into the interior of the toy block element, the fourth leg portions 23 also being situated adjacent said through hole 4.
- the fourth leg portions 23 and the third leg portions 22 are identically shaped.
- the fourth leg portions 23 are preferably rigid in structure and provide part of a catch of a toy block according to the invention.
- the one recess 5 in the base wall 21 is shown situated in a central position on the base wall 21.
- any desired position may in principle be used, and furthermore more than one recess 5 with related hole 4 and catch may be provided in the base wall 21.
- a complete catch of a base wall 21 of a toy block element 11 would thus comprise two third leg portions 22 and two fourth leg portions 23.
- the fourth leg portions 23 it is in principle possible in the simplest form to omit (or indeed substitute them for further third leg portions 22) the fourth leg portions 23, thus letting the catch comprise two leg portions 22 only.
- Fig. 7 shows a toy block element 11 identical to that of fig. 6 in which the engagement between a catch of a toy block, i.e. the first 19 and second 20 leg portions of a circumferential wall 12 or the third 22 and fourth 23 leg portions of a base wall 21, and a catch portion 7 of a connecting element 6 (in fig. 7 a connecting element 6 of the type shown in figs. 3A and 3B ) is illustrated.
- a catch of a toy block i.e. the first 19 and second 20 leg portions of a circumferential wall 12 or the third 22 and fourth 23 leg portions of a base wall 21, and a catch portion 7 of a connecting element 6 (in fig. 7 a connecting element 6 of the type shown in figs. 3A and 3B ) is illustrated.
- a toy block element according to the invention may be produced entirely in the same relatively hard and durable plastic material by injection moulding.
- a preferred such material is ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene).
- a toy block connecting element according to the invention may be produced of the same plastic material as the toy block elements and likewise by injection moulding.
- the toy block connecting elements are made of polycarbonate.
- one or more of the catch portion of the connecting element and the first and third leg portions of the catch of the toy block may be made resilient and flexible. Such flexibility and resilience is preferably achieved by constructing the mould used to provide the elements in question with suitable structural dimensions, for instance by making them sufficiently thin to be resilient. However another but less preferred possibility is to use a more resilient plastic material for moulding the elements resilient and flexible elements.
- two toy block elements according to the invention are joined by bringing their respective open edges 15 to abut against each other and subsequently seal the open edges 15 to each other by for instance welding, preferably ultrasonic sealing. Alternatively the joining may be accomplished by the use of an adhesive agent, a frictional coupling or by providing each two toy block elements with corresponding locking elements at their respective open edges 15.
- connection elements and toy blocks together are to join the toy block elements together around one or more toy block connecting elements by placing the connecting elements in one of the toy block elements as the toy block connecting element 6 is placed in the toy block element 11 in fig. 7 .
- a plurality of plate shaped projections 35 may furthermore be provided along the open edge 15 of a toy block element 11.
- An example of such projections 35 is shown in fig. 9 .
- figs. 11-14 show toy block with a D-shaped side wall
- fig. 12 shows a toy block with a side wall shaped as a quarter circle
- fig. 13 shows a toy block with a triangular side wall
- fig. 14 shows a toy block with a U-shaped side wall.
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Description
- The present invention relates to a toy block comprising a sidewall with an inner surface and an outer surface intended for abutment against a surface of a corresponding toy block said sidewall comprising a through hole for receipt of a catch portion of a connecting element and a recess in said outer surface adjacent the through hole, and said toy block comprising a catch for engaging and holding the catch portion of a connecting element. The present invention further relates to a toy block connecting element for interconnecting such toy blocks. The present invention further relates to a toy block element for producing such a toy block.
- A toy block of the abovementioned type is known from
US 5,645,464 . The known toy block is hollow and has a wall with a circular opening, a flange recessed within said opening, a central aperture and at least two holes adjacent to and in connection with said aperture. Each of the at least two holes further comprise semi-cylindrical resilient supports supporting two semicircular shaped knobs integrally connected with said flange for the purpose of interconnecting two toy blocks. FurthermoreUS 5,645,464 discloses a switch lock for interconnecting said toy blocks by engagement with said retaining knob means. The switch lock comprises a rigid disc and two shafts attached to opposite sides of said disc. Each shaft comprises a head portion adapted to fit in said aperture and said holes of said opening in said toy block wall to be retained by said knobs. By engagement with said knob retaining means the head portion of said switch lock serves both the purpose of holding the blocks connected and prevent mutual rotation of block and connection element. - The prior known toy block is disadvantageous primarily in that the switch lock and the knob retaining means provide an unsatisfactory prevention of mutual rotation between block and connecting element during the engaging action.
- Hence, the object of the present invention is to satisfactorily prevent mutual rotation between a toy block and a connection element for such a toy block when the connecting element is inserted in the toy block.
- Another object of the invention is to provide a toy block element for producing such an improved toy block, which toy block element may be moulded in one piece and using one mould, hence being manufacturable in a simple and less costly process.
- According to a first aspect of the invention these objects are achieved by a toy block of the abovementioned type, wherein said catch is situated in the interior of the toy block in a distance from said inner surface, and in that at least one of said recess and said through hole is non-circular. In a preferred embodiment said distance from said inner surface to said catch is at least 1 mm.
- Thereby a toy block is provided in which prevention of mutual rotation between block and connecting element is provided by the non-circular recess and/or hole, and in which the catch portion serves to hold the blocks connected, hence separating these two actions spatially. Such a construction provides a considerable improvement of the prevention of mutual rotation between block and connecting element.
- According to a second aspect of the invention the objects of the invention are achieved by a toy block connecting element for interconnecting toy blocks, comprising a central flat portion with two opposite surfaces and a circumference, a catch portion for engagement with a catch of the toy block rising from at least one of said surfaces, wherein at least one of the cross section of catch portion and the circumference of the flat portion is non-circular and wherein said catch portion comprises at least one catch leg, said catch leg comprising at least one engagement means on an outer section of the catch leg opposite said central flat portion.
- Thereby a toy block connecting element is provided in which the at least one of the flat portion and the catch portion being non-circular upon insertion in a toy block may engage with that of the recess or through hole respectively likewise being noncircular of a toy block to lock the toy block connecting element with the toy block such that prevention of mutual rotation is considerably improved.
- According to a third aspect of the invention the objects of the invention are achieved by a toy block element for producing a toy block according to the invention, wherein the toy block element comprises a circumferential wall comprising an outer surface, an inner surface and an open edge adapted to be joined with an open edge of a corresponding toy block element, said circumferential wall being cylindrical adjacent the open edge having a generator direction, said wall comprising adjacent its open edge in its outer surface at least one recess, said recess comprising a bottom, and a through hole in said bottom, said hole opening into the open edge, at least one of said recess and said through hole being non-semicircular, said toy block element further comprising at least one first leg portion extending parallel to the generator direction to a level in a vicinity of a level of the open edge to provide at least part of a catch of a toy block.
- Thereby a toy block element is provided for producing a toy block according to the first aspect of the invention and as described above in a particularly simple and advantageous manner by joining the open edge of the toy block element with a corresponding toy block element such that the recesses of the respective toy block elements join to form a recess of the produced toy block, while the respective first leg portions form a catch of the toy block, hence providing the abovementioned advantages.
- According to a particularly preferred embodiment the first leg element is resilient and flexible in a direction perpendicular to said generator direction, thereby providing a coupling between catch and catch portion and thereby block and connecting element making it easier, particularly for a child, to insert and remove said connecting element in and from said toy block.
- According to a preferred embodiment the toy block element according to the invention further comprises at least one second leg portion extending parallel to the generator direction to a level in a vicinity of a peripheral point of the through hole opposite said open edge to provide part of a catch of a toy block. Thereby an improved and more stable hold of a connecting element according to the invention upon inserting such a connecting element in a through hole of a toy block produced by the use of such toy block elements is provided.
- According to a particularly preferred embodiment at least one of said first leg portion and said second leg portion comprises a transversal portion extending over at least part of the distance between the inner surface of the circumferential wall and the respective leg portion. Thereby a further improved hold of a connecting element according to the invention, particularly in a transverse direction of said connecting element, upon inserting such a connecting element in a through hole of a toy block produced by the use of such toy block elements is provided.
- According to a preferred embodiment the at least one of said recess and said through hole being non-semicircular is shaped substantially as a halved cross. Thereby a non-semicircular recess, or through hole, is provided which may be constructed such that it is symmetric about a centre axis, whereby all toy block elements having identically shaped circumferential walls may be moulded using one and the same mould, thus providing a particularly cost effective toy block element.
- According to a particularly preferred embodiment the at least one of said recess and said through hole being non-semicircular comprises a first and a second leg parts extending substantially in parallel with said open edge and separated by a third leg part extending substantially perpendicular to said open edge. Thereby a particularly simple embodiment of the abovementioned halved cross shape is provided.
- According to a further particularly preferred embodiment of a toy block element according to the invention the toy block element comprises a base wall being merged in at least one of a curve and an angle with the circumferential wall opposite said open edge, wherein said base wall comprises at least one non-circular recess, said recess comprising a bottom and a through hole in said bottom, at least one of said recess and said through hole being non-circular, at least one third leg portion rising from the base wall adjacent said through hole into an interior of the toy block to provide at least part of a catch of a toy block. Thereby a toy block element is provided by which toy blocks produced by the use of such elements as a consequence of the additional wall provided may assume a wider range of geometrical shapes and may by the use of toy block connecting elements be combined in a wider range of possibilities as compared to a toy block produced by the use of toy block elements with no such base wall, the prior mentioned advantages regarding the hold and rotation of a toy block connecting element also being maintained as regards a catch of the base wall.
- According to a particularly preferred embodiment said third leg portion is resilient and flexible in a direction perpendicular to said generator direction, thereby providing a coupling between catch and catch portion and thereby block and connecting element making it easier, particularly for a child, to insert and remove said connecting element in and from said toy block.
- According to a preferred embodiment the base wall further comprises at least one fourth leg portion rising from the base wall adjacent said through hole to provide part of a catch of a toy block. Thereby an improved hold of a connecting element according to the invention upon inserting such a connecting element in a through hole of a base wall of a toy block produced by the use of such toy block elements is provided.
- According to a preferred embodiment the fourth leg portion further comprises a transversal portion. Thereby a further improved hold of a connecting element according to the invention, particularly in a transverse direction of said connecting element, upon inserting such a connecting element in a through hole of a base wall of a toy block produced by the use of such toy block elements is provided.
- According to a preferred embodiment of a toy block element according to the invention the said first, second, third and/or fourth leg portion further comprises at least one adjacent element adapted to support the first, second, third and/or fourth leg portion, whereby a toy block having further improved catch regarding stability and durability may be provided using such toy block elements.
- According to a preferred embodiment at least a part of said circumferential wall and/or of said base wall is curved, thereby expanding the possible range of shapes of block elements considerably.
- According to a particularly preferred embodiment the toy block element is moulded in one piece. Thereby the toy block may be produced using a particularly simple and cost efficient production process.
- According to a fourth aspect of the invention a toy block comprising two toy block elements according to the invention is provided, said toy block elements being joined together by their respective open edges. The joining together of said toy block elements is preferably accomplished by welding, preferably ultrasonic sealing. Hereby a toy block with the desired advantages and a particularly simple and efficient sealing may be achieved by the use of a particularly simple sealing process.
- According to a fifth aspect of the invention a toy building set comprising a plurality of toy blocks according to the invention, said toy blocks having one or more different outer shapes, and a plurality of toy block connecting elements according to the invention is provided.
- The invention will now be described in further detail based on a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, and with reference to the drawings. In the drawings,
-
Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a toy block according to the invention, -
Fig. 2a and 2b shows a side and a top view respectively of an embodiment of a toy block connecting element according to the invention, -
Fig. 3a and 3b shows a side and a top view respectively of a second embodiment of a toy block connecting element according to the invention, -
Fig. 4a and 4b shows a side and a top view respectively of a third embodiment of a toy block connecting element according to the invention, -
Fig. 5a and 5b shows a side and a top view respectively of a fourth embodiment of a toy block connecting element according to the invention, -
Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a toy block element according to the invention, -
Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of a toy block element according tofig. 6 engaging two connecting elements according tofig. 2a , -
Fig. 8 shows a toy block element according tofig. 6 seen from above, -
Fig. 9 shows the outside of a toy block element according tofig. 6 seen from one side, -
Fig. 10 shows the outside of a toy block element according tofig. 6 seen from below, and -
Figs 11-14 show four other embodiments of toy block elements according to the invention being shaped as a D, a quarter circle, a triangle and a U respectively. - With reference to
fig. 1 atoy block 1 according to the invention comprises aside wall 2 with an inner surface (not visible) facing the interior of thetoy block 1 and anouter surface 3 intended for abutment with another toy block. Theside wall 2 comprises one or more through holes 4 (a total of three are shown) and arecess 5 in thesurface 3 adjacent each throughhole 4. At least one of therecess 5 and the throughhole 4 is non-circular. In the embodiment shown, both therecess 5 and the throughhole 4 are shaped substantially as a cross, but any non-circular shape such as for instance rectangular or triangular may in principle be used and only one of therecess 5 and the throughhole 4 need necessarily be non-circular. The throughhole 4 is intended for receipt of a toy block connecting element, a preferred embodiment of such a toy block connecting element being shown infigs. 2A and 2B . In the embodiment of thetoy block 1 shown infig. 1 , the toy block consists of two toy block elements according to the invention being joined along a joint 24. The toy block element according to the invention and the joining together of such toy block elements will be described in detail below. - With reference to
figs. 2A and 2B a preferred embodiment of a toyblock connecting element 6 according to the invention comprises a centralflat portion 9 with two opposite surfaces 10a, 10b, theflat portion 9 having acircumference 8. The shape of thecircumference 8 is such that it fits in a recess of a toy block. In the embodiment shown, thecircumference 8 is shaped substantially as a cross to fit in the cross shapedrecess 5 of thetoy block 1 according tofig. 1 , but any shape of circumference may in principle be used, as long as the shape of the circumference matches at least a part of that of a recess of a toy block. Rising from either surface 10a, 10b is acatch portion 7. In the embodiment shown each of thecatch portions 7 comprise fourseparate catch legs 30. Eachcatch leg 30 is preferably resilient and comprises an innercatch leg section 30a and an outer catch leg section 30b. The innercatch leg section 30a comprises an outward facingsurface 33. The outer catch leg section 30b comprises an outward facing surface having twosurface sections figs. 2A and 2B thesurface section 31 raises gradually from the level of the outward facingsurface 33 of the innercatch leg section 30a to ahighest point 36 situated between the ends of the outer catch leg section 30b. Thesurface sections highest point 36 from which thesurface section 32 gradually falls to reach its lowest level at its end oppositesurface section 31. Thus thesurface sections inner catch leg 30a substantially equals a distance between the inner surface and the corresponding leg portion of the catch of atoy block 1, such that the outer catch leg portion 30b with its projection may in a snap locking manner engage with a catch of atoy block 1, thecatch portion 7 thus providing an engagement with a catch of atoy block 1 upon insertion in thetoy block 1. Such a catch of atoy block 1 will be described in detail below. -
Fig. 3A and 3B shows an alternative embodiment of a toy block connecting element according to the invention. The toyblock connecting element 6 offigs. 3A and 3B is identical with that offigs. 2A and 2B except for the embodiment of the outer catch leg section 30b. In this particular embodiment thesurface section 31 of the outer catch leg section 30b rises substantially perpendicular to the outward facingsurface 33 of the innercatch leg section 30a to ahighest point 36 from which thesurface section 32 falls gradually to reach its lowest level at its end oppositesurface section 31. This embodiment provides for a tighter engagement with a catch of a toy block as compared to the preferred embodiment offigs. 2A and 2B , the latter being somewhat easier to release in order to separate toy block and connecting element. Thus a steeper raising angle of thesurface section 31 provides a tighter engagement with a catch of a toy block. The gradual raise of thesurface section 32 serves to provide an easier insertion of thecatch portion 7 into a through hole of a toy block. - In further embodiments of a toy block connecting element according to the invention the
catch legs 30 may be resilient or rigid, and fewer ormore catch legs 30 may be provided i.a. depending on the shape of thecentral portion 9 and/or the shape of the catch of the toy block. For instance a central intermediate portion rising from the centralflat portion 9 and extending between at least two of thecatch legs 30 may be provided joining two or more of thecatch legs 30. In a not shown embodiment the presence of such a central intermediate portion may result in a catch portion having a cross sectional shape of for instance a plus or a circle. Furthermore, as shown on the figs., thetip 34 of each of the outer catch leg sections 30b of eachcatch leg 30 is preferably rounded such as to prevent sharp ends, that may inflict damage upon blocks and/or users when connecting toy blocks 1. Of crucial importance is solely the configuration of the outwards facing surface sections corresponding to 31, 32 offig. 2A , that the shape of the flatcentral section 9 and therecess 5 match and that the cross sectional shape of thecatch portion 7 is such that it at least may be inserted in thehole 4 and preferably matches the shape of thehole 4. - Shown in
figs. 4A and 4B is another embodiment of a connectingelement 6 according to the invention. This embodiment differs from that offigs 2A and 2B in two regards. Firstly, thecircumference 8 of theflat portion 9 is provided with a number ofnotches 37 situated on the part of thecircumference 8 intermediate between acatch leg 30 of each of thecatch portions 7. This embodiment provides for added flexibility of thecatch legs 30 as compared to the embodiment offigs. 2A and 2B . Secondly, the part of thecircumference 8 intended to abut therecess 5 of atoy block 1 as described further below is limited to constitute the sections between each twocatch legs 30. - When inserting such a toy block connecting element according to the embodiment shown in
figs. 2A and 2B in a toy block according to the invention, acatch portion 7 is pushed through the throughhole 4 to be received by a catch of atoy block 1, the catch being situated in the inside of the toy block, thus not being visible infig. 1 . Thecatch portion 7 is pushed into thetoy block 1 until thecircumference 8 of theflat portion 9 abuts therecess 5 of thetoy block 1. In this way the engagement between the catch of the toy block and thecatch portion 7 of the connecting element prevents longitudinal movement of the connectingelement 6, while the engagement between those offlat portion 9 andrecess 5 or throughhole 4 and catchportion 7 having at least partially matching non-circular circumferences prevent radial movement of the connectingelement 6. Theother catch portion 7 of the connectingelement 6 may then be inserted in a throughhole 4 and catch of anothertoy block 1, thus connecting the two toy blocks. In this way the engagement holding the toy blocks together and the engagement preventing rotation of the blocks both with respect to each other and with respect to the connecting element are separated. Furthermore, to ensure that theouter surfaces 3 of the twotoy blocks 1 abut each other upon connection with a connectingelement 6, the thickness of the centralflat portion 9 of the connectingelement 6 preferably substantially equals or is slightly smaller than the combined depth of therecesses 5 in the respective surfaces 3. - Notwithstanding the above it may, however, when building structures by connecting toy blocks according to the invention be desirable to be able to rotate one of two
toy blocks 1 held together by a connectingelement 6 relative to the other block without compromising the engagement holding the blocks together. To achieve this the centralflat portion 9 of a connecting element according to the invention may, in another embodiment shown infigs. 5A and 5B , be provided in two parts coupled together using a frictional coupling. Such a frictional coupling may provide for continuous or graduated rotation. In this way the twocatch portions 7 may be rotated relative to each other about their longitudinal axis. - Referring now to
fig. 6 showing a perspective view andfig. 8 showing a top view of atoy block element 11 according to the invention, such atoy block element 11 comprises in the embodiment shown acircumferential wall 12 and abase wall 21. Thecircumferential wall 12 comprises anouter surface 13, aninner surface 14 and anopen edge 15. Adjacent theopen edge 15 thecircumferential wall 12 is cylindrical with an axial direction being parallel with a generator direction defined by an arrow 16 shown infig. 6 . Thecircumferential wall 12 furthermore comprises adjacent itsopen edge 15 arecess 5a. As it is seen more clearly infig. 9 , therecess 5a comprises a bottom 18 and a through hole 4a in the bottom 18. The through hole 4a opens into theopen edge 15 such that theadjacent recess 5a forms atransition 15a with theopen edge 15 at either side of the through hole 4a. Upon joining theopen edge 15 with the open edge of a corresponding toy block element thetransitions 15a of thetoy block element 11 are intended to coincide with the corresponding transitions between the open edge and the recess of the corresponding toy block element. According to the invention at least one of therecess 5a and the throughhole 4 is non-semicircular. - In the embodiment shown both the through hole 4a and the
recess 5a are shaped substantially as a halved cross. In a particularly preferred embodiment of such a halved cross, that is shown in detail in the side view offig. 9 , therecess 5a and the hole 4a comprise two recess legs 17a, 17b extending substantially in parallel with theopen edge 15 and separated by a recess leg 17c extending substantially perpendicular to theopen edge 15. However any non-semicircular shape may in principle be used and only one of therecess 5a and the through hole 4a need be non-semicircular in shape. - Referring again to
fig. 6 , in the embodiment shown thecircumferential wall 12 comprises four equally sized sides, thus forming ablock element 11 with a quadratic shape. A circumferential wall of a toy block element according to the invention however merely need have at least one side, and may in principle have any number of sides equal to or larger than one, and each side may be straight, partially curved or curved as desired, thus providing for a large variety of shapes of toy block elements. - The
toy block element 11 further comprises at least onefirst leg portion 19. Thefirst leg portion 19 extends in a direction parallel to a generator direction denoted onfig. 6 by an arrow 16 to a level in a vicinity of a level of theopen edge 15 and is situated inside thecircumferential wall 12 at a distance from theinner surface 14, the distance preferably in any case being at least 1 mm. In the preferred embodiment of a toy block according to the invention, this distance is preferably approximately 4 mm. This distance, however, obviously depends on the overall size of the toy block such that the larger the toy block is, the larger the preferred distance will be, the mentioned approximately 4 mm being intended used in a toy block having a size in the order of 3x3x3 cm in the cubic version shown infig. 1 . Thefirst leg portion 19 thus provides at least part of a catch of atoy block 1 according to the invention. Thefirst leg portion 19 may be resilient in a direction perpendicular to said generator direction 16. Thefirst leg portion 19 may furthermore comprise a transverse portion 19a extending over at least part of the distance betweeninner surface 14 andfirst leg portion 19. In the embodiment shown the transverse portion 19a covers the entire said distance, thus connecting thefirst leg portion 19 and theinner surface 14. At theinner surface 14 the transverse portion 19a is preferably shaped such as to be substantially flush with the adjacent section of the circumference of the through hole 4a, substantially without covering any of the open area of the through hole 4a. - The
toy block element 11 may further comprise at least onesecond leg portion 20. Thesecond leg portion 20 extends in a direction parallel to the generator direction 16 to a level in a vicinity of peripheral point of the through hole 4a opposite theopen edge 15 and is situated inside thecircumferential wall 12 at a distance from theinner surface 14, the distance preferably being between 3 mm and 10 mm. Thesecond leg portion 20 thus provides part of a catch of atoy block 1 according to the invention. Thesecond leg portion 20 is preferably of a rigid structure. Thesecond leg portion 20 may furthermore comprise atransverse portion 20a extending over at least part of the distance betweeninner surface 14 andsecond leg portion 20. In the embodiment shown thetransverse portion 20a covers the entire said distance, thus connecting thesecond leg portion 20 and theinner surface 14. At theinner surface 14 thetransverse portion 20a is preferably shaped such as to be substantially flush with the adjacent section of the circumference of the through hole 4a, substantially without covering any of the open area of the through hole 4a. - The
transverse portions 19a, 20a extend in the generator direction 16 and may furthermore serve to support thecatch portion 7 of a connectingelement 6 upon insertion such that the outward facingsurface 33 andsurface sections catch leg 30 may slide along a surface of atransverse portion 19a or 20a, thus facilitating the insertion (and later removal) of a connectingelement 6 in atoy block 1. In this embodiment thetransverse portions 19a, 20a extend to a level flush with the level to which thecorresponding leg portion - In the embodiment shown both the first 19 and the second 20 leg portion furthermore extend in a plane parallel to the
circumferential wall 12 such that they meet each other. This provides for a simple and particularly durable structure of the catch. The presence oftransverse portions 19a and 20a would improve durability of the catch of the toy block even further. - In other embodiments the first 19 and/or the second 20 leg portion may comprise one or more further adjacent elements (not shown) to further support and stabilize the
leg portions - In the embodiment shown a complete catch of a toy block assembled of two
toy block elements 11 would thus comprise twofirst leg portions 19 and twosecond leg portions 20. However it is in principle possible in the simplest form to omit (or indeed substitute them for further first leg portions 19) thesecond leg portions 20, thus letting the catch comprise twoleg portions 19 only. - In the embodiment shown the
toy block element 11 further comprises abase wall 21. Thebase wall 21 is shown as merged in a right angle with thecircumferential wall 12, but may also in other embodiments be merged in another angle or in a curve with thecircumferential wall 12, thus increasing the number of possible shapes of toy block elements according to the invention even further. In a further embodiment it is even possible to omit thebase wall 21, thus providing for toy block elements being shaped as for instance a halved circular or elliptical sphere. - In the embodiment shown, and as further illustrated in
fig. 10 , thebase wall 21 further comprises arecess 5 with a bottom 18 and a throughhole 4 in the bottom 18. As shown infig. 6 twothird leg portions 22 extend from thebase wall 21 and into the interior of the toy block element, thethird leg portions 22 being situated adjacent said throughhole 4. Thethird leg portion 22 provides at least part of a catch of a toy block according to the invention. Thethird leg portion 22 may be resilient and flexible in a direction perpendicular to the generator direction 16. - Furthermore two
fourth leg portions 23 are shown to and may extend from thebase wall 21 and into the interior of the toy block element, thefourth leg portions 23 also being situated adjacent said throughhole 4. In the embodiment shown thefourth leg portions 23 and thethird leg portions 22 are identically shaped. Thefourth leg portions 23 are preferably rigid in structure and provide part of a catch of a toy block according to the invention. - On the figures the one
recess 5 in thebase wall 21 is shown situated in a central position on thebase wall 21. However any desired position may in principle be used, and furthermore more than onerecess 5 withrelated hole 4 and catch may be provided in thebase wall 21. - In the embodiment shown a complete catch of a
base wall 21 of atoy block element 11 would thus comprise twothird leg portions 22 and twofourth leg portions 23. However it is in principle possible in the simplest form to omit (or indeed substitute them for further third leg portions 22) thefourth leg portions 23, thus letting the catch comprise twoleg portions 22 only. -
Fig. 7 shows atoy block element 11 identical to that offig. 6 in which the engagement between a catch of a toy block, i.e. the first 19 and second 20 leg portions of acircumferential wall 12 or the third 22 and fourth 23 leg portions of abase wall 21, and acatch portion 7 of a connecting element 6 (infig. 7 a connectingelement 6 of the type shown infigs. 3A and 3B ) is illustrated. It can be seen that the projection provided by the outward facingsurface sections respective leg portion surface section 31 of the outer catch leg section 30b abuts against thesurface 25 of the respective leg portion facing the interior of the toy block element, to provide a hold in the longitudinal direction of the connectingelement 6. - Considering the embodiment of a connecting
element 6 shown infigs. 2A and 2B , in which thesurface section 31 as described previously rises gradually, only a part of thesurface section 31 of the outer cacth leg section 30b adjacent thesurface section 33 of the innercatch leg section 30a would abut against asurface 25, thus providing a less tight longitudinal hold, the connecting element consequently being easier to release, particularly for a child. - A toy block element according to the invention may be produced entirely in the same relatively hard and durable plastic material by injection moulding. A preferred such material is ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene). To produce a toy block element constructed according to the invention in principle only one mould is needed for each shape of toy block element, and only one moulding step is required to form each element.
- A toy block connecting element according to the invention may be produced of the same plastic material as the toy block elements and likewise by injection moulding. Preferably, however, the toy block connecting elements are made of polycarbonate.
- As mentioned previously one or more of the catch portion of the connecting element and the first and third leg portions of the catch of the toy block (and in principle, but less preferred, also the second and fourth leg portions of the catch) may be made resilient and flexible. Such flexibility and resilience is preferably achieved by constructing the mould used to provide the elements in question with suitable structural dimensions, for instance by making them sufficiently thin to be resilient. However another but less preferred possibility is to use a more resilient plastic material for moulding the elements resilient and flexible elements. To produce a toy block according to the invention two toy block elements according to the invention are joined by bringing their respective
open edges 15 to abut against each other and subsequently seal theopen edges 15 to each other by for instance welding, preferably ultrasonic sealing. Alternatively the joining may be accomplished by the use of an adhesive agent, a frictional coupling or by providing each two toy block elements with corresponding locking elements at their respective open edges 15. - When each two toy block elements are provided with corresponding locking elements, an alternative way of coupling connection elements and toy blocks together is to join the toy block elements together around one or more toy block connecting elements by placing the connecting elements in one of the toy block elements as the toy
block connecting element 6 is placed in thetoy block element 11 infig. 7 . - To aid in the process of bringing the respective open edges to abut correctly along the whole circumference of the circumferential wall 12 a plurality of plate shaped
projections 35 may furthermore be provided along theopen edge 15 of atoy block element 11. An example ofsuch projections 35 is shown infig. 9 . - Depending on the shape of the toy block elements a wide range of differently shaped toy blocks according to the invention may be achieved. Examples of different shapes of toy blocks are shown in
figs. 11-14 , of whichfig. 11 shows toy block with a D-shaped side wall,fig. 12 shows a toy block with a side wall shaped as a quarter circle,fig. 13 shows a toy block with a triangular side wall, andfig. 14 shows a toy block with a U-shaped side wall. - It should be noted that the above description of preferred embodiments is merely an example, and that the skilled person would know that numerous variations are possible without departing from the scope of the claims.
Claims (21)
- Toy block (1) comprising a sidewall (2) with an inner surface and an outer surface (3) intended for abutment against a surface of a corresponding toy block, said sidewall (2) comprising a through hole (4) for receipt of a catch portion (7) of a connecting element (6) and a recess (5) in said outer surface (3) adjacent the through hole (4) and said toy block (1) comprising a catch for engaging and holding the catch portion (7) of a connecting element (6), characterized in that said catch is situated in the interior of the toy block (1) in a distance from said inner surface, and in that at least one of said recess (5) and said through hole (4) is non-circular.
- Toy block according to claim 1,characterized in that said distance from said inner surface to said catch is at least 1 mm.
- Toy block connecting element (6) for interconnecting toy blocks (1) according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a central flat portion (9) with two opposite surfaces (10a, 10b) and a circumference (8), a catch portion (7) for engagement with a catch of the toy block (1) rising from at least one of said surfaces (10a, 10b), characterized in that at least one of the cross section of catch portion (7) and the circumference (8) of the flat portion (9) is non-circular and in that said catch portion (7) comprises at least one catch leg (30), said catch leg (30) comprising at least one engagement means (31, 32) on an outer section (30b) of the catch leg (30) opposite said central flat portion (9).
- Toy block connecting element according to claim 3, char - acterized in that said catch portion (7) comprises at least two catch legs (30), at least one of said catch legs (30) comprising at least one projection (31, 32) on an outer section (30b) of the catch leg (30) opposite said central flat portion (9).
- Toy block element (11) for producing a toy block (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a circumferential wall (12) comprising an outer surface (13), an inner surface (14) and an open edge (15) adapted to be joined with an open edge of a corresponding toy block element, said circumferential wall (12) being cylindrical adjacent the open edge (15) having a generator direction (16), said wall (12) comprising adjacent its open edge (15) in its outer surface (13) at least one recess (5a), said recess (5a) comprising a bottom (18), and a through hole (4a) in said bottom (18), said hole (4a) opening into the open edge (15), at least one of said recess (5a) and said through hole (4a) being non-semicircular, said toy block element (11) further comprising at least one first leg portion (19) extending parallel to the generator direction (16) to a level in a vicinity of a level of the open edge (15) to provide at least part of a catch of a toy block.
- Toy block element according to claim 5, wherein said first leg element (19) is resilient and flexible in a direction perpendicular to said generator direction (16).
- Toy block element according to claim 5 or 6 further comprising at least one second leg portion (20) extending parallel to the generator direction (16) to a level in a vicinity of a peripheral point of the through hole (4a) opposite said open edge (15) to provide part of a catch of a toy block.
- Toy block element according to any one of claims 5-7, wherein at least one of said first leg portion (19) and said second leg portion (20) comprises a transversal portion (19a; 20a) extending over at least part of the distance between the inner surface (14) of the circumferential wall (12) and the respective leg portion (19; 20).
- Toy block element according to any one of claims 5-8, wherein the at least one of said recess (5a) and said through hole (4a) being non-semicircular is shaped substantially as a halved cross.
- Toy block element according to any one of claims 5-9, wherein the at least one of said recess (5a) and said through hole (4a) being non-semicircular comprises a first and a second recess leg (17a; 17b) extending substantially in parallel with said open edge (15) and separated by a third recess leg (17c) extending substantially perpendicular to said open edge (15).
- Toy block element according to any one of claims 5-10, further comprising a base wall (21), said base wall (21) being merged in at least one of a curve and an angle with the circumferential wall (12) opposite said open edge (15), wherein said base wall (21) comprises at least one recess (5), said recess (5) comprising a bottom (18) and a through hole (4) in said bottom (18), at least one of said recess (5) and said through hole (4) being non-circular, at least one third leg portion (22) rising from the base wall (21) adjacent said through hole (4) into an interior of the toy block to provide at least part of a catch of a toy block.
- Toy block element according to claim 11, wherein said third leg (22) is being resilient and flexible in a direction perpendicular to said generator direction (16).
- Toy block element according to claim 11 or 12, wherein said base wall (21) further comprises at least one fourth leg portion (23) rising from the base wall (21) adjacent said through hole (4) to provide part of a catch of a toy block.
- Toy block element according to claim 13, wherein said fourth leg portion (23) further comprises a transversal portion.
- Toy block element according to any one of claims 11-14, wherein the at least one of said recess (5) and said through hole (4) in said base wall (21) being non-circular is shaped substantially as a cross.
- Toy block element according to any one of claims 5-15, wherein said first, second, third and/or fourth leg portion (19; 20; 22; 23) further comprises at least one adjacent element adapted to support said first, second, third and/or fourth leg portion (19; 20; 22; 23).
- Toy block element according to any one of claims 5-16, wherein at least a part of said circumferential wall (12) and/or of said base wall (21) is curved.
- Toy block element according to any one of claims 5-17, wherein the toy block element (11) is moulded in one piece.
- Toy block (1) comprising two toy block elements (11) according to any one of claims 5 - 18, said toy block elements (11) being joined together by their respective open edges (15).
- Toy block according to claim 19, wherein said joining together of said toy block elements (11) is accomplished by welding, preferably ultrasonic sealing.
- Toy building set comprising a plurality of toy blocks (1) according to any one of claims 1, 2, 19 or 20, said toy blocks (1) having one or more different outer shapes, and a plurality of toy block connecting elements (6) according to claim 3 or 4.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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PL09728205T PL2259853T3 (en) | 2008-04-03 | 2009-03-24 | A toy block, a toy block connecting element and a toy block element for producing a toy block |
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DKPA200800485 | 2008-04-03 | ||
PCT/DK2009/050067 WO2009121369A1 (en) | 2008-04-03 | 2009-03-24 | A toy block, a toy block connecting element and a toy block element for producing a toy block |
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EP2259853A1 EP2259853A1 (en) | 2010-12-15 |
EP2259853B1 true EP2259853B1 (en) | 2012-12-05 |
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EP09728205A Not-in-force EP2259853B1 (en) | 2008-04-03 | 2009-03-24 | A toy block, a toy block connecting element and a toy block element for producing a toy block |
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US (1) | US20110028064A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP2259853B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP5226858B2 (en) |
KR (1) | KR101563294B1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN101983095B (en) |
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CA (1) | CA2719455A1 (en) |
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PL (1) | PL2259853T3 (en) |
RU (1) | RU2446851C1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2009121369A1 (en) |
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US8888552B2 (en) | 2011-09-15 | 2014-11-18 | Jakks Pacific, Inc. | Twistable and connectable block |
USD702774S1 (en) | 2011-09-15 | 2014-04-15 | Jakks Pacific, Inc. | Twistable and connectable block |
DE102012017305A1 (en) * | 2012-09-03 | 2014-03-06 | Leonhard Oschütz | Connecting construction between construction elements and construction element |
CN103394200B (en) * | 2013-08-08 | 2015-12-02 | 魏正鹏 | The contiguous block of electronic splicing part |
CN103394201B (en) * | 2013-08-16 | 2015-09-16 | 魏正鹏 | A kind of electronic building blocks |
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CN104971507B (en) * | 2015-07-10 | 2017-06-30 | 武汉亿童文教股份有限公司 | Square universal toy bricks in for outdoor building blocks |
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2009
- 2009-03-24 RU RU2010144855/12A patent/RU2446851C1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2009-03-24 US US12/936,031 patent/US20110028064A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2009-03-24 CN CN2009801119265A patent/CN101983095B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2009-03-24 CA CA2719455A patent/CA2719455A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2009-03-24 KR KR1020107024770A patent/KR101563294B1/en active IP Right Grant
- 2009-03-24 MX MX2010010738A patent/MX2010010738A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 2009-03-24 EP EP09728205A patent/EP2259853B1/en not_active Not-in-force
- 2009-03-24 BR BRPI0910065A patent/BRPI0910065A2/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2009-03-24 WO PCT/DK2009/050067 patent/WO2009121369A1/en active Application Filing
- 2009-03-24 PL PL09728205T patent/PL2259853T3/en unknown
- 2009-03-24 JP JP2011502226A patent/JP5226858B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2009-03-24 DK DK09728205.7T patent/DK2259853T3/en active
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KR101563294B1 (en) | 2015-10-26 |
BRPI0910065A2 (en) | 2015-12-29 |
CA2719455A1 (en) | 2009-10-08 |
PL2259853T3 (en) | 2013-05-31 |
EP2259853A1 (en) | 2010-12-15 |
RU2446851C1 (en) | 2012-04-10 |
KR20100136535A (en) | 2010-12-28 |
US20110028064A1 (en) | 2011-02-03 |
CN101983095B (en) | 2013-10-09 |
MX2010010738A (en) | 2011-02-25 |
JP2011516125A (en) | 2011-05-26 |
JP5226858B2 (en) | 2013-07-03 |
WO2009121369A1 (en) | 2009-10-08 |
CN101983095A (en) | 2011-03-02 |
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