GB2041228A - A close coupling strut in a construction set - Google Patents

Abstract

A close coupling strut, for interconnecting multi-faceted apertured joint elements 12, having paired oppositely-facing, in line, resiliently compressible clips 18 which are separated and joined together by an intermediate bridge 25. Each clip is shaped so that as a tip 20 of the clip is forced into a joint opening 16, it is compressed until it passes through the opening, whereupon its expands to lock the clip in the joint opening. The clips can be released from the joint openings by squeezing the bridge to compress the clips. The bridge has extensions 26 to facilitate squeezing when a user's fingers cannot be inserted between the joint elements. Each clip is adapted to fit non-rotatably within non-circular ones 16 of the joint openings, and to fit rotatably within circular ones 16' of the joint openings for serving as an axle. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A close coupling strut in a construction set A close coupling strut in a construction set.

A construction set having multi-faceted joint elements with openings in each facet, configured to receive snap fitting clip fasteners located on each end of the elongate struts for joining a plurality of the struts into a structure is shown in U.S. Patent Application, Serial No: 483,580, filed October 19th 1977. Whilst construction sets of this type are a great improvement over prior art sets and allow construction of many structural shapes heretofore not possible, they do have a shortcoming which forecloses their use in certain applications.In particular, it is not possible to provide a short strut to join adjacent joint elements in close proximity to one another since the clips on the strut have to be squeezed in order to release them from the joint elements, and close spacing of the facets of the respective joint elements does not allow insertion of the user's finger between them to squeeze the clips.

Also, if the strut element is to be used as an axle, in addition to necessarily having to be quite short in orderto reduce its moment arm, it must have means allowing itto be rotatably joined to the joint elements. This combination offeatures is not provided with the prior art devices of this class.

According to the present invention there is provided, in a construction set having multi-faceted joint elements with a joint opening located in each facet, and elongate struts which have compressibly releasable clips at each end arranged to be engaged in said joint openings so as to interconnect adjacent ones of said joint elements, a close coupling strut comprising:: (a) paired clips, said clips facing in opposite directions generally along a common axis; (b) said clips being elastically compressible for insertion into or removal from said joint openings, and having means for interlocking with said joint elements upon return to their released position when seated in said joint openings; (c) a bridge interconnecting said paired clips, said bridge operably associated with said clips so that application of squeezing pressure on said bridge causes both of said clips associated therewith to be depressed.

The close coupling strut of the present invention is used to interconnect hollow joint elements of the type having multiple angularly displaced planar facets which contain elongate joint openings therein.

In a preferred form of the invention the strut comprises a pair of clips in which each clip includes a V-shaped tip having a width which is slightly less than the width of the joint openings and an overall transverse dimension at its base which is slightly greater than the height of the joint openings.

Located inwardly adjacent to the ends of the base are bridge sections which interconnect the respective base ends of the tips of opposed clips, thereby forming the strut into an integral unit. The overall transverse dimension between the bridge sections is approximately equal to the height of the joint openings, thereby forming a step between the tips and the bridge sections. Accordingly, as a tip of a clip is forced into a joint opening the clip is deflected inwardly until the ends of the tip are fully inserted into the opening whereupon the clip is relaxed to lock it in place in the opening. The length of the bridge sections is quite short and they are separated by transverse extension sections which are configured so that the portion of the bridge section remaining on each side of the extension is slightly larger than the thickness of the joint element side walls.

The extension sections extend outwardly of the bridge section past the periphery of the facets into which the clips are installed so that the bridge sections can be squeezed togetherto release the clips from the openings in the joint elements by application of squeezing pressure on the extension sections.

The bridge sections have arcuate top surfaces so that when they are installed into circular joint openings which are located at each end of the joint element, the strut can be rotated with respect to the joint element.

The invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the strut of the present invention; Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the strut shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional view of the strut taken on the line 3-3 in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a side elevational view, partially broken away, showing the strut installed in a joint element; Figures 5,6 and 7 are side elevational views, partially broken away, showing the sequence of installing the strut into two of the joint elements; Figure 8 is a plan view of one of the joint elements with which the strut is used.

Referring to the drawings, the strut 10 of the present invention is used to interconnect hollow joint elements 12 of the type having multiple angularly displaced planar facets 14, each containing a medial joint opening 16. The joint elements preferably have 26 facets which are arranged in a generally spherical pattern. The joint openings located in the facets preferably are elongate to give maximum strength in a limited facet area.

The strut, best shown in Figure 1, comprises a pair of clips 18 which extend outwardly from one another in opposite directions along a common axis. The clip is a thin, easily deformable plastic element and includes a V-shaped tip 20 having a width which is slightly less than the width of joint opening 16, except for its extremity 21 which taper inwardly.

Located in the tip intermediate its ends, is a short, flat indentation 22. As is best shown in Figure 4, the indentation allows the clip to be installed into a snap fit interlocking building blocks 31, such as "Lego" blocks ("Lego" is a Registered Trade Mark). In the embodiment illustrated the top and bottom of the tip from indentation 22 outwardly are planar, and from the indentation inwardly they are arcuate. The base ends of the tip have an overall transverse dimension which is slightly greater than the height at the joint openings.

Located inwardly adjacent to each base end of the tip is a bridge section 24 which interconnects the respective ends of the tips of opposed clips thereby forming the strut into an integral unit. The bridge sections have the same width as the tip but the overall transverse distance between them is approximately equal to the height of the joint openings thereby forming a step 25 between each tip and its associated bridge sections. The top of the bridge sections are acuate so that they tightly interfit with the arcuate top and bottom of the joint openings, and the length of the bridge sections is quite short, preferably positioning adjacent facets of joint elements interconnected by the strut less then .25 inches apart.

An extension section 26 extends transversely from each bridge section to allow squeezing pressure to be applied between them to allow the clips to be depressed for removal from the joint openings without the user's fingers interferring with the joint element.

In the embodiment illustrated the extension section is an upstanding U-shaped integral medial protrusion of the bridge with an enlarged head 28 at its end to facilitate gripping it. Paired tabs 30 located on the heads are configured to engage with snap type interlocking building blocks 31, such as the aforementioned "Lego" block as shown in Figure 4.

The width of each extension section 26 is such that the portion of bridge section 24 remaining on each side of it are slightly longer than the thickness of the joint element side walls 32, Figure 4. Therefore, when the clips of the strut are installed in adjacent joint elements the respective facets 14 thereof are closely adjacent to the sides of the extension section.

In operation clip 18 of strut 10 is inserted into a joint opening 16 of a joint element 12 by placing the apex of tip 20 into the opening, Figure 5, and urging the strut toward the joint element. Accordingly, the clip is deflected inwardly about the apex of the tip, Figure 6, until step 25 passes side wall 32 of the joint element, and the clip again is free to expand to its relaxed position with bridge sections 24 located adjaccent to the top and bottom of the joint openings, Figure 7. In this position the strut cannot be separated from the joint element by merely applying tensile force due to the engagement of side wall 32 by step 25. To release the clip, bridge sections 24 are squeezed together to deflect the tips 20 inwardly and thereby release step 25 from side wall 32.

When joint elements are attached to the clips at both ends of a strut, the joint elements are closely adjacent which facilitates building certain types of structures. Extensions 26, therefore, are used to squeeze the bridge sections together for removal of the strut when the user's finger cannot be inserted between the joint elements to squeeze the bridge sections directly.

It will be noted that when a clip is installed in a joint opening 16, the elongate shape of the clip and opening causes a tight fit therebetween. Therefore, the clip and joint element are prevented from rotating relative to one another.

However, if the clip is inserted into one of the circular openings 16', Figure 8, located in the end of the joint elements, the arcuate surfaces on bridge sections 24 serve as a bearing surface thereby allowing the strut to rotate relative to the joint element. Therefore, as shown in Figure 7, by placing the clip at one end of a strut into one of the elongate joint openings of a first joint element, and placing the clip at the other end of the strut into one of the circular openings 16', in the end of a second joint element, the second joint element is rotatable relative to the first joint element. Accordingly, the first joint element can be incorporated into a structure and the second joint element used for example as the hub of a wheel.

Claims (8)

1. In a construction set having multi-faceted joint elements with a joint opening located in each facet, and elongate struts which have compressibly releasable clips at each end arranged to be engaged in said joint openings so as to interconnect adjacent ones of said joint elements, a close coupling strut comprising: (a) paired clips, said clips facing in opposite directions generally along a common axis; (b) said clips being elastically compressible for insertion into or removal from said joint openings, and having means for interlocking with said joint elements upon return to their released position when seated in said joint openings; (c) a bridge interconnecting said paired clips, said bridge operably associated with said clips so that application of squeezing pressure on said bridge causes both of said clips associated therewith to be depressed.

2. A strut as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said bridge is arranged so that when joint elements are attached to the clips at opposite ends of said strut, the respective facets of said joint element are closely spaced so as to prevent squeezing of said bridge by a user's finger, and said strut further comprises extension means attached to said bridge on both sides thereof, said extension means arranged to extend outwardly of said facet to a position where they are contactable by the fingers of a user for squeezing said bridge.

3. A strut as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said extension means includes transversely extended tabs configured to engage snap type interlocking building blocks.

4. A strut as claimed in Claim 1,2 or 3, wherein said clips have V-shaped tips arranged to selfdepress said clips upon urging of said clips into said joint openings.

5. In a construction set having multi-faceted joint elements with a joint opening located in each facet, and elongate struts which have compressibly releasable clips at each end arranged to be engaged in said joint openings so as to interconnect adjacent ones of said joint elements, a close coupling strut comprising:: (a) paired clips, said clips facing in opposite directions generally along a common axis; (b) said clips having V-shaped tips, said tips having a width which is slightly less than the width of said joint opening, and said tips having ends located opposite the apex thereof, said ends having an overall transverse dimension which is slightly greater than the height of said joint openings; (c) paired bridge sections interconnecting the respective ends of the tips of opposed clips, said bridge sections having an overall transverse dimension there between which is approximately equal to the height of said joint opening; (d) an extension extending transversely from each of said bridge sections intermediate its ends; and (e) said clips being elastically depressable by application of squeezing pressure on said extensions for insertion into and removal from said joint openings.

6. A strut as claimed in Claim 5 including a short indentation located medially in said V-shaped tip arranged for communicating with snap type interlocking building blocks.

7. A close coupling strut substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A construction set including a close coupling strut as claimed in any preceding claim.