GB2082925A

GB2082925A - Constructional toy component

Info

Publication number: GB2082925A
Application number: GB8125328A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: MAHONY CORNELIUS O
Current assignee: MAHONY CORNELIUS O
Priority date: 1980-09-02
Filing date: 1981-08-19
Publication date: 1982-03-17
Also published as: IE801841L; EP0047102A1

Description

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GB 2 082 925 A 1

SPECIFICATION

A constructional toy component

The present invention relates to a construction of toy and in particular to a construction of toy 5 component.

It is known to provide toys and sporting apparatus which use separable fastening materials of the type which comprise two members, each provided with some form of inter-engageable 10 elements. These devices or fastening elements are often sold under Trade Marks VELCRO and CRIC-CRAC. The construction of such fastening * elements sold under the Trade Mark VELCRO is t described in detail in U.S. Patent Nos. 2,717,437 15 and 3,009,325. Further, various uses for such materials have been described and claimed in many patent specifications. For example, the materials have been used in a golf swing training device such as described in U.S. Patent 20 Specification No. 3,401,941 and in a target game such as, for example, U.S. Patent Specification Nos. 3,032,345 and 3,857,566. Indeed, another target game which is essentially a form of bloodless bullfighting is described and claimed in 25 U.S. Patent Specification No. 3,370,853. These have all essentially been new uses of these materials which were originally proposed for fastening clothing parts together.

Constructional toys are being used more and 30 more extensively and have become more and more popular with children and parents for many reasons. Generally speaking, they are often instructive improving the manual and visual dexterity of children while at the same time 35 providing them with continuous amusement. Unfortunately, one of the problems with most constructional toys is that they require a certain amount of manual dexterity from the children and very often cannot be used by very young children. 40 Indeed, many of the constructions of toys proposed are difficult to use so that they can only be used by older children with relatively good coordination. For example, one of the most popular of children's constructional toys is that sold under 45 the Trade Mark LEGO which essentially consists of interlocking members which require some dexterity, strength and skill to put together. In an effort to overcome this and to provide something more interesting than the conventional plain 50 building block which has essentially no interlock between individual blocks many other proposals have been made. None of these have been entirely satisfactory since the tighter the grip of the components the harder it is for the child to use 55 them.

In this specification the term "constructional toy component" or "component" refers to, for example, building blocks of regular and irregular shapes such as cubes, spheres, tetrahedrons, 60 prisms, pyramids, polyhedrons, cylinders and composite figures such as are generally used, but also, among others, the parts of model people and animals, for example, the arms, legs, features such as lips, eyes, ears, hair, tails etc., clothing for them or components such as hats and guns and boots and additionally other constructional toy parts including wheels, axles, struts, container bodies and the like, in other words, any component that can be used to manufacture any object.

The term "contact face" as herein used refers to a face of any of the said components which will be abutted against the face of another component to join the two together.

According to the invention there is provided a constructional toy component having at least one contact face for releasably mating with the contact face of another component characterised in that a plurality of filaments protrude outwardly from each contact face to engage filaments on another contact face, the filaments having complimentary inter-engaging portions.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some preferred embodiments thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:—

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a building block according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of one contact face of the block of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is the plan view of the contact face of another block according to the invention, adapted for releasably engaging the contact face illustrated in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a contact face of a further building block.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a contact face of a still further building block, adapted for releasably engaging the contact face of the building block of Fig. 4,

Figs. 6(a) to (e) inclusive are plan views of still further contact faces of building blocks, similar to the blocks of Figs. 1 to 5,

Figs. 7(a) to (d) are side diagrammatic enlarged views of two mating contact faces, and

Figs. 8(a) to (e) are exploded side views of constructional toys according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings and initially to Figs. 1 to 3 thereof, there is provided a constructional toy, in this case a building block in the form of a cube, indicated generally by the reference numeral 1, having at least one and in this case two contact faces 2 and 3. A plurality of filaments are mounted on each contact face 2 and 3. Each filament has complimentary inter-engaging portions, in this case those on the contact face 2 have male inter-engaging portion 4 of hook-like construction and those on the contact face 3 have female inter-engaging portions 5 of loop-like construction. For clarity the filaments are not separately identified. In the particular embodiment the filaments are each formed from a strip of Velcro tape secured to the cube 1. Of necessity the filaments are shown diagrammatically in the drawings.

Referring now to Fig. 3 there is shown another building cube, indicated generally by the reference numeral 6, parts similar to these described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 are identified by the same reference numerals. To join the cube 1 and

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the cube 6 it is merely necessary to offer up the two faces 2 and 3 together and on pressing the cubes 1 and 6 together the male inter-engaging portions 4 engage the female inter-engaging 5- portions 5. The cubes 1 and 6 may be easily separated by pulling. It will be immediately apparent that if the construction of building blocks is as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 it will be necessary . to ensure that in each case a contact face having a 10 male inter-engaging portion is pushed against a contact face having a female inter-engaging portion. Also all contact faces will generally be fully or partially covered with filaments.

Thus, referring to Figs. 4 and 5 there is 15 illustrated alternative arrangements of building blocks, namely, cubes 7 and 8 of which contact faces 9 and 10 are shown. In this embodiment there are alternate areas on each contact face 9 or 10 on which there are strips of Velcro with male 20 inter-engaging portions 4 and female inter-engaging portions 5 with uncovered strips 12 therebetween. The uncovered strips 12 are raised slightly relative to the remainder of the contact faces 9 and 10 which are indented for reception of 25 the filaments. The depth of said indentations is less than the length of a filament. This provides additional stability. This could also be provided in other embodiments by raised stud-like projections for engagement with corresponding studs on 30 another contact face. The cubes 7 and 8 can be more easily joined together as the male and female inter-engaging portions must at least partly coincide. Thus, it is not necessary to ensure correct orientation as with the embodiment of 35 Figs. 1 to 3.

Referring to Figs. 6(a) to (e) there is illustrated various arrangements by which the contact faces of the building cube may be covered with Velcro. Alternate areas are used to form concentric bands 40 or rings such as shown in Figs. 6(a) and 6(b) or alternate rectangular areas such as shown in Fig. 6(c). While in Fig. 6(d) the male and female inter-engaging portions are on each contact face and are alternately arranged. Fig. 6(e) shows the 45 male and female inter-engaging portions randomly arranged.

It will be appreciated that depending on the arrangement of the male and female inter-engaging portions it may be necessary to orientate 50 some of the cubes correctly together or they will not adhere. This may be advisable, for example, with certain forms of construction of toy where it is desired to ensure that the parts are aligned together correctly. It will be appreciated that, for 55 example, in the construction such as shown in Fig. 6(d) or more particularly 6(e) this cannot happen as it will be appreciated that there can be up to 40 of the filaments per inch run thus 1,600 male and female inter-engaging members per 60 square inch.

Referring to Figs. 7(a) there is illustrated in side view two inter-engaging portions 15 each of hook-like construction while Fig. 7(b) shows two inter-engaging portions which are formed from a 65 thickened portion 16 on the extremity of a filament 18. Fig. 7(c) illustrates a filament having a male inter-engaging portion 19 of hook-like construction engaging a female inter-engaging portion 20 of loop construction. In Figs. 7(a) to 7(c) it will be readily appreciated from the drawing how the filaments inter-engage. Fig. 7(d)

illustrates a filament 21 having a thickened end portion 22 which is engaged with a female inter-engaging portion 23 of loop construction. The filament 21 has substantially the same construction as the filament 18, the distortion arising on inter-engagement.

Referring to Fig. 8(a) there is illustrated a construction of excavator in an exploded view. It * will be readily appreciated how the various parts may be joined together. Similarly, Fig. 8(b) shows* a model train and Figs. 8(c), (d) and (e) show exploded view of a model horse and two men which may be constructed as shown. The model of Fig. 8(e) requires special parts while those of Figs. 8(c) and 8(d) do not.

While the embodiments above have been described with reference to the use of the fabric sold under the Trade Mark VELCRO it will be appreciated that similar fabrics such as that sold under the Trade Mark CRIC-CRAC, MAGIC TAPE and the like may be used. Strictly speaking, it is not necessary to supply a special material to provide female inter-engaging portions with many of the commercially sold tapes as any knitted loop fabric may be used. Alternatively, it is envisaged that when the constructional toy components are manufactured from a plastics material that the filaments may be integrally moulded or formed therewith.

The advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from reading the specification and while attention is drawn to the following specific advantages of the invention they are not by any means the only advantages.

It will be appreciated that when a constructional toy component, for example, a building brick is so manufactured that the filaments having male inter-engaging portions are of a different colour to the filaments having female inter-engaging portions that this will further allow children to engage in colour matching and additionally it will help to show the principles of positive and negative joining, such as, for example,, with the use of magnets. A further advantage of the present invention when, for example, building \ blocks are covered with fabric is that there will be some protection for young children as the bricks " will be softer than conventional building blocks and therefore, less likely to damage the child. Additionally, since the pressure exerted between any two components will, to a certain extent determine the strength at which the components are joined this will, when the pressure is less, facilitate the dis-assembly of a component. In some ways this is one of the major advantages of the invention, in that the components, if joined together by young children will not then be impossible for the same young child to pull apart. This unfortunately is not the case with many well

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known toys, where if the child is lucky enough to joint the two components together he or she then finds it almost impossible to dis-assemble them. Additionally, when many of the commercial 5 separable fabrics are used there is a quite definite audible sound when the two components are pulled apart. This is pleasing to children. Another advantage of the invention is that where a contact face has a plurality of male inter-engaging 10 portions of hook-like construction that they will generally attach to a carpet or floor covering of the loop type or indeed, they will attach to any fabric of looped construction.

Claims

"15 1. A constructional toy component having at least one contact face for releasably mating with the contact face of another component characterised in that a plurality of filaments protrude outwardly from each contact face to

20 engage filaments on another contact face, the filaments having complimentary inter-engaging portions.

2. A component as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the inter-engaging portions

25 are of hook-like construction.

3. A component as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the inter-engaging portions are formed from a thickened portion on the extremity of each filament.

30 4. A component as claimed in claim 1

characterised in that one inter-engaging portions is a male inter-engaging portion of hook-like construction and a complimentary inter-engaging portion is a female inter-engaging portion of loop-

35 like construction.

5. A component as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that one inter-engaging portion is a male inter-engaging portion formed from a thickened portion on the extremity of the filament

40 and a complimentary inter-engaging portion is a female inter-engaging portion of loop-like construction.

6. A component as claimed in claims 4 or 5 characterised in that all the filaments on a contact

45 face have either male or female inter-engaging portions.

7. A component as claimed in claims 4 or 5 characterised in that the filaments on a contact face are so arranged as to form separate alternate

■50 areas of filaments all having male or female inter-

engaging portions.

8. A component as claimed in any of claims 4 to 7 characterised in that the filaments having male inter-engaging portions are of different

55 colour to the filaments having female inter-engaging portions.

9. A component as claimed in claims 4 or 5 characterised in that the male and female inter-engaging portions are randomly arranged on each

60 contact face.

10. A component as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that the contact faces have mounted thereon a separable fastening material.

11. A component as claimed in claim 10

65 characterised in that the separable fastening material is a fabric sold under the Trade Mark VELCRO.

12. A component as claimed in claim 10 characterised in that the separable fastening

70 material is a fabric sold under the Trade Mark CRIC-CRAC.

13. A component as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 characterised in that the component is of plastics material and the filaments are integrally

75 moulded therewith.

14. A component as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that each contact face is indented for reception of the filaments, the depth of said indentation being less than the length of a

80 filament.

15. A constructional toy component substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

85 16. A constructional toy component substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 4 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

17. A constructional toy component

90 substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in any of Figs. 6(a) to 6(e).

18. A constructional toy component substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in any of Figs. 7(a) to 7(d).

95 19. A constructional toy component substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in any of Figs. 8(a) to 8(e).

20. A constructional toy incorporating a component as claimed in any preceding claim.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by the Courier Press, Leamington Spo, 1982. Published by the Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A 1AY, from which copies may be obtained.