GB2224664A

GB2224664A - Interengageable toy blocks

Info

Publication number: GB2224664A
Application number: GB8922926A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jon Tacey
Original assignee: Philip & Tacey Ltd
Current assignee: Philip & Tacey Ltd
Priority date: 1988-11-11
Filing date: 1989-10-11
Publication date: 1990-05-16
Anticipated expiration: 2009-10-11
Also published as: GB8922926D0; GB8826423D0; GB2224664B

Abstract

A blank (40) for forming a block suitable for educational and play uses comprises a base (42), sides (44, 46, 48, 50) and top (52) formed with each side attached to an edge of the base by a so-called "living hinge" and the top so attached to an edge of one of said sides (50). The other said sides (44, 46, 48) have edge formations (62) that engage complementary formations of the top (64) to hold them together in the assembled block. Interengaging formations (56, 58) are also provided. The surfaces which will form the outside of the block have formations permitting blocks to be releasably connected. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Method of Making Interengageable Blocks DESCRIPTION This invention concerns a method of making interengageable blocks, particularly of the kind suitable for educational and play uses.

We have been producing educational blocks under the trade name "Unifix" which are of plastics material, principally cube shaped, that have one pair of opposing faces interengageable with other such blocks by means of complementary formations. We have also proposed in our copending patent application of even date blocks that are interengageable preferably on all faces with other blocks by means of identical formations on said faces.

Such blocks could be moulded in one piece but for injection moulding purposes one piece moulding may not be viable particularly for blocks that have relatively complicated engaging formations.

An object of this invention is to provide a method of forming interengageable blocks suitable as toys or for educational purposes.

According to this invention blocks are moulded, preferably by an injection moulding technique, in the form of a blank to be folded up to form a hollow box shape rather than in a single solid piece.

The method of the invention may have the advantage of saving material.

The invention further provides a blank for forming a block of the type described. Such a blank could have a base, sides and top formed with each side attached to an edge of the base by a so-called "living hinge" and a top so attached to an edge of one of said sides. Preferably the other sides will have edge formations that engage complementary formations of the top to hold them together, say by a clipping action so that an adhesive, weld or other connecting means- is not necessary.

The side forming parts of the blank preferably have chamfered edges, say to 45 degrees and may also have complementary formations such as a rib on one edge to mate with a groove of the adjacent side edge.

The top forming part of the blank preferably has grooves or slots, preferably recessed to receive projections, preferably lipped, of the top edge of said other sides.

Typical blocks made in accordance with the invention may have face formations comprising alternate projections and slots arranged in a ring, the projections being of a shape and size to engage slots of another said block. The projections and slots may be arranged in any regular perimental shape, preferably in a circle or a square. For a circular arrangement the projections and slots preferably each cover an arc of 4D degrees and have radially aligned ends. For a square arrangement the projections and slots each occupy half of a side of the square, having one end along a diagonal between corners of the square and the other end along a median of the square.

Preferred blocks are cubes but cuboids and other close packing regular three dimensional shapes may also be produced. Thus, as well as linear arrangements, three dimensional arrangements may be produced from blocks that have interengaging formations on all faces.

The blocks are preferably made of plastics material and the projections/slots are preferably sized so as to provide for a friction fit between engaged blocks.

This invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a first interengaging block made according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a second interengaging block made according to the invention; Figure 3 shows a third interengaging block made according to the invention; Figures 4 and 5 show typical interengaged block arrangements; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a moulded blank for forming a block in accordance with the invention; Figure 7 is a plan view of the blank of Figure 6; Figure 8 is a section on line AA of Figure 7; Figure 9 is a section on line BB of Figure 7; Figure 10 is a section on line CC of Figure 7; and Figure 11 is a section through a folded-up blank.

Referring to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing a block 10 interengageable with other blocks 10 is basically a cube having mutually engaging projections 12 and slots 14 on each face thereof. The projections and slots are arranged alternately in circles and are positioned so that the projections of a face of one block engage the slots of a face of another block when the blocks are aligned and pressed together. The projections 12 are arcuate having radially aligned ends 16 and the slots 14 are correspondingly shaped. The projections and slots are sized to give a friction fit therebetween sufficient to hold blocks together but not so strongly that a young child cannot separate interengaged blocks.

In Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings a cuboid block 20 is shown which has the same interengaging arrangements as the block of Figure 1 but is twice the length having two sets of projections/slots 12, 14 on its faces 22 and one set on each end 24.

Turning to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings, an alternative interengaging arrangement is shown for a cube shaped block 30. The interengaging arrangement for this cube again comprises mutually engaging projections 32 and slots 34 arranged alternately but arranged in a square on each face of the cube. Each projection has one right angle end 36 on a midline through the cube and its other end 38 along a diagonal from corner to corner of a block face. As in Figures 1 and 2, the projections and slots are sized for a friction fit sufficient to hold blocks together but not so strongly that a young child cannot pull apart connected blocks.

Figures 4 and 5 show arrangements of blocks 10 and 20 (Figures 1 and 2 respectively) connected together but it will be appreciated that other three-dimensional arrangement of blocks are possible using blocks 10 or blocks 20 or a combination thereof.

Referring now to Figures 6 to 11 the blocks of Figures 1 to 3 are produced by injection moulding of plastics material to form a blank 40, which is then folded up into the block shape.

The blank 40 provides a base part 42 having attached thereto on its edges block sides 44, 46, 48 and 50, sides 44 and 46 being identical in form and a top part 52 attached to side 50 on its edge opposite to its attachment to the base part 42. The connections between the base 42 and the sides 44 to 50 and between side 50 and the top 52 are of the "living hinge" type, so that the sides and the top part can be folded up to form a cube.

The intended mating edges of the sides 44 to 50 and the base 42 are chamfered to 45 degrees and edges 55 of the sides 44 and 46 each have a rib 56 that fits a corresponding groove 58 in edges 60 of the side 48 when the sides are folded up.

Each of the sides 44, 46 and 48 have at the edge remote from the base 42 a lipped extension 62, which is intended to locate in correspondingly shaped grooves 64 of the top 52.

Thus, by moulding the blank in a resilient plastics material, intended outer faces having the necessary projections and slots for interengagement of blocks, the block can be assembled by folding the sides up from the base and pressing the top onto the lipped extensions of the sides to hold the sides together and form the desired block.

Claims

1. A blank for forming a block suitable for educational and play purposes comprising a base, sides and top formed with each side attached to an edge of the base by a so-called "living hinge" and the top so attached to an edge of one of said sides.

2. A blank as claimed in claim 1, wherein said other sides have edge formations that engage complementary formations of -the top to hold them together in the assembled block.

3. A blank as claimed in claim 2, wherein said formations engage by a clipping action.

4. A blank as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the side forming parts have chamfered edges.

5. A blank as claimed in claim 4, wherein said side forming parts have a rib on one edge to mate with a groove of an adjacent side edge.

6. A blank as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the top forming part of the blank has grooves or slots to receive projections of the top edges of said other sides.

7. A blank as claimed in claim 6, wherein said grooves or slots are recessed and said projections are lipped for mutual engagement.

8. A blank as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein each intended outer face thereof has a face formation comprising alternate projections and slots arranged in a ring, the projections being of a shape and size to engage slots of another said block.

A A blank as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 moulded from plastics material.

10. A blank for forming a block suitable for educational and play uses substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in any one of Figures 6 to 11.

11. A method of forming a block suitable for educational and play uses comprising moulding a blank as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 and folding same up to form the block.