GB2315682A - Construction toy - Google Patents
Construction toy Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2315682A GB2315682A GB9615933A GB9615933A GB2315682A GB 2315682 A GB2315682 A GB 2315682A GB 9615933 A GB9615933 A GB 9615933A GB 9615933 A GB9615933 A GB 9615933A GB 2315682 A GB2315682 A GB 2315682A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- gear
- unit
- construction toy
- motor
- units
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
- A63H17/00—Toy vehicles, e.g. with self-drive; ; Cranes, winches or the like; Accessories therefor
- A63H17/002—Toy vehicles, e.g. with self-drive; ; Cranes, winches or the like; Accessories therefor made of parts to be assembled
-
- 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
- A63H33/042—Mechanical, electrical, optical, pneumatic or hydraulic arrangements; Motors
Abstract
A construction toy (10) comprising a motor unit (20) which has a body (21) and an electric motor and an exposed motor drive output member (23/24) held by the body (21) and including a plurality of separate gear unite (30/40/50) each of which has a body (32/42/52) and an exposed gear member (31/41/51A) supported by the bay for rotation. The bodies (32/42/52) are provided with inter-engageable connecting means (I/O) for releasably connecting one gear unit (30/40/50) to the motor unit (20) to enable drive transmission from the output member (23/24) of the motor unit (20) to the gear member (31/41/51A) of said one gear unit (30/40/50) and/or to another gear unit (30/40/50) to enable drive transmission between the gear members (31/41/51A) of the two gear units (30/40/50). Drive transmission between gear members and output member may be radial or axial (Figure 2) wherein opposite ends of the axles supporting the gear members and the output member are provided with inter-engageable formations. The bodies of the units may be made of a transparent material.
Description
CONSTRCJCTfON TOY
The present invention relates to a construction toy.
According to the invention, there is provided a construction toy comprising a motor unit which has a body and an electric motor and an exposed motor drive output member held by the body and including a plurality of separate gear units each of which has a body and an exposed gear member supported by the body for rotation, wherein the bodies are provided with inter-engageable connecting means for releasably connecting one gear unit to the motor unit to enable drive transmission from the output member of the motor unit to the gear member of said one gear unit and/or to another gear unit to enable drive transmission between the gear members of the two gear units.
Preferably, the gear member of each gear unit is enclosed by the respective body.
It is preferred that the bodies of at least some of the gear units are substantially transparent to reveal the respective gear members.
In a preferred embodiment, the gear member of each gear unit has a respective toothed periphery, and the drive transmission between the gear members of two connected gear units is effected by means of radial engagement between the respective toothed peripheries.
More preferably, the output member of the motor unit has a toothed periphery, and the drive transmission from the output member to the gear member of a connected gear unit is effected by means of radial engagement between the respective toothed peripheries.
In a preferred embodiment, the gear member of each gear unit has an axle which has opposite ends engaging the respective body to enable rotation of the gear member.
More preferably, the opposite ends of each axle of at least some of the gear units are provided with inter-engageable formations, and the drive transmission between the gear members of two connected said gear units is effected by means of axial engagement between one end of the axle of one gear unit and the opposite end of the axle of the other gear unit.
More preferably, the inter-engageable formations at the opposite ends of each axle are provided in different forms, being a projection and a socket respectively.
It is preferred that the output member of the motor unit is provided with an axial formation which is engageable with the formation at one end of the axle of a connected said gear unit to effect the drive transmission from the output member to the gear member of the connected gear unit by means of radial engagement between the respective formations.
In a preferred embodiment, the connecting means provided on the bodies are in the form of inter-engageable projection and hole.
More preferably, the connecting means provided on each body comprises both projection and hole.
In a preferred eSbodiment, the bodies of at least some of the gear units are substantially cubical.
It is preferred that the motor unit includes a plurality of wheels provided on the body for rotation by the motor to enable the overall construction toy to travel.
The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a construction toy in accordance with the invention, being in a first configuration;
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view corresponding to
Figure 1, showing the construction toy in a second configuration;
Figure 3 shows a first manner in which two construction units of the toy of Figure 1 or 2 are inter-connected;
Figure 4 shows a second manner in which the construction units of Figure 3 are inter-connected; and
Figure 5 shows the internal construction of a different construction unit of the toy of Figure 1 or 2.
Referring to the drawings, there is shown a construction toy 10 embodying the invention, which toy 10 campriseQ a driving motor unit 20 and a plurality of driven gear units 30 to 60 for construction or building on the motor unit 20 to form a gear train. The motor unit 20 has a box-like rectangular body 21 incorporating four side wheels 22 to resemble a motor vehicle. The body 21 houses an electric motor (not shown) for driving the wheels 22 to cause the overall toy 10 to travel, for example, on the ground. The body 21 also houses a gearwheel 23 and a socket 24 which are arranged to be rotated at the same time by the motor about respective horizontal and vertical axes to provide the motor drive output for driving the said gear train built on the motor unit 20.
Top wall 21A and front end wall 21B of the motor unit body 21 are formed with respective central slots 25A and 25B.
The gearwheel 23 has adjacent toothed peripheral portions 23A and 23B which are exposed to protrude slightly out through the front end portion of the slot 25A and the slot 25B, respectively. The socket 24 is accessible through the middle portion of the slot 25A. The rear end portion of the slot 25A is vacant. Three identical square arrays P,
Q and R of male/female connectors, each array consisting of two round studs I and two square holes 0, are formed on the body top wall 21A at positions corresponding to the front end, middle and rear end portions of the slot 25A. The centres of the connector arrays P and Q are occupied by the gearwheel peripheral portion 23A and the socket 24, respectively, whilst that of the connector array R remains vacant. A fourth, identical square array S of male/female connectors, also in the form of two studs I and two holes
O, is provided on the body front end wall 21B, having a centre occupied by the gearwheel peripheral portion 23B.
Four identical gear units 30 are shown, each of which is formed by a gearwheel 31 and a transparent cubical case 32 enclosing and revealing the gearwheel 31. Sach gearwheel 31 includes an axle 33 having opposite ends which engage rotatably through aligned central holes 34 of opposite axial walls 32A of the respective case 32 to support the gearwheel 31 for free rotation. One end of the axle 33 has a square projection X and the other end provides a square socket Y. The projection X of one end of the axle of one gear unit 30 and the socket Y of the opposite end of the axle of another gear unit 30 or the socket 24 of the motor unit 20 are co-axially inter-engageable. The case 32 has, on its four radial walls 32B, respective central slots 35 through which the corresponding sides of a toothed periphery 31A of the gearwheel 31 are exposed to protrude out slightly. Four identical square arrays T of male/female connectors, each array consisting of two round studs I and two square holes 0, are formed symmetrically on a ring of four axial and radial walls 32A and 32B of the case 32, respectively, having centres occupied by the corresponding sides of the gearwheel periphery 31A.
The connector arrays T of the gear units 30 have the same construction and size as the connector arrays P, Q, R and
S of the motor unit 20, in which the studs I are engageable into the relevant holes 0. Accordingly, the gear units 30 may be connected through press-fit onto the top wall 21A of the motor unit 20, as is the case with the row of three lower gear units 30 shown in Figures 1 and 2.
Figures 1 and 2 show different configurations, in that
Figure 1 shows the row of the three lower gear units 30 positioned in one orientation and Figure 2 shows the row of the lower gear units 30 positioned in a different 90" sideturned orientation. Also, Figure 1 shows that the upper gear unit 30 is in the aforesaid press-fit connection, by means of confronting connector arrays T, with and onto the rear lower gear unit 30 and Figure 2 shows that the upper gear unit 30 is in such a press-fit connection with and onto the middle lower gear unit 30.
As best illustrated in Figure 3 for the configuration of
Figure 1, the gearwheels 31 of the inter-connected gear units 30 of each pair are also in mesh or radial drive engagement with each other, between adjacent toothed peripheral portions 31A, such that the two gearwheels 31 are rotatable together. The same radial drive engagement exists between the gearwheel 31 of the front lower gear unit 30 and the gearwheel 23 (its peripheral portion 23A) of the motor unit 20, which units are inter-connected together, such that the drive from the motor of the motor unit 20 is transmissible by means of the gearwheel 23 to the said gearwheel 31 and in turn to the gearwheels 31 of the other three gear units 30.
For the configuration of Figure 2, the same radial drive engagement exists between the gearwheels 31 of the interconnected gear units 30 of each pair in the lower row. As best illustrated in Figure 4 for this configuration, the gearwheel axles 33 of the inter-connected middle lower gear unit 30 and upper gear unit 30 are instead in a different, axial drive engagement with each other, between adjacent projection X and socket Y, such that the two gearwheels 31 are rotatable together. The same axial drive engagement exists between the gearwheel axle 33 of the middle lower gear unit 30 and the socket 24 of the motor unit 20, which units are inter-connected together, such that the drive from the motor of the motor unit 20 is transmissible by means of the socket 24 to the said gearwheel 31 and in turn to the gearwheels 31 of the other three gear units 30.
Only one gear unit 40 is shown, which is formed by a gearwheel 41 and a transparent triangular prismatic case 42 enclosing and revealing the gearwheel 41. The gearwheel 41 includes an axle 43 having opposite ends which engage rotatably with the centres of opposite triangular axial walls 42A of the case 42 to support the gearwheel 41 for free rotation. The case 42 has, on its three radial walls 42B, respective central slots 45 through which the corresponding sides of a toothed periphery 41A of the gearwheel 41 are exposed to protrude out slightly. A square array U of male/female connectors, consisting of two said round studs (I) and two said square holes (0), is formed symmetrically on the rear radial side 42B (not shown) of the case 42, having a centre occupied by the corresponding side of the gearwheel periphery 41A.
Only one gear unit 50 is shown, which as shown in Figure 5 is formed by three gearwheels 51A, SIB and S1C, a crown wheel 51D having an axle S1E, a sleeve S1F and an opaque case 52 enclosing the parts 51A to Sip. The first and second gearwheels 51A and 51B are mounted fast on a lower horizontal axle S3A for simultaneous free rotation. The toothed periphery Of the first gearwheel 51A is exposed to protrude out slightly from the bottom side of the case 52.
The third gearwheel 51C is supported on an upper horizontal axle 53B for free rotation. The third gearwheel 51C is in mesh with the second gearwheel 51B for rotation by the first gearwheel 51A. The crown wheel 51D is supported horizontally and in mesh, from above, with the third gearwheel 51C for rotation about the vertical axle 51E by the first gearwheel 51A. The sleeve 51F is mounted fast co-axially on the axle 51E for rotation therewith, and provides a said square socket Y at the top side of the case 52. A square array V of female connectors, in the form of four said holes 0, is provided symmetrically on the bottom side of the case 52, having a centre occupied by the exposed peripheral portion of the first gearwheel 51A.
Only one gear unit 60 is shown, which is formed by a gearwheel 61 and a transparent spherical case 62 enclosing and revealing the gearwheel 61. The gearwheel 61 includes an axle 63 having opposite ends which engage rotatably through opposite axial holes 64 of the case 62 to support the gearwheel 61 for free rotation. One end of the axle 63 has a said square projection X, and the other end provides a said square socket Y. The case 62 covers the entire toothed periphery of the gearwheel 61.
The connector array U of the gear unit 40 and also the connector array V (though in the form of holes 0 only) of the gear unit 50 have the same construction as all the other connector arrays P, Q, R, S and T. This enables the same press-fit connection as described above between the various units, thereby permitting the same radial drive engagement as described above between the various gearwheels. In this regard, the gear unit 40 is attached onto the front end wall 21B of the motor unit 20, and the gear unit 50 is attached onto the upper side (Figure 1) or the front side (Figure 2) of the front lower gear unit 30.
The projection X and sockets Y of the gear units 50 and 60 have generally the same size as that of the motor unit 20 (the socket 24) and gear units 30 to enable the same axial drive engagement as described above in relation to the socket 24 and gearwheel axles 33. In this regard, the gear unit 60 is attached, for both mechanical connection and axial drive transmission, onto the gear unit 50 (Figure 1) or the upper gear unit 30 (Figure 2).
The construction toy 10 may include other building units, such as a front piece 71 and a propeller 72 with an axial connector 72, for attacbment to the gear units 30, 50 and 60 selectively as shown in Figures 1 and 2.
The motor unit 20 preferably provides two alternative motor drive outputs by means of the gearwheel 23 (Figure 1) and the socket 24 (Figure 2). The gear units 30, 40, 50 and 60, whether more or fewer, may be used, whether or not in the described orders, on the motor unit 20 to build an unlimited number of toy configurations, such as a helicopter in Figure 1 and an aeroplane in Figure 2. The cases 32, 42 and 62 are made transparent to reveal the motion of the respective internal gearwheels 31, 41 and 61.
For this purpose, the case 51 may likewise be made transparent. Also, the connectors I and 0 may take any other suitable forms for inter-connection.
The invention has been given by way of example only, and various other modifications of and/or alterations to the described embodiment may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as specified in the appended claims.
Claims (14)
1. A construction toy comprising a motor unit which has a body and an electric motor and an exposed motor drive output member held by the body and including a plurality of separate gear units each of which has a body and an exposed gear member supported by the body for rotation, wherein the bodies are provided with inter-engageable connecting means for releasably connecting one gear unit to the motor unit to enable drive transmission from the output member of the motor unit to the gear member of said one gear unit and/or to another gear unit to enable drive transmission between the gear members of the two gear units.
2. A construction toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gear member of each gear unit is enclosed by the respective body.
3. A construction toy as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the bodies of at least some of the gear units are substantially transparent to reveal the respective gear members.
4. A construction toy as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gear member of each gear unit has a respective toothed periphery, and the drive transmission between the gear members of two connected gear units is effected by means of radial engagement between the respective toothed peripheries.
5. A construction toy as claimed in claim 4, wherein the output member of the motor unit has a toothed periphery, and the drive transmission from the output member to the gear member of a connected gear unit is effected by means of radial engagement between the respective toothed peripheries.
6. A construction toy as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the gear member of each gear unit has an axle which has opposite ends engaging the respective body to enable rotation of the gear member.
7. A construction toy as claimed in claim 6, wherein the opposite ends of each axle of at least some of the gear units are provided with inter-engageable formations, and the drive transmission between the gear members of two connected said gear units is effected by means of axial engagement between one end of the axle of one gear unit and the opposite end of the axle of the other gear unit.
8. A construction toy as claimed in claim 7, wherein the inter-engageable formations at the opposite ends of each axle are provided in different forms, being a projection and a socket respectively.
9. A construction toy as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the output member of the motor unit is provided with an axial formation which is engageable with the formation at one end of the axle of a connected said gear unit to effect the drive transmission from the output member to the gear member of the connected gear unit by means of radial engagement between the respective formations.
10. A construction toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting means provided on the bodies are in the form of inter-engageable projection and hole.
11. A construction toy as claimed in claim 10, wherein the connecting means provided on each body comprises both projection and hole.
12. A construction toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bodies of at least some of the gear units are substantially cubical.
13. A construction toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the motor unit includes a plurality of wheels provided on the body for rotation by the motor to enable the overall construction toy to travel.
14. A construction toy substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9615933A GB2315682A (en) | 1996-07-30 | 1996-07-30 | Construction toy |
| CN 96122492 CN1171973A (en) | 1996-07-30 | 1996-09-14 | Structural toy |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9615933A GB2315682A (en) | 1996-07-30 | 1996-07-30 | Construction toy |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9615933D0 GB9615933D0 (en) | 1996-09-11 |
| GB2315682A true GB2315682A (en) | 1998-02-11 |
Family
ID=10797703
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9615933A Withdrawn GB2315682A (en) | 1996-07-30 | 1996-07-30 | Construction toy |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CN (1) | CN1171973A (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2315682A (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2001017635A1 (en) * | 1999-09-03 | 2001-03-15 | Dae Sung Toys Co., Ltd. | Moveable and sectional block toy |
| CN101843980B (en) * | 2009-03-24 | 2012-06-20 | 智高实业股份有限公司 | Generating building block |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP2015514476A (en) * | 2012-04-18 | 2015-05-21 | レゴ エー／エス | Toy assembly set |
| CN106286728A (en) * | 2016-09-20 | 2017-01-04 | 上海未来伙伴机器人有限公司 | A kind of speed change assembly and building blocks |
| US11624126B2 (en) | 2020-06-16 | 2023-04-11 | Ohio State Innovation Foundation | Deposition of single phase beta-(AlxGa1-x)2O3 thin films with 0.28< =x<=0.7 on beta Ga2O3(100) or (−201) substrates by chemical vapor deposition |
Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1564855A (en) * | 1976-02-12 | 1980-04-16 | Fischer Artur | Drive assembly for a toy construction kit |
-
1996
- 1996-07-30 GB GB9615933A patent/GB2315682A/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1996-09-14 CN CN 96122492 patent/CN1171973A/en active Pending
Patent Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1564855A (en) * | 1976-02-12 | 1980-04-16 | Fischer Artur | Drive assembly for a toy construction kit |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2001017635A1 (en) * | 1999-09-03 | 2001-03-15 | Dae Sung Toys Co., Ltd. | Moveable and sectional block toy |
| CN101843980B (en) * | 2009-03-24 | 2012-06-20 | 智高实业股份有限公司 | Generating building block |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9615933D0 (en) | 1996-09-11 |
| CN1171973A (en) | 1998-02-04 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US4792319A (en) | Building blocks | |
| EP0121433B1 (en) | Interconnectible polygonal construction modules | |
| US7749042B2 (en) | Toy building set | |
| AU2010359374B2 (en) | Illuminated toy building system and methods | |
| US4507095A (en) | Modular toy whirling unit | |
| JP6063578B2 (en) | 14-sided building blocks | |
| US3881274A (en) | Interlocking units having meshed gears and drive means for a movable toy thereon | |
| US9517423B1 (en) | Toy construction set | |
| EP0636047B1 (en) | Gearing and drive mechanism for construction toy system | |
| GB2207364A (en) | Connectable toy vehicles | |
| JPH0755266B2 (en) | Rotating assembly with wheels for building blocks | |
| DK180702B1 (en) | System of interlocking building blocks | |
| GB2315682A (en) | Construction toy | |
| CA1266192A (en) | Selectable ratio transmission and method of visual identification of the ratio | |
| US5827106A (en) | Toy construction piece and kit thereof | |
| FR2534484A1 (en) | New construction set constituted of panels of geometric shapes which can be assembled | |
| CN209865312U (en) | Splicing module and splicing toy | |
| JPH08507236A (en) | Motor assembly structure for construction toy equipment | |
| KR101883287B1 (en) | Children playing facilities having stacked structure of cubes | |
| CN109893871B (en) | Modular assembly toy | |
| CN111035945A (en) | Small-size many rounds of reconfigurable moving platform model | |
| CN212966782U (en) | Combined mechanical model spline shaft sleeve | |
| KR200311122Y1 (en) | Assembling couplor toy | |
| JP4317700B2 (en) | Gearbox kit for teaching materials | |
| WO2017039412A1 (en) | Self-assembly connecting member |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |