GB2531346A

GB2531346A - Constructional toy

Info

Publication number: GB2531346A
Application number: GB1418461.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Colin Simonds
Original assignee: CHISWICK INNOVATIONS Ltd
Current assignee: CHISWICK INNOVATIONS Ltd
Priority date: 2014-10-17
Filing date: 2014-10-17
Publication date: 2016-04-20
Anticipated expiration: 2034-10-17
Also published as: CN105521600A; GB201418461D0; EP3009176B1; EP3009176A1; GB2531346B; HK1222371A1; KR20160045582A; KR102479324B1

Abstract

A constructional toy comprises a plurality of elements which can be assembled together to form a variety of three dimensional rotatable structures. The said elements include a first gear wheel element 10. A plurality of gear teeth 18 are provided around the circumferential edge of the first gear wheel element for driveable engagement with a second gear wheel element 60 having gear teeth 18 complementary in shape to the gear teeth 18 of the first gear wheel element 10. There is also provided a first aperture 20 provided in the first gear 10 configured to receive a drive element 100. In use the drive element 100 will driveably engage with gear wheel 10 via the aperture 20 to provide a means for transmitting force to the first gear wheel element. Further apertures may be provided offset from the aperture 20. The further apertures may be splined for the attachment of further elements of the constructional toy.

Description

CONSTRUCTIONAL TOY

The present disclosure relates to a constructional toy.

Background

There are many commonly available constructional toys for children. They range in complexity to meet the development needs and abilities of children, whether for recreation or education. As well as promoting co-ordination skills, they help to develop an understanding of basic mechanics.

Hence a constructional toy which may be used by children of different developmental stages, to further challenge and develop their mechanical skills and understanding, is highly desirable.

Summary

According to the present disclosure there is provided an apparatus as set forth in the appended claims. Other features of the invention will be apparent from the dependent

claims, and the description which follows.

Accordingly, there may be provided a constructional toy comprising a plurality of elements which can be assembled together to form a variety of three dimensional rotatable structures, said elements including: a first gear wheel element having a wall which defines a side face of the first gear wheel element and a circumferential edge of the first gear wheel element; a plurality of gear teeth around the circumferential edge of the first gear wheel element for driveable engagement with a second gear wheel element having gear teeth complementary in shape to the gear teeth of the first gear wheel element a first aperture provided in the wall configured to receive a drive element that, in use, will driveably engage with gear wheel via the aperture to provide a means for transmitting force to the first gear wheel element to thereby rotate the first gear wheel about a rotational axis which is aligned with or coaxial with a central rotational axis of the first gear wheel.

The first aperture may be offset from the central rotational axis of the first gear wheel.

The first aperture may be coaxial with the central rotational axis of the first gear wheel.

A second aperture may be provided offset from the first aperture.

A third aperture may be provided offset from the first aperture and second aperture and the centre of at least two of the apertures may be spaced apart from the rotational axis by the same amount such that they define a pitch circle diameter centred on the rotational axis.

The first, second and third apertures may be aligned such that two of the apertures are diametrically opposite one another across the other aperture.

At least one further aperture may be provided wherein the centre of the or each further aperture lays on the pitch circle diameter defined by at least two of the first, second or third apertures.

Some, but not all, of the apertures may be splined, the remainder being plane sided.

All of the apertures may be splined.

A positional marker may be provided adjacent to a gear tooth.

A number, or characters indicating a number, may be provided on the gear wheel corresponding to the number of gear teeth of the gear wheel.

The drive element may comprise a first elongate member configured to extend into and/or through the or each apertures and to driveably engage with a side of the or each apertures to thereby rotate the first gear wheel about the rotational axis.

The first elongate member may have a length greater than the thickness of the first gear wheel element.

A crank arm may extend away at an angle from the first elongate member.

The crank arm may terminate in a second elongate member at the opposite end of the crank arm to the first elongate member.

The first elongate member may comprise splines which extend radially outwards and which are configured for engagement with the splines of the or each aperture of the first gear wheel element.

The second elongate member may be provided with a first recess with at least one spline which extends radially inward from an inner surface of the first recess.

Hence there is provided a constructional toy which enables the construction of gear assemblies, combinable in different configurations, which are rotatable with a driving member, with the intention of educating a child about the nature, look and feel of gear systems.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Examples of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a top side perspective view of a gear wheel element according to

the present disclosure;

Figure 2 shows an underside perspective view of the gear wheel element shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a view of the top of the gear wheel element shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 shows an underside view of the gear wheel element shown in the preceding figures; Figure 5 shows a side view of the gear wheel element shown in the preceding figures; Figure 6 shows a top view of an alternative example of a gear wheel element

according to the present disclosure.

Figure 7 shows a perspective top view of a further example of a gear wheel

element according to the present disclosure;

Figure 8 shows a plan view of a further alternative example of the gear wheel element of Figure 7; Figure 9 shows a further example of a gear wheel element according to the

present disclosure.

Figure 10 shows a top side perspective view of a drive element according to the

present disclosure.

Figure 11 shows an underside view of the drive element shown in Figure 10; Figure 12 shows a top view of the drive element shown in Figures 10, 11; Figure 13 shows an underside view of the drive element shown in Figures 10 to 12; Figure 14 shows a side view of the drive element shown in Figures lOto 13; Figure 15 shows an end view of the drive element shown in Figures 10 to 14; Figure 16 shows an example of an alternative design of drive element for use with a constructional toy according to the present disclosure; Figure 17 shows an example of an further alternative drive element which can be used in conjunction with the constructional toy of the present disclosure; and Figures 18 to 22 show differently configured combinations of gear wheel and drive/shaft elements of the constructional toy of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Figures 1 to 22 show elements of a constructional toy according to the present disclosure which comprises a plurality of pieces which can be assembled together to form a variety of three dimensional structures having rotatable elements. That is to say, the structures which may be built using the toy elements of the present disclosure may comprise a rotatable part. The rotatable part may engage with other rotatable parts to produce a structure which, in use, has multiple moving parts. The other rotatable parts may be akin, or different, to gear wheels of the present disclosure.

Features common to different elements of the present disclosure are identified using the same reference numerals.

The constructional toy comprises a gear wheel element. Figures 1 to 5 show an example of a first gear wheel element 10 according to the present disclosure. The gear wheel element 10 comprises a wall 14 which defines a side face and a circumferential edge 16. A plurality gear teeth 18 extend from around the circumferential edge 16 of the first gear wheel element 10. In the example shown there are ten gear teeth which extend radially. There may also be provided other gear teeth arrangements, for example having teeth which extend at an angle (e.g. at right angles) to the wall 14 and/or main rotational axis of the gear wheel. The gear teeth 18 are configured for drivable engagement with a second gear wheel element having gear teeth complementary in shape to the gear teeth 18 of the first gear wheel element.

The wall 14 is provided with at least one aperture. In Figures 1 to 5 the first gear wheel element 10 is shown having three apertures, indicated by reference numerals 20, 22, 24. The apertures 20, 22, 24 are nominally of the same diameter.

Apertures 22, 24 differ from aperture 20 only in that they are provided with splines 26 which extend radially inwards towards their centre. That is to say, aperture 20 is plane sided (i.e. smooth, cylindrical) and apertures 22, 24 are splined, and hence configured for co-operation and engagement with other ("male") splined elements of complementary shape. In particular, the apertures 20,22,24 are configured to receive a drive element, in the form of a crank arm 100 described hereafter with reference to Figureslotol5, 18to22.

A smooth sided aperture, in whatever position on the gear wheel, is also configured to receive part of the drive element 100, and is configured to be rotatable relative to the drive element 100, with little or no frictional resistance.

Figures 16, 17 show examples of axles 200, 202 which may be used in conjunction with the gear wheel elements and crank arm 100 of the present disclosure for support and/or driving the gear wheels (that is to say, as drive elements", as will described with reference to Figure 22). The axles 200, 202 may extend through the splined apertures of the gear wheels. The smooth sided aperture 20 of the gear wheels may also receive an elongate support member, such as an axle 200,202 about which the first gear wheel element 10 may be likewise rotated with little or no frictional resistance.

The rotational axis about which the gear wheel 10 rotates may be aligned and/or coaxial with a central rotational axis 12 of the first gearwheel element 10. For example the rotational axis may be defined by apertures 22,24 (that is to say, coaxial with the centre of one of the apertures 22,24 offset from the central rotational axis 12) depending on which aperture the gear wheel is rotatably mounted.

In the example of Figures 1 to 5, the smooth sided aperture 20 is coaxial with the central rotational axis 12 of the first gear wheel 10. Apertures 22, 24 are offset from the central rotational axis 12 of the first gear wheel 10. Aperture 22 is provided radially outward of the aperture 20. Aperture 24 is provided radially outward of the first aperture 20. The centres of apertures 22, 24 are spaced apart from the central rotational axis 12 by the same amount such that they define a pitch circle diameter (PCD) centred on the central rotational axis 12. That is to say, the centre of at least two of the apertures are spaced apart from the rotational axis by the same amount such that they define a pitch circle diameter centred on the rotational axis.

In the example of Figures 1 to 5, the apertures 20, 22, 24 are aligned such that aperture 22 is diametrically opposite the aperture 24 across aperture 20. That is to say that two of the apertures are diametrically opposite one another across the other, remaining, aperture.

Although in the example of Figures 1 to 5 three apertures 20, 22, 24 are shown, a gear wheel element according to the present disclosure may be provided with one or two apertures, or more than three.

Figure 6 shows an alternative example of a gear wheel element 10'. The gear wheel element 10' is identical to the gear wheel element 10 except that its central aperture 20' is provided with splines that extend radially inwards, in the same way as apertures 22, 24 are splined. That is to say, the gear wheel element 10' of Figure 6 illustrates an example of a gear wheel element where all of the apertures of the gear wheel element are splined. The example of Figures 1 to 5 show a gear wheel element 10 where some, but not all, of the apertures are splined, the remainder being plane sided.

Figure 7 illustrates an alternative example of a gear wheel element 40 comprising twelve radially extending gear teeth 18. As the gear teeth 18 of the gear wheel element are of substantially the same size and geometry as the gear wheel elements 10, 10', the gear wheel element 40 has an overall diameter slightly greater than that of the gear wheel elements 10, 10'. Gear wheel element 40 comprises a central aperture 20 centred on the central rotational axis 12 of the gear wheel element 40. This central gear wheel aperture 20 is shown plane sided, but in an alternative example may be splined. It is surrounded by a number of apertures 22, 24 which are centred by common pitch circle diameter. Some of the apertures are splined, and some are not splined (i.e. plane sided). The apertures of the Figure 7 example have nominally the same diameter and dimensions of the apertures 20, 20', 22, 24 of examples Figures 1 to 6. Hence the apertures of the Figure 7 example are compatible with the same axles 200,202 and crank arm 100 as the gear wheel examples shown in Figures 1 to 6.

The example of Figure 8 shows a gear wheel element 40' which is the same as the example shown in Figure 7 except that there is a different pattern of plane apertures and splined apertures. In the example gear wheel element 40 shown in Figure 7, three of the apertures are splined and four of the apertures are plane sided. In the Figure 8 example four of the apertures are splined and three of the apertures are plane sided.

The Figure 7 and 8 examples comprise more apertures than in the examples of Figures 1 to 6. The further apertures 22,24 are provided radially outwards of the central aperture 20, wherein the centre of the or each further aperture 22,24 lays on a common pitch circle diameter. That is to say at least one further aperture is provided wherein the centre of the or each further aperture lays on the pitch circle diameter defined by apertures 22,24.

The examples of Figures 1 to 5 and Figures 7, 8 are examples of gear wheel elements where some, but not all of the apertures are splined, the remainder being plane.

However, in other examples (for example Figure 6) all of the passages may be splined.

For example, all of the passages of the Figure 7 and Figure 8 examples may be splined.

Figure 9 shows an example of an additional gear wheel element 60 which comprises fifteen radially extending gear teeth 18. Consequently, the gear wheel element 60 has a larger overall diameter than the gear wheels of the preceding examples. Gear wheel element 60 comprises a central aperture 20 centred on the central rotational axis 12 of the gear wheel element 60. This central gear wheel aperture 20 is shown plane sided, but in an alternative example may be splined. It is surrounded by a number of apertures 22, 24 which are centred on a common pitch circle diameter. Although not essential, the apertures 22, 24 of the Figure 9 example are spaced apart and centred on the same PCD as the apertures 22, 24 of the Figure 7, 8 examples. As with the Figure 7 and Figure 8 examples gear wheels 40, 40', some, but not all, of the apertures are splined, the remainder being plane. In an alternative example, all of the apertures may be splined. The number of splined apertures may outnumber, or be less than, the number of plane apertures. Also, in a different example, the number of splined apertures may be equal to the number of plane apertures.

Each of the gear wheel elements 20, 20', 40. 40', 60 have a number 30 printed, embossed or otherwise provided on the wall 14 of the gear wheel element, where the number corresponds to the number of gear wheel teeth 18 of that particular gear wheel element. This is so a child (or a child's supervisor) may quickly identify the desired gear wheel for use. Characters indicating a number, for example a word spelling the number, or roman numerals, may be provided instead of, or as well as, numeric characters.

Each of the gear wheel elements 20, 20', 40. 40', 60 have a marker, for example an arrow 32, provided adjacent to, or on a side wall of one of the gear teeth 18. This is to assist a child in observing the gear wheel rotation, and to assist in observing relative rotation of gear wheels when engaged with one another.

The apertures 20,22,24 of the gear wheels may be provided as holes in a thin wall, or (as shown in the figures) passages or tubes which extend way from the wall 14.

Figures 10 to 15 show an example of a drive element 100 according to the present disclosure. The drive element 100 comprises a first elongate member 102 configured to extend into and/or through the or each apertures 20,22,24 of the gear wheel elements.

The elongate member 102 is also configured to driveably engage with the gear wheel via the or each splined apertures to provide a means for transmitting force to the gear wheel elements, to thereby rotate the gear wheel element about a rotational axis. That is to say, the drive element 100 is configured to driveably engage with the gear wheel via the aperture(s) 22,24 (e.g. the side of the apertures and/or the splines) to provide a means for transmitting force to gear wheel elements to thereby rotate the gear wheel elements about their rotational axes.

The rotational axis about which each of the gear wheel elements are rotated may be their central axis 12, or may be a rotational axis centred on one of the other apertures of the gear wheel elements, depending on which is carried by an axle type member 200, 202.

The first elongate member 102 of the drive element 100 may be configured with a length greater than the thickness of one or more of the gear wheel elements of the present disclosure. The first elongate member 102 may also have a length less than the thickness of the gear wheel elements of the present disclosure, or be of approximately the same length of the thickness of the gear wheel element through which it extends.

A crank arm handle 104 extends away at an angle from the first elongate member 102.

In the examples shown, the elongate member 102 extends at substantially right angles away from a face of the crank arm handle 104. The crank arm handle 104 terminates in a second elongate member 106 at the opposite end of the crank arm handle 104 to the first elongate member 102. The second elongate member 106 extends at an angle away from the crank arm handle 104. In the examples shown the second elongate member 106 extends at approximately right angles to the crank arm handle 104. The first elongate member 102 extends from a different side of the crank arm handle 104 to the second elongate member 106. The first elongate member 102 extends away from the crank arm handle 104 in a first direction, and the second elongate member 104 extends away from the crank arm handle 104 in a second direction. The first direction may be opposite to the second direction. The first direction may be at an angle to the second direction.

The first elongate member 102 comprises splines 108 which extend radially outwards and which are configured for engagement with the splines 26 of the or each apertures 20,22,24 of the gear wheel elements.

The second elongate member 106 is provided with a first recess 110 with at least one spline 112 which extends radially inward from an inner surface 114 of the first recess 110. The first recess 110 may extend all of the way through the second elongate member 106 such that the second elongate member 106 is open at both ends.

The first recess 110 (i.e. female" part) of the crank drive arm 100 has nominally the same diameter and dimensions of the apertures 20, 20', 22, 24 of the gear wheels.

Likewise the splines 112 of the crank drive arm 100 are of the same shape and size of the splines 26 of the apertures 20,22,24. Hence the recess 110 is compatible with the same axles 200,202 as the gear wheel apertures, and thus the axles 200, 202 may extend through and engage with the recess 110 provided on the crank arm 100. Also the splined elongate member 102 of a drive arm 100 is configured to be entered and engage with the recess 110. Hence drive arms 100 may be linked together by sliding a first elongate member 104 of one drive crank arm element 100 into a second elongate member 106 of a different drive crank arm element 100, thereby increasing the crank arm length to enable greater leverage.

Figures 18 to 22 show example assemblies of the gear wheels and axle I drive elements 100,200,202 of the present disclosure. The combination of elements shown is by no means limiting, and is provided merely as an example of how elements of the constructional toy of the present disclosure may be assembled and utilised.

Figure 18 shows an assembly of the elements of the constructional toy of the present disclosure comprising a first gear wheel element 60 carried on an axle member 202.

Adjacent to this is a second gear wheel element 10 carried on an axle member 202.

Both of the gear wheel elements 10, 60 are rotatable about the axle members 202. The axle members 202 extend through the gear wheel elements into a support structure (not shown) behind the gear wheel elements 10, 60. Since the central apertures 20 of the first and second gear wheel elements 60, 10 are plane, the gear wheel elements 60, 10 may rotate freely around their respective axles 202.

A crank arm drive element 100 is engaged in a splined aperture 24 on the larger gear wheel element 60. Since the gear wheel element 60 is engaged with the splines of the crank arm drive element 100, a user exerting force on the drive element 100 will rotate the gear wheel element 60 about the central axis 12 of the aperture 20 such that the gear wheel element 60 rotates about its central axis 12. Since the gear wheels are adjacent one another and their gear teeth 18 are driveably engaged with one another, rotation of the first gear wheel element 60 will cause rotation of the second gear wheel element 10.

The drive element 100 is engaged with the splined aperture 24 of the gear wheel elements by sliding it into the aperture with the splines of the first elongate member 102 while out of alignment with the aperture splines such that when the elongate member 102 of the crank arm 100 is engaged at least part of the way into the apertures, rotation of the crank arm 100 will engage with the splines 26 of the apertures such that force supplied to the drive element 100 can be directly applied to the splines 26 and hence the gear wheel.

Figure 19 shows a slightly different arrangement to that shown in Figure 18. In this configuration the drive element 100 is orientated at a different angle to the aperture 24 in which it is engaged.

Figure 20 shows an alternative example, essentially the same as that of Figures 18 and 19, except that the smaller gear wheel 10' described with reference to Figure 6 is provided next to the larger gear wheel 60, where the smaller gear wheel 10' has three splined apertures in its wall 14. In this example an axle 200 extends from the same central aperture 20' as the crank arm 100 is extended into, where the axle extends out the back of the gear wheel element 10' into a support structure and rotates freely therein. The gear wheel element 10 is adjacent to the larger gear wheel element 60 such that its gear teeth 18 are engaged with the gear teeth of the gear wheel 60. In this configuration the user may rotate the crank arm 100 and hence the gear wheel 10' which will in turn rotate the gearwheel 60.

The configuration of Figure 21 is essentially that as shown in Figure 20, except the crank arm 100 is located in an aperture 22 offset from the central aperture 20 of the gearwheel element 10, which has a smooth sided central aperture 20. Hence applying force to the crank arm 100 will cause rotation of the gear wheel element 10 and hence rotation of the gear wheel element 60.

Figure 22 shows further example of an assembly made possible by the toy elements of

the present disclosure.

A support structure 302 acts as a foundation for a first gear wheel 300. In this example the support structure 302 is made up bricks having a number of plane sided apertures 306 complementary in shape and size to the axles 200,202 and crank arm 100. The first gear wheel 300 has a single splined aperture 22 co-axial with its central rotational axis. A drive element, provided as an axle 200, extends through an aperture 306 in the support structure 302, through the splined aperture 22 in the first gear wheel 300, and extends beyond the wall 14 of the gearwheel 300. A drive element 100, provided as a crank arm, is fitted to the end of the axle drive element 200. Hence a drive element is made up of the crank arm 100 and axle 200, driveably engaged with one another. The axle 200 is driveably engaged with the gear wheel 300, and the drive element (i.e. crank arm 100 and axle 200) is rotatable relative to the support structure 302.

A second gear wheel 40 is carried on an axle 202, and mounted relative to the first gear wheel 300 such that the teeth 18 of the first gear wheel 300 are driveably engageable with the teeth 18 of the second gear wheel element. The axle 202 extends through the central plane sided aperture 20 in the gear wheel 40 and through the support structure 302. A stopper 304 is pushed on the end of the shaft 202 to prevent it from withdrawing from the support structure 302, and the shaft 202 is rotatable with the gear wheel 40 relative to the support structure 302.

Thus a user may rotate the crank arm drive element 100, which is engaged with and transmits force to the axle drive element 100, which in turn is engaged with and transmits force to the first gear wheel 300 to cause it to rotate, and thereby causes the gear wheel 40 to rotate.

Of course many combinations may be developed, each of which enable a user to explore the different features of a gear system. Each configuration allows the user to appreciate different attributes of a gear system, as well as exploring the concepts of torque, leverage and friction.

Hence there is provided a constructional toy comprising a plurality of elements which can be assembled together to form a variety of three dimensional structures with rotatable elements that may rotate independently of one another and in dependence upon one another. That is to say the rotatable gear wheels can be built relative to one another and may be mounted to rotate in response to and/or relative to one another.

The drive element 100 provides a means for powering the gear wheel systems created.

Hence a plurality of configurations may be built and experimented with by a user. The flexibility of the system allows for unstructured creative play as well as directed educational sessions to thereby support a child's learning about cause and effect, friction, torque and hence the best and the worst configurations for such gear systems.

Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

CLAIMSA constructional toy comprising a plurality of elements which can be assembled together to form a variety of three dimensional rotatable structures, said elements including a first gear wheel element having a wall which defines a side face of the first gear wheel element and a circumferential edge of the first gear wheel element; a plurality of gear teeth around the circumferential edge of the first gear wheel element for driveable engagement with a second gear wheel element having gear teeth complementary in shape to the gear teeth of the first gear wheel element; and a first aperture provided in the wall configured to receive a drive element that, in use, will driveably engage with gear wheel via the aperture to provide a means for transmitting force to the first gear wheel element to thereby rotate the first gear wheel about a rotational axis which is aligned with or coaxial with a central rotational axis of the first gear wheel.
2 A constructional toy as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first aperture is offset from the central rotational axis of the first gear wheel.
3 A constructional toy as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first aperture is coaxial with the central rotational axis of the first gear wheel.
4 A constructional toy as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein a second aperture is provided offset from the first aperture.
A constructional toy as claimed in claim 4 wherein a third aperture is provided offset from the first aperture and second aperture and the centre of at least two of the apertures are spaced apart from the rotational axis by the same amount such that they define a pitch circle diameter centred on the rotational axis.
6 A constructional toy as claimed in claim 5 wherein the first, second and third apertures are aligned such that two of the apertures are diametrically opposite one another across the other aperture.
7 A constructional toy as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6 wherein at least one further aperture is provided wherein the centre of the or each further aperture lays on the pitch circle diameter defined by at least two of the first, second or third apertures.
8 A constructional toy as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7 wherein some, but not all, of the apertures are splined, the remainder being plane.
9 A constructional toy as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7 wherein all of the apertures are splined.
A constructional toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein a positional marker is provided adjacent to a gear tooth.
11 A constructional toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein a number, or characters indicating a number, are provided on the gear wheel corresponding to the number of gear teeth of the gear wheel.
12 A constructional toy as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the drive element comprises a first elongate member configured to extend into and/or through the or each apertures and to driveably engage with a side of the or each apertures to thereby rotate the first gear wheel about the rotational axis.
13 A constructional toy as claimed in claim 12 wherein the first elongate member has a length greater than the thickness of the first gear wheel element.
14 A constructional toy as claimed in any one of claims 12 or 13 wherein a crank arm extends away at an angle from the first elongate member.
A constructional toy as claimed in claim 14 wherein the crank arm terminates in a second elongate member at the opposite end of the crank arm to the first elongate member.
16 A constructional toy as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 15 wherein the first elongate member comprises splines which extend radially outwards and which are configured for engagement with the splines of the or each aperture of the first gear wheel element.
17 A constructional toy as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 16 wherein the second elongate member is provided with a first recess with at least one spline which extends radially inward from an inner surface of the first recess.
18 A constructional toy substantially as hereinbefore described and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.
19 A gear wheel element of a constructional toy substantially as hereinbefore described and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.A crank element of a constructional toy substantially as hereinbefore described and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows.CLAIMSA constructional toy comprising a plurality of elements which can be assembled together to form a variety of three dimensional rotatable structures, said elements including a first gear wheel element having a wall which defines a side face of the first gear wheel element and a circumferential edge of the first gear wheel element; a plurality of gear teeth around the circumferential edge of the first gear to wheel element for driveable engagement with a second gear wheel element O having gear teeth complementary in shape to the gear teeth of the *1.. first gear wheel element; and a first aperture provided in the wall configured to receive a drive element that, in use, will driveably engage with gear wheel via the aperture to provide a means for transmitting force to the first gear wheel element to thereby rotate the first gear wheel about a rotational axis which is aligned with or coaxial with a central rotational axis of the first gear wheel; a second aperture provided offset from the first aperture; a third aperture provided offset from the first aperture and second aperture; and some, but not all, of the apertures are splined, the remainder being plane; wherein the drive element comprises a first elongate member configured to extend into and/or through the or each apertures and to driveably engage with a side of the or each apertures to thereby rotate the first gear wheel about the rotational axis; a crank arm extends away at an angle from the first elongate member; and LU the crank arm terminates in a second elongate member at the opposite end of the crank arm to the first elongate member, 0 wherein the second elongate member is provided with a first recess with at least one spline which extends radially inward from an inner surface of the first recess.2 A constructional toy as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first aperture is offset from the central rotational axis of the first gear wheel.3 A constructional toy as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first aperture is coaxial with the central rotational axis of the first gear wheel.4 A constructional toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the centre of at least two of the apertures are spaced apart from the rotational axis by the same amount such that they define a pitch circle diameter centred on the rotational axis.A constructional toy as claimed in claim 4 wherein: the first, second and third apertures are aligned such that two of the apertures are diametrically opposite one another across the other aperture.6 A constructional toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one further aperture is provided wherein the centre of the or each further aperture lays on the pitch circle diameter defined by at least two of the first, second or third apertures.7 A constructional toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein a positional marker is provided adjacent to a gear tooth.8 A constructional toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein a 0 number, or characters indicating a number, are provided on the gear wheel corresponding to the number of gear teeth of the gear wheel.9 A constructional toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the first elongate member has a length greater than the thickness of the first gear wheel element.A constructional toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the first elongate member comprises splines which extend radially outwards and which are configured for engagement with the splines of the or each aperture of the first gear wheel element.ii A constructional toy substantially as hereinbefore described and/or as shown in Figures ito 5, 7 to 22. IC)