GB2613130A - Construction toy - Google Patents

Abstract

A construction toy piece 1 having a face comprising a plurality of projections 2 and a plurality of grooves 3, such that two such toy pieces 1 may be connected by engaging at least one projection 2 frictionally in a groove 3 of the second piece. The pieces 1 may be capable of limited relative repositioning by moving a projection 2 along the inside of the recess in which it is received.

Description

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to, but is not exclusive to, a novel approach to coupling construction toy elements so as to ensure a high degree of freedom in the relative orientation and positioning of connected shapes and flexibility in the coupling arrangements possible for faces, where further translational adjustment and exchange of faces once coupled is possible. Ultimately these shapes with faces that have the invention installed can be assembled and disassembled with a relatively high degree of freedom to form mechanically coupled structures that comprise multiple shapes with the invention installed.

To achieve this high degree of flexibility in orientational and positional coupling, every face of a shape with the invention installed is capable of coupling with any other identical adjacent face of a shape with the invention installed and is capable of functioning with all the previously described characteristics. Furthermore, the invention can be installed on a face of any suitable shape, further allowing degrees of freedom in the complexity of structures that can be assembled.

The invention allows for all faces that function as described to be perfect replicas of one another, and as these perfect replicated faces can comprise a unique shape such as cuboids, the minimal number of unique forms that is required to characterise cuboids that all work as described is kept to a minimum, therefore all instances of the invention can be perfect replicas of one another and function as previously described, and no additional components needed for coupling It is therefore the object of the invention as described to allow for a less orientationally and positionally constrained coupling and de-coupling mechanism of shapes to allow freedom in assembly and disassembly while reducing the number of unique faces and thus shapes needed in creative play.

The individual shape most often associated with construction toys is the cube and cuboids and will be referred to as such as a generality, but the invention is not exclusive to cuboids and can be integrated with a multitude of possible shapes. A face plate with sufficient depth in of itself, with this invention integrated, would comprise the simplest version of a possible shape.

At the core of the invention projecting dimples are specifically arranged on a face as to mechanically couple with grooves of another equally characterized face, so as not to occupy the space of other dimples. These dimples and grooves are proportionally sized to one another so that the maximum extruded height of a dimple engages with the depth of a groove that is of equal or greater depth than the dimple is high The functional width of grooves and dimples are defined as the shortest diameter or width across a groove, and the functional width of a dimple is equal in orientation and d mens on to the functional width of a groove, as a groove has a constant functional width across its length, meaning that the dimple can be placed anywhere within the empty groove and a functional width with the same orientation and dimension to that of the dimple will be found, ensuring contact between the dimple and groove exists, where grooves can extend in one axis parallel to the plane of the face that it is installed on, of equal width to the functional width of both grooves and dimples, allowing for mechanical coupling along the whole length or circumference of the extended groove, so as to allow dimples to fill any part of the uniformly wide groove further allowing the dimples to travel through length or circumference of grooves. Therefore, as only one dimple and one groove is needed for mechanical coupling, a plate with both dimples and grooves could couple to a plate with only a groove and work as described.

As long as at least one dimple and one groove are present to be coupled, sufficient contact between grooves and dimples for mechanical coupling therefore always exists, no matter where in the groove a dimple is inserted, as grooves and associated dimples have the equal but inverse functional cross-sectional dimensions

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To illustrate the invention as described, by way of example, the following is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1. Shows a view of a generic face plate with generic invention installed as described. Figure 2. Shows a view of a generic face plate with generic invention installed as described cut open in section.

Figure 3. Shows view of engagement mechanisms of face plates, where a face plate flipped over with generic invention couples with a face plate with generic invention Figure 4. Shows possible right-angle integer combinations of arrangements of two generic connected face plates with invention installed.

Figure 5. Shows possible adjustable translations of two generic connected face plates with invention installed.

Figure 6: Shows a practical and applicable mode of implementation of face plate.

Figure 7: Shows view of engagement mechanisms of practical face plates with invention installed, where a plate flipped over with practical invention couples with a face plate with practical invention. Also cut open in section.

Figure 8: Shows a view of practically implementable cube with invention installed on faces. Figure 9: Shows one possible assembly arrangement of practically implementable mode where faces comprise 9 individual cubes.

Figure 10: Shows practically implementable version comprising a cube with plates attached that only have grooves and are tapered along edges.

Figure 11: Shows practically implementable version comprising cubes assemble in one possible arrangement with plates attached that are tapered along edges.

Fig 12: Shows flexibility in possible form of sides of faces that do not have the invention installed.

Figure 13: Shows flexibility in installation of practically implementable version with different shapes.

Figure 14: Shows possible groove arrangements of a 4 dimple-groove plate arranged in a square grid that function as described, where solid black on plate represents extended groove extrusion into the plate, and where white circle with black outline represents dimple extruding out of the plate.

Figure 15: Shows a half height cube also cut open.

Figure 16: Shows a cube also cut open at 3 instances.

Figure 17: Shows invention installed on a triangular plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTON AND BEST MODE OF IMPLEMENTATION

Generically speaking, to facilitate the easy assembly and disassembly of toy cubes with the invention installed without having to take into account the orientation or position of any one cube, dimples 2 are arranged on a face 1 so as to be able to couple with one another, so dimples 2 can fit into grooves 3 even when all faces are exact replicas on one another Fig. 1,2,3 The grooves 3 and dimples 2 are of equal width in relation to the width of the extended groove 3 so that contact exists between the two elements allowing for a mechanical coupling connection. The grooves 3 also have sufficient depth to allow the entirety of the dimples 2 extruded height to fit into the space of the groove 3, and the extended groove 3 could in certain instances even be deeper than this, still allowing for the dimples 2 to fit into the space of the groove 3 with space to spare as the functional width stays unchanged.

As the extended grooves 3 allow for a dimple 2 to occupy any part of grooves 3, possible positional offsets from two faces 1 sitting perfectly flush and in line on top of one another is possible by an offset of one groove 3, while ensuring that the dimple 2 that is now also offset from its original position by one groove as it is attached to the offset plate 1, is still occupying a groove 3, albeit a different one, with the same mechanical coupling characteristics, while not engaging with another dimple 2. Please see Fig.4 for further clarity. The mechanical coupling of dimple 2 and groove 3 is identical, no matter what part of the groove 3 the dimple 2 is occupying, as only walls of groove 3 with sufficient height contact the dimple 2 at the functional width of a dimple 2 perpendicular to the walls of groove 3, dimples 2 can occupy any part of groove 3, and as the extended groove 3 is uniform in width, the coupling characteristics are also uniform throughout it, meaning that a dimple 2 can run through a groove 3 parallel to the face of the plate and remain mechanically coupled. This allows face plates 1 to be translated rotationally in relationship to one another as our generic example uses circular grooves 3, Please see Fig. 5 for further clarity. Any arrangement of grooves 3 that allows for a dimple 2 to be offset by one groove 3 as seen in Fig. 4, is functionally possible as described. Please see Fig. 14, for a range of possible groove 3 arrangements that work similarly as seen in Fig. 4, though the translational characteristics of plates 1 in relation to each other would change, and the grooves 3 do not necessarily need to be separate from each other and can comprise any shape that has a uniform functional width where mechanical coupling is desired. The most elegant solution is one of circular grooves 3, as it is the simplest shape to understand the translational characteristics for, and the fact that plates 1 can be rotated on one axis relative to one another provides children with another dimension in assembly, further opening up the toy to flexibility in creative assembly possibilities. This does not mean that in novelty cases groove 3 arrangements as depicted in Fig 14, may not be used. The groove 3 arrangements in Fig. 14, are only examples for when the invention is arranged in a square two-by-two grid, and any arrangement that works as described in a similar fashion to Fig. 14, is viable.

The resolution of a two-by-two groove 3 arrangement on a face plate 1 in a square is to have the foundation of the toy be based around a simple cube, though any integer number X by X grid of grooves 3 would work as described. Please see Fig. 15, where a rectangular cuboid has sides with one-by-two arrangement of invention. Furthermore, the arrangement of the groove 3 on a plate 1 is not limited to squares and integer permutations of multiple groove 3 in square grids, but can also be arranged to suit other shapes, such as triangles as seen in Fig. 17 and couple with the base two-by-two square plate 1.

In more practical terms, the toy will have to be manufactured. Injection moulding plastic may be the most practical manufacturing method to bring the toy to fruition, and as such, a practical and applicable mode of this invention has to exist, which is depicted in Fig. 6 Here, thought has been given to cost, manufacturability, functionality, rigidity and weight to create a version of the invention that functions as described in Fig. 3,4,5 while balancing said factors.

Here in the practical permutation of the invention, please see Fig. 6, practical dimples 2a are slightly tapered, to allow for easier insertion into practical grooves 3a, which are in turn slightly chamfered at the bottom to stiffen the structure, and to allow taper 14 on the plates towards the opposite side away from the invention 16, see Fig 7. This inner bottom chamfer on the practical grooves 3a, is important as it allows the practical plates seen in Fig. 7, to have a taper 14 and to come together and meet on an edge at an angle and not have each other's volumes intersect with one another and not have the practical groove 3a be intersected by this angle on the practical plates. see Fig. 7, 10, 11,12.

To reduce weight and material use, the practical face plate now has a void 10 that does not interfere with the invention as described, see Fig. 6,7,8.

The void 10 can be of sufficient sunken depth into the object that comprises the specific instance of invention, be it a cube, cuboid or any other shape, to reduce material use and increase viability of injection moulding. Please see Fig. 15, 16. These voids 10 can also act as reciprocals for superfluous components if the desire were to arise.

To ensure robustness of toy, and to ensure that the invention functions as described, walls 12 that are not affected by void 10 now encompass the coupling components and the perimeter of the practical plate, Fig. 6,7,8. These walls 12 have to be of sufficiently thick to ensure sufficient strength to make the mechanical coupling characteristics of the invention that they encompass work as described.

This practical version works functionally as generally described, were practical dimples 2a couple with practical grooves 3a, see Fig. 6,7, while allowing for all the described functionality described in Fig. 4 & 5.

These identical practical components can be installed on the faces comprising one individual cube, depicted in Fig. 8.

All the faces of this cube with the practically implementable version of invention installed function as described, and in assembly and disassembly, the principles of Fig. 3,4,5,7 apply, and individual cubes and cuboids can be arranged to have any one of the individual cube's faces assemble with any other one of another cubes faces with invention installed, while the degree of freedom afforded by orientational and positional freedom allows for a flexible assembly arrangement, one of which such arrangements is depicted in Fig. 9, where one cube that is to the furthest right of the image is translationally adjusted to illustrate the point of flexible assembly afforded by this toy.

Furthermore, practical face plates do not necessarily need to be part of a greater shape, and can just function as they are, having the capability to attach to shapes and cubes to provide an aesthetic quality. These can also be coloured and textured to suit individual creative tastes

S

during the manufacturing process by using different coloured material, coatings or colouring to produce functional plates. To reduce complexity for these aesthetic pieces that may be intended to only stick to cubes, and not to other identical pieces, functional dimples 2a can be omitted, and instead a functional groove 3a is extended to create a full circle, making a full circular groove 3b, depicted in Fig. O. The part of a face plate 1 that is not altered by the invention or by the taper 14 is the back plate 16. This back plate 16 serves no assembly function to the invention and is there to ensure that the body that comprises the invention is aesthetically whole since the plates do not necessarily provide a structural aid. However, the back plate 16 is an aesthetic ornamental feature that functions as described with other face plates 1 if its opposite side has the invention installed, please see Fig. 10 and I. As the back plate 16 does not interfere with the invention, it can have any texture or form, such as form 18, which can be any aesthetic ornamental feature, or have structural characteristics that are outside the scope of this invention to allow for addition of completely superfluous structural and aesthetic components such as component 22. Please see Fig. 12.

And though the primary use case for this invention is cubes and cuboids and aesthetic face plates that connect to cubes and cuboids that allow for assembly as described, the invention is not limited to cubes and cuboids. Any geometric shape with faces 1 that can have the invention installed is a valid shape, such as triangular tents, or any abstract shape such as shape 20 and can be able to be coupled with this toy. Please see Fig. 13.

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMThe ornamental faces for toy shapes as shown and described, where through specific use of dimples and extended grooves on faces, exact copies of faces can couple, and where orientational and positional degrees of freedom for these plates exist, and where these faces can be offset in one plane and translated to one another, and where layout of grooves and dimples can suit different shapes, and where every face of a shape can have invention installed, and no additional pieces are required for assembly.