US20020197929A1

US20020197929A1 - Method for assembling hard plastic models and assembly with remaining parts used therewith

Info

Publication number: US20020197929A1
Application number: US09/887,986
Authority: US
Inventors: Tu-Po Chen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-06-21
Filing date: 2001-06-21
Publication date: 2002-12-26

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for assembling hard plastic models and to the assembly with remaining parts used therewith. Each piece of the components of the hard plastic model was cut and formed on the templates therefor. Upon assembling, the components outlining the model are taken off from the templates. The finished model can also be disintegrated into these components and the latter can be again put within the templates, respectively. By means of the present invention, users such as children can be trained on putting everything orderly.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for assembling hard plastic models and to the assembly with remaining parts used therewith.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In a commercially available toy model, the components outlining the model are generally assembled by means of an adhesive. Although the model thus finished is satisfactory in its appearance, it is impossible to disintegrate the model into those components in their original form for the purpose of reassembling or so.

Accordingly, there is a need to improve the conventional model assembly for reassembling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objectives of the present invention are to provide a method for assembling hard plastic models and to provide the assembly with remaining parts used in the method.

In accordance with the present invention, disclosed are a method for assembling hard plastic models and the assembly with remaining parts used in the method. Each piece of the components of the hard plastic model was cut and formed on the templates therefor. At least one groove is provided in each piece of the components for the insertion of a protrusion provided in each of the templates. The groove width at its open end is smaller than that at its closed end. Upon assembling, the components outlining the model such as an airplane or a tank are taken off from the templates and are connected by the clamping force of the grooves. The finished model can also be disintegrated into these components and the latter can be again put within the templates, respectively, by the insertion of the protrusion into the groove.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objectives, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiment in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: [0006]
FIG. 1 shows an assembly in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, wherein the assembly consists of a template and a piece of airplane body formed therein. [0007]
FIG. 2 shows an assembly in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, wherein the assembly consists of a template and a piece of front wing formed therein. [0008]
FIG. 3 shows an assembly in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, wherein the assembly consists of a template and a piece of rear wing formed therein. [0009]
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view illustrating one of the assembling portions of the assemblies shown in FIGS. [0010] 1 to 3.
FIG. 5 is a bottom view illustrating the finished airplane model by assembling the components taken off from the templates shown in FIGS. [0011] 1 to 3.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating one of the assembling portions of the model shown in FIG. 5.[0012]
It is noted that the drawings of the invention are not to scale. The drawings are merely schematic representations, not intended to portray specific parameters of the invention, rather to illustrate the principles of the invention. The drawings are intended to depict only a typical embodiment of the invention and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention. [0013]

Reference Numerals of the Elements in the Drawings

1 piece of airplane body [0014]
2 template for the piece of airplane body [0015]
3 protrusion [0016]
4 template for the piece of front wing [0017]
5 piece of front wing [0018]
6 template for the piece of rear wing [0019]
7 piece of rear wing [0020]
8 receiving groove [0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A toy model in the form of airplane will be described below as a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of this invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the illustrated embodiment in the specified form, i.e. an airplane. [0022]
FIG. 1 shows an assembly in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, wherein the assembly consists of a [0023] template 2 and a piece of airplane body 1. The airplane body 1 made of hard plastics was cut and formed on the template 2. The airplane body 1 has a groove provided at its rear end for the insertion of a protrusion 3 of the template 2.
FIG. 2 shows an assembly in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, wherein the assembly consists of a [0024] template 4 and a piece of front wing 5. The front wing 5 made of hard plastics was cut and formed on the template 4. The front wing 5 also has grooves provided at both its front and rear ends for the insertion of protrusions 3 of the template 4.
FIG. 3 shows an assembly in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, wherein the assembly consists of a [0025] template 6 and a piece of rear wing 7. The rear wing 7 made of hard plastics was cut and formed on the template 6. The rear wing 7 also has a groove provided at its front end for the insertion of a protrusion 3 of the template 6.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view illustrating one of the assembling portions of the assemblies shown in FIGS. [0026] 1 to 3. In this case, for example, the assembling portion of the assembly shown in FIG. 1 is selected and enlarged as shown in FIG. 4. The protrusion 3 of the template 2 and the groove of the airplane body 1 have their own slopes, which are not very significant and do not match with each other perfectly. Therefore, the protrusion 3 is compressed in and well secured within the groove due to the little discrimination in volume and/or in shape explained above. The airplane body 1 can thus be easily taken off from as well as put within the template 2.
FIG. 5 is a bottom view illustrating the finished airplane model by assembling the components taken off from the templates shown in FIGS. [0027] 1 to 3. Namely, the airplane body 1, the front wing 5, and the rear wing 7 taken off from the templates 2, 4, and 6, respectively, are assembled into an airplane model by connecting the corresponding grooves in such a way that the grooves are mutually clamped or they clamp the other pieces in the thickness direction.
The detail about the clamping means is described below. The [0028] front wing 5 may be further provided with several receiving grooves 8 at its front end in order to additionally clamp some toy weapons, for instance, for a decoration purpose.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating one of the assembling portions of the model shown in FIG. 5. In this case, for example, the assembling portion of the [0029] airplane body 1, and the rear wing 7 is selected and enlarged as shown in FIG. 6. The widths at the open end of and at the closed end of the groove in the rear wing 7 are “a” and “b”, respectively. Particularly, “a” is smaller than “b”, and “a” is also somewhat smaller than the width of the thickness of the airplane body 1. Therefore, the airplane body 1 and the rear wing 7 can well clamp each other, while they can be separated easily.

Effectiveness of the Invention

1. The assembly according to the present invention can be easily assembled and disintegrated. User such as children can be trained on their ability to assemble a three-dimensional model. [0030]
2. User such as children can be cultivated to have the habit of putting everything orderly. [0031]
3. The relationship between children and their parents can be improved during the activities mentioned in the above two points. [0032]
4. Children can have a safe space for fun. [0033]
While the invention has been described with specific reference to the embodiment, someone skilled in the art will recognize that changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. [0034]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method for assembling hard plastic models and the assembly with remaining parts used therewith, each piece of the components of the hard plastic model being cut and formed on the templates therefor, at least one groove being provided in each piece of the components for the insertion of a protrusion provided in each of the templates;

wherein the groove width at its open end is smaller than that at its closed end;

wherein, upon assembling, the components outlining the model such as an airplane or a tank are taken off from the templates and are connected by the clamping force of the grooves; and

wherein the finished model can also be disintegrated into these components and the latter can be again put within the templates, respectively, by the insertion of the protrusions into the grooves.