US20040214506A1

US20040214506A1 - Geometric plate having flexible connecting frame

Info

Publication number: US20040214506A1
Application number: US10/423,259
Authority: US
Inventors: Te-Li Huang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-04-24
Filing date: 2003-04-24
Publication date: 2004-10-28
Also published as: KR200367634Y1; AU2004201165A1; JP2004321786A; DE202004005358U1

Abstract

A geometric plate having a flexible coupling frame, comprises at least two geometric plate elements, wherein said geometric plate element is a planar plate of a geometric shape having at least three sides, and a latch recession disposed on each side of such geometric plate element; wherein both sidewalls in the latch recession have a protruding hinge pip; a connecting bar having a length slightly longer than the recession and a pair of connecting sections respectively disposed on both ends; a latch recession disposed at a position corresponding to the connecting section on both ends of the connecting bar; the recession and both ends of the connecting bar use the protruding hinge pip and latch recession to define a pivotal motion relation. The geometric plate comprises a through hole at each corner such that each corner forms a flexible frame, and such flexible frame can adapt various changes and provide a space for the latch recession to extended flexibly outward.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a connecting structure of a geometric plate, more particularly to a geometric plate having hollow flexible ends and corners.

2. Description of the Related Art

The geometric plates currently sold in the market have different shapes and sizes. As to those having a research and development background related to the present invention such as the U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,019 of Harvey issued on Oct. 25, 1977, such patented invention uses two plate elements in an edge-to-edge relationship for the connection; wherein the plate element has at least one recession and one projection on each side; the length of the projection is corresponsive to the length of the recession; an end face of the plate element adjacent to an end of the recession has a slot such that the end of an abutment face forms an elastic abutment face having the flexible capability of moving slightly. When the recession and the protrusion are assembled with each other, said flexible abutment face can flexibly extend outward and let the concave and convex hinge pips be engaged with each other, and allow the recession of one plate element to be appropriately engaged with the protrusion of another plate element. The hinge pips of both plate elements are used to constitute the pivots about which the plate elements can hinge relative to one another. The slots and elastic abutment face disclosed in the foregoing patent provide a design concept for the flexible motion on the intersection where several geometric plates are engaged.

As shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,365 of Engel issued on Dec. 5, 1995, such patented invention also discloses an element of a polygonal plate system and the plate elements using an edge-to-edge relationship for their connection. Unlike the previously cited patent, the connecting relationship of the plate elements according to this patented invention is comprised of solid cylindrical connecting axes instead of the recessions and projections on the sides of the plate elements. In this patent, each side of the plate element has a recession, and the length of the connecting bar is corresponsive to the length of the recession. The recessions of two plate elements ready to be connected share and are engaged with the same connecting bar, and the concave and convex hinge pips of both plate elements are used to constitute the pivotal relationship. Similarly, both ends of the plate element adjacent to the recession form an abutment face that has a slot, so that both ends of the abutment face form an elastic abutment face with the capability of being pushed outward. After the concave and convex hinge pip structures are engaged successfully, the original position will be resumed to elastically latch the connecting bar into the recession.

As to the blocks presently sold in the market, since the user's age and the selling objective are different, general manufacturers will produce their products in several different sizes for the users of different age groups. For larger blocks, it is easy to access, having a simple assembly style and simplicity, which is suitable for the use by children. For smaller blocks, it is more suitable for older children or adults who can stably handle smaller blocks. Under the conditions of the same package and same selling price, more quantity of smaller blocks can be produced, and the assembling style can be refiner and more artistic, and thus making their combination more diversified. For example, there are different sizes and specifications of the famous branded LEGO blocks, and among which the smaller one is as small as the size of a peanut. Such arrangement can meet the requirements of the consumers of different age groups.

Similarly, the geometric plates also need different sizes for consumers of different age groups. However, the aforementioned two prior arts have the following problems for the operation of the small plates.

Refer to the geometric plates in the shape of an equilateral triangle as shown in FIG. 1. If the side of the geometric plate is decreased to 32 mm, the

neck section

1 at the corner of the geometric plate maintains an appropriate width (about 3 mm) to prevent it from breaking easily, and the preferred depth of the groove 2 is about 3 mm. Therefore the side of such corner has to be 7.5 mm. Further, the elastic abutment face 3 on both sides of the groove 2 also maintains an appropriate width to produce a good flexibility and prevents it from breaking easily. Therefore, the preferred practical width of the flexible abutment face is about 1.5 mm. Two flexible abutment faces 3 occupy the space of about 3 mm in length of the groove 2. The width of the slot 4 adjacent to the flexible abutment face 3 is maintained to about 1 mm (It is because the slot in the mould is comprised of a steel plate. If the width of the slot is smaller than 1 mm, the steel plate will become very thin and will be damaged easily). The width of the two slots 4 occupies a space of about 2 mm of the length of the groove 2. Therefore, the length remained for the groove 2 is about 1.2 cm only, and the connecting bar 5 can have an available length of about 1.2 cm only. However, such short and small connecting bar is actually too small, not only being difficult to access and having poor texture, but such small plate for connection also causing the centralization of the torque due to the shortened moment of force and affecting the stability of the physical structure of the blocks. Furthermore, since the entire geometric plate reduces its size, its shape with ragged sides looks complicated and odd, not only unable to fit the simple principle of the geometric plates, but also increases the difficulty and the cost of the molding.

The present inventor also had obtained an allowed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2002/0065017 A1, which is related to the foregoing design principle of using slots and flexible abutment face. The connection relation of the plate elements in this patent is also comprised of the connecting bars, but the cross-section of the connecting bar is substantially in the oval shape instead of the solid cylindrical shape as disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,365 of Engel. The recessions of the two plate elements ready for connection share the same connecting bar, and the engagement of the concave and convex pip structures are used to constitute the pivotal relationship. However, the area of the connecting bar for sharing according to the prior art invented by the present inventor is obvious larger, and the thickness of the connecting bar and the thickness of the geometric plate are substantially the same. The surface of the assembled objects keeps a relative smoothness and a better texture, which gives an artistic surface to the assembled objects. The pivot of the combined plate element is not smooth. Therefore, the inventor makes use of the advantages of the connecting bar according to his prior-art invention U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2002/0065017 A1, particularly focusing on the problems arisen from the slots during the manufacturing of small plates to improve the flexible connecting structure of such geometric plates. Therefore the present invention has advantages as described below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a geometric plate having hollow flexible corners; by means of the elastic deformation of such flexible corners, the wall of the latch groove can be extended outward by force. When a connecting bar is plugged into the latch groove successfully, its original position can be resumed by the elasticity, so that the geometric plate and the connecting bar are movably coupled.

The technical measure taken by this invention for solving the problem is described as follows:

A geometric plate having flexible connecting frame, comprises:

two geometric plate elements, wherein said geometric plate element being a regular polygon with at least three sides and each corner of said geometric plate element having a through hole, such that each corner defining a flexible frame, and each side of said geometric plate having a latch groove; wherein said latch groove having a latch protrusion on its groove; said flexible frame producing a flexible response to provide a space for slightly extending said flexible frame outward;

a connecting bar, having a length substantially equal to that of the latch groove, and a pair of connecting sections at both ends, wherein the connecting section at both ends of said connecting each having a latch recession pip; said latch groove and both ends of the connecting bar using the engagement of said latch protrusion pip and latch recession pip to constitute a pivotal connection relationship.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [0015]
FIG. 1 is an illustrative planar diagram of a reduced geometric plate according to the prior art. [0016]
FIG. 2 is a perspective diagram of the disassembled parts of the geometric plate of the present invention. [0017]
FIG. 3 is an illustrative planar diagram of the geometric plate of the present invention. [0018]
FIG. 4 is an illustrative planar diagram of the geometric plate according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. [0019]
FIG. 5 is an illustrative planar diagram of the geometric plate according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention. [0020]
FIG. 6 is a perspective diagram of assembling the geometric plates of different embodiments of the present invention. [0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Refer to FIG. 2 for the geometric plate having a flexible connecting frame, comprising: [0022]
at least two combinational [0023] main body 10, each being made of an elastic material and a plate of the shape of an equilateral; said combinational main body 10 at the turning position of each side defining a corner 11, and each corner 11 at its center having a through hole 12, wherein said through hole having a shape corresponding and parallel to the side of said combinational main body 10 such that the corner forming a hollow flexible frame 13 and said combination main body 10 at the center of its side having a latch groove 15 disposed inward to define an accommodating space, and the base of each corner 11 forming a corner neck section 14 disposed inward; wherein said latch groove 15 having a latch protrusion pip 16 at both sidewalls;
at least one connecting [0024] bar 20 having a length slightly shorter than the length of said latch groove 16, and a pair of connecting sections 21 at both sides; wherein both ends of said connecting section 21 having a latch recession pip.
After we get familiar with the foregoing structures, the principle of the motion of the present invention is described in detail as follows: [0025]
When a user wants to assemble the combinational [0026] main body 10 and the connecting bar 20, the user just needs to place the connecting section 21 at an end of the connecting bar 20 next to the position of the latch recession pip of the latch groove 15, and then push another end into the latch groove 15. When the flexible frame 13 is pushed, said flexible frame 13 will generate a flexible response such that both sidewalls of said latch groove 15 extend outward to increase the width of the opening of the latch groove 15 and let the latch protrusion pip 16 be successfully pushed into the latch concession pip 22. After the latch protrusion pip 16 is pushed into the latch concession pip 22, the elasticity resumes its original position to latch and fix the combinational main body 10 to the connecting bar 20.
On the contrary, if said combinational main body is disassembled from the connecting [0027] bar 10, the user just needs to push one end of said connecting bar 20 transversally towards the outer side to successfully separate one end of the latch protrusion pip from the latch recession pip 22 and remove the connecting bar 20 after the flexible frame 13 is expanded outward.
By the foregoing motion, the connecting [0028] bar 20 is movably coupled to two combinational main bodies 10 to make them movably turned over or stacked, and the user even can engage several pieces of combinational main bodies 10 and connecting bar 20 to build a variety of planar or three-dimensional structures.
Please refer to FIG. 4 for the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. The combinational main body [0029] 30 is a plate element substantially in the shape of a square, and the position of the turning point of each side of the combinational main body 30 defines a corner 31, and each corner 31 at its center having a through hole 32, wherein the shape of the through hole 32 is corresponsive and parallel to the side of the combinational main body 30 such that the corner 31 forms a hollow flexible frame 33 and the combinational main body 30 at the center of the side has a latch groove 35 to define an accommodating space, and the base of each corner 31 forms a corner neck section 34 disposed inward; wherein the latch groove 35 has a latch protrusion pip 36 on both sidewalls.
Please refer to FIG. 5 for the third preferred embodiment of the present invention. The combinational main body [0030] 40 is a plate element substantially in the shape of a pentagon and the position of the turning point of each side of said combinational main body 40 defines a corner 41, and each corner 41 at its center having a through hole, wherein the shape of said through hole 42 is corresponsive and parallel to the side of the combinational main body 40 such that the corner 41 forms a hollow flexible frame 43 and the combinational main body 40 at the center of the side has a latch groove 45 to define an accommodating space, and the base of each corner 41 forms a corner neck section 44 disposed inward; wherein the latch groove 45 has a latch protrusion pip 46 on both sidewalls.
The embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the foregoing three types, but also can apply to a [0031] combinational plate 10 of other different appearances or polygons, and connect to a combinational plate 10 of different shapes with a connecting bar 20.
The advantages of the present invention include the following: [0032]
a. The elasticity of the plastic material is used. The through holes [0033] 12, 32, 42 at the corner 11, 31, 41 of a geometric plate make the corner 11, 31, 41 hollow and flexibly and slightly movable sideway to provide a space with a slight elastic expansion of deformation to the latch groove 15, 35, 45, and the connecting bar 20 can be embedded into the latch groove 15, 35, 45 successfully. The latch protrusion pip 16 and the latch recession pip 22 are mutually engaged. Therefore, the geometric plate 10, 30, 40 according to the present invention does not require a slot and an elastic abutment face as disclosed in the prior art.
b. Since the present invention does not require a slot and an elastic abutment face, therefore the [0034] latch groove 15, 35, 45 will not be occupied by the foregoing structures, and the latch groove can be extended appropriately according to the length of the side and the structural strength of each corner neck section 14, 24, 44 of the geometric plate. The connecting bar could keep an appropriate length for a secure connection. Taking a length of 32 mm for the side of a geometric plate element in the shape of an equilateral triangle for example, since the corner neck section 14, 34, 44 has to keep an appropriate width to prevent its breaking easily, therefore it is better to have a length of 17 mm for the groove. Compared with the length of 32 mm of the side of a triangular plate element according to the prior art, the lengths available for the latch groove 15, 35, 45 and the connecting bar 20 are obviously longer, and that can improve the stability of the connection.
c. The prior art technology includes a slot and an elastic movable abutment face, and when its size is reduced for the manufacturer, its ragged edge so formed makes the shape complicated and odd. The [0035] latch groove 15, 35, 45 of the present invention is simplified such that the edges of the whole plate are smooth, plain, simple, and easy to access.
d. Since the available length for the connecting [0036] bar 20 is longer than the connecting bar of the prior art, therefore the accessing area of the connecting bar 20 is larger to facilitate the user to access and improve the feeling of its texture and weight.
e. The present invention does not require a slot and an elastic abutment face, therefore it is not necessary to have the steel plate of the small slot in the mould, and thus reducing the number of easily damaged sections of the mould. Such arrangement helps extending the life of the mould. The concerns arisen from the structural strength and thickness of the steel plate no longer exist, and the simple appearance of the present invention can further reduce the difficulty and cost of making the mould. [0037]
While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures. [0038]

Claims

1-5. Cancelled.

6. A geometric plate having a flexible connecting frame, comprising:

a geometric plate element with said geometric plate element having the shape of a regular polygon;

a latch groove disposed on each side of said geometric plate element, with said latch groove having a length dimension;

a connecting bar having a length dimension substantially equal to said length dimension of said latch groove, with said connecting bar;

a pair of connecting sections disposed, one each, at opposite ends of said connecting bar, with each of said connecting sections having at least one latch pip recess;

with said flexible connecting frame further comprising:

an aperture passing through each corner of said geometrical plate element such that each corner defines a flexible frame portion, with flexible frame portions defining ends of said latch groove each having a protruding latch pip, with said flexible frame portion generating a flexible response to provide space for said latch groove to slightly flex outwardly to enable said protruding latch pips to engage said latch pip recesses.

7. The geometric plate having a flexible connection frame of claim 6, wherein said geometric plate element has the general shape of an equilateral triangle.

8. The geometric plate having a flexible connecting frame of claim 6, wherein said geometric plate element has the general shape of a regular quadrilateral.

9. The geometric plate having a flexible connecting frame of claim 6, wherein said geometric plate element has the general shape of a regular pentagon.

10. The geometric plate having a flexible connecting frame of claim 6, wherein each of said apertures has a shape corresponding to the shape of the outer edge of said corner of said geometrical plate.