US20180296937A1 - Modular unit for forming constructions for toy use - Google Patents

Modular unit for forming constructions for toy use Download PDF

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Publication number
US20180296937A1
US20180296937A1 US15/758,857 US201615758857A US2018296937A1 US 20180296937 A1 US20180296937 A1 US 20180296937A1 US 201615758857 A US201615758857 A US 201615758857A US 2018296937 A1 US2018296937 A1 US 2018296937A1
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
blank
central portion
wing
modular unit
slits
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.)
Abandoned
Application number
US15/758,857
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English (en)
Inventor
Simon Carlo MARUSSI
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of US20180296937A1 publication Critical patent/US20180296937A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • 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
    • A63H33/06—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements
    • A63H33/08—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails
    • A63H33/084—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails with grooves
    • 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
    • A63H33/06—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements
    • A63H33/08—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails
    • A63H33/082—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails with dovetails
    • 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
    • A63H33/06—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements
    • A63H33/08—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails
    • A63H33/086—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails with primary projections fitting by friction in complementary spaces between secondary projections, e.g. sidewalls
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
    • A63H33/00—Other toys
    • A63H33/16—Models made by folding paper
    • 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
    • A63H33/044—Buildings

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a modular unit for forming constructions for toy use.
  • modular unit refers to systems for construction of toys for children having modular blocks which can be associated with each other to form different types of constructions.
  • Each block which is usually obtained by moulding in shapes, comprises at least one shaped base body, usually cubic or parallelepiped in shape having a first face equipped with one or more radial protrusions arranged according to a certain predetermined order and with variable geometrical shapes such as, for example, cylindrical or polyhedral.
  • the body has a second face, normally opposite the first, wherein there are seats which can be coupled with the protrusions of another body with a cubic or parallelepiped shape.
  • the first of these drawbacks is due to the large size of the blocks during packaging. Basically, the greater the number of parts necessary for assembling a construction, the larger is the package which must contain the blocks.
  • a second drawback, linked to the first, is the overall cost of a complete kit for a certain construction due both to the number of blocks and the complexity of the package which must contain them.
  • a third drawback is due also to the fact that the modules made of plastic, if dispersed, are harmful to the environment.
  • the aim of this invention is to provide a modular unit for forming constructions for toy use which overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art.
  • the aim of this invention is to provide a modular unit forming constructions for toy use which can use a reduced space during packaging.
  • a further aim of this invention is to provide a modular unit for forming constructions for toy use which is able to combine logical assembly sequences with the toy use for which it is designed.
  • the modular unit for forming constructions for toy use according to the invention comprises a first body with a prismatic shape, formed by a first blank made of foldable material having a central portion with four sides, which defines, in use, the upper side of the first body, and equipped with a pair of through slits for each side, in such a way as to delimit a central zone of it.
  • the first blank has a wing protruding from each side of the central portion and comprising, each, three different consecutive parts defined by transversal pre-folds to form, in use, corresponding sides of the first body, and a base flat lower edge of the first body.
  • lower edge delimits a hollow central compartment of the first body having a first space.
  • the modular unit comprises a second body with a prismatic shape, smaller than the first body, formed by a second blank made of foldable material having a central portion with four sides, which defines, in use, the upper side of the second body.
  • the second blank has a wing for each side of the central portion, which defines, in use, a side of the second body.
  • each wing of the second body has a protrusion protruding from the free side of the wing and designed for coupling stably by slotting into a corresponding pair of slits present on the upper side of the first body to define the complete the modular unit formed by the two superposed bodies.
  • the second body has, in use, a shape and a size such that it is matchingly shaped to be housed in a central compartment of a first body forming another similar modular unit.
  • the modular unit composed in this way allows an extremely practical construction component to be obtained, starting from flat blanks made of paper material, and which is able to generate different types of toy constructions of various kinds, from the easiest to the most complex.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a modular unit for forming constructions for toy use according to the invention
  • FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a variant embodiment of a modular unit for forming constructions for toy use according to the invention
  • FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a second body forming part of the modular unit of FIGS. 1 and 2 ;
  • FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a third body forming part of the modular unit of FIG. 2 ;
  • FIG. 5 illustrates a top plan view of a first blank with a flat shape forming a first body of the modular unit of FIG. 1 ;
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a top plan view of a second blank with a flat shape forming a second body of the modular unit of FIGS. 1 to 3 ;
  • FIG. 7 illustrates a top plan view of a variant embodiment of the first blank with a flat shape forming a first body of the modular unit of FIG. 2 ;
  • FIG. 8 illustrates a top plan view of a third blank with a flat shape forming a third body of the modular unit of FIGS. 2 and 4 ;
  • FIGS. 9 to 11 illustrate perspective views of a corresponding succession of steps for the formation of the second body starting from the second blank
  • FIGS. 12 and 15 illustrate perspective views of a corresponding succession of steps for associating the second body on the first blank in flat form
  • FIGS. 16 to 22 illustrate perspective views of a corresponding succession of steps for the formation of the first body starting from the first blank
  • FIG. 23 illustrates a perspective view of a step for associating one of the two second bodies to the variant embodiment for the formation of the second body starting from the second blank;
  • FIGS. 24 to 26 illustrate perspective views of a corresponding succession of steps for the formation of the third body starting from the third blank
  • FIGS. 27 to 37 illustrate perspective views of a corresponding succession of steps for the formation of the variant embodiment of the first body starting from the first blank to which are associated two second bodies.
  • the modular unit according to this invention labelled 100 in its entirety, is used for forming constructions for toy use.
  • this modular unit allows, by a series of couplings of two or more modules, complex constructions to be obtained.
  • the modular unit 100 comprises a first body 1 with a prismatic shape, formed by a first blank (see FIG. 5 or 7 ) made of foldable material having a central portion 2 with four sides, which defines, in use, the upper side of the first body 1 .
  • the central portion 2 is equipped with a pair of through slits 3 , 4 for each side, in such a way as to delimit a central zone of it.
  • the first blank has a wing 5 , 6 protruding from each side of the central portion 2 .
  • Each wing 5 , 6 comprises three different consecutive parts defined by transversal pre-folds to form, in use, corresponding sides of the first body 1 , and a base flat lower edge 7 of the first body 1 .
  • the lower edge 7 delimits a hollow central compartment 8 of the first body 1 having a first space.
  • the modular unit 100 comprises a second body 9 with a prismatic shape, smaller than the first body 1 , formed by a second blank made of foldable material having a central portion 10 with four sides, which defines, in use, the upper side of the second body 9 .
  • the second blank has a wing 11 , 12 for each side of the central portion 10 , which defines, in use, a side of the second body 9 .
  • Each wing 11 , 12 of the second body 9 having a protrusion 13 protruding from the free side of the wing 11 , 12 (preferably positioned at the centre of the free side) and designed to couple stably by slotting into a corresponding pair of slits 3 , 4 present on the upper side of the first body 1 to define the complete modular unit 100 formed by the two superposed bodies 1 and 9 .
  • the second body 9 has, in use, a shape and a size such that it is matchingly shaped to be housed in a central compartment 8 of a first body 1 forming another similar modular unit (see FIGS. 5 and 6 ).
  • the first and second blank are initially in a flat form.
  • the first and the second blank are made of paper material.
  • the first and second are obtained from cardboard or paperboard.
  • the first and the second blank can be obtained from plastic materials, even recycled ones, with a thin thickness that can be folded.
  • each protrusion 13 of the second body 9 is formed by a connecting stretch with the wing 11 , 12 and a head stretch having a width L 13 greater than the extension S of the pairs of slits 3 , 4 .
  • each protrusion 13 is designed with at least two transversal creases to allow the entrance of the protrusion 13 into a first slit 3 and an exit from the head stretch from the other slit 4 , in a direction opposite to the direction of entrance into the first slit 3 (see FIGS. 14 and 15 ).
  • the pairs of slits 3 , 4 define a quadrangular zone about the centre of the shape of the central portion 2 .
  • the protrusion 13 is inserted initially in the slit 4 .
  • a first pair of wings 5 of the first blank (opposable to each other) comprises a first part close to the central portion 2 equipped with foldable stiffening side flaps 14 ;
  • a second intermediate part of it defining, in use, the lower edge 7 , having a central portion delimited, for every lateral end, by a foldable stiffening tab 15 protruding from the end of the first part of the wing 5 ;
  • extension in length of the second intermediate part of the pair of side wings 5 determines the width of the lower edge 7 .
  • the second pair of wings 6 of the first blank (opposable to each other) comprises the outermost part of each wing 6 having two foldable stiffening side flaps 18 and a foldable stiffening head flap 19 .
  • the extension in length of each of the second intermediate parts determines the width of the lower edge 7 (equal to that present on the first pair of side flaps 5 ).
  • each wing 5 or 6 are folded, during assembly, by at least a right angle to allow a stiffening of the structure and a locking in the correct position also thanks to the contact with the adjacent wings.
  • the second blank has a pair of wings 11 , each wing provided with a pair of stiffening side flaps 20 .
  • the composition of the first blank determines the formation of a first body 1 , mounted, with a cubic shape ( FIG. 1 ).
  • composition of the second blank determines the formation of a second body 1 , mounted, with a cubic shape ( FIGS. 1 to 3 ).
  • the first body 2 has a prismatic shape formed by a first blank made of foldable material (again with an initial flat shape as in the solution described above) having a central portion 2 with four sides and rectangular in shape with two long sides and two short sides.
  • the central portion 2 forms, in use, the upper side of the first body 1 which has a parallelepiped shape.
  • the central portion 2 is equipped with two series of pairs of through slits 3 , 4 , in such a way as to delimit corresponding zones of its surface, the centre of which is equidistant from the centre of the rectangle formed by the central portion 2 .
  • the protrusions 13 of a corresponding second body 9 , 9 ′ can be coupled by slotting into each set of slits 3 , 4 .
  • the parallelepiped shape of the first body allows the assembly of two second bodies 9 , 9 ′ equidistant from each other.
  • the modular unit 100 comprises a third body 21 with a prismatic shape formed by a third blank defining, in use, a partition wall housed centrally in the compartment 8 defined by the first body 1 so as to obtain two half compartments 8 , 8 ′ both having a first identical space ( FIGS. 8, 26, 37 ).
  • This configuration allows two different second bodies to be housed in the relative half compartments.
  • each wing 5 of the first blank protruding from the short sides of the central portion 2 has its part close to the corresponding short side equipped with a pair of stiffening side flaps 14 with an extension S 14 in length at least equal to half of the extension S 2 of the longer side of the central portion 2 .
  • each flap 14 has an extension S 14 greater than half the extension S 2 of the longer side of the central portion 2 .
  • each flap 14 is equipped, at its free end, with slotting into locking slots 22 , in use, on a portion of the third body 21 .
  • That structure allows the third body 21 to be stabilised inside the half compartments 8 , 8 ′ of the first body 1 during assembly.
  • the second pair of side wings 6 in this solution has each third part outermost relative to the central portion 2 equipped with a central slot 28 which divides the third part into two half-parts.
  • the slot 28 allows each wing 6 to fold to form the wall of the first body 1 without interfering with the third body 21 .
  • the central slot 27 is equipped, at the innermost end, with a tab 29 .
  • the third blank comprises at least one rectangular lower supporting base 23 , in use, and two side wings 24 protruding from the corresponding long sides of the base 23 forming, in use, the partition walls.
  • each wing 24 has a pair of slots 25 , 26 open and made close to the short sides of the base 23 .
  • the slots 25 and 26 are configured to be coupled, in use, with the corresponding snap-on locking slots 22 present on the corresponding stiffening flap 14 of the wings 5 of the first body 1 (see FIGS. 29 and 30 ) and with the tab 28 of each wing 6 during folding.
  • the third blank has a wing 24 provided with an extension flap 27 defining, in use, an inner side of the third body 21 in contact with the inner surface of the central portion 2 .
  • This invention also provides a method for assembling the modular unit 100 for the formation of constructions for toy use.
  • the method comprises the following steps (see FIGS. 9 to 22 ):
  • each wing 5 , 6 of the first blank along the pre-folds to form, in sequence, the outer side of the first body 1 , the lower edge 7 , and an inner locking side of the wing 5 or 6 with the adjacent wing 6 or 5 and with the inner part of the central portion 2 to form the first body 1 .
  • each wing 5 and 6 of the first blank along the pre-folds to form, in sequence, the outer side of the first body 1 , the lower edge 7 , and an inner locking side of the wing 5 or 6 with the adjacent wing 6 or 5 and with the inner part of the central portion 2 ;

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  • Toys (AREA)
US15/758,857 2015-09-11 2016-09-09 Modular unit for forming constructions for toy use Abandoned US20180296937A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT102015000050948 2015-09-11
ITUB2015A003586A ITUB20153586A1 (it) 2015-09-11 2015-09-11 Gruppo modulare per la formazione di costruzioni ad uso ludico.
PCT/IB2016/055390 WO2017042734A1 (en) 2015-09-11 2016-09-09 Modular unit for forming constructions for toy use

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20180296937A1 true US20180296937A1 (en) 2018-10-18

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ID=54844001

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US15/758,857 Abandoned US20180296937A1 (en) 2015-09-11 2016-09-09 Modular unit for forming constructions for toy use

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US (1) US20180296937A1 (it)
EP (1) EP3347111B1 (it)
IT (1) ITUB20153586A1 (it)
WO (1) WO2017042734A1 (it)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DK201700346A1 (da) * 2017-06-12 2019-02-04 Vestergaard Poulsen Ole Selvbærende flettemodul byggesystem
US10196826B1 (en) 2018-04-16 2019-02-05 EverBlock Systems, LLC Elevated flooring system

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3702520A (en) * 1971-01-18 1972-11-14 Nasa Foldable construction block
US5458521A (en) * 1994-07-05 1995-10-17 Union Camp Corporation Combination storage container and educational toy
US20060135032A1 (en) * 2004-12-22 2006-06-22 Horizon Group-Usa Three-dimensional coloring product
US20060219764A1 (en) * 2005-04-01 2006-10-05 Copeman Donald G Play box with multiple configuration capability
US20110195796A1 (en) * 2008-10-15 2011-08-11 Imagine & Play Limited Play structures
US20120028534A1 (en) * 2010-07-30 2012-02-02 Dennis Clifford Unger Structural support fastener
US20130095723A1 (en) * 2011-10-15 2013-04-18 Really Brothers, Llc Folding toy figurine and method for making same
US20130330998A1 (en) * 2012-06-12 2013-12-12 Olivia Fox Toy Building Block

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4254574A (en) * 1979-02-12 1981-03-10 Robert Stock Hollow form, polyhedron block element formed of sheet material
GB2419302B (en) * 2004-10-19 2009-04-29 Andrew Azorbo An article comprising at least one flat blank
US20100178839A1 (en) * 2009-01-12 2010-07-15 Usama M. Khattah Omar Magic Blocks
KR101358638B1 (ko) * 2012-01-31 2014-02-05 이종구 어린이 놀이용 조립식 큐브블럭

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3702520A (en) * 1971-01-18 1972-11-14 Nasa Foldable construction block
US5458521A (en) * 1994-07-05 1995-10-17 Union Camp Corporation Combination storage container and educational toy
US20060135032A1 (en) * 2004-12-22 2006-06-22 Horizon Group-Usa Three-dimensional coloring product
US20060219764A1 (en) * 2005-04-01 2006-10-05 Copeman Donald G Play box with multiple configuration capability
US20110195796A1 (en) * 2008-10-15 2011-08-11 Imagine & Play Limited Play structures
US20120028534A1 (en) * 2010-07-30 2012-02-02 Dennis Clifford Unger Structural support fastener
US20130095723A1 (en) * 2011-10-15 2013-04-18 Really Brothers, Llc Folding toy figurine and method for making same
US20130330998A1 (en) * 2012-06-12 2013-12-12 Olivia Fox Toy Building Block

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Publication number Publication date
EP3347111A1 (en) 2018-07-18
WO2017042734A1 (en) 2017-03-16
EP3347111B1 (en) 2019-07-31
ITUB20153586A1 (it) 2017-03-11

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