US3632109A - Modular recreational unit and combinations thereof - Google Patents
Modular recreational unit and combinations thereof Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US3632109A US3632109A US843506A US3632109DA US3632109A US 3632109 A US3632109 A US 3632109A US 843506 A US843506 A US 843506A US 3632109D A US3632109D A US 3632109DA US 3632109 A US3632109 A US 3632109A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- cuboctahedron
- traverseway
- faces
- recreational
- flange
- 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.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B9/00—Climbing poles, frames, or stages
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B2208/00—Characteristics or parameters related to the user or player
- A63B2208/12—Characteristics or parameters related to the user or player specially adapted for children
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10S52/00—Static structures, e.g. buildings
- Y10S52/10—Polyhedron
Definitions
- Traverseway members for access to or egress from the interior of the cuboctahedrons may be fastened thereto either at one end of a traverseway or, if desired, at both ends thereby bridging the gap between cuboctahedrons.
- the traverseways may be hollow tubular or semicircular in cross section and if fastened at one end only can be utilized as a slide. The free end of the slide includes a depending support.
- the present invention relates to a modular recreational unit which may be employed as a single unit or in combination with like units to provide infinitely variable recreational areas.
- a single structure which is in itself a recreational unit and which is adaptable for mating with like structures is provided wherein infinitely variable combinations and permutations of recreational facilities may be provided adapted to the particular spatial requirements, aesthetic desires or functional demands of a user.
- the basic unit of the present invention is a hollow cuboctahedron, that is, a regular solid geometric figure having as faces, six equal squares and eight equal regular triangles. Each of the square faces includes a regular centrally located opening therethrough.
- the cuboctahedron having the apertures described provides a stable play unit in the nature of both a maze and a jungle gym.
- various other play units may be provided.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a recreational unit of the present invention.
- FIG. 2 is a rear view of a square section of the recreational unit of the present invention.
- FIGS. 3a and 3b are from views of a square and triangular section respectively of a recreational unit of the present invention.
- FIGS. 4a and 4b are side and front elevations respectively of a connecting member of the present invention.
- FIG. 5 is a side elevation of another connecting member of the present invention.
- FIG. 6a and 6b are side and rear elevations respectively of a slide member adaptable for use with the recreational units of the present invention.
- FIG. 7 is a top view of an alternate embodiment of a unit of the present invention.
- FIGS. 8-10 are perspective view of various combination forms of the present invention.
- FIG. 1 illustrates the basic hollow modular cuboctahedron 1 of the present invention having six square faces 2 and eight regular triangular faces 3.
- Each of the square faces 2 includes a regular centrally located opening 4 therethrough, thus making the hollow of the cuboctahedron l accessible from six sides.
- the opening 4 in square side 2 preferably includes a rounded inner edge 5 which extends slightly inward towards the hollow center of the cuboctahedron l.
- a protecting sheath 6 may be provided for the circumference of the rounded inner edge 5.
- the sheath 6 serves both as a strengthener for the edge 5 and a protective guard since, as hereinafter more particularly described, the edges 5 serve as rests for the feet, arms or legs of a user.
- a user may employ any of a plurality of selected openings 4 in order to exit the hollow of the cuboctahedron.
- a single cuboctahedron l constructed in accordance with the present invention provides a combination maze and jungle gym which may be traversed in an external to internal to external, or purely external manner, with the edges 5 providing footholds and/or gripping surfaces.
- While a single unit provides a novel recreational unit in and of itself, like units may be combined in various combinations and permutations and such combined units may be selectively linked to fit the specific desires and/or requirements of a user.
- apertures 7 may be provided on both the square faces 2 and triangular faces 3 of the cuboc' tahedron 1 so as to allow linkage bolts or the like (not shown) between like sides of a number of units.
- Each aperture 7 is spaced near the corner of its respective face, an equal distance from the epicenter as like apertures 7 on the same face.
- aligned square faces 2 (or aligned triangular faces 3) between two cuboctahedrons l positioned so that the periphery of such like faces 2, 3 lie in parallel planes will place the apertures 7 on such two cuboctahedrons 1 into registry.
- innumerable recreational units may be constructed by direct linkage of like faces of a plurality of cuboctahedrons
- supplemental members such as shown in FIGS. 4a, 4b, 5 and 6 may be provided.
- the linkage member 8 includes a hollow tubular portion 9 having a circumferential opening on both ends thereof of like size to the openings 4 on the square faces 2. Both ends of the tubular member 8 include a flange 10 of substantially equal peripheral configuration to the square face 2. Apertures 11 are provided near the corners of the flange 10 so as to be in registry with the apertures 7 hereinbefore described with respect to the square faces 2 of the cuboctahedron 1. Affixation of the linkage member 8 between square faces 2 of two cuboctahedrons 1 thus provides a conduit for passage between such two cuboctahedrons 1.
- a tubular member 12 may be employed having a single flange 13 with apertures 14 therethrough.
- Such tubular member 12 affixed to a square face 2 provides an egress passage to and from the hollow of the cuboctahedron l and as hereinafter described, where the cuboctahedron 1 is oriented so that a square face 2 is oriented at an angle to the horizontal, such tubular member 12 may be employed as a slide.
- an open slide member 15 including a square connecting flange 16 having a circular central opening 17 therein of equal circumference to the openings 4 on the square faces 2.
- a downsloping, somewhat arcuate slide portion 19 extends from the flange 16.
- the slide portion 19 is preferably semicircular in cross section with the curvature of the slide portion 19 being equal to and an extension of an arc of the opening 17 of the connecting flange 16.
- a vertical supplemental support 20 may be provided along the underside of the lower section of the slide portion 19 for greater support and stability with the support 20 adapted to rest upon the supporting surface upon which the recreational unit is placed.
- the cuboctahedron 1 may include a textured (i.e., rough) outer surface on all faces 2, 3.
- the texturing of the outer surface is desirable to prevent slippage by children or others when climbing about the recreational units and additionally serves to provide some frictional retention between linked units.
- FIGS. 8-10 are illustrative of various combinations of units of the present invention.
- the cuboctahedrons 1 are all oriented so the base units are oriented edgewise to the horizontal support surface 21.
- a vertical support surface such as a wall 22 be available at the recreational side for supplemental anchorage, which may readily be obtained by anchor bolts (not shown) between a side of the cuboctahedron and the wall 22.
- the base cuboctahedrons are oriented so as to lie flat upon one of its triangular faces 3 with the cuboctahedrons 1 directly linked between square faces 2 to form a triangularshaped unit.
- FIG. 10 illustrates a portion of a unit wherein the base cuboctahedrons are resting upon a square face 2 and further illustrate the linkage member 8 of FIGS. 40 and 4b and the slide member [5 of FIGS. 6a and 61).
- a recreational unit comprising a hollow cuboctahedron having six equal square faces and eight equal regular triangular faces, said faces being so dimensioned as to accommodate a child within the cuboctahedron, each of said square faces including a substantially centralized opening therethrough, each of said openings including a rounded inner edge with a protective sheath thereon.
- a recreational unit comprising a hollow cuboctahedron having six equal square faces and eight equal regular triangular faces, said faces being so dimensioned as to accommodate a child within the cuboctahedron, each of said square faces including a substantialiy centralized opening therethrough, said recreational unit further including means forming a traverseway for access to or egress from the interior of the cuboctahedron, said traverseway including means defining a portal at one end thereof, said portal being of similar dimensions to an opening of a square face of the cuboctahedron, a flange peripherally projecting from said portal, said flange being of substantially similar dimensions to a square face of the cuboctahedron, and means to connect said traverseway to the cuboctahedron with an opening of the cuboctahedron in registry with the portal, said connecting means including means to link said flange to a square face of the cuboctahedron.
- a recreational unit constructed in accordance with claim 2 wherein the linking means includes apertures through a square face of the cuboctahedron and the flange, said apertures adapted to be registered to thereby accept a linking member.
- a recreational unit constructed in accordance with claim 2 wherein the flange intersects the longitudinal axis of the traverseway at an acute interior angle, the traverseway thereby forming an inclined egress slide from the cuboctahedron.
- a recreational unit constructed in accordance with'claim 5 wherein the traverseway includes a depending support. said support projecting from the underside of the traverseway and engaging a supporting surface, whereby the weight of a child sliding along the traverseway is borne by the supporting sur face.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US84350669A | 1969-07-22 | 1969-07-22 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US3632109A true US3632109A (en) | 1972-01-04 |
Family
ID=25290202
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US843506A Expired - Lifetime US3632109A (en) | 1969-07-22 | 1969-07-22 | Modular recreational unit and combinations thereof |
Country Status (7)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US3632109A (de) |
BE (1) | BE770354A (de) |
DE (2) | DE2131439A1 (de) |
FR (1) | FR2146615A5 (de) |
GB (1) | GB1314295A (de) |
LU (1) | LU63556A1 (de) |
NL (1) | NL7109755A (de) |
Cited By (31)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3730522A (en) * | 1971-04-19 | 1973-05-01 | Minneapolis Soc Of Fine Arts | Children{40 s rocking and climbing toy |
US3785096A (en) * | 1971-03-15 | 1974-01-15 | Interface Syst Ltd | Modular building |
US3944654A (en) * | 1973-12-14 | 1976-03-16 | Moore William J | Balance beam training apparatus |
US3949985A (en) * | 1973-09-05 | 1976-04-13 | Louis Stampfli | Playing implement |
US3974611A (en) * | 1973-03-26 | 1976-08-17 | Satterthwaite Edward W | Modular architectural educational toy and playground erector-set and building system |
US3974600A (en) * | 1971-08-30 | 1976-08-17 | Synestructics, Inc. | Minimum inventory maximum diversity building system |
US4041666A (en) * | 1974-12-04 | 1977-08-16 | Sargis Sargis E | Modular concrete building components for a light-weight structure system |
US4057207A (en) * | 1976-04-08 | 1977-11-08 | John Paul Hogan | Space vehicle module |
US4063725A (en) * | 1976-10-07 | 1977-12-20 | Snyder Thomas A | Foldable cube forming geometric device |
US4173103A (en) * | 1974-12-04 | 1979-11-06 | Sargis Sargis E | Light-weight structural system and modular concrete building components therefor |
US4301766A (en) * | 1979-12-13 | 1981-11-24 | James Piccone | Furniture device for cats |
US4369965A (en) * | 1980-10-09 | 1983-01-25 | Miracle Recreation Equipment Company | Playground climber and slide |
US4395004A (en) * | 1980-03-24 | 1983-07-26 | Rca Corporation | Modular spacecraft structures |
US4696260A (en) * | 1985-07-24 | 1987-09-29 | Joseph Panessidi | Animal shelter |
US4988090A (en) * | 1989-03-23 | 1991-01-29 | Schmitt Marcella H | Portable, safety, play furniture assembly |
US5004297A (en) * | 1989-03-23 | 1991-04-02 | Schmitt Marcella H | Portable, safety, play chair |
US5137271A (en) * | 1990-05-08 | 1992-08-11 | American Playtime Systems, Inc. | Modular architectural structure for playgrounds and the like |
US5177926A (en) * | 1990-05-08 | 1993-01-12 | American Playtime Systems, Inc. | Modular architectural structure for playground and the like |
US5540636A (en) * | 1994-04-08 | 1996-07-30 | Soft Play, Inc. | Playground junction ball |
USD384387S (en) * | 1996-06-05 | 1997-09-30 | Dunn Jr James O | Recreational equipment junction box |
US20090239712A1 (en) * | 2006-03-29 | 2009-09-24 | Kompan A/S | Clambering device |
US20100077674A1 (en) * | 2008-09-29 | 2010-04-01 | National Aeronautics And Space Administration | Connecting node and method for constructing a connecting node |
FR2979245A1 (fr) * | 2011-08-23 | 2013-03-01 | Entre Prises | Structure artificielle de speologie modulaire a parcours reconfigurable |
USD743497S1 (en) * | 2014-11-03 | 2015-11-17 | Cemer Kent Ekipmanlari Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi | Playground equipment structure |
USD743499S1 (en) * | 2014-11-03 | 2015-11-17 | Cemer Kent Ekipmanlari Sananyi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi | Playground equipment structure |
USD758516S1 (en) | 2014-05-07 | 2016-06-07 | Honey-Bee Adventures Limited | Play equipment |
RU2672848C1 (ru) * | 2018-01-19 | 2018-11-19 | Пётр Георгиевич Нужный | Игровой комплекс |
USD835223S1 (en) | 2017-07-21 | 2018-12-04 | Playworld Systems, Inc. | Climbable playground structure |
US20190230895A1 (en) * | 2018-01-31 | 2019-08-01 | Chih-Hung Lin | Pet Combination House that is Assembled and Disassembled Quickly to Facilitate Storage |
US11117067B2 (en) * | 2005-04-18 | 2021-09-14 | Q-Ba-Maze Inc. | Interconnecting modular pathway apparatus |
USD958284S1 (en) * | 2021-09-23 | 2022-07-19 | Richard Dattner | Climbable playground structure |
Families Citing this family (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR2547743B1 (fr) * | 1983-10-24 | 1988-02-12 | Rafis Mireille | Escalier obtenu par combinaison de modules pour l'activite motrice, ainsi que la reeducation de l'enfant |
GB2260912B (en) * | 1991-10-30 | 1995-09-06 | Timothy Lever | Play/exercise apparatus |
US5722446A (en) * | 1997-01-02 | 1998-03-03 | Patent Category Corp. | Collapsible structures |
Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2425729A (en) * | 1942-08-15 | 1947-08-19 | Sherbinin William N De | Toy block |
US3003260A (en) * | 1961-10-10 | Educational construction set | ||
US3069805A (en) * | 1960-02-08 | 1962-12-25 | William M Burrows | Amusement device |
US3485494A (en) * | 1967-02-08 | 1969-12-23 | Liebermann Jerry | Play maze |
US3510962A (en) * | 1967-07-03 | 1970-05-12 | Kazuhisa Sato | Molecular structure models |
-
1969
- 1969-07-22 US US843506A patent/US3632109A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1971
- 1971-06-24 DE DE19712131439 patent/DE2131439A1/de active Pending
- 1971-07-15 NL NL7109755A patent/NL7109755A/xx unknown
- 1971-07-16 LU LU63556D patent/LU63556A1/xx unknown
- 1971-07-21 FR FR7126664A patent/FR2146615A5/fr not_active Expired
- 1971-07-22 BE BE770354A patent/BE770354A/xx unknown
- 1971-10-21 GB GB4899271A patent/GB1314295A/en not_active Expired
- 1971-11-04 DE DE2154864A patent/DE2154864A1/de active Pending
Patent Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3003260A (en) * | 1961-10-10 | Educational construction set | ||
US2425729A (en) * | 1942-08-15 | 1947-08-19 | Sherbinin William N De | Toy block |
US3069805A (en) * | 1960-02-08 | 1962-12-25 | William M Burrows | Amusement device |
US3485494A (en) * | 1967-02-08 | 1969-12-23 | Liebermann Jerry | Play maze |
US3510962A (en) * | 1967-07-03 | 1970-05-12 | Kazuhisa Sato | Molecular structure models |
Cited By (33)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3785096A (en) * | 1971-03-15 | 1974-01-15 | Interface Syst Ltd | Modular building |
US3730522A (en) * | 1971-04-19 | 1973-05-01 | Minneapolis Soc Of Fine Arts | Children{40 s rocking and climbing toy |
US3974600A (en) * | 1971-08-30 | 1976-08-17 | Synestructics, Inc. | Minimum inventory maximum diversity building system |
US3974611A (en) * | 1973-03-26 | 1976-08-17 | Satterthwaite Edward W | Modular architectural educational toy and playground erector-set and building system |
US3949985A (en) * | 1973-09-05 | 1976-04-13 | Louis Stampfli | Playing implement |
US3944654A (en) * | 1973-12-14 | 1976-03-16 | Moore William J | Balance beam training apparatus |
US4173103A (en) * | 1974-12-04 | 1979-11-06 | Sargis Sargis E | Light-weight structural system and modular concrete building components therefor |
US4041666A (en) * | 1974-12-04 | 1977-08-16 | Sargis Sargis E | Modular concrete building components for a light-weight structure system |
US4057207A (en) * | 1976-04-08 | 1977-11-08 | John Paul Hogan | Space vehicle module |
US4063725A (en) * | 1976-10-07 | 1977-12-20 | Snyder Thomas A | Foldable cube forming geometric device |
US4301766A (en) * | 1979-12-13 | 1981-11-24 | James Piccone | Furniture device for cats |
US4395004A (en) * | 1980-03-24 | 1983-07-26 | Rca Corporation | Modular spacecraft structures |
US4369965A (en) * | 1980-10-09 | 1983-01-25 | Miracle Recreation Equipment Company | Playground climber and slide |
US4696260A (en) * | 1985-07-24 | 1987-09-29 | Joseph Panessidi | Animal shelter |
US4988090A (en) * | 1989-03-23 | 1991-01-29 | Schmitt Marcella H | Portable, safety, play furniture assembly |
US5004297A (en) * | 1989-03-23 | 1991-04-02 | Schmitt Marcella H | Portable, safety, play chair |
US5137271A (en) * | 1990-05-08 | 1992-08-11 | American Playtime Systems, Inc. | Modular architectural structure for playgrounds and the like |
US5177926A (en) * | 1990-05-08 | 1993-01-12 | American Playtime Systems, Inc. | Modular architectural structure for playground and the like |
US5540636A (en) * | 1994-04-08 | 1996-07-30 | Soft Play, Inc. | Playground junction ball |
USD384387S (en) * | 1996-06-05 | 1997-09-30 | Dunn Jr James O | Recreational equipment junction box |
US11117067B2 (en) * | 2005-04-18 | 2021-09-14 | Q-Ba-Maze Inc. | Interconnecting modular pathway apparatus |
US20090239712A1 (en) * | 2006-03-29 | 2009-09-24 | Kompan A/S | Clambering device |
US8100814B2 (en) * | 2006-03-29 | 2012-01-24 | Kompan A/S | Clambering device |
US20100077674A1 (en) * | 2008-09-29 | 2010-04-01 | National Aeronautics And Space Administration | Connecting node and method for constructing a connecting node |
US8047473B2 (en) * | 2008-09-29 | 2011-11-01 | The United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration | Connecting node and method for constructing a connecting node |
FR2979245A1 (fr) * | 2011-08-23 | 2013-03-01 | Entre Prises | Structure artificielle de speologie modulaire a parcours reconfigurable |
USD758516S1 (en) | 2014-05-07 | 2016-06-07 | Honey-Bee Adventures Limited | Play equipment |
USD743497S1 (en) * | 2014-11-03 | 2015-11-17 | Cemer Kent Ekipmanlari Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi | Playground equipment structure |
USD743499S1 (en) * | 2014-11-03 | 2015-11-17 | Cemer Kent Ekipmanlari Sananyi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi | Playground equipment structure |
USD835223S1 (en) | 2017-07-21 | 2018-12-04 | Playworld Systems, Inc. | Climbable playground structure |
RU2672848C1 (ru) * | 2018-01-19 | 2018-11-19 | Пётр Георгиевич Нужный | Игровой комплекс |
US20190230895A1 (en) * | 2018-01-31 | 2019-08-01 | Chih-Hung Lin | Pet Combination House that is Assembled and Disassembled Quickly to Facilitate Storage |
USD958284S1 (en) * | 2021-09-23 | 2022-07-19 | Richard Dattner | Climbable playground structure |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
FR2146615A5 (de) | 1973-03-02 |
BE770354A (fr) | 1972-01-24 |
DE2154864A1 (de) | 1973-06-14 |
NL7109755A (de) | 1973-01-17 |
GB1314295A (en) | 1973-04-18 |
DE2131439A1 (de) | 1973-01-11 |
LU63556A1 (de) | 1972-04-04 |
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