WO2007088259A2

WO2007088259A2 - Lacing game board with fast unlacing

Info

Publication number: WO2007088259A2
Application number: PCT/FR2007/000113
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gérard Chauvet; Joël Bourdeau; Jean-François DUCROS; Valérie BOUTIER
Original assignee: Pierron Education
Priority date: 2006-01-31
Filing date: 2007-01-22
Publication date: 2007-08-09
Also published as: EP1982316A2; WO2007088259B1; WO2007088259A3; FR2896702B1; FR2896702A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a pedagogical device wherein a child ties up a lace and an adult unties rapidly the lace so as to train said child's manual motricity, comprising several boards and passages in said boards to be linked by lacing. The invention also concerns a method for unlacing such a device.

Description

Quick Release Lacing Game Pad

Field of the invention

A fast-lacing lacing game device is used as an educational toy to develop the intellectual abilities and fine motor skills of a child in kindergarten age.

State of the art

For the development of children's intellectual abilities and fine motor skills, there are a large number of educational games, such as construction games, drawing games, and puzzle games. The object of these games is to associate with the mental representation of an object a manual execution operation, or a sequence of manual execution operations, to achieve said object, or to discover said object as and as the game progresses according to its own rules. In terms of motor skills, manual execution operations should not be too easy or too difficult, given the age of the child. The relation between the object represented or discovered mentally and the operation of manual execution must not be too close, because in this case the game does not manage to attract the attention of the child, nor too distant, for that the child is not discouraged.

Lacing games are games that meet this goal of promoting the psychomotor development of the child. These games consist in donning, according to given rules or in the form of a free creation, a string or a lace successively in several openings or passages of an object or substrate which is most often in the form of a plate or rigid grid. This plate or grid may comprise lines forming a drawing according to which the child must lead the lace, by threading it through the passages, or the passages may be numbered. The child can thus make a decorative motif, or the contours of the string can represent an object that the child must either identify a posteriori, or realize freely. The operation of passing a string through an opening requires the execution of a series of digital operations that require concentration and dexterity. Repetition of this sequence of digital operations several times, either according to a given rule or pattern, or to make a figure or a suggested or free motive, requires patience and, as the case may be, the permanence of a representation. mental or permanent mental attention to discover as quickly as possible the object that will represent the contours of the string once the game completed, and more generally, to follow the rules of the game.

The main disadvantage of existing lacing games is that when the game is over, the string or yaw (both terms being used synonymously) of the wafer must be removed from the openings or passages in which the child has put them on, so that the plate can be reused for a new game session. The more passages in which the lace has been threaded, the longer this task becomes, because it will normally remove the lace individually and successively from each opening. For a teacher or childcare worker who supervises a group of children, this can become a time-consuming activity that may make him prefer other games that allow for a more rapid storage.

The present invention overcomes this disadvantage by proposing a quick-release lacing game board at the same time meeting all the usual requirements for toys intended for communities, particularly in terms of robustness and safety.

Object of the invention

The invention relates to a teaching device for the lacing of a lace by a child and rapid delaçage by an adult to work the manual motor of said child, having several plates and passages in these plates to connect them by lacing characterized in that a) said device comprises at least two superposed plates connected to each other by at least one lacing independent fastening means, allowing them to move relative to one another by rotation and / or translation, at least two of the at least two plates have slots in the form of grooves,

b) said device has two positions as a function of the relative displacement of the at least two plates, namely a lacing position and a delacking position,

c) in the lacing position, at least one location of the device, at least one edge of at least one groove of the second plate closes at least one groove of the first plate, thus defining passages usable for the passage of a lace,

d) in the delacking position, the edges of the grooves, which delimit the passages usable for the passage of a lace in the lacing position, have been moved relative to the lacing position, so as to widen, open or move the passages , so as to allow quick delacking,

e) the transition from the lacing position to the delacking position is by a relative displacement by rotation and / or translation in the plane of the plates of the first plate relative to the second plate.

Another object of the present invention is a method of delacking such a device, comprising the following steps:

a) the transition from the lacing position to the delacking position by a relative displacement, by rotation and / or translation in the plane of the plates, of one of the plates relative to at least one of the other plates, said first plate having a groove structure different from that of said at least one other plate, so as to widen, open or move the passages delimited by the lacing position,

b) withdrawal of the lace. Description of figures

Figures 1 to 5 each show an embodiment of the invention. The benchmarks used are:

1 First plate

2 Second plate

3 Lace

4, 44 Fixing means

5 Intermediate plate

6 Third plate

7 Blocking means

10, 11, 12 Passages

14, 15, 16 Main groove of the first plate

24, 25, 26 Main groove of the second plate

40, 45 Non-emerging grooves

50, 51 slots in the form of a slot

52, 53 X-shaped indentations

124, 125, 126 Edge of the main groove of the first plate

224, 225, 226 Edge of the main groove of the second plate

Description of the invention

The problem posed by the many existing lacing games is that they require an adult to spend a significant amount of time delacking after the child has finished donning the lace, since the lace of each passage must normally be removed. which he was donning.

This problem is solved according to the invention by the use of at least two plates or plates superimposed, movable relative to each other, which cooperate.

Here is meant by "plate" or "plate" a flat and rigid element. The size of the plate is not limiting and can typically vary between 1 and 25 square decimetres. The plate may be made of any material of suitable rigidity, for example of cardboard, plastic, metal or wood. For the device to be marketed as a toy, its materials must of course meet all applicable legal and regulatory requirements, such as those of EN 71.

The device according to the invention comprises several plates 1, 2 and passages 10, 11, 12 in these plates for connecting them by lacing, and more particularly at least two superposed plates connected to one another by at least one means of fastening 4 independent of the lacing, allowing them relative movement relative to each other by rotation and / or translation, at least two of the at least two plates have openings in the form of grooves 14, 24.

Furthermore, said device has two positions defined by the relative position of the at least two plates, namely a lacing position and a delacking position. In the lacing position, at least one location of the device, at least one edge 224 of at least one groove 24 of the second plate 2 closes at least one groove 14 of the first plate 1, thus delimiting passages 10, 11, 12 In the position of delaçage, the edges 124, 224 of the grooves 14, 24 which delimit the passages 10, 11, 12 used for the passage of a lace 3 in the lacing position, have have been moved relative to the lacing position, so as to widen, open or move the passages, so as to allow rapid delacking. The transition from the lacing position to the delacking position is by a relative displacement by rotation and / or translation of the first plate 1 relative to the second plate 2.

According to the invention, the first plate 1 comprises at least one groove 14, 15, 16. The second plate 2 also comprises at least one groove 24, 25, 26. "Groove" means an opening whose length is large in front of its other dimensions. Typically, the length of a groove is at least three times greater than its width. A groove can lead to the periphery of the plate in which is dug, or it may not lead to the periphery. At least one groove may comprise one or more notches 50, 51. "Notch" means a recess formed on the edge 124, 125, 126 of a groove 14, 15, 16 and having a shape compatible with the section of a lace; this shape is typically a crenellated form, or a form of rectangle, pentagon, hexagon, semicircle or other circle section.

The arrangement of the grooves is important in the context of the present invention, as is apparent from the various embodiments which will be explained in detail below.

By way of example, at least one of the at least two plates may comprise groove-shaped openings whose directional median lines are parallel or concurrent, at least one second of the at least two plates may comprise openings in the form of grooves. grooves whose directional middle lines are parallel or concurrent, so that in the lacing position, the directional center lines of the grooves of said first plate intersect with the directional center lines of the grooves of said second plate, the edges of the grooves the second plate closing the grooves of the first plate when the at least two plates are in the superimposed position, and thus delimiting passages usable for lacing.

In addition or alternatively, at least one of the at least two plates may comprise groove-shaped openings whose directional median lines are parallel or concurrent, and on at least one of the plates, at least one groove may comprise at least one notch, typically in the form of a crenel, and at least one second of the at least two plates may comprise groove-shaped openings whose directional median lines are parallel or concurrent, so that in lacing position, the edges of the grooves of the second plate close the crenellations of the first plate, and thus delimit passages usable for lacing.

In the device according to the invention, the plates are superimposed so that one of the faces of the first plate 1 is in contact with one of the faces of the second plate 2, forming the internal faces of the device. The inner faces may be flat or have any other shape. The plates are movable one by relative to the other in translation and / or rotation, the shapes of the internal faces are designed so as to allow this displacement. By way of example, if one of the plates has protuberances, the second plate should comprise striations, rectilinear in the case of a relative displacement of the two plates in translation, in the shape of an arc of a circle in the case of a relative displacement of the two rotating plates. The two outer faces of the device may be flat or have any shape to represent, for example, objects such as animals, a car, a locomotive, a plane, a house. When the device has more than two plates, the faces of plates which are directed against one another (that is to say the internal faces) must have such shapes that they allow the displacement of the plates compared to others, as explained above.

The at least two superimposed plates 1, 2 are connected to one another by at least one attachment means 4 independent of the lacing, enabling them to move relative to one another by rotation and / or translation. . This fixing means may be an axis or ankle, or a pin, or a rivet or any other means for holding together the two plates while allowing them relative movement relative to each other.

Two positions of the plates 1 and 2 are defined with respect to each other:

- The lacing position that allows the child to use the device as a lacing game of known type,

- And the position of delaçage which allows the adult to quickly remove the lace 3.

In the lacing position, at least one passage, and preferably a plurality of passages, 10, 11, 12 are defined by the relative positions of the opening 14 of the plate 1 and the opening 24 of the plate 2 . These passages 10, May _11, 12 are used by the child to get the lace 3.

In the delacking position the passages 10, 11, 12 are widened, open or displaced with respect to the lacing position, so as to allow quick delacking. By way of example, the passages 10, 11, 12 may be open, at least in part, from so as to allow the lace 3 to leave all the passages 10, 11, 12 simultaneously, and to be removed quickly.

The transition from the lacing position to the delacking position is by rotation and / or translation of the two plates relative to each other.

The device may comprise a locking means for locking the device in the lacing position, in order to prevent inadvertent release during play.

In a first embodiment (FIGS. 1a-1b), the first plate comprises at least one groove 14, and preferably a plurality of grooves 14, 15, 16. Crenellations or notches 50, 51 are arranged along at least one groove 14, 15, 16. In the lacing position (Figure la) the crenellations or notches 50, 51 become passages 10, 11, 12 for the lace 3. The size and shape of the passages 10, 11, 12 to pass a lace 3 may be the same or different. Advantageously, the open area of the passages 10, 11, 12 is between 1 and 400 mm ² , and preferably between 10 and 300 mm ² .

The first plate 1 may comprise a plurality of main grooves 14, 15, 16 arranged so that their median lines are parallel or substantially parallel. The middle lines of the main grooves may be rectilinear or (preferably only slightly) curved.

The second plate 2 has at least one groove 24, 25, 26 arranged so that its center line is parallel or substantially parallel to that of the groove of the first plate 1. Thus, each plate can have a shape that looks like that of a comb.

In play position (also called "lacing position", see Figure la), the at least one groove 24, 25, 26 of the second plate is disposed behind at least one of the notches 50, 51 of the first plate 1 , so that at least one location of the device, at least one edge 224, 225 of at least one groove 24, 25, 26 of the second plate 2 closes at least one groove 14, 15, 16 of the first plate 1, thus delimiting passages 10, 11, 12 usable for the passage of a lace 3 and so as to allow the passage of a lace through said passages 10, 11, 12, and simultaneously through the second plate. Thus, the edge 224, 225, 226 of the groove 24, 25, 26 of the second plate makes impossible the passage by a movement in the plane of said plate of the lace 3 in the groove 14: said lace can not then, by a movement substantially perpendicular to the center line of the groove and in the plane of the plate, out of the passage 10, 11, 12 in which it is threaded.

The transition from the lacing position to the delacking position is by a relative displacement, by rotation and / or translation in the plane of the plates, of one of the plates relative to at least one of the other plates, said first plate having a groove structure different from that of said at least one other plate, so as to widen, open or move the passages defined by the lacing position. Then, we can remove the lace.

In fast delacking position (see FIG. 1b), the edge 224, 225, 226 of the main groove 24, 25, 26 of the second plate 2 is no longer in position to close the passages 10, 11, 12 (here partially represented by the crenelike notches 50, 51 of the first plate 1) but is offset so as to allow movement out substantially perpendicularly to the center line of the main groove and in the plane of the plate, the lace of at least one, and advantageously several, and even more advantageously of all the passages in which it has been threaded. The lace may be slid laterally along the main groove (or main grooves) of the first plate to be fully released, or it may be removed from the passages by pulling on the lace, knowing that these passages are open or at least so wide that the friction between the lace and the edge of the passage is small compared to the lacing position.

Figures 5a to 5g show a variant of this first embodiment. In this embodiment, the device is formed of three plates: two plates 1, 6 sandwich a plate 2. Thus, the device is more rigid. The outer plates 1.6 are identical, but could be different. Advantageously, the device comprises two fastening means 4, 44 sufficiently spaced for help make the device rigid. Figure 5a shows in projection the lacing position, Figure 5b shows a section along the plane AA of the same position. Figure 5c shows in projection the position delaage, Figure 5d shows a section along the plane AA of the same position. Figure 5e shows the lacing position with the lace that has been passed through the passages. Figure 5f shows the delacking position. In this position, the lace can be removed by a simple movement perpendicular to the center line of the groove and in the plane of the plate (see Figure 5g).

In a second embodiment (FIGS. 2a, 2b), the at least two plates each comprise at least one main groove 14, 24 arranged in such a way that the median lines of the main grooves of the two plates are intersecting with each other and form, in the lacing position (FIG. 2a), at their intersection, at least one passage 10 and preferably a plurality of passages 10, 11, 12, each of which is delimited by the edges of the principal branch of the first plate 124, 125 and the edges of the groove of the second plate 224, 225.

The transition from the lacing position to the fast delacking position (FIG. 2b) is effected by a rotational movement about the axis which constitutes one of the fastening means 4, of the two plates relative to one another . Thus, the passages through which the lace is threaded move by. relative to at least one of the plates, and they may possibly widen or even lead to the periphery of a plate. Thus, one can easily remove the lace by pulling on it.

In a third embodiment (FIGS. 3a, 3b), the first plate 1 and the second plate 2 each comprise open or non-emergent grooves 40, 45 forming or having at least one elongated branch. Here, the term "groove opening" means an opening opening at the periphery of the plate; in this sense, an indentation is an open groove. On the other hand, a "non-opening groove" does not open on the periphery of the plate. For example, the first plate may comprise a non-emergent groove 40 in the form of "X", and the second plate a non-emergent groove 45 shaped "U". In the lacing position (FIG. 3 a), the grooves of the first plate and the grooves of the second plate are arranged so as to leave a plurality of passages for the lace 3.

The transition from the lacing position to the delacking position is by a translational movement of the plates 1 and 2 relative to each other.

In delacking position (Figure 3b), the openings 40 and 45 are no longer superimposed, which allows to release the lace and remove it easily.

Figure 3c shows a section along the plane A-A in the lacing position.

In a fourth embodiment (Figures 4a to 4d), the first plate has at least one main groove on which opens at least one notch 53, 54 shaped "X"; in variants, these notches have the shape of U "," Y ", or" L ". The second plate has at least one main groove 24, 25.

This embodiment makes it possible to give complex rules of the game, the observation of which can be subject to self-correction by the child.

This device comprises three positions, the first position (Figure 4a) is the lacing position, the second position is the delacking position (not shown), the third position, intermediate between the two preceding is a "self-correction" position, which allows quick delacking only if the rules of the game or instructions given to the child have been correctly executed.

For example, when according to the instruction, the child must produce three crosses by lacing, the success (Figure 4c) is consecrated by the possibility of rapid delacking, whereas in the opposite case (Figure 4 d), the opening is not possible or does not release the lace. The embodiments described above can be easily combined. By way of example, in any of these embodiments it is possible to use two external plates 1,6 which sandwich a second plate 2.

Regarding the passages, their shape may be the same or different.

In a first variant (see for example Figure 5), the passages 10, 11, 12 formed are all of the same shape and size.

In a second variant (see Figure la), the passages may have several different shapes, so as to allow the passage of laces whose sections have different dimensions and / or shapes. In this case, the passages may comprise a specific marking, for example an entourage of specific color or shape (advantageously made by screen printing), which groups them together, for example according to the diameter or shape of the largest lace that can be threaded. through this passage.

The marking of the passages can also be used to orient the user to achieve a specific outline or design, which represents for example a known object that must recognize as the lacing game progresses.

As indicated above, the device according to the invention comprises at least two plates 1 and 2. It can include others. Their function may be to make the game more complex, or to make the device more rigid. For example, the device may comprise between the plates 1 and 2 an intermediate plate 5 recessed so as to form a frame, in order to increase the rigidity of the device, but without covering the passages 10, 20 of the plates 1 and 2 This is particularly useful in the case where the median lines of the grooves are very long compared to the dimension parallel to said median lines. This intermediate plate is particularly advantageous in the first embodiment, but can be used for any embodiment. The device may also comprise two external plates 1, 6 with a substantially identical groove structure, and an intermediate plate 2, as in FIG. 5. The device may also comprise isolated passages as shown in FIG. 3, for which rapid delacking does not work; this can be the object of a game instruction given to the child who thus has a possibility of self-correction.

Claims

1. Pedagogical device for lacing a lace (3) by a child and fast laceration by an adult for the purpose of working the manual traction of said child, comprising several plates (1, 2) and passages (10, 11, 12) in these plates to connect them by lacing, characterized in that:

a) said device comprises at least two superposed plates (1, 2) connected to each other by at least one fastening means (4) independent of the lacing, allowing them relative movement relative to the other by rotation and / or translation, of which at least two of the at least two plates have groove-like openings (14, 25, 40),

c) in the lacing position, at least one location of the device, at least one edge (224) of at least one groove (24) of the second plate (2) closes at least one groove (14) of the first plate (1), thus delimiting passages (10) usable for the passage of a lace,

d) in the delacking position, the edges (224) of the grooves (24), which delimit the passages usable for the passage of a lace (3) in the lacing position, have been moved relative to the lacing position, in order to widen, open or move the passages (10), so as to allow rapid delacking,

e) the transition from the lacing position to the disengagement position is by a relative displacement by rotation and / or translation in the plane of the plates of the first plate (1) relative to the second plate (2).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it: a) at least one (1) of the at least two plates (1, 2) have groove-like openings (14, 15, 16) whose directional median lines are parallel or concurrent,

b) at least one second (2) of the at least two plates (1, 2) has groove-like openings (14, 15, 16) whose directional median lines are parallel or concurrent,

c) in the lacing position, the directional center lines of the grooves (14, 15, 16) of said first plate (1) are intersecting with the directional center lines of the grooves (24, 25, 26) of said second plate (2) , the edges (224, 225, 226) of the grooves (24, 25, 26) of the second plate (2) closing the grooves (14, 15, 16) of the first plate (1) when the at least two plates ( 1, 2) are in superposed position, and thus delimiting passages (10, 11, 12) that can be used for lacing.

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that

a) at least one (1) of the at least two plates (1, 2) has groove-shaped openings (14, 15, 16) whose directional median lines are parallel or concurrent,

b) on at least one (1) of the plates (1, 2), at least one groove comprises at least one notch (50, 51), typically in the form of a slot.

c) at least one second (2) of the at least two plates (1, 2) has groove-shaped openings (24, 25, 26) whose directional mid-lines are parallel or concurrent,

d) in the lacing position, the edges (224, 225, 226) of the grooves (24, 25, 26) of the second plate (2) close the slots of the first plate (I) ₅ and thus delimit passages (10); , 11, 12) usable for lacing.

4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises two plates (1, 6) outer structure or arrangement of grooves substantially identical, and an inner plate (2), structure or arrangement of different grooves.

5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said fixing means (4) is selected from the group consisting of an axis, an ankle, a pin and a rivet.

6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that it comprises a locking means (7) plates (1, 2) in the lacing position.

7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the passages (10, 11, 12) in the lacing position have an open area of between 1 and 400 mm ² .

8. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least a portion of the grooves (14, 25, 40) are non-emergent.

9. A method of unlacing the device according to any one of claims 1 to

8 characterized in that it comprises: a) the transition from the lacing position to the delacking position by a relative displacement, by rotation and / or translation in the plane of the plates (1, 2), of one of the plates relative to at least one of the other plates, said first plate (1) having a groove structure different from that of said at least one other plate (2), so as to widen, open or move the passages delimited by the lacing position, b) withdrawal of the lace (3).