WO2013091646A1

WO2013091646A1 - A toy building set

Info

Publication number: WO2013091646A1
Application number: PCT/DK2012/050475
Authority: WO
Inventors: Søren LETHIN
Original assignee: Lego A/S
Priority date: 2011-12-19
Filing date: 2012-12-18
Publication date: 2013-06-27

Abstract

A toy building set comprising a number of toy building elements that can be interconnected to form a given figure wherein the toy building set comprises at least one building guide wherein the at least one building guide comprises an element (10) in which two or more holes (11) are configured that have a geometrical shape corresponding to the shape and the number of the toy building elements that are necessary for building the given figure.

Description

A toy building set

The present invention relates to a toy building set comprising a number of toy building elements that can be interconnected to form a given figure, wherein the toy building set comprises at least one building guide.

Background

There exist many building instructions for the building of structures from toy building elements. Those building instructions are primarily available in paper form, and it follows that such prior art instructions are intended primarily for older children as it requires a certain age to be able to translate the two- dimensional indications in paper form, wherein the toy building elements are typically set forth in perspective views, and to convert such drawings to be able to recognize and select a three-dimensional toy building element. Moreover, the child must be able to interconnect the selected toy building elements correctly and thereby create a recognizable figure.

In many cases, however, it is desirable that also young children will be capable of building large structures and recognizable figures from toy building elements on their own.

From US 4,846,750 a building base is known which is provided with coupling pins on the one side and, on the other side, is provided with holes in the shape of indentations for receiving building blocks.

Brief description of the invention

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a toy building set with toy building elements to the effect that young children are capable of building a given figure unassisted. This is obtained in that, in the subject-matter described above, the at least one building guide comprises an element wherein two or more through-going holes have a geometrical shape corresponding to the shape and the number of the toy building elements that are necessary for constructing a given figure.

Hereby a guide for building a given figure and an increased possibility for developing the comprehension of spatial figures are accomplished.

According to one embodiment the toy building set comprises at least one building guide, wherein at least two through-going holes have the same geometrical configuration. According to an embodiment of the invention at least two or more of the through-going holes in the building guide are positioned in exploded form and in relation to each other for indicating the given figure.

Hereby the building guidance provided is further enhanced since the building guide contributes to the toy building elements being located correctly in relation to each other.

According to one embodiment, the toy building elements comprise coupling elements, and the building guide comprises through-going holes having a geometrical configuration comprising recesses corresponding to the coupling elements of the toy building elements.

Hereby the building guidance provided is further enhanced since the building guide contributes to the orientation of the toy building elements being correct. According to an embodiment, the building guide comprises an indication of the desired structure or figure.

Thereby it is made clear which figure is concerned by the building guide and what the finished figure is to look like.

According to an embodiment the toy building set comprises a shape sorter and wherein at least one building guide is configured such that it is capable of functioning as a lid to the shape sorter.

Hereby further variations when playing with the toy building set are achieved.

According to an embodiment the shape sorter and two or more of the building guides are configured such that several building guides may serve as lids at the same time.

Hereby it is accomplished that the toy building elements can be prevented from falling out of the holes, since the holes will be positioned at different locations in the building guides depending on the given figures. According to an embodiment, the building guides have the same outer periphery and are configured such that they can be stacked on top of each other; and in that the shape sorter comprises, along its upper edge, a flange which is configured such that a stack of two or more building guides may serve as lid for the shape sorter.

According to an embodiment of the invention, one or more portions of the flange extend(s) upwards or towards the middle of the shape sorter for possibly retaining one or more building guides. According to an embodiment of the invention, one or more portions of the flange extend(s) downwards to thereby make space for receiving one or more building guides. According to one embodiment, the flange comprises a bottom face round along the periphery of the shape sorter to the effect that the flange may serve as a handle

List of figures

An embodiment of the invention will now be explained in further detail with reference to the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates a building guide according to the invention;

Figure 2 illustrates, in a perspective view, a shape sorter according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description with reference to the figures

The present invention relates to a toy building set comprising one or more plates with through-going holes, one or more so-called building guides.

Figure 1 shows a building guide capable of functioning as building instructions. The building guide comprises an element 10, wherein precisely the number of holes 11 is provided that corresponds to the number of toy building elements it takes to build a given figure. Additionally, the holes have a specific geometrical configuration that corresponds with the toy building elements that are necessary for enabling building of the specific figure. This means that a given figure can be built based on precisely the toy building elements that can be put into the holes when a toy building element is put into each individual hole. Therefore, the building guide is capable of communicating and providing guidance as to how a given figure is to be built and, moreover, the building guide may also serve as lid for a shape sorter.

The building guide, shown in figure 1 , comprises five holes 11 of a geometrical shape that corresponds to the shape and the number of the toy building elements that are necessary for building a given figure.

That figure may be indicated on the building guide in the form of an illustration 17.

Thus, in the specific embodiment, as shown in figure 1, instructions are provided on how to build a giraffe. On the one hand, the shown building guide sets forth that five toy building elements 11 are needed, and, furthermore, the building guide sets forth the geometry of those toy building elements in order for them to constitute said given figure. The given figure, which is - in this case - a giraffe, is illustrated 17 in the uppermost right-hand corner of the building guide.

As illustrated in figure 1 , the holes in the building guide are arranged in exploded view and in relation to each other to indicate the desired figure. Thus, the building guide provides guidance by having the toy building elements arranged in exploded form to the effect that the toy building element that constitutes the head matching with the hole 12 on the building guide is arranged above the two holes 13 that correspond with the two toy building elements that constitute the neck of the giraffe. The mutual positioning of the holes on the building guide thus provides guidance to the user on how to assemble the toy building elements as intended for achieving the desired figure.

The toy building elements comprise coupling elements, and therefore it will increase the guiding effect that the building guide comprises the geometrically shaped holes that furthermore have a geometrical configuration comprising recesses 15 corresponding to the coupling elements of the toy building elements. Apart from functioning as a guiding building guide, the building guide may also serve as a lid for a conventional shape sorter 20. However, as opposed to the conventional shape sorters, the building guide may comprise at least two holes having the same geometrical configuration. The shape sorter comprises a flange 21 along the upper edge of the sides on the shape sorter to the effect that several building guides may serve as lid for the shape sorter at the same time.

Since the figures and hence the location of the holes on the building guides will vary from one figure to another, it will be prevented, when several building guides are used as lids for a shape sorter, that the toy building elements will be capable of falling out of the holes in the building guide, and they will hence remain in the shape sorter. The bottom edge of the flange 22 may serve as a handle. In figure 2, the bottom edge 22 of that flange is horizontal.

When the shape sorter is cube-shaped as shown in figure 2, with a rectangular cross section, the upper edge of the flange 21 will, on two opposed sides of the shape sorter, extend inwards towards the middle of the shape sorter in order to restrain the building guides, and on the two remaining, opposed sides of the shape sorter a portion of the flange 23 will extend downwards towards the bottom of the shape sorter to expose two side edges on one or more building guides in order to thereby enable removal of the lids from the shape sorter. Alternatively, the building guide may be provided with one or more recesses 16 for facilitating removal of the lid.

Claims

C l a i m s

1. A toy building set comprising a number of toy building elements that can be interconnected to form a given figure, wherein the toy building set comprises at least one building guide, characterised in that the at least one building guide comprises an element wherein are configured two or more through-going holes of a geometrical shape corresponding to the shape and the number of the toy building elements that are necessary for building the given figure.

2. A toy building set according to claim 1 , characterised in that the toy building set comprises at least one building guide wherein at least two through-going holes have the same geometrical configuration.

3. A toy building set according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least two or more of the through-going holes in the building guide are arranged in exploded form and in relation to each other for indicating the given figure.

4. A toy building set according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the toy building elements comprise coupling elements, and the building guide comprises through-going holes having a geometrical configuration that comprises recesses corresponding to the coupling elements of the toy building elements.

5. A toy building set according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the building guide comprises an indication of the desired structure or figure.

6. A toy building set according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the toy building set comprises a shape sorter, and wherein at least one building guide is configured so as to be able to serve as a lid for the shape sorter.

7. A toy building set according to claim 6, characterised in that the shape sorter and two or more of the building guides are configured such that several building guides may serve as lid at the same time.

8. A toy building set according to claim 7, characterised in that the building guides have the same outer periphery and are configured such that they can be stacked on top of each other; and in that, along its upper edge, the shape sorter comprises a flange configured such that a stack of two or more building guides is capable of functioning as lid for the shape sorter.

9. A toy building set according to one or more of claims 6-8, characterised in that one or more parts of the flange extend(s) upwards or towards the middle of the shape sorter for possible retainment of one or more building guides.

10. A toy building set according to one or more of claims 6-8, characterised in that one or more parts of the flange extend(s) downwards to make room for receiving one or more building guides.

11. A toy building set according to claim 7, characterised in that the flange comprises a bottom face along the periphery of the shape sorter to enable the flange to function as handle.