U.S. patent application number 09/259035 was filed with the patent office on 2002-02-07 for diagonal toy pieces and their connection.
Invention is credited to CYRUS, PETER.
Application Number | 20020016126 09/259035 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22983232 |
Filed Date | 2002-02-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020016126 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CYRUS, PETER |
February 7, 2002 |
DIAGONAL TOY PIECES AND THEIR CONNECTION
Abstract
A diagonal toy piece for a modular toy building set including an
underlying support structure for supporting the diagonal toy piece
and other toy pieces. The diagonal toy piece is a generally planar
member having a top side and a bottom side, two outside edges
having respective outer ends spaced from one another, and a
diagonal edge joining the outer ends of the outside edges. For
mounting the diagonal toy piece on the underlying support
structure, the bottom side of the toy piece has an attachment
fitting removably attachable to the support structure. The
attachment fitting is preferably spaced from the diagonal edge of
the toy piece. The diagonal toy piece can be joined with another,
complementary diagonal toy piece via a connector on its diagonal
edge which is releasably connectable to a cooperating connector on
the complementary diagonal toy piece. The toy building set includes
a plurality of generally planar toy pieces mountable on the support
structure, including one or more of the diagonal toy pieces or
composite toy pieces.
Inventors: |
CYRUS, PETER; (SEATTLE,
WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHRISTENSEN, O'CONNOR, JOHNSON, KINDNESS, PLLC
1420 FIFTH AVENUE
SUITE 2800
SEATTLE
WA
98101-2347
US
|
Family ID: |
22983232 |
Appl. No.: |
09/259035 |
Filed: |
February 26, 1999 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
446/85 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H 33/42 20130101;
A63H 33/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
446/85 |
International
Class: |
A63H 033/04 |
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A diagonal toy piece for a playing structure, the toy piece
comprising: a generally planar member having a top side and a
bottom side, two outside edges having respective outer ends spaced
from one another, and a diagonal edge joining the outer ends of the
outside edges; the bottom side having an attachment fitting spaced
from the diagonal edge and removably attachable to an underlying
support structure of the playing structure; and the diagonal edge
having a connector associated therewith detachably connectable to a
cooperating connector on a complementary diagonal toy piece.
2. The diagonal toy piece of claim 1, wherein the first and second
outside edges diverge from one another towards their outer
ends.
3. The diagonal toy piece of claim 2, wherein the outside edges
meet one another at respective inner ends, whereby the toy piece is
generally triangular in shape.
4. The diagonal toy piece of claim 3, wherein the at least one
attachment fitting on the bottom side of the generally planar
member is located at the junction of the inner ends of the outside
edges.
5. The diagonal toy piece of claim 4, comprising a further
attachment fitting on the bottom side of the generally planar
member, the further attachment fitting being removably attachable
to the underlying support structure and being located at the
junction of the outside end of one of the outside edges and the
diagonal edge.
6. The diagonal toy piece of claim 1, comprising a further
attachment fitting on the bottom side of the generally planar
member removably attachable to the underlying support structure of
the playing structure and being located adjacent the connector
associated with the diagonal edge.
7. The diagonal toy piece of claim 1, comprising two connectors
associated with the diagonal edge, each connector detachably
connectable to a respective cooperating connector on a
complementary diagonal toy piece, the two connectors being located
one at either end of the diagonal edge.
8. The diagonal toy piece of claim 7, comprising a further
attachment fitting on the bottom side of the generally planar
member, the further attachment fitting being removably attachable
to the underlying support structure of the playing structure, and
being located at the junction of the outer end of one of the
outside edges and the diagonal edge, adjacent one of the
connectors.
9. The diagonal toy piece of claim 1, wherein the connector
associated with the diagonal edge is one of a hook and a socket to
connectably engage with the other of a hook and a socket on the
complementary diagonal toy piece.
10. The diagonal toy piece of claim 9, comprising two connectors
associated with the diagonal edge, each connector detachably
connectable to a respective one of two cooperating connectors on a
complementary diagonal toy piece, the connectors being located at
respective opposite ends of the diagonal edge, one of the
connectors being a hook and the other of the connectors being a
socket to connectably engage respective cooperating socket and hook
connectors on the complementary diagonal toy piece.
11. The diagonal toy piece of claim 10, comprising a further
attachment fitting on the bottom side of the generally planar
member removably attachable to the underlying support structure of
the playing structure, the further attachment fitting being located
adjacent the socket connector on the diagonal edge.
12. The diagonal toy piece of claim 1, wherein the shape of the
generally planar member is based on a regular polygonal grid
element, the first and second outside edges coinciding with two
respective diverging sides of the grid element, and the diagonal
edge extending across the grid element.
13. The diagonal toy piece of claim 12, wherein the grid element on
which the shape of the generally planar member is based is a
polyomino.
14. The diagonal toy piece of claim 13, wherein the grid element is
a square.
15. A composite toy piece for a playing structure, comprising: a
first diagonal toy piece comprising a first generally planar member
having a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side of the first
planar member having an attachment fitting removably attachable to
an underlying support structure of the playing structure; a second,
complementary diagonal toy piece comprising a second generally
planar member having a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side
of the second planar member having an attachment fitting removably
attachable to the underlying support structure of the playing
structure; the first and second planar members having respective
first and second complementary diagonal edges buttable against one
another to form the composite toy piece; and at least one connector
on the diagonal face of each diagonal toy piece, respective
connectors on the first and second diagonal toy pieces cooperating
to releasably connect the first and second toy pieces together with
their abutment edges butted against one another.
16. The composite toy piece of claim 15, wherein the top side of
the first diagonal toy piece and the top side of the second,
complementary diagonal toy piece have different surface
configurations.
17. The composite toy piece of claim 15, wherein each diagonal toy
piece has two outside edges which diverge from one another toward
respective outer ends of the outside edges, the diagonal edge of
each diagonal toy piece joining the outer ends of the outside
edges.
18. The composite toy piece of claim 17, wherein the outside edges
of each diagonal toy piece meet one another at respective inner
ends, whereby each diagonal toy piece is generally triangular in
shape, the diagonal toy pieces being of the same dimensions,
whereby the composite toy piece is square.
19. The composite toy piece of claim 18, wherein the attachment
fitting on the bottom side of each diagonal toy piece is located at
the junction of the inner ends of the first and second outside
edges.
20. The composite toy piece of claim 15, comprising a further
attachment fitting on the bottom side of each diagonal toy piece,
each further attachment fitting being releasably attachable to the
underlying support structure and being located at the junction of
the outside end of one of the outside edges and the diagonal edge
of the respective diagonal toy piece, the further attachment
fitting on one diagonal toy piece being located at the opposite end
of the abutted diagonal edges to the further attachment fitting on
the other diagonal toy piece.
21. The composite toy piece of claim 15, wherein each diagonal toy
piece comprises two connectors associated with its diagonal edge,
one at either end of the diagonal edge, the connectors of one
diagonal toy piece being releasably connectable to the connectors
of the other diagonal toy piece.
22. The composite toy piece of claim 21, wherein respective pairs
of engaged connectors on the diagonal edges comprise a hook on one
of the diagonal toy pieces and a socket on the other diagonal toy
piece, the hook and socket being engageable with one another to
connect the two diagonal pieces.
23. The composite toy piece of claim 22, wherein the connectors on
the diagonal edge of each diagonal toy piece comprise a hook
connector at one end of the diagonal edge and a socket connector at
the other end of the diagonal edge.
24. The composite toy piece of claim 15, wherein the shape of each
diagonal toy piece is based on a regular polygonal grid element,
the first and second outside edges of each diagonal toy piece
coinciding with respective diverging sides of the grid element, and
the diagonal edge of each diagonal toy piece extending across the
grid element, when connected to form the composite toy piece, the
two diagonal toy pieces together coinciding with a complete grid
element.
25. The composite toy piece of claim 24, wherein the grid element
is a polyomino.
26. The composite toy piece of claim 24, wherein the grid element
is a square.
27. A diagonal toy piece for a playing structure, the toy piece
comprising: a generally planar member having a top side and a
bottom side, and generally triangular in shape with two orthogonal
outside edges of substantially equal length which meet at
respective inner ends and having respective outer ends spaced from
one another, and a diagonal edge joining the outer ends of the
outside edges; the bottom side having two attachment fittings
removably attachable to an underlying support structure of the
playing structure, one of the attachment fittings located at the
junction of the inner ends of the outside edges, and the other
attachment fitting located at the junction of one of the outside
edges and the diagonal edge; and the diagonal edge having two
connectors associated therewith, one of the connectors being a
socket connector located adjacent the attachment fitting at the
junction of said one of the outside edges and the diagonal edge,
and the other connector being a hook connector located at the other
end of the diagonal edge, the socket and hook connectors being
releasably connectable to respective mating hook and socket
connectors on a complementary diagonal toy piece.
28. A composite toy piece comprising two diagonal toy pieces
according to claim 27 connected to one another with their
respective diagonal edges butted against one another and respective
hook a socket connectors engaged, one of the diagonal toy pieces
having a surface on its top side with a configuration different
from a configuration of a surface on the top side of the other
diagonal toy piece.
29. A playing structure comprising: a support structure; and a
plurality of generally planar toy pieces, each toy piece having a
top side and a bottom side, and at least one attachment fitting on
the bottom side of each toy piece for attachment to the support
structure; at least one of the toy pieces being a composite toy
piece comprising: a first diagonal toy piece including a first
generally planar member having a top side and a bottom side, the
bottom side of the first planar member having at least one
attachment fitting removably attachable to an underlying support
structure of the playing structure; a second, complementary
diagonal toy piece including a second generally planar member
having a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side of the second
planar member having at least one attachment fitting removably
attachable to the underlying support structure of the playing
structure; the first and second planar members having respective
first and second complementary diagonal edges buttable against one
another to form the composite toy piece; and at least one connector
on the abutment face of each diagonal toy piece, respective
connectors on the first and second toy pieces cooperating to
releasably connect the first and second toy pieces together with
their abutment edges butted against one another.
30. The playing structure of claim 29, wherein the generally planar
toy pieces are polygonal in shape, each one corresponding in shape
to a polygonal grid element of a regular polygonal grid, the
outside edges of each diagonal toy piece coinciding with sides of a
respective one of the polygonal grid elements of the regular
polygonal grid, and the diagonal edge of each diagonal toy piece
extending across the respective polygonal grid element.
31. The playing structure of claim 30, wherein the support
structure has a plurality of attachment nodes arranged to coincide
with the nodes of the regular polygonal grid, each attachment node
having at least one attachment fitting thereon for attachment to a
corresponding attachment fitting on the bottom side of a toy
piece.
32. The playing structure of claim 31, wherein the grid element of
the regular polygonal grid are polyominos.
33. The playing structure of claim 32, wherein the grid elements
are square.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to diagonal toy pieces for toy
building sets, and their connection. More specifically, the
invention relates to composite toy pieces formed from connected
diagonal toy pieces, and toy building sets including such diagonal
and composite toy pieces.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,530, a portable water pollution model
and method are disclosed that provide an improved device and method
for simulating water pollution. This invention includes a portable
simulated watershed model, including a simulated body of water and
a simulated water pollution source; a simulated water pollutant,
placeable on selected portions of the model; a simulated best
management practice for pollution minimization, placeable on
selected portions of the model; and a fluid dispenser capable of
simulating rain over the watershed model. This invention further
includes a method for simulating water pollution including
providing a portable simulated watershed model, providing a
simulated water pollutant, placing the simulated pollutant on
selected portions of the model, providing a simulated best
management practice, placing the simulated practice on selected
portions of the model, and simulating rain over the model.
[0003] In U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,603, a playing structure includes a
plurality of playing structure modules connectable together to form
an array having a generally continuous, visually fluid,
three-dimensional playing surface. Each playing structure module
has a reversible top to allow the topography of the playing surface
to be changed. The top of each playing structure module has a
different three-dimensional topography on either side thereof. Each
playing structure module may have a different or the same top. The
playing surfaces have a colored landscape painted thereon to depict
lakes, countryside, roadways etc. and the like. The topography of
the playing surfaces and the painted landscapes are designed so
that certain symmetries exist. In particular, when a plurality of
playing structure modules are assembled to form an array and the
tops of the playing structure modules are arranged to provide a
playing surface having a continuous, visually fluid landscape, any
one of or all of the tops can be reversed along a diagonal and the
landscape of the resulting playing surface will still be continuous
and visually fluid. This of course increases the number of
different playing surfaces which can be created with the playing
structure modules.
[0004] In U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,478, a modular terrain board is
provided having a plurality of sections or terrain cell plugs which
are held in place by a baseboard assembly having a corresponding
plurality of cell receiving sections or cells formed therein. The
terrain cell plugs can be easily removed to allow for quick and
accurate reconfiguration of the terrain model. The terrain board
has means for representing buildings, rivers, lakes, roads, and
other topographical features.
[0005] In U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,267, model terrain accessories that
are positioned for use on the surface of a miniature landscape are
fabricated from a permanently flexible material, preferably
polyvinyl chloride. These flexible accessories are realistically
contoured models representing roads, streams, stream banks,
earthworks, and walls, or segments thereof. These flexible
accessories will conform to changes in surface elevation on any
miniature landscape on which they are assembled. The flexible
accessories fit together easily in an infinite variety of
individual and group configurations, and can be easily removed from
the landscape surface and reused when desired.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,900 discloses a puzzle formed of a
plurality of puzzle pieces which, when assembled, create a
self-standing, three-dimensional building structure. The puzzle
pieces are of irregular, polygonal shape, but all puzzle pieces are
flat, planar blocks. The blocks are releasably interlocked about a
common plane with first, edgewise, complementary dovetail joints.
For interlocking puzzle walls that are transverse to one another,
second, straight U-shape, edgewise, complementary tenon and mortise
joints are further provided edgewisely of those comer blocks for
frictional interlocking. Thus, no separate pin, bent units or the
like are required to anchor the corner portions of the
three-dimensional structure. The self-standing, enclosing structure
is continuous, and shows a continuous image on its external
face.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,411 discloses a method making a
non-repetitive modular design. The design is created by assembling
a plurality of substantially identical modules to cover a surface.
Each module has the shape of a polygon, especially a regular
polygon, such as a square. The design of each module is created in
the following manner. First, one selects a set of points, disposed
symmetrically around the midpoint of a side of the polygon, and
duplicates the same pattern of points for the remaining sides.
Then, one connects every pair of points with a line, such that the
lines so drawn form a pattern which is not symmetrical around any
imaginary straight line joining any pair of vertices of the
polygon. The spaces between lines, or between one or more lines and
one or more sides of the polygon, can be filled in with a color, or
with any other design element. To make the final design, one
provides a plurality of such modules, and arranges them, with
random orientations, to cover a surface. The design is
non-repetitive, and any orientation of the individual modules will
produce a valid design. The appearance of the design is varied by
changing the orientation of one or more of the modules. In general,
the appearance of the overall design is quite different from that
of each of the modules. The modules made according to the invention
can be used as floor tiles, or they can be otherwise secured
permanently to a solid substrate for decorative purposes.
[0008] In U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,069, the plug-in building blocks of a
building set have protruding connecting pins and corresponding
mating connecting sockets. In order that bend-proof trusses can
also be built, the building set has single-row connecting bars with
two terminal pins, whose spacing from one another amounts to
{square root}{square root over (2 )}times an integral multiple of
the modulus, and girder elements, which at two bordering side faces
each have a single row of pins with modular spacing and parallel to
these side faces each have a projection set back by the thickness
of the connecting bar. In this way, stable, aesthetically appealing
trusses can be built with the building set.
[0009] In U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,322, a toy building set for building
tree-like models comprises a trunk element and a branch element.
The trunk element comprises a trunk portion and projecting branches
having coupling means spaced from the trunk portion. The branch
element comprises a plurality of connecting bars, at whose ends
coupling bushings are provided. These bushings are formed with
primary and secondary coupling means respectively, so that the
branch elements may be interconnected and connected with the trunk
elements. Preferably, said bars have additional branching portions
whose ends are provided with bushings similar to the coupling
bushings.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,301 discloses a construction set
suitable and safe for children of various ages comprising
construction pieces and connector strips. The construction pieces
have a semirigid planar construction with opposing major sides
which have hook fastener material disposed on one side and loop
pile fastener material disposed on the other. The fastener
materials are of the type which adhere when pressed together. An
outer border or margin area of the construction pieces is kept free
of the fastener materials, to provide a tab or hem for separating
attached pieces. The construction pieces have various shapes and
sizes with which many designs and structures may be constructed.
The connector strips have a similar construction to the
construction pieces and are used to join adjacent construction
pieces. The sides may include complementary colors and
patterns.
[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,181 discloses an educational visual
display system for teaching geography in which objects having some
geographical or topographical significance, e.g., states of the
Union, may be detachably affixed and arranged to demonstrate
relationship between the objects. The system includes a primary
background surface of iron velvet fabric material to which hook
type fasteners may be detachably adhered, a plurality of primary
objects having geographical significance and comprising a soft foam
core with a layer of iron velvet fabric on one side and a plurality
of hook type fasteners on the other side, the primary objects being
arrangeable to represent in combination a larger geographical unit,
and a plurality of secondary objects each having geographical or
topographical significance and having hook type fasteners on one
side thereof for being detachably affixable to the layer of iron
velvet fabric of the primary objects. The iron velvet fabric and
the hook type fasteners function as an attachment pair similar to
hook and loop fasteners sold under the trade name VELCRO.RTM..
[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,176 discloses a three-dimensional puzzle
including puzzle pieces having discrete surfaces, at least one
surface of which has a three-dimensional sculpted form whereby the
sculpted surfaces in the aggregate upon assembly of the puzzle form
a continuous three-dimensional pictorial representation. Abutting
sides of the puzzle pieces may be interlocking or three-dimensional
for conformal abutting relation with the sides of opposed puzzle
pieces. Filler pieces are also provided underlying the puzzle
pieces for elevating the sculpted surfaces of the puzzle pieces.
The puzzle pieces and filler pieces may be disposed on a base which
may have an edge containment whereby non-interlocking puzzle and
filler pieces may be used. The puzzle and filler pieces may be
vertically interlocked against lateral movement and with respect to
the base by projections received in corresponding recesses.
[0013] In U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,750, a base for a building set is
provided with coupling studs for mounting building blocks having
corresponding coupling elements. The base is further provided with
cavities contoured to receive at least some of the building blocks.
The cavities preferably extend from the side opposite the side
provided with the coupling studs.
[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,202 discloses a toy building block
having on one face thereof at least one row of mechanical coupling
pins and opposite thereto mechanical counter-coupling tubes for
coupling said toy building block to a similar toy building block
either with the row of said coupling pins parallel to a
corresponding row of coupling pins of said similar block or
perpendicular to said corresponding row. The toy building block
includes first and second current paths connected to first and
second contact areas respectively designed to establish electrical
connection with first and second contact areas in a similar block.
The first and second contact areas are disposed in first and second
angular sectors about adjacent coupling pins. The angular sectors
are offset from each other and do not overlap regardless of whether
the building block row of coupling pins is parallel or
perpendicular to the row of coupling pins of the similar block.
[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,832 discloses a building element of the
type which contains current-carrying components placed in the
electrically insulated building block. There are provided at least
two current-carrying components with respective contact areas which
are mutually- co-axially positioned. The building blocks can be
intercoupled mechanically while establishing electrical connection
between the respective current rails in the cooperating building
elements, without any risk of short circuiting between the two
current-carrying components, no matter how the building blocks are
intercoupled mechanically.
[0016] U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,884 discloses a multitude of parts of
three-dimensional shape have full edges and also edge segments
adapted for abutment with like edges and edge segments of other
parts. The parts additionally include non-abutting irregular or
curved edges which may represent terrain contour lines or the bank
of a body of water. Inclined areas on the parts are adjacent the
irregular or curved edges and represent sloped terrain which is
continuous with like inclined areas on other abutting parts. The
inclined area of a part may be dispensed with to provide a vertical
surface to simulate an escarpment.
[0017] U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,393 discloses a building block having
side walls and a perpendicular front with two rows of coupling pins
on one side of the front face and counter-coupling tubes on the
other side for mechanically coupling two building blocks by means
of a clamping action. In each row, each second coupling pin has an
electrically conducting surface, while the coupling pins lying
between these are electrically insulating. One row of conducting
pins is displaced in the direction of the rows by one coupling pin
from the adjacent row. On the other side of the front wall a
contact bar is arranged which is connected electrically with the
conducting coupling pins of an associated row. The bar has a
contact area for producing electrical contact with a row of
conducting coupling pins of an adjacent, coupled building
block.
[0018] U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,116 discloses a connecting member
comprising an elastically deformable, tubular plug slitted at the
ends for interconnecting pairs of building components, which have
coupling holes to receive the ends of the connecting member.
Apertures are in the plug wall between the slits. The plug wall is
formed with lengthwise extending clamping wedges between the
apertures. The clamping wedges have inclined faces which slope
towards the ends of the connecting member and cause the connecting
member to be compressed at the center and be expanded at the ends
when it is pressed into a pair of co-axial holes in adjacent
building components. The connecting member may in particular be
formed with an annular flange and end beads which fit in
corresponding annular grooves in a pair of adjacent components.
[0019] U.S. Pat. No. 4,245,400 discloses a three-dimensional toy
having a base member showing a housing development with structural
profile members mounted thereon which are secured by profile
locking elements for constructing elevations of roadways, lots and
surrounding terrain. The profile members and locking elements also
serve as retaining walls for soil which, when shaped to conform to
the contours of the profile members and locking elements and
provided with living plants defines the topography of a living
housing development.
[0020] U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,410 discloses a suspension device for
slideable and pivotal suspension of a base plate for toy building
sets or base boards for visual planning panels. One face of the
base plate or board is provided with rows of coupling studs
including a plurality of studs uniformly spaced apart in both
longitudinal and transverse directions, and the suspension device
includes a gripping member having inwardly projecting guides
adapted to slide along the base plate between a pair of rows of
projections and to support the base plate when suspended on a wall.
The device is further provided with a hinge member pivotally
mounted on top of the gripping member, so as to provide for pivotal
movements of the base plate relatively to a wall on which the base
plate is mounted by means of the slideable suspension device.
[0021] U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,493 discloses a rotatable element
comprising a base plate and a disc pivotally mounted in a circular
aperture in the base plate. A socket for a pivot on the disc is
located at the bottom of the plate and is supported thereon by ribs
integral with the socket and with four side walls at the bottom of
the base plate. Four identical apertures in the bottom of the base
plate are formed by the socket, the ribs and the side walls. Four
engagement studs are provided on the top face of the disc and
extend beyond the periphery thereof The underface of these studs
provides for slideable contact with the top face of the base plate
during the rotation of the disc.
[0022] In U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,506, a plurality of parallelepiped
blocks having varying heights, planar sides and a curved upper
surface are connected together by special pin and hole interlocks
randomly spaced in predetermined locations to form a
three-dimensional puzzle with at least a curved upper surface. Two
or more puzzles can be made by initially assembling the blocks into
a polyhedron with six rectangular faces and sawing along a
predetermined path to separate the polyhedron into individual
puzzles.
[0023] In U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,620, there is provided an apparatus
for demonstrating the inter-relationship of a landscape, and the
contour lines representing said landscape in two- and
three-dimensional representation. A transparent plate is supported
over and free from the model and contour lines connecting points of
the same height on the model are drawn upon the said plate using a
substantially ablative transfer material, said contour lines are
transferred onto transfer receiving material slabs and layers of
the material corresponding to the contour lines are produced by
cutting along the contour lines. The contour slabs are then stacked
upon each other to give a three-dimensional representation of the
model. In a further modification, the contour slabs are colored in
such a manner that at least adjacent slabs are of a different
color. Upon compression of the contour model by a transparent
plate, a two-dimensional contour representation is again
visible.
[0024] U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,153 discloses the coupling of two
plate-shaped elements by means of an interlocking arrangement
formed along the edges of the elements. The locking members of one
element are in resilient engagement with identical locking members
on the other element, the thickness of the individual locking
members being half the thickness of the element, and the members
being staggered alternately to one side and the other of a plane
through the center of the edge parallel to the side faces of the
element.
[0025] U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,875 discloses toy building blocks of
similar shape but constructed to different modules. The inner
protrusions of the smaller blocks coact with the outer projections
of the larger blocks.
[0026] In U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,858, there is provided a plurality of
building elements dimensionally related to conform to a selected
scale having interlocking socket and beaded joint portions which
may be assembled into a wide variety of composite structures
including scale model buildings. The socket joint portion is
slotted for insertion of the beaded joint portion and firmly grips
the beaded joint portion to hold the elements in particular angular
relation while at the same time permitting substantial forced
rotational and sliding movement between elements. One of the
elements is a flat panel which may be of a variety of geometric
shapes and another of the elements is a connector of preselected
lengths having plural joint portions arranged in angular spaced
relation to one another about a common midpoint.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0027] From one aspect, the present invention provides a diagonal
toy piece for a toy building set, preferably a modular toy building
set including an underlying support structure, or substructure, for
supporting the diagonal toy piece and other toy pieces. The
diagonal toy piece is a generally planar member having a top side
and a bottom side, first and second outside edges having respective
outer ends spaced from one another, and a diagonal edge joining the
outer ends of the first and second outside edges. For mounting the
diagonal toy piece on an underlying support structure, the bottom
side of the toy piece has at least one attachment fitting removably
attachable to the support structure. The attachment fitting is
preferably spaced from the diagonal edge of the toy piece.
[0028] The diagonal toy piece can be joined with another,
complementary diagonal toy piece via a connector on its diagonal
edge which is releasably connectable to a cooperating connector on
the complementary diagonal toy piece.
[0029] Preferably, the first and second outside edges of the
diagonal toy piece diverge from one another toward their outer
ends. The outside edges may meet one another at respective inner
ends to give the toy piece a generally triangular shape. In
embodiments where the diagonal toy piece is generally triangular,
an attachment fitting removably attachable to the underlying
support structure is preferably located at the apex of the
triangle, where the inner ends of the outside edges meet.
[0030] It is preferred that the bottom side of the diagonal toy
piece has a further attachment fitting removably attachable to the
underlying support structure, whereby the toy piece can be
supported on the underlying support structure at two spaced apart
points. The further attachment fitting, for example, may be located
at the junction of the outside end of one of the outside edges and
the diagonal edge. Advantageously, the further attachment fitting
may be spaced from the connector on the diagonal edge, whereby the
attachment fittings and the connector, in combination, provide
three-point support for the diagonal toy piece, two points of
support being provided by the underlying support structure, and the
third point of support being provided by a complementary diagonal
toy piece to which the diagonal toy piece is connected.
[0031] It is particularly preferred that the diagonal toy piece has
two connectors along its diagonal edge, releasably connectable to
respective cooperating connectors on a complementary toy piece, the
two connectors being located one at either end of the diagonal
edge. In this way, the diagonal toy piece and the complementary
diagonal toy piece can readily provide mutual support for one
another.
[0032] Whether the diagonal toy piece includes one, two, or even
more connectors along its diagonal edge, each connector preferably
comprises one of a hook and a socket to releasably engage with the
other of a hook and a socket on the complementary diagonal toy
piece.
[0033] From another aspect, the invention provides a composite toy
piece including a first diagonal toy piece and a second,
complementary diagonal toy piece which can be joined along
respective diagonal edges to form the composite toy piece. Each
diagonal toy piece may include one or more of the features
discussed above.
[0034] From further aspects, the invention provides a playing
structure, such as a toy building set, including a support
structure and a plurality of generally planar toy pieces mountable
on the support structure, including one or more of the diagonal toy
pieces or composite toy pieces defined above.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0035] The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages
of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same
becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed
description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
[0036] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a modular toy building set
embodying the present invention;
[0037] FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of the modular toy
building set of FIG. 1;
[0038] FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a column for use in a lattice
support structure for the modular toy building set of FIG. 1;
[0039] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a frame that is combined with
the column of FIG. 3 to form the lattice support structure for the
modular toy building set of FIG. 1;
[0040] FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a plurality of columns and
frames such as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, combined to form a
portion of lattice support structure for the modular toy building
set of FIG. 1;
[0041] FIG. 6 is an isometric view of two diagonal toy pieces for
use in the modular toy building set of FIG. 1;
[0042] FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a composite toy piece formed
by connecting the two diagonal toy pieces of FIG. 6; and
[0043] FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the composite toy piece of FIG.
7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0044] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an embodiment of a modular toy
building set 2 is disclosed that includes a lattice 4, a base 6, a
terrain 8, and playing components 10. The base 6 includes tile
bases 42 supporting an array of tiles 40, including a number of
composite tiles according to the present invention, as explained in
greater detail further below.
[0045] Considering the overall structure of the toy building set
when erected to form a landscape (for example as seen in FIG. 1),
the lattice 4 provides the underlying support structure which
supports, and is removably attachable to, the base 6. In turn, the
base 6 supports, and is removably attachable to the playing
components 10. The lattice 4 also supports, and is removably
attachable to the terrain 8. The modular aspects of the lattice 4,
the base 6, the terrain 8, and the playing components 10 allows a
multitude of different configurations to be created with the
modular toy building set 2 while employing the same elements of the
lattice 4, the base 6, the terrain 8, and playing components 10.
The lattice 4, the base 6, the terrain 8, and the playing
components 10 are preferably comprised of a synthetic polymer such
as acrylonitrilebutadiene styrene (ABS). This synthetic polymer can
be extruded or injection molded to form the lattice 4, the base 6,
the terrain 8, and the playing components 10.
[0046] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5, a column 12 of the lattice 4 is
shown in detail. The column 12 is substantially cubic in shape, but
preferably has a height slightly greater than its width. The column
12 has four sides 14, a top (or upper portion) 16, and a bottom (or
lower portion) 18. Protrusion connectors 20 are preferably located
on the top 16 of the column 12. Additionally, while the protrusion
connectors 20 are shown on the upper end of the top 16 of the
column 12, protrusion connectors 20 could, instead, be receptive
connectors provided that the component to which the top 16 of the
column 12 is to be attached has the appropriate mating fitting
thereon. Similarly, as discussed throughout the rest of this
description, wherever a receptive connector (or conversely
protrusion connector) is mentioned, a protrusion connector (or
conversely a receptive connector) can be employed in its stead as
long as complementary fittings are present on components to be
removably attached. Bottom (or lower portion) 18 of column 12
preferably has a plurality of receptive connectors on its underside
in the same configuration and orientation as the protrusion
connectors 20 on the top 16 of the column 12. The protrusion
connectors 20 on the top 16 and the receptive connectors on the
bottom 18 of the column 12 allow for secure, removable vertical
stacking of a plurality of the columns 12, in order to vary the
height of the lattice 4. Receptive connectors also allow for
attachment of the column 12 to the center portion and to the
corners of a frame 32 (FIG. 4), as discussed further below. While
protrusion connectors 20 on top 16 of column 12 are substantially
clover leaf in shape in FIGS. 3 and 5, the protrusion connectors
discussed herein, as well as the receptive connectors, can be of
any shape that provides removable attachment of two components with
a secure connection when attached.
[0047] Next, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the frame 32 is shown.
Frame 32 is preferably parallelogram in shape with four outer walls
33 that form beams between adjacent corners, and is more preferably
polyomino in shape and most preferably a square. A polyomino is a
shape formed by connecting squares. These shapes permit multiple
connecting patterns for the columns and the frames, permitting some
columns to be skipped so that a roadway or other features can be
added between columns, and the frames and columns will continue
their regular repeating pattern. The arrangement thus gives the
broadest amount of arrangements of the structures. By providing a
plurality of frames, some of the frames of which are a polyomino of
at least one more square in dimension than other of frames in said
plurality, a user of the modular toy building set 2 can form wider
openings under the terrain 8 for receiving roadways or other items.
For example, the road frames 35, 37 shown in FIG. 2 are either two
times the size of the regular frames 32 (road frames 35 are two
squares), or four times the size (road frames 37 are four squares).
Some frames, because of the arrangement of the squares in the
polyomino, may have more than four corners. For example, a three
square polyomino could be in the shape of an "L".
[0048] The four corners 34 of frame 32 each have a protrusion
connector 36 thereon. Intersecting stabilizing beams 38
interconnect opposite comers 34. A center portion 39 is located at
the intersection of the stabilizing beams 38 and preferably
includes four clover leaf-shaped protrusion connectors 40. A single
clover leafshaped protrusion in each comer 34 forms a protrusion
connector 36. The diameter of the protrusion connector 36 is
slightly greater than that of a receptive connector 26 of the lower
portion 18 of the column 12 of FIG. 3, for removable snap fitting
of the column 12 of FIG. 3 with the frame 32 of FIG. 4, as shown in
FIG. 5.
[0049] Referring to FIG. 5, each column 12 can be attached to a
center portion 39 of a frame 32 by snap fitting of receptive
connectors on the lower portion 18 of the column 12 into the
protrusion connectors 40 of the center portion 39 of the frame 32.
Alternatively, the column 12 can be secured to up to four adjacent
frames 32 by snap fitting one of the four receptive connectors on
the lower portion 18 of the column 12 with one of the protrusion
connectors 36 on a corner 34 of four different frames 32. One of
the columns 12 can also be attached on top of another column 12 by
snap fitting one of the receptive connectors on the bottom of one
of the columns onto the protrusion connector on top of another
column. In this manner, the columns can be stacked to form a
structure of a lattice 4 having a desired height.
[0050] The above-described modular columns 12 and frame 32, having
varying heights and lengths, and facilitating both horizontal and
vertical interconnection, allow for a multitude of lattice
configurations having individual components orthogonally disposed
with respect to each other. The resulting lattice 4 can thus
provide an array of attachment nodes, provided by the upper
portions of the columns 12 and/or the frames 32, to which the base
6 and/or the terrain 8 can be attached. In the preferred
embodiments, these attachment nodes coincide with nodes of a
regular orthogonal grid, preferably having polyomino shape grid
elements, most preferably square grid elements.
[0051] As can be best seen in FIG. 1, the base 6 provides the
playing surface for the playing components 10, and is formed from
an array of tiles 40 supported on tile bases 42, which in turn are
supported on the lattice 4. Each tile base 42 has, on its
underside, attachment fittings matable with attachment fittings on
the attachment nodes of the underlying supporting lattice 4, to
securely hold the tile bases in place. In turn, the tiles 40 may
have attachment fittings on their underside matable with attachment
fittings on a top side of the tile bases. Additionally or
alternatively, the tiles 40 themselves may have attachment fittings
on their underside matable with attachment fittings on the
attachment nodes of the lattice 4, in order that they may be
directly attached to and supported on the lattice 4.
[0052] The tile bases 42, and the tiles 40, especially if directly
mounted on the lattice 4, are preferably polyomino in shape, based
on the same orthogonal, preferably square, grid elements as the
attachment nodes of the lattice 4, so that they may be supported on
four of the attachment nodes. In this way, in addition to providing
excellent support for the base 6, a great deal of flexibility is
possible in the placement of the tiles 40 and tile bases 42 on the
underlying lattice 4. For instance, many if not all of the tiles
and associated tile bases may be interchangeable with one another
to provide a great variety of designs of the playing surface whilst
utilizing the same components.
[0053] A tile 40 supported on a tile base can cover all of the top
of the tile base 42, for example when the tile 40 is to portray a
section of grass, earth, water, or pavement that has a unitary
depth. However, when a varied depth is desired, such as when a
road, street, river bank, or lake shore is being portrayed, as
shown in FIG. 1, tile 40a can cover only a portion of tile base 42
on which it is supported, such that tile 40a can portray a
sidewalk, green belt, river bank, or lake edge having a height
greater than the street, road, river, or lake depicted by the
exposed portion of tile base 42.
[0054] The tiles 40 can have patterns thereon, affixed by printing,
painting, contrast plastic molding, photolithography or other
methods known in the art. The patterns on patterned tiles 40 can
represent, for example, sidewalks, paths, or roadways. Rotation of
patterned tiles 40 in their horizontal plane on tile bases 42, or
on the underlying lattice 4 when the tiles are mounted directly on
the lattice, allows patterned tiles 40 to depict a multitude of
different configurations of sidewalks, paths, or roadways.
[0055] In the example illustrated in the FIGURES, a majority of the
tiles 40 are formed in one piece and each present a consistent
appearance on their upper surface. That is to say, each of these
regular tiles is either a sidewalk-tile, a grass-tile, or has some
other consistent surface configuration. However, to provide more
flexibility to the configuration of the playing surface of the toy
building set, a number of tiles are composite tiles 50a, 50b formed
from two detachably connected diagonal tile pieces, described in
more detail below. Diagonal tile pieces of a number of varied
surface configurations may be provided with the toy building set,
each being detachably connectable to any other diagonal piece.
Since the two diagonal tile pieces of each composite toy piece may
have different surface configurations, the use of composite tiles
formed from a selected two of the diagonal pieces enables an even
greater variety in design of the surface of a landscape built using
the components of the toy building set.
[0056] For instance, as seen in FIG. 1, four composite tiles 50a
can be arranged in a square to simulate a pond in the playing
surface which has its banks skewed, in this example 45 degrees,
relative to the edges of the regular tiles. This is accomplished by
selecting as one half of each composite tile, a diagonal tile piece
52a designed to simulate water, and as the other half a diagonal
tile piece 54a designed to simulate grass, paving or the like, to
represent the bank of the pond. Other nonaligned features can be
included in the toy structure, in a similar way, by appropriate
selection of the diagonal tile pieces making up each composite
tile.
[0057] A further use for a composite tile is illustrated at the
base of the terrain feature 8 in FIG. 1. Here, composite tiles 50b
are used to avoid the necessity of having the lower edge of the
terrain follow the strict, orthogonal grid provided by the
underlying support structure. One half of the composite tile 50b is
a diagonal tile piece 52b selected to present a surface pattern,
such as water, grass or the like, whereas the diagonal tile piece
54b forming the other half of the composite tile has a top surface
carrying protrusion connectors 56 to which the terrain 8, or indeed
any other building component having suitable mating attachment
fittings, may be attached. In this way, the base of the hill formed
by the terrain 8 is able to cut diagonally across the regular,
orthogonal grid of attachment nodes provided by the underlying
lattice 4, generating a more pleasing appearance.
[0058] An exemplary composite tile 50 is described in greater
detail with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. The composite tile 50 is
formed from two diagonal tile pieces 52,54. As seen most clearly in
FIG. 6, each diagonal tile piece 52,54 is generally triangular in
shape, more specifically taking the form of a right-angled
isosceles triangle in the present example. Thus, each diagonal tile
piece has two straight, outside edges 56 of substantially equal
length, which extend perpendicularly to one another and meet at
respective inner ends at the right-angled apex 58 of the diagonal
tile piece. Respective outer ends 60 of the two outside edges 56
are joined by a straight, diagonal edge 62, forming the hypotenuse
of the triangle opposite the rightangled apex 58.
[0059] On the underside 64 of each diagonal tile piece 52,54, two
attachment fittings 66 are provided, each attachment fitting 66
being removably attachable to a mating attachment fitting on a
respective attachment node of the underlying lattice support
structure 4 of the toy building set 2, or on an underlying tile
base 42. On each diagonal tile piece 52,54, one of the attachment
fittings 66a is formed at the rightangled apex 58, where the two
outside edges 56 meet. The other attachment fitting 66b is formed
at the junction of one of the outside edges 56a and the diagonal
edge 62 (at the left-hand end of the diagonal edge 62 of the rear
diagonal tile 54, and the right-hand end of the diagonal edge 66 of
the front diagonal tile 52 as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7).
[0060] In the preferred form described here, the attachment
fittings 66 of the diagonal tile pieces 52,54 take the form of
receptive connectors engageable with the clover leaf protrusion
connectors 20,36 on the upper portions 16 of columns 12 and/or the
corners 34 of the frames 32 of the lattice 4. Specifically, in the
example illustrated, the receptive connectors are square
receptacles, providing a snap-fit with the clover leaf protrusion
connectors. However, any suitably mating connectors may be
used.
[0061] To accommodate the receptive connector at the junction
between the diagonal edge 62 and the outer end 60 of the one
outside edge 56, the triangular shape of the diagonal tile piece is
extended at that junction to form a square comer block 70. At the
other end 72 of the diagonal edge 62, where the diagonal edge 62
meets the opposite outside edge 56, the triangular shape of each
diagonal tile piece 52,54 is truncated, to be complementary in
shape to the square comer block 70. In this way, when the two
diagonal tile pieces 52,54 are brought together, with their
respective diagonal edges 62 butted face to face, to form the
composite tile 50, the square corner block 70 of each diagonal tile
piece 52,54 interlocks with the truncated corner of the opposing
diagonal tile 54,52 to give the composite tile 50 a continuous
square perimeter edge, as seen in FIG. 7.
[0062] The two diagonal tile pieces 52,54 are joined to form the
composite tile 50 by cooperating connectors 76,78, located one at
either end of the diagonal edge 62 of each diagonal tile piece
52,54. Any of a number of cooperating connector constructions may
be used to secure this connection. The exemplary connector
arrangement illustrated is a hook 76 and socket 78 connector. More
particularly, the square corner block 70 of each diagonal tile
piece 52,54 has a D-shape extension 80 adjacent the diagonal edge
62, forming a receptive socket 78 between an edge 82 of the square
comer block 70, a portion of the diagonal edge 62, and the D-shape
extension 80. The top surface of the D-shape extension 80 is
stepped down below the upper surface 84 of the tile piece 52,54, to
provide a shoulder 86. The complementary, truncated corner 72 of
each diagonal tile piece 52,54 has an undercut 88 which compliments
the shoulder 86 provided by the D-shaped extension 80, and a tongue
90 which depends downwardly from the outer end of the undercut 88
to form a hook connector 76 engageable in the socket 78 formed by
the D-shape extension 80.
[0063] As illustrated in FIG. 6, the two diagonal tile pieces 52,54
can be connected with one another by aligning the respective hook
76 and socket 78 connectors at either end of their respective
diagonal edges 62, with the two tiles slightly skewed relative to
one another so that the diagonal edges 62 can be butted against one
another with the hook 76 on each tile piece 52,54 clear of its
respective socket 78 on the other tile piece 54,52, and then
twisting the tile pieces 52,54 relative to one another (as
indicated by arrows 92) to bring them into the same plane and hence
bring the respective hooks 76 and sockets 78 into engagement with
one another, to securely, but detachably, connect the two diagonal
tile pieces and form a square composite tile 50.
[0064] As can best be seen in FIG. 8, when mounted on the
underlying support structure, whether it be a lattice 4, tile base
42 or other structure, with the described arrangement of attachment
fittings and connectors, each diagonal tile piece 52,54 can be
supported at three points: at two points where the attachment
fittings 66a, 66b on its underside 64 are supported by the
underlying support structure 4, and at its truncated comer 72 where
the hook connector 76 is supported by the socket connector 78 of
the adjacent diagonal tile piece of the composite tile 50. As can
be seen in FIG. 8, the socket 78 is connected to the opening for
the attachment fitting 66b. When the tongue 90 of the hook
connector 46 extends into the socket 78, the hook connector 76
becomes a portion of the side wall of the attachment fitting 66b. A
protrusion connector 36 extends into the attachment fitting 66b,
and frictionally engages three walls of the attachment fitting 66b
and the hook connector 76. In this manner, the protrusion connector
36 helps to keep the diagonal tile pieces 52, 54 attached to form
the composite tile 50. This connection can provide a very stable
support for each diagonal tile piece 52,54, and hence the overall
composite tile 50.
[0065] As discussed above, an advantage when using the diagonal
tile pieces 52,54 of the present invention to form composite tiles
50, is that it is possible to provide a number of different
diagonal tile pieces 52,54 with a variety of upper surface 84
configurations. This enables the formation of composite tiles with
different, selected surface configurations on the two halves. For
example, the composite tile 50 illustrated in FIG. 7 includes one
diagonal tile piece 52 having a plane top surface 84a, and the
other diagonal tile piece 54 is provided with a series of
protrusion connectors 96 on its top surface 98, for attachment to a
further tile piece, terrain piece 8, or other component of the
playing structure overlying it and having appropriate mating
attachment fittings. Since the rear tile piece 54, as seen in FIGS.
6 and 7 is intended to be covered by a further component, such as
terrain 8, it can have a frame-like form as shown, without
detracting from the aesthetic appearance of the completed toy
landscape.
[0066] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been
illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various
changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *