U.S. patent application number 11/211333 was filed with the patent office on 2006-03-02 for toy building block.
Invention is credited to Marco Pallottino, Giancarlo Piretti.
Application Number | 20060046605 11/211333 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35311310 |
Filed Date | 2006-03-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060046605 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Piretti; Giancarlo ; et
al. |
March 2, 2006 |
Toy building block
Abstract
Toy building block comprising a hollow three-dimensional
structure with a plurality of faces and provided on at least one of
said faces with engagement means able to co-operate with
complementary engagement means of another block. The
three-dimensional structure is formed by a pliable element with a
perimeter whose shape corresponds to the planar development of the
block. The pliable element is provided with hinges between adjacent
portions forming the faces of the three-dimensional structure.
Snap-in fastening means are provided for fastening each of said
faces to an adjacent face of the three-dimensional structure.
Inventors: |
Piretti; Giancarlo;
(Bologna, IT) ; Pallottino; Marco; (Roma,
IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PATTERSON & SHERIDAN, L.L.P.
3040 POST OAK BOULEVARD
SUITE 1500
HOUSTON
TX
77056
US
|
Family ID: |
35311310 |
Appl. No.: |
11/211333 |
Filed: |
August 25, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
446/122 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H 33/046 20130101;
A63H 33/086 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
446/122 |
International
Class: |
A63H 33/12 20060101
A63H033/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 31, 2004 |
IT |
TO2004A000578 |
Claims
1. A toy building block comprising a hollow three-dimensional
structure with a plurality of faces and provided on at least one of
said faces with engagement means able to co-operate with
complementary engagement means of another block, characterised in
that the three-dimensional structure is formed by a pliable element
with a perimeter whose shape corresponds to the planar development
of the block, the pliable element being provided with hinges
between adjacent portions forming the faces of the
three-dimensional structure, snap-in fastening means being provided
for fastening each of said faces to an adjacent face of the
three-dimensional structure.
2. Building block as claimed in claim 1, wherein said snap-in
fastening means extend along the sides of respective faces.
3. Building block as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fastening
means comprise alternating teeth and grooves.
4. Building block as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fastening
means for connection to another block comprise permanent
magnets.
5. Building block as claimed in claim 1, wherein said engagement
means for connection to another block comprise projecting portions
and recessed seats whose shape is complementary to said projecting
portions and snap-in engagement portions provided on said
projecting portions and recessed seats.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims benefit of Italian Patent
Application serial number TO2004A000578, filed Aug. 31, 2004, which
is herein incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a toy building block.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Widely known are toy building blocks formed by a
parallelepiped structure provided with engagement means able to
co-operate with complementary engagement means of another block, to
obtain the mutual connection of a plurality of blocks whose shape
and dimensions are the same or different, to build complex
constructions.
[0006] Also known are building blocks in which the parallelepiped
structure is internally hollow and the retaining means are provided
on some of the faces of the structure. An example of toy block of
this kind is described in Belgian patent no. 900609, which
illustrates a toy block using permanent magnets to connect the
blocks to each other.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention was developed to provide building
blocks with large dimensions, e.g. prismatic blocks in which each
side has a length of several centimetres. For example, without
limiting in any way the field of application, the present invention
could be used to obtain prismatic building blocks whose dimensions
are multiples of 40 mm, e.g. 80.times.80.times.40 mm or
80.times.160.times.40 mm.
[0008] Building blocks of such dimensions would have the drawback
of a very large size of the package to be sold, with consequent
high transportation costs and the need for very extensive
exhibiting spaces.
[0009] To overcome said drawback, the object of the present
invention is a toy building block having the characteristics set
out in the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The characteristics and the advantages of the present
invention shall become readily apparent in the detailed description
that follows, provided purely by way of non limiting example, with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an element for forming a building
block according to the present invention,
[0012] FIG. 2 is a section according to the line II-II of FIG.
1,
[0013] FIG. 3 is plan view of the part indicated by the arrow III
in FIG. 1,
[0014] FIG. 4 is a section according to the line IV-IV of FIG.
3,
[0015] FIG. 5 is a view according to the arrow V of FIG. 4,
[0016] FIG. 6 is a section corresponding to FIG. 4, showing the
bending region in closed configuration,
[0017] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a first embodiment of a building
block according to the invention,
[0018] FIG. 8 is an elevation view according to the arrow VII of
FIG. 7,
[0019] FIG. 9 is a section according to the line IX-IX of FIG.
7,
[0020] FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 are views corresponding to FIGS. 7, 8
and 9, showing a dimensional variant of the block according to the
invention,
[0021] FIG. 13 is a plan view of a second embodiment of a building
block according to the invention,
[0022] FIG. 14 is a section according to the line XIV-XIV of FIG.
13, and
[0023] FIG. 15 is a section according to the line XIV-XIV of FIGS.
13 and 14 coupled to a block of the same kind.
[0024] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, FIG. 1 is a plan view of an
element for forming a building block according to the present
invention. The pliable element 10 is constituted by mouldable
plastic material and it is obtained by injection or compression
moulding. The pliable element 10 has a perimeter whose shape
corresponds to the planar development of the building block. The
element 10 comprises a plurality of portions 12, each of which is
connected to the adjacent portions by means of a hinge 14. Each
portion 12 is to form a face of the building block. The hinges 14
are formed by substantially V shaped grooves which extend along the
junction line between two adjacent sides of the portions 12.
[0025] In the example illustrated in the figures, the pliable
element 10 forms a hollow parallelepiped structure and it is thus
provided with six portions 12 intended to form the six faces of the
parallelepiped structure. The present invention however, could be
used to obtain building blocks with different shapes from the
parallelepiped shape, e.g. pyramidal, pentagonal, etc. The number,
the shape and the arrangement of the portions 12 of the pliable
element 10 varies according to the shape of the building block.
Each portion 12 will in any case have the shape of one of the faces
of the block.
[0026] The element 10 is provided planar, substantially in the form
of a plate, with the portions 12 substantially coplanar to each
other. After purchasing the toy package, the user assembles the
building blocks by folding the portions 12 along the respective
hinges 14 and mutually fastening the portions 12 in the manner
described below.
[0027] Each pliable portion 12 is provided with fastening means
that allow to fasten at least one side of a portion 12 to at least
one corresponding side of a portion 12 which forms an adjacent face
in the three-dimensional structure.
[0028] With reference to FIGS. 3 through 6, according to a
preferred embodiment of the present invention the fastening means
comprise a plurality of teeth 16 able to be inserted in snap-in
fashion into complementary grooves 18. The fastening means are
provided on at least one side of a portion 12 and they comprise a
rectilinear back formed by alternating teeth 16 and grooves 18.
[0029] Each tooth 16 is preferably provided with a widened head 20
with a triangular profile able to be inserted in snap-in fashion
into a groove 18 of the complementary fastening means. As shown in
FIG. 5, each groove 18 is formed in a substantially fork-shaped
element, delimited by two lateral cuts 22 which allow the outwards
deformation of the walls delimiting the groove 18. The array of
fastening means 18, 20 preferably extends along an edge of a
portion 12. The edges of the portions 12 are preferably provided
with inclined bearing surfaces 24 (FIG. 4) which bear against
complementary bearing portions of a portion 12 which forms an
adjacent face in the three-dimensional structure.
[0030] As shown in FIG. 6, after the rotation of a pliable portion
12 about a respective hinge 14, the inclined surfaces 24 of two
adjacent sides come in contact with each other and the head 20 of
each tooth 16 engages in snap-in fashion the complementary groove
18 provided on the adjacent side of the other portion 12.
[0031] FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 show a building block 26 obtained after the
relative fastening of the initially coplanar pliable portions 12 of
the element 10. The building block 26 comprises a hollow
three-dimensional structure that, in the example illustrated in
FIGS. 7 through 9, has a parallelepiped shape with square base. In
the variant illustrated in FIGS. 10 through 12, the hollow
three-dimensional structure of the building block 26 has a
parallelepiped shape with rectangular base. Purely by way of
indication, the dimensions of the building blocks illustrated in
FIGS. 8 through 9 and 10 through 12 may be multiples of the length
of the smaller side of the structure. For example, hypothesising
that the blocks 26 have a height of 40 mm, the dimensions of the
block illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 9 could be
80.times.80.times.40 mm, whilst the dimensions of the block
illustrated in FIGS. 10 through 12 could be 80.times.160.times.40
mm. Naturally, these measurements are provided purely by way of
example and they in no way exclude the application of the invention
to blocks with different dimensions.
[0032] Each building block 26 is provided with engagement means
able to co-operate with corresponding engagement means of another
block to connect the blocks to each other in stable, disengageable
fashion.
[0033] In the variant illustrated in FIGS. 8 through 12, the
engagement means comprise permanent magnets 28 positioned on at
least one face of the block. In the illustrated example, the
permanent magnets 28 are positioned on the two main opposite faces
30 of the block. In the version illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 9, a
single permanent magnet 28 is provided on each main face 30 of the
block 26 whilst in the version illustrated in FIGS. 10 through 12
two permanent magnets 28 are provided on each main face 30. The
permanent magnets 28 can have substantially disk shape and they are
preferably housed in lowered seats, so that the outer surface of
the magnets 28 is substantially flush with the outer surface of the
respective face. Preferably, in addition to the engagement means
constituted by the permanent magnets 28, positioning means can be
provided, constituted by projecting portions 32 on one of the main
faces 30 and recessed seats 34 whose shape corresponds to the
projections 32 formed on the other main face 30. The projections 32
and the recessed seats 34 may have hemispherical shape.
[0034] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 13 through 16, the
engagement means achieve a mechanical type of engagement. In this
case, on one of the main faces 30 are provided projections 36 with
cylindrical shape and on the other main face 30 are provided
recessed seats 38 whose shape and dimensions are complementary to
those of the projecting portions 36. The projecting portions 36
have an annular rib 40 whilst the recessed seats 38 are provided
with annular grooves 42 with complementary shape relative to the
ribs 40. As shown in FIG. 15, when the projections 36 of a first
block 26 are inserted into the recessed seats 38 of a second block
26, the ribs 40 of the first block engage in snap-in fashion the
grooves 42 of the second block.
[0035] Naturally, without altering the principle of the invention,
the construction details and the embodiments may be widely varied
from what is described and illustrated herein, without thereby
departing from the scope of the invention, as defined by the
appended claims.
* * * * *