U.S. patent application number 11/345076 was filed with the patent office on 2007-08-02 for flexible module connector building toy set.
Invention is credited to George T. Foster, Ian Osborne, Elliot Rudell.
Application Number | 20070178799 11/345076 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38322688 |
Filed Date | 2007-08-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070178799 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rudell; Elliot ; et
al. |
August 2, 2007 |
Flexible module connector building toy set
Abstract
A toy building set that contains a plurality of building
members. At least one of the building members includes a connector
attached to a flexible linkage. The connector can snap onto the
linkage of another building member. Allowing the connector to be
snapped onto the linkage of another member provides flexibility in
the location of the attachment and the design of the structure
created from the building set. The flexible nature of the linkages
also provides greater artistic freedom in creating a structure with
the building set.
Inventors: |
Rudell; Elliot; (Torrance,
CA) ; Osborne; Ian; (Gardena, CA) ; Foster;
George T.; (Long Beach, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
IRELL & MANELLA LLP
840 NEWPORT CENTER DRIVE, SUITE 400
NEWPORT BEACH
CA
92660
US
|
Family ID: |
38322688 |
Appl. No.: |
11/345076 |
Filed: |
January 31, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
446/120 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H 33/101
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
446/120 |
International
Class: |
A63H 33/06 20060101
A63H033/06 |
Claims
1. A toy building set, comprising: a plurality of building members,
at least one of said building members include a connecter attached
to a flexible linkage.
2. The building set of claim 1, wherein said flexible linkage
includes a bendable wire covered by an outer sleeve.
3. The building set of claim 1, wherein said connector is a female
connector.
4. The building set of claim 1, wherein said female connector has
an opening that is smaller than an outer diameter of said flexible
linkage.
5. The building set of claim 1, wherein said connector is a male
connector.
6. The building set of claim 3, wherein said female connector snaps
onto said flexible linkage.
7. The building set of claim 1, wherein one of said building
members includes four connectors.
8. The building set of claim 1, wherein one of said building
members is a wheel.
9. The building set of claim 1, wherein one of said building
members is at least a part of a toy character.
10. A method for using a toy building set, comprising: attaching a
connector of a first building member to a flexible linkage of a
second building member.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the connector snaps onto the
flexible linkage.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the connector is attached to a
flexible linkage of the first building member.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein the connector is attached to a
wheel.
14. The method of claim 10, wherein the connector is attached to at
least a part of a toy character.
15. The method of claim 10, further comprising attaching a
connector of the second building member to a connector of a third
building member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a toy building set.
[0003] 2. Prior Art
[0004] There have been marketed various toy building sets that
allow the user to build toy structures and figures. For example,
LINCOLN LOGS and LEGO blocks are two products that include a number
of individual pieces that can be assembled into various structures.
Both of the products contain rigid pieces with some type of
male/female connections.
[0005] The Ohio Art Company marketed a doll line under the name
BETTY SPAGHETTY that included a plurality of vinyl clad wire parts.
The user could attach the wire parts to connect flexible arms and
legs, etc, to a torso to vary the appearance of the doll. The toy
building sets of the prior art typically include linkages that are
attached to the end of another linkage or part. It would be
desirable to provide a toy building set that contains flexible
linkages and allows for attachment at various points on a
linkage.
[0006] A toy building set that includes a plurality of building
members, at least one of the building members includes a connector
attached to a flexible linkage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is an illustration showing building members of a toy
building set;
[0008] FIG. 2 is an illustration showing building members of the
toy building set;
[0009] FIG. 3 is an illustration showing a toy vehicle constructed
with the toy building set;
[0010] FIG. 4 is an illustration of a toy character constructed
with a toy building set;
[0011] FIG. 5 is an illustration of a toy flower constructed with a
toy building set.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] Disclosed is a toy building set that contains a plurality of
building members. At least one of the building members includes a
connector attached to a flexible linkage. The connector can snap
onto the linkage of another building member. Allowing the connector
to be snapped onto the linkage of another member provides
flexibility in the location of the attachment and the design of the
structure created from the building set. The flexible nature of the
linkages also provides greater artistic freedom in creating a
structure with the building set.
[0013] Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference
numbers, FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a toy building set 10. The
building set 10 may include a plurality of flexible building
members 12. Each flexible building member 12 may include a pair of
connectors 14 attached to the ends of a flexible linkage 16.
[0014] Each flexible linkage 16 may include a bendable wire 18
covered by a protective sleeve 20. The sleeve 20 may be constructed
from a vinyl or other similar type material. The flexible linkages
16 can be bent into various configurations.
[0015] Each connector 14 may include a plurality of fingers 22
separated by an opening 24. The fingers 22 may be semi-flexible and
the opening 24 may have a diameter smaller than the outer diameter
of the flexible linkages 16 so that the connectors 14 can snap onto
and off of the linkages 16. The connectors 14 can be constructed
from a plastic material such as polypropylene, rigid polyethylene,
rubberized ABS or rigid vinyl. The shape of the fingers allow one
linkage to be connected to another linkage at index locations, for
example at 90 degrees.
[0016] The ability of the connectors 14 to snap onto the flexible
linkages 16 allows one building member to be attached to various
locations of the second building member. This capability improves
the artistic freedom to the user of the set. This is to be
distinguished from prior art building sets wherein the building
members are only attached to the ends of the members, or other
fixed locations.
[0017] FIG. 2 shows some other building members of the building set
including a male connector cruciform 30 and a female connector
cruciform 32. The male connector cruciform 30 may include four male
connectors 34 each attached to a rigid linkage 36. The female
connector cruciform 32 may include four female connectors 38 that
extend from corresponding rigid linkages 40. The male connectors 34
can snap into the female connectors 38. Although rigid linkages 36
and 40 are shown and described, it is to be understood that the
linkages 36 and 40 may be flexible members that are the same or
similar to linkages 16 shown in FIG. 1. Although not shown, the
flexible member(s) shown in FIG. 1 may have male connectors 34.
[0018] FIG. 3 shows a toy vehicle 50 that is constructed with a toy
building set. The building set includes a plurality of flexible
building members 12. The toy set may also include toy wheels 52, a
toy cab 54 and other accessories 56. The wheels 52, cab 54 and
other accessories 56 may have male and/or female connectors that
can be attached to other building members. Some of the flexible
members 12 can be bent to change the shape of the toy vehicles.
[0019] Another advantage to using flexible linkages is the ability
to use linkages of non-equal length. For example, a user may want
to assemble two linkages in parallel but only has a nine inch
linkage and a eight inch linkage. The nine inch linkage can be bent
to have the same length as the eight inch linkage.
[0020] FIG. 4 shows a toy character 60 that is constructed with a
toy building set. The building set includes a plurality of flexible
building members 12. The toy set may also include a toy character
head 62, a toy torso 64 and toy feet 66. The head 62, torso 64 and
feat 66 may have male and/or female connectors that can be attached
to other building members.
[0021] FIG. 5 shows a toy flower pot 70 that is constructed with a
toy building set. The building set includes a plurality of flexible
building members 12. The toy set 70 may also include a toy
character pot 72, a toy flower 74 and toy leaves 76. The pot 72,
flower 74 and leaves 76 may have male and/or female connectors that
can be attached to other building members. The flexible member 12
of a "branch" can be attached to various locations of a flexible
member 12 "trunk" to change the appearance of the toy flower.
[0022] While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and
shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that
such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on
the broad invention, and that this invention not be limited to the
specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since
various other modifications may occur to those ordinarily skilled
in the art.
* * * * *