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EP0766585B1 - Element de construction pour jouets - Google Patents

Element de construction pour jouets Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0766585B1
EP0766585B1 EP92919418A EP92919418A EP0766585B1 EP 0766585 B1 EP0766585 B1 EP 0766585B1 EP 92919418 A EP92919418 A EP 92919418A EP 92919418 A EP92919418 A EP 92919418A EP 0766585 B1 EP0766585 B1 EP 0766585B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
tongues
building
square
grooves
elements
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP92919418A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0766585A1 (fr
Inventor
Ole Gram
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
OLE GRAM AS
Original Assignee
OLE GRAM AS
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by OLE GRAM AS filed Critical OLE GRAM AS
Publication of EP0766585A1 publication Critical patent/EP0766585A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0766585B1 publication Critical patent/EP0766585B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
    • A63H33/00—Other toys
    • A63H33/04—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts
    • A63H33/06—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements
    • A63H33/08—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a set of building elements as described in the first part of claim 1.
  • FIG. 1 An example of such a building brick are shown in GB-A-1 127 168 by Arthur Fischer.
  • His invention relates to a building brick of the type adapted for interlocking engagement with other bricks by means of a re-entrant tongue and groove connection.
  • This kind of building bricks can be put together by a sliding fit when a vertical tongue are introduced into a groove from above.
  • These bricks have the disadvantage that they can not be pushed together or released sideways, because the tongue have a firm locking function in the groove.
  • the building bricks according to the invention are characterized by the statement in the characterizing part of claim 1.
  • the individual building bricks When working with the mosaic bricks it appears from the abovementioned that the individual building bricks must be suitably small to obtain sufficiently detailed patterns on limited areas. Thereby you also realize that to make the mosaic bricks function in practice they must be able to be put together mutually and from the side individually and not just assembled row by row or be slid together carefully from above. This has the result that the individual tongues their respective grooves not only have to be rather small especially with regard to their width as defined above, but at the same time they should also be placed as far away as possible from the corners of the basic square. This results in a suitable version with only a single tongue or a single groove placed in the middle of the side of the basic polygon, preferably the square.
  • the width of the tongues can be made at least less than 1 mm and the side in the basic square less than 10 mm.
  • the basic polygon is a square with, as mentioned above, just one single tongue on each of the two of the opposite or possibly adjacent sides and correspondingly one groove in each of the two other sides of the square all placed in the middle of the side of the square, and at the same time the tongues as well as the grooves have a length, measured along the sides of the square, which is just a third of the edge line of the square while their width is less than half thereof.
  • Fig. 2 just shows two known building elements of the same kind as shown in fig. 1 only put together in a different way, namely parallel to each other on the plane and displaced a third of the length of the edge line in the basic square 2.
  • the two basic squares 2a and 2b are hereby seen to cut into each other.
  • the placing shown here can certainly be an advantage, e.g. to give variations in the side of a greater pattern.
  • this type of assemblies can, on the other hand, create great disadvantages in the form of unintended holes or bad connections inside the pattern, because you can easily put the building bricks together in this way instead of the way mentioned in fig. 1.
  • Fig. 3 indicates, on a relatively big scale, a building element according to the invention seen from above, whereby similarities to as well as differences from that in fig. 1 and 2 shown known building elements appear.
  • the tongues 4 and the grooves 5 are shaped in such a way that they can be suitably clicked together with the corresponding grooves and tongues on other identical building elements for a suitable mutual retention. This is achieved by the length of the tongue 4 and the groove 5 measured along the edgeline of the basic square 2 are a little less in an area nearer to the square than a bit further out, as well as both tongues 4 and grooves 5 being suitably rounded to ease the assembling and the subsequent separation by the hands only.
  • the tongues 4 and the grooves 5 have a much smaller width, understood as the greatest distance from the basic square 2, than on the known element shown in fig. 1 and 2. In that way the basic square 2 appears more distinct and with clearly indicated corners 3, which makes a correct assembly of more elements into bigger patterns more easy.
  • the box 1 can at the top be furnished with a stud 6 which is seen indicated by its circular outline, as the studs of the individual elements will be seen lying in straight rows by a correct assembly.
  • the primary intention with the stud 6 is, however, that two or more elements can thereby be assembled directly upon each other, as the stud 6 is designed so it fits precisely in the corresponding cavity in the bottom of the building element.
  • Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross section through the same building element seen from below.
  • the punctuated circle corresponds to the outline of the stud 6 which is just seen to fit into the cavity in the bottom 7.
  • the cavity is suitably adjusted to the rounding of the stud so that the stud 6 is kept in its correct position in a better way, but otherwise the thickness of the wall of the building element is seen to be appropriately uniform and mainly of the size of half the width of the tongues 4 as defined above. This gives a suitable moulding, a saving of material, plus a suitable flexibility in the building elements when assembling and separating them.
  • Fig. 5 shows the same element seen from the side where the stud 6 protrudes the top 8 of the box 1 and has a rounded upper edge 9 to ease the connection in the vertical plane to corresponding or other known types of building elements.
  • the height of the box 1 is bigger than the length of the edge of the basic square which strongly assists to improve the cohesion, which is especially important in bigger assemblies.
  • the relatively great height also has the effect that the elements can be put together displaced in very different heights, whereby also interesting space figures can be formed.
  • Fig. 6 shows the same type of building brick seen from above but with another outline of the stud 6, here designed as a rounded octagonal star. There may also be other versions of the stud 6 just as it may be totally avoided. This last solution especially because the building elements relating to the invention can also be connected in the sides by means of their long grooves 5 and tongues 4 and in this way be mutually displaced in vertical direction to an even considerable stepless variation of their mutual difference in height.
  • Fig. 8 shows a detailed picture of a tongue 4 and a groove 5 on two building elements according to the invention.
  • the tongue has, a short distance from the basic square, a somewhat bigger extension than slightly nearer the square. This has the effect that such a tongue 4 with a modest use of force can be pressed into the groove 5 of a corresponding building element and still be interlocked suitably firmly herewith.
  • the rounded form of the tongue 4 has the effect that it can more easily be clicked into the corresponding groove 5.
  • the groove 5 is seen to be of a so to speak identical outline as the tongue 4.
  • the radius of curvature 11 innermost in the groove 5 and corresponding innermost on the tongue 4 is a little less than the radius of curvature 12 outermost on the groove 5 and outermost on the tongue 4, as it has shown that there can hereby in practice be achieved a better clicking together between the elements when assembling them.
  • Fig. 9 shows the outline of another version of a building element according to the invention, where the basic polygon 2 is also a square and where the length of the tongues 4 and the grooves 5 measured along the edges of the square is also a third of this.
  • the difference from the version in fig. 3 is that the two tongues 4 are placed on the two adjacent sides of the square and the two grooves 5 on the two other likewise adjacent sides.
  • Both the tongues 4 and the grooves 5 have a width as above defined, which is less than half their length, whereby this version is at all possible, contrary to if the width was also a third of the length of the edge of the square, as the case is on that in fig. 1 shown known building element.
  • Fig. 10 shows the same version of a building element according to the invention seen in a horizontal cross section from below. It is noted, especially when comparising with the corresponding cut i fig 4 that this version will not be quite so suited as the one shown earlier, whose symmetrical construction appears more harmonic and at the same time more material saving.
  • Fig. 11 shows a building element of a design as shown in fig. 9 and 10, which is being put together with three already assembled elements of the same type. This crucial test for mosaic bricks is also seen to be possible with this version because the tongues 4 only extends a little from the basic square, just as there is only a single tongue on each side, both placed in the middle of the side.
  • Fig. 12 shows another possibility for designing a building element according to the invention here shown from the side.
  • fig 5 shows that this version in many respects corresponds with that shown in fig. 3, 4 and 5.
  • a bigger or smaller piece of the upper part of the tongues 4 is left out, so they can still fit into the grooves 5.
  • Fig. 13 shows a total of sixteen assembled building elements of the design form fig. 12 seen from above. As it appears you can hereby obtain a regular square pattern as the coverings 13 just cover all the grooves 5, which can be a special advantage in many cases.
  • This design is made possible because the building element according the invention is provided with such suitably small tongues 4 and grooves 5 that a fourth building element can be fitted in sideways by clicking it together with three already assembled elements to form a square. However the building elements cannot be fitted together from above as with the hitherto shown versions.
  • Fig. 14 shows a version of a building element according to the invention where the basic polygon 2 is a rectangle.
  • the element is shown in a horizontal cross section with a punctuated circle marking the location of the stud 6.
  • the building element in principle just corresponds to two joined elements of that in fig. 3, 4 and 5 shown design, which has a square as a basic polygon 2.
  • two such elements can replace the one shown, even having different colours, it appears to be an advantage with respect to the details of the pattern only to have the smallest elements in the system. This is also because it is difficult to place elements with more than one tongue on already assembled elements by a sideways connection.
  • Fig. 15 shows a horizontal cross section of an element of a similar type. From this it appears that the version shown in fig. 14 is, after all, more suitable, because there out of consideration for the possible attachment to another building element by means of its stud 6, shown as a punctuated circle, only a smaller and more evenly distributed amount of material is needed in this case.
  • Fig. 16 shows a cross section seen from below of two identical building elements according to the invention, where the basic polygon 2 is a triangle put together to form an element that just corresponds to the one shown in fig. 3, 4 and 5.
  • the cut is made so high up on the building brick, that it is above the point where a stud 6 from another element will reach up to when it is assembled. Further down a corresponding cut might resemble the one shown in fig. 4 if you imagine that this element is cut along a diagonal, so that a stud 6 from another element can be fitted in.
  • Such "half" elements suitably of different colours, can possibly be part of a system of building elements of the type shown in fig. 3, 4 and 5, whereby for instance even more detailed patterns can be created if necessary.
  • Fig. 17 shows the outline of a building element according to the invention, where the basic polygon 2 is an equilateral hexagon with corners 3. With a multitude of such identical elements honeycomb cell shaped patterns can be built, which in certain cases can be an advantage. The deviation from a regular hexagon however seen to be rather visible because of the tongues 4 and the grooves 5.
  • Fig. 18 shows a number of building elements according to the invention where the basic polygon is also an equilateral hexagon as in fig. 17, but where the individual building element is, at the same time, provided with corresponding covers 13 just as the building element shown in fig. 12 and fig. 13.
  • the assembled elements seen from above, constitute pure regular hexagons except for elements in the outermost rows.
  • extremely beautiful patterns can be built corresponding to what is known from e.g. beads. But because of the special clicking together of the elements according to the invention this does not, as with beads, lead to disadvantages such as need for bottom plates or welding together with heat, which prevents reuse.
  • the design of the individual tongues and hence of the corresponding grooves can also be varied in many more ways than those shown on the drawing, e.g. concerning the relation between length and width plus the size and placing of the roundings in order to obtain the best possible clicking together.
  • the extent along the side of the square can be half of its length or another fraction than the third, which on the drawing is generally preferred as the most practical.
  • the shown cylindrical stud may also have other designs than the herein shown circular or rounded octagonal.
  • a square stud is thus mentioned, but there may also be other outlines, and the stud can also comprise more than a single cylindrical figure.
  • the studs can even be designed in such a special way that the studs of two single or assembled elements, which have the studs turned towards each other, are able to attach the elements studs against studs.
  • the individual stud may also at the top be provided with channels e.g. placed in crossform parallel to the sides of the basic square and with the same cross section as the cross section of a groove. Thus the stud is also able to secure a corresponding building element in one of its tongues side against top.
  • the building elements according to the invention might furthermore be made of a number of different materials. Most suitable would probably be, as mentioned, a thermoplastic material such as rigid polystyrene, a hard polypropylene, or an ABS.
  • the building elements according to the invention are as mentioned especially suited, in their most simple basic shape together with other identically shaped building elements but of several different colours, to be used as a mosaic brick for toys.
  • the building element according to the invention may however also be used for several other purposes, such as easily assembled signboards or planning boards, as you can build for instance the different letters and numbers of various sizes of the same basic building element.
  • the building elements can be suited for the educating of children in reading and writing, as the children themselves can build the letters and can hereby at the same time in an entertaining way improve the movement of their fingers.
  • the building elements according to the invention also can be used for building up self-bearing partition walls, e.g.

Landscapes

  • Toys (AREA)
  • Finishing Walls (AREA)

Claims (10)

  1. Jeu d'éléments de construction spécialement pour jouets, où chaque élément présente le contour de base d'une boíte principalement creuse à parois relativement minces (1) avec une extrémité ouverte (7) et où une coupe transversale horizontale de la boíte (1) mis à part les languettes (4) et les rainures (5) représente un carré ou un autre polygone, dit polygone de base (2), dont les coins (3) peuvent être convenablement arrondis et où il y a au moins sur l'un des côtés du polygone de base (2) au moins une languette (4) et sur au moins l'un des autres côtés il y a au moins une rainure correspondante (5),
    caractérisé en ce
    que les languettes (4) et rainures (5) correspondantes sont conçues de telle manière qu'elles peuvent être assemblées l'une dans l'autre avec un déclic audible pour leur retention mutuelle, étant donné que la longueur de la languette (4) à une certaine distance de son sommet mesurée le long de son côté respectif du polygone de base (2) est plus grande que la longueur de la languette (4) un peu plus proche de son fond et que la longueur de la rainure (5) mesurée le long de son côté respectif du polygone de base (2) à une certaine distance de l'ouverture est plus petite que la longueur de la rainure (5) quelque peu plus profonde dans la rainure et qu'en même temps aussi bien les languettes (4) que les rainures (5) sont convenablement arrondies, tout comme la matière utilisée pour les éléments est d'une dureté convenable, de manière qu'un assemblage et une séparation consécutive puissent être effectués aisément à la main.
  2. Jeu d'éléments de construction selon la révendication 1,
    caractérisé en ce
    que le polygone de base (2) étant un carré et que sur chacun des deux côtés opposés ou contigus du carré il y a seulement une languette (4) et de chacun des deux autres côtés seulement une rainure (5), et où tant les languettes (4) que les rainures (5) sont disposées au milieu des côtés respectifs du carré.
  3. Jeu d'éléments de construction selon la révendication 1,
    caractérisé en ce
    que la hauteur de l'élément de construction est plus grande que la longueur du plus petit bord du polygone de base (2).
  4. Jeu d'éléments de construction selon la révendication 1,
    caractérisé en ce
    que la largeur des languettes (4) et, de ce fait, des rainures correspondantes (5) entendu comme étant la distance maximum du polygone (2) est si petite par rapport à la longueur des bords du polygone (2) qu'elle est au moins cinq fois plus petite que le plus petit bord et, de préférence, encore plus petite, pour qu'un quatrième élément puisse être cliqué ensemble avec trois autres éléments assemblés d'avance en un carré uniquement par un assemblage latéral.
  5. Jeu d'éléments de construction selon la révendication 1,
    caractérisé en ce
    que tant les languettes (4) que les rainures (5) se développent en un angle droit depuis le fond (7) et que les deux coupes transversales horizontales à travers la boíte (1) depuis le fond (7) et jusqu'au sommet des languettes (4) ont des contours extérieurs identiques, de sorte que des éléments assemblés puissent être décalés en hauteur en progression continue les uns par rapport aux autres sans être séparés ou dégagés par exemple d'un modèle composé d'éléments de construction.
  6. Jeu d'éléments de construction selon la révendication 2,
    caractérisé en ce
    que la longueur de la languette (4) et, de ce fait la longueur de la rainue (5), mesurée le long du côté du carré, constitue un tiers de la longueur du bord de celui-ci, tandis que la largeur correspondante des languettes (4) et des rainures (5) est inférieure à la moitié de leur longueur.
  7. Jeu d'éléments de construction selon la révendication 1,
    caractérisé en ce
    qu'au sommet (8) de la boíte (1) il y a au moins une protubérance, de préférence de forme cylindrique (6), comportant par exemple une coupe transversale octogonale étoilée, circulaire ou arrondie, destinée à s'adapter précisément dans le/les creux au fond (7) d'un élément de construction correspondant, afin que les éléments puissent être retenus respectivement également quand ils sont placés directement l'un au-dessus de l'autre.
  8. Jeu d'éléments de construction selon la révendication 1,
    caractérisé en ce
    que les parois de la boíte creuse (1) est de préférence d'égale épaisseur et si mince qu'elle est inférieure et de préférence environ la moitié de la distance du polygone (2) à l'extrémité de languette (4), soit correspondant à la largeur des languettes (4), de sorte que celles-ci puissent facilement être comprimées et les rainures (5) être proportionnellement élargies un peu, ce qui facilite l'assemblage des éléments et permet d'obtenir une rétention convenable, spécialement si l'élément de construction est exécuté d'un thermoplastique relativement dur tel que du polystyrène rigide, de l'ABS ou du polypropylène.
  9. Jeu d'éléments de construction selon la révendication 1,
    caractérisé en ce
    que le/les creux dans le fond (7) sont conçus avec des languettes supplémentaires (10) de manière à pouvoir retenir des éléments de construction dotés d'une protubérance (6) de contour carré ainsi que d'autres types d'éléments de construction ayant, par exemple une coupe transversale carrée qui s'adapte dans le creux.
  10. Jeu d'éléments de construction selon la révendication 1,
    caractérisé en ce
    que la rainure la plus haute (5) est pourvue d'une couverture (13) qui, vu du haut est alignée avec les côtés du polygone de base (2) et que les languettes (4) sont écourtées au sommet correspondant à l'épaisseur de la couverture (13) ou plus, de manière que plusieurs éléments de construction puissent être assemblés latéralement sur ce plan à des unités plus grandes où, vu du haut, à l'exception des éléments les plus écartés, il n'apparaít qu'une forme régulière cubique ou hexagonale ou un modèle régulier correspondant.
EP92919418A 1991-09-03 1992-09-03 Element de construction pour jouets Expired - Lifetime EP0766585B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DK1543/91 1991-09-03
DK154391 1991-09-03
DK911543A DK154391D0 (da) 1991-09-03 1991-09-03 Byggeelement isaer til legetoej
PCT/DK1992/000263 WO1993004749A1 (fr) 1991-09-03 1992-09-03 Element de construction pour jouets

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0766585A1 EP0766585A1 (fr) 1997-04-09
EP0766585B1 true EP0766585B1 (fr) 2000-06-07

Family

ID=8105900

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP92919418A Expired - Lifetime EP0766585B1 (fr) 1991-09-03 1992-09-03 Element de construction pour jouets

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0766585B1 (fr)
AT (1) ATE193661T1 (fr)
AU (1) AU2561292A (fr)
DE (1) DE69231168D1 (fr)
DK (2) DK154391D0 (fr)
PT (1) PT766585E (fr)
WO (1) WO1993004749A1 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7648407B1 (en) 2005-07-14 2010-01-19 Soren Christian Sorensen Toy-building elements having sidewall grooves formed between outwardly extending flexible ridges
CN110139695A (zh) * 2016-11-08 2019-08-16 克里克弗梅尔斯股份有限公司 可堆叠铰链接头

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ITCN970002A1 (it) * 1997-01-24 1998-07-24 Giuseppe Frezza Mappamondo o globo terrestre ad incastri.
WO2000006278A1 (fr) * 1998-07-27 2000-02-10 Kitsilano Industries Inc. Bloc de construction
US6250986B1 (en) 1999-02-08 2001-06-26 Soren Christian Sorensen Building element for set of toy building blocks
US6447360B1 (en) * 2000-04-26 2002-09-10 Soren Christian Sorensen Interconnection of toy building elements in a releasable restraining engagement
US7103983B2 (en) * 2004-07-13 2006-09-12 Tali Lehavi Multiple component and interactive growth chart and method
GB2438837A (en) 2006-06-06 2007-12-12 Rabah Aggar Interlocking toy bricks
ES2331166B1 (es) * 2007-06-12 2010-09-24 Universitat Politecnica De Catalunya Juego de construccion geometrico.
GB2531575B (en) * 2014-10-22 2016-09-14 Simbrix Ltd Beads and bead assemblies

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1180316A (fr) * 1957-04-24 1959-06-03 éléments de construction, en particulier pour jeux de construction
DE1832751U (de) * 1960-03-18 1961-06-08 Godtfred Kirk Christiansen Bauspielsatz und zu diesem gehoerende bauelemente.
DE1290696B (de) * 1965-12-01 1969-03-13 Fischer Artur Hohles Bauelement aus elastischem Werkstoff fuer Waende, Decken od. dgl.
US3546807A (en) * 1968-12-05 1970-12-15 August Wilheim Howe Toy building set with interfitting frames and blocks
DK121354B (da) * 1969-06-12 1971-10-04 Dansk Styropack As Byggeklodssæt.
JPS5537622U (fr) * 1978-09-04 1980-03-11
FR2525486B1 (fr) * 1982-04-23 1987-05-07 Kassai Kk Jeu de construction par blocs

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7648407B1 (en) 2005-07-14 2010-01-19 Soren Christian Sorensen Toy-building elements having sidewall grooves formed between outwardly extending flexible ridges
CN110139695A (zh) * 2016-11-08 2019-08-16 克里克弗梅尔斯股份有限公司 可堆叠铰链接头

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2561292A (en) 1993-04-05
DK154391D0 (da) 1991-09-03
DE69231168D1 (de) 2000-07-13
PT766585E (pt) 2001-01-31
DK0766585T3 (da) 2000-10-16
EP0766585A1 (fr) 1997-04-09
ATE193661T1 (de) 2000-06-15
WO1993004749A1 (fr) 1993-03-18

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