WO2000021629A1

WO2000021629A1 - A toy building set

Info

Publication number: WO2000021629A1
Application number: PCT/DK1999/000546
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kaj S. Mikkelsen; Hans Damgård NIELSEN; Kim Pagel; Carsten RØN; Erik Fuglsang; Erik Bach
Original assignee: Interlego AG; Lego AS
Current assignee: Interlego AG; Lego AS
Priority date: 1998-10-14
Filing date: 1999-10-13
Publication date: 2000-04-20
Anticipated expiration: 2001-04-14
Also published as: DK199801305A; AU6188099A; TW393336B

Abstract

A toy building set comprising a plurality of building elements which each are provided with hinge parts. A first and a second type of hinge parts being complementarily shaped in such a manner that the hinge parts on two building elements may be interconnected releasably, so that they form a hinge link between the building elements, whereby the building elements may be rotated mutually about the common hinge axis defined by the hinge link, said first type of hinge parts being provided with a toothing, said second type of hinge parts having a complementary shaped toothing, said toothings being arranged so that they engage each other when the hinge parts are assembled to form a hinge link and allow the two building elements to be rotated about the common hinge axis and to assume a plurality of discrete positions.

Description

A toy building set

The present invention relates to a toy building set comprising a plurality of building elements which each are provided with hinge parts, said hinge parts comprising a first type of hinge parts and a second type of hinge parts, said first and second type of hinge parts being shaped complementarily in such a manner that the hinge parts on two building elements may be interconnected re- leasably so that they form a hinge link between the building elements, whereby the building elements may be rotated mutually about the common hinge axis defined by the hinge link, said first type of hinge parts being provided with a toothing, said second type of hinge parts having a complementarily shaped toothing, said toothings being arranged in such a manner that they engage each other when the hinge parts are assembled to form a hinge link, and allow the two building elements to be rotated about the common hinge axis and to assume a plurality of discrete positions.

Toy building sets are known today where the elements provided with hinge parts of course serve to construct hinged structures, thereby permitting the construction of models having movable functional elements, such as doors, windows and manipulatable flaps or similar functions. In certain cases, however, it is desirable that the hinge links can just assume discrete positions, or that the hinge parts offer a relatively high resistance to rota- tion.

US Patent No. 5 582 488 discloses a building system which comprises a link for the interconnection of e.g. toy building elements, said link comprising a cylindrical tongue at one end and a C-shaped sleeve at the other end, said cylindrical tongue being insertable into the sleeve to form a hinge link with a common hinge axis. According to the patent, both the tongue and the sleeve are provided with a toothing which when interconnected engages each other, thereby allowing the two links to be inter- connected and angled at discrete angles with respect to each other. The freedom of movement of this link, however, is limited because the sleeve must prevent the cylindrical tongue from sliding of out engagement.

Moreover, US patent No 5 049 104 discloses a building system of the kind described in the introductory part of claim 1, wherein the first type of hinge parts comprises two female flanges which are positioned at a mutual distance at the side of each other, so that each of the two female flanges on the first type of hinge parts has a substantially plane female side face facing the corresponding female side face on the other one of the two flanges, said female side faces being substantially parallel and oriented perpendicularly to the common hinge axis, whereby the two female flanges form a space defined by the female side faces, and in that the second type of hinge parts comprises two substantially plane and mutually parallel male side faces which may be inserted between the two female side faces on the two female flanges on the first type of hinge parts, and in that the female side faces on the first type of hinge parts and the male side faces on the second type of hinge parts are provided with complementarily shaped pins and holes which engage each other and form the common hinge axis when the hinge parts are interconnected.

In the light of this it is the object of the present invention to provide a toy building system enabling, on the one hand, the hinge parts to assume a number of discrete position while simultaneously allowing for a relatively high degree of mutual movability of the hinge parts, and wherein - for the sake of wear resistance and holding power - it is possible to use relatively large teeth in said toothing.

This is obtained by the features described in the introductory part of claim 1.

The second type of hinge parts may advantageously be formed by a single male flange on which the two male side faces are arranged so as to face oppositely each other, so that all the elastic deformation of the hinge parts caused by the assembly of the hinge is accommodated by the female flanges.

It is particularly advantageous if the toothings on the complementarily shaped hinge parts have teeth of a given shape and height, and if the complementarily shaped hinge parts are arranged in such a manner that they may be moved a distance with respect to the common hinge axis, said distance being greater than the height of the teeth, such that the complementary hinge parts on two building elements interconnected by means of the complementary hinge parts are not separated because of rotation of the two building elements with respect to each other about the common hinge axis. Hereby, the elements may be ro^¬ tated at different discrete angles with respect to each other without the hinge parts being released from each other.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the female flanges are secured to a building element at one end, and the toothing is provided at the end facing away from the building elements where they are positioned, and the toothing consists of a plurality of teeth provided on a circular arc which has its centre in the common hinge axis, each of said teeth facing away from the common hinge axis. Other things being equal, this results in a toothing having relatively large teeth, which, however, still allow relatively small angles between the individual discrete angles of the hinged building elements.

In this connection, it is advantageous if the toothing on the second type of hinge parts is formed by a plurality of teeth which are aligned with their respective male side face, said teeth facing the common hinge axis.

The toothing on the second type of hinge parts may advantageously be formed by one or two teeth, and if the toothing on the first type of hinge parts is additionally formed by a larger number of teeth, a relatively great mutual angular rotation of the two building elements may be achieved, with a given number of teeth.

The toothing on the first type of hinge parts may thus advantageously extend over an angle of more than 90°, and preferably over a circular arc of about 180° about the common hinge axis, thereby achieving an extremely great movability of the hinge part.

The invention will be described more fully below with reference to the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a first building element according to the present invention, seen obliquely from above.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a second building element according to the present invention, seen obliquely from above.

Fig. 3 is a view showing the building elements of figs. 1 and 2 in the assembled state, seen from the side. Fig. 1 thus shows a building element 1 which comprises a body part 5 provided with four coupling studs 6, said coupling studs 6 allowing other building elements with complementary coupling parts to be mounted releasably on the coupling studs 6. The building element 1, like others of the building elements shown in the other figures, may be used as elements in a complete building system. For clarity, however, the figures do not show such other building elements.

According to the invention, the building element 1 of fig. 1 is provided with a first hinge part 21 which com^¬ prises two female flanges 8 protruding from the body part 5 of the building element 1, said female flanges forming two substantially parallel female side faces 11 which face each other and are positioned at a well-defined distance from each other. Each of these female side faces is formed with pins 10 which are of frustoconical shape. The female flanges 8 additionally each have a toothing 9 which is provided on a distal end of the female flanges 8 relative to the body part 5 of the building element 1. Each of these toothings comprises a plurality of teeth positioned on a circular arc having its centre in the centre of the pins 10 and thereby in the hinge axis defined by the pins .

Fig. 2 shows a second element 2 which likewise has a body part 7 which is provided with a coupling stud allowing the element 2 to be releasably connected with another element. The element 2 is provided with a second type of hinge part 22 which is complementary with the first type of hinge part 21 shown in fig. 1, so that these hinge parts 21, 22 may be interconnected to form a hinge link with a common hinge axis. As will be seen, the hinge part shown in fig. 2 comprises a male flange 12 which has two oppositely directed and parallel male side faces 13 so that the male flange 12 has a width permitting the male flange 12 just to be in- serted between the female flanges 8 on the element 1 shown in fig. 1. The insertion of the male flange 12 between the two female flanges 8 urges the two female flanges 8 elastically away from each other until the pins 10 enter the hole 14 in the male flange 12 shown in fig. 2. It is hereby ensured that the pins 10 may rotate in the hole 14, thereby providing a hinge function with a common hinge axis.

To facilitate the insertion of the male flange 12 between the two female flanges 8, the male flange 12 is formed with grooves 16, said grooves being shaped such that the pins 10 may be moved in these grooves 16, but such that the width of the grooves 16 is smaller than the largest width of the pins 10 at the root of the truncated cone, and such that a certain elastic deformation of the two female flanges 8 is required for the pins 10 to be pressed through and past the grooves 16 and into the holes 14.

The assembly of the above-mentioned two elements from figs. 1 and 2 thus results in a hinge link which requires a greater force to rotate the building elements with respect to each other than would have been the case without the shown toothing, and the hinge link moreover makes it easy to angle the two building elements in a plurality of discrete mutual angles.

Fig. 3 shows the building elements 1, 2 shown in figs. 1 and 2, said elements being interconnected as stated above, it being illustrated that the toothing 9 on the female flanges 8 of the one element 1 engages the tooth- ing 15 on the other element 2, so that the two building elements are interconnected in such a manner that they can rotate mutually about the common axis 17 in the direction of the arrow A.

As the two toothings 9, 15 are in engagement with each other when the elements 1, 2 are assembled as shown, and as the two female flanges 8 are elastic and allow the conical pin to move with respect to the hinge axis with- out the hinge parts 21, 22 being disengaged, the two elements 1, 2 may easily be caused to assume a plurality of discrete well-defined mutual angles with respect to each other. The number of and the angle between these positions will thus depend on the number of teeth of the toothings 9, 15.

It is clear that the above-mentioned figures just show examples of the structure of elements, and that it is obvious to the skilled person to provide other elements with the same hinge parts as are shown in the figures. It is moreover clear that the structure of the hinge parts may be varied without departing from the basic idea of the invention.

Claims

P a t e n t C l a i m s

1. A toy building element comprising a plurality of building elements which each are provided with hinge parts, said hinge parts comprising a first type of hinge parts and a second type of hinge parts, said first and second types of hinge parts being shaped complementarily in such a manner that the hinge parts on two building elements may be interconnected releasably so that they form a hinge link between the building elements, whereby the building elements may be rotated mutually about the common hinge axis defined by the hinge link, said first type of hinge parts being provided with a toothing, said second type of hinge parts having a complementarily shaped toothing, said toothings being arranged in such a manner that they engage each other when the hinge parts are assembled to form a hinge link, and allow the two building elements to be rotated about the common hinge axis and to assume a plurality of discrete positions, and wherein the first type of hinge parts comprises two female flanges which are positioned at a mutual distance at the side of each other, so that each of the two female flanges on the first type of hinge parts has a substantially plane female side face facing the corresponding female side face on the other one of the two flanges, said female side flanges being substantially parallel and oriented perpendicularly to the common hinge axis, and that the second type of hinge parts comprises two substantially plane and mutually parallel male side faces which may be inserted between the two female side faces on the two female flanges on the first type of hinge parts, and that the female side faces on the first type of hinge parts and the male side faces on the second type of hinge parts are provided with complementarily shaped pins and holes which define the hinge axis when the hinge parts are interconnected, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the toothing on the one type of hinge parts comprises a plurality of teeth that are arranged in a circular arch having its centre in the common hinge axis and faces away therefrom.

2. A toy building set according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the second type of hinge parts is formed by a single male flange on which the two male side faces are arranged so as to be parallel with each other and perpendicular to the common hinge axis.

3. A toy building set according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the toothings on the complementarily shaped hinge parts have teeth of a given shape and height, and that the complementarily shaped hinge parts are arranged in such a manner that they may be moved a distance with respect to the common hinge axis without the hinge parts being disengaged from each other, said distance being greater than the height of the teeth, so that the complementary hinge parts on the two building elements interconnected by means of the complementary hinge parts are not separated because of rotation of two building elements with respect to each other about the common hinge axis.

4. A toy building set according to one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the pins are formed by frustoconical studs.

5. A toy building set according to one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the female flanges protrude from a building element on which they are secured, and in that the toothing is arranged on the female flanges at the end facing away from the building element, and that the toothing consists of a plurality of teeth provided on a circular arc which has its centre in the common hinge axis, each of said teeth of the toothing facing away from the common hinge axis.

6. A toy building set according to claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the toothing on the first type of hinge parts extends over a circular arc of more than 90° and preferably 180° or more.

7. A toy building set according to claim 5 or 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the toothing on the second type of hinge parts is formed by a plurality of teeth which are aligned with each male side face, said teeth facing the common hinge axis.

8. A toy building set according to one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the toothing on the second type of hinge parts is formed by one or two teeth, and that the toothing on the first type of hinge parts is formed by a larger number of teeth.

9. A toy building set according to claim 7 or 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the teeth aligned with each male side face are positioned at the end on the male flange which is closest to the building element on which the male flange is provided.