WO2005070510A1 - Composite toy - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a composite toy comprising a plurality of interchangeable parts which are equipped with interconnection means, such that a set of parts can be selected and connected to one another in order to represent a given real or imaginary animal. The inventive toy consists of main parts (1) which represent segments of the body or spinal column of an animal or insect and which are equipped with coupling means comprising a socket at a first end of the main part and a knob at the second opposing end of the main part, such that any number of main parts (1) can be joined to form a continuous articulated line. The aforementioned main parts are also equipped with second coupling means which are disposed transversely in relation to the first coupling means. In addition, the invention comprises secondary parts (2a, 2b, 2c) which are used to reproduce members of the animal or insect or parts of said members and which are equipped with at least one means for connecting to another part.

Description

 COMPOSITION TOY

Object of the invention

The present invention refers to a composition toy, made up of a plurality of interchangeable pieces provided with connection means between them so that a set of pieces can be selected and joined together to represent a certain animal, real or imaginary. 0

State of the art

Composition toys are known that comprise a plurality of interchangeable parts with connecting means between them. In this way, several-5 of -the- --and -forming-- constructions- - can be joined with the resulting set.

Constructions of this type often represent buildings, and the pieces are roughly shaped like bricks. In other cases, in the "mecano" type games, the construction can be a machine, and then the pieces are bars, joining means such as screws or dowels, plates, wheels and others. However, there are usually no building kits with interchangeable parts to set up animals. 5 The toys in the shape of an animal, because they have to have a defined configuration, with a head, trunk and limbs typical of that animal, have not been able to configure up from interchangeable parts until now.

On the contrary, the animal-shaped toys whose 0 pieces are removable, only admit one way of assembly: one leg in the body connection corresponding to the leg or the head in the body connection corresponding to the head, etc., without admit the possibility of, By combining a limited number of types of pieces, configure a plurality of different animals.

This limits the possibilities of applying the imagination to the toy: either you have to build buildings or mechanical structures or if you want to play with animal figures, these do not allow the possibility of building different animals from a set with several equal pieces.

Faced with these limitations in composition toys when it is desired that they represent animals, the present invention offers a composition toy that allows, from a limited set of types of pieces, to connect them so that an indefinite number of representations of animals or insects-, real-or-imaginary.-

Description of the Invention

The present invention consists of a composition toy, made up of a plurality of interchangeable pieces, provided with connection means between the pieces, so that a set of pieces can be selected and joined together to represent a certain animal, real or imaginary. In order to reproduce the shape of an animal, the toy takes advantage of the shape of the bones of the spine of animals or the shape of the articulated body of insects, reproducing it through pieces with articulated connecting means that allow them to move in space .

For this, the toy of the invention comprises some main parts, which represent sections of the body or column of an animal or insect. These main pieces they comprise first coupling means comprising a female ball-and-socket shape at a first end of the main part and another male ball-and-socket shape at a second end opposite the first end of the main piece, such that a male ball-and-socket shape of a The first main part enters a female patella shape of a second main part, being joined so that one main part can rotate in space with respect to the other. In this way, by joining a plurality of main parts by means of these rotating coupling means, the spinal column or the body of an insect is reproduced, with the possibility also of reproducing various positions, moving the main parts so that the animal animates. adopt — which-posture-posture.

From a general point of view, joining any number of main pieces can form a continuous and articulated line of any length, the number of pieces being limited only by the length of the spine of the animal or the body of the insect that you want to reproduce at that time with the toy.

To allow mounting and dismounting, the male ball joint and the corresponding female ball joint are shaped so that they can be connected by light pressure and can be disconnected by light pull. The adjustment between both coupling means allows its relative position to be varied with a slight effort.

When we speak here of light pressure or light traction or light effort, he is referring to the fact that an animal figure formed by a set of several pieces joined together without exerting any force on them, the set does not change its shape, but with the force exerted by a human hand and more particularly a hand "de-one ^~ n ± no" can move ^{"r ~" "s"} bp poof easily, or to join or separate.

In order to be able to add limbs and complete the skeleton or the figure of the animal or insect, the main pieces also comprise second coupling means. These second coupling means are arranged so that the connection with other parts by means of these second coupling means is in a transverse direction to the first coupling means. With this it is achieved that the pieces that represent extremities, and that are joined by means of these second connection means, come out separating themselves transversely from the body or column of the animal or insect, and without hindering the articulation of the line of main pieces .

To reproduce the limbs or other parts of the body, the toy comprises secondary parts, which reproduce members of said animal or insect or parts of the members, the secondary parts comprising at least one means of connection with another part. This other part can be a main part or another secondary part, or even a set of several parts.

The secondary parts can be auxiliary parts or characteristic parts. The auxiliary parts have connection means consisting of third coupling means that correspond to another coupling means of another part to be joined; for example, a male kneecap with another female kneecap. However, the third coupling means do not allow any number of equal parts to be joined to form a continuous articulated line. The characteristic pieces have means of connection that I do not know how to correspond ^- with another me & T6 ^"~ of corresponding connection in another piece. This is because they usually represent characteristic parts of said animal or insect: for example, wings of a bee or a ptenarodon, or the external covering of the body of a spider. A characteristic part cannot be disassembled and assembled indistinctly in any assembly, as is the case of an auxiliary part. Therefore a characteristic part can be well described by its external shape, which reproduces a characteristic of an animal or insect that cannot be applied to any other animal or insect, or better because it has connection means with one or more parts that do not correspond to connection means in the part or in the ^" parts to which it is attached. In summary, the toy of the invention comprises:

• main parts, with first male and female patella coupling means at opposite ends of the part that allow a set of main parts to be joined so that a continuous and articulated line is formed that represents an animal's backbone or body of an insect, with a twisting movement in the space of the pieces to each other. They also have second transverse coupling means to join other parts.

Secondary pieces that are divided into accessory pieces and characteristic pieces.

• Auxiliary parts, with connection means consisting of third coupling means that must correspond to another corresponding coupling means of another part to be able to join; the third coupling means do not allow the construction of a continuous and articulated line of auxiliary parts. They represent limbs or parts of limbs of the anima ^" ! ^"" Or ^~~ inséc ^' to.

. Characteristic parts: they have connection means that are not a coupling means, that is, they cannot be joined with another corresponding connection means in another part. Therefore, its connection means allow it to be joined to sets of parts. They reproduce a characteristic of an animal or insect that cannot generally be applied to any other animal or insect represented by the toy. The characteristic parts may have, in addition to said connection means that are not couplings, other connection means that are couplings.

Regarding "the connection means, ^" there are general ones such as those of the characteristic parts and there are coupling means, which, in order to make a union with another part, need a complementary coupling means in the other part (for example, a male and a female ball joint, a male cylindrical connection or a female cylindrical connection). The coupling means can be: • First coupling means: They are characterized not only by the shape of the couplings, which is male and female, but by their relative arrangement. They comprise a pair consisting of a female kneecap conformation and another male kneecap conformation at an opposite end of a piece. They allow that a continuous and articulated line of any length can be formed with equal pieces. • Second coupling means: they are any type of coupling, male or female, arranged transversely to a first coupling means. • Third coupling means: it is any coupling means in a ^" piece that cannot be considered the first or second coupling means.

Both the second and third coupling means can be of various types:

• female cylindrical shapes and male cylindrical shapes that correspond to female cylindrical shapes, so that a male cylindrical shape of one piece can be inserted into a female cylindrical shape of another piece by means of slight pressure and can be separated from each other by means of a slight traction. Allow unions, whether major or accessory parts, are articulated, meaning that it can be a ^~ relative movement in the space of parts around the joint.

• male head shaping and female ball shaping such that a one piece male ball shaping enters a another piece female ball shaping, being joined so that they can rotate in space one part relative to the other, and the male ball joint and the corresponding female ball joint being shaped so that they can be connected by light pressure and can be disconnected by light traction

• flange and groove formations so that a one-piece flange conformation enters a groove conformation of another part, so that they can be connected by light pressure and can be disconnected by light traction.

In the event that a second or third coupling means is of the male and female ball joint type, these have the same dimensions as those of the first coupling means, so that a main part can be joined through a ball joint of a first coupling means with any other part having a ball coupling means.

Description of the figures

The present invention is described in detail below with the aid of an exemplary embodiment represented in the drawings.

Figure 1: represents a perspective view of a first construction example with the composition toy object of the invention.

Figure 2: represents a perspective view of a second example ^" emplo ^"" of construction ^" with the composition toy object of the invention.

Figure 3: represents a perspective view of a third construction example with the composition toy object of the invention. Figure 4a: represents a perspective view of a first embodiment of a constituent part of the composition toy object of the invention.

Figure 4b: represents a sectional view according to the plane of section I-1 of the piece represented in Figure 4a.

Figure 4c: represents a section view according to the section plane II-II of the piece represented in figure 4a.

Figure 5: represents a side view of a way of joining the parts represented in Figure 4a.

Figure 6a: represents a perspective view of a second embodiment of a constituent part of the composition toy object of the invention. Figure 6b: represents a Tongi section view "tudin ^" at the ^~ of ^{_ ~} the ^"" piece ^" represented in ^" 6a. ^"

Figure 6c: represents a perspective view of a third embodiment of a constituent part of the composition toy object of the invention. Figure.

Figure 6d: represents a longitudinal section view of the piece represented in 6c.

Figure 7a: represents a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a constituent part of the composition toy object of the invention.

Figure 7b: represents a longitudinal section view of the piece represented in 7a.

Figure 8a: shows a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a constituent part of the toy "of" compo ^"sition" object ^"~ to invention:

Figure 8b: represents a longitudinal section view of the piece represented in 8a.

Figure 9: represents a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a constituent part of the composition toy object of the invention.

Figure 10a: represents a bottom plan view of a seventh embodiment of a constituent part of the composition toy object of the invention.

Figure 10b: represents a longitudinal section view of the piece represented in 10a.

Figure lia: represents an exploded perspective view of another way of joining several of the constituent parts of the composition toy object of the invention. Figure 11b: represents a longitudinal section view of the piece represented in lia.

Figure 12: Represents views in lower plan and front elevation of an eighth embodiment of a piece constituent of the composition toy object of the invention.

Figure 13: represents a perspective view of another way of joining several of the constituent parts of the composition toy object of the invention.

Figure 14: represents a side view of another way of joining several of the constituent parts of the composition toy object of the invention.

Figure 15: represents a bottom plan view of another way of joining several of the constituent parts of the composition toy object of the invention.

Figure 16: shows a sectional view of another way of joining several of the constituent parts of the composition toy object of the invention.

Preferred embodiment

Figures 1, 2 and 3 show examples of representations of animals built with the composition toy of the invention, but many others could be built, resembling a real or imagined animal or insect.

In Figure 1, for example, a tyrannosaurus has been represented by means of its skeleton. In this animal you can see the various pieces that make it up, and that will be seen in more detail later.

It can be seen that there is a vertebral column constituted with a line of main parts (1) assembled. Accessory pieces (2) have been used to form the legs, and there are also accessory pieces that represent a head (3). An isolated main part (4) has been used to represent the foot, since although the main parts can form an articulated continuous line, thanks to their common coupling means, they can be part of another type of structure within the toy. For ^" last ^" other auxiliary pieces represent ribs (5).

In Figure 2, which represents a ptenarodon, it can be seen how there is a linear structure formed by main parts (1), to which other accessory parts (2) and a characteristic part (7) have been added, shaped like wings.

A spider is shown in Figure 3. Here the linear structure is hidden by a characteristic piece (6) shaped like a spider body. If this characteristic piece (6) is removed, the main pieces (1) would be appreciated as in the other animals. At sight there are some representations of legs made with secondary elements (2).

Figure 4a shows a perspective view of a main part (1), with two perpendicular sections in Figures 4b and 4c according to section plans II and II-II respectively. In them, there are some first coupling means, consisting of a male ball joint (7m) and female ball joint (7f). Transversal to these, there are a second coupling means, two as a female cylindrical conformation (8f) and one as a flange (9m). This form of main pieces can be offered in various sizes on the toy. Also, as long as you maintain the first coupling means, you could change the number or type of the second coupling means (be four male cylindrical configurations, for example). In all cases, even if they were main pieces of different types or of different sizes, they would always have first coupling means configured as ball joints that would allow them to form a continuous, articulated line.

In Figure 5 the coupling of two main parts through the first coupling means is shown, but it is easy to extrapolate to how the coupling of a plurality of main parts would be to form a continuous articulated line that would represent the central body or the column of an insect or animal. In this Figure 5 it can be seen how the male kneecap (7m) corresponds to the female kneecap (7f) of the first coupling means to form a combination of two pieces that can vary their relative spatial position, and to which they can be join two other main pieces.

Figures 6a-6d show two types of accessory pieces that vary only in length. Both pieces have third coupling means consisting of a male ball joint (lOm) on one end and a female cylindrical configuration on the other (llf). As can be easily deduced from the drawing, an accessory part (2) cannot be joined to another, since the male patella coupling means (lOm) on one end does not correspond to a female patella on the other.

Figures 7a and 7b show another type of accessory part (2). In this case the third coupling means consist of a female ball joint (lOf) on one end and a male cylindrical configuration (llm) on the opposite. As in the case of the accessory piece in the previous figure, two equal accessory pieces cannot be joined to form a continuous articulated line. However, the ball joints in the third coupling means allow the joints of accessory parts to be articulated. However, the dimensions of all ϊcopl ^'poten- tially ^{"é ~} s ^{~ ~~ correspond" ~} so a female coupling of a part can always establish a connection with a male coupling of the same type of another piece. Another example of accessory part type (2) (not used in the animal representations of Figures 1, 2 and 3) is shown in Figures 8a and 8b. This accessory piece (2) has third coupling means consisting of a male cylindrical configuration (llm) on one end and two female cylindrical configurations (llf) on the opposite. This type of coupling would allow a plurality of pieces (2) to be coupled by inserting the male cylindrical configuration (llm) in any of the female cylindrical configurations (llf). However, they cannot be considered a first coupling means, nor can part (2) be considered a main part, since the coupling means are not a pair of male and female heads at opposite ends of the part, and therefore although a continuous line can be made of this type of pieces (2), it is not possible to make a continuous and articulated line, which is the characteristic quality of the main pieces.

In Figure 9 a rib (5) is shown, having a single third coupling means of the male cylindrical configuration type (llm).

Figures 10a and 10b show a flap (5a), having a single third slot-type coupling means (12f), corresponding, for example, to the flange (9m) of the second coupling means of the main part (1) represented in Figure 4a. In this way, for example, these fins could be placed on the vertebral column of the represented animal. Figures lia and 11b show the head (3) of a tyrannosaurus. This head has an articulated jaw, for more realism, but that does not affect that it is considered an accessory piece, since its only means of connection is a third means of coupling in the form of a female kneecap (lOf). Although due to its shape it might seem like a characteristic piece, it is an accessory piece, since the only way to join another piece is through the third coupling means configured as (lOf). Actually, depending on the player's fantasy, they could attach the tyrannosaurus head to an insect body, or put two heads to an animal, provided it has male patella-type couplings to which the female patella-type coupling of the head is attached. "In" figure 12 shows a plan view from below and an elevation of a characteristic piece (6) in the shape of ptenarodon wings. This is a characteristic piece, since it has connection means (13) that allow it to be connected to a group of vertebrae. That is, there is no coupling means in another part with which it corresponds; in the union, who provides the connection means, adapted in this case to the shape of the group of vertebrae, is the characteristic piece, in this example the wings (6). Apart from these connection means without correspondence with a coupling means, it can also have added coupling means, such as the tabs (14) that could correspond to the grooves of the coupling means of another part. In any case, the wings could not be attached to any part, but only to a set of vertebrae to which the connections can be connected. Figure 13 shows a set of several pϊezás is connected ^~ which ^"could be a part of an animal or insect built with the toy of the invention.

There are three main pieces (1) connected by means of first coupling means, as seen in Figure 5.

Attached to a second coupling means of the female cylindrical configuration type (8f) is an accessory part (2a) as in Figure 7a, connected to the main part by a coupling of the cylindrical configuration type (llm), to whose other At the end, with the female ball joint coupling (lOf) the male ball joint coupling (lOm) of an accessory piece (2b) like the one in Figure 6b is connected. To this is attached another accessory piece (2a) ^~ and ^" to this ^""" nail ^{^} last accessory piece (2c) the same as in Figure 6a.

With the first coupling means free, the line that forms the animal's column could be continued, and since second coupling means and third coupling means are also free, the number of "legs" or appendages could also be increased, according with the image you want to reproduce or with the fantasy of the person playing.

Figure 14 shows a representation of an animal leg constructed from a main part (4) that is not joined here to other main parts to form a continuous articulated line. Due to the compatibility of the male ball joint coupling (7m) of the main part (4) with the female ball joint coupling (lOf) of the accessory part (2a), an articulated joint can be formed. By means of the second coupling means of the main part with a female cylindrical configuration, a second accessory part (2b) is attached and a third accessory piece (2c) to represent a claw. "

Figure 15 shows a characteristic piece (6) in the form of pteranodon wings. There is also a plurality of main pieces (Ib), among which another type of main piece (Ib) of slightly larger dimensions has been inserted. As seen in the Figure, the characteristic part (6) is joined by means of connection means (13) that do not correspond to any coupling, but are inserted between a group of four vertebrae.

In Figure 16 an accessory part (2) is represented, like the one shown in Figure 10b, attached to a main part (1), by means of third coupling means consisting of a slot (12f), in the accessory part— ( ^~ 2 '.) ^{~ "and-a'"} second means ^"consisting coupling a tab (9m) in the main part

(1) •

With the previous examples it is shown that with a limited set of pieces of the toy of the invention a large number of animals or insects can be represented, applying the imagination of the player, and these animals or insects being articulated, which increases the possibilities of enjoyment of the toy.

The specific connecting parts and means with which the example has been illustrated can be easily replaced by other equivalent means, or augmented with other connecting parts and means as long as the spirit of the invention is preserved.

Claims

1. Composition toy, consisting of a plurality of interchangeable pieces, provided with connection means between the pieces, so that a set of pieces can be selected and joined together to represent a particular animal, real or imaginary, characterized in that it comprises main parts, which represent sections of the body or column of an animal or insect, the main parts comprising first coupling means comprising a female kneecap at a first end of the main piece and another male kneecap at a second end opposite "the ^" first end of the ^" main piece, so that a male ball joint conformation of a first main piece enters a female ball joint conformation of a second main piece, being joined so that they can rotate in space one main piece with respect to the other, and so that by joining any number of main parts, to a continuous and articulated line, and the male kneecap and the corresponding female kneecap being shaped so that they can be connected by light pressure and can be disconnected by light traction, and the main parts also comprising second coupling means arranged so that the connection with other parts by means of these second coupling means is transverse to the first coupling means, and because it comprises secondary parts, which reproduce members of said animal or insect or parts of the members, the secondary parts comprising at least one means of connection with another piece. 27 Composition toy according to claim 1 characterized in that the secondary parts comprise: - auxiliary parts comprising at least one connection means consisting of a third coupling means corresponding to a coupling means of any other piece, and these third coupling means not allowing the joining of any number of equal parts of so that they form a continuous and articulated line 10, and - characteristic parts that have at least one connection means with main or secondary parts that does not correspond to any coupling means of another piece. ^" r5 ^" 3. Composition toy according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the second and third coupling means comprise at least types of coupling consisting of: 20 - cylindrical female conformations and cylindrical male conformations that correspond to the cylindrical female conformations, so that a one-piece male cylindrical conformation can be introduced into a 25-piece female cylindrical conformation by light pressure and one of the parts can be separated the other by light traction - male kneecap conformations and female kneecap conformations so that a kneecap conformation 30 male of one piece enters a female ball joint conformation of another piece, being joined so that one piece can rotate in space with respect to the other, and the male ball joint and the corresponding female ball joint so that they can be connected by ^{_ ~} a ^{"" -} light pressure and can be disconnected by light traction - flange and groove conformations so that a flange conformation of one piece enters a groove conformation of another piece, of so that they can be connected by light pressure and can be disconnected by light traction 4. Toy composition according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the means of second and third ball coupling male and female ball joint have the same dimensions as ^~ "-Means primeros- the coupling of ^'mode that can bind one main part through a ball joint of a first coupling means with any other part having a ball coupling means.