Toy couplers including a plurality of block retaining channels

• US 10,398,998 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2017
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Building Creative Kids, LLC
• Original Assignee: Building Creative Kids, LLC
• Inventors: Cochella, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Fernstrom, Kurt
• Application Number:
  US15/402,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20170120158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 446 85, 446105, 446111-115, 446124, 446126, 446128, 211 45
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/044 Buildings
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/046 comprising magnetic interaction means, e.g. holding together by magnetic attraction
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/101 with clip or snap mechanism

Abstract

Building sets including a plurality of blocks and a plurality of clips configured to engage a thickness of one or more of the blocks. Each clip includes a base and first and second substantially parallel extensions extending from the base and defining a channel therebetween into which a thickness of a block is receivable. The width of the channel is substantially equal to and slightly less than the thickness of the block receivable within the channel so that the thickness is frictionally retained therein. The clip may include a magnet enclosed within the base so that the base of a first clip may be magnetically coupled to the base of another clip, and each clip may in turn be frictionally coupled to a block received between the extensions of the respective clip. In one embodiment, the clip includes a plurality of channels.

Claims

1. A connector for frictionally coupling with a toy building block having a thickness, comprising:

a central body;

a base disposed upon the central body, the base comprising a floor surface; and

first and second extensions extending outward from the base, the first and the second extensions comprising respective first and second mirrored interior surfaces that protrude from the floor surface to respective first and second lateral edges, the floor surface combining with the first and the second mirrored interior surfaces to define a channel that extends outward from the central body, wherein;

each of the first and the second mirrored interior surfaces comprises a non-continuous slope that engages the thickness of the building block with a frictional fit;

extending proximally to distally from the floor surface to the first and the second lateral edges, each of the non-continuous slopes chamfers between only a base elevation and a crest elevation; and

the channel is widest when the non-continuous slopes are at the base elevation and narrowest when the non-continuous slopes are at the crest elevation.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein:

the non-continuous slope comprises one or more elevation crests extending toward a center of the channel; and

the one or more of the elevation crests form one or more pinch points within the channel for frictionally engaging the thickness of the toy building block.

3. The connector of claim 2, wherein the one or more of the pinch points of the channel are located at a mid-point between the floor surface and the first and the second lateral edges.

4. The connector of claim 2, wherein the one or more of the elevation crests comprise frictional features along at least one of the first and the second mirrored interior surfaces.

5. The connector of claim 2, wherein the non-continuous slope comprises a series of intersecting planar surfaces, each of the intersecting planer surfaces formed at a different angle relative to the floor surface.

6. The connector of claim 5, wherein:

the channel comprises a first portion adjacent to the floor surface, a second portion adjacent to the first portion, a third portion adjacent to the second portion, and a fourth portion between the third portion and the first and the second lateral edges;

the first and the second mirrored interior surfaces at the first portion comprise first planar surfaces formed perpendicular to the floor surface;

the first and the second mirrored interior surfaces at the second portion comprise second planar surfaces formed at an inward angle of less than 90 degrees relative to the floor surface;

the first and the second mirrored interior surfaces at the third portion comprise third planar surfaces formed perpendicular to the floor surface; and

the first and the second mirrored interior surfaces at the fourth portion comprise fourth planar surfaces formed at an outward angle greater than 90 degrees relative to the floor surface.

7. The connector of claim 6, wherein the third planar surfaces comprise the one or more of the elevation crests that extend toward the center of the channel.

8. The clip of claim 6, wherein the third portion of the channel comprises the one or more of the pinch points.

9. The connector of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more additional bases disposed about the central body; and

an additional set of extensions protruding from each of the additional bases to form one or more additional channels extending outward from the central body.

10. A retaining connector for frictionally engaging with a toy building block, comprising:

a number of u-shaped receiving channels disposed about a central body, each of the receiving channels defined by a floor surface of a base disposed upon the central body and by a pair of mirrored interior surfaces of a pair of extensions protruding from the base to a pair of lateral edges, wherein;

each of the mirrored interior surfaces forms a non-continuous elevation profile relative to a center of the receiving channel;

extending proximally to distally from the floor surface to the lateral edges, each of the non-continuous elevation profiles chamfers between only a base elevation and a crest elevation, and

the receiving channel is widest when the non-continuous elevation profiles are at the base elevation and narrowest when the non-continuous elevation profiles are at the crest elevation.

11. The retaining connector of claim 10, wherein each of the non-continuous elevation profiles comprises one or more frictional features located along the pair of the mirrored interior surfaces of the receiving channel.

12. The retaining connector of claim 11, wherein the one or more of the frictional features extend toward the center of the receiving channel.

13. The retaining connector of claim 12, wherein the one or more of the frictional features form a pinch point within the receiving channel, the pinch point configured to frictionally engage a thickness of the toy building block.

14. The retaining connector of claim 13, wherein the one or more of the frictional features are defined by a series of intersecting planar surfaces, each of the intersecting planer surfaces formed at a different angle relative to the floor surface.

15. The retaining connector of claim 14, wherein:

the receiving channel comprises a first portion adjacent to the floor surface, a second portion adjacent to the first portion, a third portion adjacent to the second portion, and a fourth portion between the third portion and the pair of the lateral edges;

the mirrored interior surfaces at the first portion comprise first planar surfaces formed perpendicular to the floor surface;

the mirrored interior surfaces at the second portion comprise second planar surfaces formed at an inward angle of less than 90 degrees relative to the floor surface;

the mirrored interior surfaces at the third portion comprise third planar surfaces formed perpendicular to the floor surface; and

the mirrored interior surfaces at the fourth portion comprise fourth planar surfaces formed at an outward angle greater than 90 degrees relative to the floor surface.

16. The retaining connector of claim 15, wherein the third planar surfaces comprise the one or more of the frictional features.

17. The retaining connector of claim 15, wherein the third planar surfaces form the pinch point of the receiving channel.

18. A method of connecting a toy building block having a fixed thickness to a toy connector having at least one receiving channel defined by a planar floor surface and a pair of mirrored interior surfaces protruding from the planar floor surface to a pair of lateral edges, wherein each of the mirrored interior surfaces extends proximally to distally from the floor surface to the lateral edges along a non-continuous elevation profile, each of the non-continuous elevation profiles chamfers between only a base elevation and a crest elevation, and the receiving channel is widest when the non-continuous elevation profiles are at the base elevation and narrowest when the non-continuous elevation profiles are at the crest elevation, the method consisting of:

inserting an end of the building block into the receiving channel, such that the end of the building block abuts the planar floor surface and the receiving channel frictionally retains the fixed thickness of the building block without an expansion of the receiving channel.