STACKABLE HINGE CONNECTION

• US 20190321741A1
• Filed: 11/08/2017
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Clicformers NV
• Original Assignee: Clicformers NV
• Inventors: Park, Kee Young, Van Roy, Hedwig
• Application Number:
  US16/348,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20190321741A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0292 for the spinal column A61H1/0218 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/062 with clip or snap mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/065 using elastic deformation A63H33/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/067 with rotation or translation, e.g. of keyhole or bayonet type
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/08 provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hinge connection comprising a male member applied on a base plate, and having protrusions provided to be hinged and resiliently fitted between a pair of female members applied on a further base plate. The male member of the hinge connection is being formed by two parallel male legs, wherein each leg comprises protrusions comprising cogs or cut teeth. The female member is formed by two parallel female legs and each of the female members comprises a through hole for engaging said protrusions of the male legs. The present invention further provides construction elements comprising the hinge connection members of the instant application. In a particular embodiment such construction elements are stackable, and allow the construction of complex three-dimensional structures without loss of flexibility.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A hinge connection comprising a male member applied on a base plate and a pair of female members applied on a further base plate, said male member having protrusions and provided to be hinged and resiliently fitted between the pair of female members applied on said further base plate, said male member being formed by two parallel male legs, wherein:

each male leg comprises one of said protrusions;

each of said female members is formed by two parallel female legs and comprises a through hole for engaging one of said protrusions;

the two parallel female legs comprise an intermediary piece;

said through hole extends through said female legs and said intermediary piece;

said protrusions on each male leg of the male member comprise cogs or cut teeth;

said through hole of the female member comprises cogs or cut teeth to receive the cogs or cut teeth of said male protrusions; and

said intermediary piece of the female members is interrupted in the transverse direction.

16. The hinge connection according to claim 15, wherein the intermediary piece and the female legs of the female member are interrupted in the longitudinal direction.

17. A construction element comprising:

at least one base plate with at least one male member according to claim 15, and at least one further base plate with at least a pair of female members according to claim 15, wherein;

said male member comprising protrusions and is provided to be hinged and resiliently fitted between the pair of female members applied on said further base plate;

said male member is formed by two parallel male legs, wherein each parallel male leg comprises one of said protrusions;

each of said female members is formed by two parallel female legs and comprises a through hole for engaging one of said protrusions, wherein the two parallel female legs comprise an intermediary piece and wherein said through hole extends through said female legs and said intermediary piece;

said protrusions on each leg of the male member comprise cogs or cut teeth;

said through hole of the female member comprises cogs or cut teeth to receive the cogs or cut teeth of said male protrusions; and

said intermediary piece of the female members is interrupted in the transverse direction.

18. The construction element according to claim 17 comprising two parallel base plates and two parallel further base plates forming together a square, wherein the two base plates each comprise the male member applied symmetrically with respect to the middle of the base plate and wherein the two further base plates each comprise the pair of female members, each female member of said pair extending at an extremity of the further base plate in such a manner that one of the female legs of said female member extends in prolongation from an extremity of one of said base plates.

19. A construction element comprising:

at least one further base plate with at least a pair of female members according to claim 15; and

two linking members applied on a base plate provided to be resiliently fitted on two female members, wherein;

said female members are formed by two parallel female legs and comprise a through hole;

the two parallel female legs comprise an intermediary piece;

said through hole extends through said female legs;

said intermediary piece; and

the linking members each comprise a C-shaped curved leg.

20. The construction element according to claim 17, comprising a connection plate that connects the base plates, the further base plates, or both the base plates and further base plates extends in a plane perpendicular to said base plates.

21. The construction element according to claim 20, wherein the connection plate comprises a ridge at the connections between the connection plate and the base plates and further base plates.

22. The construction element according to claim 21, wherein the ridge comprises one or more openings at each of the connections between the connection plate and the base plates and further base plates.

23. The construction element according to claim 22, wherein the base plates and further base plates comprise one or more protrusions.

24. The construction element according to claim 23, wherein the protrusions are located at the side opposite to the side connected to the connection plate

25. The construction element according to claim 24, wherein the protrusions are located at the side opposite to the side connected to the connection plate and directly opposite to openings at the ridge of the connection plate.

26. The construction element according to claim 20, wherein the connection plate comprises one or more apertures.

27. The construction element according to claim 26, wherein the connection plate comprises four apertures located in the centre of the connection plate and positioned two by two in an opposite position.

28. The construction element according to claim 27, wherein the apertures are positioned in a circular groove in the connection plate.

29. The construction element according to claim 17, wherein the distance between the female legs is equal to L, the distance between the male legs is equal to L, the height of the legs is equal to L, the length of the base plate and the further base plate is equal to 3L and the height of the base plates is equal to L.

30. A combination of two or more construction elements according to claim 17, wherein the male member of a first construction element is resiliently fitted between a pair of female members of a second construction element.

31. The combination of two or more construction elements according to claim 30, wherein the construction elements are provided as a building toy.