Chain-like toy of triangular hollow prisms

• US 4,377,916 A
• Filed: 07/20/1981
• Issued: 03/29/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: T & K Company Limited
• Original Assignee: T & K Company Limited
• Inventors: Komiya, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Shay, F. Barry
• Application Number:
  US06/285,009
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 46/1 R, 46/16, 46/22, 46/23, 46/26, 46/29, 46/173, 46/25, 46/24, 403/93, 403/94, 403/96, 403/97, 403/101, 403/92, 273/157, 273/153, 434/211
• US Class Current: 446/487
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/088 Puzzles with elements that are connected by straps, strings or hinges, e.g. Rubik's Magic
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/107 using screws, bolts, nails, rivets, clamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32336 Engaging notch or recess in outer periphery of component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32361 Engaging recess in radial face

Abstract

A chain-like toy made of a plurality of isosceles triangular hollow prism units that are connected serially with one another at slanted side planes thereof by means of a connecting rod interposed with a resilient member, each unit being connected rotatably for an angle of 360° so that various shapes of things can be simulated by rotating each of the triangular hollow prisms.

Claims

1. A continuously chained toy comprising:

a plurality of isosceles triangular hollow prism units (1), each hollow prism unit comprising first and second slanted faces (4,

     5) slanted at an equal angle, a through-hole (6) at the center of each of the slanted faces, projections (7) provided on a first of said slanted faces (4) around said through-hole (6), and indentations (8) provided on the second of said slanted faces (5) at positions corresponding to the positions of the projections (7); and

means for assembling said hollow prism units (1) adjacent one another with a first slanted face (4) of one hollow prism unit in abutment with the second slanted face (5) of the adjacent hollow prism unit, said assembling means including a plurality of connecting means, each connecting means independently connecting adjacent hollow prism units, and each connecting means including a pin (9) mounted in and extending through the through-holes (6) of only a pair of the adjacent slanted faces of a pair of adjacent hollow prism units, said pin terminating at an end interior of a respective hollow prism unit, resilient means (10) mounted on said pin (9) and located interior of at least one of the adjacent hollow prism units and on a side of at least one of said slanted faces which does not face the slanted face of the adjacent hollow prism unit, and a push-nut (11) located interior of at least one of the adjacent hollow prism units and mounted on a free end of said pin (9) and compressing said resilient means to connect a hollow prism unit (1) rotatably with respect to the adjacent hollow prism unit, said resilient means applying a resilient biasing force relative to said slanted faces in the axial direction of said pin (9), said push-nut (11) having an opening (13) in the center thereof which has a diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of said pin, said push-nut being fitted on said pin with an interference fit between said pin and said opening (13).

2. The continuously chained toy of claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises a coil-spring mounted on said pin (9) after said pin (9) is fitted into said through-holes (6) in said slanted faces of adjacent hollow prism units, said push-nut (11) being attached to the free end of said pin (9) and in contact with said coil spring.

3. The continuously chained toy of claim 1 wherein said pin is a headed pin, and said resilient means comprises a coil-spring mounted on the headed side of said pin (9) before said pin (9) is fitted into said through-holes (6) in said slanted faces of adjacent hollow prism units, said push-nut (11) being attached to the free end of said pin (9) after it is inserted into said through-holes (6) of adjacent slanted faces.

4. The continuously chained toy of claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises a plate-spring having a wave-like surface.

5. The continuously chained toy of claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises a thick rubber packing.

6. The continuously chained toy of claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises a coil-spring.

7. The continuously chained toy of any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein said push-nut (11) is of a dish-form.

8. The continuously chained toy of claim 1, wherein said projections (7) provided on a first of said slanted faces (4) are arranged at a regular interval and at approximately every 90°

centering around said through-hole (6).