Connector for modeling kits

• US 5,785,529 A
• Filed: 07/09/1997
• Issued: 07/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hume A. Feldman, S. A. Hearn
• Original Assignee: Hume A. Feldman, S. A. Hearn
• Inventors: Feldman, Hume A., Hearn, S. A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirsch, Paul J.
• Application Number:
  US08/890,131
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 434/211, 446/126, 446/486, 273/DIG. 2, 273/DIG. 3
• US Class Current: 434/211
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/102 using elastic deformation A63H33/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/04 for geometry, trigonometry, projection or perspective for surveying G09B25/06
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/26 for molecular structures; for crystallography
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/02 Styrene

Abstract

A connector body (10) for joining elongated rods or struts (12) for use in creating three-dimensional structures or models is disclosed. The connector body (10) includes a plurality of resilient particles (14) such as spherical balls formed of polystyrene material and a cohering means (16) such as an adhesive compound for cohering the particles (14) to form the connector body. The connector body (10) is highly resilient and crush-resistant and can be easily penetrated by the ends of the elongated rods (12) to form three-dimensional structures. Once the rods (12) are removed from the connector body (10), the connector body immediately returns to its original shape to close the openings formed by the ends of the rods (12).

Claims

1. A connector for connecting elongated objects having pointed ends comprising:

a plurality of resilient particles; and

cohering means for cohering said particles to form a crush-resistant body having a substantially aperture-free outer surface that is highly resilient and easily penetratable by the pointed ends of the objects and that substantially regains its aperture-free configuration when the pointed ends of the objects are removed therefrom.

2. The connector as set forth in claim 1, said cohering means including an adhesive compound.

3. The connector as set forth in claim 2, wherein said adhesive compound is selected from the group consisting of rubber cement and silicone rubber.

4. The connector as set forth in claim 1, wherein said resilient particles are formed from expanded synthetic resin foam material.

5. The connector as set forth in claim 2, wherein said resilient particles and said adhesive compound are mixed in approximately equal volume amounts to form said body.

6. A construction kit for constructing three-dimensional structures and models comprising:

a plurality of rods each having pointed ends; and

a plurality of connectors for connecting the rods to form the three-dimensional structures and models, each of said connectors comprising

a plurality of resilient particles, and

cohering means for cohering said particles to form a crush-resistant body having a substantially aperture-free outer surface that is highly resilient and easily penetratable by the pointed ends of the rods and that substantially regains its aperture-free configuration when the pointed ends of the rods are removed therefrom.

7. The construction kit as set forth in claim 6, said cohering means including an adhesive compound selected from the group consisting of rubber cement and silicone rubber.

8. The construction kit as set forth in claim 6, wherein said resilient particles are formed from expanded synthetic resin foam material selected from the group consisting of styrene, polystyrene, and styrofoam.

9. The construction kit as set forth in claim 7, wherein said resilient particles and said adhesive compound are mixed in equal volume amounts to form said connector bodies.

10. A method of making connectors for connecting objects having pointed ends comprising the steps:

mixing a plurality of resilient particles with an adhesive compound to form a mixture;

forming said mixture into a plurality of individual bodies; and

drying said bodies, the bodies being crush-resistant and having a substantially aperture-free outer surface that is highly resilient and easily penetratable by the pointed ends of the objects and that substantially regains its aperture-free configuration when the pointed ends of the objects are removed therefrom.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said adhesive compound is selected from the group consisting of rubber cement and silicone rubber.

12. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said resilient particles are formed of synthetic resin foam material selected from the group consisting of styrene, polystyrene, and styrofoam.