Constructional toy with deformable joints

• US 5,853,313 A
• Filed: 04/16/1996
• Issued: 12/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Patent Category Corporation
• Original Assignee: Patent Category Corporation
• Inventors: Zheng, Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Carlson, Jeffrey D.
• Application Number:
  US08/632,678
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 446/85, 446/106-109, 446/113-116, 446/120, 446/121, 446/127, 403/345
• US Class Current: 446/106
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/065 using elastic deformation A63H33/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/102 using elastic deformation A63H33/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/70 Interfitted members

Abstract

A constructional toy system provides a plurality of pieces that can be used to construct an object. Each piece has at least one section having opposing first and second notches, and a tongue defining a neck between the first and second notches, the tongue having a width and opposing first and second flaps. Each piece further includes at least one aperture having an edge and having a dimension which is substantially smaller than the width of the tongue so that the opposing flaps of the tongue of one of the sections of the instant piece or another piece must be bent to insert the tongue through the aperture to effectuate a connection of the section with the instant piece at the location of the aperture.

Claims

1. An object assembled by interconnecting a plurality of pieces, the plurality of pieces including a first piece and a second piece, each of the first and second pieces including:

a section comprising opposing first and second notches and a tongue defining a neck between the first and second notches, the tongue having a width and opposing first and second flaps, and the neck having a width; and

an aperture having a dimension which is smaller than the width of the tongue and a widest dimension of about half of the width of the tongue, and a dimension which is the same as or smaller than the width of the neck;

wherein the opposing flaps of the tongue of the sections of the first piece must be bent to insert the tongue of the first piece through the aperture of the second piece to effectuate a connection of the section of the first piece at the location of the aperture of the second piece, with the neck of the section of the first piece held inside the aperture of the second piece.

2. The object of claim 1, wherein each aperture comprises an edge, and wherein the neck of each section has opposing first and second neck edges at the first and second notches, respectively, with the neck of the section of the first piece fitted in the aperture of the second piece with the first and second neck edges of the section of the first piece contacting the edge of the aperture of the second piece to effectuate the connection.

3. The object of claim 1, wherein the aperture of some of the pieces comprises four straight edges and four convex edges, each of the straight edges being alternated by a convex edge so that each straight edge is opposed by another straight edge within the aperture and each convex edge is opposed by another convex edge within the aperture.

4. The object of claim 1, wherein the aperture of the first and second pieces has a circular configuration with a circumferential edge.

5. The object of claim 2, wherein the aperture of the first and second pieces has four straight edges connected to each other to define a diamond-shaped configuration.

6. The object of claim 1, wherein the aperture of the first and second pieces has three straight edges connected to each other to define a triangular configuration.

7. The object of claim 1, wherein the aperture of the first and second pieces has five or more straight edges connected to each other to define a polygonal configuration.

8. The object of claim 1, wherein the first and second pieces each further comprises a longitudinal side edge, and a slit extending from the aperture to the longitudinal side edge defining first and second deformable body portions adjacent the slit.

9. The object of claim 1, wherein one of the apertures of the first and second pieces further comprises at least one slit extending from the aperture for a short distance along the piece, the slit defining first and second deformable body portions adjacent the slit which are deformed to further facilitate insertion of the tongue through the aperture.

10. The object of claim 1, wherein the object further comprises at least one connector for connecting the first and second pieces, the connector comprising at least one aperture for receiving one neck of at least the first piece or the second piece.

11. The object of claim 1, wherein the object further comprises at least one connector for connecting the first and second pieces, the connector comprising at least one pair of opposing notches for retaining the neck of at least the first piece or the second piece.

12. The object of claim 1, wherein the object further comprises:

a third piece having a generally circular configuration, and including at least one aperture; and

a shaft extending through one of the apertures of the third piece.

13. The object of claim 1, wherein the object further comprises a plurality of cut-outs that have the same configuration and size as the apertures of the pieces, for insertion into unused apertures of the pieces.

14. The object of claim 1, wherein the first piece includes a second section, the second section having a tongue with opposing first and second flaps, with the opposing flaps of the tongue of the second section of the first piece bent to insert the tongue of the second section of the first piece through an aperture in the first piece to effectuate a connection of the second section of the first piece at the location of the aperture of the first piece.