Foldable toy and game
First Claim
1. A foldable toy comprising:
- a plurality of primary links;
a plurality of joints connecting said plurality of primary links;
a plurality of secondary links each having a first end connected to one of said plurality of joints and extending to a second free end, a pair of said secondary links being associated with each of said plurality of primary links; and
said plurality of joints permitting said primary links and said secondary links to rotate about said joints so that said primary links and said secondary links can be selectively arranged to form a plurality of desired shapes.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A foldable toy which can be selectively arranged into a plurality of desired shapes is disclosed as well as an associated game. The foldable toy includes a plurality of primary links, a plurality of joints connecting the primary links together, and a plurality of secondary links having first ends secured to the joints and having opposite free ends. The joints permit the primary and secondary links to be rotated about the joints through 360° in parallel planes in order to form different desired shapes. The foldable toy can advantageously form a virtually unlimited number of different shapes including, for example, each of the letters A through Z of the English-language alphabet, each of the numerals 0-9, and a plurality of common geometric shapes such as a square, triangle, rectangle, star, diamond, and octagon. The foldable toy can also be formed into other amusing shapes such as animals, rocket ships, buildings, etc. and numerous other shapes that a child can imagine. The foldable toy can also be used in combination with a game including a game board having a pathway displaying a number of different shapes. The game is played by having the players move game pieces along the pathway and making different shapes with the foldable toy when their game piece lands on the different shapes displayed on the pathway.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. A foldable toy comprising:
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a plurality of primary links; a plurality of joints connecting said plurality of primary links; a plurality of secondary links each having a first end connected to one of said plurality of joints and extending to a second free end, a pair of said secondary links being associated with each of said plurality of primary links; and said plurality of joints permitting said primary links and said secondary links to rotate about said joints so that said primary links and said secondary links can be selectively arranged to form a plurality of desired shapes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A foldable toy comprising:
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a plurality of primary links; a plurality of joints connecting said plurality of primary links; a plurality of secondary links each having a first end connected to one of said plurality of joints and extending to a second free end; and said plurality of joints permitting said primary links and said secondary links to rotate about said joints so that said primary links and said secondary links can be selectively arranged to form a plurality of desired shapes, said primary links include top and bottom faces that define insets. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A foldable toy comprising:
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a plurality of primary links; a plurality of joints connecting said plurality of primary links; a plurality of secondary links each having a first end connected to one of said plurality of joints and extending to a second free end; said plurality of joints permitting said primary links and said secondary links to rotate about said joints so that said primary links and said secondary links can be selectively arranged to form a plurality of desired shapes; each of said primary links including a first and second end and each of said ends defining an aperture; each of said secondary links defining an aperture at said first end; said joints including a plug assembly that passes through said apertures of said primary links and said secondary links to connect said primary links together in successive end-to-end fashion and connect said first ends of said secondary links to said joints, said apertures in said primary and secondary links each defining a plurality of teeth and grooves and said plug assembly including resilient flexible fingers positioned to engage said teeth and grooves as said links are rotated about said joints. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A foldable toy comprising:
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a plurality of primary links; a plurality of joints connecting said plurality of primary links; a plurality of secondary links each having a first end connected to one of said plurality of joints and extending to a second free end; and said plurality of joints permitting said primary links and said secondary links to rotate about said joints so that said primary links and said secondary links can be selectively arranged to form a plurality of desired shapes, said primary links including apertures at said first and second ends and a pair of resilient fingers positioned adjacent to said apertures, each of said fingers including a nub that projects beyond an upper and lower face of said primary link, said secondary links include an aperture at said first ends and a plurality of detents circumscribing said aperture, said joints including a plug assembly having a top and bottom base, a post extending between said top and bottom bases and through said apertures in the first and secondary links, and a plurality of detents on said bases about said post, whereby, said fingers and nubs on said primary links are adapted to frictionally engage said detents on said plug assembly and said secondary links in order to lock said links in selected positions while still permitting rotational movement of said links upon application of a sufficient force.
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24. A foldable toy capable of being selectively arranged to form a plurality of different desired shapes, said toy comprising:
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a plurality of primary links each having a generally flat, elongated body and a pair of ends; a plurality of secondary links each having a generally flat, elongated body and a first end and a second end; a plurality of joints rotatably connecting said primary links together and connecting said first ends of said plurality of secondary links to said primary links, said joints permitting independent rotational movement of said primary and secondary links through 360°
in either direction about said joints in order to selectively form a desired shape; anda plurality of resilient cantilevered fingers housed within each of said joints and positioned to engage said links during rotation in order to make an audible clicking noise. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A foldable toy capable of being selectively arranged to form a plurality of different desired shapes, said toy comprising:
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a plurality of primary links each having a generally flat, elongated body and a pair of ends; a plurality of secondary links each having a generally flat, elongated body and a first end and a second end; a plurality of joints rotatably connecting said primary links together and connecting said first ends of said plurality of secondary links to said primary links, said joints permitting independent rotational movement of said primary and secondary links through 360°
in either direction about said joints in order to selectively form a desired shape, said primary links each including top and bottom faces that define insets and said secondary links including top and bottom faces that define insets, and in which decals are placed in some of said inserts.
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33. A foldable toy comprising:
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a plurality of flat links; a plurality of joints connecting said plurality of flat links and permitting rotation of said links about said joints in parallel planes through 360°
in either direction in order to form a plurality of different desired shapes; anda plurality of resilient cantilevered fingers housed within each of said joints and positioned to engage said links during rotation in order to make an audible clicking noise. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 42, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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39. A game comprising:
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a game board having at least one pathway of marked spaces with some of said marked spaces including images of a plurality of desired shapes; a plurality of game pieces for moving along said pathway; and a foldable toy which can be folded into each of said plurality of desired shapes. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification