Construction system

• US 6,264,522 B1
• Filed: 12/07/1999
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marilyn M. Dickson
• Original Assignee: Marilyn M. Dickson
• Inventors: Dickson, Marilyn M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ricci, John A.
• Application Number:
  US09/455,986
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 446/102, 446/120, 446/124, 446/126
• US Class Current: 446/120
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 13/00 Connectible jewellery
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/062 with clip or snap mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/00 Models for scientific, medical, or mathematical purposes, e.g. full-sized devices for demonstration purposes in the nature of toys A63H
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/26 for molecular structures; for crystallography

Abstract

A construction system includes one or more body members each having one or more apertures extending through a body wall to a cavity forming a socket. Each body member further has one or more balls spaced-apart from the body and attached to the body by an arm. The body wall and/or ball is formed of a flexible and resilient material, and the ball is sized slightly larger than the aperture to connect two body members together by inserting the ball of one member through the aperture of another. The system may include rod members having opposite ends and spherical-shaped balls formed on each end; disk members having an annular groove and open in a radially-facing direction to receive balls; a base member; and/or decorative members.

Claims

1. A construction system comprising:

a plurality of body members each having a body with a body wall, at least one interior cavity, and a plurality of apertures extending through the body wall to the cavity forming a plurality of sockets, the plurality of apertures each facing in a different direction, each body member further having at least one spherical-shaped ball spaced-apart from the body wall and attached to the body wall by an arm coupled to and extending between the ball and the body wall, the body wall and ball being formed of a flexible and resilient material and the ball being sized slightly larger than the apertures such that a ball of a first body member may be inserted through one of a plurality of apertures of a second body member under an externally applied force, but such that the ball is held within the cavity by interference between the ball and the aperture, to couple the first and second body members together with the arm extending through the aperture, the plurality of sockets allowing numerous different connections between two body members.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each aperture in the body wall of the body member has a frusto-conical inwardly tapering shape such that the body wall surrounding the aperture has a reduced thickness to facilitate insertion of the ball of the first body member through the aperture of the second body member, and such that an arm of the first body member extending through the aperture of the second body member may pivot with respect to the body wall of the second body member, thereby allowing the first and second body members to pivot with respect to one another in at least two different planes.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the body wall of the body member forms a body with at least one segment having at least a partially spherical shape such that an area circumscribing the arm or aperture is curved away from the arm or aperture, thereby facilitating pivoting of the first and second body members.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the arm of the body member has a length longer than a thickness of the body wall such that the ball of the first body member may be inserted in the aperture of the second body member with the arm separating the first and second body members in a spaced-apart relationship, thereby allowing the first and second body members to pivot with respect to one another.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the cavity has a depth greater than or equal to the length of the arm such that the ball of the first body member may be inserted into a cavity of the second body member until the body wall of the first body member abuts the body wall of the second body member.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the body member further has a plurality of spherical-shaped balls spaced-apart from the body wall and attached to the body wall by a plurality of arms coupled to and extending between the balls and the body wall.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the arm extends from the body at an acute angle to an axis of the body such that first and second bodies are coupled at an acute angle with respect to one another.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein an aperture has an axis oriented at an acute angle to an axis of the body such that first and second bodies are coupled at an acute angle with respect to one another.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the body is shaped into at least three distinct segments with each segment being directly attached to the other two.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the body is elongated and has a length greater than a width or a thickness, and having a plurality of coupling means for releasably coupling body members located along the length of the body.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one different member selected from the group consisting of:

a decorative element having a spherical-shaped ball spaced-apart from the element and attached to the element by an arm coupled to and extending between the ball and the element, such that the ball of the element may be inserted through one of the plurality of apertures of a body member to couple the element and body member;

an elongated rod member having opposite ends and spherical-shaped balls formed on each end, the balls having a greater diameter than a width of the rod member, the balls being sized slightly larger than the aperture of the body member;

a disk member having a disk-shaped body with disk walls and a substantially annular groove formed around a perimeter of the disk-shaped body with an opening facing in a radial direction, the opening being sized slightly smaller than the ball of the body member such that the balls may be inserted through the opening of the disk member under an externally applied force, but are held within the groove by interference between the ball and the aperture;

or

a flat base member, configured for being disposed on a support surface, and having coupling means for releasably coupling body members to the base member.

12. A construction system comprising:

a plurality of body members each having a body with a body wall, at least one interior cavity, and at least one aperture extending through the body wall to the cavity forming a socket, each body member further having a plurality of spherical-shaped balls spaced-apart from the body wall and attached to the body wall by a plurality of arms coupled to and extending between the balls and the body wall, each of the arms extending from the body in a different direction, the body wall and balls being formed of a flexible and resilient material and the balls being sized slightly larger than the aperture such that one of the balls of a first body member may be inserted through an aperture of a second body member under an externally applied force, but such that the ball is held within the cavity by interference between the ball and the aperture, to couple the first and second body members together with the arm extending through the aperture, the plurality of arms and balls allowing numerous different connections between two body members.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the aperture in the body wall of the body member has a frusto-conical inwardly tapering shape such that the body wall surrounding the aperture has a reduced thickness to facilitate insertion of the ball of the first body member through the aperture of the second body member, and such that an arm of the first body member extending through the aperture of the second body member may pivot with respect to the body wall of the second body member, thereby allowing the first and second body members to pivot with respect to one another in at least two different planes.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the body wall of the body member forms a body with at least one segment having at least a partially spherical shape such that an area circumscribing the arm or aperture is curved away from the arm or aperture, thereby facilitating pivoting of the first and second body members.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the arm of the body member has a length longer than a thickness of the body wall such that the ball of the first body member may be inserted in the aperture of the second body member with the arm separating the first and second body members in a spaced-apart relationship, thereby allowing the first and second body members to pivot with respect to one another.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the cavity has a depth greater than or equal to the length of the arm such that the ball of the first body member may be inserted into a cavity of the second body member until the body wall of the first body member abuts the body wall of the second body member.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the body member further has a plurality of apertures extending through the body wall to the cavity forming a plurality of sockets.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one arm extends from the body at an acute angle to an axis of the body such that first and second bodies are coupled at an acute angle with respect to one another.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the aperture has an axis oriented at an acute angle to an axis of the body such that first and second bodies are coupled at an acute angle with respect to one another.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the body is shaped into at least three distinct segments with each segment being directly attached to the other two.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the body is elongated and has a length greater than a width or a thickness, and having a plurality of coupling means for releasably coupling body members located along the length of the body.

22. The system of claim 12, further comprising at least one different member selected from the group consisting of:

a decorative element having a spherical-shaped ball spaced-apart from the element and attached to the element by an arm coupled to and extending between the ball and the element, such that the ball of the element may be inserted through one of the plurality of apertures of a body member to couple the element and body member;

an elongated rod member having opposite ends and spherical-shaped balls formed on each end, the balls having a greater diameter than a width of the rod member, the balls being sized slightly larger than the aperture of the body member;

a disk member having a disk-shaped body with disk walls and a substantially annular groove formed around a perimeter of the disk-shaped body with an opening facing in a radial direction, the opening being sized slightly smaller than the ball of the body member such that the balls may be inserted through the opening of the disk member under an externally applied force, but are held within the groove by interference between the ball and the aperture;

or

a flat base member, configured for being disposed on a support surface, and having coupling means for releasably coupling body members to the base member.

23. A construction system comprising:

a plurality of first body members each having a body with a body wall, at least one interior cavity, and a plurality of apertures extending through the body wall to the cavity forming a plurality of sockets, the body members further having at least one spherical-shaped ball spaced-apart from the body wall and attached to the body wall by an arm coupled to and extending between the ball and the body wall; and

a plurality of different second body members each having a body with a body wall, at least one interior cavity, and at least one aperture extending through the body wall to the cavity forming a socket, the second body members further having a plurality of spherical-shaped balls spaced-apart from the body wall and attached to the body wall by a plurality of arms coupled to and extending between the balls and the body wall; and

wherein the body walls and balls are formed of a flexible and resilient material and the balls are sized slightly larger than the apertures such that balls may be inserted through the apertures under an externally applied force, but such that the balls are held within the cavities by interference between the balls and the apertures, to couple body members together with the arms extending through the apertures.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the apertures have a frusto-conical inwardly tapering shape such that the body wall surrounding the aperture has a reduced thickness to facilitate insertion of the ball of a first body member through the aperture of a second body member, and such that an arm of the first body member extending through the aperture of the second body member may pivot with respect to the body wall of the second body member, thereby allowing the first and second body members to pivot with respect to one another in at least two different planes.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the body walls of the body members form bodies with at least one segment having at least a partially spherical shape such that an area circumscribing the arm or aperture is curved away from the arm or aperture, thereby facilitating pivoting of coupled body members.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein an arm of the body members has a length longer than a thickness of the body wall such that the ball of a first body member may be inserted in the aperture of a second body member with the arm separating the first and second body members in a spaced-apart relationship, thereby allowing the first and second body members to pivot with respect to one another.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the cavity has a depth greater than or equal to the length of the arm such that the ball of a first body member may be inserted into a cavity of a second body member until the body wall of the first body member abuts the body wall of the second body member.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein at least one arm extends from the body at an acute angle to the body such that first and second bodies are coupled at an acute angle with respect to one another.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the aperture has an axis oriented at an acute angle to the body such that first and second bodies are coupled at an acute angle with respect to one another.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein at least two arms on a body member extend to form an acute angle therebetween.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein at least two arms on a body member extend to form an obtuse angle therebetween.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein at least two apertures of a body member have axes oriented to form an acute angle therebetween.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein at least two apertures of a body member have axes oriented to form an obtuse angle therebetween.

34. The system of claim 23, wherein the body is shaped into at least three distinct segments with each segment being directly attached to the other two.

35. The system of claim 23, wherein the bodies are elongated and have lengths greater than a width or a thickness, and having a plurality of coupling means for releasably coupling body members located along the length of the bodies.

36. The system of claim 23,further comprising at least one different member selected from the group consisting of:

a decorative element having a spherical-shaped ball spaced-apart from the element and attached to the element by an arm coupled to and extending between the ball and the element, such that the ball of the element may be inserted through one of the plurality of apertures of a body member to couple the element and body member;

an elongated rod member having opposite ends and spherical-shaped balls formed on each end, the balls having a greater diameter than a width of the rod member, the balls being sized slightly larger than the aperture of the body member;

a disk member having a disk-shaped body with disk walls and a substantially annular groove formed around a perimeter of the disk-shaped body with an opening facing in a radial direction, the opening being sized slightly smaller than the ball of the body member such that the balls may be inserted through the opening of the disk member under an externally applied force, but are held within the groove by interference between the ball and the aperture;

or

a flat base member, configured for being disposed on a support surface, and having coupling means for releasably coupling body members to the base member.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the rod member has a longitudinal axis and at least one spherical-shaped ball spaced-apart radially from the rod member and the longitudinal axis and attached to the rod member by an arm coupled to and extending between the ball and the rod member, the arm extending transverse to the longitudinal axis.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the disk member further has at least one spherical-shaped ball spaced-apart from the disk walls and attached to the disk walls by an arm coupled to and extending between the ball and the disk walls.