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Reciprocally linked nesting structure

  • US 8,181,960 B2
  • Filed: 08/08/2007
  • Issued: 05/22/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An assembly comprising three or more elements, whereineach element comprises a rigid shape with an opening completely through the element;

  • each element comprises a plurality of edge segments, the edge segments having a polygonal cross-section and being rigidly joined together at angular junctions and having at least two parallel substantially planar exterior surfaces extending between and forming a part of the angular junctions;

    the assembly further comprising a nested configuration wherein;

    each element links all of the other elements;

    each element links the other elements in the same way;

    the link for each element is formed by a single portion of each element passing once through each of the openings in the other elements;

    each element is nested with another element in a common manner;

    the elements are moveable between a first position and a second position in the nested configuration without altering the relative positioning of elements in the nested configuration of the assembly and without removal of any of the links, wherein in the first position an edge segment of a first element nests against an edge segment of a second element, and wherein in the second position the edge segment of the first element is nested against an edge segment of a third element and separated from the edge segment of the second element; and

    wherein, in the nested configuration, each element has at least one edge segment that contacts an edge segment of another element along substantially the entirety of the length of the one edge segment of the element and the one edge segment of the another element, and the one edge segment of the element is parallel to the one edge segment of the another element for the entire length of the contact between the one edge segment of the element and the one edge segment of the another element.

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