Toy construction base plate

• US 8,790,151 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2011
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mega Brands Incorporated (Mattel Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mega Brands Incorporated (Mattel Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bertrand, Vic, Huneau, Alexandre, Lanoix, Ral Laurent, Tremblay, Yanick
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cegielnik, Urszula M
• Application Number:
  US13/159,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20120149275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 446/487, 446/376, 446 93- 95, 446/85, 446/128, 446/230, 446/231
• US Class Current: 446/85
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/003 Convertible toys, e.g. robots convertible into rockets or vehicles convertible into planes
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/046 comprising magnetic interaction means, e.g. holding together by magnetic attraction
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/086 with primary projections fitting by friction in complementary spaces between secondary projections, e.g. sidewalls

Abstract

A toy construction base plate configured to receive a toy construction and having a collapsible handle, which allows the construction to be built on the base plate on a flat play surface, after which the handle may be deployed from the base plate to allow a user to hold and play with the toy construction. The handle may be deployed by, for example, pivoting with respect to a support member of the base plate and pivoting above, below, or to the side of the toy construction. The handle may also be used as a stand to hold a construction above a play surface. The toy construction may be made of interlocking stackable blocks and the support surface of the base plate may be configured to receive the interlocking stackable blocks.

Claims

1. A toy construction base plate comprising:

a support member extending substantially along a plane and having a building surface on which to build a toy construction; and

a first handle member and a second handle member,

wherein each of the first handle member and the second handle member extends in a substantially straight direction from a pivot end to a distal end,

wherein each of the first handle member and the second handle member has the pivot end pivotably attached to the support member so as to pivot from a first position substantially parallel to the plane of the support member to a second position at an angle to the plane,

wherein in the second position, the first handle member and the second handle member mate to form a handle,

wherein in the first position,

the support member, the first handle member, and the second handle member lie flat on a flat play surface,

the substantially straight direction of the first handle member from the pivot end to the distal end of the first handle member is generally parallel to the flat play surface, and

the substantially straight direction of the second handle member from the pivot end to the distal end of the second handle member is generally parallel to the flat surface, and

wherein in the second position, the handle of the base plate is graspable by a user to move the toy construction around.

2. The toy construction base plate of claim 1, further comprising for each of the first and second handle members an incremental stop that stops the pivoting of the each first and second handle member between the first position and the second position to hold the first and second handle members in an incremental stop position,

wherein the incremental stop comprises a resilient arm and a tab,

wherein the resilient arm contacts the tab in the first position to resist pivoting of the respective handle member,

wherein application of a first external force to the respective handle member in a direction from the first position to the second position causes the tab to deflect the resilient arm and allow the pivoting of the respective handle member between the second position and the incremental stop position,

wherein, when the respective handle member is pivotable between the second position and the incremental stop position, contact between the resilient arm and the tab stops the pivoting of the respective handle member at the incremental stop position,

wherein the hold of the incremental stop is overcome by application of a second external force to the respective handle member in a direction from the second position to the first position that causes the tab to deflect the resilient arm and allow the respective handle member to pivot back to the first position, and

wherein in the incremental stop position, the first handle member and the second handle member rest on a play surface spread apart from each other to support a toy construction above the play surface.

3. The toy construction base plate of claim 2, wherein the first handle member and the second handle member are biased to automatically move from the second position to the incremental stop position, and to remain in the incremental stop position when no external force is applied.

4. The toy construction base plate of claim 3, wherein a first spring member has a first attachment end attached to the support member and a first pushing end opposite to the first attachment end, wherein the first pushing end pushes the first handle member at a point between the pivot end of the first handle member and the distal end of the first handle member to pivot the first handle member from the second position to the incremental stop position, and wherein a second spring member has a second attachment end attached to the support member and a second pushing end opposite to the second attachment end, wherein the second pushing end pushes the second handle member at a point between the pivot end of the second handle member and the distal end of the second handle member to pivot the second handle member from the second position to the incremental stop position.

5. The toy construction base plate of claim 2, wherein the resilient arm comprises a substantially vertical portion that extends vertically from the support member and a substantially horizontal portion that extends from the vertical portion to define a corner area within the resilient arm, and wherein the tab is formed on the pivot end of the respective handle member and slides within the corner area of the resilient arm.

6. The toy construction base plate of claim 1, wherein the building surface of the support member has projecting pegs that receive corresponding openings in interlocking stackable blocks.

7. The toy construction base plate of claim 1, further comprising:

a first spacer member on the first handle member positioned inside a profile of the first handle member when the first handle member is viewed along a travel path direction of the first handle member from the first position to the second position; and

a second spacer member on the second handle member positioned inside a profile of the second handle member when the second handle member is viewed along a travel path direction of the second handle member from the first position to the second position,

wherein the first spacer member extends beyond a profile of the first handle member and toward the second handle member when in the second position and viewed perpendicularly to the travel path direction of the first handle member,

wherein the second spacer member extends beyond a profile of the second handle member and toward the first handle member when in the second position and viewed perpendicularly to the travel path direction of the second handle member,

such that the first spacer member and the second spacer member contact each other in the second position and separate outer edges of the first handle member and the second handle member from each other when in the second position.

8. The toy construction base plate of claim 7, wherein each of the first spacer member and the second spacer member has an angled contacting surface such that the angled contacting surfaces of the first spacer member and the second spacer member mate flat with each other in the second position and such that the angled contacting surfaces of the first spacer member and the second spacer member each lie flat on the play surface in the first position and hold the respective first and second handle members at angles such that the respective substantially straight directions of the respective first and second handle members are generally parallel to the flat play surface.

9. The toy construction base plate of claim 1, further comprising a pad member pivotably attached to the support member so as to pivot from a first position substantially parallel to the plane of the support member to a second position at an angle to the plane, wherein distal ends of the first handle member, the second handle member, and the pad member are in a triangular configuration when in the second position.

10. The toy construction base plate of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second handle members is pivotable to a third position that is at an angle to the plane and on a side of the support member opposite to the second position, and wherein in the third position, the first handle member and the second handle member support the toy construction above the play surface.

11. The toy construction base plate of claim 10, wherein the first handle member and the second handle member pivot between the second position and the third position approximately 270 degrees.

12. A toy construction base plate comprising:

a support member extending substantially along a plane and having a building surface on which to build a toy construction;

a handle pivotably attached to the support member,

wherein the handle has a pivot end and a distal end opposite to the pivot end,

wherein the handle pivots from a first stowed position at which the handle is substantially parallel to the plane of the support member to a deployed position at which the handle is at an angle to the plane; and

an incremental stop that stops the pivoting of the handle between the stowed position and the deployed position to hold the handle in an incremental stop position, wherein the hold of the incremental stop may be overcome by application of an external force,

wherein in the stowed position, the support member and the handle lie flat on a flat play surface,

wherein in the stowed position, the handle extends from the pivot end to the distal end in a straight direction that is generally parallel to the flat play surface,

wherein in the deployed position, the handle of the base plate is graspable by a user to move the toy construction around, and

wherein in the incremental stop position, the handle rests on the play surface and supports the toy construction above the play surface.

13. The toy construction base plate of claim 12, wherein the handle is biased to automatically move from the deployed position to the incremental stop position, and to remain in the incremental stop position when no external force is applied.

14. The toy construction base plate of claim 13, wherein the base plate comprises a spring member that pushes the handle from the deployed position to the incremental stop position.

15. The toy construction base plate of claim 14, wherein the spring member comprises a cantilever spring having a fixed end and a free distal end, wherein the fixed end is attached to the support member, and wherein the distal end contacts a surface of the handle.

16. The toy construction base plate of claim 15, wherein the distal end of the cantilever spring is enclosed inside a spring chamber of the handle.

17. The toy construction base plate of claim 12, wherein the incremental stop comprises a resilient arm and a tab,

wherein the resilient arm comprises an upper arm portion and a forearm portion at an angle to the upper arm portion,

wherein the upper arm portion and the forearm portion define an interior corner area,

wherein the tab is formed on the pivot end of the handle and slides within the corner area of the resilient arm,

wherein the resilient arm contacts the tab in the stowed position to resist pivoting of the handle,

wherein application of a first external force to the handle in a direction from the first position to the second position causes the tab to deflect the resilient arm and allow the pivoting of the handle between the deployed position and the incremental stop position,

wherein, when the handle is between the deployed position and the incremental stop position, contact between the resilient arm and the tab stops the pivoting of the handle at the incremental stop position, and

wherein the hold of the incremental stop is overcome by application of a second external force to the handle in a direction from the deployed position to the stowed position that causes the tab to deflect the resilient arm and allow the handle to pivot back to the first position.

18. The toy construction base plate of claim 12, wherein the handle comprises a first handle member and a second handle member, each pivotably attached to the support member, and wherein in the deployed position, the first handle member and the second handle member mate to form the handle.

19. The toy construction base plate of claim 18, further comprising:

a first spacer member on the first handle member positioned inside a profile of the first handle member when the first handle member is viewed along a travel path direction of the first handle member from the stowed position to the deployed position; and

a second spacer member on the second handle member positioned inside a profile of the second handle member when the second handle member is viewed along a travel path direction of the second handle member from the stowed position to the deployed position,

wherein the first spacer member extends beyond a profile of the first handle member and toward the second handle member when in the deployed position and viewed perpendicularly to the travel path direction of the first handle member,

wherein the second spacer member extends beyond a profile of the second handle member and toward the first handle member when in the deployed position and viewed perpendicularly to the travel path direction of the second handle member,

such that the first spacer member and the second spacer member contact each other in the deployed position and separate outer edges of the first handle member and the second handle member from each other when in the deployed position.

20. The toy construction base plate of claim 18, wherein in the incremental stop position, the first handle member and the second handle member are spread apart to provide a foundation on which the toy construction is held above the play surface.

21. The toy construction base plate of claim 12, wherein the handle comprises only one handle member.

22. The toy construction base plate of claim 12, further comprising one of an electronic device and a mechanical device activated by one of pivoting movement of the handle and a trigger.

23. The toy construction base plate of claim 12, wherein the handle is removably attached to the support member.

24. A toy construction base plate comprising:

a base support member having a building surface on which to build a toy construction and a supported surface; and

a plurality of handle members secured to the supported surface of the base support member, the handle members being movable between a first position in which the handle members provide stable support for the toy construction base plate on a flat play surface, a second position in which the handle members are mated together and held by a user to carry and move the toy construction base plate around, and a third position in which the base support member and each of the plurality of handle members lie flat on the flat play surface,

wherein each handle member of the plurality of handle members extends in a substantially straight direction from a pivot end attached to the supported surface of the base support member to a distal end,

wherein, in the third position, the substantially straight direction of the each handle member from the pivot end to the distal end is generally parallel to the flat play surface,

wherein, when each of the plurality of handle members is between the first position and the second position with no external forces applied, each of the plurality of handle members is biased to remain in the first position with its distal end on the flat play surface to provide the stable support for the toy construction base plate on the flat play surface.

25. The toy construction base plate of claim 24, further comprising a spring that biases the handle members in a direction from the second position toward the first position such that the handle members remain in the first position if no external force is applied.

26. The toy construction base plate of claim 24, wherein the building surface of the support member includes a plurality of studs uniformly spaced apart in both longitudinal and transverse directions, so as to allow engagement with construction toy pieces.

27. The toy construction base plate of claim 24, wherein the building surface of the support member is provided with a ferromagnetic portion for engaging magnetic construction toy pieces.

28. The toy construction base plate of claim 24, wherein the building surface of the support member is provided with a plurality of openings for receiving complementary-shaped construction toy pieces.