TOY BUILDING BLOCKS

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/777,081 filed Dec. 8, 2018, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to building blocks for modular construction. The present invention relates to toy building blocks which are connectable and releaseable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Description of the Prior Art

Modular building blocks are used for building mostly static and some dynamic structures for entertainment and educational purposes.

Toy building blocks typically have male and female coupling components. Often, one surface of the block is dedicated to one type of coupling components. Consequently, such blocks are usually connected to one another in a stacking fashion where, a surface, having the female components, frictionally engages with a surface having the male components.

The stacking is usually determined to be in a single direction, and stacking the blocks in orthogonal directions in relation to the determined one is usually not possible.

As a consequence, not all surfaces of the built structures can be evenly patterned with the same structural pattern of coupling components.

Building dynamic structures is usually correlated with the toy building block system's support for relative rotational movement of connected blocks. The types of dynamic structures that can be built are usually very limited.

The universality of a toy building system is usually thought of as a measure of all possible structures that can be built using the system. There are multiple historical patents that attempt to describe a more or less universal toy building block system.

The number of different building block types that are needed in a given system in order to achieve a certain level of universality also differs from system to system. Most of the prior art systems usually have many different block types to achieve some level of universality, which is counter-productive.

The structural integrity of the structures that can be built using some toy building block system, and methods of achieving that structural integrity are also very important aspects of a given toy building block system. These aspects are solved with different levels of success by different inventions.

The object of this invention is toy building blocks which can be stacked in multiple orthogonal directions, which enable even patterning of all surfaces of built structures with the same structural pattern of coupling components, and have above average support for rotation when connected, which can achieve universality of a toy block set with a very small number of block types and have good support for structural integrity of built structures.

Building blocks relevant to this disclosure are discussed in the following U.S. Patents, which are hereby incorporated by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,216,840; 3,822,499; 6,322,414; 3,005,282; 3,195,266; 5,662,508; 5,061,219; 5,199,919.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of this invention is toy building blocks which can be stacked in multiple orthogonal directions, enabling all surfaces of created structures to be evenly patterned with the same pattern, that have above average support for rotation when connected, can achieve universality of a toy block set with a very small number of block types and have good support for structural integrity of built structures.

To achieve the above mentioned object, the toy blocks of the present invention are elongated cuboid blocks. Each face of an elongated cuboid element of the present invention has at least one coupling component and each elongated face of an elongated cuboid element of the present invention has at least two coupling components. Coupling components on a single face are evenly spaced. The blocks can have only female coupling components or both female and male coupling components. If the block has both female and male coupling components, the female and male coupling components on each elongated face are interleaved so that the neighbouring coupling components on every face of the block of a male coupling component are female coupling components and the neighbouring components of a female coupling component are male coupling components. All the blocks are symmetric with respect to rotation by the right angle with respect to the elongated axis of the block, with possible exception to minor details. All the coupling components on a single elongated face of the block are aligned on the same line.

Having compatible and interleaved coupling components on every face of a block for the mixed block type supports building in multiple orthogonal directions. A single mixed building block type with two coupling components per elongated face is enough to create a universal toy building block set with all the benefits of the above object. The symmetries and arrangement of the coupling components of the blocks also enable even patterning of all surfaces of the built structures with the same structural pattern of coupling components. The elongation of cuboid elements supports building with structural integrity and the creation of dynamic structures can be achieved with rotational symmetry of the female coupling components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The number of coupling components on each elongated face of an embodiment is

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an embodiment of mixed type of length two, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of mixed type of length two, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of an embodiment of mixed type of length three with male coupling components on ends, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of mixed type of length three with male coupling components on ends, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of an embodiment of mixed type of length three with female coupling components on ends, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of mixed type of length three with female coupling components on ends, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of an embodiment of mixed type of length four, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of mixed type of length four, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of an embodiment of mixed type of length five with male coupling components on ends, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an embodiment of mixed type of length five with male coupling components on ends, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an elevational view of an embodiment of mixed type of length five with female coupling components on ends, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an embodiment of mixed type of length five with female coupling components on ends, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an elevational view of an embodiment of mixed type of length six, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an embodiment of mixed type of length six, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an elevational view of an embodiment of length two, with more complex coupling components, and holes through the coupling components that go through the whole block, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an embodiment of length two, with more complex coupling components, and holes through the coupling components that go through the whole block, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is an elevational view of an embodiment of female type of length three, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an embodiment of female type of length three, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a brick wall-like patterned structure built with embodiments, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a spinner structure built with embodiments, according to the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a human figure structure built with embodiments, according to the teaching of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the various drawing figures, FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of a toy block 100 of length two. The elongated cuboid 100 has four elongated faces. In FIG. 1 only one elongated face is visible, and there is a male coupling component 101 and a female coupling component 102 on that face. Herein we refer to the number of coupling components per elongated face of an embodiment as the length of the block, irrespective of an embodiment's true length in physical space. By way of a non-limiting example, toy building block 100 can have true length of 16 mm, 32 mm, 64 mm The elongated faces of the embodiment 100 have male and female coupling components on them. The male coupling component in the embodiment 100 shown e.g. in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is a simple connector peg, and the female coupling component is a simple hole. The cuboid 100 is symmetrical to the rotation by the right angle with respect to the axis of elongation. Therefore, all the elongated faces of the block 100 are identical. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment 100 of length two. In FIG. 2, two elongated faces of the block 100 are visible. FIG. 2 also shows one square, nonelongated face of the embodiment 100 which has one male coupling component 101 on it. The opposing square face of the embodiment has a female coupling component on it, which is drawn in dashed line because it is not directly visible. The toy block 100 has in total five male coupling components and five female coupling components. In FIG. 2 three male coupling components and two female coupling components are visible and the rest are hidden and drawn in dashed lines.

Herein we refer to embodiments which have both male and female coupling components interleaved on elongated faces as mixed type building blocks. Embodiments which have only female coupling components we refer to herein as female type building blocks. In FIG. 1 through to FIG. 14, all the coupling components are compatible, with male coupling components being referenced with 101, and female coupling components being referenced with 102 and all the embodiments are of mixed type building blocks. In FIG. 17 and FIG. 18 the embodiment is of female type. Female type toy blocks are not connectable to other toy blocks of female type without a distinct coupling element or a mixed type toy block. For simple embodiments of the invention, the coupling element which could connect female type block to some other block of same type can be as simple as a peg.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of a mixed type toy block 200 of length three. In FIG. 3 only one face of the block is visible, an elongated face. On the visible elongated face of the block 200 there are three interleaved male and female coupling components. Interleaved coupling components from left to right are respectively male 101, female 102 and male 101. The toy block 200 is symmetrical to rotation by the right angle with respect to the axis of elongation. Therefore, all the elongated faces of the block 200 are identical. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the embodiment 200 of length three. The toy block 200 has in total ten male coupling components 101 and four female coupling components 102 of which not all are visible in the view. The occluded coupling components are drawn in dashed lines and are not marked by references. The square nonelongated faces of the embodiment 200 each have one male coupling component 101, of which one is visible in FIG. 4, and both are visible in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of a mixed type toy block 300 of length three. In FIG. 5, only one face of the block is visible, an elongated face. On the visible elongated face of the block 300 there are three interleaved female and male coupling components. Interleaved coupling components from left to right are respectively female 102, male 101 and female 102. The toy block 300 is symmetrical to rotation by the right angle with respect to the axis of elongation. Therefore, all the elongated faces of the block 300 are identical. In FIG. 5 there are two visible female coupling components 102 and three visible male coupling components 101 of the block 300. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the embodiment 300 of length three. The toy block 300 has in total ten female coupling components 102 and four male coupling components 101 of which not all are visible in FIG. 6. The occluded coupling components are drawn in dashed lines and are not marked by references. There are five visible female coupling components 102 and two visible male coupling components 101 in FIG. 6. The square nonelongated faces of the embodiment 300 each have one female coupling component 102, one of which is visible in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of a mixed type toy block 400 of length four. In FIG. 7, only one face of the block is visible, an elongated face. On the visible elongated face of the block 400 there are four interleaved male and female coupling components. Interleaved coupling components from left to right are respectively male 101, female 102, male 101 and female 102. The toy block 400 is symmetrical to rotation by the right angle with respect to the axis of elongation. Therefore, all the elongated faces of the block 400 are identical. In FIG. 7 there are two visible female coupling components 102 and seven visible male coupling components 101 of the block 400. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the embodiment 400 of length four. The toy block 400 has nine female coupling components 102 and nine male coupling components 101 in total, of which not all are visible in FIG. 8. The occluded coupling components are drawn in dashed lines and are not marked by references. There are four visible female coupling components 102 and five visible male coupling components 101 in FIG. 8. The square nonelongated faces of the embodiment 400 each have one coupling component, male one of which is visible in FIG. 8.

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of a mixed type toy block 500 of length five. In FIG. 9, only one face of the block is visible, an elongated face. On the visible elongated face of the block 500 there are five interleaved male and female coupling components. Interleaved coupling components from left to right are respectively male 101, female 102, male 101, female 102 and male 101. The toy block 500 is symmetrical to rotation by the right angle with respect to the axis of elongation. Therefore, all the elongated faces of the block 500 are identical. In FIG. 9 there are two visible female coupling components 102 and eleven visible male coupling components 101 of the block 500. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the embodiment 500 of length five. The toy block 500 has eight female coupling components 102 and fourteen male coupling components 101 in total, of which not all are visible in FIG. 10. The occluded coupling components are drawn in dashed lines and are not marked by references. There are four visible female coupling components 102 and seven visible male coupling components 101 in FIG. 10. The square nonelongated faces of the embodiment 500 each have one male coupling component, one of which is visible in FIG. 10.

FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of a mixed type toy block 600 of length five. In FIG. 11, only one face of the block is visible, an elongated face. On the visible elongated face of the block 600 there are five interleaved male and female coupling components. Interleaved coupling components from left to right are respectively female 102, male 101, female 102, male 101 and female 102. The toy block 600 is symmetrical to rotation by the right angle with respect to the axis of elongation. Therefore, all the elongated faces of the block 600 are identical. In FIG. 11 there are three visible female coupling components 102 and six visible male coupling components 101 of the block 600. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the embodiment 600 of length five. The toy block 600 has fourteen female coupling components 102 and eight male coupling components 101 in total, of which not all are visible in FIG. 12. The occluded coupling components are drawn in dashed lines and are not marked by references. There are seven visible female coupling components 102 and four visible male coupling components 101 in FIG. 12. The square nonelongated faces of the embodiment 600 each have one female coupling component, one of which is visible in FIG. 12.

FIG. 13 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of a mixed type toy block 700 of length six. In FIG. 13, only one face of the block is visible, an elongated face. On the visible elongated face of the block 700 there are six interleaved male and female coupling components. Interleaved coupling components from left to right are respectively male 101, female 102, male 101, female 102, male 101 and female 102. The toy block 700 is symmetrical to rotation by the right angle with respect to the axis of elongation. Therefore, all the elongated faces of the block 700 are identical. In FIG. 13 there are three visible female coupling components 102 and ten visible male coupling components 101 of the block 700. FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the embodiment 700 of length six. The toy block 700 has thirteen female coupling components 102 and thirteen male coupling components 101 in total, of which not all are visible in FIG. 14. The occluded coupling components are drawn in dashed lines and are not marked by references. There are six visible female coupling components 102 and seven visible male coupling components 101 in FIG. 14. The square nonelongated faces of the embodiment 700 each have one coupling component, male one of which is visible in FIG. 14.

FIG. 15 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of a mixed type toy block 800 of length two. In FIG. 15, only one face of the block is visible, an elongated face. The male coupling component 103 in the embodiment 800 shown in FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 is somewhat more complex male coupling component than 101 and the female coupling component 104 is somewhat more complex female coupling component than 102 from e.g. FIG. 1. The dashed lines in FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 show that the block 800 has holes in the center of each coupling component that go through and through the whole block. On the visible elongated face of the block 800 there are two interleaved male and female coupling components. Interleaved coupling components from left to right are respectively male 103 and female 104. The toy block 800 is symmetrical to rotation by the right angle with respect to the axis of elongation. Therefore, all the elongated faces of the block 800 are identical. In FIG. 15 there is one visible female coupling component 104 and four visible male coupling components 103 of the block 800. FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the embodiment 800 of length two. The toy block 800 has five female coupling components 104 and five male coupling components 103 in total, of which not all are visible in FIG. 16. The occluded coupling components are drawn in dashed lines and are not marked by references. There are two visible female coupling components 104 and three visible male coupling components 103 in FIG. 16. The square nonelongated faces of the embodiment 800 each have one coupling component, male one of which is visible in FIG. 16.

FIG. 17 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of a female type toy block 900 of length three. In FIG. 17, only one face of the block is visible, an elongated face. On the visible elongated face of the block 900 there are three female coupling components. All the coupling components on the block 900 are female coupling components 102. The toy block 900 is symmetrical to rotation by the right angle with respect to the axis of elongation. Therefore, all the elongated faces of the block 900 are identical. In FIG. 17 there are three visible female coupling components 102. FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the embodiment 900 of length three. The toy block 900 has fourteen female coupling components 102, of which not all are visible in FIG. 18. The occluded coupling components are drawn in dashed lines and are not marked by references. There are seven visible female coupling components 102 in FIG. 18. The square nonelongated faces of the embodiment 900 each have one female coupling component 102, one of which is visible in FIG. 18.

FIG. 19 illustrates how the elongation of an embodiment, along with the ability to be connected in multiple orthogonal directions may be used to achieve structural integrity of built structures. The exemplified brick wall-like pattern of embodiments illustrated by FIG. 19 achieves greatly increased structural integrity of the built structure, with increasing integrity as the number of layers of the structure increases.

The use of the invention should be clear to any person who would try to play with embodiments of this invention, and the purpose of toy building blocks is widely known. For the purpose of some examples of use we include FIG. 20 and FIG. 21.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of an example structure built using an embodiment of toy blocks of mixed toy block type of length two, according to the teachings of this invention. The structure represented by FIG. 20 can be used as a spinner to be played with. It illustrates the ability of the blocks to be connected in multiple orthogonal directions.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of an example structure built using an embodiment of toy blocks of mixed toy block type of length two, according to the teachings of this invention. The structure represented by FIG. 21 can be used as a human figure to be played with. It illustrates how the support for relative rotation of the blocks can be used to build dynamic structures. In this example the person playing with the human figure could move it's arms and legs in some limited ways while playing with the structure.

The toy blocks according to the teachings of this invention may be composed of any material suitable for playing and entertainment such as, but not limited to, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and other plastic materials suited for injection moulding. The embodiments can be moulded with classic injection moulding techniques using injection moulding moulds, where the moulds have some movable parts. Other manufacturing techniques of the blocks are not excluded. The structure of the toy blocks can be solid or partially hollow (as shown for example by the illustrations of the embodiment 800), and may or may not include additional internal structure. The toy blocks can be of any color or a combination of colors and of any size. The blocks may also be transparent. The blocks may also be coated with an electricity conducting material, enabling electric circuits to be built with the blocks.