ELASTIC TOY BUILDING BRICKS

Abstract

The invention provides a toy building brick made of a soft material and joinable to at least one other building brick. Additionally, disclosed is a solid building brick system of a soft elastic material, which enables the detachably joining of said bricks with each other, allowing the assembly of structures whose dimensions exceed the state of the art and, maintaining the firmness in said structures.

Claims

1. A building brick, wherein the brick includes a rectangular parallelepiped shape having a length, a width and a height, and wherein the brick is capable of being detachably joined to at least one other brick from a male-female joining relationship, the brick comprises: at least one male joining element whose location at one face of the brick varies according to the magnitude of the length of the brick; and at least one female joining element whose location at one opposite face of the brick depends on the location of the male joining element, wherein the brick is made of a soft elastic material, wherein the male-female relationship is not perfect.

2. The building brick according to claim 1, wherein the widths of the at least one female joining element are smaller than the widths of the at least one male joining element.

3. The building brick according to claim 2, wherein the widths of the at least one female joining element are at least one (1) mm smaller than the widths of the at least one male joining element.

4. The building brick according to claim 1, wherein the building brick further includes at least one relief bore around at least one of the at least one female joining element.

5. The building brick according to claim 1, wherein the length of the building brick is greater than 20 cm.

6. The building brick according to claim 1, wherein the material is selected from the list of: ethylene-vinyl acetate, polyurethane foam, polyethylene foam and polystyrene foam.

7. The building brick according to claim 1, wherein at least one male joining element includes a chamfer around its base.

8. The building brick according to claim 7, wherein the chamfer has a curved shape.

9. The building brick according to claim 7, wherein the chamfer is angled at 45 degrees with respect to the one face of the building brick.

10. A set of building bricks, comprising a plurality of building bricks made of a first material, wherein each brick is detachably joined to at least one other brick by a non-perfect male-female element relationship, wherein the force of said joining and detachment depends on the elastic deformation of the first material.

11. The set of building bricks according to claim 10, wherein the non-perfect male-female relationship is defined due to the female element being smaller than the male element.

12. The set of building bricks according to claim 11, wherein the female element is at least one (1) mm smaller than the male element.

13. The set of building bricks according to claim 10, wherein each brick of the set of bricks further includes at least one relief bore around the female element.

14. The set of building bricks according to claim 10, wherein the first material is selected from the list of: ethylene-vinyl acetate, polyurethane foam, polyethylene foam and polystyrene foam.

15. A building brick configured to be detachably joined to at least one other building brick by a male-female joining relationship, wherein the building brick comprises: at least one male joining element located on one face of the building brick, wherein each of the at least one male joining elements have a first diameter; and at least one female joining element that is located on a face opposite of the one face of the building brick, wherein each of the at least one female joining elements have a second diameter, wherein the location of each of the at least one female joining element depends on the location of a corresponding one of the at least one male joining element, wherein the male-female joining relationship between building bricks comprises male joining elements having the first diameter being inserted into female joining elements having the second diameter, wherein the second diameter is smaller than the first diameter, and wherein the brick is made of an elastic material.

16. The building brick according to claim 15, wherein the building brick further includes at least one relief bore around at least one female joining element.

17. The building brick according to claim 16, wherein the at least one relief bore comprises a non-circular relief bore.

18. The building brick according to claim 15, wherein at least one male joining element includes a chamfer around its base.

19. The building brick according to claim 15, wherein the first diameter is a multiple of a length of the building brick.

20. The building brick according to claim 15, wherein the second diameter is a multiple of a length of the building brick.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention in three different views corresponding to the isometric view, front view and bottom view.

[0020] FIG. 2 shows an AA sectional view of the brick of FIG. 1.

[0021] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention, wherein all dimensions of the brick are made in relation to multiples of a length L.

[0022] FIG. 4, shows an embodiment of the present invention in front view and sectional view, wherein a support chamfer is included around the base of each protrusion or pivot.

[0023] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the present invention in front view and sectional view, wherein a support chamfer is included around the base of each protrusion or pivot and/or relief bores are included around each female element.

[0024] FIG. 6 shows the brick of FIG. 5, wherein some of the stresses undergone during use by said brick are seen.

[0025] FIG. 7 shows an isometric bottom view of an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the relief bores have a non-circular shape.

[0026] FIG. 8 shows an illustrative example of the assembly of three bricks.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the embodiments and is provided in the context of a particular application and its requirements.

[0028] Several modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown, on the contrary it must concur with the broader scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.

[0029] The present invention relates to a toy building brick made of a soft elastic material joinable to at least one other building brick with the same properties, characterized in that it comprises: a plurality of projections extending from at least one surface of said brick, and undercut recesses disposed on the surface opposite to said at least one surface, at least some of said recesses being in substantial alignment with said projections, said projections having a hollow cylindrical shape or not, constituting male joining means, said undercut recesses constituting female joining means, being at least partial counterparts of said projections.

[0030] The examples shown in this document use bricks with two male elements and two female elements. However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the number of male elements and female elements per brick may vary without affecting the subject matter of the present invention, wherein the dimensions of the brick are proportionally adjusted to accommodate said number of male and female elements. Additionally, the examples shown are made from rectangular parallelepipeds, however, one skilled in the art will appreciate that said configuration may vary without affecting the subject matter of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 1, shows an embodiment of the present invention in several views (isometric, frontal and bottom), wherein a brick 10 is shown with two protrusions which we will call male elements 11 distributed centrally and uniformly on one face of said brick 10; and two tubular holes corresponding to the female elements 12, distributed centrally and uniformly at one opposite face of said brick 10. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the number of male elements and female elements may vary without affecting the subject matter of the present invention, so they could be bricks of at least one male element 11 and at least one female element 12. Thus, a brick with a length L, width M, height H is shown. In one embodiment of the invention, the width M and the height H correspond to a multiple of said length L. In a particular embodiment, the width M correspond to L/2.

[0032] FIG. 2 shows the AA sectional view in FIG. 1. Thus, male elements with a height A and a diameter D are shown. In this regard, the female elements with a depth P and a diameter Q are shown. In one embodiment of the invention, the diameter D is equal to the diameter Q.

[0033] In another embodiment of the invention, the diameter D is different to the diameter Q. In a particular embodiment, the diameter D is greater than the diameter Q. In this regard, the height A is, either equal to or less than the depth P. In one embodiment of the invention, the height A and the depth P are equal to or greater than half the height H. In one embodiment of the invention, the diameter D is a multiple of the length L. In another embodiment of the invention, the diameter Q is a multiple of the length L.

[0034] In this context, making use of the properties of the materials used, that is, soft materials, and to ensure that the structures formed from the detachably joining of bricks 10 are firm, an offset between the diameter Q and diameter D is included, thus defining a non-perfect relationship or pressure relationship between said elements, wherein an elastic deformation in at least one of the male and/or female elements generates a joining force in said male-female relationship. In this regard, said offset is greater than 1 mm. In a particular embodiment, the offset is 2 mm.

[0035] The separation distance X between each center of the male elements 11 corresponds to the separation distance between female elements 12. Additionally, in one embodiment of the invention said distance X is a multiple of the length L. In a particular embodiment, the distance X is equal to L/2.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention, wherein a brick whose configuration and dimensions are relative to a length L.

[0037] In one embodiment of the invention, the length L, either corresponding to the embodiment of FIG. 1 or the embodiment of FIG. 3, is greater than 20 cm. In a particular embodiment, the length L is equal to 25 cm. Thus, a relationship between said length and the mechanical properties of the selected material corresponding to a soft and elastic material requiring about 3 psi to 5 psi of pressure to compress 25% thereof and return to its original shape after said pressure, defines a set of bricks that can be assembled forming firm structures, and representing a minimum risk to the user or users.

[0038] FIG. 4, shows an embodiment of the invention, wherein the brick 10 includes a chamfer 20. Once a multi-brick structure of the present invention has been formed, the male elements 11 undergo a bending due to the same structure and to external forces, the base of each male element 11 being particularly a critical point. Thus, to increase the useful life of each brick, in said embodiment of the invention, a chamfer around the base of each male element 11 is included. FIG. 4 shows a chamfer with straight and 45 shape, however, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the shape, angle and depth of the chamfer may vary without affecting the subject matter of the present invention.

[0039] Additionally, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the chamfer shape may be curved or irregular, without affecting the subject matter of the present invention.

[0040] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the present invention in sectional view and bottom view, wherein one or a plurality of relief bores 5 around the female elements 12 are included, which, depending on their size, number, shape and location, provide a controlled elastic deformation or controlled pressure on the male and/or female element when inserted with one another into a non-perfect male-female relationship. In this regard, the use of relief bores enables each male element to be inserted and detached from the female element when the male-female relationship includes a male width greater than the female width. Thus, when the male element is attempted to be inserted into the female element, a pressure is generated which is increasing as it continues to be inserted due to several factors including friction. In this regard, it has been identified that some children do not have enough force to either join or detach bricks when the male-female relationship is not perfect. Thus, the relief bores 5 enable the detachably joining of bricks by allowing firm structures of several joined bricks to be assembled.

[0041] In one embodiment of the invention, the relief bores, in a sectional view, have a conic shape. Thus, the relief pressure generated by said bores varies according to the depth with which each male element is inserted.

[0042] One skilled in the art will appreciate that the number, configuration, depth, shape and/or size of the relief bores may vary without affecting the subject matter of the present invention.

[0043] In one embodiment of the invention, a friction-reducing layer of slip material is used on the surface of either each male element and/or each female element to enable the joining and detachment of bricks with each other.

[0044] FIG. 6 shows a brick of an embodiment of the invention in sectional view, wherein the stresses to which each brick is subjected during use are depicted. Thus, a force F applied cross-sectionally at one point of the brick is absorbed elastically deforming said brick without affecting the other points. The deformation of each brick will depend on the applied force F and on the material with which said brick is made. In this regard, an impact defined by a force F applied in a short period of time is likewise absorbed by the material of the brick.

[0045] Additionally, FIG. 6 shows the stresses to which the male elements and the female elements are subjected particularly when there is a non-perfect detachably joining relationship and wherein there is an elastic deformation in at least one of said elements. In this regard, it is shown how the relief bores allow part of the material around the female element to be freely compressed and/or bent generating a joining stress between the male element and the female element controlled and dependent on the shape, number and size of the relief bore or bores. Thus, reflecting on a friendly force to join or detach the bricks by the user. In this regard, the use of soft materials in a non-perfect female-male relationship allows compressions and/or bends in different parts of the bricks to be relieved from elastic deformations, so that these are detachably joined.

[0046] FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the present invention wherein the relief bores have a shape other than circular.

[0047] FIG. 8 shows an example of assembly of bricks 10 of an embodiment of the present invention, wherein pressure is applied on said bricks to be joined so as to maintain a mutual joining.

[0048] The foregoing descriptions of several embodiments have been presented for purposes of illustration and description only. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the disclosed shapes. Accordingly, many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Further, the foregoing disclosure is not intended to limit the present invention.