PLAY TOY IN THE FORM OF INTERCHANGEABLE BLOCKS AND METHOD FOR LOCKING INTERCHANGEABLE BLOCKS

Abstract

Invention Patent for a set of interchangeable blocks, intended to be used as toys, toys for motor development, planning and building skills development toys. The shape of blocks (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8) are based on a cubic shaped block (1), with rounded edges (9), featuringat the edge shared by two adjacent sides (A and B and/or B and C and/or A and C and/or A and D and/or A and E and/or F and B and/or F and C and/or F and D and/or F and E), perpendicularly to the aforementioned sidesat least one narrow slot (10) with a perfect fit for the partial insertion (111) of the locking disc (11); the said cube-shaped block (1) is also offered as a cobblestone-shaped block (2), scalene block (3), bulged triangular block (4), rectangular triangle block (5), trapezoidal block (6), half cube block (7) and portal block (8).

Claims

1.-20. (canceled)

21. A block for use in combination with other blocks to form a plurality of interlocking structure in a play toy, comprising: a three-dimensional body having at least two rectangularly-shaped faces, wherein a first rectangularly-shaped face and a second rectangularly-shaped face of said at least two rectangularly-shaped faces are joined along a first edge and oriented perpendicular to each other; and a first slot positioned on said first rectangularly-shaped face, said second rectangularly-shaped face, and said first edge, wherein said first slot is configured to receive one fourth of a disk-shaped locking device.

22. The block of claim 21, further comprising: a third rectangularly-shaped face of said at least two rectangularly-shaped faces joined to said first rectangularly-shaped face along a second edge.

23. The block of claim 22, wherein said third rectangularly-shaped face is joined to said second rectangularly-shaped face along a third edge, and said third rectangularly-shaped face is oriented at a 45 degree angle with respect to said first rectangularly-shaped face, and said third rectangularly-shaped face is oriented at a 45 degree angle with respect to said second rectangularly-shaped face.

24. The block of claim 23, wherein said three-dimensional body has five faces that form a triangular profile.

25. The block of claim 22, wherein said third rectangularly-shaped face is oriented perpendicular to said first rectangularly-shaped face, and a second slot is positioned on said first rectangularly-shaped face, said third rectangularly-shaped face, and said second edge, wherein said second slot is configured to receive one fourth of a disk-shaped locking device.

26. The block of claim 25, wherein said three-dimensional body has six faces that form a cube.

27. The block of claim 26, wherein said three-dimensional body has a slot at least partially positioned on each edge formed, by said six faces of said cube.

28. The block of claim 21, wherein said three-dimensional body comprises a half pipe-shaped cavity.

29. The block of claim 21, wherein said slot is positioned at a midpoint along said first edge.

30. The block of claim 21, wherein said first slot extend from one face of said three-dimensional body to another face of said three-dimensional body.

31. A system for selectively joining multiple blocks in a play toy to construct a structure, comprising: a first block having a three-dimensional body with a first rectangularly-shaped face and a second rectangularly-shaped face joined along a first edge and oriented perpendicular to each other; a first slot positioned on said first rectangularly-shaped face, said second rectangularly-shaped face, and said first edge, said first slot having a slot width; a second block having a three-dimensional body with a third rectangularly-shaped face and a fourth rectangularly-shaped face joined along a second edge and oriented perpendicular to each other; a second slot positioned on said third rectangularly-shaped face, said fourth rectangularly-shaped face, and said second edge, said second slot having said slot width; and a locking device having a predetermined width equal to or greater than said slot width, wherein said locking device is configured to form an interference fit with said first slot and said second slot to selectively join said first block and said second block.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said first block further comprises a third rectangularly-shaped face joined to said first rectangularly-shaped face along a second edge.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said three-dimensional body has six faces that form a cube, and wherein each edge formed by said six faces of said cube has a slot.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein said locking device is disk-shaped, and wherein approximately one fourth of a volume of said locking device is positioned in said first slot, and approximately one fourth of said volume of said locking device is positioned in said second slot.

35. The system of claim 31, further comprising: a third block having a third slot with said slot width; a fourth block having a fourth slot with said slot width, wherein said locking device is configured to form an interference fit with said third slot and said fourth slot to selectively interconnect said first block, said second block, said third block, and said fourth block.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein said locking device tapers from said predetermined width to a continuous edge that extends around a circumference of said locking device.

37. A method for selectively joining multiple handheld blocks in a play toy, comprising: providing a first block having a three-dimensional body with a first rectangularly-shaped face and a second rectangularly-shaped face joined along a first edge and oriented perpendicular to each other, said first block having a first slot positioned on said first rectangularly-shaped face, said second rectangularly-shaped face, and said first edge, said first slot having a slot width; providing a second block having a three-dimensional body, said second block having a second slot with said slot width; providing a locking device having a predetermined width equal to or greater than said slot width; positioning at least a portion of said first slot adjacent at least a portion of said second slot; inserting said locking device into said first slot and said second slot to produce an interference fit between said locking device and said first slot and an interference fit between said locking device and said second slot to selectively join said first block and said second block.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said positioning step includes positioning said first rectangularly-shaped face of said first block adjacent to a third rectangularly-shaped face of said second block, wherein said second slot is at least partially positioned on said third rectangularly-shaped face.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein said locking device tapers from said predetermined width to a continuous edge that extends around a circumference of said locking device to locate said locking device relative to said first slot and said second slot during said inserting step.

40. The method of claim 37, further comprising: providing a third block with a third slot having said slot width; providing a fourth block with a fourth slot having said slot width; positioning at least a portion of said third slot adjacent said first slot; positioning at least a portion of said fourth slot adjacent said second slot and said third slot; inserting said locking device into said third slot and said fourth slot to produce an interference fit between said locking device and said third slot and an interference fit between said locking device, and said fourth slot to selectively join said first block, said second block, said third block, and said fourth block.

Description

FIGURES THAT ILLUSTRATE THE OBJECT OF THE PATENT APPLICATION

[0011] Hereinafter, the object of this patent application will be described in detail, including joint numerical references to the following description, without any restriction to the proportions and materials to be used in its industrial manufacturing, where:

[0012] FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively, show the top and bottom perspective of a multi-geometric block assembly with coupled locking devices, so as to allow for a better understanding of how blocks interact, as well of the locking method itself;

[0013] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of detail A of FIG. 2;

[0014] FIGS. 4 and 5 are orthogonal, respectively, front and bottom views of an assembly of several blocks of different geometries;

[0015] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 5;

[0016] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of detail A of FIG. 6;

[0017] FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of a block, in the shape of a cube;

[0018] FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of a block, in cobblestone format;

[0019] FIGS. 10 and 11 are perspective views, of opposite angles, of a block with triangular profile;

[0020] FIGS. 12 and 13 are perspective views, of opposite angles, of a block with a triangular profile and a larger bulged face;

[0021] FIGS. 14 and 15 are perspective views, of opposite angles, of a block with rectangular profile;

[0022] FIGS. 16 and 17 are perspective views, of opposite angles, of a block with trapezoidal profile;

[0023] FIGS. 18 and 19 are perspective views, of opposite angles, of a block with half-cube profile;

[0024] FIGS. 20 and 21 are perspective views, of opposite angles, of a block, in the shape of a cube with a portal-shaped cavity;

[0025] FIGS. 22 and 21 are perspective views, of opposite angles, of a block, in the shape of a cube with a portal-shaped cavity;

[0026] FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the disk-shaped locking device;

[0027] FIGS. 24 and 25 are orthogonal, respectively, front and profile views of the disk-shaped locking device;

[0028] FIG. 26 is a perspective view of the locking device, in its half-moon or half-disc variant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] According to the above figures, the PLAY TOY IN THE FORM OF INTERCHANGEABLE BLOCKS AND METHOD FOR LOCKING INTERCHANGEABLE BLOCKS, the main object of this patent application, comprises blocks (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8) shaped to form a basic geometrysee FIG. 8, of the cube block (1) with rounded edges (9); the said blocks (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8) at the common edge of two adjacent sides (A and B and/or B and C and/or A and C and/or A and D and/or A and E and/or F and B and/or F and C and/or F and D and/or F and E), centrally, perpendicularly to the aforementioned sides, are provided with at least one narrow and rounded (101) slot (10), the axis (102) of its radius being centered at the intersection of the sides; the geometry of the slot (10) conforms to a portion (111) which is equivalent to at least see FIG. 24of the locking device (11) or half of the locking device (12), with a thickness equal to or greater than the width of the aforementioned slot (10). The said bock, in addition to its basic cube (1) form, presents variants of the cobblestone block (2), which features twice the width of the cube block (1); the scalene block (3), with a scalene triangle profile, from the angular cut, at 45 degrees, of a cube block (1); the bulged triangular block (4), from the angular cut on, at 45 degrees of the cube block (1), with a large rounded side (41); Rectangle triangle block (5), from the angular cut of half the cube block (1); a trapezoidal block (6), constructed from the cube block (1) with angular cut, from the upper end to the median portion (M) of the cube block (1); half cube block (7) is obtained from the parallel cut with any of the sides, in the medial portion (M), of half the cube block (1); and the portal block (8) consists of the geometry of the cube block (1), provided with a cavity (81).

[0030] A preferred construction form of the blocks (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8) comprises: 12 (twelve) slots (10) in the cube block (1); 12 (twelve) slots (10) in the cobblestone block (2); 5 (five) slots (10) in the scalene block (3); 5 (five) slots (10) in the bulged triangular block (4); 1 (one) slot (10) in the rectangular triangle block (5); 6 (six) slots (10) in the trapezoidal block (6); 4 (four) slots (10) in the half cube block (7) and 8 (eight) slots (10) in the portal block (8). A variantnot shownof the cobblestone block (2), provides 16 (sixteen) slots (10). The block locking method (1 and/or 2 and/or 3 and/or 4 and/or 5 and/or 6 and/or 7 and/or 8) comprises the juxtaposition of at least two blocks, the alignment of at least one slot (10) on each block, the coupling of a locking device (11) or a half locking device (12) and, if desired, juxtaposing other blocks by moving one of its slots towards the exposed portion of the locking device (11 or 12). The locking device (11) allows the locking of up to 4 (four) adjacent blocks (1 and/or 2 and/or 3 and/or 4 and/or 5 and/or 6 and/or 7 and/or 8) or, by using the locking device (12), the locking of up to 2 adjacent blocks is achieved (1 and/or 2 and/or 3 and/or 4 and/or 5 and/or 6 and/or 7 and/or 8). Each block (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8) or locking device (11 or 12) may have a smooth or textured surface for improved grip while handling, with elements featuring different colors, patterns or blended colors. Other shapes, based on the basic geometrysee FIG. 8of the cube block (1), including or not one or more slots (s) (10) may have, for example, a profile with corrugations, repeated triangles, slots, arcs, a passing hole to the opposite face, openings; pyramidal geometry, cylindrical geometry. The locking device (11 or 12) can be replaced by a device with a polygonal shape (pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal), for example, whole or divided in half, with a perfect fit to the geometry of the slot (10). The preferred shape of the slot geometry comprises a straight angle, which accommodates the locking device in its various polygonal shapes (pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal).