A TOY BUILDING ELEMENT AND A METHOD AND A MOLD FOR PRODUCING SUCH A TOY BUILDING ELEMENT FOR A TOY BUILDING SET

Abstract

A toy building element having an integrally injection molded body comprising at least two adjacent tubular connector sockets and two mutually equidistant connecting flanges extending from diametrically opposite sides of one of the two adjacent tubular connector sockets and to diametrically opposite sides of the other one of the two adjacent tubular connector sockets so that a first channel is formed between them. The first channel extends between the two parallel surfaces and a first stiffening wall is arranged in the first channel. The first stiffening wall divides the first channel into a first channel part close to one of the two parallel surfaces and a second channel part close to the other of the two parallel surfaces. At least a section of the first stiffening wall is closer to one of the two parallel surfaces than it is to the other one of the two parallel surfaces.

Claims

1. A toy building element for at toy building set, the toy building element having: an integrally injection molded body comprising; at least two adjacent tubular connector sockets extending along mutually parallel tube axes between two mutually identical and parallel surfaces, two mutually equidistant connecting flanges extending from diametrically opposite sides of one of the two adjacent tubular connector sockets to diametrically opposite sides of the other one of the two adjacent tubular connector sockets so that the two adjacent tubular connector sockets are spaced apart by the connecting flanges and form a first channel between them, the first channel extending between the two parallel surfaces and having a relatively wide cross section close to each of the connecting flanges and a relatively narrow cross section in the middle between the connecting flanges, and a first stiffening wall arranged in the first channel, the first stiffening wall dividing the first channel into a first channel part close to one of the two parallel surfaces and a second channel part close to the other of the two parallel surfaces, at least a section of the first stiffening wall positioned closer to one of the two parallel surfaces than it is to the other one of the two parallel surfaces.

2. The toy building element according to claim 1, further comprising: a third tubular connector socket extending along a third tube axis being parallel with said two mutually parallel tube axes, wherein, the two mutually equidistant connecting flanges further extend from diametrically opposite sides of one of the two adjacent tubular connector sockets and to diametrically opposite sides of the third tubular connector socket so that the third tubular connector socket is spaced apart from said one of the two adjacent tubular connector sockets, forming a second channel between them, the second channel extending between the two parallel surfaces and, similar to the first channel, having a relatively wide cross section close to each of the connecting flanges and a relatively narrow cross section in the middle between the connecting flanges, and a second stiffening wall is arranged in the second channel in the middle between the two parallel surfaces.

3. The toy building element according to claim 2, wherein the parallel tube axes of the two adjacent tubular connector sockets and the third tubular connector socket are arranged equidistantly along a straight line, forming a beam structure.

4. The toy building element according to claim 1, further comprising a cone shaped tapered pinpoint gate

5. The toy building element according to claim 1, wherein the relatively wide cross section of the first stiffening wall is parallel with the two parallel surfaces.

6. The toy building element according to claim 1, wherein the relatively wide cross section of the first stiffening wall comprises a gate mark arranged at a surface of the first stiffening wall facing the one of the two parallel surfaces.

7. (canceled)

8. The toy building element according to claim 1, further comprising a gate arranged in a mold cavity forming the surface of the first stiffening wall facing the one of the two parallel surfaces of the toy building element.

9. The toy building element according to claim 1, further comprising a gate arranged for each mold cavity in a surface of the mold cavity forming the surface of the first stiffening wall facing the one of the two parallel surfaces of the toy building element.

10. The toy building element according to claim 9, wherein the gate is a cone shaped tapered pinpoint gate with a cone angle between 8-15 degrees and having a smallest cross section closest to the mold cavity.

11. A toy building element comprising: a housing defining: two parallel surfaces connected by two sidewall flanges; a first channel extending between the two parallel surfaces, the first channel having a relatively wide cross-section proximate to the two sidewall flanges and narrowing progressively away from the two sidewall flanges, and a stiffening wall intersecting the first channel, dividing the first channel into a two separate parts, the stiffening wall positioned closer to one of the two parallel surfaces than it is to the other one of the two parallel surfaces.

12. The toy building element according to claim 11, further comprising a first tubular connector socket adjacent the first channel, the first tubular connector socket extending along a first tube axes between the two parallel surfaces.

13. The toy building element according to claim 12, further comprising a second tubular connector socket disposed adjacent the first channel, on an opposite side of the first channel as the first tubular connector socket, the second tubular connector socket extending along a second tube axes between the two parallel surfaces.

14. The toy building element according to claim 13, wherein the first and second tube axes are parallel each other but perpendicular to the two parallel surfaces.

15. The toy building element according to claim 13, wherein the housing further defines a second channel adjacent the second tubular connector socket, the second channel extending between the two parallel surfaces, the second channel having a relatively wide cross-section proximate to the two sidewall flanges and narrowing progressively away from the two sidewall flanges.

16. The toy building element according to claim 15, further comprising a third tubular connector socket disposed adjacent the second channel, on an opposite side of the second channel as the second tubular connector socket, the third tubular connector socket extending along a third tube axes between the two parallel surfaces.

17. A toy building element comprising: a housing defining: two parallel surfaces connected by two sidewall flanges; a first channel extending between the two parallel surfaces, the first channel having a relatively wide cross-section proximate to the two sidewall flanges and narrowing progressively away from the two sidewall flanges; a first tubular connector socket adjacent the first channel, the first tubular connector socket extending along a first tube axes between the two parallel surfaces; a second tubular connector socket disposed adjacent the first channel, on an opposite side of the first channel as the first tubular connector socket, the second tubular connector socket extending along a second tube axes between the two parallel surfaces; a second channel adjacent the second tubular connector socket, the second channel extending between the two parallel surfaces, the second channel having a relatively wide cross-section proximate to the two sidewall flanges and narrowing progressively away from the two sidewall flanges; a third tubular connector socket disposed adjacent the second channel, on an opposite side of the second channel as the second tubular connector socket, the third tubular connector socket extending along a third tube axes between the two parallel surfaces; and a plurality of stiffening walls intersecting each channel, dividing the respective channel into a two separate parts.

18. The toy building element according to claim 17, wherein the first, second, and third tube axes are parallel each other but perpendicular to the two parallel surfaces.

19. The toy building element according to claim 17, wherein the housing further defines a third channel solely adjacent the third tubular connector socket, the third channel extending between the two parallel surfaces, the third channel having a relatively wide cross-section proximate to the two sidewall flanges and narrowing progressively away from the two sidewall flanges.

20. The toy building element according to claim 17, wherein the housing further defines a fourth tubular connector socket disposed solely adjacent the third channel, the fourth tubular connector socket extending along a fourth tube axes between the two parallel surfaces.

21. The toy building element according to claim 17, wherein the housing further defines a cross-shaped connector socket disposed solely adjacent the first channel, the cross-shaped connector socket extending along a cross-shaped connector axes between the two parallel surfaces.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Various aspects of the present disclosure are discussed herein with reference to the accompanying Figures. It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the drawings have not necessarily been drawn accurately or to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements can be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity or several physical components can be included in one functional block or element. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals can be repeated among the drawings to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. For purposes of clarity, however, not every component can be labeled in every drawing. The Figures are provided for the purposes of illustration and explanation and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective drawing, showing one embodiment of a toy building element according to the disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 1.

[0020] FIG. 3 is a cross section through the toy building element shown in FIG. 1.

[0021] FIG. 4 is another cross section through the toy building element shown in FIG. 1.

[0022] FIG. 5 is a principle drawing showing a cross section through a mold for molding the toy building element shown in the FIGS. 1 through 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The subject technology overcomes many of the prior art problems associated with toy building elements. The advantages, and other features of the technology disclosed herein, will become more readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description of certain exemplary embodiments taken in combination with the drawings and wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural elements. It should be noted that directional indications such as vertical, horizontal, upward, downward, right, left and the like, are used with respect to the figures and not meant in a limiting manner.

[0024] FIGS. 1 to 3 show one embodiment of a toy building element according to the disclosure. The toy building element is an integrally injection molded unit having at least two adjacent tubular connector sockets 1, 2 extending along mutually parallel tube axes 3, 4 between two mutually parallel surfaces 5, 6. Two mutually equidistant connecting flanges 7, 8 extend from diametrically opposite sides of one of the two adjacent tubular connector sockets 1 and to diametrically opposite sides of the other one of the two adjacent tubular connector sockets 2 so that the two adjacent tubular connector sockets 1, 2 are spaced apart by the connecting flanges 7, 8. Thereby, two mutually identical flanges 7, 8 are mirror symmetrical and extend on opposite sides of a common symmetry plane.

[0025] A first channel 9 is thereby formed between the two adjacent connector sockets 1, 2 and the two connecting flanges 7, 8. This first channel has a bone shaped cross section extending between the two parallel surfaces 5, 6 with a relatively wide cross section 11 close to each of the connecting flanges 7, 8 and a relatively narrow cross section 12 in the middle between the connecting flanges 7, 8.

[0026] In order to provide a stiff construction, a first stiffening wall 10 is arranged in the first channel 9 so that the first stiffening wall 10 divides the first channel 9 into a first channel part 20 close to one of the two parallel surfaces 5 and a second channel part 21 close to the other of the two parallel surfaces 6.

[0027] According to the disclosure, at least a section of the first stiffening wall 9 is closer to one of the two parallel surfaces 5 than it is to the other one of the two parallel surfaces 6.

[0028] The toy building element further has a third tubular connector socket 14 extending along a third tube axis 15 being parallel with said two mutually parallel tube axes 3, 4 and the two mutually equidistant connecting flanges 7, 8 further extend from diametrically opposite sides of one of the two adjacent tubular connector sockets 2 and to diametrically opposite sides of the third tubular connector socket 14 so that the third tubular connector socket 14 is spaced apart from said one of the two adjacent tubular connector sockets and form a second channel similar to the first channel 10. The second channel is closed by a second stiffening wall 16 arranged in the middle between the two mutually parallel surfaces 5, 6 just as it is the case with some prior art toy building elements of this type.

[0029] In this relation, the two mutually parallel axes 1, 2 and the third axis 15 are, in this embodiment, arranged equidistantly along a straight line so that the connector sockets 1, 2 and 14 together with the connecting flanges 7, 8 forms a beam structure. However, the connector sockets may alternatively be arranged to form an angle and the toy building element may have more connector sockets than what is shown in FIGS. 1 through 3.

[0030] FIG. 4 shows a cross section through the first stiffening wall 9 of the toy building element shown in FIGS. 1 through 3. The first stiffening wall 9 has a cone shaped tapered pinpoint gate

[0031] By having at least a section 23 of the first stiffening wall 9 arranged closer to one of the two parallel surfaces 5 than it is to the other one of the two parallel surfaces 6 it is made possible to produce a toy building element by injection molding without thereby making a gate mark 22 at a visible position on the toy building element due to the fact that it is possible to inject plastic material from e.g. a runner channel 28 via a cone shaped tapered pinpoint gate 18 such as it is shown in FIG. 5 into the mold cavity 24 formed by the mold parts 25 and 26 that are divided by a dividing line 27. The gate 18 is arranged to feed the mold cavity 24 at a position 17 where it forms the section 23 of the first stiffening wall 9 being very close to the one of the two parallel surfaces 5.

[0032] It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art that the functions of several elements can, in alternative embodiments, be carried out by fewer elements, or a single element. Similarly, in some embodiments, any functional element can perform fewer, or different, operations than those described with respect to the illustrated embodiment. Also, functional elements shown as distinct for purposes of illustration can be incorporated within other functional elements in a particular embodiment.

[0033] While the subject technology has been described with respect to various embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various changes and/or modifications can be made to the subject technology without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.