SNAP-LOCK CONSTRUCTION TOY

Abstract

A snap-lock toy has a body having at least a first end disposed along an axis. A female snap-lock connector has a generally hollow interior extending into the first end of the body. The female snap-lock connector has a bifurcated engagement member that receives a male snap-lock connector having a head, a neck, and a shoulder along the axis. The bifurcated engagement member has first and second female engagement members separated by a slit. Each of the first and second female engagement members respectively have a wall having head, neck, and shoulder engagement regions. The first and second female engagement members elastically deflect from original states upon receiving the male snap-lock connector and return their original states once the head of male snap-lock connector is lodged within the head engagement region.

Claims

1. A snap-lock toy, comprising: a body having at least a first end disposed along an axis thereof; and a female snap-lock connector having a generally hollow interior extending into the first end of the body, wherein the female snap-lock connector comprises a bifurcated engagement member configured to receive a male snap-lock connector along the axis of the body, the male snap-lock connector having a head, a neck, and a shoulder, wherein the bifurcated engagement member comprises a first female engagement member and a second female engagement member separated by a slit, and wherein each of the first female engagement member and a second female engagement member each respectively comprise a wall having a head engagement region, a neck engagement region, and shoulder engagement region, wherein the first female engagement member and second female engagement member are configured to elastically deflect from respective original states upon receiving the head and neck of the male snap-lock connector, and wherein the first female engagement member and second female engagement member are configured to return their respective original states once the head of the male snap-lock connector is lodged within the head engagement region of the female snap-lock connector.

2. The snap-lock toy of claim 1, wherein the head and neck of the male snap-lock connector are mushroom-shaped.

3. The snap-lock toy of claim 2, wherein a shape of the shoulder of the male snap-lock connector and shoulder engagement region of the female snap-lock connector are complementary in shape when viewed along the axis.

4. The snap-lock toy of claim 3, wherein the shoulder engagement region of the female snap-lock connector is larger than the shoulder of the male snap-lock connector when viewed along the axis.

5. The snap-lock toy of claim 3, wherein the shoulder engagement region of the female snap-lock connector is generally octagonal in shape.

6. The snap-lock toy of claim 5, wherein the shoulder engagement region of the female snap-lock connector generally provides a plurality of 45 degree increments of insertion of the male snap-lock connector.

7. The snap-lock toy of claim 3, wherein the shape of the shoulder of the male snap-lock connector and shoulder engagement region of the female snap-lock connector generally maintains a rotational orientation of the male snap-lock connector with respect to female snap-lock connector.

8. The snap-lock toy of claim 1, wherein the body of the female snap-lock connector are comprised of a plastic.

9. The snap-lock toy of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises one or more stiffening members configured to stiffen the body.

10. The snap-lock toy of claim 1, wherein the first female engagement member and a second female engagement member are mirror images of one another when viewed along the axis.

11. The snap-lock toy of claim 1, further comprising one or more ribs defined in the body, wherein the one or more ribs support the first female engagement member and second female engagement member.

12. The snap-lock toy of claim 11, wherein the slit and the one or more ribs are configured to enable the first female engagement member and second female engagement member to elastically deflect as the head of the male snap-lock connector is pushed through the neck engagement region.

13. The snap-lock toy of claim 1, comprising a plurality of female snap-lock connectors extending into a plurality of ends of the body.

14. The snap-lock toy of claim 1, further comprising another male snap-lock connector disposed at a second end of the body, wherein the male snap-lock connector has another head, another neck, and another shoulder.

15. The snap-lock toy of claim 1, wherein the first female engagement member and second female engagement member return to their respective original states once the head of the male snap-lock connector is lodged within the head engagement region of the female snap-lock connector selectively secures the male snap-lock connector to the body.

16. A snap-lock toy, comprising: a body having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end has a first axis associated therewith; a female snap-lock connector having a generally hollow interior extending into the first end of the body, wherein the female snap-lock connector comprises a bifurcated engagement member, wherein the bifurcated engagement member comprises a first female engagement member and a second female engagement member separated by a slit, and wherein each of the first female engagement member and a second female engagement member each respectively comprise a wall having a head engagement region, a neck engagement region, and shoulder engagement region, wherein the first female engagement member and second female engagement member are configured to elastically deflect from and to respective original states; and a male snap-lock connector extending from the second end of the body, wherein the male snap-lock connector having a head, a neck, and a shoulder.

17. The snap-lock toy of claim 16, wherein the first female engagement member and second female engagement member are configured to elastically deflect from their respective original states upon receiving another head, another neck and another shoulder of another male snap-lock connector, and wherein the first female engagement member and second female engagement member are configured to return their respective original states once the another head of the another male snap-lock connector is lodged within the head engagement region of the female snap-lock connector, therein selectively securing the another male snap-lock connector to the body.

18. The snap-lock toy of claim 16, further comprising one or more ribs defined in the body, wherein the one or more ribs support the first female engagement member and second female engagement member.

19. The snap-lock toy of claim 18, wherein the slit and the one or more ribs are configured to enable the first female engagement member and second female engagement member to elastically deflect as the head of the male snap-lock connector is pushed through the neck engagement region.

20. The snap-lock toy of claim 16, wherein the head and neck of the male snap-lock connector are mushroom-shaped, and wherein the shoulder of the male snap-lock connector and shoulder engagement region of the female snap-lock connector are generally octagonal in shape.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] FIG. 1A is a plan view of an exemplary snap-lock rod in accordance with various aspects of the disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 1B is an end view of the exemplary snap-lock of FIG. 1A.

[0036] FIG. 1C is another end view of the exemplary snap-lock of FIG. 1A.

[0037] FIG. 2 is a plan view of two exemplary snap-lock rods coupled to one another in accordance with various aspects of the disclosure.

[0038] FIG. 3A is a perspective view illustrating several aspects of a snap-lock rod according to several examples of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 3B is another perspective view illustrating several aspects of the snap-lock rod of FIG. 3A according to several examples of the present invention.

[0040] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating several aspects of another snap-lock rod according to several examples of the present invention.

[0041] FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating several aspects of yet another snap-lock rod according to several examples of the present invention.

[0042] FIGS. 6A-6B are respective top and bottom perspective views of an exemplary snap-lock block in accordance with various aspects of the disclosure.

[0043] FIGS. 6C-6D are respective top and bottom views of the snap-lock block of FIGS. 6A-6B in accordance with various aspects of the disclosure.

[0044] FIG. 7A is a plan view illustrating several aspects of another snap-lock block according to several examples of the present disclosure.

[0045] FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view of the snap-lock block of FIG. 7A according to various examples of the present disclosure.

[0046] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of snap-lock block coupled to snap-lock rods according to various examples of the present disclosure.

[0047] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a snap-lock block coupled to snap-lock rods according to various examples of the present disclosure.

[0048] FIG. 10 is a top plan view of a snap-lock rod coupled to snap-lock block according to various examples of the present disclosure.

[0049] FIGS. 11A-11D are perspective views of various snap-lock blocks according to various examples of the present disclosure.

[0050] FIGS. 12-17 are perspective views illustrating examples of various snap-lock blocks according to various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0051] FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an exemplary snap-lock wing according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0052] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of an exemplary snap-lock cap according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0053] FIG. 20 is a perspective view of an exemplary snap-lock wheel hub according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0054] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of an exemplary wing snap-lock wheel according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0055] FIG. 22 is a perspective view of an assembly utilizing snap-lock blocks and snap-lock rods according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0056] FIG. 23 is a perspective view of another assembly utilizing snap-lock blocks and snap-lock rods according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0057] FIG. 24 is a perspective view of yet another assembly utilizing snap-lock blocks and snap-lock rods according to an example of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0058] The present disclosure is directed generally toward construction toys, wherein the construction toys comprise one or more features configured to provide interconnections therebetween with a uniform force and at a plurality of angles. The construction toys of the present disclosure may utilize reusable snap-lock components and/or friction-fit components configured to enable a user to construct assemblies of various shapes and configurations.

[0059] Accordingly, the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals may be used to refer to like elements throughout. It is to be understood that the description of these aspects are merely illustrative and that they should not be interpreted in a limiting sense. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be evident to one skilled in the art, however, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. Further, the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited by the embodiments or examples described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, but is intended to be only limited by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

[0060] It is also noted that the drawings are provided to give an illustration of some aspects of embodiments of the present disclosure and therefore are to be regarded as schematic only. In particular, the elements shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale with each other, and the placement of various elements in the drawings is chosen to provide a clear understanding of the respective embodiment and is not to be construed as necessarily being a representation of the actual relative locations of the various components in implementations according to an embodiment of the invention. Furthermore, the features of the various embodiments and examples described herein may be combined with each other unless specifically noted otherwise.

[0061] It is also to be understood that in the following description, any direct connection or coupling between functional blocks, devices, components, circuit elements or other physical or functional units shown in the drawings or described herein could also be implemented by an indirect connection or coupling. Furthermore, it is to be appreciated that functional blocks or units shown in the drawings may be implemented as separate features in one embodiment, and may also or alternatively be fully or partially implemented in a common feature in another embodiment.

[0062] Referring now to the Figures, FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate various views of an exemplary snap-lock rod 100 in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. While various shapes and configurations of the snap-lock rod 100 are contemplated, the snap-lock rod in the present example takes the shape of an elongate rod 102. The snap-lock rod 100 of FIG. 1A, for example, has a generally square shape when viewed from a first end 104 (e.g., illustrated in FIG. 1B) or a second end 106 (e.g., illustrated in FIG. 1C).

[0063] In one example, the snap-lock rod 100 comprises one or more of a male snap-lock connector 108 illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, and a female snap-lock connector 110 illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1C, whereby the one or more of the male snap-lock connector and female snap-lock connector are associated with one or more of the first end 104 and second end 106 of the snap-lock rod 100. In accordance with one example, the one or more of the male snap-lock connector 108 and female snap-lock connector 110 are configured to enable selective snap-lock connections to one or more other snap-lock rods, as will be further described infra. For example, the snap-lock rod 100 may be a component of a child's construction toy, whereby the snap-lock rod is selectively interconnected to other snap-lock toys to form an endless variety of shapes, figures, or objects. In accordance with one example, the snap-lock rod 100 is comprised of a substantially rigid plastic.

[0064] The male snap-lock connector 108, for example, comprises a head 112, a neck 114, and a shoulder 116, as illustrated in FIG. 1A. In one example, one or more of the head 112, neck 114, and shoulder 116 are circular-shaped about a central axis 118. As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the head 112 extends from the neck 114 and has a widened central diameter region 120, thus defining a mushroom-shaped tip 122. In other examples, although not shown, the head 112 may be a spherical or an otherwise curvilinear shape. As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the neck 114 has a conical shape with narrowed region 124 joining with the head 112 and a widened region 126 joining with shoulder 116. The shoulder 116, as illustrated in FIG. 1B, has a generally rounded octagonal shape around its perimeter. In other examples, while not shown, the shoulder 116 may have a cylindrical shape having a smooth circular circumference, or other polygonal shape.

[0065] The female snap-lock connector 110 of FIGS. 1A and 1C, for example, has a generally hollow interior 128 and extends into a body 130 of the snap-lock rod 100. The female snap-lock connector 110, for example, is generally defined by a bifurcated engagement member 132 in the body 130, whereby the bifurcated engagement member is sized and proportioned to receive a male snap-lock connector 108 from another snap-lock rod 134, as illustrated in the non-limiting example of FIG. 2. For example, the male snap-lock connector 108 of the another snap-lock rod 134 may be inserted along the central axis 118 (e.g., illustrated by arrow 136), and may be seated in the snap-lock rod 100 as shown in FIG. 2.

[0066] As illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3B, the bifurcated engagement member 132 of the female snap-lock connector 110 comprises a first female engagement member 138A and a second female engagement member 138B separated by a slit 140. The first female engagement member 138A and a second female engagement member 138B, for example, are mirror images of one another (e.g., when viewed along the axis 118) and comprise a wall 142 having a head engagement region 144, a neck engagement region 146, and shoulder engagement region 148. In one example, the shoulder engagement region 148 is a complementary shape to, although slightly larger than, the shoulder 116 of the male snap-lock connector 108 (e.g., a generally rounded octagonal shape around its perimeter). One or more ribs 150, for example, are further defined in the body 130, whereby the one or more ribs act to support or buttress the first female engagement member 138A and second female engagement member 138B.

[0067] The one or more ribs 150 and slit 140, for example, are configured to enable the first female engagement member 138A and second female engagement member 138B to elastically or resiliently deflect as the head 112 of the male snap-lock connector 108 of FIG. 2, for example, is pushed through the neck engagement region 146 of FIGS. 3A-3B. The one or more ribs 150 and slit 140, for example, are further configured to substantially return the first female engagement member 138A and second female engagement member 138B to their original states or positions once the head 112 of male snap-lock connector 112 is lodged within the head engagement region 144 of female snap-lock connector 110, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0068] As the head 112 of the male snap-lock connector 108 slips into the head engagement region 144 of female snap-lock connector 110, the shoulder 116 of the male snap-lock connector mates with the shoulder engagement region 148 shown in FIG. 3B. In an example where the shoulder 116 of the male snap-lock connector 108 has an octagonal shape as illustrated in FIG. 3A, the male snap-lock connector 108 is thus generally locked into a particular orientation with respect to female snap-lock connector 110.

[0069] The orientation of the mated male snap-lock connector 108 and female snap-lock connector 110, for example, may be adjusted by twisting with a small amount of pressure about the central axis 118 of FIG. 2, thus causing the shoulder 116 of the male snap-lock connector 108 to shift with respect to the shoulder engagement region 148 of the female snap-lock connector 110. Such a shift temporarily displaces the first female engagement member 138A and a second female engagement member 138B until the shoulder 116 of the male snap-lock connector 108 to again mates with respect to the shoulder engagement region 148 of the female snap-lock connector 110 (e.g., the octagonal patterns align). The shoulder engagement region 148 of the female snap-lock connector 110, for example, generally provides a plurality of 45 degree increments of insertion of the male snap-lock connector 108.

[0070] It will be appreciated that while the shoulder 116 of the male snap-lock connector 108 and shoulder engagement region 148 of the female snap-lock connector 110 are illustrated as being generally symmetrically octagonal shapes, the present disclosure further contemplates other geometric shapes including three, four, five, and n-sided shapes which may be symmetrical or asymmetrical, whereby n is an integer value. It will be further appreciated that while particular edges have been described herein, shapes with sharp, rounded, or significantly curved edges, any shape is contemplated as falling within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0071] In the event that shoulder 116 of the male snap-lock connector 108 is circular (not shown), male snap-lock connector 108 may spin freely around the central axis 118 within female snap-lock connector 110. Further, it will be appreciated that the body 130 may further comprise one or more stiffening members 152, or other features that provide strength or stiffening of the snap-lock rod 100.

[0072] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of yet another snap-lock rod 154, whereby the yet another snap-lock rod comprises female snap-lock connectors 108 disposed at both the first end 104 and second end 106 thereof, whereby the female snap-lock connectors are configured in a manner similar to that described above. It should be noted that the present disclosure contemplates any number of female snap-lock connectors 108 on any configuration of a snap-lock toy. For example, FIG. 5 illustrates an angled snap-lock rod 156 comprising at least one female snap-lock connector 108. While not shown, various other configurations of snap-lock rods may be provided, such as a tee-shape, a cross-shape, an L-shape, or any other shape whereby at least one female snap-lock connector may be provided in the snap-lock rod. Similarly, any number of male snap-lock connectors are contemplates on any such snap-lock toy, as long as at least one female snap-lock connector is provided on said snap-lock toy.

[0073] In accordance with another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate another embodiment directed toward a snap-lock block 200. In one example, the snap-lock block 200 may be utilized in conjunction with the snap-lock rod 100 of any of FIGS. 1A-1C, 2, 3A-3B, and 4-5.

[0074] FIGS. 6A and 6C, for example, illustrate the exemplary snap-lock block 200 having a first female receptor 202 positioned at a first end 204 of the snap-lock block. FIGS. 6B and 6D, for example, illustrate the exemplary snap-lock block 200 having a second female receptor 206 positioned at a second end 208, thereof. The first female receptor 202 and second female receptor 206 generally define a double-sided female receptor 210 defined along an axis 211, as illustrated in the example shown in FIGS. 7A-7B.

[0075] As will be appreciated infra, the double-sided female receptor 210, for example, is configured to provide a similar connecting force when coupling a male snap-lock connector 212 (e.g., the male snap-lock connector 110 of the snap-lock rod 100 of FIGS. 1A-1C) in either of the first female receptor 202 at the first end 204 of the snap-lock block 200 of FIGS. 6A-6D and 7A-7B or the second female receptor 206 at the second end 208, thereof. The present disclosure thus provides a predetermined moment force for insertion of the male snap-lock connector that is defined such that the predetermined moment M is generally equal at the first end 204 and second end 208 of the double-sided female receptor 210.

[0076] In one exemplary aspect of the disclosure, the predetermined moment M is defined based, at least in part, on a first snap diameter 214 associated with the first end 204 and a second snap diameter 216 associated with the second end 208, as illustrated in cross section 218 of FIG. 7B. The first female receptor 202 and second female receptor 206, for example, are generally defined by a pair of cantilevered receptor wings 220A, 220B defined in a body 222 of the snap-lock block 200, whereby the pair of cantilevered receptor wings extend approximately from the first end 204 to the second end 208. As such, the first snap diameter 214 and second snap diameter 216 are defined by the pair of cantilevered receptor wings 220A, 220B in a rest position 223.

[0077] When the male snap-lock connector 212 (e.g., from another snap-lock block) is inserted in either of the first end 204 and second end 208 of the snap-lock block 200, the pair of cantilevered receptor wings 220A, 220B are displaced from the axis 211 based, at least in part, on an engagement of the male snap-lock connector with the respective first snap diameter 214 associated with the first end 204 or second snap diameter 216 associated with the second end 208 and a force F exerted therebetween along the axis.

[0078] The predetermined moment M, for example, may be further defined based a material composition (e.g., plastic or other resilient material) of the cantilevered receptor wings 220A, 220B, as well as a first distance 224 from a leverage point 226 (e.g., a supported position) to the first snap diameter 214 and a second distance 228 from the leverage point to the second snap diameter 216.

[0079] Accordingly, the first snap diameter 214, second snap diameter 216, first distance 220, and second distance 224 for example, are determined based on the material selection for the body 222 (including the cantilevered receptor wings 220A, 220B) and a desired predetermined insertion force F for the particular male snap-lock connector 212 to be inserted into the first female receptor 202 and second female receptor 206. The first snap diameter 214 and second snap diameter 216, for example, differ from one another based on a first moment M1 associated with the first female receptor 202 and second moment M2 associated with the second female receptor 206, whereby the first snap diameter 214 and second snap diameter 216 generally define the narrowest portion of the respective first female receptor 202 and second female receptor 206. Being different from one another, the first snap diameter 214 and second snap diameter 216, for example, are configured to compensate for the difference between the first moment M1 and second moment M2 to attain the same or nearly the same connecting force during insertion of the male snap-lock connector 212 into the respective first female receptor 202 at the first end 204 and second female receptor 206 at the second end 208. Such a uniform force is desirable in children's toys, such that the child will experience the same force in connections on either the first end 204 or second end 208.

[0080] In accordance with yet another exemplary aspect of the disclosure, the exemplary snap-lock block 200 further comprises an octagonal male feature 250 extending from a surface 252 associated with the first end 204 of the body 222 by a first predetermined distance 254, as illustrated in FIGS. 6A, 6C, and 7A-7B. The first female receptor 202, for example, is generally centered inside the octagonal male feature 250. The combination of the octagonal male feature 250 and the first female receptor 202, for example, provide connection of the snap-lock rod 100 of FIGS. 1A-1C thereto.

[0081] In one example, the octagonal male feature 250 provided in the snap-lock block 200 generally permits the snap-lock rod 100 to be inserted in 45 degree rotational increments, as will be understood upon viewing FIGS. 8-10. For example, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, male snap-lock connectors 212 of two snap-lock rods 256A, 256B are respectively inserted into the first female receptor 202 at the first end 204 and the second female receptor 206 at the second end 208 of the snap-lock block 200. FIG. 10 illustrates the coupling from the first end 204 of the snap-lock block 200.

[0082] In accordance with another example, as illustrated in FIGS. 6B, 6D, the snap-lock block 200 comprises a generally square feature 258 extending into the second end 208 by a second predetermined distance 260. For example, the octagonal male feature 140 and generally square feature 258 are sized such that the generally square feature overlaps the octagonal male feature when viewed along the axis 211. According to one example, the generally square feature 258 of one snap-lock block 200 is configured to selectively accept the octagonal male feature 250 of a similar snap-lock block, whereby the octagonal feature selectively connects (e.g., stacks) via friction with walls 262 shown in FIG. 7B that define the generally square feature. The square male feature 258, for example, is configured to mate with any number of octagonal male features of other snap-lock toys, whereby the interface between the octagonal male feature 250 and the generally square feature provide a plurality of 45 degree increments of rotation with respect to one another.

[0083] In accordance with another exemplary aspect, the snap-lock block 200 may comprise one or more male snap-lock connectors 212, whereby one male snap-lock connectors may be associated with a respective side 264 of the snap-lock block. For example, FIGS. 11A-11D illustrate other snap-lock blocks 270, 272, 274, 276 having a respective one, two, three, and four male snap-lock connectors 212 associated with respective sides 264 thereof. Further, the male snap-lock connector 212 of any of the snap-lock blocks 270, 272, 274, 276 of FIGS. 11A-11D may be coupled to the respective second female receptor 206 of any of said snap-lock blocks. Further strength can be attained by interconnection a variety of said snap-lock blocks.

[0084] The present disclosure contemplates interoperability with other snap-lock toys, such as those described in co-owned U.S. Pat. No. 8,651,914 and US Design Pat. No. D612435, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entireties. In particular, the snap-lock block 200 may be coupled to other toys in a myriad of ways to create an unending number of creations.

[0085] In accordance with various other aspects, the present disclosure can be practiced with various multiples of singles, doubles, triples, and so on of the octagonal features, wherein various snap-lock blocks 280, 282, 284, 286, 288, 290 are illustrated in FIGS. 12-17, as well as accessories 292, 294, 296, 298, with or without male snap-lock connectors.

[0086] In accordance with other aspects of the present disclosure, various assemblies can be made using various configurations of any of the above-described snap-lock blocks, snap-lock rods, and accessories. Examples are illustrated in FIGS. 22-24 showing assemblies 300, 302, 304 using various of the snap-lock blocks and snap-lock rods and accessories described above.

[0087] Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain embodiment or embodiments, it should be noted that the above-described embodiments serve only as examples for implementations of some embodiments of the present invention, and the application of the present invention is not restricted to these embodiments. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described components (assemblies, devices, circuits, etc.), the terms (including a reference to a means) used to describe such components are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any component which performs the specified function of the described component (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other embodiments as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application. Accordingly, the present invention is not to be limited to the above-described embodiments, but is intended to be limited only by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.