Construction kit

Abstract

A construction kit including a plurality of construction assembly pieces each comprising a resilient half rod. The half-rod comprises a rod divided in half longitudinally and having a set of teeth. The set of teeth comprises teeth disposed at intervals along a longitudinal length of said half-rod located in alternate planes to either side of a longitudinal mid-plane of the rod. The teeth are configured to provide a snap-fit interlock with a corresponding set of teeth on the half-rod of an edge of a second corresponding construction assembly piece to define a full, preferably circular cross-section, rod where the two assembly pieces interlock. Each construction assembly pieces defines a flexible plastic rectangle partly open along one edge to allow the rectangle to be flexed further open, for modeling structures having fluid shapes.

Claims

1. A construction assembly piece comprising a resilient half rod, wherein said half-rod comprises a rod divided in half longitudinally and having a set of teeth; wherein said set of teeth comprises teeth disposed at intervals along a longitudinal length of said half-rod configured such that said teeth have a snap-fit interlock with a corresponding set of teeth on the half-rod of an edge of a second said construction assembly piece to define a full rod where two of said construction assembly pieces interlock; and wherein said full rod has a substantially circular cross-section.

2. A construction assembly piece comprising a resilient half rod, wherein said half-rod comprises a rod divided in half longitudinally and having a set of teeth; wherein said set of teeth comprises teeth disposed at intervals along a longitudinal length of said half-rod configured such that said teeth have a snap-fit interlock with a corresponding set of teeth on the half-rod of an edge of a second said construction assembly piece to define a full rod where two of said construction assembly pieces interlock; wherein part of a length of a said rod has a mid-plane plane extending longitudinally and dividing said rod longitudinally in half, wherein said teeth are located in first and second planes parallel to said mid-plane, and wherein along a longitudinal direction of a said edge said teeth are located in alternate ones of the first and second planes.

3. A construction assembly piece comprising a resilient half rod, wherein said half-rod comprises a rod divided in half longitudinally and having a set of teeth; wherein said set of teeth comprises teeth disposed at intervals along a longitudinal length of said half-rod configured such that said teeth have a snap-fit interlock with a corresponding set of teeth on the half-rod of an edge of a second said construction assembly piece to define a full rod where two of said construction assembly pieces interlock; wherein said rods have corners, a said piece further comprising said teeth at a said corner such that two of said pieces are inter-lockable at their respective said corners; wherein part of a length of a said rod has a mid-plane plane extending longitudinally and dividing said rod longitudinally in half, wherein said teeth are located in first and second planes parallel to said mid-plane, and wherein along a longitudinal direction of a said edge said teeth are located in alternate ones of the first and second planes; and wherein two of said construction assembly pieces are interlockable such that, when interlocked at a said corner, corresponding said mid-planes of the respective half-rods of the pieces define mid-planes in different planes at a non-zero angle to one another, and wherein edges of rods of said interlocked construction assembly pieces at said corner lie along a common axis.

4. A construction assembly piece comprising a resilient half rod, wherein said half-rod comprises a rod divided in half longitudinally and having a set of teeth; wherein said set of teeth comprises teeth disposed at intervals along a longitudinal length of said half-rod configured such that said teeth have a snap-fit interlock with a corresponding set of teeth on the half-rod of an edge of a second said construction assembly piece to define a full rod where two of said construction assembly pieces interlock; wherein said rods have corners, a said piece further comprising said teeth at a said corner such that two of said pieces are inter-lockable at their respective said corners; and wherein said teeth at a said corner are configured such that three constructional assembly pieces are interlockable in a configuration where a first and second of said three construction assembly pieces share a common corner and where a third of said construction assembly pieces shares a common edge with both said first and second construction assembly pieces, and wherein said construction assembly piece comprises a flexible plastic said half rod.

5. A construction kit comprising a plurality of construction assembly pieces each comprising a resilient half rod, wherein said half-rod comprises a rod divided in half longitudinally and having a set of teeth; and wherein said set of teeth comprises teeth disposed at intervals along a longitudinal length of said half-rod configured such that said teeth have a snap-fit interlock with a corresponding set of teeth on the half-rod of an edge of a second said construction assembly piece to define a full rod where two of said construction assembly pieces interlock, at least two of said construction assembly pieces each comprising a flexible plastic rectangle, wherein said rectangle comprises a said flexible half rod defining four edges of said rectangle, and wherein said rectangle is open along one edge to define two ends of said half rod, wherein said half rod is flexible such that said ends are moveable towards and away from one another to interlock with other said assembly pieces.

6. A construction kit as claimed in claim 5 wherein a said construction assembly piece has rotational symmetry about a line in said lateral plane bisecting said open edge of said rectangle and an edge of said rectangle opposite said open edge.

7. A construction kit as claimed in claim further 5 comprising at least one further said construction assembly piece configured to clip over a said full rod.

8. A construction kit as claimed in claim 7 wherein said further construction assembly piece is shaped to define an arcuate shape having an inner curved edge sized to fit along an edge of said rectangle opposite said open edge and having an outer curved edge sized to fit two such adjacent lengths such that said further construction assembly piece fits within a said construction assembly piece with an open edge stretched by two other said constructional assembly pieces.

9. A construction kit as claimed in claim 5 wherein said construction assembly piece comprises a flexible plastic rectangle with edges defined by a flexible plastic said half rod.

10. A construction kit comprising a plurality of construction assembly pieces, at least two of said construction assembly pieces each comprising a flexible plastic rectangle, wherein said rectangle comprises flexible half rod defining four edges of said rectangle, wherein said rectangle is open along one edge to define two ends of said half rod, wherein said half rod is flexible such that said ends are moveable towards and away from one another to interlock with other said assembly pieces, wherein said half-rod comprises a rod divided in half longitudinally and having a set of teeth; and wherein said set of teeth comprises teeth disposed at intervals along a longitudinal length of said half-rod such that said teeth interlock with a corresponding set of teeth on the half-rod of an edge of a second said construction assembly piece to define a full rod where two of said construction assembly pieces interlock.

11. A construction kit as claimed in claim 10 wherein said full rod has a substantially circular cross-section.

12. A construction kit as claimed in claim 10 wherein said rectangle defines a lateral plane, wherein said teeth are located in first and second planes parallel to said lateral plane of said rectangle, and wherein along a longitudinal direction of a said edge said teeth are located in alternate ones of the first and second planes.

13. A construction kit as claimed in claim 12 wherein a said construction assembly piece has rotational symmetry about a line in said lateral plane bisecting said open edge of said rectangle and an edge of said rectangle opposite said open edge.

14. A construction kit as claimed in claim 10 further comprising said teeth at corners of said rectangle such that two of said pieces are inter-lockable at their respective said corners.

15. A construction kit as claimed in claim 14 wherein two of said construction assembly pieces are interlockable such that when interlocked at a said corner said rectangles define lateral planes in different planes at a non-zero angle to one another, and wherein edges of said rectangles of said interlocked construction assembly pieces at said corner lie along a common axis.

16. A construction kit as claimed in claim 14 wherein said teeth at a said corner are configured such that constructional assembly pieces are interlockable in a configuration where a first and second of said three construction assembly pieces share a common corner and where a third of said construction assembly pieces shares a common edge with both said first and second construction assembly pieces.

17. A construction kit as claimed claim 10 further comprising at least one further said construction assembly piece configured to clip over a said full rod.

18. A construction kit as claimed in claim 17 wherein said further construction assembly piece is shaped to define an arcuate shape having an inner curved edge sized to fit along an edge of said rectangle opposite said open edge and having an outer curved edge sized to fit two such adjacent lengths such that said further construction assembly piece fits within a said construction assembly piece with an open edge stretched by two other said constructional assembly pieces.

19. A construction kit as claimed in claim 10 wherein said construction assembly piece comprises a flexible plastic rectangle with edges defined by a flexible plastic said half rod.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other aspects of the invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

(2) FIGS. 1-3 show a single construction element;

(3) FIGS. 4-8 show a structure of half and full rod;

(4) FIGS. 9-10 show interconnectability of elements;

(5) FIGS. 11-12 show construction of non-rectilinear and 3 dimensional assemblies;

(6) FIGS. 13-15 show a complementary connection method; and

(7) FIGS. 16-18 show flexible arcuate panels.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(8) Broadly speaking we will describe a construction assembly piece or clip comprising a resilient half rod, wherein the half-rod comprises a rod divided in half longitudinally and having a set of teeth. The set of teeth provides an edge-joining mechanism and comprises teeth disposed at intervals along a longitudinal length of said half-rod, located in alternate planes to either side of a longitudinal mid-plane of the rod. The teeth are configured to provide a snap-fit interlock with a corresponding set of teeth on the half-rod of an edge of a second corresponding construction assembly piece to define a full, preferably circular cross-section, rod where the two assembly pieces interlock.

(9) We also describe a construction kit comprising a plurality of such pieces each defining a flexible plastic rectangle partly open along one edge to allow the rectangle to be flexed further open, for modelling structures having fluid shapes.

(10) We now describe some preferred embodiments with reference to the figures:

(11) FIGS. 1-3, Single Construction Element

(12) FIG. 1Plan view of single construction assembly piece.

(13) FIG. 2Bottom view of said piece.

(14) FIG. 3Perspective view of said piece.

(15) All white areas indicated by reference 1 show surface areas which in the process of injection moulding would be formed by one half of the mould. All hatched areas marked 2 show areas formed by the second half of said mould. That exactly half the surface is visible in FIG. 1 and half in FIG. 2 with no additional hidden areas demonstrates that this geometry is mouldable using a 2 part injection moulding process.

(16) FIGS. 4-8, Structure of Half and Full Rod

(17) As in FIGS. 1-3, surface area above the mould split line is shown white and area below is shown hatched.

(18) FIG. 4Perspective view of half rod.

(19) FIG. 5Perspective view of full rod.

(20) FIG. 6Back view of half rod.

(21) FIG. 7Front view of half rod. The dashed line indicated by reference number 3 shows the mid-plane. The tips of the teeth on either side of this line protrude through the mid-plane such that a small amount of force is required to clip the pieces together. When the teeth are engaged to form a section of full rod they lock together in such a way that they are self bracing against rotational force (around the central axis of the full rod) applied to either piece.

(22) FIG. 8FIGS. 6 and 7 combined to create full rod.

(23) FIGS. 9 and 10, Interconnectability of Elements

(24) FIG. 9Plan view of 4 connected elements where all share a common corner.

(25) FIG. 10Plan view of 3 connected elements where first and second share a common corner and where a third of the pieces shares a common edge with both the first and second pieces.

(26) FIGS. 11 and 12, Construction of Non-Rectilinear and 3 Dimensional Assemblies

(27) FIG. 11Plan view of an example 2 dimensional planar assembly which can be made by deforming individual elements as shown.

(28) FIG. 12Side view of a section of full rod showing how individual and connected elements can also be deformed by bending in a direction perpendicular to that in FIG. 11.

(29) Three dimensional assemblies arise when discrete elements are flexed in both of these perpendicular directions.

(30) FIGS. 13-15. Complementary Connection Method

(31) FIG. 13Perspective view of 2 assembly pieces connected using alternative method.

(32) FIG. 14Perspective Detail of Join.

(33) FIG. 15Plan view of FIG. 13.

(34) Two pieces are inter-lockable at their respective corners such that, when interlocked at a corner, corresponding mid-planes of the respective half-rods of the pieces define mid-planes in different planes at a non-zero angle to one another, and wherein edges of rods of the interlocked pieces at the corner lie along a common axis. In FIGS. 13 and 14 a dashed line marked by reference number 4 indicates said common axis .

(35) FIGS. 16-18. Flexible Arcuate Panels

(36) FIG. 16Perspective view of clip-on flexible arcuate panel.

(37) FIG. 17Perspective view of assembly where panels are deformed to conform to rectilinear constraints.

(38) FIG. 18Plan view of clip on arcuate panels within a planar assembly. In this arrangement the panels are shown in an unflexed position at their maximum span.

(39) These arcuate panels are malleable such that they can accommodate all possible deformations of the substructure from the rectilinear shape shown in FIG. 17 to the extreme arcuate shape of FIG. 18.

(40) No doubt many other effective alternatives will occur to the skilled person. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the described embodiments and encompasses modifications apparent to those skilled in the art lying within the spirit and scope of the claims appended hereto.