Abstract
A set of longitudinal balance beam elements for support upon and close to the floor for teaching young children the skill of balancing and walking on a long and thin beam comprises hollowed-out longitudinal elements with at least one downwardly extending and spaced flange element at the bottom of one end and an upwardly extending and spaced flange element at the bottom of the other end and a second hollow longitudinal element with a downwardly extending and spaced flange element at one bottom end and a flat opposed end, along with a lily pad or rest stop element for connection to said downwardly extending and spaced, flexible mechanical coupling flanges, Two halves of a visual icon are integrated when the components are properly assembled to teach proper connection of the elements and to provide confidence of walking upon the narrow beam.
Claims
1. A set of balance beam elements which can be assembled for use and disassembled for compact and nested storage for teaching the skill of walking upon an elevated balance beam by a youngster comprising: a) At least a first, hollow towards the bottom, longitudinally extending balance beam element having a level, top walking-upon surface, opposed and outwardly extending longitudinal side walls and a pair of opposed front and rear, near vertical walls, having a front bottom edge and a rear bottom edge, respectively, and a downwardly extending and spaced from said front and/or rear wall resilient first flange element at one of said bottom edges of one of said front or rear walls and extending substantially across the front or rear of said edges and across the midpoint thereof, and an upwardly extending and spaced second flange element on the opposed rear or front of said bottom edges of said balance beam element as said downwardly extending and spaced first flange element, b) At least a second hollow towards the bottom, longitudinally extending balance beam element also having a level, top walking-upon surface at the same height as said level of said top walking-upon surface of said first balance beam element(s), said second balance beam element also having a set of opposed front and rear substantially vertical face elements and having at either said front or said rear face element(s) a downwardly extending and spaced third and resilient flange element, also extending across substantially the entire face of said front or rear face element and across the midpoint thereof; and c) At least one rest stop element, of greater width than said first or said second balance beam elements, having a mechanical connection element for selective securement to one of said downwardly extending and spaced resilient flange elements of either said first or said second balance beam elements.
2. A set of balance beam elements which can be assembled for use and disassembled for compact and nested storage for teaching the skill of walking on an elevated balance beam by a youngster as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second of said balance beam elements has the end opposed to said end with said downwardly extending and spaced first flange element as a substantially vertical flat wall for selective mating with the first flange element of said first balance beam element.
3. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rest stop element is provided with a tactile-providing rubberized top surface.
4. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 1 wherein the opposed longitudinal side walls of either or both of said first and said second balance beam elements are outwardly and downwardly flared.
5. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 1 wherein said top surface of said first and said second balance beam elements are provided with upwardly extending and spaced bumps.
6. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rest stop element is an octagon with multiple flange-retaining slots defined between a side wall and a short wall of said octagon for frictional receipt of multiple and spaced of said downwardly extending and spaced resilient first or second flanges of said first and/or said second of said balance beam elements.
7. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 1 wherein said downwardly extending and spaced first and second flange elements are provided with a resilient web element.
8. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 1 wherein a first end of said first balance beam element is provided with a component of a visual icon which mates with another component of the same visual icon on a first end of said second balance beam element such that when said first and said second balance beam elements are assembled said icon is visually integrated.
9. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second of said balance beam elements is provided with a substantially flat, vertical wall with no flange thereon which mates and mechanically connects and holds to said upwardly extending and spaced flange of said first balance beam element.
10. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least some of said side walls of said balance beam elements are provided with outwardly extending wave-like decorations.
11. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rest stop elements are provided with downwardly and outwardly extending walls for each of said side walls of said octagon and said walls are provided with outwardly extending wave-like decorations.
12. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 8 wherein said integrated visual icon is a conventional Smiley face.
13. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and said second balance beam elements nest with one another for space conservation when disassembled.
14. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rest stop elements nest within one another for space conservation when disassembled.
15. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rest stop elements and said balance beam elements are provided with outwardly extending wave like decorations.
16. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 1 wherein two or more rest stop elements are provided with different tactile top surfaces from one another.
17. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 9 wherein said flat wall is provided with a cut out for receipt of one of said flanges of said balance beam elements.
18. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster comprising: a) a first longitudinal member having a first top walking-upon surface, a first pair of opposed support walls supporting said first surface above the ground, and a front wall with a first bottom edge having a resilient first flange member extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom at said first bottom edge; b) a second longitudinal member having a second top walking-upon surface which is substantially aligned with and at the same level as said first top walking-upon surface of said first longitudinal member when said first and said second longitudinal members are assembled, a second pair of opposed support walls supporting said second surface above the ground, and a front wall with a second bottom edge and having a resilient second flange member extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom at said bottom of said second bottom edge of said front wall of said second longitudinal member, said second longitudinal member having a rear wall; c) said first flange member mechanically couplable to said second flange member to provide a substantially non-rotative and aligned mechanical coupling of said first and said second longitudinal members, yet, capable of de-coupling when said first of said flange members is decompressed and vertically removed from said second of said flange members.
19. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 18 wherein said top walking-upon surface of either or both of said first and said second longitudinal member is covered with a tactile-providing surface.
20. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 18 wherein said first and said second longitudinal members are nestable within one another.
21. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 18 wherein said top of said first longitudinal member is provided with a visual indicator of said front wall and said second longitudinal member is provided with a visual indicator of its rear wall which when said first longitudinal member is coupled to said second longitudinal member integrates into a complete visual icon of proper mechanical coupling of said first longitudinal member to said second longitudinal member.
22. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 21 wherein said complete visual icon is a Smiley face.
23. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 18 further comprising at least one rest stop support element comprising a top surface at or about the same height above the ground as said top surface of both said first and said second longitudinal members with the area of said rest stop support's top surface being about the width of twice the width of said top surfaces of said longitudinal members.
24. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 23 wherein said rest stop support element is shaped as a hexagon.
25. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 24 wherein said rest stop support element is provided, around its outer rim, with coupling means for facilitating attachment of said downwardly extending second flange of said second longitudinal members.
26. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 23 wherein said top surface of said rest stop support element is provided with a tactile surface.
27. A set of balance beam elements for teaching the skill of walking on a balance beam to a youngster as claimed in claim 23 wherein two or more of said rest stop support elements are provided and said rest stop support elements are nestable within one another.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is s top, front and side perspective view of an assembled first embodiment of the invention, in a large X shape, with four first type of longitudinal balance beam elements secured to a central first lily pad and then, extending outwardly therefrom, a second set of four balance beam elements are secured and provided, mechanically coupled to the first set of balance beam elements. The second set of balance beam elements extend outwardly and extend the arms of the X shape. Then, as can be seen, at the distal ends of the arms of the X of the configuration shown, the preferred embodiment is shown comprising four different top tactile surfaces of lily pads which are also connected to the outward or distal ends of the second set of balance beams;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a front, side and top perspective view of one of the first set of balance beam elements shown in FIG. 1, as used in assembling an embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 1, the right side or first end of this balance beam element having a downwardly extending and outwardly spaced flange and the left side (more fully and easily seen in FIG. 2) having an upwardly directed and outwardly spaced second resilient flange, the right side of this first balance beam element being capable of selective mechanical connection to any edge of any one of the lily pads by the downwardly extending flange of this balance beam element slotting into the space between the short base wall of a lily pad (see FIGS. 6 and 8a) and its outside perimeter edge or short wall, with the top left of the balance beam element shown in FIG. 2 showing the top half of a visual icon, here, a Smiley facethe eyes component thereof;
[0020] FIG. 3 is a front, side and top perspective view of a different balance beam elementone of the second set of balance beam elements used in assembling an embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 1, the left side of this balance beam element having a downwardly directed, extending and outwardly spaced resilient flange which is capable of connecting to any of the 8 edges or side walls of a lily pad element of the invention by slotting between an upwardly extending short base wall of the lily pad and the side wall of the lily pad, and the right side of this balance beam element having no flange mechanism but a straight up and down or flat end wall which can mate with the left side of the balance beam element shown in FIG. 2 with the bottom edge of the balance beam element of FIG. 3 slipped into and held by the space between the flange of the left side of the balance beam element of FIG. 2 and that balance beam element's flat end wall. The right side of the balance beam element of FIG. 3 shows on its top surface the mating smile half of a Smiley face (a visual icon) such that a complete Smiley face is shown on the top surface of a connected first of the balance beam elements to one of the second set of balance beam elements (eyes above and smile below, on the top surfaces of the adjacent balance beam elements) when the left side of a balance beam element of FIG. 2 is mated with and adjacent the flat right side of a balance beam element of FIG. 3 (as shown in FIG. 1);
[0021] FIG. 4 is an exploded front, top and side perspective view of a constructed short straight configuration of the toy with the first balance beam element as shown in FIG. 2 separated from the lily pad and close to being connected to the right and flat side (no flange) of a balance beam element of the second set (as seen in FIG. 3) with the downwardly extending resilient flange ends of the two balance beam elements about to be secured into slots or spaces of the two shown lily pads, the spaces provided between the one of eight side walls of the lily pads and the short wall of the lily pads, i.e., a short outer, floor-contacting, edge of the lily pads, as will be further described and as shown in FIG. 6;
[0022] FIG. 5 is a top, front and partially exploded and perspective view of the inventive components of the present invention in a different but similar configuration, with the first of a balance beam element (at the top of the Figure) connected by its downwardly directed and resilient flange held in the slot or space of one side of the lily pad and its other end, with the eyes of the Smiley face, connected to one of the second set of balance beam elements, to form a complete or integrated Smiley face (eyes above a smile on the top surfaces of adjacent balance beam elements) and further showing the left side of the second balance beam element about to be connected into the second lily pad's slot or space, and with yet another of a balance beam element as shown in FIG. 2, close to the second lily pad as it appears about to be connected to a balance beam element of FIG. 3, which, for illustrative purposes and to more clearly show the invention, is at right angles to the balance beam element of FIG. 2 (this Figure shows how the connection is made between the upwardly extending flange of the balance beam element of FIG. 2 to the flat wall (with a cut-out bottom edge) of the balance beam element of FIG. 3;
[0023] FIG. 6 is a side elevational and cross-sectional view of a single lily pad (on the right side of the Figure) secured or connected to a balance beam element of the type shown in FIG. 2, and then, viewing right to left, a connected balance beam element of the type shown in FIG. 3, connected to the balance beam element of FIG. 2;
[0024] FIG. 7 is a front, top and side perspective view of the basic three elements of the invention shown in FIG. 6, with an unconnected view of the two balance beam elements shown as a partial inset view (on the right side of the Figure) detailing the mechanical connection between the two balance beam elements and also showing the visual icon which would be displayed when the ends of the balance beam elements are properly mechanically and visually secured to one another, as shown in FIG. 6; and
[0025] FIG. 8 is a top, side and front perspective view of two lily pads at the ends of one each of the different balance beam elements shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and showing in the enlarged inset figures the balance beam elements connected mechanically by the downwardly extending flanges of the two distal ends of the balance beam elements sliding into the spaces or slots of the two lily pads between their upwardly extending short wall edges and the side walls of the lily pads and thus showing, the connection of the balance beam element of FIG. 2 with one side of the lily pad and the balance beam element of FIG. 3 connected, mechanically to a side of a different lily pad.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0026] As best seen in FIG. 1, the inventive toy 10 comprises a slightly above-the floor, i.e., elevated, set of components, in this case, shown assembled into a large n X shape by use of eight longitudinal balance beam members 12 and five lily pads or rest stops 14. A central rest stop 16 (all lily pads or rest stops 16 are the same except as to their tactile top surfaces) is connected to a first set of four balance beam members 18 and those balance beam members 18 connected to a second set of slightly different balance beam members 20. The distal ends of the second set of balance beam members 20 are then simply mechanically connected to the other four lily pads or rest stops 24, which are mechanically the same as one another but differ as to their top tactile surfaces 26. Each top surface is tactile distinct from one another to present a different foot or hand contact surface to a young child or toddler as he/she walks and plays along and upon the lily pads and the rest stops 24.
[0027] Turning to FIG. 2, a first type of balance beam member 18 is shown. It is preferably molded of a resilient plastic, with a bottom directed cavity and thus quite light weight. Basically it is an open to bottom box shape. The top surface 30 is adorned or molded with a set of upwardly extending and spaced bumps 32, to provide a tactile surface for the soles of the toddler's feet as she/he walks along and upon the top surface 30 of the balance beam member or element 18. The balance beam members (of both FIGS. 2 and 3) are preferably about 3 inches in height from the base edges 34 to the top surfaces 30. Both longer sides 36 are provided with outwardly extending three-dimensionally, molded wave elements 38 which provide a slight width extension from the side wall 36 of the balance beam element 18 and thus provide visual undulations to one walking upon the top surface 30, much like the look of walking upon water. A first front side wall 40 of the balance beam member 18 (on the left side as shown in FIG. 2) is provided with an upwardly extending, slightly spaced from the front side wall, flange element 42 and a second downwardly extending, slightly spaced from the rear side wall 62, flange element 60 of the balance beam member 18 is best seen in FIGS. 2 and 6.
[0028] The flange elements 42 and 60 have connecting web members 44 and 45, respectively, (See FIGS. 2 and 6) which act like a live hinge and allow the flanges 42 and 60 to slightly flex inwardly or outwardly as they snap out and back to original shape and position to allow for mechanical connection of the flange 42 of balance beam member 18 to either a cut out bottom 71 (see bottom of FIG. 5) of the flat vertical rear side 50 of a balance beam member 20 (shown on the right side of the balance beam member in FIG. 3 and more clearly shown in FIG. 5) or the other flange 60 of balance beam element 18 can connect to a lily pad's (or rest stop's) 24 space or slot 70 (See right side of FIG. 6) between one of its floor engaging short side walls 75 and the side wall 80 of the lily pad (any one of the eight straight sides of a lily pad 24 having a slot 70 defined between the outward and downwardly sloping side walls 80 and the short side walls 75 of the lily pad or rest stops 24 (See FIG. 6). The cut out 71 allows the web 44 of the upwardly extending flange 42 of the balance beam element 18 to rest on the floor, grip the flat side 50 of the balance beam element 20, and for the two balance beam elements 18,20 to have their top surfaces 30, 31 level and at the same height.
[0029] As can be appreciated by the Figures and the description set forth herein, a set for constructing a straight or shaped balance beam will comprise several, preferably no less than two, preferably at least four, balance beam elements 18 of the type shown in FIG. 2, having one end defining an upwardly extending and spaced flange element 42 (with a flexible web 44) and a second and opposite end having a downwardly extending and spaced flange element 60, with a flexible web 45. The set will also preferably have a second set, no less than two, preferably at least four, balance beam elements 20 of the type shown in FIG. 3, with one end having a downwardly and spaced flange element 47 and flexible web 49 with the other opposed end having a flat vertical wall 50, i.e., no flange nor web but at the base of that vertical wall a small cut out 71 is provided (see FIGS. 5 and 7 inset). The flange or upwardly extending flange 42 of the balance beam element 18 of FIG. 2 can easily connect from below the flat vertical wall 50 of the balance beam element 20 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 inset to form an extended line of balance beam elements 18 and 20. The heights of the elements 18 and 20 are the same and the upwardly extending bumps 32, 33 also the same height above the floor. This provides an extended balance beam for playing upon and developing the toddler's skill of balance and straight-line walking and tumbling. The bumps on the top surface provide a tactile surface for the soles of the feet of the toddler or his hands. The thickness of the rear flat vertical wall 50 of the balance beam element 20 (shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 7) is about the same thickness provided by the web, i.e., the space between the flange 42 and the back flat wall 40 of balance beam element 18 so that the flange 42 will slide over, into and grip the wall 50 of balance beam element 20 when the balance beam element 18 is slid under and up to capture the section of the wall 50 just above the cut out 71. Thus, a snug fit is desired for stability but assembly and disassembly should be easy for a parent and the structure should stay connected when mere walking upon the top surface is done by a toddler. The cut out 71 allows the flange and the web to facilitate mechanical connection of the two balance beam elements 18 and 20 while maintaining evenness of the bottom edges and the top surfaces 30 and 31.
[0030] The downwardly extending flange 60 of the balance beam element 18 shown in FIG. 2 can alternatively be slipped into and snuggly held within a slot or space 70 between the bottom portions of the side walls 73 of the lily pads or rest stops 24 and the outside short walls 75 thereof (See FIGS. 1, 4-6). As can be easily appreciated, the side walls 73 of the lily pads or rest stops 24 are outwardly and downwardly canted or expanded from top to bottom so that the lily pads or rest stops 24 can be easily nested together for compact storage. The flange 60 of the balance beam element 18 can slide down and into the space or slot 70 of a lily pad or rest stop 24 so that two lily pads can be connected together with two balance beam elements 18 and 20 therebetween, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 8.
[0031] As can be seen in the Figures, the flat rear vertical wall 50 of balance beam element 20 can slide downwardly and into the space defined between the rear wall 40 of the balance beam element 18 and the inside wall of the flange 42. Thus, two different balance beam elements, 18 and 20, can be connected together and then other elements lengthening the distance for practice balancing and walking, if desired, with a lily pad or rest stop 24 provided, if desired, which will connect to a downwardly extending flange 60 of either the balance beam element 18 or the downwardly extending flange 47 of balance beam element 20.
[0032] As can be seen in the Figures, visible icons are provided near to vertical walls 40 and 50 of the balance beam elements 18, 20, respectively, i.e., to the top surfaces 30 and 31 of the balance beam elements to enable easy and proper, simple connection. Viewing FIG. 2, for example, the flat end wall 40 (on the left side of the balance beam element shown in FIG. 2) the wall with the upwardly extending flange 42, has an icon portion 92, preferably of the top of a familiar Smiley face on top surface 30, i.e., the eyes and the semi-circle to define the Smiley face. Correspondingly, the top surface 31 adjacent the flat back 50 of the balance beam element 20 shown in FIG. 3, has the bottom half 94 or the smile component with a semi-encircled, thereon of a Smiley face icon. When the balance beam element 18 of FIG. 2 is mechanically connected to the balance beam element 20 of FIG. 3, by sliding the flat back 50 of element 20 into the gap or space between the flange 42 and wall 40 of the balance beam element 18 of FIG. 2, the eyes 92 and semi-circle of the balance beam element 18 will merge and visually integrate with the smile and semi-circle 94 into and to form a complete Smiley face or visible icon 90, with eyes above the smile, and the semi-circle of the eyes 92 creating a complete circle with the semi-circle of the smile component 94. This enables simple assembly of the balance beam elements and provides a visual pleasing icon or look to a walking-above toddler, providing a sense of visual encouragement to the toddler as he walks along and upon the balance beam elements on his way to the end of the balance beam and/or onto one of the lily pads or rest stops 24.
[0033] To facilitate the ease of handling, assembly and disassembly of the balance beam elements to the lily pads or rest stops 24, one of the ends of the balance beam elements 18 and 20the ends provided with the downwardly extending and spaced flanges 60 and 47 of each, have a partial downwardly curved surface 81 and 83, as the tops 30 and 31 slope down towards the downwardly extending and spaced flanges 62 and 47, respectively. This can be easily seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 (on the right of FIG. 2, on the left of FIG. 3).
[0034] As for the lily pads or rest stops 24, they, too, are hollow plastic elements molded or otherwise formed and meant, as mentioned to be nestable for space conservation. So, too, the balance beam elements extend downwardly and outwardly from their top surface so that they can be easily nested when stored. The lily pads or rest stops 24 preferably are provided with rubberized top surfaces for providing a safe and non-slip top surface for the toddler's feet. In one configuration, the rubberized top surface 100 is a set of parallel ribs (see FIG. 1), in another configuration, the rubberized top surface can be upwardly extending small pointed cones 101, in another configuration the rubberized top surface can be less densely packed upwardly extending pointed or round top cones or button shapes 103, and in yet another configuration, the rubberized top surface has a series of spaced lateral wave like upstanding ribs or ridges 105.
[0035] According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the side walls of the lily pads or rest stops 24 are provided about their circumferences with wave-like outward extending, i.e., three dimensional projections 107 (See FIGS. 1, 4, 5, and 7) so that, once again, a child or toddler standing or walking thereon is provided with a visual sense of walking upon water which is believed to be beneficial to teaching and learning the skill of walking along a balance beam without fear of falling in that it appears that he/she is walking on waves of water and the toddler may appreciate that even if he/she falls off the balance beam, he/she will not get hurt as he/she will believe he/she will be cushioned by the below water-a consequence of the appearance of the lily pads and their side wall wave decorations, the balance beam side walls, too, all visible from above due to the outward cant of the side walls. The wave like decorations applied to the side walls of the balance beam elements extend to the bottom edge of the balance beam elements and thus provide a bit more stability and strength to the balance beam elements than if the side walls of the balance beam elements were not adorned or provided with the outwardly extending wave like elements.
[0036] As seen in various of the Figures, the balance beam elements can snap or be slid together with the upwardly extending flange 42 of one accepting the flat side wall 50 of another balance beam element (FIG. 5 shows the exploded connection) and the downwardly connecting flanges of both types of the balance beam elements 18 and 20 can couple to the lily pads or the stop rests as the flanges are insertable (and removable for disassembly) into the spaces defined between the short walls of the lily pads and the side walls of the lily pads. The lily pads or rest stop elements 24 are preferably wider from one side across to the other side, than the width of the balance beam elements to provide lateral stability to the balance beam when walked upon by a toddler and to allow the toddler to have two feet adjacent one another on the lily pad for resting between balanced walking from lily pad to adjacent lily pad. In the preferred embodiment the lily pads are about twice the width of the balance beam elements. In the preferred embodiment the lily pads are octagonal shaped.
[0037] Preferably a complete starter set of balance beam elements and lily pads can be sold as comprising 4 of the balance beam elements 18 of FIG. 2, along with 4 of the balance beam elements 20 of FIG. 3, with 4 or 5 different lily pads or rest stops 24.
[0038] FIG. 7 shows an assembly of the balance beam elements shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 with a first lily pad. 24 as seen in the top portion of FIG. 5. FIGS. 5, 7 and 8 show the two balance beam elements mechanically connected together. FIG. 5 also shows the balance beam elements 18 and 20 separated and the smile face elements 92 and 94 split apart. The inset of FIG. 7 also shows the separation of the elements 18 and 20 and the one-halves 92 and 94 of the icon 90 on the balance beam elements 18, 20, respectively. The inset of FIG. 7 shows that when disassembled, the distal ends of the balance beam elements (those not provided with the downwardly extending flange elements) each bear one half 92 and 94 of the visual icon 90 which, when the two balance beams are assembled together as shown in FIG. 8, a complete Smiley face or icon 90 is displayed, providing the child with a sense of confidence and the person responsible for the construction with a feeling of confidence, too, knowing that the elements are properly and safely connected together.
[0039] FIG. 8 is a top perspective view with two enlarged inset drawings showing two of the balance beam members 18 and 20 connected, mechanically and then to two of the lily pads, 24, with the visual icon 90 being integrated to show that the balance beam elements have been properly and safely connected together and showing, in the inset of this Figure, the downwardly extending flanges 60, 46 of the two distinct balance beam elements 18 and 20 (as Seen in FIGS. 2 and 3) secured into the space or gap 70 existing between the short side walls 75 of the lily pads and the side wall 80 (extending from top of the lily pads to the bottom edges, of the lily pads.
