GB2295776A - Play equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

Play equipment comprises a plurality of components (10; 13, 14, 15 and 16) one or more of which is provided with means (28, 29) for selectively presenting one of a plurality of different alternative representations. The means for selectively presenting one of a plurality of different alternative representations may comprise different faces of a rectangular block with different images on, or may be shaped components (46, 47) representing special-purpose items (such as wheels) which can be applied to an otherwise general block like building element. The blocks can be loosely assembled into the shape of a chair and then covered with a chair shape cover for storage whilst being useable as a chair. <IMAGE>

Description

PLAY EQUIPMENT The present invention relates in general to play equipment suitable for use by children, and in addition can be adapted to create a functional article.

Known play equipment often lacks the versatility necessary to maintain stimulation for a child in terms of novelty. For this reason it is important that any play equipment forming a basis for children's activities should provide long-term stimulation and maintain a wide scope of interest, such that children do not tire of the toy. Known play equipment for the above reasons may not provide children with a sufficient level of adaptability and as such fails to stimulate the child's imagination and adequately foster practical and intellectual skills such as learning, organisation and spatial skills. Known play equipment may also fail to encourage and promote respective skills in mentally disadvantaged children.

Fixed play structures also have a practical disadvantage in that they take up a considerable amount of permanent space. Known play equipment which does however fulfil the requirement of adaptability also presents a storage problem in that the components of the adaptable play equipment are difficult to gather and retain and further take up storage space. A further problem with some known play equipment is the risk of injury on hard and/or sharp edges and corners of the equipment.

The present invention seeks to provide versatile play equipment, forming a changeable framework for a child's play activity which can be modified as often as desired, by the child or by adult supervisors, to a different configuration. This also has the advantage of aiding the development of mentally disadvantaged children. The present invention also seeks to avoid the problem of storage of known play equipment, by providing means to modify the equipment into a functional article. Thus, when the equipment is not being used as a toy, it may serve a functional purpose, such as a chair, and thereby removes the need for storage.

The present invention further seeks to provide equipment which has no hard and/or sharp edges or corners and which will offer safe play possibilities to children of all ages.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided play equipment comprising a plurality of components one or more of which is provided with means for selectively presenting one of a plurality of different representations.

As used in this specification the term "representation" will be understood to include the presentation of images, pictures or simply colours.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided play equipment comprising a plurality of components in which there are provided means for selectively forming a functional article from the said components.

The play equipment of the invention may further include means for releasably connecting the said components to each other.

The means for connection of the components may be releasable fasteners attached to the components. An example of this is where components are connected via interfaces, such as hook and loop fasteners for example of the type sold under the trade mark "VELCRO", or sliding clasp fasteners. If the means for connecting the building components are hard, sharp or exposed, they may scratch or otherwise injure children using the equipment.

The present invention may avoid this problem by using soft flexible connecting means, for example hook and loop fastenings such as VELCRO (Registered Trade Mark).

In order to provide a variety of representations to be selected at any one time, the connection means may be such that they are capable of connecting together two components which are otherwise unrelated in shape and size.

The releasable fasteners may act on the faces of the components and may be such that any component is connectable to any other component; indeed the fasteners may be such that any face of any component is connectable to any face of any other component.

Alternatively, the connection means may comprise parts of the components themselves, so shaped as to be interengageable by form-fitting engagement.

The components may be composed of a plurality of materials of different texture and weight. However, to be useable by a child, it is preferable that the materials are soft, light and durable, for example rubber or foam.

The components may be so formed as to be connectable to present any one of a number of different representations.

As such the components may function as dividers or may represent parts of a larger structure, including parts with openings, for example in the way of doors or windows or the like. The connection of components to each other may determine in part or in whole, the representation which the overall structure formed presents.

One or more of the components of the equipment of the invention may also be formed as a cover capable of covering, in part or entirely, one or more of the other components. Such a cover component may be purely decorative, for example to represent a roof or a chimney pot on a toy house, or may also have a function, such as to contain the components of a play house wall. A plurality of such covers may be provided for exchange with one another to cover one or more of the said components, and each having a different representation or image formed thereon: this further extends the versatility of the equipment of the invention.

To extend the versatility of the invention further, there may be provided one or a plurality of additional decorative elements attachable to one or more components of the equipment whereby to modify or adapt the representation presented by that component or assembly of components. Such features may for example include decorative flowers or curtains, if the structure created is a house. These elements may form part of a larger representation comprising a selected group of elements.

These elements may have shapes and/ or patterns so linked as to be able, when attached to a component or assembly of components of the equipment, to provide a composite representation, for example elements symbolising wheels, windows, head-lamps and a driver which combine to form a representation of a bus when added to other components of the invention.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of non-limitative examples: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a basic construction of a toy castle; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a different play structure using the blocks of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of an alternative representation of the construction of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a functional chair using the components of Figure 1; and Figure 5 shows attachment means between building blocks.

With reference to the drawings, Figure 1 shows an assembly of foam blocks comprising the play equipment of the present invention; each block 10 is a cube. In this embodiment the assembly presents a castle 11 having a square plan with a turret 12 at each corner. Some of the faces of each cube are coloured or patterned to represent the exterior of a structure having the general appearance of a castle. To this end the faces are appropriately decorated to form a final representation when assembled in the configuration shown.

As can be seen in Figure 1 there are four "corner" blocks 13, 14, 15, and 16 (not shown) each having two contiguous side faces decorated as stone to represent the stone wall of a castle, with a number of side wall blocks 16-21 positioned between them and defining the side walls of the castle 11.

In this embodiment the castle walls are defined by a single layer of blocks and the turrets 12 defined by further blocks 22, 23, 24, and 25 superimposed over the corner blocks 13, 14, 15, 16 with their faces flush. The turret blocks 22 and 24 on diagonally opposite corners of the structure have four faces bearing stonework markings and additionally marked at their upper edges to represent crenellations. At the opposite diagonal corners the turret blocks 23, 25 are pierced to form "windows" 26 and 27. The centre of the first layer is hollow allowing a space for a child to play.

To enhance the representation of the castle 11, block 17 has on its exposed face, an image of a castle door.

The faces of the blocks described which are not exposed in the castle assembly are marked with different representations to allow the blocks to be assembled in a different configuration to represent another play item for a child.

Figure 2 illustrates a different configuration of the same blocks. In this assembly certain of the blocks used in the assembly of Figure 1 are re-utilised in a different orientation to expose faces, concealed in the configuration of Figure 1, marked with a different representation, in this case as parts of a truck or a lorry 30. This assembly utilises four of the blocks of the assembly of Figure 1 to form the lower part of the construction, namely block 14, reorientated so that the faces exposed in Figure 1 assembly are now concealed and the faces which are exposed have representations of the front wheels and forward parts of a lorry. Likewise, blocks 17, 18 and 13 are reorientated and repositioned to represent the central and rear parts respectively of the truck.

This assembly utilises four more of the blocks of Figure 1 to form the upper, cargo-carrying, part of the construction, namely block 15, reorientated and positioned squarely on top of block 14 so that the faces exposed in the Figure 1 assembly are now concealed and the faces which are exposed have representations of the front parts of a lorry such as head lamps (not shown).

Likewise, blocks 19, 20 and 21 are reorientated and repositioned above blocks 17, 18 and 13 respectively to represent the central, cargo-carrying parts and rear part of the lorry.

Finally, the "window" block 23 is surmounted over the block 15 to represent the driver's cab of the truck. As will be seen the side faces of the front and rear blocks 14 and 13 have marked on them images respectively representing the front and rear wheels 28, 29 of the truck.

So far, the embodiments of the invention have been described as simply an assembly block where the blocks are loosely assembled and are not fixed together. The blocks may, however, be joined together by means such as those described in Figure 5.

Figure 3 illustrates an alternative representation which can be achieved from the same blocks in the same assembly as described in Figure 2. The representation in Figure 3 is of a railway engine 40. It is achieved by using a cover 41, placed over the assembly 30 of Figure 2. The cover 41 is appropriately patterned to represent a railway engine; including wheels 42, 43 their joining rods 44 and piston 45 all characteristic of a railway engine. Such a cover adds to the versatility of the present invention in that once, say, a basic lorry construction 30 has been built (as described in Figure 2), it may be covered by differently printed covers to represent, for example, not only a railway engine but, perhaps with a minor change to the assembly, a bus or a tractor. Such a cover acts to retain all the blocks of a loose assembly in the required shape of the structure as a whole.

Releasably connectable elements may be added in addition to or instead of decoration on the cover, for example, if the engine cover does not include wheel images, these may be added separately. Alternatively, wheel elements 46, 47 may be superimposed on the wheel images of the cover 42, 43 respectively, (once it is placed over the blocks), such that a child is guided by the cover image as to where the proper position for wheels and an engine is.

Likewise, a bumper element 48 for the front of the engine and a chimney element 49 for the front top of the engine are added to the cover 41 once it is positioned over the structure of Figure 2.

These additional elements 46, 47 and 48, 49 may be secured to the cover 41, or indeed the block structure 30 itself if there is no cover provided, or if there is provided a suitable gap in the cover, by means such as sliding clasp fasteners, hook and loop fastening or ribbon ties. In alternative embodiments of the invention these additional elements may be of a variety of shapes and designs.

A problem encountered with known block toy equipment is that their components are difficult to store and are easily lost or damaged. The present invention enables the building components when not in use as a toy, to be assembled to create a functional structure. Figure 4 is a perspective view of a functional chair 50 using the component bricks of Figure 1. Figure 4 shows how the blocks, which represent an image of a castle 11 in Figure 1 may be assembled to create a functional chair 50 and so overcome the need for separate storage.

The blocks which assembled to form the castle 11 in Figure 1 are re-assembled to form a chair with blocks 14, 17, 18, 13 assembled in a horizontal row forming the seat of the chair and the remaining blocks assembled in three rows of four blocks each to form bottom row 51 positioned immediately behind the seat row (blocks 14, 17, 18, 13).

The second row 52 is positioned on top of the first row and the third row 53 is likewise placed on top of the second row, such that the second and third rows form the chair back.

The pierced blocks 23, 25 which represented windowedturrets in Figure 1 are, in this embodiment, positioned over blocks 11, 14 and 13 to form the arms of the chair.

The chair is covered with a cover 55 so as to retain the blocks if assembled loosely, or further secure the blocks if connected together.

To advantage, the cover is made of a durable fabric such that it can endure hard use and wear and tear.

In the embodiment described above, the blocks have been loosely connected. Blocks may however, be secured together.

Figure 5 illustrates various different embodiments of the invention showing several ways in which adjacent blocks may be fastened together.

Three pairs of blocks 5A, 5B and 5C are shown. Each block 10 is a cube, and is joined to the other at one face. In other embodiments of the invention a block can connect to more than one other block and therefore joining means are provided at more than one face.

In Figure 5A there are shown two blocks 10a, 10a' which may be attached together by a sliding clasp fastener 61, 61' comprising a first part 61 secured along one edge 62 of block 10a, and connectable to a corresponding part 61' on the corresponding edge 62' of the other block 10a' of the pair.

Similar sliding clasp fastening means may be provided along other corresponding edges of the pair of blocks 5A or indeed other pairs of blocks.

In Figure 5B there are shown blocks attached together by form fitting engagement. One block 10b has a central rectangular projection 64 on its face 65. This projection 64 can fit into a matching central rectangular cavity 64' in the corresponding face 65' of the other block lOb' of the pair.

Joining of blocks by form fitting engagement may be restrictive in that connection is limited to the matching of projections with their corresponding cavities. To advantage, however, the projection or cavity on its own may serve to represent part of an overall shape, for example, a cylindrical projection may represent a buffer on a railway engine if the block face with the cylindrical projection is exposed at the rear end of a railway engine structure. Alternatively, a square or rectangular cavity on its own may represent a window in a house if the block face with the square or rectangular cavity is exposed at a position in a wall of a house structure.

To advantage, means for attaching building components are simple and easy for a child to use. The above attachment means fulfil this requirement as do the attachment means illustrated in Figure 5C. In Figure 5C there are shown blocks attachable together by hook and loop fasteners such as those marketed under the trade mark "Velcro".

One block 10c has, around the perimeter 66 of its face 67, hooks 68 which connect to corresponding loops 68' positioned around the perimeter 66' of the corresponding face 67' of the other block 10c' of the pair.

In other embodiments of the invention, hooks and corresponding loops may be at other positions as a block face, for example a central circle of hooks on a block face which connects to a central circle of loops on another block face.

The examples of fastening means given in Figures 5A, SB, 5C are safe; they do not pose a risk to or harm a child playing with the block. Further they are secure so that the overall construction is fit for playing with by the child.

Claims (14)

1. Play equipment comprising a plurality of components intended to be used in association with one another and one or more of which is provided with means for selectively presenting one of a plurality of different alternative representations.

2. Play equipment as claimed in Claim 1, further including means for releasably connecting the said components to each other.

3. Play equipment as claimed in Claim 1 of Claim 2, in which there are provided means for selectively forming a play article by juxtaposition and for connection of the components.

4. Play equipment as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3 when dependent thereon, in which the connection means of each component are releasable fasteners attached to the components.

5. Play equipment as claimed in any one of Claims 2, 3 or 4, in which the releasable connection means are such that they are capable of connecting together two components which are otherwise unrelated in shape and size.

6. Play equipment as claimed in Claim 2 or any Claim dependent thereon, in which the releasable connection means act on the faces of the components and are such that any component is connectable to any face of any other component.

7. Play equipment as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 6, in which the releasable connection means comprise parts of the components themselves so shaped as to be interengageable by form-fitting engagement.

8. Play equipment as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the connection of components to each other determines in part or in whole, the representation which the overall structure formed will present.

9. Play equipment as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the components are so formed as to be connectable to present any one of a number of different representations.

10. Play equipment as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which at least one of the said components is capable of covering, in part or entirely, one or more of the other components.

11. Play equipment as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which some of the components are formed as a plurality of changeable covers capable of covering one or more of the said components and each having a different representation or image formed thereon.

12. Play equipment as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which one or a plurality of components of the equipment are formed as decorative elements usable to modify or adapt the representation presented by one or more component or assembly of components.

13. Play equipment as claimed in Claim 12, in which at least some of the decorative elements have shapes and/ or patterns so linked as to be able, when attached to another component or assembly of other components of the equipment, to provide a composite representation.

14. Play equipment, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.