HK1051831B - A toy building element with transversal openings - Google Patents

Description

Building block element with transverse through hole

Technical Field

The invention relates to a building element, comprising: a first beam-like portion having an inner surface and an outer surface that are planar; and a second beam-like portion also having a planar inner surface and a planar outer surface, the two beam-like portions being assembled together at a corner such that the two inner surfaces form an included angle of less than 180, wherein at least the first beam-like portion is provided with an aperture extending across the beam-like portion from the outer surface to the inner surface.

Background

Such toy building elements are known from the prior art and are found in toy building sets known under the trade name LEGOTechnic. The building set comprises building elements in the form of straight beams, which elements are provided with a plurality of holes, which holes run through from one side of the straight beam to the other. The building set further comprises such building elements: they are made up of two beams assembled together at the corners, each of them being provided with at least one transverse through hole. On the top side of these building elements, hollow connecting studs, i.e. connecting studs designed in the form of cylinders, are provided, while on the bottom side of the cross-beams, complementary connecting means are provided, in the form of an outer skirt, which are provided with downwardly projecting cylindrical studs in their interior.

On both sides of the cross-beam, annular recesses are provided around the holes, which recesses are intended to make room for outwardly projecting collars on sleeves which are also part of the building set and which are intended to connect beam-like elements to each other or to other building elements of the building set.

In the case of a plurality of holes in the same beam, the holes are arranged at a standard distance from each other, i.e. at the same distance from each other as the distance between the coupling studs on the top side of the beam. In practice, each hole is provided at an intermediate position between two coupling studs.

In the case of an angular element, that is to say a toy building element with two beam-like parts which are assembled together at a corner, the extent to which a hole is designed close to the corner before positional interference with the inner surface of the other cross member occurs in the corner is limited.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to provide a toy building element of the above character in which a cavity is provided which is closer to the corner than is the case in the prior art.

This object is achieved by constructing the toy building element such that: the holes are placed close to the corners so that: the plane of the planar inner surface of the second beam-like portion intersects the plane of the planar inner surface of the first beam-like portion at the opening and is such that the planar inner surface of the second beam-like portion is spaced from the opening, thereby leaving a void around the opening in the inner surface of the first beam-like portion.

By constructing the toy building elements in this way, further play/play options can be carried out, whereby the toy building elements according to the invention can be used to connect other toy building elements to each other and to a greater extent closer to a corner than currently possible.

The aperture is preferably circular in cross-section and a recess is provided around the aperture on the outer and inner surfaces of the first beam-like portion. The recess is provided to provide a space for an outwardly projecting collar, for example on a sleeve forming part of a building set.

The dimple in the inner surface of the beam-like portion preferably extends circularly around half of the aperture and continues around the remainder of the aperture to expand towards the edge, with the width and depth of the dimple continuation corresponding to the width and depth of the dimple's circular portion. The purpose of providing such constructional recesses is to avoid that coring means are provided on the building element manufacturing tool, which would otherwise add significantly to the cost of the tool. This is particularly advantageous in the case of building elements with beam-like parts which are angled with respect to each other, since otherwise more coring means in all directions would be required. The dimples are shaped as a semi-circular arch surrounding the hole, thereby providing a harmonious and aesthetically pleasing appearance in addition to adding functionality.

In a preferred embodiment, the planar inner surface of the second beam-like portion extends with an arcuate portion that is inwardly arched and abuts the planar inner surface of the first beam-like portion within the aperture. Extending the planar portions with the arcuate portions in this manner makes the inner surfaces of the first and second beam-like portions coherent, which further increases the strength of the toy building element in its corner regions, compared to the case of discontinuous inner surfaces.

According to a particular embodiment of the toy building element according to the invention, a toy building element comprises four beam-like parts which are combined to form a closed frame, in which all four beam-like parts are provided with openings. Since the invention makes it possible to provide holes in the corners of the toy building elements, the frame element is very compact and can be provided with a relatively large number of holes.

Preferably, the method comprises the following steps: the toy building element is provided with upwardly extending coupling studs and downwardly extending outer walls and pegs which form coupling means complementary to the upwardly extending coupling studs, which makes the toy building element compatible with other toy building elements in existing toy building sets.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:

fig. 1 is a top isometric view showing a first toy building element according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom isometric view showing a second toy building element according to the invention; and

fig. 3 is a bottom isometric view showing a third toy building element according to the invention.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

Fig. 1 shows a first toy building element according to the invention. The toy building element comprises two beam-like parts 1, 2, each having an inner surface 3, 4 and an outer surface 5, 6. The outer surfaces 5, 6 are not visible in fig. 1.

The beam-like parts 1, 2 are also provided with holes 7, which are designed in the shape of cylindrical tubes extending from the outer surfaces 5, 6 across the beam-like parts to the inner surfaces 3, 4. Five such holes 7 are provided in the first beam-like part 1, while only one hole 7 is provided in the second beam-like part 2.

The holes 7 are designed such that: so that they can receive sleeves in the set of bricks to which the building element belongs and latch them in place. The sleeve is tubular with an outwardly extending collar which constitutes an end stop for the movement of the sleeve in the bore 7. A corresponding outwardly extending collar is provided at the outer end of the sleeve, but the collar is designed to be resilient-in this case the sleeve is slotted longitudinally. The sleeve can thus be press-fitted into the hole 7 and at the same time its outer end is pressed tight until the end stop is reached. In this state, the outer end portion is inserted into the other side of the hole 7, and the outwardly extending collar is engaged after passing through the hole 7.

In order to make room for the two outwardly extending collars on the sleeve without making them protrude beyond the inner 3, 4 and outer 5, 6 surfaces of the toy building element, recesses 8 are provided in these inner and outer surfaces, which recesses 8 extend around the cavity 7.

The recess 8 may be designed as a circular recess extending around the aperture 7 (e.g. as in the outer surface of the toy building element of fig. 2 and 3), the depth of the recess being designed to correspond to or be slightly greater than the height of the outwardly extending collar on the sleeve, and the diameter of the recess being designed to correspond to or be slightly greater than the diameter of the outwardly extending collar on the sleeve.

Alternatively, the recess 8 may be designed as a recess pattern on the inner surfaces 3, 4 of the toy building elements shown in fig. 1, i.e. the recess is shaped as a combination of a rectangle and a semicircle extending around the opening 7 and up to the edge of the inner surfaces 3, 4. The recess 8 performs the same function as the circular recess described above-i.e. it gives room for an outwardly extending collar on the sleeve.

On the top side of the toy building elements, upwardly extending coupling studs 9 are provided, which in the relevant case are cored out, that is to say they are hollow, cylindrical tubes. The bottom of the toy building element is open (as shown in the toy building elements in fig. 2 and 3) and by means of the outer wall surfaces and downwardly extending pins, coupling means are formed which are complementary to said coupling studs 9.

The coupling studs 9 are arranged at a standard distance from each other, which means that the toy building element is compatible with other toy building elements whose coupling studs are arranged at the same standard distance. In a corresponding manner, the holes 7 are also designed at a standard distance from each other, in a specific example, each hole 7 is arranged between the coupling studs 9.

As is evident from the figure, one of the holes in the first beam-shaped part 1 is located very close to the corner portion between the two beam-shaped parts 1, 2. The hole 7 is so close to the corner: so that it will normally interfere with the inner surface of the second beam-like portion. To prevent this, the planar portion of the inner surface 4 is disconnected from the inner surface 3 by a distance, leaving a gap around the hole 7.

In the toy building element shown in fig. 1, an arched portion 10 extends from the inner surface 4, which arched portion is bent inwards and in the area of the opening 7 abuts against the inner plane 3 of the first beam-like part 1.

A portion of sheet material 11 extends across the space between the arch portion 10 and the inner surface 3, said sheet on the one hand increasing the strength of the toy building element and the rigidity at the corner portions, and on the other hand covering the space between the arch portion 10 and the inner surface 3 when the toy building element is viewed from above.

Fig. 2 shows another toy building element according to the invention. The toy building element shown comprises four beam-like parts 21, 22, 23, 24, which are provided with one or more openings 7, and the four parts 21, 22, 23, 24 are combined to form a closed frame element. Three holes 7 are provided in each of the beam-like parts 23, 24, while only one hole 7 is provided in each of the remaining two beam-like parts 21, 22. The beam-like parts 21, 22, 23, 24 are provided with circular recesses 25 on their outer surfaces, which recesses surround the hole 7, and with recesses 8 on their inner surfaces, the recesses 8 being designed in a combination of rectangular and semicircular shapes, the semicircular shape surrounding the hole 7 and extending as far as the edge of the inner surface.

The toy building set of fig. 2 is seen from the bottom, with the bottom being exposed, and the inner and outer walls of the toy building elements co-operate with the pegs 26 to form a coupling means in complementary relation to the coupling studs provided on the top surface of the toy building elements.

The corners of the toy building element are also designed as the corner portions of the toy building element in fig. 1, i.e. an arch 10 extends from the plane part of the inner surface of the beam-like parts 21, 22. Fig. 2 clearly shows how the arch part 10 abuts against the inner surface of the adjacent beam-like part 23, 24 in the area of the opening.

All four corners are designed in such a way that the toy building element shown in the figures has a total of eight cavities 7-despite their compact arrangement.

Fig. 3 shows another toy building element according to the invention with four beam-like parts 31, 32, 33, 34. Also in this toy building element, two beam-like parts 33, 34 are provided with three holes 7 each, while the remaining two beam-like parts 31, 32 are provided with only one hole 7 each. On the outer surface of the beam-like parts 31, 32, 33, 34, round recesses 25 are provided around the respective holes 7, whereas on the inner surface recesses are provided in the form of a combination of rectangular and semicircular parts which surround the holes 7 and extend as far as the edge of the inner surface.

The toy building element shown in fig. 3 also has a free bottom, the inner and outer walls of which, in combination with the pin 26, form coupling means in complementary relationship with coupling studs provided on the top surface of the toy building element.

In contrast to the above-described toy building elements, no arch-shaped extensions are provided on parts of the inner surface of the toy building elements. Instead, the inner surfaces of the beam-like portions 31, 32 are simply interrupted a distance from the holes 7 made in the corners and traversing the beam-like portions 33, 34. In this way, a gap 27 is left at these abutment surfaces, said gap 27 having a suitable width, for example at least corresponding to the height of the outwardly projecting collar on the sleeve of the building element.

This also enables a total of eight openings 7 to be provided in the toy building element shown, although these eight openings are compact in layout.

Claims (9)

1. Toy building element comprising a first beam-like part (1; 23, 24; 33, 34) having a planar inner surface (3) and an outer surface (5), and comprising a second beam-like part (2; 21, 22; 31, 32) having a planar inner surface (4) and an outer surface (6), said first and second beam-like parts being assembled together at a corner such that the two inner surfaces (3, 4) form an angle of less than 180 ° with respect to each other, wherein at least the first beam-like part (1; 23, 24; 33, 34) is provided with a hole (7) extending from the outer surface (5) to the inner surface (3) across the beam-like part, characterized in that: the proximity of the holes (7) to the corners is set so that: the plane in which the planar inner surface (4) of the second beam-like part (2; 21, 22; 31, 32) lies intersects the hole (7) in the plane in which the planar inner surface (3) of the first beam-like part (1; 23, 24; 33, 34) lies; and such that the plane inner surface (4) of the second beam-like part (2; 21, 22; 31, 32) is interrupted at a distance from the hole (7), whereby a void is formed around the hole (7) of the inner surface (3) of the first beam-like part.

2. The toy building element of claim 1, wherein: the holes (7) have a circular cross section; and a recess (8) is provided around the hole (7) in the outer surface (5) and the inner surface (3) of the first beam-like part.

3. The toy building element of claim 2, wherein: a dimple (8) in the inner surface (3) extends circularly around a first half of the hole (7) and continues around the remainder of the hole (7) expanding towards the edge, and the width and depth of the dimple continuation correspond to the width and depth of the circular part of the dimple (8).

4. A toy building element according to any one of claims 1-3, characterised in that: the planar inner surface (4) of the second beam-like part (2; 21, 22; 31, 32) projects with an arched part (10) which is arched inwards and which abuts the planar inner surface (3) of the first beam-like part (3) in the area of the opening (7).

5. A toy building element according to any one of claims 1-3, characterised in that: said toy building element comprising two first beam-like portions (23, 24; 33, 34) and two second beam-like portions (21, 22; 31, 32) which are combined to form a closed frame; and holes (7) are provided in all the beam-like portions.

6. A toy building element according to any one of claims 1-3, characterised in that: the toy building element is provided with upwardly extending coupling studs (9) and downwardly extending outer walls and pegs (26) which form coupling means complementary to the upwardly extending coupling studs (9).

7. The toy building element according to claim 4, characterized in that: said toy building element comprising two first beam-like portions (23, 24; 33, 34) and two second beam-like portions (21, 22; 31, 32) which are combined to form a closed frame; and holes (7) are provided in all the beam-like portions.

8. The toy building element according to claim 4, characterized in that: the toy building element is provided with upwardly extending coupling studs (9) and downwardly extending outer walls and pegs (26) which form coupling means complementary to the upwardly extending coupling studs (9).

9. The toy building element according to claim 5, wherein: the toy building element is provided with upwardly extending coupling studs (9) and downwardly extending outer walls and pegs (26) which form coupling means complementary to the upwardly extending coupling studs (9).