WO2013171614A1

WO2013171614A1 - Assembly system for alphabet elements

Info

Publication number: WO2013171614A1
Application number: PCT/IB2013/053538
Authority: WO
Inventors: Iole GARABELLO
Original assignee: BALLOTTI Andrea; BROGI Antonella
Current assignee: BALLOTTI Andrea; BROGI Antonella
Priority date: 2012-05-16
Filing date: 2013-05-03
Publication date: 2013-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 2014-11-16
Also published as: ITRM20120220A1

Description

"Assembly system for alphabet elements"

Description Field of the art

The present invention refers to a new assembly system for drawn objects, more particularly the present invention describes an innovative set of elements, and especially of letters and/or numbers of the alphabet, which can be variously assembled together to give rise to various combinations adapted to form words or constructions of various configuration. The assembly system described herein, object of the present invention, is such to ensure a stable and reversible fixing of the various components that constitute the three-dimensional formed word or structure, consequently preventing the risk of losing or separating the components themselves. In addition, the aforesaid letters and/or numbers can be identified by particular colors, scents, sounds, tastes and tactile surfaces.

State of the art

It is known that the passage from the spoken language to the written language during the early years of life of an individual can be very difficult; for this reason, over the years various methods, devices, systems and means in general have been developed which have considerably contributed to the literacy instruction process. A common example is represented by devices and more in detail by toys that allow the "passage" from the text to the voice, i.e. which for example allow typing a word and obtaining a corresponding sound of response.

In any case, in order to obtain good results from the literacy instruction process, whether oral or written language, it is necessary that children and generally all those approaching communication acquire the capacity to sequentially place all elements of a sentence and/or a story in a linear and coherent manner. For such purpose, it should be observed that in the literacy instruction process, as in many other educational processes, the order is undoubtedly a fundamental condition for an individual, usually a child, to be able to comprehend and orient himself in the surrounding world, learning to associate concepts and ideas.

For this reason, many toys employed today to help children learn to read and/or write are constituted by various magnetic components, usually representing letters and/or numbers of the alphabet or simple structures such as houses, trees, animals etc.. Objects that the child can easily assemble together or apply on the surface of a blackboard, normally magnetic as well, as a result obtaining a static image of the word or of the configuration of elements formed and/or reproduced on the blackboard. This technique allows the child to much more easily fix the image in space and memorize the word and/or a form of an object. Nevertheless, the limit of these educational toys lies in their intrinsic characteristics, and particularly in their magnetic character that, which associated with the size of the object, can sometimes involve the onset of quite serious problems. Indeed, it is known that the child can swallow objects, usually small-size toys, or fairly small parts thereof, causing serious damage to their sensitive internal organs. Swallowing a body with magnetic properties can lead to serious damages to the child. Swallowing these magnetic components can cause serious problems to the internal organs, poisoning the blood and, in the worst case scenario, even causing death. Specifically, the danger of the magnets is correlated to the attraction force that they exert on each other through the digestive tract.

In order to totally prevent the possibility of such accidents from taking place, the present invention describes a set of elements that can be variously assembled together by using a coupling system with Velcro.

The structure of the Velcro has been known for several years and in particular the relative patent dates back to 1955. Velcro has particular features that confer important characteristics to the object it is applied to such as high strength and ease of use of the opening/closing mechanism. For this reason, Velcro is very often used for packaging the so-called tear-off closures. Usually, the method applying this ingenious and known opening/closing system can be applied in fields such as the textile industry, in making opening/closing systems for shoes, bags, and clothing articles in general. It can also be applied in the automobile industry, in the electronics industry, in the health industry for example in orthopedic bandages, and recently also in the aerospace industry, for example for holding all the objects in the internal settings of the spacecraft in temporarily fixed position. The object of the invention, which will be described in detail hereinbelow, is to apply the use of the method for opening/closing with Velcro to a set of elements intended to be used by children in the literacy instruction process, in order to substitute all the elements that allow the assembly thereof by utilizing the properties of magnets, currently used, and which represent a serious risk for all young children.

Description of the invention

The present invention describes a new and innovative set of at least 2, preferably 78, assemblable elements with a system for closing/opening with Velcro, intended for use by school and pre-school age children, and generally by all people, even challenged individuals, in the literacy instruction process. More in detail, the present invention describes a set of at least 21 letters of the alphabet and/or numbers and/or shapes variously assembled together, adapted to form reversibly- fixed spatial configurations depending on the desire and imagination of the user. The assembly of the various elements constituting the set is ensured since said elements have the lateral surfaces covered with Velcro and in particular have surfaces with portions with alternating loops and hooks. The portions with loops and hooks can partially or entirely cover the surface of the assemblable elements of the set, object of the present invention, and in addition said portions with loops and hooks can be assembled to the surface of said elements by gluing through means of an adhesive surface or by sewing. The assembly between the various shapes, letters and/or numbers of the alphabet constituting the set of elements, object of the present invention, occurs by adhesion of the loops of one element with the hooks of another element, by exerting a pressure between the elements that one wishes to join. The present invention also describes a set of assemblable elements having different sizes, in a manner such to allow the user to more easily obtain structures of calligram type. The entire set of reversibly assemblable elements, object of the present invention, is contained inside a container having variable shape and geometry.

The present invention also describes a set of assemblable elements comprising entirely hollow elements, provided with opening/closing mechanisms, adapted to contain foods and/or drinks.

In addition, the system for joining the single elements can provide for the use of common pins and nails. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGURE 1 shows the set of assemblable elements 1 in which the following are visible: the letters and/or numbers 3, the container 2 adapted to contain the letters and/or numbers 3, the cover/front panel 8 and three alphabets 3', 3" and 3" ' respectively characterized in that they have letters and/or numbers 3 with a uniform structure, having the edges similar to Roman square capitals, and having an informal structure analogous to that of handwriting.

FIGURE 2 shows the container 2 in open configuration in which an opening/closing system 20 with Velcro is visible, together with a letter and/or number 3 of the alphabet, on which the front surface 4, the rear surface 4' and the lateral surfaces 5 are visible.

FIGURE 3 shows a perspective view of two letters and/or numbers of the alphabet, one having uniform structure and the other having an informal structure, both characterized in that they have, on their lateral surfaces 5, loop portions 6 and hook portions 7 placed in alternating configuration on said lateral surfaces 5.

FIGURE 4 shows a perspective view of several letters and/or numbers 3 comprised in the set of assemblable elements 1 having the edges similar to those of Roman square capitals, and a container 3, provided with cover/front panel 8, and having the shape of a letter and/or number 3 it too contained in the set of assemblable elements 1.

FIGURE 5 shows a side view of an example of a calligram obtained by assembly with Velcro between letters and/or numbers 3 having different size.

FIGURE 6 shows a letter openable exactly like a shoe box, revealing that the upper part has slightly greater size than the lower part in a manner so as to receive it therein. FIGURE 7 shows a perspective view of the loop portions 6 and the hook portions 7 to be assembled by gluing on the lateral surfaces 5 of said letters and/or numbers 3 by means of adhesive portions 6' and 7' respectively placed on the surfaces opposite those having the loops and the hooks of the loop portions 6 and the hook portions 7. FIGURE 8 shows a perspective view of some letters and/or numbers 3 of the set of assemblable elements 1 when the loop portions 6 and the hook portions 7 are situated at the edges 9 of said letters and/or numbers 3. The sound emitters 17 are also observed, placed on the external surfaces of the letters and/or numbers 3 and adapted to produce a sound similar to that of the letter on which they are installed.

FIGURE 9 shows a front view of the letters and/or numbers 3 of the set of assemblable elements 1 in which chromatic indicators 16 are visible which are placed on the front surface 4 of the letters and/or numbers 3, and are adapted to generate images and/or words and/or sentences when said chromatic indicators match other chromatic indicators 16, following the assembly of said letters and/or numbers 3 using Velcro. The figure also shows the presence of a sound emitter 17 adapted to facilitate, when manually stimulated, the identification of a specific letter and/or number 3. FIGURE 10 shows an embodiment of an element 50 contained in the set of assemblable elements 1, when said set contains a set of elements 50 whose symbols correspond to those of the characters of the Cyrillic alphabet. FIGURE 11 shows a perspective view of a letter and/or number 3 of the set of assemblable elements 1 when said letter and/or number is adapted to contain food products such as candies and/or chocolates, and wherein the access to said food products occurs by means of at least one openable component 18, such as a hinge, for example placed at the edges 9 of said letter 3.

FIGURE 12 shows a perspective view of a letter and/or number 3 of the set of assemblable elements 1, when said letter and/or number 3 is adapted to contain drinks, said letter and/or number 3 being provided with an internal covering 21, made of liquid- impermeable material, and one hole 19 covered by a membrane 22 that can be perforated by means of a straw.

Description of the preferred embodiments

In all embodiments thereof, the set of elements 1 reversibly assemblable with Velcro comprises a container 2, adapted to contain said set of reversibly assemblable elements 1, it too provided with a Velcro opening/closing system 20. In a first embodiment, the set of assemblable elements 1 contains at least 21 elements and preferably 78 elements and in particular 78 letters and/or numbers 3. Said letters and/or numbers 3 can also be grouped in three subsets, or in a single set if only 21 elements are present, each corresponding to an alphabet but which are distinguished from each other due to the shape of the letters and/or numbers which compose each alphabet. More in detail, the set of assemblable elements 1 comprises a first alphabet 3' comprising letters and/or numbers 3 having stems with uniform thickness, a second alphabet 3" comprising letters and/or numbers 3 having - at the end - extensions orthogonal to the vertical axis of the letters and/or numbers and a third alphabet 3" ' comprising the letters and/or numbers 3 which have an informal character comparable to that generally produced by handwriting. All letters and/or numbers 3 comprised in the set of assemblable elements 1 are preferably but not necessarily internally hollow and have a height that varies from 30 mm to 1000 mm and a depth that varies from 15 mm to 400 mm. The letters and/or numbers 3 also have smooth front and rear surfaces 4 and 4' that do not have Velcro and lateral surfaces 5 having Velcro. More in detail, the lateral surfaces 5 have, in an alternating manner, a portion covered with loops 6 and a portion covered with hooks 7. In addition, both the portion covered with loops 6 and the portion covered with hooks 7 have a width which varies from 10 mm to 400 mm and a height that also varies from 10 mm to 400 mm. The container 2 is characterized in this embodiment, as in all embodiments thereof, by its conformation and geometry which is preferably analogous to that of any of the elements contained in the set of assemblable elements 1, thus also acting as an assemblable element, but it can also more simply be box-like. Said container 2 is preferably made of plastic material or alternatively of pressed cardboard. The container 2 also has a cover/front panel 8, also preferably made of plastic material or alternatively of pressed cardboard and it too can be opened with an opening/closing system 20 that uses Velcro.

The material constituting the letters and/or numbers 3 is generally a plastic material and preferably the type of polymer used is the acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) copolymer. In a second embodiment, the set of assemblable elements 1, object of the present invention, comprises a set of at least 21 letters and/or numbers 3 and preferably 26 letters and/or numbers 3 whose symbols correspond to the letters and/or numbers of the alphabet. Said letters and/or numbers 3, internally hollow, have edges 9, front 4 and rear 4' surfaces and lateral surfaces 3, with convex shape and in addition they are characterized by a height that varies between 50 mm and 75 mm and by a depth comprised between 15 mm and 35 mm and preferably a height of 70 mm and a depth of 25 mm. Both the portion covered with loops 6 and the portion covered with hooks 7 have a width that varies from 10 mm to 25 mm and a height that varies from 10 mm to 20 mm. In addition, the material used for obtaining the letters and/or numbers is also preferably ABS in this case. In a further embodiment, the set of assemblable elements 1 comprises a set of at least 21 letters and/or numbers 3, and preferably 26 letters and/or numbers 3 whose symbols correspond to the letters and/or numbers of the alphabet and have a height that varies between 30 mm and 55 mm and a depth comprised between 15 and 25 mm and preferably have a height of 50 mm and a depth of 20 mm, whereas the width of the portion covered with loops 6 and the portion covered with hooks 7 is comprised between 10 mm and 20 mm and the height is also comprised between 10 mm and 20 mm. In addition, the edges 9 of the surfaces of said letters and/or numbers 3 have a profile similar to that of Roman square capitals. Also in this embodiment, the type of material preferably used for obtaining the letters and/or numbers 3 is ABS.

In another embodiment, the set of assemblable elements 1 according to the present invention comprises a set of at least 42 elements and preferably at least 52 elements and still more preferably 78 elements whose symbols correspond to the letters and/or numbers of the alphabet. Said set of assemblable elements 1, in this particular embodiment, comprises letters and/or numbers 3 corresponding to symbols that are equivalent but have considerably different sizes. More in detail, the set of assemblable elements 1 contains at least 3 letters and/or numbers 3 for each symbol of the alphabet, each having size different from that of the homologous letters and/or numbers 3 of at least one alphabet 3' or 3" or 3"'. For example, at least one alphabet 3', 3" or 3"' contains letters and/or numbers 3 having a height comprised between 30 mm and 1000 mm, a depth comprised between 15 mm and 400 mm and portions covered with loops 6 and portions covered with hooks 7 both having a height and a width which varies from 10 mm to 400 mm. This particular embodiment allows the user to be able to construct structures with various spatial configurations, in a manner similar to that applied in the achievement of calligrams.

In a further embodiment, the set of assemblable elements 1 according to the present invention comprises a set of at least 21 letters and/or numbers 3 and preferably at least 26 letters and/or numbers 3 whose symbols correspond to those of the letters and/or numbers of the alphabet, having the rear surface 4' internally or partially covered by a strip of loops 10. This particular characteristic of this embodiment makes the entire set more effective for all purposes thereof.

In all the described embodiments, the materials used for obtaining the components and more in detail the letters and/or numbers 3 of the set of assemblable elements 1 according to the present invention can be thermoplastic polymers such as polyethylene (HDPE, LDPE, UHMPE), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamides, acrylic resins with optical properties similar to glass or thermosetting resins such as phenol resins, ureic resins, melamine resins, vinyl resins or polyester resins. Bio-plastic materials, i.e. obtained from corn starch, tapioca granules and/or potatoes, or bio-plastic materials with cellulose or synthetic rubber base such as polybutadiene and styrene can also be employed.

As an alternative to the aforesaid materials, wood can also be used in the form of glulam, plywood, multilayer wood and chipboard.

In particular, in the case in which the letters and/or numbers 3 are made of wood, it is possible to color the surfaces of said letters and/or numbers 3 with lead-free water paint, that is scratch- and water-resistant.

A further alternative to the materials mentioned above, for the obtainment of the letters 3 composing the set of assemblable elements 1, is represented by the use of foam rubber.

More in detail, a further embodiment of the set of assemblable elements 1 provides for a set of letters and/or numbers 3 made of foam rubber and having Velcro portions sewn on the lateral surfaces 5 and/or front surface 4 and/or rear surfaces 4' of said letters and/or numbers 3.

Even cardboard can be effectively used for obtaining said letters 3, i.e. it is possible to easily obtain, at relatively low costs, a set of assemblable elements 1 comprising letters and/or numbers 3 made of cardboard having Velcro portions glued on the surfaces of said letters and/or numbers 3. More in detail, the portion covered with loops 6 and the portion covered with hooks 7 will respectively have a layer of adhesive material 6' and 7' on the surface opposite that having the loops and hooks. In addition, both in the case in which the Velcro is sewn and in that in which it is glued, the sewing and the gluing can be obtained on any surface portion of the letters and/or numbers 3, for example also on the edges 9 of said letters and/or numbers 3.

Analogous to the material constituting the letters and/or numbers 3 and/or the container 2 and/or the front panel cover 8 - for the obtainment thereof any one of the abovementioned materials can be used - the Velcro can also be substituted. More in detail, the Velcro can be substituted by a material commonly known as dual-lock, which represents a structural evolution of the Velcro itself. In particular, the advantage offered by the use of this material lies in the greater effectiveness of the mechanism for fixing the loops with the hooks and in the pleasant aesthetics, since the seam lines are practically invisible. In a further embodiment of the invention, the letters obtained according to the aforesaid technique can be equipped with particular colors or chromatic bands, adapted to facilitate the chromatic association of two or more letters and/or numbers in order to achieve contiguous chromatic effects. The colored portions can be placed on a single surface or on multiple faces of the same letter and/or number. In a further embodiment of the invention, the letters and/or numbers can be equipped with a bell, a whistle or any other sound instrument, in a manner such that the user can associate the letters and/or numbers that emit the same sound, or associate the letters and/or numbers in a manner so as to create, by stimulating them, the desired sequence of sounds.

More in detail, in a further embodiment of the present invention, the set of assemblable elements 1 comprises a plurality of letters and/or numbers 3 provided with chromatic indicators 16 which can be represented by portions of bands with different color with respect to the remaining portions of each letter and/or number 3, on which they are stably arranged, and which when fit or assembled together give rise to a particular image that is extended from one letter to the other.

The presence of the chromatic indicators 16 is quite advantageous for the purposes of the application of the described set of assemblable elements 1, since it allows grouping the letters and/or numbers 3 of the set in further subsets of letters 3. More in detail, a further embodiment provides that all those letters and/or numbers that emit dental sounds when pronounced are characterized by a particular chromatic indicator 16, characterized by a specific, set color. Analogously, all the letters and/or numbers 3, which when produced emit guttural, labial or sibilant sounds, can also be provided with specific chromatic indicators 16 which allow grouping and identifying and/or associating all the letters and/or numbers having similar sound characteristics in set groups.

In addition, in a further embodiment, the set of assemblable elements 1 comprises a plurality of letters and/or numbers 3 provided with chromatic indicators 16. Said chromatic indicators can be colored bands applied on any one of the surfaces of the letter and/or number 3, or representing the entire coloring of the letter and/or number 3 itself and can simply indicate if the letter and/or number in question is a vowel or a consonant.

The latter described embodiments thus allow facilitating the literacy instruction process, by stimulating the visual sensor system of the user of the set of assemblable elements 1.

In a further embodiment, the set of assemblable elements 1 according to the present invention comprises letters and/or numbers provided with a sound indicator, preferably any sound emitter 17 producing, when stimulated, a sound similar or analogous to that emitted when pronouncing a specific letter and/or number. Said sound emitter 17 can also be a common whistle, any sound valve or any bell, located inside or on the surface of the letter and/or number 3 and be accessible, i.e. actuatable, from outside the letter, or located on any of the surfaces of each letter and/or number 3. This embodiment is very useful when the users of the set are challenged people, and more in detail blind people. In these subjects, the development of the other sensory systems, such as the hearing, tactile and olfactory systems, is much more advanced and developed than in normal seeing individuals, so that the association of a sound with the sense of touch, perceived through the simple handling of the letters and/or numbers, allows being able to more easily identify a specific letter and/or number and associations thereof, and the shape thereof can also be imagined.

For the same purpose, i.e. for the purpose of facilitating the identification of a letter and/or number by children and/or in general by challenged people, the set of assemblable elements 1 comprises a set of letters and/or numbers 3 in which each letter and/or number has a characteristic scent that allows associating each letter and/or number with a very specific scent. For example, this embodiment is very useful for the identification of alphabet symbols in all those subjects who have sight and/or hearing deficiencies but who also have a very developed sense of smell, which alongside the development of the tactile system allows such subjects to more easily recognize and identify a specific alphabet letter. In a further embodiment, the set of assemblable elements 1 comprises letters and/or numbers 3 that can be grouped into subsets of vowels and consonants identifiable by means of the tactile sensor system. More in detail, the letters and/or numbers 3 can have a surface, like the front surface 4 and/or the rear surface 4', made of a material that is rough to the touch, when said letters and/or numbers 3 indicate a consonant, and a surface, like the front surface 4 and/or the rear surface 4', that is smooth when said letters and/or numbers 3 indicate a vowel, and vice versa.

The set of assemblable elements 1 described in the present document does not intend to limit and does not limit its use for the assembly of symbols and alphabet elements of Latin origin, as in the case of the alphabet; in further embodiments, it also comprises a plurality of letters and/or numbers 3 corresponding to the symbols of other alphabets. More in detail, in a further embodiment the set of assemblable elements 1 comprises a set of elements 50 whose symbols correspond to those of the Chinese and/or Japanese ideograms. Said letters and/or numbers 3, in this as in the other aforesaid embodiments, have a height comprised between 30 mm and 1000 mm and a depth comprised between 15 mm and 400 mm. In addition, the material and/or the combination of materials constituting the letters and/or numbers 3 is analogous to the aforesaid letters.

In another embodiment, the set of assemblable elements 1 comprises a plurality of letters and/or numbers 3 whose symbols correspond to those of the Arabic alphabet and a further embodiment provides for that said letters and/or numbers 3, and more in detail the elements 50, are characterized by symbols representing the letters and/or numbers of the Cyrillic alphabet. In all embodiments, the set of assemblable elements 1 described above can also comprise letters and/or numbers 3 that are internally hollow. This feature makes the object of the invention versatile, also for other purposes. More in detail, in a further embodiment the set of assemblable elements 1, in addition to being used in the above-described modes, can also act as an effective container for solid foods and/or liquids. More in detail, in a further embodiment the set of assemblable elements 1 comprises a plurality of letters and/or numbers 3 equipped with at least one openable component 18, such as a common hinge, placed on any one portion of the external surfaces of said letters and/or numbers 3 and preferably at the edges 9 of the lateral surfaces 5. This particular embodiment thus allows the user to enclose, inside each letter and/or number thus obtained, solid food products like chocolates and/or candies and/or liquorice. For the same purpose, in a further embodiment, the set of assemblable elements 1 comprises a set of letters and/or numbers 3 with characteristics and size analogous to those described in the preceding embodiments, but in which said letters and/or numbers 3 have a covering 21 at their interior, preferably adherent to the internal walls of the letter and/or number made of liquid-impermeable material and suitable for containing liquid food products and more in detail for containing drinks. Said drinks can then be accessible to the user of the set by means of a hole 19 preferably placed on a lateral surface 5 and covered by membrane that can be easily perforated by means of any one straw. Preferably said membrane 22 is made of aluminum paper.

Claims

1. Set of assemblable elements (1) comprising a set of at least 2 letters and/or numbers and/or shapes, preferably 26 letters and/or numbers (3), a container (2) and a cover/front panel (8) said container (2) being itself in letter form and adapted to contain letters and/or numbers (3) belonging to said set and wherein said letters and/or numbers (3) have a height comprised between 30 mm and 1000 mm, a depth comprised between 15 mm and 400 mm, a front surface (4), a rear surface (4'), and lateral surfaces (5) and characterized in that said lateral surfaces (5) have, in an alternating manner, a portion covered with loops (6) and a portion covered with hooks (7), with width comprised between 10 mm and 400 mm, both adapted for the assembly of said letters and/or numbers (3) with other letters and/or numbers (3) by means of the mechanism of coupling with Velcro and in that said letters and/or numbers (3) have, on any one of their surfaces, at least one chromatic indicator (16), representing a colored element, adapted to generate images and/or shapes and/or words when said chromatic indicator (16) is mated with the chromatic indicator (16) present on another letter and/or number (3), following the assembly, by means of the Velcro, of said letters and/or numbers (3), said chromatic indicator (16) being suitable for allowing the grouping of said letters and/or numbers (3) in various subsets of letters and/or numbers (3).

2. Set of assemblable elements according to claim 1, wherein the various subsets of letters and/or numbers are the subset of the vowels, the subset of the consonants, or the subset of the dental, sibilant, guttural and labial phonemes.

3. Set of assemblable elements (1) according to the preceding claims, comprising at least 78 letters and/or numbers (3) wherein said letters and/or numbers (3) are grouped into three separate subsets, each corresponding to a typographic variant of the 26 letter alphabet (3), wherein each letter and/or number (3) of each alphabet is distinguished from the other homologous letters of the other two alphabets with regard to shape and size.

4. Set of assemblable elements (1) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said letters and/or numbers (3) are provided with sound emitters (17) situated inside the letter itself or on any one of its lateral surfaces (5), said sounds being preferably similar to the sounds emitted in pronouncing said specific letter and/or number (3) on which said sound emitter (17) is placed.

5. Set of assemblable elements (1) according to the preceding claims, wherein at least one alphabet (3') or (3") or (3"') comprises letters and/or numbers having size greater than that of the other letters and/or numbers (3), and preferably with size up to ten times greater than the letters and/or numbers (3) of the remaining alphabets, and characterized in that at least one alphabet (3') and/or (3") and/or (3"') comprises letters and/or numbers (3) each provided with a characteristic scent adapted to facilitate, by means of the olfactory system, the identification of a specific letter and/or numbers (3).

6. Set of assemblable elements (1) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said letters and/or numbers (3) can be grouped into subsets of vowels, consonants and phonemes by means of the tactile sensor apparatus of the user, said letters and/or numbers (3) optionally being provided with a surface like the front surface (4) or rear surface (4'), that is rough to the touch when said letters and/or numbers (3) indicate a consonant, and a surface like the front surface (4) and/or rear surface (4'), that is smooth when said letters and/or numbers (3) indicate a vowel, or vice versa.

7. Set of assemblable elements (1) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the loop portions (6) and the hook portions (7) can be assembled to the letters and/or numbers (3) by means of gluing or simple piercing, said letters and/or numbers (3) optionally being provided with layers of adhesive material (6') and layers of adhesive material (7') present on the surfaces opposite those having the loops and the hooks of the loop portions 6 and the hook portions (7).

8. Set of assemblable elements (1) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the loop portions (6) and the hook portions (7) are assembled to the letters and/or numbers (3) by means of sewing and they are positioned at the edges (9) of the letters and/or numbers (3).

9. Set of assemblable elements (1) according to the preceding claims, comprising at least a set of elements (50) whose symbols correspond to those of the Chinese and/or Japanese ideograms and/or to those of the characters of the Cyrillic and/or Arabic alphabet and whose dimensions and combinations thereof and the structural characteristics are analogous to those of the letters and/or numbers (3) according to the preceding claims.

10. Set of assemblable elements (1) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one letter and/or number (3) provided with at least one hinge (18) preferably placed at the edges (9) of said letters and/or numbers (3) and adapted for the reversible opening and closing of said letter and/or number (3) for inserting and/or extracting and/or transporting solid food products like candies and/or chocolates.

11. Set of assemblable elements (1) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one letter and/or number (3) provided at its interior with a liquid- impermeable covering (21) that is adapted for containing drinks, and at least one hole (19), preferably placed on a lateral surface (5), covered with a membrane (22) that can be perforated by means of a straw.