Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND OF TII~ INVENTI ON
This invention relates generally to building block
assemblies and~ more particularly, to building block assemblies
comprising a plurality of prismatic building blocks having face
Eortions in which grooves are formed and a plurality of connect-
ing elements for interconnecting the building hlocks ada~ted to
be received within the grooves.
It is well known that children enjoy playing with build-
ing blocks and many building block assemblies are presently known
and available which include a plurality of buik~ng blocks and
associated connecting elements for interconnecting the same.
More particularly, building block assemblies are known which in-
clude building blocks in which grooves are formed in the ~ace
portions thereof and which are interconnected to each other by
means of connecting elements comprising substantially planar,
or right-angle portions, whose transverse dimension is essentially
equal to the width of the grooves of the building blocks. Thus,
interlocking of the building blocks is accomplished by means of
frictional engagement or through compression of the connecting
elements and/or the building block. Examples of such conventional
building block assemblies are illustrated in U.S. Patent 3,803,754,
German Patent Publications 2,203,029 and 2,658,931, German Patent
136,077 and C~-PS 388,158.
Several disadvantages, however, are inherent in the
conventional building block assemblies described above.
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More particularly, the connccting elements tend to loosen from
the grooves in which they are received in some cases and in other
cases w~re a tight fit of the connecting elements in their
associated grooves is present, it iErequently is the case that a
child will not have sufficient strength to effect engagement or
disengagement of the connecting elements and assoc.iated bui.lding
blocks~
Other disadvantages of conventional building block
assemblies are that the building blocks are frequently too small
to allow for use by small children and that it is frequently
difficult to insert the connecting elements into the receiving
grooves formed in the building blocks. Further, many conventional
build~g block assemblies must be formed entirely o~ plastic
material and sometimes include an overly diverse number of build-
ing components of different configurations which are limited with
respect to the manner in which they can be joined. Such building
block assemblies generally are rclatively expensive in manufacture.
SUMMARY OF_ THE INVENTION
Acc~rdingly, one object of the present invention is to
overcome the various disadvantages inherent in conventional building
block assemblies as set forth above.
Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide
a new and improved building block assembly wherein interconnected
blocXs will not become loose during use and wherein a child has
sufficient strength to engage and/or disengage the connecting
elements from the corresponding building blocks~
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Another ohjcct of the present invention is to provide
a new and improved building block assembly wherein insertion of
the connecting elements into grooves provided in the face portions
of the building blocks is facilitated.
Still another object of the present invention is to
provide a new and impxoved building block assembly of the type
described above which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
Briefly, in accordance with the present invention, these
and other objects are attained by providing a building block
assembly comprising a plurality of p~ismatic building blocks, each
of ~hich has at least one face portion in which a pair o~ inter-
secting grooves are formed and a plurality of connecting elements
which, in the illustrated preferred embodiment~ comprise a pair
of intersecting flexible sheet~like connecting portions which
define a substantially cross-shaped configuration. Each one of
the pair o~ intersecting connecting portions has a substantially
shal~ow s-shaped configuration so that the connecting element has
four bowed arms~ Further in accordance with the invention, the
depth of the bowed arms is greater than the width of the grooves
which are formed in the block face portions while the thickness of
the connecting portions is less than the width o the grooves.
Connecting elements may also be included which com~rise
only a single connecting portion which itself has a bowed or
S-shaped configuration.
In order to facilitate insertion of the connecting
elements into the grooves and subsequent removal therefrom, a
notch i5 formed in the edge and at the end regions of each of
iL~136~
the connecting portions at a substantial mid-height so that a
child may through insertion of a finger therein,easily remove
and insert the connecting element when desired. Further, the
height of each connecting portion of a pair of connecting portions
which comprise a cross-shape connecting element at the line of
intersection thereof is preferably smaller than the height of
the connecting portions at the end regions thereof~ This feature
further facilitates insertion of the connecting elements into
the correspondiny grooves as discussed below.
According to still another feature of the invention,
the building blocks are provided with beveled edge surfaces at
the regions where the grooves open onto their respective face
portions. Such beveled edges facilitate insertion of the connect-
ing elements into the grooves by guiding the former into the
latter. This is important especially when the building block
assembly is utilized by young children who might otherwise have
difficulty in inserting the connecting elements into the appropriate
grooves.
D~:SCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A more complete a~preciation of the present invention
and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily under-
stood by reference to the following detailed description when
concidered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG 1 is a perspective view of a building blocX com-
prising one component of the building block assembly of the
present invention;
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FIG. 2 is a perspective view o another type of building
block forming one component of the building block assembly of the
present invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a
connecting ele~ent comprising one component of the building block
assembly of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the connecting element illustrated
in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embo~iment of
a connecting element forming one component of the building block
assembly of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the connecting element illustrated
in FI~. 5;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment
of a connecting element forming one component of the building block
assembly of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a plan view of the connecting element
illustrated in FIG. 7; and
FIG. 9 is a front elevation view of a plurality of
building blocks interconnected by connecting elements according
to the present lnvention.
ESCRI PTI ON OF q~E PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reerence
characters designate identical or corresponding parts throughout
the several views and more particuLarly to FIG. 1, a prismatic
building block for use in connection with the present invention
is generally designated 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the
building block 1 comprises a rectangular prismatic block preferably
formed of wood and having three pairs of opposed face portions 10,
11 and 12, only one face portion of each pair being illustrated
A pair of substantially mutually orthogonal intersecting grooves
2 are formed in each face portion which open OntQ the respective
face portion. In the illustrated embodiment each groove 2 of a
particular pair of intersecting grooves is located on the long
and short axes, respectively, of the particular face portion in
which it is formed. Each groove has a width a . Further,
beveled edge surfaces 13 are formed in block 1 at the regions where
the grooves ~ open onto their respective face portions of the block,
which beveled surfaces facilitate insertion of the connecting
elements into grooVes 2 as will become apparent hereinbelow.
FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of a prismatic
building block, designated 1', which can be utilized in connection
with the present invention. Thus, building block 1' includes
intersecting grooves 2 formed in the face portions of block 1'
and beveled edge surfaces 13 are provided adjoining the grooves
on each side thereof in a manner similar to the embodiment of FIG. 1.
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~he grooves 2 of building block 1' a so have a width, designated a~
Turning now to FIGS. 3-8, various embodiments of connect-
ing elements adapted for use in connection with the building blocks
illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 are illustrated. Thus, referring to
FIGS. 3 and 4, a connecting element 3 comprises a pair of inter-
secting connecting portions 5, 6 defining a substantially cross~
shaped configuration. The connecting ~ortions S, ~, each of
which comprises a sheet-like flexible material, ~referably formed
of polyethylene or the liXe, mutually intersect at a line of
intersection 4.
As best seen in FIG. 4, each of the connecting portions
5, 6 has a substantially shallG~ or gently sloping S-shaped con-
figuration so that each half-portion of each connecting portion
has a bowed configuration. The depth of the bowed configuration
is designated b'.
According to the present invention, whereas the depth b'
of the bowed configuration is greater than the width a of the
grooves 2 formed in the block face portions, the thickness b o~
the connecting portion is less than the width of the grooves.
In this manner the interlocking of the building blocks with the
connecting elements is essentially based on the flexibility and
bending of the connecting portions 5, 6.
Notches 7 are formed at the respective end regions of
each of the connecting portions 5, 6 in substantially mid-way
along its height. Such notches have a two fold purpose, namely,
for facilitating disengagement of the connecting elements from
the grooves in which it is received by providing a surface which
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can be engaged by a child's finger and, additionally, for facilitating
relatively independent associations of the upper and lower halves
of the connecting element with a pair of building blocks in whose
grooves they are received. Such operation will be described in
greater detail below.
It is also preferred to form the connecting element 3
so that the height c of the connecting portions at the line of
intersection 4 of the pair of intersecting connecting portions
is smaller than the height d of the connecting portions at the
end regions thereof. By this provision, the connecting elements
can be insPrted into the grooves 2 by aligning the line of inter-
section 4 with the region at which the grooves 2 intersect each
other on a particular face portion of the building block and then
urying the connecting portions gradually into the grooves.
Turning now to FIGS. 5-8, two other connecting elements
which may be utilized in connection with the present invention
are illustrated. Referring particularly to FIGS. 5 and 6, a
connecting element 3' comprises a single connecting portion which
is substantially similar to one of the connecting portions 5, 6
of the connecting element 3 illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. Thus,
connecting element 3' com~rises a flexible sheet-like connecting
portion having a substantially shallow or gently sloping S-shaped
configuration and having notche~ 7 provided at its end regions.
The height c of the connecting element 3' at its mid-section is
smaller than its hèight d at its end regions. A connecting element
3" is illustrated in FIGSo 7 and 8 has a bowed configuration hest
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seen in FI~,. 8 which is somewhat different from the S-shaped
configuration of the connecting portions defining the connecting
elements 3 and 3'0
As noted above, the building blocks are preferably formed
of wood although other materials may be util~ ed as desired.
Although polyethylene material is preferred for the connecting
elements, other materials may be utilized which will provide the
degree of rigidity and deformability required.
The extent to which the connecting elements are engaged
in the respective grooves is determined by the extent to which the
connecting portions are bowed, the particular design of the bend
regions as well as the thickness of the sheet-like material which
defines the connecting element. Since the connecting elements
3, 3' are narrower in their central region, the ends thereof can
be inserted into the respective grooves first whereupon connector
element as a whole then being urged until its bottom edge engages
the bottom o~ the groove 2. It is noted in this connection that
the conne~ting element 3" does not have a narrow central region.
Further, the provision of the beveled edge surfaces 13 facilitate
the insertion of the connecting elements since they in essence
define an enlarged mouth region into which the connecting element
i~ located and which will serve to guide the connecting element
into the communicating groove.
The notches 7 have the dual function of p~oviding a gripping
surface to facilitate disengagement of the connecting element from
the groove and, additionally, so that the upper and lower halve
g~
- - ~ortions of thc connecting element will ~unction independently
providing good gripping action with the associ.ated building blocks.
Xeferring now to FIG. 9, a typical structure con-
structed utilizing the building block assembly of the present
invention is illustrated. Thus, the plurality of building blocks 1,
1' are seen as being associated w:ith each other through the
connecting elements 3, 3'. The line of intersection of the
connecting elements 3 are located at the region at which the
groove 2 on a particular face portion of a block intersect each
other while the halve portions of the connecting portions
communicate respectively with grooves 2 formed in adjacent face
portions of respective blocks. It has been found that the connect-
ing element 3 will provide the best engagement between a pair of
adjacent blocks while the connecting element 3' is preferable or
use for interconnecting the ends of the blocks. The connecting
element 3" is preferably used for the shortest engagements
especially in the case of horizontally extending grooves which
terminate at a diagonal side of a building block.
The building blocX assembly of the present invention
can be used to build diverse structures limited only by the
imagination and age of the child. Further, other components can
be utilized.with the assembly, such for example as a separate shaft
component, which can be inserted into the groove 2.
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obviously, numerous modifications and variations of
the present invention are possible in the light of the above
teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope
of the claims the invention can be practiced otherwise than as
s~ecifically disclosed herein.
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