Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Building block
Specification:
The present invention relates to a building block for use as part of a set of
building elements, and to a corresponding construction plate. Building blocks
and sets of building elements are known, and are commercially available, as
toy building blocks for example under the LegoTM trade name. Building blocks
of that kind can be joined to structures by means of projections provided on
the
top of one such building block, which engage recesses provided in one or more
other building blocks in clamping engagement. A square "Lego" block, for
example, has four cylindrical projections, the longitudinal axes of which
define
the four corners of a square which is coplanar to the upper surface of the
block.
In other words, the straight lines which form the four sides of the square
constitute an imaginary square grid on the intersections of which are located
the axes of the projections.
Beside the known LegoTM building blocks, other similar building blocks are
also
available. FR 2,336,956 Al, for example, discloses building blocks that differ
from the known Lego building blocks substantially in that the underside of the
described building blocks, instead of being provided with recesses, exhibit a
free inner space enclosed by sidewalls. Correspondingly, the top of such
building blocks is provided with projections only at its edge or, in the case
of
larger blocks, on which smaller building blocks can be fitted, along the
contours
of such smaller building blocks. EP 0,379,389 Al further discloses building
blocks which are provided with both projections and recesses for engagement
in projections of a matching building block, on their top, their underside and
their sidewalls as well. DE-OS 1,603,572 A discloses building blocks which
have two projections on their top and two matching recesses at their
underside.
US 5,725,411 A discloses building blocks which can be fitted together under
given angles by projections engaging into matching recesses, respectively, of
another building block. Among them there are building blocks which are not
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provided on their upper surface at all intersections of an imaginary square
grid
with projections.
Now, it is the object of the present invention to extend the range of creative
applications permitted by such sets of building elements.
This object is achieved by a set of building elements having the features
defined in Claim 1, and by a building block having the features defined in
Claim
15 intended for use in a set of building elements. Advantageous further
developments of the invention are the subject-matter of the sub-claims.
While in the case of known building blocks the upper projections are provided
at all intersections of the imaginary square grid, a set of building elements
according to the invention contains one or more building blocks in which two
diagonally arranged intersections remain free from projections. This idea is
equally ingenious and simple as the idea underlying the known system of the
building blocks as such. While known building blocks only permit rigid
connections by engagement of the projections of the one building block in the
recesses of the other building blocks, the use of the building block according
to
the invention as part of a set of building elements now allows, in addition to
such rigid structures, rotatable structures or structures with rotating or
pivoting
elements to be realised. This is so because when the building block according
to the invention is connected with another building block, whether of
conventional design or of a design according to the invention, by engagement
of a single rotationally symmetrical projection, then the two building blocks
can
be rotated one relative to the other about such projection and the matching
recess in the other building block. The angle available for rotation depends
on
the number and position of the remaining projections on the lower building
block, which are not so engaged and clamped. In the case of known building
blocks, the remaining projections of the lower building block prevent in this
case rotation of the building blocks one relative to the other, presenting an
obstacle to the sidewalls of the upper building block. In the case of a
building
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block according to the invention, however, two of four projections are
missing,
whereby rotation of one building block relative to the other is rendered
possible.
If only two projections, placed on a diagonal line of the imaginary square
grid,
are provided on the lower building block, rotation by approximately 3600 is
possible.
The building blocks according to the invention can be combined with advantage
with the known building blocks. Accordingly, a set of building elements
containing one or more building blocks according to the invention permits a
much greater variety of structures to be realised than a set of building
blocks
consisting exclusively of known building blocks. Accordingly, it is now
possible
with a given number of building blocks to realise much more combinations and
a greater variety of interesting and different structures. Advantageously,
children's imagination is stimulated more strongly, and the building blocks
gain
in interest as toys for children of a larger age-group.
Structures with rotatable or pivoting elements, of the kind that can be
realised
with the building blocks according to the invention, can be used with
advantage
also in other fields. For example, the building blocks according to the
invention
easily permit the realisation of a structure comprising a cable entry whose
diameter can be exactly adjusted to the required width by simple rotation of
one
or more of the building blocks.
According to an advantageous further development of the invention it is
provided that the projections have a cylindrically shaped lateral surface.
This
feature provides the advantage to increase the retaining force of the clamping
connection.
According to another advantageous further development of the invention the
projections are hollow. This feature advantageously leads to material savings.
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Another advantageous further development of the invention provides that the
building blocks are designed as boxes open at their underside. This
advantageously reduces the material required for the production of a building
block. Another advantageous further development of the invention provides in
this connection that the inner surfaces of the sidewalls of the building block
are
provided with ribs serving to connect two building blocks by clamping
engagement. This feature provides the advantage to increase the stability of a
building block and the holding force of a clamping connection between two
building blocks. Another advantageous further development of the invention
provides that cylinders are provided inside the box, on the underside of the
wall
from which the projections start out, at the centres of the imaginary square
grid,
which cylinders serve to connect the building blocks by clamping engagement,
especially in co-operation with the before-mentioned ribs. Centres of the
imaginary square grid mean in this connection those points which are found at
the centre, i.e. the intersection of the diagonal lines of the grid. If the
projections
of a building block are in engagement with the bottom of another building
block,
then a clamping effect is achieved not only by the sidewalls, and the ribs
provided thereon, but also by the respective cylinder. This advantageously
increases the holding force of the clamping connection.
According to another advantageous further development of the invention, the
building blocks have a closed and substantially plane top outside their
projections. This feature provides the advantage to simplify production of the
building blocks.
According to an alternative advantageous further development of the invention,
the set of building elements contains one or more building blocks which
exhibit,
on at least one of the intersections of the imaginary square grid, a hole
instead
of a projection, and one or more pins matching the holes and having a lateral
surface whose outer diameter conforms to the outer diameter of the
projections. This feature provides the advantage that by combining pins with
building blocks according to the invention, it is possible to produce building
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blocks which exactly have the desired number of projections necessary for
realising a given structure. It is then possible, at desire, by fitting the
pins in the
holes, to create a greater number of projections and to thereby increase the
holding force of the clamping connection between two building blocks, or else
to make a structure rotatable by leaving the holes open. This advantageously
further increases the number of possible combinations of the number of
building blocks in a set of building elements and makes the set of building
blocks even more interesting for children. Another advantageous further
development of the invention provides in this connection that the holes are
configured as blind holes. This feature provides the advantage to limit the
depth
of engagement of the pins. Preferably, the relevant pins have a cylindrical
configuration.
An alternative advantageous further development of the invention provides in
this connection that the holes are through-holes and that the pins are
provided
with a stop that limits the depth of penetration of the pins. This feature
provides
the advantage to reduce the production effort and the material input for the
production of the building blocks. Another advantageous further development
provides in this connection that the pin comprises two cylindrical sections of
different diameters. This feature provides the advantage that the holes can be
given a smaller diameter and that once a pin has been fitted, so as to form a
projection, the holes are no longer visible.
According to an advantageous further development of the invention, the
building blocks are made from a plastic material. This feature provides the
advantage to permit the building blocks to be produced at low cost.
According to one advantageous further development of the invention, the set of
building elements contains a construction plate, provided with projections,
having a lateral surface in the form of a surface of revolution, located at
the
intersections of an imaginary square grid, the design of the projections being
such that the construction plate can be connected with a building block of the
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set of building elements by clamping engagement of its projections in the
recesses at the underside of such building block, and that the projections of
the
construction plate occupy only a part of the intersections of the imaginary
square grid. Such a set of construction elements advantageously permits the
realisation of structures which are rotatably mounted on, or which comprise
elements rotatably mounted on, the construction plate.
Further details and advantages of the invention will be explained by reference
to an embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the attached drawings, in
which:
Fig. 1 shows a top view of a building block according to the invention;
Fig. 2 shows a side view of a building block;
Fig. 3 shows a cross-section through a rigid structure composed of building
blocks according to the invention;
Fig. 4 shows a cross-section through a rotatable structure composed of
building blocks according to the invention;
Fig. 5 shows a top view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 shows a top view of the structure of Figs. 4 and 5, in its rotated
position;
Fig. 7 shows a top view of the structure of Figs. 4 to 6 in another rotated
position;
Fig. 8 shows a rear view of a building block according to the invention;
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Fig. 9 shows a flexible wall built up from building blocks according to the
invention;
Fig. 10 shows the wall illustrated in Fig. 9, curved to the shape of an S;
Fig. 11 shows the wall illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, in the shape of a ring;
Fig. 12 shows the wall illustrated in Figs. 9 to 11, in straight condition;
Fig. 13 shows another wall made from building blocks according to the
invention, consisting of two mutually rotatable sections;
Fig. 14 shows the wall illustrated in Fig. 13 in rotated condition;
Fig. 15 shows another wall made from building blocks according to the
invention,
Fig. 16 shows a top view similar to Fig. 1 of a modified building block; and
Fig. 17 shows a side view as in Fig. 2 of the modified building block.
The building block 1 shown in Fig. 1 comprises a cuboid body 2 with two hollow
cylindrical projections 3 on its top. The length of such projections 3 can be
freely selected within broad limits so that the projections can be configured
at
desire as short knobs or bosses, or as long pins. The projections 3 serve to
connect two building blocks 1, 1', as shown for example in Figs. 3 and 4, by
clamping engagement of at least one of the projections 3 of the building block
1' in recesses provided at the underside of the other building block 1.
Contrary to the prior art, not all, but only some of the intersections 8 of an
imaginary square grid 9 of the building block 1 illustrated in Fig. 1 are
occupied
by projections 3. In the illustrated configuration, the building block 1 has
exactly
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two projections 3, and these are arranged diagonally opposite one to the
other.
This advantageously provides the possibility to combine a plurality of such
building blocks for the purpose of creating rotatable structures or structures
comprising rotatable or pivoting elements. It is an essential aspect in this
connection that the projections 3 have a lateral surface in the form of a
surface
of revolution, a cylindrical shape of the projections 3 being especially
advantageous for establishing a reversible clamping connection.
Fig. 2 shows a side view of the building block illustrated in Fig. 1.
The building blocks known heretofore only permit the realisation of rigid
structures; the realisation of rotatable structures is not possible with prior
art
building blocks. The described building blocks 1 of course also allow the
realisation of rigid structures - also in combination with the known building
blocks -, in which case two projections 3 provide almost the same reliability
of
the clamping connection between two building blocks 1 as four or more
projections 3 according to the prior art. An example of such a rigid structure
is
illustrated in Fig. 3. The user has the choice of joining either identical
components 1, or components 1' with differently arranged, or a different
number of, projections 3.
Fig. 4 now shows a cross-section of a rotatable structure. In this example,
the
lower building blocks 1 have two projections 3, arranged diagonally opposite
each other, while the upper building block 1' is provided with a single
projection
only, the number of projections 3 of the upper building block 1' being of
course
without relevance for the rotating capability of the structure. Fig. 5 shows a
top
view of the same structure. In this case, the two lower components 1 are
movable one relative to the other. The structure comprises two axes of
rotation,
each being defined by a projection 3 of the lower building block 1 engaging a
recess in the upper building block 1'. Figs. 6 and 7 show the structure of
Figs. 4
and 5 in a rotated position, which has been achieved by rotation of the lower
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building blocks 1 relative to the upper building block 1', from their original
position illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.
The building blocks 1 illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8 have square tops.
Fig. 8 shows the underside of the described building blocks 1, 1'. The
building
blocks are configured as hollow boxes, and the inner surfaces of their
sidewalls
are reinforced by ribs 6 which coact with the cylinder 7 to establish the
clamping connection. Inside the box, at the underside of the wall from which
the
projections 3 extend, the building block 1 is provided with a cylinder 7
arranged
at the centre of the imaginary square grid. In the case of larger building
blocks,
there are then correspondingly more centres of the imaginary square grid, with
a cylinder 7 arranged at each such centre. Thus, a building block with a
square
top and four intersections of the imaginary square grid has one such cylinder
7
at its centre, while a larger rectangular building block has a correspondingly
greater number of cylinders 7. When a projection 3 engages the bottom of
another building block, the projection 3 is clamped between the inner lateral
surfaces by ribs 6, extending in the direction from the top to the bottom, and
the
cylinder 7 so that a clamping connection is achieved between two building
blocks.
Fig. 10 shows a wall built up from building blocks according to the invention.
While known building blocks only permit the realisation of rigid or straight
walls,
or walls arranged at right angles, the building blocks according to the
invention
also permit the realisation of flexible walls. This is so because the
individual
building blocks can be rotated one relative to the other, as illustrated in
Figs. 4
to 7, whereby the wall in its entirety can be rendered flexible and can be
given
the curved shape illustrated in the drawing. Fig. 10 shows the wall
illustrated in
Fig. 9 in a slightly more curved S-shape. As can be seen in Fig. 11 such walls
may even be formed into a ring. In Fig. 12, the wall illustrated in Figs. 9 to
11 is
shown in straight condition. It will be seen, when comparing Figs. 4 and 6,
that
the possibility to rotate the individual building blocks one relative to the
other
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allows a change in length of the wall to be realised. The configurations
illustrated in Fig. 4 and Fig. 6 are different in length by a factor equal to
root of
2.
Another wall built up from building blocks according to the invention is
illustrated in Fig. 13. That wall comprises two sections A and B, which can be
rotated one relative to the other about an axis S. Fig. 14 shows the wall of
Fig.
13 in rotated condition such that the sections A and B extend at a right angle
one relative to the other. It is thus possible to configure a section of the
wall as
a door. Fig. 15 shows another wall built up from building blocks according to
the invention, with a plurality of axes of rotation.
Figs. 16 and 17 show a modified square building block 1 which differs from the
building block 1 in Figs. I and 2 in that the two projections 3 are replaced
by a
cylindrical hole 10 receiving a pin 11 matching the respective hole 10.
