Construction toy formed of connectable components

Abstract

The present invention relates to a construction toy formed of components made of foam material. Each component has a longitudinally extending groove on one side of each component and a longitudinally extending rib-like member on another side of each component. Each member of a first component is adapted to longitudinally slide within and to lockingly engage its corresponding groove of an adjoining second component Each component can also have an end surface, e.g. top or bottom surface with a protrusion thereon and a groove or recess in an opposite end surface so that the first end surface with the protrusion of first component can engagingly lock into the groove of end surface of a second component. In this way, the components can be added to each other not only side by side but also end to end for building toy structures longer as well as wider. The two components can be locked together by snapping the protrusion end of one component into the groove end of another component or can be disengaged from each other by being pulled apart at their respective ends.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a construction toy. In particular, the present invention relates to a construction toy formed of components made of foam material where each component has a longitudinally extending groove on one side of each component and a longitudinally extending rib-like member on another side of each component which is adapted to lockingly engage said groove

[0003] 2. Discussion of the Related Prior Art

[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,863 relates to set of interlocking pixels and beams These pixels and beams interlock by sliding along the z-axis.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 2,020,562 discloses a toy block formed of connecting parts. None of these references teach or suggest a construction toy formed of foam material that can be assembled together by components which can be shaped in any geometrical configuration and which is suitable for use as a flotation toy in a body of water such as a pool.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention provides for construction toy formed of components made of foam material where each component has a longitudinally extending groove on one side of each component and a longitudinally extending rib-like member on another side of each component which is adapted to lockingly engage said groove. The rib-like member of one component can engage the groove of another component either by sliding the rib-like member into the groove along their respective longitudinal axes or by being snapped together so that the rib-like member of one component is lodged within the groove of another component Correspondingly, the rib-like member of one component can be separated from the groove of another component either, by sliding the rib-like member out of the groove along their respective longitudinal axes, or by pulling the two components apart from each, other so that the rib-like member is pulled out of the groove when the two components are interlocked.

[0007] In addition each component can have an end surface, e g. top or bottom surface with a protrusion thereon and a groove or a recess in another and preferably an opposite end surface so that the first end surface with the protrusion of first component can engagingly lock into the groove or recess of the another end surface of a second component. In this way, the components can be added to each other not only side by side but also end to end for building toy structures longer as well as wider. The two components can be locked together by snapping the protrusion end of one component into the recess end of another component or can be disengaged from each other by being pulled apart at their respective ends.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of one of the shaped components of the present invention;

[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of one of the shaped components of the present invention;

[0010] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of one of the shaped components of the present invention

[0011] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a fourth embodiment of one of the shaped component of the present invention

[0012] FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating connected components and components that can be connected shaped according to the first embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1;

[0013] FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating connected components and components that can be connected shaped according to the second embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 2;

[0014] FIG. 7 is a sectional view illustrating connected components and components that can be connected shaped according to the third embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 3;

[0015] FIG. 8 is a sectional view illustrating connected components and components that can be connected shaped according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 4;

[0016] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 2 showing two components connected end to end;

[0017] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 2 showing the two components connected end to end and also showing side by side connections of the components;

[0018] FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 9 showing the end to end connection of two components; and

[0019] FIG. 12 is a sectional view of FIG. 10 showing four components connected together with end to end and side by side connections.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Referring now to the figures, FIGS. 1-4 show four different embodiments of the present invention. In FIG. 1 a first embodiment is illustrated showing a component 5 of the present invention being substantially square shaped. The component has at least one side with a longitudinally extending groove or recess 7 and a longitudinally extending rib-like member or tab projection 8 on another side of the component 5. In FIG. 1 there are two grooves on opposite sides of the square shaped component and two projecting rib-like members on opposite remaining sides of the square shaped component. As can be seen in FIG. 5, these substantially square shaped components can be joined together to form a variety of structures by sliding the rib-like members longitudinally along the recess of the component The dashed lines of FIG. 5 illustrate that more components can be added to increase and change the size of the structure being built.

[0021] The components are formed of a foam material and thus can be used to create a flotation device such as a raft for use in a body of water such as a pool. The foam material can be a low density polyethylene product which is extruded by a physical agent such as a hydrocarbon gas.

[0022] The connection between the groove and the tab or member of two adjoining components is an interlocking connection so that the two adjoined components can be removed only by longitudinally sliding the member or tab out of the groove and or pulling the two components apart from each other so that the member is pulled away from and out of the groove of the adjoining and connected component. The two components are preferably of substantially the same longitudinal length with respect to each other.

[0023] FIGS. 2 and 6 show a second embodiment of the present invention where the components are substantially triangularly shaped components.

[0024] FIGS. 3 and 7 show a fourth embodiment of another geometrical configuration having both straight and curved portions.

[0025] FIGS. 4 and 8 show a fourth embodiment showing a substantially circularly shaped component.

[0026] FIGS. 9-12 describe the end to end connections of the components of the present invention alone (see FIGS. 9 and 11) and together with the side to side connections (see FIGS. 10 and 12)

[0027] As shown in FIG. 9 two components can be connected end to end (8a, 8b). Each component has two end surfaces, a first end surface 11 and a second end surface 12. First end surface 11 has an extended protrusion, member 13. Second end surface 12 has a groove 14 which is configured to securely and lockingly engage protrusion 13 of another component so that components can be connected end to end as seen in FIGS. 9 and 11. Thus component 8a can be connected to component 8b in end to end connection by protrusion 11 of component 8b being inserted into the groove of 12 of component 8a (see FIG. 11).

[0028] It is possible to have both end to end connections and side by side connections at the same time as shown in FIGS. 10 and 12 where four components 8a, 8b, 8c and 8d are connected with 8a and 8b in end to end connection, 8c and 8d in end to end connection and 8a and 8c in side by side connection and 8b and 8d in side by side connection. In this way the toy structure can grow in length and width by adding components on the sides and on the ends.

[0029] It is understood that the present invention is not limited to any particular shaped component or configuration for either the end or side connections. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that although the invention has been described in terms of specific examples, modifications and changes may be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the essence of the invention.

Claims

1. A construction toy formed of connectable components, comprising: a plurality of connectable components each one of said connectable components being formed of a foam material and having on at least one surface of said component an extending member and on at least another surface of said component a groove therein where each said member of one component is adapted to lockingly engage within a groove of another one of said components in order to join said components together.

2. The toy according to claim 1 wherein said one surface is a side surface and said extending member is a longitudinally extending rib-like member and said another surface is a side surface and said groove is a longitudinally extending groove component wherein each said member of one component is adapted to longitudinally slide and lockingly engage within a groove of another one of said components in order to join said components together.

2. The toy according to claim 1 wherein said one surface is an end surface and said extending member is an extending protrusion and said another surface is another end surface and said groove is dimensioned to lockingly engage said extending protrusion therein so that two components can be lockingly connected end to end when said protrusion of one component is snapped into said recess of another component and disengaged when said protrusion is pulled out of said recess.

3. The toy according to claim 1 wherein said at least one surface includes a side surface having a longitudinally extending rib-like member and a end surface having an extending protrusion member and wherein said another surface includes a side surface having a longitudinally extending groove component and another end surface having a groove therein wherein each said member of one component is adapted to longitudinally slide and lockingly engage within a groove of another one of said components in order to join said components together in a side by side connection and said components can be lockingly connected end to end when said protrusion of one component is snapped into said groove in said another end surface of another component and disengaged when said protrusion is pulled out of said recess of said another end surface.

4. A construction toy formed of connectable components, comprising: a plurality of connectable components each one of said connectable components being formed of a foam material and having a longitudinally extending groove on one side of said component and a longitudinally extending rib-like member on another side of said component wherein each said member of one component is adapted to longitudinally slide and lockingly engage within a groove of another one of said components in order to join said components together.

5. The construction toy according to claim 4 wherein said groove and said member are shaped complimentary with respect to each other so that said member engages within said groove.

6. The construction toy according to claim 4 wherein said groove and member each substantially extend along the entire longitudinal length of said component.

7. The construction toy according to claim 4 wherein said groove and said member have complimentary geometric shapes

8. The construction toy according to claim 4 wherein said geometric shape is substantially a polygonal shape.

9. The construction toy according to claim 4 wherein said polygonal shape is substantially circular.

10. The constructional toy according to claim 9 wherein said polygonal shape is substantially square

11. The construction toy according to claim 8 wherein said polygonal shape is substantially triangular.

12 The construction toy according to claim 4 wherein said connectable components are formed of a foam material.

13. The construction toy according to claim 12 wherein said foam material is formed of a low density polyethylene product.

14. The construction toy according to claim 13 wherein said low density polyethylene product is extruded by a physical agent.

15. The construction toy according to claim 14 wherein said physical agent is a hydrocarbon gas.

16. The construction toy according to claim 4 wherein said plurality of components can be combined to construct different shapes and structures by connecting member of one of said components into a groove another of said components

17. The construction toy according to claim 4 wherein said foam is made of a water floating material so that said components can be connected to form a raft which will float on water.