Patent Application
20140256208
The present disclosure relates generally to a flexible laminated construction toy set and method of manufacture thereof, and more particularly to a construction set made of pieces with a bendable metal layer enclosed by two layers of a plastic mat.
Children require activities to pass time. Toys are used to stimulate the imagination and creativity of children while at the same time serving the purpose of helping a young mind evolve into a coherent, intelligent, and well-formed adult. One field of toys that can be purchased or gifted is construction sets. Construction sets are made from a plurality of pieces that can be assembled in a number of ways to generate different results.
Generally sold in a series of boxes, either in small quantity, large quantity, or even extension sets, a child will collect as many pieces as possible to help create larger and more elaborate creations. Each set as sold differs and the rarity and usefulness of each piece can differ. Amongst the most popular construction kits available on the market are rigid building blocks like those sold by the LEGO® Corporation. Other kits available center around a doll that can be dressed, housed, like the goods sold by the American Girl® Corporation. In the United States, there are multiple types of construction sets each designed with a specific purpose and a different playability.
One type of known construction sets is sold under the BENDAROOS® brand. This technology is protected under U.S. Pat. No. 5,916,006 (“Ganson”) and is shown as prior art at
What is needed is a new method of manufacture and of production that relies on the soft and bendable technology of the BENDAROOS® but where each piece has greater flexibility, more malleability, incorporates greater design and aesthetic elements, to create smaller scale models and creations that mimic everyday goods and also can be worn as jewelry.
The present disclosure relates generally to flexible laminated construction toy set and method of manufacture thereof, and more particularly to a construction set made of pieces with a bendable metal layer enclosed by two layers of a plastic mat. Two flexible thick plastic mats with potentially a surface printed design are sealed around an internally deformable metal insert. Sets are sold using multiple geometry elements each having a different purpose, a different design to enhance playability.
The following disclosure as a whole may be best understood by reference to the provided detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, drawing description, summary, abstract, background of the disclosure, field of the disclosure, and associated headings. Identical reference numerals when found on different figures identify the same elements or functionally equivalent elements. The elements listed in the summary and abstract are not referenced but nevertheless refer by association to the elements of the detailed description and associated disclosure.
For the purposes of promoting and understanding the invention and principles disclosed herein, reference is now made to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language is used to describe the same. It is nevertheless understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. Such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated devices and such further applications of the principles disclosed as illustrated herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure relates.
When forces or strain are place upon metal, it either deforms elastically or plastically. Elastic deformation is a change in size that is not permanent and once the force or strain is removed, the metal returns to the pre-strained configuration. Plastic deformation is a property of metal to change form permanently under stain while not breaking Generally, plastic deformation occurs once the acceptable strain elastic deformation limit is passed for a given metal. For example, a paperclip elastically deforms when slid to hold a couple of pages, but when the number of pages increases, the paper clip will locally deform plastically. When a metal is plastically deformed, it is ‘bent’ into a different shape. Aside from fatigue cracks or micro-tears, metal is perfectly suited for successive plastic deformation.
To the contrary, most polymer or plastics while having both elastic and plastic deformation regions associated with different levels of strain, the polymer or plastic is damaged when plastic deformations occur. For example, reticulations will break creating a change in color. Much like reinforced concrete relies on metal when placed in fraction and the concrete when placed in compression to give the whole a greater resistance to any strain, the principle behind for creation of the different bendable elements, connector elements, or aesthetic elements of the kits disclosed is to create kits made of elements that can be bent into a different shape and that can hold this new shape until a new shape is desired. Unlike prior art construction sets where thick foam is used, this new technology relies on plastic mats of a density greater than 6 pounds per cubic foot, and in one preferred embodiment, a mat having a density in the range of 10 to 15 pcf, and more specifically 13±1 pcf. Each mat is 1-4 mm thick, with a preferred thickness of approximately 2.5±1 mm. The mats may be made of multi-ply pieces with double side lamination and Polyvinyl Chloride covers, or a small soft interior with laminated top layers.
What is shown at
One possible set is shown at
As shown, some of the smaller elements that do not have a shape where a portion can be bent (as element 4 on
Going back to the design at
Within the scope of this disclosure, we will refer to the elements as bendable elements (i.e. elements with a metal insert that can be bent into shape and will retain the bent shape) for example elements 1, and 4, connector elements or elements that can be used to connect and join other elements (with or without a metal insert) like elements 2, and 4, and aesthetic elements that serve the purpose of enhancing the structures created by the other elements of the set such as the bendable elements and/or the connector elements like elements 5, and 6.
As part of the design of each construction set 100, designers will help create a wide variety of different elements (bendable, connectors, or aesthetic) that can be easily adapted to create a wide variety of overall constructions. For example, a set could be designed to create airplanes, or a branded franchise. In such a case, the construction set 100 will include all of the design elements in such a way to help recreate a needed world or atmosphere that reinforces the desired design. As illustrated at
What is shown is a set 100 comprising a first plurality of elements 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 where elements have different shapes like sticks, circles, etc. where at least some of the elements are capable of retaining a bent shape due to a metal insert encased fully between two plasticized surfaces.
The thickness of the metal insert 26 is calculated in a way to allow the element to be easily bent but having such a strength to prevent the return elastic force of the two layers of plastic mats 21, 22 to deform the element back into shape. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the width of the metal insert 26 is also relevant in the overall physical properties of the insert and also allows for lateral twisting and lateral deformations to occur to further increase the usefulness and playability of the stick 1 alone or as part of a set 100.
Each of the bent shape retaining elements as shown are manufactured using a process with the steps are described in greater detail at
First, a party will select a first plasticized surface 21 as shown at
Printing can be made on one of the two plasticized surfaces 21, 22. The print can be of any design needed. What is also contemplated is a blank unprinted surfaces 21, 22. A blank unprinted surface could be used in conjunction with markers to force children to design and color their own pieces to help further increase the playability of the set 100. In addition to using a printed design, what is contemplated is the use as part of the process of the step of creating a three dimension embossing of the plastic mat or the plastic sheet to create a three dimensional effect. Other known methods can be used to further enhance each pieces, for example the attachment on the two plasticized surfaces 21, 22 of other decorative items.
The method 300 next includes the step of placing the first plasticized surface 21 over a metal insert 26 formed from a flat metal sheet stamp cut in shape. This is shown at
Finally, using any one of multiple technologies, the piece is cut from the two plasticized surfaces 21, 22 at the first and second external edges 27, 28 to separate a finished flexible construction element (for example 1) from the first and second plasticized surfaces 21, 22. In one embodiment, the metal insert 26 is made from a spool (not shown) with a flat rectangular metal section cut into length instead of a flat metal sheet stamp cut in shape. In one embodiment, the cutting of the mat is made using a die cut.
Persons of ordinary skill in the art appreciate that although the teachings of the disclosure have been illustrated in connection with certain embodiments, there is no intent to limit the invention to such embodiments. On the contrary, the intention of this application is to cover all modifications and embodiments falling fairly within the scope of the teachings of the disclosure.
