The present invention relates to modular mateable elements for toys sets in which elements may be assembled by building out in one or more directions upon a play surface or by stacking in directions orthogonal to the play surface.
Modular toy building sets have been popular for decades if not over a century. Modular elements of a typical toy set include mateable interfaces allowing elements to be temporarily joined to create abstract dendritic structures or surface-based networks of more concrete systems such as model roads, racetracks, and railway networks. Elements which add vertical stacking for elevation gain allow the creation of bridges, overpasses, and loops. Elements may be arcuate or straight, so that elevation gains of straight sections create ramps, and elevation gains of arcuate sections may create helical pathways.
Children seeking to integrate playsets are often thwarted because the modular interconnection features of one set are rarely compatible with other playsets. For example, Lincoln Logs® do not connect with TinkerToys® and neither of those toy sets attach to K′nex® or Erector® building elements.
Children wanting to create mixed structures often need special interoperable elements which have more than one set of modular interconnect features, so that a single interoperable component may mate with more than one kind of playset.
Modular toy building sets have elements which include interconnection features among the components of the set. In this specification the words “module” and “modular” refer not only to any of a set of standardized parts or independent units that may be used to construct a more complex structure or to complete or complement a geometrically defined area or volume, but also any one of a set of detachable and exchangeable components having common exterior geometries or mating features. A product is “modular” when there are no unpredictable elements in the design of its parts, especially in its exterior shape and in the predetermined location and features for mating or assembling the product into a larger entity in which all modules fit together and work together. “Modularity” standardizes the way by which components fit and interact together.
Specific play set manufacturers create specific module definitions for intermating features allowing play pieces to temporarily and detachably connect to each other.
“Gender” in this specification refers to sets of interconnect features primarily involving interlocking or light interference or friction fits of protuberances or projections known as “male” being received and retained within apertures or cavities known as “female.” Male features will only mate with female features and vices versa, constraining the orientations of parts. “Hermaphroditic” interfaces include both male and female features so generally there are fewer orientation constraints for such components and larger combinations of available mating options for parts within a playset.
Modular toy building sets allow assemblies to extend along one or more axes or contours laying on a playing surface which is usually substantially planar. Stackable block components typically comprise (female) downwardly open, box-shaped building elements, each of which is provided on the upper surface with (male) coupling studs serving to couple one element to a corresponding element by engagement between the sidewalls of the other element. Such building sets are constructed so that the dimensions of each building element is an integral multiple of a given basic module, so that the coupling studs have the same dimensions and are spaced equally among all the elements.
Most gendered modular elements define a linear axis or an arcuate contour with male mating features at one end of the axis or contour and female features at the other end so that straight and curved sections of model roads, race tracks, or trains tracks may be assembled to any indefinite length, and modular stackable elements may be built to indefinite heights. However some components are designed to end the extension: column cappers have female bottoms and lack male studs on top so that additional vertical stacking is not allowed. Train sets often include track end bumpers with only one set of gendered connection features.
Children may become interested in combining different playsets, especially combining stackable building sets with roadway and railway playsets to create features with elevations gains such as ramps and overpasses and sections of elevated track supported by piers built up from stackable components. Since interconnect modularity of the track playset components are generally incompatible with the stacking modularity of the stackable building set, until recently they would have little choice than to rest the track sections upon the piers, with no effective mechanical engagement to stabilize the interface. These unstable ad hoc assemblies come apart and collapse easily which is disappointing or frustrating to the players.
The advent of inexpensive additive manufacturing machines such as 3D printers allowed parents to design effective interoperable components which combine modular interconnect features of stacking building sets with modular features of track-based playsets. For example, a connector block may be manufactured having a set of downwardly open, box-shaped building elements, and a short section of track defining a track axis perpendicular to the stacking direction, with female track mating modularity on one end of the track axis and male track mating modularity on the other end of the track axis. Lacking male studs in the track section, such a block functions as a column capper but offers much more secure support to the track sections positively connected to it. A succession of piers capped by such an interoperable connector block provides an elevated track section. Ramps may be built by incrementing or decrementing the number of stacked blocks beneath the interoperable capping block.
Elevated arcuate track sections and even elevated closed loops may be built using track section capping blocks, but these capping blocks would not be useful for building a helical climbing ramp because on attempting to complete a first loop of track, no support is provided for an upper track continuing the loop above the lower track. The inventive connector block solves this deficiency by providing a short section of modular track located adjacent to a stackable block portion having male and female modular block interface features. Although several block stacking modules and several toy train track modules are available, specific and preferred embodiments of the invention are configured for the Duplo® stacking block modular system and the Brio® modular train track system and rolling stock collection. For reference, the Duplo® stud and box interconnect module is twice the scale of the Logo® building block system.
Referring now to the figures,
The second portion adjacent to the track portion is a stackable building block portion including two block interfaces of which one is visible in this figure and the other is visible in
In summary, the connector block is directed to an interlocking block system, so that the first portion is a track portion having a track segment of the track system, and the second portion is a block portion that includes different male and female block interfaces: the male block interface of the block system and the female block interface of the block system. The two portions are preferably laterally adjacent to each other and share a common bottom plane. It is also possible and within the scope of the invention to create an interoperative connecting block with the track portion adjoined to the opposite side of the stackable block portion than the side shown in the figures, and it is also possible and within the scope of the invention to create a connector block having the male and female track section interfaces opposite to those shown in the figures.
As seen by the male block interface plane [N2,] at least a portion of the block interface resides above the track interface. The track features are sloped with respect to the horizontal plane, because the track segment is angled with respect to the block interface planes so that the track is angled when the planes are horizontal. It is also possible and within the scope of the invention to create a connector block having a track section with a declining slope [12′] as shown by phantom lines.
For effective play, the elevation gain of any complete turn of the helix should be high enough to rise above the tallest Brio® rolling stock. This minimum preferred height dimension is shown as [h] in the figure and will clear an exemplary phantom outline of play rolling stock [35] anywhere along the helical assembly and also when resting on the track features of a first connector block directly below the track features of a second connector block.
Because the track is supported adjacent to the modular stackable building block features, piers may be constructed of several Duplo® blocks stacked between instances of the inventive interoperable connector block. Experimentation has revealed that four standard Duplo® block thickness units create height sufficient to clear Brio® rolling stock. With the interoperable connector block providing one of these thicknesses, piers constructed of three standard Duplo® blocks [31] stacked between interoperable connector blocks [1] provide the desired vertical clearance.
It is also notable that since each interoperable connector block includes a short, straight section of track, that the loop is not actually a perfect circle and that the centers of arc [c] of the curved track sections are not all coincident. Similarly, the helical ramp assembly is not a true continuous helix but is a toy approximation comprising planar arcs oriented at various inclined planes. The angular misalignments of the curved track sections at their junctions with the short, straight track sections of the connector block are slight enough that the toy rolling stock and their couplings are not greatly disturbed as they pass by.
The first connector block and the second connector block are a common shape, so that during construction, any first connector block may take the place of any other connector block in the final assembly of a plurality of the block assemblies interconnected by a plurality of curved track segments and spaced apart by a helical pitch wherein the block assemblies are arranged at progressively differing heights and rotational orientations to provide a helical track system.
In the assembly shown it is seen that the track features of the first connector block and of the second connector block are registered vertically with each other and spaced apart at a vertical clearance [h] such that a vehicle resting on the track features of the first connector block would reside directly below the track features of the second connector block.
Modular building sets such as these help children appreciate the advantages of interchangeable parts. Although many exemplary embodiments are described above, it will be appreciated that the invention is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.