Patent Application
20160166945
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to toys, particularly construction toy sets for toddlers or young children.
2. Discussion of the Known Art
Construction toy sets for toddlers and young children usually include pieces or blocks that can fit with one another to create a static model or object, e.g., a house, a building, and the like. Typically, the finished object is not one with which the child can actively play or interact, however, other than by disassembling it and arranging the pieces or blocks to create a different object. Toy sets that allow for greater interaction between a child and an assembled object are aimed mostly at older players. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,408,962 (Apr. 2, 2013), U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,040 (Dec. 23, 1986), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,724 (Aug. 19, 1980).
U.S. Pat. No. 8,087,970 (Jun. 5, 2006) discloses a toy construction system comprised of a multitude of interconnecting members including a rotatable connector/spinner device. The spinner device is made so that when other members of the system are joined to the device, the members can turn or rotate about an axis of the device.
Notwithstanding the known art, there is a need for a construction toy set for toddlers and young children that provides sensory stimulation in terms of touch, feel, and sound, both when the child is assembling pieces of a desired object, and when he or she plays with the object once assembled. There is also a need for a construction toy set for toddlers and young children that stimulates creativity by encouraging the child to build an object using particular shapes and features of different pieces that are provided with the set.
According to the invention, a construction toy set includes a number of pieces having different shapes, and which are configured to enable a child or other user to construct a desired object or model by connecting selected pieces to one another. One of the pieces is a first joint piece having an axis, and the joint piece is constructed and arranged to connect first and second other pieces of the toy set to one another for relative rotational movement about the axis of the piece. The first joint piece has a body comprised of two parts that are joined to one another for relative rotation about the axis of the first joint piece. One part of the joint piece body is configured to connect to the first other piece of the toy set, and the other part of the joint piece body is configured to connect to the second other piece of the toy set.
For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing and the appended claims.
In the drawing:
The joint pieces 12 and most if not all of the remaining types of pieces described herein can be molded from, e.g., acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or a similar plastics material that is safe and meets all applicable rules and standards concerning materials used in children's toys. Many of the remaining pieces also feature a soft outer layer of silicon or thermoplastic rubber (TPR) material that enables a child to grip the piece firmly and comfortably. The exposed surface of the outer layer is also textured in a distinct pattern that a child can learn to associate with each different type of piece. Further, each different type of piece has a bright color that the child can also associate with the piece. For pieces having the textured grip material on their surface, the material may have the same color as the piece but with a different tone or shade (e.g., lighter).
The joint pieces 12 and other types of pieces that can rotate when connected to another piece (for example, a round block piece 14), have internal “click” mechanisms that emit a pleasant, satisfying click-like sound when the piece is turned in response to a moderate force applied by a child. The round block piece 14 simulates a head on the humanoid object 10 and on the girl model 20 in
As shown in the various views, the block and the joint pieces of the inventive toy set are joined to one another by way of one or more rectangular plugs formed on one of the pieces to be joined, wherein each plug is dimensioned to be received and to snap fit inside a socket opening formed in the other piece to be joined.
The body of the humanoid object 10, the body of the girl model 20, the body of the dinosaur model 30, the base of the flower model 40, and a fuselage of an airplane model 50 shown in
The neck of the girl model 20, and certain parts of the dinosaur model 30, the flower model 40, and the airplane model 50, are formed by a single axis 360 degree rotatable joint piece 70. Details of the construction of the joint piece 70, including typical dimensions, are provided in the views of
The hands and the feet of the humanoid object 10, the feet of the girl model 20, and certain parts of the dinosaur model 30, the flower model 40, and the airplane model 50, are simulated by square block pieces 80. Details of the construction of the block piece 80, including typical dimensions, are provided in the views of
The hands of the girl model 20 are simulated by a “J” hand block piece 90. Details of the construction of the block piece 90, including typical dimensions, are shown in the views of
Triangle block pieces 100 form parts of the dinosaur model 30, the flower model 40, and the airplane model 50. Details of the construction of the block piece 100, including typical dimensions, are shown in the views of
Half round block pieces 110 form parts of the dinosaur model 30, and the airplane model 50. Details of the construction of the block piece 110, including typical dimensions, are shown in the views of
Rectangle block pieces 120 simulate wings on the airplane model 50. Details of the construction of the block piece 120, including typical dimensions, are shown in the views of
The feet of the dinosaur model 30 are simulated by a dino foot piece 130. Details of the construction of the foot piece 130, including typical dimensions, are shown in the views of
A color pin wheel piece 140 forms the head in the flower model 40 and the propeller of the airplane model 50. Details of the construction of the pin wheel piece 140, including typical dimensions, are shown in the views of
A face on the head of the girl model 20 is simulated by a face piece 150 which, as shown in
The inventive construction toy set fosters creativity in young children by encouraging them to build an object or model using the various block and joint pieces disclosed herein. Importantly, once a child constructs an object, the object can be easily disassembled and later reassembled by the child as often as he or she desires. Moreover, the inventive toy set stimulates the child's senses in terms of touch, feel, and sound as pieces of the objects are assembled, and while the child plays or interacts with the finished object.
While the foregoing represents preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, changes, and additions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the invention includes all such modifications, changes, and additions that are within the scope of the following claims.
This application is a continuation of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/513,367 filed Oct. 14, 2014, titled “Construction Toy Set For Toddlers and Young Children.” The '367 application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/889,961, filed Oct. 11, 2013, titled “Construction Toy With X/Y Rotating and Clicking Connectors.”
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61889961 | Oct 2013 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 14513367 | Oct 2014 | US |
| Child | 15050086 | US |
