FIELD
The disclosure relates to a toy building block assembly, and more particularly to a modularized toy building block assembly.
BACKGROUND
The existing toy building blocks can be used to stimulate and cultivate imagination and creativity of the players. However, since the sizes and shapes of the existing toy building blocks are limited, when they are used to assemble large size toy configurations, e.g., bunker wall, church, rocket, tank and ship toy structures, a relatively large number of building blocks are required.
Interlockable toy building panels are commonly played by preschool children. The interlockable toy building panels can be interlocked with each other to form a simple three dimensional assembly. However, because the interlocking connection of the interlockable toy building panels cannot provide a sufficient connection strength for an assembly of the interlockable toy building panels, the assembly can easily separates or collapses.
SUMMARY
Therefore, an object of the disclosure is to provide a modularized toy building block assembly that can alleviate at least one of the drawbacks of the prior arts.
According to the disclosure, a modularized toy building block assembly includes a plurality of boards, a connection unit, and a fastening unit.
Each of the boards includes two face plates and at least one spacer having two opposite sides disposed between and fixed to the face plates. The face plates and the at least one spacer cooperatively define an insertion space that is formed between the face plates outside of the spacer and that has an opening formed between boundary edges of the face plates. Each of the face plates has a plurality of fastener holes communicating with the insertion space.
The connection unit includes a plurality of connection plates each removably connecting two adjacent ones of the boards. Each of the connection plates has a first insertion portion, asecond insertion portion, and a plurality of spaced-apart through holes formed through the first and second insertion portions. The first and second insertion portions are respsectively and removably inserted in the insertion spaces of the two adjacent ones of the boards in a manner that each of the through holes is aligned and communicated with two of the fastener holes respectively formed through the face plates of each of the two adjacent ones of the boards.
The fastening unit includes a plurality of studs each extending into one of the through holes and two of the fastener holes aligned with the one of the through holes to secure one of the boards to one of the connection plates.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIG. 1A is a perspective view illustrating a modularized toy building block assembly according to afirst embodiment of the disclosure;
FIG. 18 is an exploded view of a board of the first embodiment;
FIG. 2 is atop view illustrating multiple boards of the first embodiment, which are interconnected;
FIG. 3 is aperspective view of the first embodiment illustrating aconnection plate of the modularized toy building block assembly;
FIGS. 4A to 4G are side views of the first embodiment illustrating the connection plate having first and second insertion portions inclined to each other by various angles;
FIG. 5 is atop sectional view of the first embodiment illustrating a variant of the board of the modularized toy building block assembly;
FIG. 6 is a partly enlarged sectional view of the first embodiment showing one of the boards assembled with two connection plates through a fastening unit;
FIG. 7 is a side view of the first embodiment illustrating two boards each having two face plates of different length assembled together using an angled connection plate;
FIG. 8 is a side view of the first embodiment illustrating three boards in an assembled state, wherein one of the boards has two face plates with equal length;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the first embodiment illustrating a four-sided wall structure formed from the modularized toy building block assembly;
FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a board of amodularized toy building block assembly according to asecond embodiment of the disclosure;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a house structure formed the modularized toy building block assembly;
FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a board of amodularized toy building block assembly according to a third embodiment of the disclosure;
FIG. 13 is a top sectional view showing an assembly formed by the boards of the third embodiment; and
FIG. 14 illustrates a modularized toy building block assembly according to a fourth embodiment of the disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Before the disclosure is described in greater detail, it should be noted that where considered appropriate, reference numerals or terminal portions of reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements, which may optionally have similar characteristics.
FIG. 1A illustrates a modularized toy building block assembly according to a first embodiment of the disclosure. The modularized toy building block assembly includes a plurality of boards 1 (only one is shown in FIG. 1A) , a connection unit 2, and a fastening unit 3.
Referring to FIG. 1B, each board 1 includes two face plates 12 and a spacer 11 having two opposite sides 111 disposed between and fixed to the face plates 12 by using, but not limited to, a binder. The face plates 12 and the spacer 11 cooperatively define an insertion space 14 that is formed between the face plates 12 outside of the spacer 11 and that has an opening 13 formed between boundary edges 122 of the face plates 12. The insertion space 14 loops around the spacer 11.
Referring to FIG. 2, a plurality of boards 1, specifically, five boards 1, are shown as being assembled into a particular configuration. Each board 1 may be a square (see FIG. 12.), or a rectangle (see FIG. 2). By virtue of the insertion spaces 14 in corporation with the connection unit 2 and fastening unit 3 (which will be detailed hereinafter), multiple boards 1 can be assembled to form various configurations.
In this embodiment, each face plate 12 has a central line (H) and a plurality of fastener holes 121 communicating with the insertion space 14. The positions of the fastener holes 121 of each of the face plates 12 are symmetric with respect to the central line (H). However, the configuration of each face plate 12 and the spacer 11 are not limited hereto. In this embodiment, the face plate 12 in rectangular shape has twelve fastener holes 121. However, the number of the fastener holes 121 is not limited to this embodiment.
Referring to FIGS. 3, and 4A to 4G, in combination, with FIG. 1A, the connection unit 2 includes a plurality of differently shaped connection plates 21. In FIG. 1A, one of the connection plates 21 is shaped as an angled plate, and the other is a planar plate. In FIG. 2, each connection plate 21 in planar shape removably connects two adjacent ones of the boards 1. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 2, each connection plate 21 has a first insertion portion 211, a second insertion portion 212, and a plurality of spaced-apart through holes 213 formed through the first and second insertion portions 211, 212. The first and second insertion portions 211, 212 are respectively and removably inserted in the insertion spaces 14 of two adjacent ones of the boards 1 in a manner that each of the through holes 213 is aligned and communicated with two of the fastener holes 121 respectively formed through the face plates 12 of each of the two adjacent ones of the boards 1.
Referring again to FIGS. 3, 4A to 4G, the first and second insertion portions 211, 212 of each connection plate 21 in form of the angled plate are shown a s being inclined to each other by an angle (θ) therebetween. The angle (θ) is selected from 45, 60, 90, 105, 120, 135, 150, and 180 degrees. By virtue of the varied angles (θ) of the connection plates 21, different geometric shapes can be formed through assembling of the boards 1 with the connection plates
To avoid injury that may be caused to the user, the corners of the spacer 11, the face plate 12, and the connection plate 21 are rounded.
FIG. 5 shows an alternative configuration, specifically a cross-shaped configuration, of the spacer 11 for each board 1. The positions of the fastener holes 121 of the board 1 is changed depending on the shape of the spacer 11 so that the fastener holes 121 a re not covered by the spacer 11. In addition, the first and second insertion portions 211, 212 of each connection plate 21 are formed into a triangle configuration. However, in other embodiments, the configurations of the first and second insertion portions 211, 212 may be rectangular, square, semi-circular, or polygonal.
Referring to FIG. 6 in combination with FIG. 1A, the fastening unit 3 includes a plurality of studs 31. Each stud 31 extends into one of the through holes 213 and two of the fastener holes 121 aligned therewith to secure together one of the boards 1 and one of the connection plates 21. The cross sectional configuration of ea ch stud 31 conforms to the respective through hole 213 and the respective fastener holes 121 and may be circular, square, triangular or polygonal. To avoid each stud 31 from protruding out of the outer surfaces of the respective board 1 and to enhance the aesthetic outer appearance, a length of each stud 31 is equal to the sum of the thicknesses of the face plates 21 and one of the first and second insertion portions 211, 212 of each connection plate 21.
By pushing each stud 31 into or out from the respective through hole 213 and two fastener holes 121, the board 1 and the connection plate 21 can be easily assembled or disassembled.
Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, in combination with FIGS. 3 and 4A to 4G, assemblies of the boards 1 with the connection plates 21 having the angle (θ) of 90 and 180 degrees are exemplified. In FIG. 7, two boards 1 are interconnected by one connection plate 21 having the angle (θ) of 90 degrees. The face plates 12 of each board 1 has different lengths (L1, L2). In particular, the length (L1) of the face plate 21 is larger than the length (L2) of the face plate 12 so that the boundary edge 122 of one of the face plates 12 indents from the boundary edge 122 of the other one of the face plates 12 at the opening 13 of the insertion space 14 and at the corner of the connection plate 21. For assembling the boards 1, the first and second insertion portions 211, 212 of the connection plate 21 are respectively inserted into the insertion spaces 14 of the two boards 1. By virtue of the shorter length (L2) of the face plates 12 at the inner surfaces of the boards 1, the two boards 1 can form an inside corner with a neat right angled configuration although the face plates 12 have a significant thickness.
Referring to FIG. 8, in combination with FIGS. 6 and 7, an additional board 1, which has the face plates 12 in equal length, is assembled to one of the boards 1 shown in FIG. 7 by using the connection plate 21 with the angle (θ) of 180 degrees (i.e., the connection plate 21 in form of a planar plate). During assembly, the first and second insertion portions 211, 212 of the connection plate 21 are respectively inserted into the insertion spaces 14 of the two adjacent boards 1. Then, the studs 31 are inserted into the respective through holes 213 and fastener holes 121 as shown in FIG. 6.
FIG. 9 shows a four-sided wall configuration formed by assembling multiple boards 1 with the connection plates 21 and studs 31. However, the modularized toy building block assembly of the disclosure is not limited hereto.
Because the angle (θ) between the first and second insertion portions 211, 212 of each connection plate 21 is variable, the boards 1 can be combined with the connection plates 21 to form various geometric configurations. By virtue of the studs 31 securing the boards 1 and the connection plates 21, the modularized toy building block assembly of the disclosure can provide a structural strength that is not separable, or collapsible after being assembled.
FIG. 10 illustrates a board 1 that is triangular according to a second embodimentof the disclosure. Each of the face plates 12 in this embodiment is triangular and has a central point (Z); the positions of the fastener holes 121 of each of the triangular face plates 12 are symmetric with respect to the central point (Z). With the symmetric arrangement of the fastener holes 121, when the triangular board 1 is assembled to the other boards 1, the stresses subjected by the triangular board 1 may be uniform and lateral deformation thereof may be avoided.
Referring to FIG. 11, multiple square boards 1 and multiple triangular boards 1 are assembled into a house structure.
FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate a modularized toy building block assembly according to a third embodiment of the disclosure. In this embodiment, each board 1 includes plurality of the spacers 11 spaced apart from each other at equal interval. Each spacer 11 has a configuration selected from circular, square, triangular, polygonal and X-shaped configurations. As shown in FIG. 12, the number of the spacers 11 of circular shape is, but not limited to, five as exemplified. As the size of the spacers 11 is reduced in area, the weight of the boards 1 can be reduced, and the material to make the boards 1 can be saved. As shown in FIG. 13, the first and second insertion portions 211, 212 of the connection plate 21 are surrounded by the spacers 11 of the boards 1. Therefore, the spaces 11 of the boards 1 can limit an external force from causing displacement of the connection plates 21 and thereby maintain stability of the modularized toy building block assembly of the disclosure.
FIG. 14 illustrates a modularized toy building block assembly according to a fourth embodiment of the disclosure. The fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it further includes two color plates 15 respectively connected to the face plates 12 opposite to the spacer 11 in a replaceable manner. Each color plate 15 has a plurality of connection holes 151 respectively aligned and communicating with the fastener holes 121 of one of the face plates 12. The color plates 15 are respectively fastened to the face plates 12 through the studs 31. When there is a need to change color, the color plates 15 can be easily removed from the respective face plates 12 for replacement by simply pushing out the studs 13. The color plates 15 can be replaced easily, and also enhance the color variety of the modularized toy building block assembly. Furthermore, each color plate 15 is designed to be a separately replaceable structure. Therefore, the user is allowed to choose the color plates 15 of different colors during use and to purchase the color plates 15 having desirable colors. During manufacture, the color plates 15 of different colors can be made independently, and the board 1 can be made without incorporating the color plates 15 so that the production cost can be reduced. In comparison with the first, second and third embodiments, the fourth embodiment has the advantage of rich freedom in selection and purchase.
In the description above, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that one or more other embodiments may be practiced without some of these specific details. It should also be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” an embodiment with an indication of an ordinal number and so forth means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in the practice of the disclosure. It should be further appreciated that in the description, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of various inventive aspects, and that one or more features or specific details from one embodiment may be practiced together with one or more features or specific details from another embodiment, where appropriate, in the practice of the disclosure.
While the disclosure has been described in connection with what are considered the exemplary embodiments, it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
Patent Application
20230191274
