Patent Application
20150017870
The disclosed subject matter relates to combinable toy elements.
Children and adults enjoy interacting with and collecting toys. Toys that may be assembled, disassembled, reassembled, and reconfigured are historically popular and educational. These toys help develop hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and stimulate creativity while providing endless hours of enjoyment and entertainment for children and adults alike.
In particular, construction toys that include interlocking and connecting plastic building elements promote creative and imaginative play by end users. Typically, plastic building elements attach to each other or interlock using an array of small cylindrical bumps or “studs” on the top surface of one building element that fit into an array of holes or recesses on the bottom surface of another building element. In general, the size and spacing of the studs and holes are standardized to enable attachment among various types of building elements and accessories that can be included in one or more construction toy kits.
A construction toy kit can include a standard set of pieces that allow end users to design and create a variety of different constructs. A construction toy kit also may provide instructions for using certain pieces to build a particular construct. In some cases, construction toy kits can be associated with particular themes for assembling constructs representing historical, contemporary, futuristic, or fictional structures.
In addition to building elements, construction toy kits often include small plastic toy figures to enhance play. Typically, the toy figures are about 1.5 inches tall and include head, arms, hands, torso, waists, and legs parts. The toy figures may represent characters associated with a particular theme and generally are structured to connect to the building elements and carry accessories, such as small plastic tools.
In one general aspect, a toy vehicle assembly includes a motorcycle and two removably, insertable wheel assemblies. The motorcycle includes a main body frame including two front forks, each front fork including a member with a hole; two rear suspensions, each rear suspension including a member with a hole; a passenger seat portion connected between the rear suspensions including a cylindrical stud formed on a surface of the passenger seat portion having an outer diameter of a first standard coupling size; and a base frame connected between the front forks and the rear suspensions including a cylindrical stud having an outer diameter of the first standard coupling size. The two removably, insertable wheel assemblies include one wheel assembly inserted and seated in the holes between the two front forks and one wheel assembly seated in the holes between the rear suspensions, the two wheel assemblies free to rotate around an axis formed by the holes.
Implementations can include one or more of the following features. For example, each wheel assembly can include a generally cylindrical wheel hub build element including two rim faces substantially parallel to each other; a sidewall formed between the rim faces including a channel; and two axles extending from the center of the rim faces along an axis orthogonal to the rim faces. Each wheel assembly can include a tire build element removably seated in the channel of the wheel hub build element.
The base frame connected between the front forks and rear suspensions can include a top surface; two side walls extending orthogonally from the top surface, apart and parallel to each other, the two side walls defining a hollow area between the side walls and under the top surface; two cylindrical studs extending orthogonally from the top surface into the hollow area between the two side walls; and a recess formed in the hollow area between the two side walls and between the two cylindrical studs having dimensions to couple with a cylindrical stud having an outer diameter of the first stand coupling size in a friction fit, wherein the cylindrical stud of the base frame is formed on the top surface of the base frame.
The toy vehicle assembly can include two toy micro-figures. Each toy micro-figure includes a head part; an upper body part; two arm parts; and a lower body part, the lower body part including a recess having dimensions to couple with a cylindrical stud having an outer diameter of the first stand coupling size in a friction fit, wherein a lower body part of the first of the two toy micro-figures is coupled with the cylindrical stud of the passenger seat portion and a lower body part of the second of the two toy micro-figures is coupled with the cylindrical stud of the base frame.
The toy vehicle assembly can include a 1×A plate or brick build element, wherein A is a natural number greater than 2, the plate or brick including A number of cylindrical studs formed on a top surface of the plate or brick, each cylindrical stud having an outer diameter of the first standard coupling size, and the recess formed in the hollow area between the two side walls and between the two cylindrical studs is coupled with one of the cylindrical studs on the top surface of the 1×A plate or brick.
The toy vehicle assembly can include a B×A plate or brick build element, wherein B is a natural number and A is a natural number greater than 4, the plate or brick including B×A number of cylindrical studs formed on a top surface of the B×A plate or brick in a pattern of B columns and A rows, each cylindrical stud having an outer diameter of the first standard coupling size, and each wheel assembly is removed from the main body frame and the recess formed in the hollow area between the two side walls and between the two cylindrical studs is coupled with one of the cylindrical studs on the top surface of the B×A plate or brick and wherein each member of the front forks and the rear suspension includes a small flat that is seated on the top surface of the B×A plate or brick.
The base frame can include a recess on a bottom side opposite the top side having dimensions to couple with a cylindrical stud having an outer diameter of the first stand coupling size in a friction fit and when the main body frame with the wheel assemblies removed is attached to a plate or brick using the recess, the top surface of the base frame upon which a toy micro-figure attaches is located at a distance from the plate or brick to which the main body frame is attached equal to the thickness of one plate.
The main body frame can have a length and an axis parallel to the length and the cylindrical stud on the surface of the passenger seat portion is formed at an angle θ relative to the axis parallel to the length inclined toward the front forks, wherein the angle θ is less than 9 degrees wherein when the two toy micro-figures are attached to the main body frame of the vehicle assembly the first toy micro-figure inclines towards the first toy micro-figures but does not interfere with the first toy micro-figure.
A top surface of the base frame upon which a toy micro-figure attaches can be located at a distance from a surface upon which the wheel assemblies sit equal to the thickness of two plates.
The main body frame can include two cylindrical like exhaust pipes positioned on opposite sides of the seat portion having a partial diameter of a second coupling size allowing either exhaust pipe to be gripped by a hand portion of the toy micro-figure with a snap fit.
The overall length of the main body frame can be less than that of a 1×5 plate or brick build element, where 5 is the number of cylindrical studs formed on a surface of the plate or brick.
The overall height of the main body frame with the wheel assemblies attached can be less than the combined height of two bricks and one plate stacked not including the height of any cylindrical studs formed on a surface of the top plate or brick. The overall height of the main body frame with the wheel assemblies removed can be less than the combined height of two bricks stacked not including the height of any cylindrical studs formed on a surface of the top brick.
In other general aspects, a motorcycle building element includes a main body frame defining a longitudinal axis along which the main body frame extends. The main body frame includes a plurality of standard coupling elements having a standard coupling size for connecting to other building elements of a toy construction set that is defined by a base unit; a front wheel portion positioned along a front end of the main body frame; a rear wheel portion positioned along a rear end of the main body frame; and a base frame connecting the front wheel portion and the rear wheel portion, the base frame including a base frame region defining a base width that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the base width being less than or equal to the base unit of the toy construction set, the base frame also including a driver seat portion having at least a coupling element. The motorcycle building element also includes two removably, insertable wheel assemblies including one wheel assembly inserted and seated in the front wheel portion and one wheel assembly inserted and seated in the rear wheel portion, the two wheel assemblies free to rotate around an axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and parallel with the base width.
Implementations can include one or more of the following features. For example, the main body frame can include a plurality of second coupling elements having a second coupling size. One or more of the front wheel portion and the rear wheel portion can define a maximum width that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the maximum width being less than or equal to two times the base unit of the toy construction set. The base frame can include at least one coupling element within the base frame region. One or more of the front wheel portion and the rear wheel portion can include at least one coupling element.
In another general aspect, a toy building set includes a plurality of building elements having standard coupling elements having standard coupling size; and a motorcycle building element that includes a main body frame defining a longitudinal axis along which the main body frame extends and two removably, insertable wheel assemblies. The main body frame includes a plurality of standard coupling elements having a standard coupling size for connecting to other building elements of a toy construction set that is defined by a base unit; a front wheel portion positioned along a front end of the main body frame; a rear wheel portion positioned along a rear end of the main body frame; and a base frame connecting the front wheel portion and the rear wheel portion, the base frame including a base frame region defining a base width that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the base width being less than or equal to the base unit of the toy construction set, the base frame also including a driver seat portion having at least a coupling element. The two removably, insertable wheel assemblies include one wheel assembly inserted and seated in the front wheel portion and one wheel assembly inserted and seated in the rear wheel portion, the two wheel assemblies free to rotate around an axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and parallel with the base width.
Implementations can include one or more of the following features. For example, the toy building set can also include two toy micro-figures, each toy micro-figure including a head part; an upper body part; two arm parts; and a lower body part, the lower body part including a recess having dimensions to couple with a cylindrical stud having an outer diameter of the first stand coupling size in a friction fit, wherein a lower body part of each of the two toy micro-figures is coupled with one of the standard coupling elements of the motorcycle building element.
Other features will be apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.
A toy construction system is described herein that includes a toy vehicle for use with small toy figures and standard toy construction sets. The vehicle, small toy figures, and toy construction sets include a number of elements (for example, parts, pieces, and/or accessories), that may be assembled, disassembled, reassembled, and reconfigured countless times and in different configurations to provide hours of enjoyment, entertainment, and creative stimulation. The vehicle may be used as a stand-alone toy, as an assembly including one or more figures, and/or with one or more standard toy construction kits or sets. The coupling elements of the standard building elements of the toy construction system are arranged within a two-dimensional array structure (that is in an x-z plane) in which distances between centers of the coupling elements taken along a direction that is parallel with either the x or the z axis in the x-z plane are a standard unit, which is an integer multiple of a base unit, BU. For example, a 1×3 standard building element (brick or plate) has three studs A, B, and C arranged along the z axis where the center of stud A is 1 BU from the center of stud B and 2 BUs from the center of stud C.
Referring to
In general, the vehicle, toy figures, construction sets, and their elements are designed and manufactured to have dimensions that correspond to certain dimensions of a standard building element, stud, coupling size, and/or accessory included in toy construction kits or sets, (such as bricks, plates, and specialized build elements and accessories). For instance, a standard building element such as a 1×1 plate may have a length of 7.80 mm, a width of 7.80 mm, and a height of 3.20 mm (not including the stud), and a standard building element such as a 1×1 brick may have a length of 7.80 mm, a width of 7.80 mm, and a height of 9.6 mm (not including the stud).
Building elements also include one or more coupling elements. Coupling elements of the standard building elements include male coupling elements in the form of a coupling stud, and female coupling elements in the form of a coupling recess that is sized to receive the coupling stud. The male and female coupling elements can have a first coupling size. For example, the first coupling size of a standard coupling stud (that is on a surface of a building element, such as a plate or brick) is defined by an outside diameter of 4.88 mm and a height of 1.80 mm, and the coupling recesses are sized to have an interference fit with the coupling studs. There can be different types and configuration of female recesses that mate with the first coupling size. For example, in some configurations, the recesses may be circular, partially circular with flats on multiple sides, square, or pronged to name a few. The recesses may have varying depths; however, a minimum depth may be provided to ensure proper coupling with the male stud via an interference fit. In the implementations described, the base unit of such a toy construction system is 8 mm.
An interference fit is a friction fit in which the mechanical coupling or fastening between the coupling elements is achieved by friction after the coupling elements are pushed together, mated, seated, or otherwise mutually engaged. The interference fit also may involve a purposeful interference or deformation of one or more of the coupling elements when they are coupled, fastened, pushed together, or otherwise mutually engaged. Thus, the interference fit can be achieved by shaping the two coupling elements so that one or the other, or both, slightly deviate in size or form from their nominal dimension and one or more of the coupling elements slightly interferes with the space that the other is taking up.
A particular type of interference fit includes a snap-fit where the element-to-element attachment is accomplished with a locator component and a locking component that are homogenous with one or the other of the elements being joined. Joining requires the flexible locking component of one element to move or deform for complete engagement with a mating element, followed by return of the locking component toward its original position or form to accomplish the interference required to couple, lock, and join the components together. The locator component of the mating element typically is inflexible, minimally or non-deforming so to provide strength and stability to the attachment. In one example, two coupling elements are engaged in a snap fit to form a mechanical joint system wherein the build elements are able to be moved relative to each other or configured in different positions while the pieces remain mechanically joined or locked together.
A toy construction kit also can include other building elements that include one or more accessory coupling elements that have a second coupling size that is distinct from (for example, smaller than) the first coupling size so that the accessory coupling elements are not able to frictionally engage with the coupling elements of the standard building elements of the first size. For example, the second coupling size of standard accessories, such as rods, handles, and guns that are held by toy figures or placed within hollow cutout portions of standard sized studs are defined by an outside diameter of 3.18 mm.
The parts and pieces that form the vehicle, small toy figures, and construction kits, building elements, and any other accessories can be formed from plastic, such as, for example, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), rubber, thermoplastic rubber (TPR), or any other suitable material. While not shown, the pieces that form the vehicle, small toy figures, and construction kits, building elements, and any other accessories may be an assortment of different colors and may be decorated in various ways, for example, with paint, decals, stickers, etchings, imprints, to represent a character or build associated with a particular theme, real or imaginary, for example, according to a particular product line.
The following description makes reference to special relations in addition to directional orientations, such as views with regard to the drawings. However, any terms such as up, down, left, right, top, bottom, front, back, above, below, underneath, upper, lower, and the like are used primarily to differentiate between the views and orientations relative to other building elements or pieces within any particular configuration, or series of views or illustrations, and to help describe the relationship between pieces to the reader. These terms are not intended to describe necessary real world orientations, unless otherwise noted or specified herein.
According to the examples and drawings described herein, the vehicle is a vehicle having a shape or form that resembles a powered, two wheeled, vehicle, such as a motorcycle, scooter, or other powered bike, and is referred to generally herein as a motorcycle. The vehicle is designed for use with one or more small toy figures. In particular, the small toy figures are micro-figures.
Each of the upper body part 40 and the lower body part 80 is designed with one or more coupling elements of first and second coupling sizes. In this way, the upper body part 40 and the lower body part 80 can, in addition to being able to be attached to each other and to the head part 20 and arm parts 60 (for the upper body part 40), also be attached to standard building elements (having a first coupling size) of the toy construction kit, accessories (having a second coupling size) of the toy construction kit, or both standard building elements and accessories. This enables the body parts 40, 80 to be used with other pieces of the toy construction kit, and in particular, a toy vehicle (as described below) and promotes play and creativity on the part of the end user.
In one or more implementations, each of the arm parts 60 is designed and/or manufactured to have dimensions that correspond to certain dimensions of a standard building element, stud, and/or accessory included in a construction toy kit. Each of the arm parts 60 includes a hand portion 61, a forearm portion 62, an elbow portion 63, an upper arm portion 64, and a shoulder portion 65. The center-to-center distance between each hand portion 61 may be 16.00 mm corresponding to the center-to-center distance between three studs. The hand portion 61 can be structured to securely hold standard 3.18 mm rods and/or accessories. For example, the hand portion 61 may form a “C grip.” The C grip of the hand portion 61 generally forms the shape of a C when viewed from above or below and includes a generally cylindrical shape with a portion of one wall missing to form an opening along the length of the cylinder providing access to a hollow, interior portion. The diameter of the hollow, interior portion of cylinder is the same as the second coupling size and is formed to mate with a rod, handle, or other building element of the second coupling size using an interference fit. In one example, the diameter of the interior is 3.18 mm. The width of the opening is 2.8 mm. Build elements may be inserted into the C grip until a sufficient portion of the surface of the building element is inserted to establish the interference fit. The C grip also may engage a rod having a diameter of the second coupling size by laying the rod against the opening with the longitudinal axis of the rod aligned in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, and pressing the rod between the opening causing the sides of the cylinder to slightly deform outward from the cylinder until the rod is seated in the hollow interior portion with a snap fit.
Each of the forearm portion 62, the elbow portion 63, and the upper arm portion 64 of one of the arm parts 60 can have a standard 3.18 mm diameter for allowing such portions to be held by a hand portion 61 of a different one of the arm parts as well as by other types of holding pieces included in construction toy kits with a snap fit.
In one or more implementations, the rod portion 81 and the stud portion 82 are formed as solid structures to be received by the lower body part 40 (shown in
As shown in
The toy micro-
The motorcycle build element includes a main body frame 200. As shown in
The front portion 201 includes two front forks 210 that extend from the front of the main body frame 200 and are shaped to receive and hold a wheel assembly (described below). Each fork has a shaft 261 with a disk shaped member 263 at the distal end. Each disk 263 has a diameter corresponding to a standard building dimension (for example 4.88 mm). In the center of each disk is a front axle hole 265 configured to receive the axles posts of a wheel hub build element (described below with regard to
A center console 215 is formed between the front forks 210. A front fender 220 is formed at the bottom of the console between forks 210 and extends outward from the forks 210 and the console 215. The front fender 220 also is curved and formed at an inner radius of X (for example, at about 6.9 mm) from the center holes 265 of the disks 263 allowing free rotation of a properly seated wheel assembly.
A pair of handle bars 225 extend outward from the center console 215. The handlebars 225 are formed along a longitudinal axis 271 that passes through the console at the top of the front forks orthogonal to the length of the main body frame 200. The handlebars 225 are generally cylindrical having a diameter of a second coupling size (for example, 3.18 mm) and a length of 2.635 mm. As such the handle bars 225 can be gripped by the hand portion 61 of the toy micro-
Extending from the center console 215 above the fender 220 and between the handlebars 225 is a headlight 230. The headlight 230 includes a shroud 277 and a cylindrical stud 279 extending outward from the shroud 277. The cylindrical stud 279 has an exterior diameter of the first coupling size (for example, 4.88 mm). The cylindrical stud 279 also may include an opening 281 that communicates with a hollow cavity 283 that allows the stud 279 to receive a standard building element of the second coupling dimension (for example, a rod having a diameter of 3.18 mm). The hollow cavity extends to a depth sufficient to secure a building element inserted therein (for example, a depth of at least 3.00 mm). The walls forming the hollow cavity may include a number of longitudinal flats formed in the interior surfaces that define the cavity. Moreover, the longitudinal flats can be positioned and dimensioned based on the standard dimensions of structures to be received in the cavity. For example, the distance between opposing flats may be 3.04 mm.
The rear portion 203 includes two rear suspensions 240 that extend from the rear of the main body frame 200 and are shaped to receive and hold a rear wheel (described below). Each suspension 240 has a wall 285 with a disk shaped member 287 at the distal end. Each disk 287 has a diameter corresponding to a standard building dimension (for example 4.88 mm). In the center of each disk 287 is a rear axle hole 289 configured to receive the axles of a wheel hub (described below with regard to
A rear fender 243 is formed between the rear suspensions 240. An exhaust or tailpipe 245 is formed on either side of the rear fender 243. The tail pipe 245 has cylindrical like shape forming ¾ of a circle circumference with one corner 288 nearest the main body frame 200 of the motorcycle. The ¾ circumference has a diameter of the second coupling size (for example, 3.18 mm) allowing the exhaust pipes to be gripped, for example, by the hand portion 61 of a toy micro-
A seat portion 247 is provided between the exhaust pipes 245. A male stud 291 is formed on top of the seat portion 247 having a diameter of the first coupling size (for example, 4.88).
A frame base 205 connects the front portion 201 and the rear portion 203 of the main body frame 200 of the motorcycle. The frame base 205 is a generally rectangular box like portion having two side walls 292 and a top surface 293. The width of the base frame 205 can be less than or equal to a base unit of the toy construction system. In the implementation described herein, the base unit is 8.00 mm. The length of the base frame 205 can be approximately 11.84 mm if the base unit is 8.00 mm. The height of the walls 292 of the frame base 205 may correspond to a standard building dimension, such as the thickness of a plate (for example, 3.20 mm). The top surface 293 of the base frame 205 forms the “driver” seat. A male stud 294 is formed on the top surface 293 to form the driver's seat having an exterior diameter of the first coupling size (for example, 4.88 mm). The interior of the cylindrical stud 294 can be hollow creating a hole 295 that passes all the way through the frame base 205 that allows the stud 294 to receive a standard building element of the second coupling dimension (for example, a rod with diameter 3.18 mm). The interior side walls of the stud 294 forming the hole 295 may include a number of longitudinal flats formed in the interior surfaces that define the hole 295. Moreover, the longitudinal flats can be positioned and dimensioned based on the standard dimensions of structures to be received in the cavity. For example, the distance between opposing flats may be 3.04 mm.
As shown in
Two partial cylinders or small partial studs 297 are formed at the junction of the frame base 205 and the rear portion 203. The studs 297 extend orthogonally from beyond each side wall 292 of the frame base 205 by approximately 1.2 mm and have a diameter of the second coupling dimension (for example, 3.18 mm) allowing them to be gripped, for example, by the hand portion 61 of the toy micro-figures 10.
In addition, the front and rear portions may include two cut out portions 299 having diameters of the second coupling dimension (for example, 3.18 mm) spaced 8.00 mm on center.
The wheel hub build element 300 is a symmetrical, three dimensional building element that is constructed as a unitary piece. As shown in
Extending outward along an axis (for example, the “z” axis) orthogonal to the center of each rim 301 is an axle post 317. The diameter and length of each axle post 317 is sized to fit in the holes 265, 289 of the disks 263, 287 and seat the wheel hub build element 300 between the front forks 210 or the rear suspension 240 of the main body frame 200 of the motorcycle and allow the wheel hub build element 300 to freely rotate within the holes. For example, the diameter of the post is 1.37 mm, which allows the axle, when inserted and snapped into the axle holes 265 and 289, to spin freely.
As shown in
In addition,
In this example, when the main body frame 200 (without its wheels) is attached to the plate 735, a toy micro-
Although the example 730 shows the main body frame 200 attached to a plate, the main body frame 200 also may attach in a similar manner to one or more bricks.
A number of exemplary implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made. Suitable results may be achieved if the steps of described techniques are performed in a different order and/or if components in a described components, architecture, or devices are combined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented by other components. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.
