Claims
- 1. A panel system in combination with a construction toy set, where the construction toy set comprises a plurality of connector elements, each formed of a resilient structural plastic material and comprising a plurality of radially disposed open-sided sockets, each said socket comprising a spaced-apart pair of gripping arms arranged symmetrically with respect to a radially extending axis, outer portions of said gripping arms being formed with axially extending opposed grooves arranged symmetrically with respect to said axis, portions of said gripping arms inward of and adjacent to said axially extending grooves being formed with opposed ribs disposed transversely of said axis and projecting into the space between said gripping arms, said construction toy set further comprising a plurality of rod elements of predetermined lengths provided at opposite ends thereof with integral rod tip sections comprising generally cylindrical portions sized and shaped for lateral snap-fit assembly between grooved portions of an opposed pair of gripping arms of a connector element, said rod tip sections further having, closely adjacent an end extremity thereof, an annular groove defining an end flange sized and shaped for lateral reception between opposed ribs of a pair of gripping arms to lock said rods against movement relative to said gripping arms in the direction of said axis, and said panel system comprises
- (a) a panel member formed of a one-piece molding of structural plastic material, said panel member including:
- (i) a thin, flat plate-like central portion defining a panel plane and bounded by at least three side edges, which side edges define panel corner regions,
- (ii) integral rod tip elements at each corner region projecting outward from said corner regions and having axes lying substantially in said panel plane,
- (iii) each said rod tip element having a configuration corresponding to the configuration of said rod tip sections and being sized and shaped for lateral snap-fit assembly between an opposed pair of gripping arms of a connector element,
- (b) first and second ones of said connector elements being attached to first and second ones of said rod tip elements of said panel member, respectively, and
- (c) one of said rod elements being connected between both said first and second connector elements.
- 2. A panel system as in claim 1, further comprising
- (a) connector elements connected to each rod tip element of said panel member,
- (b) each connector element connected to said panel member being interconnected to two other connector elements connected to said panel member by one of said rod elements.
- 3. A panel according to claim 1, wherein
- (a) said panel has an integrally molded edge rib extending substantially entirely around the peripheral edges of said panel.
- 4. A panel according to claim 1, wherein
- (a) each of said panel corner regions is defined in part by a corner edge of arcuate contour, and
- (b) said panel rod tip elements extend outward from said arcuate corner edges.
- 5. A panel according to claim 1, wherein
- (a) said side edges are generally straight,
- (b) extensions of adjacent side edges of said panel intersect outside the area of said panel central portion, and
- (c) said panel rod tip elements are contained substantially within areas bounded by said arcuate edge contours and said side edge extensions.
- 6. A panel according to claim 1, wherein
- (a) said panel rod tip elements are joined integrally with root portions extending inward of said panel central portion.
- 7. A panel according to claim 1, wherein
- (a) at least two adjacent ones of said panel side edges are oriented at right angles and define a right angle corner, and
- (b) the rod tip element located at said right angle corner is oriented to bisect said right angle.
- 8. A panel according to claim 7, wherein
- (a) said panel is defined in rectangular configuration by four generally straight side edges with adjacent side edges oriented at right angles, and
- (b) each of said rod tip elements is oriented to bisect the angle of the corner at which it is located.
- 9. A panel according to claim 1, wherein
- (a) rod tip elements at opposite ends of one side edge are disposed generally parallel to said side edge.
- 10. A panel according to claim 9, wherein
- (a) said panel is defined in triangular configuration by said one side edge and by second and third side edges forming a right angle corner,
- (b) the rod tip element located at said right angle corner being oriented to bisect the angle of said corner.
- 11. A panel according to claim 1, wherein
- (a) at least two of said rod tip elements being arranged as an aligned pair.
- 12. A panel according to claim 11, wherein
- (a) said panel is formed in the configuration of a square, and
- (b) pairs of said rod tip elements are aligned along diagonals of said square.
- 13. A panel according to claim 11, wherein
- (a) said panel is formed in the configuration of a right isosceles triangle, and
- (b) two of said rod tip elements are arranged in an aligned pair along an edge forming the base of said triangle.
RELATED SUBJECT MATTER
This invention is related to the subject matter of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,061,219, 5,137,486, 5,199,919 and 5,350,331 directed to a construction toy product marketed under the trademark "K'NEX". The disclosures of these before mentioned United States patents is incorporated herein by reference.
US Referenced Citations (22)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1281767 |
Dec 1961 |
FRX |
2040701 |
Sep 1980 |
GBX |