EP0109181B1

EP0109181B1 - Toy/model building system

Info

Publication number: EP0109181B1
Application number: EP83306154A
Authority: EP
Inventors: John A. Inskip
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Brannelly David George
Priority date: 1982-10-15
Filing date: 1983-10-12
Publication date: 1990-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 2003-10-12
Also published as: EP0109181A1; DE3381846D1; ATE55916T1

Abstract

A modular unit (10) for a building toy or model system is of shallow formation having sets of intercoupling projections (13, 14) on sides (11) thereof. The projections are of two types, each type interfitting with the other type so as to afford a choice of relative angular positions of interengaged members or so as to afford a choice of hinged and non-hinged interengagement.

Description

This invention relates to a building toy or model system particularly having modular units and to such units.
The aim is to provide a system that has greater flexibility or other advantage, at least in certain circumstances, over well-known and popular systems relying on interference fitting relative to studs in faces of modular members. Amongst the limitations of such systems is that building is restricted by requirements at least partially to superpose studded and receiving faces of the modular members. Those faces are generally simply the opposite faces of standard or basic modular members of the system. As well as limiting erection/building, such systems often further lead to provision of an overly large number of special-purpose pieces.
There have been several prior proposals for detachable hinging of modular members by inter- coupling involving mutual engagement of edgewise projections, see for example U.S. patent specification numbers 2776521 and 4055019 and German Auslegeschrift 2356930. That, however, is limiting of application to building parts of toys as models that do not need hinging interconnection, and it is an object of this invention to provide a more versatile system.
According to the invention there is provided, in or for a toy or model building system, a modular unit for interfitting with other such units, the modular unit comprising a body having first and second edges each with sets of main projections such that the set of projections of a said first edge can snap-fittingly interengage the set of projections of a said second edge of another said unit, characterised in that there are two different ways to so interengage, one for hinging of interengaged units and the other for non-hinged interengagement, the main projections, for that purpose, selectively having recesses and further projections interengageable differently for said two ways, with the spaces between the main projections of each of the sets allowing passage of the main projections of the other set for hinging, and with the main projections being superposed for non-hinging.
Shallow modular members can be provided, even where, as is preferred, the projections are within the thickness of such members, and walls, skins, frames can be built up without undue and/ or clumsy thickness. In fact, modular members hereof may be in the form of peripheral frames with optional covers, thus enabling construction of skeletal forms or covered shells.
Preferred edge projection formations of two types interfit to afford both a choice of relative angular positions of interengaged members and a choice of hinged and non-hinged interengagement of modular members.
Basic members have straight edges with said projections, preferably with at least one of each type on different edges thereof. Rectangular, specifically square, and triangular elements will be described, but should not be taken as limiting, either to equal-length sides or to all-straight-sides shapes of members.
For hinging, preferred embodiments hereof have projections of one type, called male, in the form of lugs with sideways, spigot-like protrusions; and projections of the other type, called female, in the form of lugs with grooves capable of accommodating male spigot-like protrusions. Clearly, for hinging the spigot-like protrusions of each set should all be aligned together. Moreover, for secure interengagement it will help for the lugs of each set corresponding to a side of a modular member to be staggered and alternating as to their heights relative to thickness of the member, basically to opposite sides of the axis of hinging, but always with their spigot-like protrusions or grooves at the same medial-thickness of the member. Then, each of intercalating sets of lugs will have its lugs engaged from both sides.
For non-hinging interconnection, preferred embodiments hereof also have projections of one type, called male, in the form of lugs with thickenings or ribs; and projections of the other type, called female, in the form of lugs with recesses or grooves. Again, the lugs of each type should be staggered and alternating as to their positions in the thickness of the modular member, but now the lugs of the two types will register in position along a side of the member and be capable of being pushed together with lugs of one type sliding over lugs of the other in alternating sequence for security of engagement via interengagement of the thickening or ribs and the recesses or grooves.
Both of hinging and non-hinging interengagement are readily provided for by appropriate positioning, in sets, of male lugs with sideways spigots extended as ribs on the lugs; and female lugs with spaced grooves from each side and capable of accommodating either of a said spigot or a said rib like extension. Gaps between such ribs and such grooves as lands can assure lateral location.
A half female or male type projection will usually be located at one end of each side of our modular members.
The spacing of the grooves/spigots on their respective projections from the sides of the modular members are readily set so as to assist interengagement of modular members at angles other than 90° or 180°. The ends of at least the female type projections may be chamfered to further assist interengagement.
The modular members may further comprise decorative or distinguishing means removably attachable thereto. The distinguishing means may in one embodiment comprise the aforesaid covers each being a substantially planar member adapted to engage and fill-in a recess or the like in the modular member.
The planar member which serves as an in-fill member may in a further embodiment comprise a skirt portion depending from one surface of the planar member, the skirt portion being adapted to interengage and interfit the recess, or a hole through the modular member as for a frame-like modular member. The skirt portion is preferably spaced from a peripheral portion of the planar member, so as to permit the peripheral portion to overlie the one or more sides of the modular member. The skirt portion is preferably adapted to friction-fit recess or the like of the planar member. The recess or the like has preferably the same dimensions as the skirt portion so that the recess or the like may positively interengage and interfit with the skirt portion.
The planar member may be identifiable by sight, preferably colour and/or pattern, and/or by touch, preferably texture.
The modular member may be formed by moulding, for example injection moulding, a synthetic polymeric material, such as a general purpose polystyrene, polypropylene or reinforced nylon.
This invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a square building system module according to the invention;
Figures 2 and 3 are side views of the module of Figure 1;
Figures 4 and 5 show details;
Figures 6 and 7 are side views of interconnected modules of Figure 1;
Figure 8 is a plan view of a triangular building system module; and
Figure 9 indicates a cover part.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, a bulding system module of resilient plastics material has a generally open square body 10 having sides 11 of much less width and depth than their length. On each side 11 are a series of lug-like projections for interengagement with complementary lug-like projections of other modules.
Opposite sides of the module have like sets of projections, one set 13 being of what we call male type and other set 14 of what we call female type. Basically, the male type comprises a pair of rod- like spigots 15 extending generally parallel to the module sides in opposite directions from a lug 16. The spigot formations 15 extend partially above the top or bottom surface 17 of the associated lug 16 depending on the orientation of the module. As shown, such extensions are alternately above top and bottom surfaces from one lug to the next. Basically, the female type projection comprises a lug 20 having a pair of grooves 21 in top or bottom surfaces thereof for accommodating the spigots of the male type projections. Again, as shown, the grooves 21 alternate in being in top and bottom surfaces from one lug to the next.
At one end of each side is a one-sided or half projection for both male and female sets of projections.
The sets of male projections have their spigots 18 all in alignment, effectively to define an axis of rotation that is at one half of the thickness of the module along asssociated sides and positioned spaced both from the free ends and from the bottom of the lugs. Similarly, the sets of female grooves are aligned and positioned for the same purpose when mated intercalatingly with a male set for hinged interconnection.
It will be evident, for intercalation (see Figure 6) that the extent of the spigots 15 beyond the lugs 16 parallel to the sides of the module will be accommodated by the length of the grooves 21 in the lugs 20. Also, the widths of the lugs 20 will be such as to fit between spacings of the lugs 16, and vice versa, for intercalation.
At intercalation, the spigots 15 of each lug 16 will engage grooves 21 of two flanking lugs 20 from opposite sides and the same clearly applies to the grooved lugs 20 and flanking spigoted lugs 16, so that a secure hinged interengagement is achieved.
Overall, at intercalation, there will be appropriate clearances (between lugs 16 and 20 and between their ends and the sides of the modules between the lugs) to allow hinged movement between limits that afford a range of movement between relative orientations of modules that constitute or go beyond desired normal connection directions. For the embodiment shown such range is at least 180° to give directions that are at least 90° to each side.
It is also the case, as shown, that the extent of each of the spigots 15 over the top or bottom surface of lugs 16 is also such as to be accommodated by the grooves 21 in the lugs 20, and the widths of the lugs as well as the spaces on each lug between ends of its spigot or groove formations permit of the lugs 16 and 20 being interconnected in superposition (see Figure 7) giving a substantially rigid, no hinged interconnection with the modules concerned essentially coplanar.
Engagement of modules is achieved by pushing complementary projections together in the desired orientation of the modules until the spigots 15 are in the grooves 21. The resilience of the module material allows some deformation of the projections to facilitate this. Furthermore, chamfered ends 25 of the female type projections can facilitate the push engagement of the modules.
If another identical module to that shown in Figure 1 is placed in register over the module of Figure 1, then hinged connexion between the two modules would be formed at the right hand side of the first or lower module by translating the upper module to the right hand side of the module of Figure 1, and then pushing complementary projections or lugs together. A similar connection can also be made after rotating the upper module clockwise through 90°, due to the male projection sets 13 being on adjacent sides of the modules 10.
Alternatively, if the other identical module to that shown in Figure 1 is placed in register over the module of Figure 1, non-hinged connection will be achieved if the other module is turned over maintaining side edge positions and optionally rotated through 90° in a counter clockwise direction, translated to the left hand side of the lower module, and spigots and grooves engaged by pushing the sides of the modules together.
Lateral movement between two modules hinged together is substantially prevented by intercalation of their lugs. Such movement is also substantially prevented for non-hinged interconnection by the lands between grooves of a lug and spigots of a mating lug.
Once two modules have been secured together in a substantially co-planar relationship, it is possible to secure either a single further module to the previously coupled modules, or two further modules to the previously coupled modules, one further module being on each side of the coupled modules and secured together via their complementary projections.
A single further module is secured to the previously coupled modules in a hinged relationship. If two further modules are secured to the previously coupled modules, the connexion so formed between the additional modules is substantially co-planar and rigid or non-hinged, and the four relatively secured modules are in cruciform relation.
The square embodiment of Figure 1 represents a development from a module where similarly lugged sides were disposed oppositely, but no particular disadvantages in use is seen in the latter as an alternative or additional option to what is shown. However, for manufacture, that shown will need no relative inversion of the lug formations of the same type.
In off-setting the projections, there are complementary half-male/female projections at corners and diagonally opposite each other.
Figure 8 shows a triangular module 40 with two female and one male side otherwise the same as for Figure 1. It will, of course be useful also to provide a triangular module with two male and one female side.
A substantially planar in-fill member 50 is shown in Figure 9 having a skirt 52 depending therefrom and spaced from a peripheral portion 54 thereof. The in-fill member is adapted to engage and interfit a central recess 70 in a module and serves to distinguish modules relative to each other. The skirt is adapted to friction fit the recess, whilst the peripheral portion 54 can overlie the sides of the module. It will be evident that similar provision may be made for the triangular module.
It will be appreciated that although square and triangular shaped modules have been described, modules of any geometric shape with at least one straight side, normally a plurality such as rectangles and other polygons, are included within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. In or for a toy or model building system, a modular unit for interfitting with other such units, the modular unit comprising a body (10) having first and second edges (11) each with sets (13,14) of main projections (16, 20) such that the set (13) of projections (16) of a said first edge can snap-fittingly interengage the set (14) of projections (20) of a said second edge of another said unit, characterised in that there are two different ways to so interengage, one for hinging of interengaged units and the other for non-hinged interengagement, the main projections (16, 20), for that purpose, selectively having recesses (21 of 20) and further projections (15 of 16) and being spaced in each said set with the recesses (21) and further projections (15) interengageable differently for said two ways, with the spaces between the main projections (16, 20) of each of the sets (13, 14) allowing passage of the main projections (20, 16) of the other set (14, 13) for hinging, and with the main projections (16, 20) being superposed for non-hinging.

2. A modular unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main projections (16, 20) of the sets (13, 14) for said first and second edges are of different types, respectively, one (20) having said recesses (21) and the other (16) having said further projections (15).

3. A modular unit as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each of the further projections (15) extends sideways both from its associated main projection (16) and across part of that main projection (16), in a direction parallel to its associated edge (11).

4. A modular unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein, for hinged connection to another said unit, the recesses (21) interengage with the sideways extending parts of the further projections (16) and, for non-hinged connection to another said unit, the recesses (21) interengage with the other parts of the further projections (16).

5. A modular unit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each of the recesses (21) extends as a groove across a part of its associated main projection (20) in a direction parallel to its associated edge (11).

6. A modular unit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the main projections (16, 20) of each said set (13, 14) alternate in their projection from opposite sides of the unit above and below a hinge axis defined by associated said recesses (21) or further projections (15).

7. A modular unit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least the main projections of one said set thereof have chamfered ends (25).

8. A modular unit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the body (10) is of shallow generally planar formation.

9. A modular unit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the body (10) comprises a peripheral frame with a central aperture.

10. A modular unit as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a cover (50) latching into said aperture.