EP1454662A1 - Elément pour construire une piste inclinée pour billes - Google Patents

Elément pour construire une piste inclinée pour billes Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1454662A1
EP1454662A1 EP04075075A EP04075075A EP1454662A1 EP 1454662 A1 EP1454662 A1 EP 1454662A1 EP 04075075 A EP04075075 A EP 04075075A EP 04075075 A EP04075075 A EP 04075075A EP 1454662 A1 EP1454662 A1 EP 1454662A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
track
guide member
track element
marbles
section
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP04075075A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Alessandro Quercetti
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Alessandro Quercetti and C Fabbrica Giocattoli Formativi SpA
Original Assignee
Alessandro Quercetti and C Fabbrica Giocattoli Formativi SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Alessandro Quercetti and C Fabbrica Giocattoli Formativi SpA filed Critical Alessandro Quercetti and C Fabbrica Giocattoli Formativi SpA
Publication of EP1454662A1 publication Critical patent/EP1454662A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F7/00—Indoor games using small moving playing bodies, e.g. balls, discs or blocks
    • A63F7/22—Accessories; Details
    • A63F7/36—Constructional details not covered by groups A63F7/24 - A63F7/34, i.e. constructional details of rolling boards, rims or play tables, e.g. frame, game boards, guide tracks
    • A63F7/3622—Specially shaped rolling boards for the balls, e.g. ball tracks

Definitions

  • This invention concerns an element for composing a track of the fall type for run of marbles.
  • a disadvantage generally suffered by these fall type tracks resides in that the track elements cannot have a great extension, in order to limit the overall size of the track, and therefore each element represents a very short stretch of the marble run, and this short stretch is covered in a very limited time. This reduces the attraction of the play.
  • track elements in the shape of a basin, wherein the marble is inserted tangentially at the start end, whereby it runs in the basin along turns of gradually decreasing radii, until it falls into a central opening forming the exit end of the element, through which the marble falls on the start end of the subsequent track element.
  • basin shaped track elements have several disadvantages. From the point of view of the behavior of the marble, often takes place a troublesome irregularity, because the marble can run along a very various number of turns in the basin, and it can also remain for a too long time near the central opening before entering therein. Moreover, if the element has not been installed correctly, or the entering conditions are somewhat irregular, the marble does not run along a uniform helicoidal trajectory. From the point of view of the look of the toy, the basin shaped element is a bulky element which hinders or prevents the observation of the elements situated below and of the run of the marble on these elements.
  • the basin shaped element is a body having three extended dimensions, whose molding is relatively expensive and involves the use of a relatively great quantity of material. Finally, from the point of view of the wrapping, the basin shaped elements occupy a great space, whereby the whole of the track requires a bulky wrapping.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide an element for composing a fall type track for run of marbles, which should have the advantage of ensuring a relatively long permanency of the marbles on the track element, though avoiding the above stated disadvantages of the basin shaped elements.
  • the track element according to the invention comprises a guide member for the insertion of marbles, intended to be placed beneath the arrival of a preceding track element or at the upper start point of a track, an exit guide member for the marbles, intended to be placed at a level lower than the level of the insertion guide member and generally over the start end of a subsequent track element, and a track section extending in the form of a pair of rails from said insertion guide member to said exit guide member, by following at least in part a helicoidal trajectory.
  • the marble finds in this track element a run very longer than the overall size of the element, and therefore it remains on this track element during a relatively long period of time, which however is uniformly preestablished and is not subject to fortuitous modifications, and its curved run has a special attractive. Even if the installation has not been perfect, this fact only causes some modifications in the marble speed, but no trajectory irregularity. Because this track element has not the solid character of a basin, it cannot disturb the observation of the track elements situated below and of the run of the marble on these track elements.
  • the track section in the form of a pair of rails which follows at least in part a helicoidal trajectory from said insertion guide member to said exit guide member has an initial rectilinear section and a final helicoidal section. It is formed by a pair of rails which are connected from point to point by sleepers, thus substantially reproducing the look of a railway track.
  • This structure allows embodying the track element with the minimum use of material that is compatible with the resistance and stiffness of the track element.
  • the track element according to the invention can be manufactured as a single piece of plastic material, in plane configuration, and then the correct disposition of the different portions in the height is obtained by means of spacers engaged in suitable points of the track element.
  • the molding with plastic material of the track element is rendered very easy and inexpensive.
  • the track element still missing the spacers is substantially plane and it occupies a reduced space in a wrapping, whereas it assumes its important three-dimensional character and a sturdy consistency when the spacers, by an easy operation, have been engaged. It is of advantage when said spacers are in the form of a Z and are engaged on protrusions of the bottom surfaces of some sleepers.
  • Figure 1 shows a track element comprising an exit guide member 1, having the shape of a hollow cylinder with vertical axis, which is intended to be situated above the start point of a subsequent element of a fall type track for run of marbles, in such a way that a marble entering and then leaving the exit guide member 1 falls in a correct position onto the underlying track element and starts running thereon.
  • the track element further comprises an insertion guide member 1, situated at a certain distance (determined by the overall size allowed for the track element) from the exit guide member 1.
  • the insertion guide member 2 has the shape of a hollow cylinder with vertical axis, having a slanting wall 3 suitable for conferring to a marble, vertically inserted into the insertion guide member 2, a horizontal movement component.
  • the track section 4 has a main portion 4' of substantially helicoidal shape, connected to the exit guide member 1, and an approaching portion 4" which may be rectilinear and joins the insertion guide member 2 to the helicoidal portion 4' of the track section.
  • the track section 4 of the track element may also receive conformations different from the above described one.
  • the described track element is preferably manufactured in a plane configuration, as a single piece of plastic material.
  • These spacers, as shown by Figures 7 and 8, may have a shaft 7 ending with two link shaped heads 8, directed towards opposite sides, whereby each spacer 7-8 has a general Z-shaped configuration.
  • Figures 4 to 6 The engagement of these spacers is clarified by Figures 4 to 6.
  • Figure 4 the whole comprising the insertion guide member 2, the exit guide member 1 and the track section 4 connected to said guide members still is in its plane configuration.
  • Some sleepers 5 are provided at bottom with protrusions 6 suitable for being engaged by the link shaped heads 8 of the spacers. These latter are engaged by displacing along the arrows shown in Figure 5, and they cause the track element to assume the important three-dimensional configuration shown in Figure 6.
  • the application of the present invention as a complement to a fall type track for run of marbles adds greater attractives and increases the use practicality of the play, in addition to rendering more easy and inexpensive the manufacture and wrapping.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)
  • Machines For Laying And Maintaining Railways (AREA)
  • Bearings For Parts Moving Linearly (AREA)
  • Lubricants (AREA)
EP04075075A 2003-01-17 2004-01-12 Elément pour construire une piste inclinée pour billes Withdrawn EP1454662A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITTO20030007U 2003-01-17
IT000007U ITTO20030007U1 (it) 2003-01-17 2003-01-17 Elemento per la composizione di una pista di scorrimento di palline del tipo a caduta.

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1454662A1 true EP1454662A1 (fr) 2004-09-08

Family

ID=32800741

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP04075075A Withdrawn EP1454662A1 (fr) 2003-01-17 2004-01-12 Elément pour construire une piste inclinée pour billes

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US20040198145A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP1454662A1 (fr)
IT (1) ITTO20030007U1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11439894B2 (en) 2020-08-03 2022-09-13 Bryan Stringham Magnetic connectors and coupled track segments for rolling balls down a vertical surface

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
USD999839S1 (en) * 2020-08-21 2023-09-26 Toto Toys Ltd. Toy track piece
US11738256B2 (en) 2021-05-21 2023-08-29 Brian Ondov Spelling game comprising removable tokens positioned on a track
US11779853B2 (en) * 2021-10-19 2023-10-10 Pike Brands Llc Marble track connection system

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE651061A (fr) *
US3394489A (en) * 1966-01-25 1968-07-30 Lewis W. Martin Article roll game and track therefor
US4319425A (en) * 1980-05-01 1982-03-16 Shine Thomas M Gravity operated track
US4537401A (en) * 1983-12-22 1985-08-27 Smith Roger D Game apparatus
US5358241A (en) * 1993-10-12 1994-10-25 Williams Electronics Games, Inc. Helical monorail ramp for a pinball game
DE4402169A1 (de) * 1994-01-26 1995-07-27 Schroedel Ideal Sport Spiel Kugelrollspiel
DE10062701A1 (de) * 1999-12-17 2001-06-21 Manfred Brosch Kugelrollbahn

Family Cites Families (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3768810A (en) * 1971-12-27 1973-10-30 A Goldfarb Game board for play of collision game
US4713038A (en) * 1985-07-05 1987-12-15 Discovery Toys, Inc. Marble race game
US4762512A (en) * 1987-03-23 1988-08-09 Divnick International, Inc. Coin collector
US4871055A (en) * 1987-09-17 1989-10-03 Poythress Cecil A Amusement device for collecting coins
US4874342A (en) * 1988-07-01 1989-10-17 Discovery Toys, Inc. Jump chute marble race toy
US5007876A (en) * 1988-07-01 1991-04-16 Discovery Toys, Inc. Banked hairpin marble race toy
US4932917A (en) * 1988-07-01 1990-06-12 Discovery Toys, Inc. Start gate marble race toy
US5924907A (en) * 1995-12-19 1999-07-20 Tobin; Adam Zev Marble track construction toy
US5800240A (en) * 1996-05-31 1998-09-01 Jackson; Douglas L. Marble race toy with elevator and supporting infrastructure
ITTO20010883A1 (it) * 2001-09-18 2003-03-18 Quercetti Alessandro & Co Pista sospesa.

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE651061A (fr) *
US3394489A (en) * 1966-01-25 1968-07-30 Lewis W. Martin Article roll game and track therefor
US4319425A (en) * 1980-05-01 1982-03-16 Shine Thomas M Gravity operated track
US4537401A (en) * 1983-12-22 1985-08-27 Smith Roger D Game apparatus
US5358241A (en) * 1993-10-12 1994-10-25 Williams Electronics Games, Inc. Helical monorail ramp for a pinball game
DE4402169A1 (de) * 1994-01-26 1995-07-27 Schroedel Ideal Sport Spiel Kugelrollspiel
DE10062701A1 (de) * 1999-12-17 2001-06-21 Manfred Brosch Kugelrollbahn

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11439894B2 (en) 2020-08-03 2022-09-13 Bryan Stringham Magnetic connectors and coupled track segments for rolling balls down a vertical surface

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ITTO20030007U1 (it) 2004-07-18
US20040198145A1 (en) 2004-10-07

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