US3597873A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Toy construction kit
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1969-07-28
•
Granted: 1971-08-10
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Expires: 1989-07-28
Abstract
Abstract A toy construction kit includes, among other connectable structural elements, a plurality of building blocks of identical predetermined dimensions and outline. A drive unit comprises a housing whose outline and dimensions are identicals with those of the building blocks, and a prime mover which is accommodated in the housing and has an output shaft. Undercut male coupling heads and undercut female coupling grooves are provided on the housing and building blocks and the housing may thereby be connected to the building blocks in place of and in the same manner as another building block, so that the drive unit may be used as an integral component of the structure which is erected with the construction kit.
Inventors
- 👤 Artur Fischer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 11:13
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63H; A63H33/00; A63H33/04; A63H33/042
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
In a toy construction kit, in combination, a plurality of building blocks of identical predetermined dimensions and outline; a drive unit, comprising a housing having an outline and dimensions identical with those of said building blocks, and a prime mover accommodated in said housing and including an output shaft; and mating male and female coupling portions provided on said building blocks and said housing, the identity of outline and dimensions of said building blocks and said housing enabling use of the latter in place of and in the same manner as one of said building blocks whereby said drive unit may be used as an integral component of a structure erected with said construction kit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
115 words
In a toy construction kit, in combination, a plurality of building blocks of identical predetermined dimensions and outline; a drive unit, comprising a housing having an outline and dimensions identical with those of said building blocks, and a prime mover accommodated in said housing and including an output shaft; and mating male and female coupling portions provided on said building blocks and said housing, the identity of outline and dimensions of said building blocks and said housing enabling use of the latter in place of and in the same manner as one of said building blocks whereby said drive unit may be used as an integral component of a structure erected with said construction kit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
In a toy construction kit as defined in claim 1, wherein said building blocks and said housing each comprise a plurality of external surfaces, and wherein the respective coupling portions are provided on at least some of said surfaces of each of said blocks and on at least one of said surfaces of said housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
In a toy construction kit as defined in claim 2, wherein said male and female coupling portions are of undercut configuration.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
In a toy construction kit as defined in claim 3, wherein said male coupling portions are undercut projecting coupling heads, and wherein said female coupling portions are undercut coupling grooves each having at least one open end for endwise introduction of a coupling head.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
In a toy construction kit as defined in claim 4, wherein said one surface of said housing is provided with at least one of said undercut coupling heads.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
In a toy construction kit as defined in claim 5, wherein said one undercut coupling head is elongated in parallelism with said one surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
In a toy construction kit as defined in claim 1, said building blocks and said housing being elongated and of quadratic cross section, and wherein the dimensions of said blocks and said housing in three mutually normal directions are identical and on the order of 15 X 30 mm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
In a toy construction kit as defined in claim 1, said building blocks and said housing being elongated and each having spaced end faces, and wherein said output shaft projects outwardly beyond one of said end faces of said housing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
66 words
In a toy construction kit as defined in claim 8, said coupling portions comprising undercut male coupling heads and undercut female coupling grooves, and wherein said one end face of said housing is provided with a pair of said undercut male coupling heads both elongated in parallelism with said one end face and with one another and respectively located at opposite sides of said output shaft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
68 words
In a toy construction kit as defined in claim 9, said housing further comprising a plurality of elongated side faces extending at least substantially normal to said end faces; and wherein said coupling portions on said housing further comprise an elongated undercut coupling head provided on one of said side faces extending centrally thereof in direction of elongation of said one side face in parallelism with the latter.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3484983A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-08-09 | 1975-02-08 | 1975-08-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-09 | 1979-02-08 | 1979-08-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-09 | 1983-02-08 | 1983-08-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |