US3878638A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Blank and method using indicia for directing the manner and sequence of folding
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-09-10
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Granted: 1975-04-22
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Expires: 1993-09-10
Abstract
Abstract A folding construction game comprises a sheet of foldable material bearing a plurality of paired indicia at preselected locations. The paired indicia are sequentially coded to enable positive repeatable placement of each member of a coded pair into contact with the corresponding member of the pair in their predetermined sequence to provide a finished construction. Also described are methods for constructing finished three-dimensional articles such as toys or figures from a sheet of foldable material and for teaching the oriental art of origami or paper folding.
Inventors
- 👤 Ranana Benjamin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 12:23
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63H; A63H33/00; A63H33/16; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24628; Y10T428/24736
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
201 words
An article of manufacture for use in constructing a threedimensional object by folding and creasing, comprising a manipulatable blank of foldable and creasable material having a pair of surfaces and bearing means for directing a user in manipulation of said blank, said means comprising a plurality of mutually registerable indicia pairs, with at least one said indicia pair on each of said surfaces, a plurality of said indicia pairs comprising a first pair member positioned at a first predetermined location on one of said surfaces of said blank and a second pair member registerable with said first pair member and positioned at a second predetermined location on the same surface of said blank, said indicia pairs being sequentially coded for guiding a user to manipulate said blank according to a predetermined order of steps corresponding to a sequence of foldings and creasings which result in the construction of the object, the corresponding pair members of certain of said pairs being juxtaposed one over the other in the final article made by folding and creasing said blank, whereby said three-dimensional object may be constructed by superposing one member of each of said indicia pairs over the other member of the same pair.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
201 words
An article of manufacture for use in constructing a threedimensional object by folding and creasing, comprising a manipulatable blank of foldable and creasable material having a pair of surfaces and bearing means for directing a user in manipulation of said blank, said means comprising a plurality of mutually registerable indicia pairs, with at least one said indicia pair on each of said surfaces, a plurality of said indicia pairs comprising a first pair member positioned at a first predetermined location on one of said surfaces of said blank and a second pair member registerable with said first pair member and positioned at a second predetermined location on the same surface of said blank, said indicia pairs being sequentially coded for guiding a user to manipulate said blank according to a predetermined order of steps corresponding to a sequence of foldings and creasings which result in the construction of the object, the corresponding pair members of certain of said pairs being juxtaposed one over the other in the final article made by folding and creasing said blank, whereby said three-dimensional object may be constructed by superposing one member of each of said indicia pairs over the other member of the same pair.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
201 words
An article of manufacture for use in constructing a three-dimensional object by folding and creasing, comprising a manipulatable blank of foldable and creasable material having a pair of surfaces and bearing means for directing a user in manipulation of said blank, said means comprising a plurality of mutually registerable indicia pairs, with at least one said indicia pair on each of said surfaces, a plurality of said indicia pairs comprising a first pair member positioned at a first predetermined location on one of said surfaces of said blank and a second pair member registerable with said first pair member and positioned at a second predetermined location on the same surface of said blank, said indicia pairs being sequentially coded for guiding a user to manipulate said blank according to a predetermined order of steps corresponding to a sequence of foldings and creasings which result in the construction of the object, the corresponding pair members of certain of said pairs being juxtaposed one over the other in the final article made by folding and creasing said blank, whereby said three-dimensional object may be constructed by superposing one member of each of said indicia pairs over the other member of the same pair.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
201 words
An article of manufacture for use in constructing a three-dimensional object by folding and creasing, comprising a manipulatable blank of foldable and creasable material having a pair of surfaces and bearing means for directing a user in manipulation of said blank, said means comprising a plurality of mutually registerable indicia pairs, with at least one said indicia pair on each of said surfaces, a plurality of said indicia pairs comprising a first pair member positioned at a first predetermined location on one of said surfaces of said blank and a second pair member registerable with said first pair member and positioned at a second predetermined location on the same surface of said blank, said indicia pairs being sequentially coded for guiding a user to manipulate said blank according to a predetermined order of steps corresponding to a sequence of foldings and creasings which result in the construction of the object, the corresponding pair members of certain of said pairs being juxtaposed one over the other in the final article made by folding and creasing said blank, whereby said three-dimensional object may be constructed by superposing one member of each of said indicia pairs over the other member of the same pair.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
An article of manufacture as recited in claim 1 wherein said sequentially coded indicia comprise a sequence of numerals.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
An article of manufacture as recited in claim 2 wherein said sequentially coded indicia comprise a sequence of letters of the alphabet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
An article of manufacture as recited in claim 1 comprising means located adjacent to one preselected member of each indicia pair for directing manipulation of the portion of said blank bearing said indicia member into superimposing contact with said second indicia member to cause substantial coincidence of said pair of indicia with one another.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
An article of manufacture as recited in claim 1 comprising an information character located adjacent to selected ones of said indicia pairs, each of said information characters providing an instruction for manipulation of one of said portions of said blank about a predetermined fold line to place said first and second indicia pair members in superposition with one another.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
An article of manufacture as recited in claim 1 comprising means arrayed about preselected points on at least one surface thereof to guide a predetermined portion of said blank to a proper position after folding said portion about a preselected fold line.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
An article of manufacture as recited in claim 5 wherein each said information character comprises means for directing the superimposition of said corresponding first and second indicia members followed by the subsequent separation and return of said indicia members to their original positions.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
125 words
The method of constructing a three-dimensional article from a blank of foldable material which has a pair of surfaces and a series of sequentially coded pairs of mutually registerable indicia thereon in predetermined locations on both of said surfaces, a plurality of said pairs being on the same surface of said blank, said method comprising the steps of manipulating said blank to cause the mutually registerable indicia of the sequentially first pair of said series to be placed in superimposing contact with one another, and creasing said blank along a line transverse to the direction of said manipulation, then manipulating said blank to cause the mutually registerable indicia of the sequentially second pair of said series to be placed in superimposiNg contact with one another.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
125 words
The method of constructing a three-dimensional article from a blank of foldable material which has a pair of surfaces and a series of sequentially coded pairs of mutually registerable indicia thereon in predetermined locations on both of said surfaces, a plurality of said pairs being on the same surface of said blank, said method comprising the steps of manipulating said blank to cause the mutually registerable indicia of the sequentially first pair of said series to be placed in superimposing contact with one another, and creasing said blank along a line transverse to the direction of said manipulation, then manipulating said blank to cause the mutually registerable indicia of the sequentially second pair of said series to be placed in superimposiNg contact with one another.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
125 words
The method of constructing a three-dimensional article from a blank of foldable material which has a pair of surfaces and a series of sequentially coded pairs of mutually registerable indicia thereon in predetermined locations on both of said surfaces, a plurality of said pairs being on the same surface of said blank, said method comprising the steps of manipulating said blank to cause the mutually registerable indicia of the sequentially first pair of said series to be placed in superimposing contact with one another, and creasing said blank along a line transverse to the direction of said manipulation, then manipulating said blank to cause the mutually registerable indicia of the sequentially second pair of said series to be placed in superimposiNg contact with one another.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
125 words
The method of constructing a three-dimensional article from a blank of foldable material which has a pair of surfaces and a series of sequentially coded pairs of mutually registerable indicia thereon in predetermined locations on both of said surfaces, a plurality of said pairs being on the same surface of said blank, said method comprising the steps of manipulating said blank to cause the mutually registerable indicia of the sequentially first pair of said series to be placed in superimposing contact with one another, and creasing said blank along a line transverse to the direction of said manipulation, then manipulating said blank to cause the mutually registerable indicia of the sequentially second pair of said series to be placed in superimposiNg contact with one another.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 8 which comprises unfolding the portions of said blank bearing said paired indicia after said creasing operation in response to recognition of a precoded symbol associated with one member of said indicia pair.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 8 which comprises rotating one member of each indicia pair into contact with the other member of said pair about a predetermined fold line.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 8 which comprises coding said indicia pairs in ascending sequential order, and positioning said coded indicia at preselected locations on the surfaces of said blank, said locations being coordinated to the folding operations required in the construction of said three-dimensional article.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 8 which comprises coding each of said indicia pairs in ascending numerical order.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-21 | 1978-10-21 | 1979-04-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-21 | 1982-10-21 | 1983-04-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-21 | 1986-10-21 | 1987-04-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |