US3940100A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Modular construction element
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-10-29
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Granted: 1976-02-24
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Expires: 1994-10-29
Abstract
Abstract A modular element for constructing furniture or artistic sculptures comprising a flat member having three equilaterally arranged legs and three equilaterally arranged, arc-shaped sides having equal radii of curvature, each of the legs having a slot extending through its thickness and arranged equilaterally with the slots in the other legs. Groups of four elements are assembled with a center element being engaged at each of its slotted legs with a separate slotted leg of one of the other elements. In one preferred embodiment a group of twenty such elements are so assembled to form an artistic sculpture.
Inventors
- 👤 Merrill W. Haug
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 12:28
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47B; A47B3/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S52/00; Y10S52/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
In combination, a group of four inflexible, modular construction elements, each element being flat and having three equilaterally spaced legs with arc-shaped sides between each leg, each of the arc-shaped sides having the same radius of curvature, each of the legs further having a slot through its thickness which extends toward the centroid of the element, the width of the slots being only slightly greater than the thickness of the element, and at least one of the elements having the slot in each of its legs fully inserted in the slot in one leg of a separate one of the other three elements so that one element is oriented perpendicularly to the other three elements and is inflexibly interloced therewith to form a rigid, load bearing structure whose constituent elements are inflexible with respect to each other when so interlocked.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
140 words
In combination, a group of four inflexible, modular construction elements, each element being flat and having three equilaterally spaced legs with arc-shaped sides between each leg, each of the arc-shaped sides having the same radius of curvature, each of the legs further having a slot through its thickness which extends toward the centroid of the element, the width of the slots being only slightly greater than the thickness of the element, and at least one of the elements having the slot in each of its legs fully inserted in the slot in one leg of a separate one of the other three elements so that one element is oriented perpendicularly to the other three elements and is inflexibly interloced therewith to form a rigid, load bearing structure whose constituent elements are inflexible with respect to each other when so interlocked.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
A combination as recited in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of such four element groups, each of the other three elements in each group having a slot in one of its other legs interlocked with the slot in the other leg of one of the other three elements of another group.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A combination as recited in claim 2 wherein there are maximum of twenty interlocked elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
164 words
A modular construction element comprising a flat member having three equilaterally spaced legs with arc-shaped sides between each leg, each of the arc-shaped sides having the same radius of curvature, each of the legs further having a slot through its thickness which extends toward the centroid of the element, the width of the slot being only slightly greater than the thickness of the element and further including a leg and holder assembly having a pair of parallel strips and a rectangularly shaped member mounted between and to the strips at one end to space them apart, the strips and the rectangular member being beveled at one end, the strips being wider than the width of the leg slots, and the rectangular member being thinner than the width of the leg slots so that the leg and holder assembly can be fitted to an element leg by engaging the rectangular member in the leg slot with the strips overlying opposite sides of the element leg.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
164 words
A modular construction element comprising a flat member having three equilaterally spaced legs with arc-shaped sides between each leg, each of the arc-shaped sides having the same radius of curvature, each of the legs further having a slot through its thickness which extends toward the centroid of the element, the width of the slot being only slightly greater than the thickness of the element and further including a leg and holder assembly having a pair of parallel strips and a rectangularly shaped member mounted between and to the strips at one end to space them apart, the strips and the rectangular member being beveled at one end, the strips being wider than the width of the leg slots, and the rectangular member being thinner than the width of the leg slots so that the leg and holder assembly can be fitted to an element leg by engaging the rectangular member in the leg slot with the strips overlying opposite sides of the element leg.
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) | 1979-02-23 | 1979-08-25 | 1980-02-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-02-23 | 1983-08-25 | 1984-02-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-02-23 | 1987-08-25 | 1988-02-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |