US4246718A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Interconnecting toy block arrangement
Assignee: Kawada Co Ltd
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Filing: 1979-08-07
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Granted: 1981-01-27
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Expires: 1999-08-07
Abstract
Abstract An improved frictional interconnecting toy block arrangement having a body means with walls defining a body cavity. The interconnection of toy blocks with each other is achieved by a female coupler means extending through the cavity of the body means of the toy block and having an aperture adapted to receive a male coupler means. Male coupler means which extends outwardly from a wall of the toy block is insertable into the aperture of the female coupler means for frictional retention therein. The male coupler means are generally fabricated as part of the body means of the block. The body means of the block is fabricated of two separate body members coupled together along a median plane. Coupling means are provided on the two body members to retain the two body members together. Provision of the body means comprised of the two separate body members allows each body member to be fabricated to provide a different appearance such as, for example, different color, different surface texture, or the like, thereby enhancing the play value of the toy block arrangement.
Inventors
- 👤 Yasushi Chatani
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 18:32
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63H; A63H33/00; A63H33/04; A63H33/06; A63H33/08; A63H33/088; A63H33/062
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
436 words
A toy block arrangement comprising, in combination: a semi-rigid body means having a first predetermined flexibility and having a plurality of wall members, and each of said plurality of wall members having inner surfaces and outer surfaces, and said inner surfaces thereof defining a body cavity, and said body means comprising: a first body member having a first group of said plurality of wall members; and a second body member having a second group of said plurality of wall members; and said first body member coupled to said second body member along a median plane and each of said first and second body members having peripheral edge surfaces at said median plane; coupling means on said first body member and said second body member for coupling said first body member to said second body member along said median plane; a first wall of said first group of said plurality of wall members of said first body member of said body means having first internal walls defining a first aperture therethrough; a second wall of said second group of said plurality of wall members of said second body member of said body means having second internal walls defining a second aperture therethrough aligned with said first aperture; a first semi-rigid female interblock coupler means discrete from said semi-rigid body means comprising a first female coupler member and a second female coupler member, and each of said first and second female coupler members having: an outer end; an inner end spaced a preselected distance from said outer end, and said inner end positioned in said body cavity of said body means; walls extending from said outer end to said inner end and said walls having external surfaces and internal surfaces, said internal surfaces defining a male coupler receiving aperture extending from said outer end toward said inner end; and interconnection means on said inner ends of said first and second female coupler members for interconnecting said first female coupler member to said second female coupler member, and said first female coupler member positionable in said first aperture of said first body member of said body means and said second female coupler member positionable in aid second aperture in said second body member of said body means whereupon said first female coupler member and said second female coupler member are coupled together by said interconnection means thereon; and retention means for retaining said outer end of said first female coupler member at said first wall of said first body member and said outer end of said second female coupler member at said second wall of said second body member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
436 words
A toy block arrangement comprising, in combination: a semi-rigid body means having a first predetermined flexibility and having a plurality of wall members, and each of said plurality of wall members having inner surfaces and outer surfaces, and said inner surfaces thereof defining a body cavity, and said body means comprising: a first body member having a first group of said plurality of wall members; and a second body member having a second group of said plurality of wall members; and said first body member coupled to said second body member along a median plane and each of said first and second body members having peripheral edge surfaces at said median plane; coupling means on said first body member and said second body member for coupling said first body member to said second body member along said median plane; a first wall of said first group of said plurality of wall members of said first body member of said body means having first internal walls defining a first aperture therethrough; a second wall of said second group of said plurality of wall members of said second body member of said body means having second internal walls defining a second aperture therethrough aligned with said first aperture; a first semi-rigid female interblock coupler means discrete from said semi-rigid body means comprising a first female coupler member and a second female coupler member, and each of said first and second female coupler members having: an outer end; an inner end spaced a preselected distance from said outer end, and said inner end positioned in said body cavity of said body means; walls extending from said outer end to said inner end and said walls having external surfaces and internal surfaces, said internal surfaces defining a male coupler receiving aperture extending from said outer end toward said inner end; and interconnection means on said inner ends of said first and second female coupler members for interconnecting said first female coupler member to said second female coupler member, and said first female coupler member positionable in said first aperture of said first body member of said body means and said second female coupler member positionable in aid second aperture in said second body member of said body means whereupon said first female coupler member and said second female coupler member are coupled together by said interconnection means thereon; and retention means for retaining said outer end of said first female coupler member at said first wall of said first body member and said outer end of said second female coupler member at said second wall of said second body member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
96 words
The arrangement defined in claim 1, wherein: said coupling means for coupling said first body member to said second body member further comprises: a plurality of male body coupling members extending outwardly from said peripheral edge surface of said first body member; walls on said peripheral edge surface of said second body member defining a plurality of male body coupling member receiving cavities therein; and said plurality of male body coupling members positionable in said male body coupling member receiving cavities and frictionally retainable therein to couple said first body member to said second body member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The arrangement defined in claim 2, wherein: said male body coupling members further comprise: a shaft portion; and a headed portion coupled to said shaft portion and spaced from said peripheral edge surface, and said headed portion having a greater dimension than said shaft portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The arrangement defined in claim 1, wherein: one of said first internal walls of said first body member and said second internal walls of said second body member further comprises: skirt means extending a predetermined distance into said body cavity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The arrangement defined in claim 4, wherein: said skirt means extends beyond said median plane.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
71 words
The arrangement defined in claim 1, wherein: said first internal walls of said first body member further comprises a first skirt means extending into said body cavity to said median plane; and said second internal walls of said second body member comprises a second skirt means extending into said body cavity to said median plane; and said first skirt means and said second skirt means in abutment at said median plane.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The arrangement defined in claim 1, wherein: said internal surfaces of said walls of said first and said second female coupler members have a plurality of internal ridges thereon extending from regions adjacent said outer ends toward said inner ends.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The arrangement defined in claim 7, wherein: said internal ridges extend to said inner end.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
108 words
The arrangement defined in claim 1, wherein: said retention means further comprises: said external surfaces of said walls of each of said first and said second female coupler members have a plurality of external ridges thereon extending from said outer end a predetermined distance toward said inner end, and said plurality of external ridges on said external surfaces of said walls of said first female coupler member frictionally engages said first internal walls of said first body member, and said plurality of external ridges on said external surface of said walls of said second female coupler member frictionally engages said second internal walls of said second body member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The arrangement defined in claim 1, wherein: said internal surfaces of said walls of said first and said second female coupler members have a plurality of internal ridges thereon extending from regions adjacent said outer ends toward said inner ends.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
The arrangement defined in claim 10, wherein: one of said first internal walls of said first body member and said second internal walls of said second body member further comprises: skirt means extending a predetermined distance into said body cavity, and said skirt means frictionally engaging said external ridges.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The arrangement defined in claim 11, wherein: said skirt means extends beyond said median plane.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
103 words
The arrangement defined in claim 9, wherein: said first internal walls of said first body member further comprises a first skirt means extending into said body cavity to said median plane; and said second internal walls of said second body member comprises a second skirt means extending into said body cavity through said median plane; and said first skirt means and said second skirt means in abutment at said median plane, and said external ridges on said first female coupler member frictionally engages said first skirt means and said external ridges on said second female coupler member frictionally engages said second skirt means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
The arrangement defined in claim 1, and further comprising: a third wall member of said plurality of wall members of said body means further comprises a first male interblock coupler means frictionally and detachably retainable in a female coupler means of another toy block.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
179 words
The arrangement defined in claim 14, wherein: said first male interblock coupler means is divided by said median plane and comprises a first male member on said first body member of said body means and a second male member on said second body member of said body means; said coupling means further comprises: a plurality of male body coupling members extending outwardly from said peripheral edge surface of said first body member; walls on said peripheral edge surface of said second body member defining a plurality of male body coupling member receiving cavities therein; and said plurality of male body coupling members positionable in said male body coupling member receiving cavities and frictionally retainable therein to couple said first body member to said second body member; a first headed male member coupled to said first male member of said first male interblock coupler means and extending into said body cavity; and walls defining an aperture in said second male member of said male interblock coupler means communicating with said body cavity for retaining said first headed male member therein.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
The arrangement defined in claim 14, further comprising: a fourth wall member of said plurality of wall members of said body means further comprises a second male interblock coupler means frictionally and detachably retainable in a female interblock coupler means of another toy block.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
164 words
The arrangement defined in claim 16, wherein: each of said first and second male interblock coupler means is divided by said median plane and comprises a first male member on said first body member of said body means and a second male member on said second body member of said body means; a first headed male member on said first male member of said first male interblock coupler means extending into said body cavity; walls on said second male member of said first male interblock coupler means defining a headed male member receiving aperture communicating with said body cavity for retaining said first headed male member therein; a second headed male member on said second male member of said second male interblock coupler means and extending into said body cavity; walls in said first male member of said second male interblock coupler means defining a second headed male member receiving aperture communicating with said body cavity for retaining said second headed male member therein.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The arrangement defined in claim 16, wherein: said second male interblock coupler means is aligned with said first male interblock coupler means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The arrangement defined in claim 16, wherein: said second male interblock coupler means extends substantially at right angles to said first male interblock coupler means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
The arrangement defined in claim 14, and further comprising: said third wall member of said plurality of wall members of said body means further comprises a third male interblock coupler means frictionally and detachably retainable in a female interblock coupler means of another toy block.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
95 words
The arrangement defined in claim 14, wherein: said third wall member of said plurality of wall members of said body means further comprises a third male interblock coupler means frictionally and detachably retainable in a female interblock coupler means of another toy block, and said fourth wall member of said plurality of wall members of said body means further comprises a fourth male interblock coupler means aligned with said third male interblock coupler means, and said fourth male interblock coupler means frictionally and detachably retainable in a female interblock coupler means of another toy block.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
111 words
The arrangement defined in claim 21 and further comprising: said first wall of said first group of said plurality of wall members of said first body member of said body means having third internal walls defining a third aperture therethrough; said second wall of said second group of said plurality of wall members of said second body member of said body means having fourth internal walls defining a fourth aperture therethrough aligned with said third aperture; a second semi-rigid female interblock coupler means comprising a first female coupler member and a second female coupler member substantially identical to said first semi-rigid female interblock coupler means, in said third and fourth apertures.
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) | 1984-01-27 | 1984-07-28 | 1985-01-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-01-27 | 1988-07-28 | 1989-01-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-01-27 | 1992-07-28 | 1993-01-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |