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US4377916A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Chain-like toy of triangular hollow prisms

Assignee: T&K Co Ltd
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Filing: 1981-07-20
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Granted: 1983-03-29
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Expires: 2001-07-20
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Abstract

Abstract A chain-like toy made of a plurality of isosceles triangular hollow prism units that are connected serially with one another at slanted side planes thereof by means of a connecting rod interposed with a resilient member, each unit being connected rotatably for an angle of 360° so that various shapes of things can be simulated by rotating each of the triangular hollow prisms.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kenji Komiya

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 04:40
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63H; A63H33/00; A63H33/04; A63H33/10; A63H33/107; A63F; A63F9/00; A63F9/06; A63F9/08; A63F9/088; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T403/00; Y10T403/32; Y10T403/32254; Y10T403/32262; Y10T403/32319; Y10T403/32327; Y10T403/32336; Y10T403/32361

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 337 words
A continuously chained toy comprising: a plurality of isosceles triangular hollow prism units (1), each hollow prism unit comprising first and second slanted faces (4, 5) slanted at an equal angle, a through-hole (6) at the center of each of the slanted faces, projections (7) provided on a first of said slanted faces (4) around said through-hole (6), and indentations (8) provided on the second of said slanted faces (5) at positions corresponding to the positions of the projections (7); and means for assembling said hollow prism units (1) adjacent one another with a first slanted face (4) of one hollow prism unit in abutment with the second slanted face (5) of the adjacent hollow prism unit, said assembling means including a plurality of connecting means, each connecting means independently connecting adjacent hollow prism units, and each connecting means including a pin (9) mounted in and extending through the through-holes (6) of only a pair of the adjacent slanted faces of a pair of adjacent hollow prism units, said pin terminating at an end interior of a respective hollow prism unit, resilient means (10) mounted on said pin (9) and located interior of at least one of the adjacent hollow prism units and on a side of at least one of said slanted faces which does not face the slanted face of the adjacent hollow prism unit, and a push-nut (11) located interior of at least one of the adjacent hollow prism units and mounted on a free end of said pin (9) and compressing said resilient means to connect a hollow prism unit (1) rotatably with respect to the adjacent hollow prism unit, said resilient means applying a resilient biasing force relative to said slanted faces in the axial direction of said pin (9), said push-nut (11) having an opening (13) in the center thereof which has a diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of said pin, said push-nut being fitted on said pin with an interference fit between said pin and said opening (13).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 337 words
A continuously chained toy comprising: a plurality of isosceles triangular hollow prism units (1), each hollow prism unit comprising first and second slanted faces (4, 5) slanted at an equal angle, a through-hole (6) at the center of each of the slanted faces, projections (7) provided on a first of said slanted faces (4) around said through-hole (6), and indentations (8) provided on the second of said slanted faces (5) at positions corresponding to the positions of the projections (7); and means for assembling said hollow prism units (1) adjacent one another with a first slanted face (4) of one hollow prism unit in abutment with the second slanted face (5) of the adjacent hollow prism unit, said assembling means including a plurality of connecting means, each connecting means independently connecting adjacent hollow prism units, and each connecting means including a pin (9) mounted in and extending through the through-holes (6) of only a pair of the adjacent slanted faces of a pair of adjacent hollow prism units, said pin terminating at an end interior of a respective hollow prism unit, resilient means (10) mounted on said pin (9) and located interior of at least one of the adjacent hollow prism units and on a side of at least one of said slanted faces which does not face the slanted face of the adjacent hollow prism unit, and a push-nut (11) located interior of at least one of the adjacent hollow prism units and mounted on a free end of said pin (9) and compressing said resilient means to connect a hollow prism unit (1) rotatably with respect to the adjacent hollow prism unit, said resilient means applying a resilient biasing force relative to said slanted faces in the axial direction of said pin (9), said push-nut (11) having an opening (13) in the center thereof which has a diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of said pin, said push-nut being fitted on said pin with an interference fit between said pin and said opening (13).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 58 words
The continuously chained toy of claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises a coil-spring mounted on said pin (9) after said pin (9) is fitted into said through-holes (6) in said slanted faces of adjacent hollow prism units, said push-nut (11) being attached to the free end of said pin (9) and in contact with said coil spring.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 74 words
The continuously chained toy of claim 1 wherein said pin is a headed pin, and said resilient means comprises a coil-spring mounted on the headed side of said pin (9) before said pin (9) is fitted into said through-holes (6) in said slanted faces of adjacent hollow prism units, said push-nut (11) being attached to the free end of said pin (9) after it is inserted into said through-holes (6) of adjacent slanted faces.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 18 words
The continuously chained toy of claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises a plate-spring having a wave-like surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 16 words
The continuously chained toy of claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises a thick rubber packing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 14 words
The continuously chained toy of claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises a coil-spring.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 21 words
The continuously chained toy of any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein said push-nut (11) is of a dish-form.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 36 words
The continuously chained toy of claim 1, wherein said projections (7) provided on a first of said slanted faces (4) are arranged at a regular interval and at approximately every 90° centering around said through-hole (6).

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2609251A Cited
US2584451A Cited
US2653415A Cited
US3577673A Cited
US3597872A Cited
DE7005541U Cited
US4030209A Cited
GB1585436A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1986-03-28 1986-09-27 1987-03-29 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1990-03-28 1990-09-27 1991-03-29 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1994-03-28 1994-09-27 1995-03-29 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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