US4676762A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Toy building block kit and pieces thereof
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1983-03-28
•
Granted: 1987-06-30
•
Expires: 2003-03-28
Abstract
Abstract The toy building block kit includes a variety of buildingblock pieces with a first building block piece (e.g., piece 10, 100, 110, etc.) having on at least one side thereof, a longitudinal slot (20, 102, 112, etc.) and a transverse slot (30, 104, 114, etc.), and a second building block piece (e.g., piece 12, 140, 150, etc.) having on at least one side thereof a rib (60, 130, 142, 152, etc.) extending therefrom sized, configured and dimensioned to be received in one of the slots (20, 102, 112 etc. or 30, 104, 114, etc.) in said first piece. The pieces can be elongate, rectangular or triangular and each piece has crossing slots (e.g., slots 20, 30) therein forming a waffle or matrix pattern on the various sides thereof. Also each piece, (e.g., piece 10) may have one or more ribs (e.g., ribs 60) extending from a side thereof for interconnecting with another piece (e.g., piece 12). Furthermore, a variety of specialty pieces, e.g., flat panel pieces (200 or 400), square or triangular, can be provided for constructing particular structures, e.g., houses (214), automobiles (430), airplanes, ships, etc.
Inventors
- 👤 Larry N. Ballard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 20:10
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63H; A63H33/00; A63H33/04; A63H33/10; A63H33/105; A63H33/06; A63H33/08; A63H33/084
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
For use in a toy building block kit, a first three dimensional building block piece having on at least one side thereof at least one longitudinal slot and at least one intersecting transverse slot 90° to said longitudinal slot without any slots at the corner edges of the building block piece so as to form at least four two dimensional square corner formations on that one side of said first building block piece, each square corner formation having side dimensions equal to X and each slot having a width to (2/3)X, and a second three dimensional building block piece having on at least one side thereof a rib extending therefrom, sized, configured and dimensioned to be received in one of said slots in said first building block piece.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
128 words
For use in a toy building block kit, a first three dimensional building block piece having on at least one side thereof at least one longitudinal slot and at least one intersecting transverse slot 90° to said longitudinal slot without any slots at the corner edges of the building block piece so as to form at least four two dimensional square corner formations on that one side of said first building block piece, each square corner formation having side dimensions equal to X and each slot having a width to (2/3)X, and a second three dimensional building block piece having on at least one side thereof a rib extending therefrom, sized, configured and dimensioned to be received in one of said slots in said first building block piece.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The building block pieces of claim 1 wherein said first building block piece has at least two transverse slots in at least one side thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The building block pieces of claim 1 wherein said first building piece has at least two longitudinal slots in at least one side thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The building block pieces of claim 1 wherein said first building block piece has a given thickness and said second building block piece has the same thickness.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The building block pieces of claim 4 wherin said first building block piece has two end sides, four elongate sides, and two or more transverse slots in each of the four elongate sides thereof, is elongate, and is generally square in one cross section thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The building block pieces of claim 5 wherein said elongate piece has a rib at one end thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The building block pieces of claim 5 wherein said elongated piece has a rib at both ends thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The building block pieces of claim 5 wherein said elongate piece has a rib extending along one side thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
92 words
The building block pieces of claim 5 wherein said second building block piece has two end sides, four elongate sides and two or more transverse slots in each of the four elongate sides thereof, is elongate, and is generally square in one cross section thereof, and said two pieces are combined with an elongate first half piece capable of straddling the abutting ends of elongate pieces, the flat half piece having a longitudinal rib and laterally extending lateral ribs thereon for being received in longitudinal and lateral slots in said elongate pieces.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The building block pieces of claim 5 wherein said elongate piece has a T connector on one end thereof and said second piece has an opening in a slot thereof for receiving said T connector.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The building block pieces of claim 10 wherein said opening is in a side of said second piece which is an elongate piece.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The building block pieces of claim 10 wherein said slot is in an end of said second piece which is an elongate piece.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The building block pieces of claim 5 wherein said first elongate piece has two separate portions and a hinge interconnecting same.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The building block pieces of claim 5 wherein said elongate piece has a plurality of spaced apart bores extending therethrough each bore being adapted to receive a journal member for mounting an axle.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
47 words
The building block pieces of claim 1 wherein said second piece is a three way connecting piece having a base portion with a rib extending downwardly therefrom and two connecting portions each pivoted to the base portion and each having a rib at an outer end thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
81 words
The building block pieces of claim 5 wherein said elongate piece has two portions which are telescopically connected by means of a bar which is fixed to a one portion, which has apertures therein and which is slidably received within the other portion that has an opening therethrough transverse to said bar and which is held in place by means of pins extending through said opening in said other portion and an aperture in said bar in registry with said opening.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The building block pieces of claim 5 wherein said elongate piece has a ball at the end thereof for forming a ball joint connection with another elongate piece having a ball socket in an end thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
The building block pieces of claim 5 wherein said elongate piece has a pivoted bayonet at one end and said second piece has an axial opening at one end thereof for receiving said bayonet.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
The building block pieces of claim 6 combined with a cylindrical building block piece having spaced apart axially extending slots on the outer periphery thereof for receiving a rib on the end of said elongate piece.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
56 words
The building block pieces of claim 5 wherein said elongate piece has a flat extension at an end thereof, said flat extension hvaing a T shaped cross section and said second piece has a T shaped slot extending therethrough at an end thereof for laterally receiving said T cross section flat extension of said first piece.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
The building block pieces of claim 4 wherein said first piece has said given thickness in one direction and is generally rectangular in a plane normal to said direction of said thickness.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
68 words
The building block pieces of claim 21 wherein said first piece has at least three longitudinal slots and at least three transverse slots in a generally rectangular side thereof so as to form four small corner formations in each corner thereof, eight rectangular formations, two on each side edge thereof, and four larger corner formations in the center thereof situated between the longitudinal slots and the transverse slots.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
34 words
The building block pieces of claim 22 wherein said longitudinal slots and said traverse slots in said generally rectangular side form said generally rectangular side of said first piece with a generally waffle pattern.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
The building block pieces of claim 1 wherein said first piece is generally triangular in one dimension.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
The building block pieces of claim 24 wherein said triangular piece has a 30°-60°-90° angular configuration.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
The building block pieces of claim 26 wherein said triangular piece has a 45°-45°-90° angular configuration.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
The building block pieces of claim 1 wherein said second piece is a panel piece which has said at least one rib extending from said one side thereof.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
45 words
The building block pieces of claim 27 wherein said panel piece has a second rib parallel spaced to said first rib on said one side thereof, said ribs being located on a flat surface of said panel piece adjacent side edges of said panel piece.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
53 words
The building block pieces of claim 27 wherein said panel piece has a rectangular dimension consisting of one of the following dimensions: 1 inch by 2 inches; 2 inches by 2 inches; 2 inches by 4 inches; 4 inches by 4 inches; 2 inches by 6 inches; or 2 inches by 8 inches.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
The building block pieces of claim 4 wherein said first piece has a thickness of approximately 1/2 inch in two dimensions and has a length between 1 inch and 12 inches.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
The building block pieces of claim 1 wherein said rib has a thickness of approximately 1/8 inch and a depth of approximately 1/8 inch in a building block piece.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
47 words
The building block pieces of claim 2 wherein said small corner formation has a dimension of 3/16 inch by 3/16 inch, the rectangular formations having a dimension of 6/16 inch by 3/16 inch and said large square formations having a dimension of 6/16 inch by 6/16 inch.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
62 words
The building block pieces of claim 1 wherein said first and second pieces are generally cubical in shape with at least four longitudinal slots and four transverse slots on each side of each cube shaped piece, and with at least one rib fixed in one slot on one side of said second piece to facilitate interconnecting said first and second pieces together.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
37 words
The building block pieces of claim 1 wherein said first piece has half the thickness of said second piece, is generally flat and has ribs on one side thereof opposite transverse slots on the other side thereof.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
60 words
The building block pieces of claim 1 wherein said first piece has a thickness of approximately 1/2 inch and rectangular dimensions consisting essentially of one of the following dimensions: 1 inch by 1 inch, 2 inches by 2 inches, 1 inch by two inches, 2 inches by 4 inches, 4 inches by four inches and 2 inches by 6 inches.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
30 words
The building block pieces of claim 1 wherein said first building block piece has hollow cavities extending therethrough to reduce the amount of material in said first building block piece.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
38 words
The building block pieces of claim 1 wherein at least one of said pieces is made of two half shell piece portions which are adhered together such as by solvent bonding to form a hollow building block piece.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
38 words
The building block pieces of claim 1 wherein said second piece has at least one longitudinal rib and at least one transverse rib interconnected with each other and sized to fit in said slots in said first piece.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
120 words
The building block pieces of claim 1 wherein said first building block piece has in one side thereof at least three longitudinally extending parallel spaced slots and at least three intersecting parallel spaced transverse slots 90° to said longitudinal slots, said slots being spaced from each other in such a manner as to form a waffle pattern on said one side of said first building block piece without slots at the corner edges of said first building block piece and with four corner formation separated by eight two dimensional rectangular formations each having a length 2X and a width X and the center area of said one side having four two dimensional square formations with side dimensions equal to 2X.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-06-29 | 1990-12-29 | 1991-06-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-06-29 | 1994-12-29 | 1995-06-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-06-29 | 1998-12-29 | 1999-06-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |