Patent US4826464A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4826464A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Pivot structure and pivot joint for construction toy assemblies

Assignee: BERTRAND MARK PRESIDENT OF RITVIK HOLDINGS INC /GESTIONS RITVIK Inc
•
Filing: 1987-09-23
•
Granted: 1989-05-02
•
Expires: 2007-09-23
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A pivot structure comprises a one-piece plastic support including a parallelepiped rectangular body having a sidewall and a pivot bracket projecting from this sidewall. It comprises also a one-piece plastic bar section which includes a base plate, a columnar connector having an essentially constant cross-section and projecting from one face of the base plate; an L-shaped connector with a first leg upstanding at one end from one edge of the base plate, spacedly of the columnar connector, and a second leg projecting outwardly from the other end of the first leg, away from the columnar connector. The support section and the bar section are interconnected by a pivot arrangement on both the bracket of the support section and on the free end of the second leg of the L-shaped connector to allow for relative pivotal movement of the support section and bar section about an axis which is parallel to the sidewall of the support section. The pivot arrangement can be operatively connected to toy assembly block including a hollow plastic body having an endwall, a top wall and a hollow connector plug on the top wall and opening into the hollow body. This is achieved by having the pivot arrangement properly dimensioned so that the columnar connector project from the base plate and fits snugly into the hollow connector plug of the toy assembly block.

Inventors

  • 👤 Vic Bertrand

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 22:16
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63H; A63H33/00; A63H33/04; A63H33/042

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim 140 words
A pivot structure comprising, in combination: (a) a one-piece plastic support section including a parallelepiped rectangular body having a sidewall, and a pivot bracket projecting from said sidewall, and (b) a one-piece plastic bar section including: a base plate; a columnar connector of essentially constant cross-section, projecting from one face of said base plate; an L-shaped connector having a first leg upstanding at one end from one edge of said base plate, spacedly of said columnar connector, and a second leg projecting outwardly from the other end of said first leg, away from said columnar connector; and pivot means mounted on the free end of said second leg, said pivot means being structurally connected to the pivot bracket for relative pivotal movement of sid support section and bar section about an axis parallel to said sidewall of said support section.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 140 words
A pivot structure comprising, in combination: (a) a one-piece plastic support section including a parallelepiped rectangular body having a sidewall, and a pivot bracket projecting from said sidewall, and (b) a one-piece plastic bar section including: a base plate; a columnar connector of essentially constant cross-section, projecting from one face of said base plate; an L-shaped connector having a first leg upstanding at one end from one edge of said base plate, spacedly of said columnar connector, and a second leg projecting outwardly from the other end of said first leg, away from said columnar connector; and pivot means mounted on the free end of said second leg, said pivot means being structurally connected to the pivot bracket for relative pivotal movement of sid support section and bar section about an axis parallel to said sidewall of said support section.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 56 words
A pivot structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pivot bracket comprises a pair of spaced cheek plates projecting from said body sidewall, and wherein said pivot means comprise pivot pins laterally projecting from the free end of said second leg of said L-shaped connector, said pins being inserted in bearing holes through said cheeks.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 32 words
A pivot structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein said columnar connector has a longitudinal axis and is formed of flat wings of equal length and depth radiating from said longitudinal axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 29 words
A pivot structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pivot pins are the ends of a round bar solid with the terminal edge of said connector second leg.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 32 words
A pivot structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said columnar connector has a longitudinal axis and is formed of flat wings of equal length and depth radiating from said longitudinal axis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 22 words
A pivot structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein said columnar connector has four wings distributed in the form of a cross.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 48 words
A pivot structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein one of said wings of said columnar connector is perpendicular to said first leg of said L-shaped connector and is formed, at the lower end thereof, with a distancing lug having an outer edge spaced from said first leg.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 22 words
A pivot joint as claimed in claim 7, wherein each columnar connector has four wings distributed in the form of a cross.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 56 words
A pivot structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein said pivot bracket comprises a pair of spaced cheek plates projecting from sid body sidewall, and wherein said pivot means comprise pivot pins laterally projecting from the free end of said second leg of said L-shaped connector, said pins being inserted in bearing holes through said cheeks.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 215 words
A pivot joint comprising, in combination: a toy assembly block including a hollow parallelepiped rectangular plastic body having an end wall, a top wall and a hollow connector plug projecting perpendicularly away from said top wall adjacent said end wall and opening into said rectangular body; an one-piece plastic bar section including: a base plate; a columnar connector of essentially constant cross-section, projecting from one face of said base plate; an L-shaped connector having a first leg upstanding at one end from one edge of said base plate, spacedly of said columnar connector, and a second leg projecting outwardly form the other end of said first leg, away from said columnar connector; and pivot means mounted on the free end of said second leg, said one-piece plastic bar being operatively connected to said toy assembly block by snugly fitting said columnar connector projecting from said base plate into said hollow connector plug of said toy assembly block; and an one-piece plastic support section including another parallelepiped rectangular body having a sidewall and a pivot bracket projecting from said sidewall, said pivot bracket being structurally connected to said pivot means of the bar section for relative pivotal movement of said support section and bar section about an axis parallel to said sidewall of said support section.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 215 words
A pivot joint comprising, in combination: a toy assembly block including a hollow parallelepiped rectangular plastic body having an end wall, a top wall and a hollow connector plug projecting perpendicularly away from said top wall adjacent said end wall and opening into said rectangular body; an one-piece plastic bar section including: a base plate; a columnar connector of essentially constant cross-section, projecting from one face of said base plate; an L-shaped connector having a first leg upstanding at one end from one edge of said base plate, spacedly of said columnar connector, and a second leg projecting outwardly form the other end of said first leg, away from said columnar connector; and pivot means mounted on the free end of said second leg, said one-piece plastic bar being operatively connected to said toy assembly block by snugly fitting said columnar connector projecting from said base plate into said hollow connector plug of said toy assembly block; and an one-piece plastic support section including another parallelepiped rectangular body having a sidewall and a pivot bracket projecting from said sidewall, said pivot bracket being structurally connected to said pivot means of the bar section for relative pivotal movement of said support section and bar section about an axis parallel to said sidewall of said support section.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 87 words
A pivot joint as claimed in claim 10, wherein said columnar connector has a longitudinal axis and is formed of flat wings of equal length and depth radiating from said longitudinal axis, one of sid wings being perpendicular to said first leg of said L-shaped connector and being formed, at the lower end thereof, with a distancing lug having an outer edge spaced from said first leg; and wherein said end wall of said toy assembly block is fitted between said distancing lug and said first leg.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 56 words
A pivot joint as claimed in claim 11, wherein said pivot bracket comprises a pair of spaced cheek plates projecting from said body sidewall, and wherein said pivot means comprise pivot pins laterally projecting from the free end of said second leg of said L-shaped connector, said pins being inserted in bearing holes through said cheeks.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 29 words
A pivot pins as claimed in claim 12, wherein said pivot pins are the ends of a round bar solid with the terminal edge of said connector second leg.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 22 words
A pivot joint as claimed in claim 13, wherein said columnar connector has four wings distributed in the form of a cross.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 226 words
A pivot joint comprising, in combination: a toy assembly block including a hollow parallelepiped elongated rectangular plastic body having end walls, a top wall and a row of hollow connector plugs projecting perpendicularly away from said top wall, between said end walls; two of said plugs being respectively adjacent said end walls and opening into said hollow body; two one-piece plastic bar sections each including: a base plate; a columnar connector of essentially constant cross-section, projecting from one face of said base plate; an L-shaped connector having a first leg upstanding at one end from one edge of said base plate, spacedly of sid columnar connector, and a second leg projecting outwardly from the other end of sid first leg, away from said columnar connector; and pivot means mounted on the free end of said second leg; each of said one-piece plastic bars being operatively connected to said toy columnar connectors into said hollow connector plugs adjacent said end walls of said toy assembly block; and two one-piece plastic support sections each including another parallelepiped rectangular body having a sidewall; and a pivot bracket projecting from said sidewall, said pivot brackets being structurally connected to said pivot means of said bar sections for relative pivotal movement of each of said support section and bar section about an axis parallel to the sidewall of said support section.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 226 words
A pivot joint comprising, in combination: a toy assembly block including a hollow parallelepiped elongated rectangular plastic body having end walls, a top wall and a row of hollow connector plugs projecting perpendicularly away from said top wall, between said end walls; two of said plugs being respectively adjacent said end walls and opening into said hollow body; two one-piece plastic bar sections each including: a base plate; a columnar connector of essentially constant cross-section, projecting from one face of said base plate; an L-shaped connector having a first leg upstanding at one end from one edge of said base plate, spacedly of sid columnar connector, and a second leg projecting outwardly from the other end of sid first leg, away from said columnar connector; and pivot means mounted on the free end of said second leg; each of said one-piece plastic bars being operatively connected to said toy columnar connectors into said hollow connector plugs adjacent said end walls of said toy assembly block; and two one-piece plastic support sections each including another parallelepiped rectangular body having a sidewall; and a pivot bracket projecting from said sidewall, said pivot brackets being structurally connected to said pivot means of said bar sections for relative pivotal movement of each of said support section and bar section about an axis parallel to the sidewall of said support section.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 95 words
A pivot joint as claimed in claim 15, wherein said columnar connectors have a longitudinal axis and are formed of flat wings of equal length and depth radiating from said longitudinal axis, one of said wings of each columnar connector being perpendicular to one first leg of one of said L-shaped connectors and being formed, at the lower end thereof, with a distancing lug having an outer edge spaced from said one first leg; and wherein said end walls of said toy assembly block are fitted between said distancing lugs and said first legs, respectively.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 58 words
A pivot joint as claimed in claim 16, wherein each pivot bracket comprises a pair of spaced cheek plates projecting from the respective body end wall, and wherein said pivot means comprise pivot pins laterally projecting from the free end of said second legs of said L-shaped connectors, said pins being inserted into bearing holes through said cheeks.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 28 words
A pivot joint as claimed in claim 17, wherein said pivot pins are the ends of round bars solid with the terminal edges of said connector second legs.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

CA702336A Cited
US3034254A Cited
US3640017A Cited
US4185410A Cited
GB2118447A Cited
US4606732A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-05-01 1992-10-31 1993-05-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-05-01 1996-10-31 1997-05-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-05-01 2000-10-31 2001-05-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag