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US4992069A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Building set having plug-in building blocks for building in layers

Assignee: I N T E R L E G O AG
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Filing: 1989-10-20
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Granted: 1991-02-12
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Expires: 2009-10-20
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Abstract

Abstract In a square array with a modulus (M), the plug-in building blocks of the building set have protruding connecting pins (1) and corresponding mating connecting sockets. In order that bendproof trusses can also be built, the building set has single-row connecting bars (34) with two terminal pins (35), whose spacing from one another amounts to √2 times an integral multiple of the modulus (M), and girder elements (10), which at two bordering sides faces (13, 14) each have a single row of pins with modular spacing and parallel to these side faces each have a projection (19) set back by the thickness of the connecting bar (34). In this way, stable, aesthetically appealing trussings can be built with the building set.

Inventors

  • 👤 Peter Bolli
  • 👤 Heinz Looser

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 21:54
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63H; A63H33/00; A63H33/04; A63H33/06; A63H33/08; A63H33/086; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T403/00; Y10T403/30

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim 115 words
In combination with a building set of plug-in building blocks (44) for building in layers, having connecting elements (1) which are arranged in a square array of a modulus (M), and having corresponding mating connecting means (2); a plurality of prismatic girder elements (10, 50, 60, 70), which have centering means (21) on two opposite end faces (11, 12) for centering with further girder elements which join at the end faces, and at least one row each of connecting elements (1) with modular spacing on each of two first side faces (13, 14), said girder element further comprising at least one bar support face, said support face parallel and adjacent a said first side face.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 115 words
In combination with a building set of plug-in building blocks (44) for building in layers, having connecting elements (1) which are arranged in a square array of a modulus (M), and having corresponding mating connecting means (2); a plurality of prismatic girder elements (10, 50, 60, 70), which have centering means (21) on two opposite end faces (11, 12) for centering with further girder elements which join at the end faces, and at least one row each of connecting elements (1) with modular spacing on each of two first side faces (13, 14), said girder element further comprising at least one bar support face, said support face parallel and adjacent a said first side face.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 23 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the planes of the first side faces (13, 14) intersect at an angle of 90°.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 71 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein two second side faces (15, 16) of the girder elements (10, 50, 60, 70) arranged perpendicular to the first side faces (13, 14) have a projection (17, 18; 51, 52; 61, 62) each, of which one bar supporting face (19, 53, 63) is parallel to the adjacent first side face (13, 14) and set back with respect to said adjacent first side face.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 37 words
The combination as claimed in claim 3, wherein the set-back projection (17, 18; 51, 52) has the same spacing (a) from two mutually parallel opposite side faces (13, 15; 14, 16) of the girder element (10, 70).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 32 words
The combination as claimed in claim 3, wherein the projections (51, 52) extend over the entire length of the girder elements (50, 70), and their width is less than the modules (M).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 33 words
The combination as claimed in claim 3, wherein the projections (17, 18; 61, 62) have a width of at least one modulus (M), and have at least one further connecting element (1) each.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 26 words
The combination as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first side faces (13, 14) overtop the projections (17, 18; 61, 62) on at least one side.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 59 words
The combination as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first side faces (13, 14) each have a single row of at least five connecting elements (1), the projections (17, 18; 61, 62) have a single row of exactly three connecting elements (1), and the first side faces (13, 14) overtop the projections (17, 18; 61, 62) on both sides.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 64 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein in at least one of the end faces (11, 12) the centering means comprise a bore hole (21) with a countersink (22) for accommodating a middle flange (29) of a plug element (28), and comprise, spaced from the end face (11, 12), a shoulder (24) for engaging a terminal bead (30) of the plug element (28).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 39 words
The combination as claimed in claim 3, further comprising connecting bars (34, 34') with terminal connecting elements (35) which are arranged at both of the bars ends and whose mutual spacing is not integrally divisible by the modulus (M).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 46 words
The combination as claimed in claim 10, wherein the thickness of the connecting bars (34, 34') is approximately equal to the spacing (a) between the first side faces (13, 14) and the bar supporting face of the adjacent set-back projection (17, 18; 51, 52; 61, 62).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 19 words
The combination as claimed in claim 10, wherein the width of the connecting bars is substantially one modulus (M).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 27 words
The combination as claimed in claim 10, wherein the connecting bars (34) are rounded at the ends, the roundings being coaxial with the terminal connecting elements (35).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 33 words
The combination as claimed in claim 10, wherein at each of their ends the connecting bars (34') have two bevels (71) with an angle of 45° to the longitudinal extension of the bars.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 55 words
The combination as claimed in claim 10, wherein between the terminal connecting elements (35) the connecting bars (34, 34') have further connecting elements (1) and mating connecting means (2) which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the middle plane of the connecting bars (34, 34') and are arranged at the modular spacing from one another.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 47 words
The combination as claimed in claim 15, wherein the number of all connecting elements (1, 35) arranged on the connecting bars is equal to the number of the modular spacings between two girder elements (10, 50, 60, 70) arranged in parallel and connected to the connecting bars.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 23 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the planes of the first side faces (13, 14) intersect at an angle of 60°.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 264 words
A toy building set for building trusses comprising: (a) a plurality of girder elements (10, 50, 60, 70) having centering means (21) on two opposite end faces (11, 12) for centering with a further girder element which joins at the respective end face, at least one row each of connecting elements (1) spaced from each other with a regular spacing of a modulus (M) on two first side faces (13, 14), two second side faces (15, 16) arranged perpendicular to the first side faces (13, 14), and a projection each on the second side faces, a bar supporting face (19, 53, 63) of each projection being parallel to the adjacent first side face and set back with respect to the latter; (b) a plurality of connecting bars (34, 34') with terminal connecting elements (35) similarly shaped as the connecting elements (1) of the girder elements (10, 50, 60, 70), the terminal connecting elements being arranged at both ends of the connecting bars and being spaced from each other by a distance that is not integrally divisible by the modulus (M), the thickness (a) of the connecting bars at their ends being substantially equal to the distance between the first side faces (13, 14) and the respective bar supporting faces (19, 53, 63) of the girder elements; and (c) a plurality of building blocks (44) having a plurality of mating connecting means (2) on one of their faces for plugging onto the connecting elements (1) of the girder elements (10, 50, 60, 70) and the terminal connecting elements (35) of the connecting bars (34, 34').
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 264 words
A toy building set for building trusses comprising: (a) a plurality of girder elements (10, 50, 60, 70) having centering means (21) on two opposite end faces (11, 12) for centering with a further girder element which joins at the respective end face, at least one row each of connecting elements (1) spaced from each other with a regular spacing of a modulus (M) on two first side faces (13, 14), two second side faces (15, 16) arranged perpendicular to the first side faces (13, 14), and a projection each on the second side faces, a bar supporting face (19, 53, 63) of each projection being parallel to the adjacent first side face and set back with respect to the latter; (b) a plurality of connecting bars (34, 34') with terminal connecting elements (35) similarly shaped as the connecting elements (1) of the girder elements (10, 50, 60, 70), the terminal connecting elements being arranged at both ends of the connecting bars and being spaced from each other by a distance that is not integrally divisible by the modulus (M), the thickness (a) of the connecting bars at their ends being substantially equal to the distance between the first side faces (13, 14) and the respective bar supporting faces (19, 53, 63) of the girder elements; and (c) a plurality of building blocks (44) having a plurality of mating connecting means (2) on one of their faces for plugging onto the connecting elements (1) of the girder elements (10, 50, 60, 70) and the terminal connecting elements (35) of the connecting bars (34, 34').
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 24 words
The building set as claimed in claim 18, wherein the planes of the first side faces (13, 14) intersect at an angle of 90°.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 24 words
The building set as claimed in claim 18, wherein the planes of the first side faces (13, 14) intersect at an angle of 60°.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 38 words
The building set as claimed n claim 18, wherein the set-back projection (17, 18; 51, 52) has the same spacing (a) from two mutually parallel opposite side faces (13, 15; 14, 16) of the girder elements (10, 70).
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 33 words
The building set as claimed in claim 18, wherein the projections (51, 52) extend over the entire length of the girder elements (50, 70), and their width is less than the modulus (M).
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 64 words
The building set as claimed in claim 18, wherein the projections (17, 18; 61, 62) have a width of at least one modulus (M), and have at least one further connecting element (1) each, and wherein said connecting bars (34) have further mating connecting means (36) coaxial to the terminal connecting elements (35) for plugging onto said further connecting element (1) of the projections.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 27 words
The building set as claimed in claim 23, wherein the first side faces (13, 14) overtop the projections (17, 18; 61, 62) on at least one side.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 60 words
The building set as claimed in claim 24, wherein the first side faces (13, 14) each have a single row of at least 5 connecting elements (1), the projections (17, 18; 61, 62) have a single row of exactly three connecting elements (1), and the first side faces (13, 14) overtop the projections (17, 18; 61, 62) on both sides.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 65 words
The building set as claimed in claim 18, wherein in at least one of the end faces (11, 12) the centering means comprise a bore hole (21) with a countersink (22) for accommodating a middle flange (29) of a plug element (28), and comprise, spaced from the end face (11, 12), a shoulder (24) for engaging a terminal bead (30) of the plug element (28).
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 20 words
The building set as claimed in claim 18, wherein the width of the connecting bars is substantially one modulus (M).
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 28 words
The building set as claimed in claim 18, wherein the connecting bars (34) are rounded at the ends, the roundings being coaxial with the terminal connecting elements (35).
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 34 words
The building set as claimed in claim 18, wherein at each of their ends the connecting bars (34') have two bevels (71) with an angle of 45° to the longitudinal extension of the bars.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 56 words
The building set as claimed in claim 18, wherein between the terminal connecting elements (35) the connecting bars (34, 34') have further connecting elements (1) and mating connecting means (2) which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the middle plane of the connecting bars (34, 34') and are arranged at the modular spacing from one another.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 48 words
The building set as claimed in claim 30, wherein the number of all connecting elements (1, 35) arranged on the connecting bars is equal to the number of the modular spacings between two girder elements (10, 50, 60, 70) arranged in parallel and connected to the connecting bars.

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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) 1994-02-11 1994-08-13 1995-02-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-02-11 1998-08-13 1999-02-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-02-11 2002-08-13 2003-02-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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