Patent US5094643A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5094643A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Connecting device for toy construction elements
Assignee: Interlego AG
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Filing: 1990-02-19
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Granted: 1992-03-10
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Expires: 2010-02-19
Abstract
Abstract A toy construction set connection device consists of a shaft and a shaft bushing. The bushing consists of two bushing parts which are fixedly mountable on the shaft. By means of an axial or rotational displacement of the second bushing part relative to the first bushing part, the whole shaft bushing can be anchored in a desired transverse groove on shaft. The anchoring may be released by pulling the second bushing part from the first part.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter Bolli
- 👤 Heinz Looser
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 21:35
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63H; A63H33/00; A63H33/04; F; F16; F16B; F16B21/00; F16B21/02; F16B21/10; F16B21/16; F16D; F16D1/00; F16D1/10; F16D1/108; F16D1/116; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T403/00; Y10T403/70; Y10T403/7005; Y10T403/7026; Y10T403/7035
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
233 words
A connecting device for toy-construction elements comprising: a shaft and a shaft bushing mountable in a longitudinal direction of the shaft; said shaft having a cross section deviating from a circular shape by a plurality of radially protruding cross section parts having outer faces which consist of segments of a circle separated from each other by intermediary areas of a smaller diameter; said radially protruding cross section parts and said intermediarary areas defining a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart circumferentially extending grooves on the radially protruding cross section parts; said shaft bushing being lockable on said shaft and consisting of a first bushing part and a second bushing part; said two bushing parts being nondetachably connected to each other and movable against each other between a release position and a locking position, wherein in the release position said shaft bushing is displaceable axially along said shaft and in the locking position said bushing is indisplaceable axially along said shaft; at least one protrusion on one of said bushing parts which locks in one of said circumferentially extending grooves of said shaft when said bushing is in the locking position; and cooperating locking elements of said first and second bushing parts which interengage in at least one of said positions; at least one of said bushing parts having an opening therein conforming to the cross section of the shaft for receiving the shaft therein.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
233 words
A connecting device for toy-construction elements comprising: a shaft and a shaft bushing mountable in a longitudinal direction of the shaft; said shaft having a cross section deviating from a circular shape by a plurality of radially protruding cross section parts having outer faces which consist of segments of a circle separated from each other by intermediary areas of a smaller diameter; said radially protruding cross section parts and said intermediarary areas defining a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart circumferentially extending grooves on the radially protruding cross section parts; said shaft bushing being lockable on said shaft and consisting of a first bushing part and a second bushing part; said two bushing parts being nondetachably connected to each other and movable against each other between a release position and a locking position, wherein in the release position said shaft bushing is displaceable axially along said shaft and in the locking position said bushing is indisplaceable axially along said shaft; at least one protrusion on one of said bushing parts which locks in one of said circumferentially extending grooves of said shaft when said bushing is in the locking position; and cooperating locking elements of said first and second bushing parts which interengage in at least one of said positions; at least one of said bushing parts having an opening therein conforming to the cross section of the shaft for receiving the shaft therein.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said two bushing parts are connected with each other by a snap connection.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
22 words
The device in accordance with claims 1 or 2, wherein a base of said circumferentially extending grooves of the shaft is cylindrical.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
44 words
The device in accordance with claims 1 or 2, wherein said two bushing parts are rotatably connected to each other, and said locking elements are formed as extended noses on one bushing part and receiving recesses for said noses on the other bushing part.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
69 words
The device in accordance with claim 4, wherein said first bushing part has a socket part with a substantially circular inner face whose diameter is equal to the diameter of the circular outer face of the shaft; said protrusion protrudes radially to the inside from said circular inner face, and said second bushing part is provided with a feed through opening conforming to the cross section of said shaft.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
71 words
The device in accordance with claim 5, wherein said socket part includes a rotating member with a plurality of gripping indentations; said second bushing part is provided with indentations on its outer circumferential face, whose number, angular offset and dimensions conform with the gripping indentations of said rotating member, and said indentations of said second bushing part are flush with said gripping indentations of said rotating member in the locking position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The device in accordance with claim 5, wherein said socket part has at least one continuous longitudinal slot, and said locking noses extend on an outer circumference of said socket part adjacent to said longitudinal slot.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The device in accordance with claim 6, wherein said socket part has at least one continuous longitudinal slot, and said locking noses extend on an outer circumference of said socket part adjacent to said longitudinal slot.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
74 words
The device in accordance with one of claims 1 or 2, wherein said first bushing part has said opening corresponding to the cross section of said shaft and is provided with at least one radially elastic element on which said protrusion is extended, and said second bushing part has a pressure element which overtops said elastic element in the locking position for locking said protrusion in one of said transverse grooves of said shaft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said locking elements are formed by cooperating further protrusions and recesses on said elastic element and on said pressure element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The device in accordance with one of claim 1 or 2, wherein said two bushing parts are rotationally fixedly connected with each other and are axially displaceable with respect to each other.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
29 words
The device in accordance with one of claims 1 or 2, wherein said two bushing parts are identical and are telescopically pushed into each other at a 90° offset.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
61 words
The device in accordance with one of claims 1 or 2, wherein said shaft bushing is provided with a plane front face at its axial end formed by peripheral edge segments and central annular like parts, said shaft bushing being set back with respect to said front face in an annular region between said edge segments and said annular like parts.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
24 words
The device in accordance with one of claims 1 or 2 wherein said shaft bushing is engageable with said shaft and another similar shaft.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
28 words
The device in accordance with one of claims 1 or 2 further comprising a pair of shaft bushings engageable with said shaft and each with another similar shaft.
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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) | 1995-03-10 | 1995-09-09 | 1996-03-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-03-10 | 1999-09-09 | 2000-03-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-03-10 | 2003-09-09 | 2004-03-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |