Small animal connectible play cube system

A small animal connectible play cube system which includes several connectible small animal play cubes, each cube having at least one surface formed with a large plurality of small through openings and at least one other surface with a single large opening, and an attaching adaptor for each pair of cubes, the adaptor having structure on opposite sides for attaching the adaptor to the large opening of the at least one other surface. The cubes are connectible together in various configurations depending upon which surfaces are attached by the adaptors. The invention can further include a slide member which is connectible to the small through openings on the one surface of the cube. The slide member can be a first type slide member having a straight longitudinal axis. Also, the slide member can be a second type slide member having a curved longitudinal axis. The second type slide member describes a spiral extending through 270.degree.. The attaching adaptor can be a ring member having a main annular body with the necessary structure to connect to either the large opening of the cubes or to other small animal accessories. As an example, two of the cubes may be attached to each other with a tunnel tube therebetween.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a system for use by home hobbyists to 
exercise and have fun with small animals such as hamsters, gerbils and 
mice. Small animal play toys are known and have been used in both the home 
and laboratory setting for many years. More particularly, the present 
invention provides a small animal connectible play cube system with 
advantageous features which make it easier to maintain and more fun for 
the home hobbyist to keep and play with these animals. 
It is commonly known for home hobbyists to provide various small containers 
such as cardboard boxes and the like for their small animals to explore 
and climb on and about. Generally, these have been made of wood, plastic, 
or cardboard and are placed into the small animal's habitat enclosure. 
Additionally, apparatuses are known for connecting an assortment of 
enclosure modules and accessories, such as exercise wheels and feeders, to 
a main small animal enclosure unit. Such habitat enclosures and 
accessories are shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,269 to Phillips 
et al and No. 5,186,122 to Phillips et al, both of which are expressly 
incorporated herein by reference. 
However, it is difficult to connect plain boxes on an ad hoc basis. 
Further, it is difficult to clean such play toys and therefore, they are 
commonly discarded after a single use. 
It is also known that since animals such as hamsters and gerbils are 
naturally curious animals, it is beneficial to provide their habitats with 
something to play upon. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a small animal 
connectible play cube system that is easy to assemble in different 
arrangements, easy to clean, and safe for the small animals. 
The present invention is embodied in a small animal connectible play cube 
system which comprises at least two connectible small animal play cubes, 
each cube having at least one surface with a single large opening; at 
least one attaching adaptor, the adaptor having means on opposite sides 
for attaching the adaptor to the large opening of the at least one 
surface; wherein the at least two cubes are connectible together in 
various configurations of the at least one surface of one cube relative to 
the at least one surface of another cube. In this manner, the cubes can be 
connected together in various arrangements. At least one other surface may 
be formed with a large plurality of small through openings. 
The invention can further comprise a slide member having means for 
connecting to at least one of the small through openings of the one other 
surface of the cube. The slide member can be a first type slide member 
having a straight longitudinal axis. Also, the slide member can be a 
second type slide member having a curved longitudinal axis. The second 
type slide member describes a spiral extending through 270.degree.. In 
each slide member, the means for connecting comprises a pair of 
protrusions extending longitudinally from at least one end of the member 
sized and positioned to tightly fit into two of the small through openings 
of the cube. 
In accordance with the present invention, the attaching adaptor comprises a 
ring member having a main annular body, a central flange extending 
radially inwardly and radially outwardly of the annular body, a pair of 
radially inwardly directed first engaging elements extending around at 
least part of the circumferential edge of each end of the main annular 
body, and a pair of radially outwardly directed second engaging elements 
extending around at least part of the circumferential edge of each end of 
the main annular body. Additionally, the radial inward portions of the 
ring member are sized to be connectible with the tubes and enclosure 
members and the like as disclosed in the above referenced patents. In this 
manner, two or more cubes may be connectible with a tunnel tube separating 
the cubes. 
The present invention has one or more connectible small animal play cubes 
fabricated from a plastic material, preferably non-transparent. Since the 
cubes are made of a plastic material, they are easy to clean and maintain.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of 
the drawings. 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
FIG. 1 shows a simple small animal connectible play cube system set up in 
the manner of a child's playground set. That is, cubes 10 are stacked and 
connected together with first slide member 20 extending along a straight 
longitudinal axis and a second slide member 22 having a curved 
longitudinal axis describing a spiral extending through 270.degree.. The 
cubes 10 are connected to each other through attaching adaptors 30 shown 
in detail in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6. 
Each cube 10 has at least one surface formed with a single large opening 12 
and may have at least one other surface formed with a large plurality of 
small through openings 14. The preferred embodiment is a square cube with 
one face having the small through openings 14 arranged in a square grid 
and the remaining five faces each having a single large opening 12. The 
large openings 12 are preferably round, but can also be arch-shaped with 
the curved portion of the arch being of the same radius as the other large 
openings and the base of the arch being of the same width. The large 
through openings must be of sufficient size for an animal such as a 
hamster to crawl through, approximately 1 to 4 inches in diameter. 
Each of the slide members 20 or 22 have provided at least one end thereof 
means for connecting to at least one of the small through openings 14 of 
the one surface of the cube. The means for connecting can comprise a pair 
of protrusions 26 extending longitudinally from one end of the slide 
member 20, 22, sized and positioned to tightly fit into two of the small 
through openings 14 as shown in FIG. 2. Additionally, the end can have a 
facing flange 24 to improve the connection. The lower end of the second 
slide member 22 can have a standing support flange 28 molded thereon to 
aid in positioning of the member. 
The attaching adaptor 30 is shown in FIGS. 2-5. The adaptor has means on 
opposite sides for attaching the adaptor to one of the large openings 12 
of the cube 10. Preferably, the attaching adaptor 30 comprises a ring 
member having a main annular body 32, a central flange 34 extending 
radially inwardly and radially outwardly of the annular body 32, a pair of 
radially inwardly directed first engaging elements 36 extending around at 
least part of the circumferential edge of each end of the main annular 
body 32, and a pair of radially outwardly directed second engaging 
elements 38 extending around at least part of the circumferential edge of 
each end of the main annular body 32. The ends of the pair of second 
engaging elements 38 on each end of the main annular body 32 are 
circumferentially separated from each other in the nature of a bayonet 
mounting as is plainly evident in FIGS. 3 and 4. The outer diameter of the 
main annular body is the same as the diameter of the large through opening 
12. This permits the relatively easy insertion of the adaptor 30 into the 
large opening 12 of the cube 10. The ends of the pair of first engaging 
elements 36 on each end of the main annular body 32 are also 
circumferentially separated from each other in the nature of a bayonet 
mounting as is plainly evident in FIGS. 3 and 4. This enables adaptor to 
connect the cube 10 with tunnel tubes and other accessories such as 
exercise wheels and feeders, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,269 to 
Phillips et al and No. 5,186,122 to Phillips et al, both of which are 
expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
The preferred material of construction of the cubes 10, the slide members 
20, 22, and the adaptors 30 is polypropylene or other thermoplastic 
materials. 
The above described is intended to be representative only, as certain 
modifications within the scope of these teachings will be apparent to 
those skilled in the art of small animal care. 
Accordingly, reference should be made to the following claims in 
determining the full scope of the invention.