A METHOD OF PACKAGING TOY BUILDING ELEMENTS AND PACKAGING FOR EXERCISING THE METHOD

Abstract: A packaging for a toy building set that comprises a number of different building elements with which a toy model can be built by mutually combining said building elements typically comprises a principal packaging in the form of a box (1) arranged for containing different building elements, such as a motor (2) or bags (3) or boxes (4) with building elements, decorative elements or the like that are part of the building set. The building set also comprises a construction manual (5). According to the invention the building elements are packed in sets A-E that belong to respective sections of the model to be built. Hereby the time consumed by the child in searching for the right element required by the construction manual is considerably reduced.

Description: A method of packaging toy building elements and packaging for exercising the method The invention relates to a method of packaging toy build- ing elements for toy building sets for the construction of a toy model comprising a number of associated model sections . Usually, the building elements in a toy building set are packed in a number of bags, where selection of the contents of each bag is based on the criterion that the packaging machines should perform most efficiently, usually in connection with a subsequent control weighing. When a child is to construct a model by means of the building set, all the bags are opened and their contents discharged onto a support, following which relatively much of the time spent on building the model is consumed in finding the right elements to be used in accordance with the construction manual. Of course, this ' unproduc- tive' work increases with increasing size of the relevant finished model. It is the object of the invention to provide a novel method of packaging the toy building elements for a toy building set, by which it is substantially more expedient and easy to obtain an overall view of the many elements when the child sets out to build a toy model. This object is obtained in that the elements are divided into a number of sets corresponding to each their model section; and that the sets are kept apart by means of the packaging, e.g. in the form of the bag or boxes. In accordance with the invention, a model can typically be divided into 5-10 portions or sections, and the construction manual indicates which portion is to be built first, and so on. The fact that the individual elements that belong to each their section of the model are packed separately, makes it much more expedient and easier for the child to take in the many elements of which the model is composed. Not only will the child experience that time is saved, but the method according to the invention has shown that the child finds the building work less overwhelming, and thus it has been found that the targeted age for a given model can be lowered. It is a positive experience for the child to be able to build a more com ¬ plex model than it would usually be able to, in particular as a consequence of the substantially reduced time of concentration which means that the invention increases the pedagogical value of the building set. It is to be noted that, although the so-called 'combined- packaging' methods are known where the building elements for e.g. four mutually independent models are packed into each their compartment in a box, it will be understood from the above explanation that the method of the present invention is not in any way related to combined- packaging . A model section may constitute a separate model portion whereby the child can obtain the finished model by interconnecting the model portions, but it is also an option that a model portion consists of a plurality of model sections that may, in accordance with the invention, be packed in each their bag, box or the like. The model sections and the model portions may be classified in accordance with various criteria. For instance, a visual effect can be relatively more significant to small children whereas a distinction in accordance with the technical effect obtained is typically more significant to older children. Finally, the complexity of the model section can also play a part, in particular for the smaller children. The construction manual may be subdivided, one manual for each model section, supplemented with a guide how to combine the model sections to accomplish the large model, but it may also be explained in one single construction manual that may be printed or otherwise communicated, e.g. by CD-ROM. The invention also relates to a packaging for exercising the method. Thus, the method is intended for use in connection with a toy building set that comprises a number of different building elements that can be used for con- structing a toy model by interconnecting the building elements. The effect described above is accomplished in that the packaging comprises means configured for separately enclosing such sets of building elements; that these building sets enable the construction of respective model sections of the toy model that can be accomplished by the interconnection of said model sections. Typically the packaging comprises plastics bags or boxes for keeping the building elements apart in accordance with the invention. The terms 'packaging' and 'the division of elements into sets of elements' are to be understood in the widest sense of the words. Thus, it is possible today to build a model of toy elements on a computer screen, where a number of building elements are available on the screen, following which one may, by means of the mouse, select a particular building element and arrange it on the model being built. This presupposes a construction manual as well as a selection of building elements on the screen. It is within the scope of the present invention to select an optimal range of building elements on the screen to enable the children to be, on the one hand, forced to choose the right element but, on the other hand, to spare the children to have to look through a very large number of elements. The invention will now be explained in further detail in the description that follows of a number of embodiments known from the well-known toy building sets marketed un- der the registered trade mark LEGO®, wherein Figure 1 shows a finished model; Figure 2 shows a model section and the contents of a bag for building said section; Figure 3 shows the model which has been further enlarged by means of elements from the bag 2 shown in Figure 3; Figure 4 shows the model which has been enlarged by means of the building elements contained in the bag 3 shown in Figure 4. Figure 5 shows the contents of a bag 4 used for comple- tion of the model section shown in Figure 4 to accomplish the finished model shown in Figure 1. Figures 6-9 show model portions corresponding to a second embodiment; Figure 10 shows a section of the model portion of Figure 6; Figures 11 and 12 illustrate a first use of the model portions shown in Figures 6-9; Figures 13 and 14 illustrate a second use of the model portions shown in Figures 6-9; Figures 15 and 16 illustrate a third use of the model portions shown in Figures 6-9; and Figure 17 shows a packaging according to the invention. Figure 1 shows a model of a fantasy vessel that can be difficult to construct for small children. It is the object of the invention to allow that the targeted age can be lowered. The building set can be sold in a usual manner in a box on the outside of which the model is typically depicted. In the box there is a number of compartments that may contain elements or may each contain one or more bags holding elements, cf. the description of the prior art given in the introductory part. In accordance with the invention the contents of the different bags are matched with the construction manual whereby it is considerably more easy and expedient for the child to get an overall view of how the model is to be built. Figure 2 illustrates a model section which can be built with the elements shown at the bottom of Figure 2 and which can be contained in a first bag of building ele- ments. A swift glance into the contents of bag 1, in combination with the construction manual, will readily reveal how the model section shown in Figure 2 can be accomplished. The bag may be identified by means of numbers, letters, colours, pictures and the like. The model section of Figure 2 can subsequently be enlarged to form the section shown in Figure 3 by means of the elements contained in a bag labelled bag 2 and shown at the bottom of Figure 3. By means of the accompanying construction manual it will appear where to position the elements of bag 2. It is to be noted that the elements that belong to bag 2 are not adequately shown in Figure 3 that merely serves to impart the principle understanding of how a bag 2 will allow you to enlarge a relatively complex constituent model in a easy and well-planned manner . By means of bag No 2 it is not possible to build a model portion in the form of a separate unit, since the con- tents of bag No 2 presuppose that the model section shown in Figure 2 can be used as a starting point. The contents of bag No 2 enable building of a section but not a separate model portion. This is not the case with the contents of bag No 3, the most important elements of which being shown in Figure 4. On a shared building plate, a separate model portion can be built that comprises a steering box and a passenger cabin. This assembled model portion comprising steering box and passenger cabin can subsequently be mounted on the model portion shown in Figure 3, and it that case bag No 3 is conveniently labelled with a picture of the steering box and the passenger cabin. Once the child has reached the result shown in Figure 4, it can readily fin- ish the model shown in Figure 1 by means of the bag 4 shown in Figure 5 (which, in practice, contains more elements than shown - typically figures and decorative elements) . Below, further embodiments will be described that provide, in addition to the above-mentioned advantages of the invention, further flexibility when a model is divided into a plurality of functional parts, each of which being packed in accordance with the invention. Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9 illustrate four different model portions having the following functions: the front portion of a vehicle (Figure 6) , a motor (Figure 7), the rear portion of a vehicle (Figure 8), and an alternative front portion of a vehicle (Figure 9) . Each of the model portions shown in Figures 6 through 9 can be built by means of elements that are packed in respective bags or separate boxes which are, in turn, contained in the principal packaging of the toy building set. As described more detailed in connection with the first embodiment, construction manuals are included to shown how the model portions shown in Figures 6 through 9 are to be built. The separate bags or boxes are, as described previously, clearly labelled to match the construction manual thereby allowing the child to quickly identify the model portions as well as the associated individual elements. Some of the model portion may - in order to further reduce the time consumed in searching for the elements - consist of a plurality of sections. Figure 10 illustrates how a subsection of model portion 6 may look, and in correspondence with the previous explanation, the elements belonging to the subsection shown in Figure 10 can be packed in a separate bag or box, and likewise the remain- ing elements for finishing the model portion shown in Figure 6 can be delivered in its respective bag or box. The time saved and the flexibility are further enhanced in that the model portions are divided as to functionality, as will be subject to more detailed explanation with reference to the following figures. Figure 11 is a typical example of a picture from a con ¬ struction manual and which shows how, by combining the model portions from Figures 7, 8, and 9, the child is able to assemble the model shown in Figure 12 in a quick manner and without difficulty. Figure 13 that can also be comprised in a construction manual shows how the child can use the model portions 6, 7 and 8 to assemble the model shown in Figure 14. Figure 15 can be part of the construction manual and shows how, simply by turning the model portion 8 upside down and adding a few further elements, the child is able to modify the vehicle shown in Figure 14 into the vehicle shown in Figure 16. Figure 17 is an example of a packaging according to the invention. The packaging consists of portions that are known per se, viz a box 1 with a lid and a number of compartments for containing the building elements. The compartments can be divided to contain separate large elements, eg a motor 2 or bags 3 or boxes 4 with toy building elements. Furthermore, one or more construction manu- als are present, shown e.g. in the form of a booklet, but it could also be a CD-ROM. According to the invention the bags 3 and/or the boxes 4 or the like are provided with a clear indication, e.g. with letters A-E and/or depictions that clearly identify the corresponding model portions, optionally model sections in correspondence with the construction manual.

Claims: C l a i m s 1. A method of packaging toy building elements for a building set for the construction of a toy model comprising a number of associated model sections, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the elements are divided into a number of sets corresponding to each their model section; and in that the sets are kept apart by means of respective packaging elements. 2. A method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the elements are divided such that, by means of one or more sets, a separate model portion can be built, whereby interconnecting of the model portions results in a finished model. 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the contents of elements in each set are determined on the basis of the visual effect of the corresponding model section. 4. A method according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the contents of elements in each set are determined on the basis of the technical ef- feet of the corresponding model section. 5. A method according to claim 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the content of elements in each set are determined on the basis of the complexity of the corresponding model section. 6. A method according to claims 1-5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that each of the elements of each packaging element is identified by means of a con- struction manual. 7. A method according to claims 1-6 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that each set is provided with an accompanying construction manual. 8. A method according to claim 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the packaging contains a manual for combining the model sections. 9. A method according to claims 1-7, c h a r - a c t e r i z e d in that each packaging element is provided with an indication that refers to an overall construction manual. 10. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the sets are kept apart by means of separate bags. 11. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that boxes are used for keeping the building elements apart in the different sets. 12. A packaging for a toy building set comprising a number of different building elements with which a toy model can be constructed by mutually combining said building elements, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the packaging comprises means arranged for separately containing such sets of building elements; that, by means of these sets, respective model sections of the toy model can be built which can be obtained by the mutual interaction of the model sections.

Inventors: NYENGAARD LARS RANDEL, NYENGAARD, LARS, RANDEL
Applicants: INTERLEGO AG, LEGO AS, NYENGAARD LARS RANDEL, LEGO A/S, NYENGAARD, LARS, RANDEL
Application year: 1998
Main classification: A63H33
IPC codes: A63H33, B65D85