Abstract:
A toy construction kit includes a number of members assembled together with an edge-and-slot engagement. A support member includes a neck and a panel, and a rotary member includes an orifice for receiving the neck of the support member and for rotatably securing the rotary member onto the support member. The panel includes two portions foldable relative to each other for engaging into the orifice of the rotary member, and a latch for locking the portions together after the portions are engaged through the orifice of the rotary member.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a toy construction kit, and more particularly to a toy construction kit having one or more movable members. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Typical toy construction kits comprise a number of members or elements that may be formed or punched or cut from a planer plate or the like. The members or the elements, after being disengaged from the plate, may be assembled together by the users themselves, particularly the children, for education purposes, for example. However, the members or the elements of the toy construction kits are solidly secured together and may not be moved or rotated relative to each other, such that the typical toy construction kits are normally discarded by the users right after they have been assembled, or even before they are assembled together. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional toy construction kits. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a toy construction kit including one or more movable members that may be movably or rotatably attached on a toy construction kit body, for further increasing the education purposes and the recreation purposes. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a toy construction kit comprising a plurality of members each including at least one edge and each including at least one slot formed therein, the edges of the members being selectively engaged in the slot of the members for allowing the members to be assembled together, a first of the members including a neck and a panel extended therefrom, and a rotary member including an orifice formed therein for receiving the neck of the first member and for rotatably securing the rotary member onto the first member. 
     The panel includes two portions foldable relative to each other for allowing the portions of the panel to be engaged into the orifice of the rotary member. 
     The panel includes a longitudinal groove formed therein and formed between the two portions thereof for forming a hinge portion between the two portions of the panel and for allowing the two portions of the panel to be folded relative to each other. 
     A device is further provided for locking the two portions of the panel with each other and includes a latch engaged with the two portions of the panel for locking the two portions of the panel with each other. 
     The two portions of the panel each includes a channel formed therein for receiving the latch, and each includes a pair of inclined surfaces formed thereon, the latch includes a pair of inclined surfaces formed thereon and aligned with and flushed with the inclined surfaces of the panel. 
     Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toy construction kit in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial exploded view of the toy construction kit; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial front view of a portion of the toy construction kit; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the other embodiment of the toy construction kit; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating the operation of the toy construction kit as shown in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is an upper perspective view illustrating a plate for forming the toy construction kit; 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the plate as shown in FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a further embodiment of the toy construction kit; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a still further embodiment of the toy construction kit; and 
     FIG. 10 is a partial exploded view of the toy construction kit as shown in FIG.  9 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a toy construction kit  10  in accordance with the present invention comprises a number of elements or members  5  each including one or more slots  7  formed therein for receiving the edges of the other members  5  and for allowing the members  5  to be assembled together with such as a force-fitted engagement. One of the members  5 , such as the member located in the middle and front portion of the toy construction kit  10 , includes a panel  15  extended forward or provided in front of a neck  14 . The panel  15  includes an upper and a lower portions  17  each having a channel  18  formed therein. A longitudinal groove  19  is formed through the panel  15  for forming or defining a hinge portion  191  between the upper and the lower portions  17  of the panel  15 , and for allowing the upper and the lower portions  17  of the panel  15  to be folded toward each other. 
     A movable or rotatable member  12  includes an orifice  13  formed therein for receiving the panel  15  when the upper and the lower portions  17  of the panel  15  are folded toward and to engage with each other. The upper and the lower portions  17  of the panel  15  each further includes an inclined front surface  151  formed therein for further facilitating the engagement of the folded panel  15  through the orifice  13  of the member  12 . The member  12  may include one or more elements  121  attached thereto or extended therefrom for decorative purposes, for example, the member  12  may include one or more extensions or blades  121  extended radially outward therefrom for forming a fan device, a propeller device, or the like. 
     A latch  16  may be engaged into the channels  18  of the panel  15  when the upper and the lower portions  17  of the panel  15  are opened or disengaged from each other, for securing or maintaining the upper and the lower portions  17  of the panel  15  at the open position as shown in FIG. 1, and for preventing the upper and the lower portions  17  of the panel  15  from being folded toward and to engage with each other. The latch  16  preferably includes a pair of inclined surfaces  161  formed in the front portion thereof corresponding to the inclined surfaces  151  of the panel  15 , for allowing the inclined surfaces  151 ,  161  of the panel  15  and the latch  16  to be flush with each other. 
     In operation, as shown in FIG. 1, the member  12  may thus be rotatably attached onto or retained on the neck  14  of the member  5 , after the upper and the lower portions  17  of the panel  15  have been opened or disengaged from each other, and after the upper and the lower portions  17  of the panel  15  have been secured or maintained at the open position by the latch  16 . The member  12  may thus be rotated relative to the member  5 . 
     Referring next to FIGS. 4-7, the toy construction kit may also include a number of elements or members  5  each including one or more slots  7  formed therein for receiving the edges of the other members  5  and for allowing the members  5  to be assembled together with such as a force-fitted engagement. The members  5  each preferably includes two rounded side edges or flanges  8  formed beside the slots  7  respectively for allowing the members  5  to be easily engaged into the slots  7  of the members  5 . One or more pairs of the members  5 , such as the pair of members located in the side and front portion and the pair of members located in the rear side portion of the toy construction kit each includes a hole  6  formed therein and facing downward,and each includes a slit  61  formed therein and communicating with the respective hole  6 , and each includes a pair of opposite extensions  62  for forming or defining the slit  61  of the member  5 . 
     The toy construction kit further includes one or more, such as two shafts  1 , and one or more, such as two pairs of wheels  3  each having one or more slots  7  formed therein for receiving the edges of the other members  5 ,  1 ,  3 , and for allowing the members  1 ,  3 ,  5  to be assembled together with such as the force-fitted engagement. Particularly, the shafts  1  each includes two ends  2  having the wheels  3  secured thereon and rotated in concert therewith. The shafts  1  have the end portions  2  thereof rotatably engaged into the holes  6  of the members  5  via the slits  61  of the members  5 . The shafts  1  may be rotatably maintained within the holes  6  of the members  5  by the weight of the toy construction kit applied onto the shafts  1 , when the toy construction kit is disposed on a supporting ground or a table or the like. 
     As best shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the toy construction kit may include a plate  4  having a number of openings  9  formed therein for receiving the members  1 ,  3 ,  5  which may be cut from the plate  4  and which may be retained in the openings  9  of the plate  4  with such as a force-fitted engagement. 
     Referring next to FIGS. 8-10, the toy construction kit  30  may be formed as an animal or the like, and includes two pairs of legs  31 , and includes two cables  32  coupled to the front legs  31  and the resilient cables or springs  33  coupled to the rear legs  31  thereof. A housing  20  includes two side walls  21  and a top wall  22  disposed or provided on top of the side walls  21 . The housing  20  includes one or more, such as two channels  23  formed therein, such as formed in the top wall  22  thereof, and includes one or more extensions, such as two pairs of extensions  24  extended upward from the side portions thereof. 
     A board  28  is further provided and includes two pairs of notches  29  formed in the side portions thereof for receiving the extensions  24  of the housing  20  and for securing the board  28  on top of the housing  20 . The board  28  includes two passages  281  formed therein and aligned with the channels  23  of the housing  20  for slidably receiving the legs  31  of the toy construction kit  30 . A stay  25  may be secured or disposed on top of the board  28  for supporting the toy construction kit  30  above the housing  20  and the board  28 . One or more decorative members  27  may further be provided and secured or disposed on top of the board  28  for decorative purposes, for example. The springs  33  may be coupled between the toy construction kit  30  and the housing  20  for pulling or biasing the toy construction kit  30  rearward of the housing  20 . 
     A shaft  34  is rotatably secured in the housing  20 , such as rotatably received in the front portion of the housing  20 . One or more arms  36  have a middle portion rotatably engaged on the shaft  34  and rotatable relative to the shaft  34  or relative to the housing  20 . The arms  36  each includes one end  37  directly coupled to the cables  32  respectively, or indirectly coupled to the cables  32  with two bars  38 , and each includes a handle  39  provided on the other end for rotating the arms  36  and thus for moving the front legs  31  of the toy construction kit  30  relative to the housing  20 , against the springs  33 , for example. 
     Accordingly, the toy construction kit in accordance with the present invention includes one or more movable members that may be movably or rotatably attached on a toy construction kit body, for further increasing the education purposes and the recreation purposes. 
     Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.