Abstract:
A toy block adapted to be interconnected, the block includes one or more block faces having an outer surface intended for abutment against an outer surface of a corresponding toy block, connector holes, connector pegs, and the connector pegs frictionally engage the connector holes of a corresponding block and the connectors pegs of the corresponding block frictionally engage the connector holes of the toy block.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/622,837, filed on Apr. 11, 2012 and entitled “Toy Building Blocks,” which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to building blocks for modular construction. More particularly, the present invention relates to toy building blocks which are releasable and connectable. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    Modular building blocks are useful for building a variety of static structures, including scale-modeled structures which are built for entertainment and educational purposes. 
         [0006]    Toy building blocks and building block sets typically have male coupling components and female receiving components. Often, one surface of the block is dedicated to the male coupling components while the female coupling components are fashioned on a separate surface of the block. Consequently, such blocks are connected to one another in a stacking fashion where, for example, a bottom surface, having the female components, frictionally engages with a top surface, having the male components. There may be limits, however, as to what type of static structure can be built when using this stacking fashion. The stacking fashion method also necessitates a type of platform in which to build from so that the static structure can stand erect. 
         [0007]    Building blocks relevant to this disclosure are discussed in the following U.S. Patents, which are hereby incorporated by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,606,732; 4,676,762; 5,000,713; 5,644,387; and 7,988,516. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    Many aspects of the present invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of an exemplary toy block, according to the teaching of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of an exemplary face of the toy block shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a top planar view of a foldout diagram of the toy block shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 3A  is a graph of the displacement indicia lines of the block shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a top rotational perspective view of an exemplary toy block, according to the teaching of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of an exemplary toy block, according to the teaching of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a side plan, cross-sectional view of two interconnected toy blocks shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a side perspective view of an exemplary toy block according to the teaching of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a side perspective view of an exemplary toy block according to the teaching of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a rotational perspective view of a set of toy blocks interconnected in an exemplary configuration according to the teaching of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Non-limiting embodiments of the present invention utilize construction components that are especially suited to construct modular static structures from varying interconnections. 
         [0020]    Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the various drawing figures,  FIG. 1  is directed to a toy building block  10 . The polyhedron toy block  10  with multiple faces  20 ,  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  60 , and  70  (only faces  20 ,  30 , and  60  are viewable in  FIG. 1 ) includes a coupling region  80  which is made up of a pair of connector pegs  82 ,  84  and a pair of connector holes  86 ,  88 . Faces  20 ,  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  60 , and  70  can also be void of a coupling region or regions  80  to provide a flat surface or a finished-face surface that cannot be coupled to another toy block  10 . (See  FIGS. 7-9 ). In  FIG. 1 , toy block  10  further includes an abutment region  90 , as shown on faces  20 ,  30 , and  60 . 
         [0021]    With continuing reference to  FIG. 1 , toy block  10  can be a convex polyhedron or a cube-shaped block with six quadrilateral faces  20 ,  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  60 , and  70  (only faces  20 ,  30 , and  60  are viewable in  FIG. 1 ). Complete views of coupling regions  80 , which include a pair of connector pegs  82 ,  84  and a pair of connector holes  86 ,  88  are shown on faces  20 ,  30 , and  60 , in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0022]    Toy blocks  10  may be composed of any rigid and resilient material such as, but not limited to, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Other materials that may be used include, but are not limited to, injection molded plastic and nylon. The structure of the block  10  may be solid, hollow, partially hollow, and/or may include a skeleton support structure or internal scaffolding (not shown). Blocks  10  may be of any color, combination of colors, or transparent. By way of a non-limiting example, toy building blocks  10  are conveniently sized as 1 cubic inch, 2 cubic inches, and 4 cubic inches. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , face  20  is shown with coupling region  80 . By way of a non-limiting example, coupling region  80  includes connector pegs  82  and  84 , as well as connector holes  86  and  88 . The pair of pegs  82  and  84  is positioned along the diagonal line D 1  of face  20 . The pair of holes  86  and  88  is positioned along diagonal line D 2 , while the coupling surface  80  is fashioned in a radial orientation from an imaginary center point (not shown) on the toy block&#39;s  10  surface  20  in  FIG. 2 . When the coupling surface  80  is located in the center of face  20 ,  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  60 , and  70 , an abutment region  90  is formed around the coupling surface  80 , for adjacent contact with the abutment region  90  of another, corresponding toy block  10 . 
         [0024]    With continuing reference to  FIG. 2 , in a non-limiting example, each peg  82 ,  84  can be a hollow cylinder divided into four equal peg segments P 1 , P 2 , P 3 , and P 4 . Each of the peg segments P 1 , P 2 , P 3 , and P 4  can include a corresponding lip portion L 1 , L 2 , L 3 , and L 4 . 
         [0025]    In  FIG. 2 , each connector hole  86 ,  88  includes a bevel edge B for frictional engagement with the peg segments&#39; (P 1 , P 2 , P 3 , and P 4 ) lip portions (L 1 , L 2 , L 3 , and L 4 ). 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , all six quadrilateral faces  20 ,  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  60 , and  70  of the toy block in  FIG. 1  are shown with coupling surfaces  80 . With respect to a two cubic inch sized toy block  10 , segment S 1  has a length of 0.75 inches, as measured from the center point (not shown) of the peg  82 ,  84  to the edge E of the block  10 . Segment S 2 , from the center point (not shown) of each connector peg  82 ,  84  to each connector hole  86 ,  88  measures 0.50 inches. 
         [0027]    With reference to  FIG. 3A  and continuing reference to  FIG. 3 , displacement indicia lines  110 ,  120  and  130  are drawn in a set of X,Y coordinate graphs. Each of the graphs is composed of a horizontal X axis with six evenly spaced points and a vertical Y axis with six evenly spaced points. Indicia lines  110  are each crossed by a single perpendicular line at the midpoint, run from point (0,4) to point (1,0) on the leftmost graph, and connects all perpendicular edges on faces  20  and  60 . Indicia lines  120  are each crossed by two perpendicular lines at or nearby the midpoint, run from point (0,5) to point (2,0) on the central graph, and connect all perpendicular edges on faces  30  and  50 . Indicia lines  130  are each crossed by three perpendicular lines at or nearby the midpoint, run from point (0,6) to point (3,0) on the rightmost graph, and connect all perpendicular edges on faces  40  and  70 . The leftmost graph is equivalent to a scale representation of the bottom half of the left edge, the left half of the bottom edge, and the bottom left indicia line of face  20  and  60 . The central graph is equivalent to a scale representation of the bottom half of the left edge, the left half of the bottom edge, and the bottom left indicia line of face  30  and  50 . The rightmost graph is equivalent to a scale representation of the bottom half of the left edge, the left half of the bottom edge, and the bottom left indicia line of face  40  and  70 . 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a non-limiting example of a coupling region  80  is illustrated. The pair of connector pegs  82 ,  84  and the pair of connector holes  86 ,  88  are cubic shaped, while still complimenting one another such that the connector holes  86 ,  88  receive the connector pegs  82 ,  84 . It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill that both the pegs  82 ,  84  and the holes  86 ,  88  can take on other non-circular and alternate shapes for providing frictional engagement. 
         [0029]    As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , toy block  10  includes face  20  with four sets of coupling regions  80 . In this configuration of  FIG. 5  with four coupling regions  80  on a two cubic inch block, the coupling regions  80  are sized such that segment S 1  has a length of 0.35 inches, as measured from the center point (not shown) of the peg  82 ,  84  to the edge E of the block  10 . Segment S 2 , from the center point (not shown) of each connector peg  82 ,  84  to each connector hole  86 ,  88  measures 0.30 inches. 
         [0030]    With reference to  FIG. 6 , two interconnected toy blocks  10 A and  10 B are shown. When the connector peg  82 ,  84  of block  10 A corresponds to the connector holes  86 ,  88  of block  10   b,  and vice-a-versa an audible stimulation, such as a “click,” is produced, affirming frictional engagement between the two blocks  10 A and  10 B. 
         [0031]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , blocks  10  may have only one face  20  with a coupling region or regions  80 . All other faces on such blocks are flat.  FIG. 7  is cuboid.  FIG. 8  contains a face that is sloped in relation to the face which has a coupling region  80 , and two sides that are trapezoidal in shape. These finished-face type blocks  10  can be used to form the outer surface of the to-be-built static structure (See also  FIG. 9 ). 
         [0032]    In  FIG. 9 , block set  100  includes toy blocks  10  interconnected to provide an exemplary static structure. Block set  100  exemplifies the following blocks: blocks  10  with a diameter of two inches on each edge; blocks  10  with a diameter of one inch on each edge; blocks  10  with only one coupling region  80  and a diameter of two inches; blocks  10  with only one coupling region  80  and a diameter of one inch that are cuboid; blocks  10  with only one coupling region  80  and a diameter of one inch that have a sloped surface; blocks  10  with only one coupling region  80 , a diameter of two inches along each straight edge, and a seventh face that is curved  101 ; and blocks  10  with a diameter of two inches on each edge and four coupling regions  80  on one face  20 . 
         [0033]    From the foregoing description it will be apparent that modifications can be made to the toy block  10  and block set  100  without departing from the teachings of the invention. 
         [0034]    The instant invention may be embodied in other forms or carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present disclosure is therefore to be considered as in all respects illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims, and all equivalency are intended to be embraced therein. One of ordinary skill in the art would be able to recognize equivalent embodiments of the instant invention and be able to practice such embodiments using the teaching of the instant disclosure and only routine experimentation.