Patent ID: 8403723

Claim:
A rigid bar, said rigid bar being a modular component in a construction kit, said rigid bar comprising: a beam of a closed-cell foam material having a generally square-shaped uniform cross-section and axially elongated along a length of said beam, wherein said beam comprises two opposing ends, and wherein said beam has a hollow circular channel positioned centrally along the length of the beam; a rigid spine, wherein said rigid spine is hollow, and wherein said rigid spine is accommodated in and fixedly bonded to the hollow circular channel of the beam, wherein said rigid spine extends axially along the length of the beam; a pair of endcaps permanently attached to said opposing ends of the beam, wherein each of the pair of endcaps comprises: a half-cube shaped structure with four side walls configured to define the half-cube shape, wherein the half-cube shaped structure comprises a closed butt-end and an opposing open end proximal to the beam, and wherein each of the four side walls comprises a plurality of first ports adjacent to one another; said closed butt-end, comprising: a pair of posts positioned diagonally opposite to each other; a pair of second ports positioned diagonally opposite to each other; and an aperture positioned centrally on the butt-end, and configured to receive a fastening element; a plurality of rounded edges at an intersection of the butt-end and each of the four side walls; a plurality of recesses positioned at said intersection of the butt-end and the four side walls, and wherein a pair of plurality of recesses defines ridges, wherein said ridges are positioned centrally in said pair of plurality of recesses; a plurality of beveled slots positioned centrally at the intersection of the butt-end and each of the four side walls; and said opposing open end comprising an underside, comprising: a dual-stepped peripheral recess, wherein the dual-stepped-peripheral recess is shaped and configured to receive the ends of the beam; a receptacle positioned centrally within the opposing open end of the half-cube shaped structure, wherein the receptacle is configured to snugly receive the connector; and a plurality of strengthening ribs molded integrally with the four side walls and the butt-end, wherein the plurality of strengthening ribs accommodate a plurality of enlarged posts; a connector disposed between the rigid spine and each of the pair of endcaps for fixedly attaching the pair of end caps to said rigid spine, wherein said rigid spine is closed at each end by the connector.