Patent Document

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates generally to a flexible laminated construction toy set and method of manufacture thereof, and more particularly to a construction set made of pieces with a bendable metal layer enclosed by two layers of a plastic mat. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Children require activities to pass time. Toys are used to stimulate the imagination and creativity of children while at the same time serving the purpose of helping a young mind evolve into a coherent, intelligent, and well-formed adult. One field of toys that can be purchased or gifted is construction sets. Construction sets are made from a plurality of pieces that can be assembled in a number of ways to generate different results. 
     Generally sold in a series of boxes, either in small quantity, large quantity, or even extension sets, a child will collect as many pieces as possible to help create larger and more elaborate creations. Each set as sold differs and the rarity and usefulness of each piece can differ. Amongst the most popular construction kits available on the market are rigid building blocks like those sold by the LEGO® Corporation. Other kits available center around a doll that can be dressed, housed, like the goods sold by the American Girl® Corporation. In the United States, there are multiple types of construction sets each designed with a specific purpose and a different playability. 
     One type of known construction sets is sold under the BENDAROOS® brand. This technology is protected under U.S. Pat. No. 5,916,006 (“Ganson”) and is shown as prior art at  FIG. 10 . These sets are made of connecting pieces made of rigid foam and tubes also made of foam with a wire metal insert that is capped at both end and once bent will remain in the deformed shape. Since this technology relies on foam having a density between 1.5 and 6 pounds per cubic foot, the foam bodies of these pieces is rather large. Because of the thickness of the foam, each piece can only be bent to a certain limit. 
     What is needed is a new method of manufacture and of production that relies on the soft and bendable technology of the BENDAROOS® but where each piece has greater flexibility, more malleability, incorporates greater design and aesthetic elements, to create smaller scale models and creations that mimic everyday goods and also can be worn as jewelry. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure relates generally to flexible laminated construction toy set and method of manufacture thereof, and more particularly to a construction set made of pieces with a bendable metal layer enclosed by two layers of a plastic mat. Two flexible thick plastic mats with potentially a surface printed design are sealed around an internally deformable metal insert. Sets are sold using multiple geometry elements each having a different purpose, a different design to enhance playability. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The following disclosure as a whole may be best understood by reference to the provided detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, drawing description, summary, abstract, background of the disclosure, field of the disclosure, and associated headings. Identical reference numerals when found on different figures identify the same elements or functionally equivalent elements. The elements listed in the summary and abstract are not referenced but nevertheless refer by association to the elements of the detailed description and associated disclosure. 
         FIG. 1  is reproduction of series of bendable elements, connector elements, and aesthetic elements, as part of a construction set to create designs according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a design created from the bendable elements, connector elements, and aesthetic elements shown at  FIG. 1  to create a pair of glasses to be worn by the designer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a 3D cross sectional view of a bendable element of the construction kit shown at  FIG. 1  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is also a 3D cross sectional view of one of the bendable elements of the construction kit shown at  FIG. 1  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is an isometric illustration of two layers of plastic mats sandwiched around a metal insert to form a bendable element as shown at  FIG. 1  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  are two isometric views of the bendable elements shown at  FIG. 1  and formed as shown at  FIG. 5  and described in the methods of  FIGS. 8-9  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  is a 3D illustration of the two bendable elements of  FIG. 6  when twisted with each other according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 8  is a diagrammatical representation of the different steps associated with the preparation of the metal insert for use within any elements of the construction kit as shown at  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is diagrammatical representation of the different steps associated with the production of a bendable element as shown at  FIG. 5  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 10  is an illustration from the Prior Art from U.S. Pat. No. 5,916,006 (“Ganson”). 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     For the purposes of promoting and understanding the invention and principles disclosed herein, reference is now made to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language is used to describe the same. It is nevertheless understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. Such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated devices and such further applications of the principles disclosed as illustrated herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure relates. 
     When forces or strain are place upon metal, it either deforms elastically or plastically. Elastic deformation is a change in size that is not permanent and once the force or strain is removed, the metal returns to the pre-strained configuration. Plastic deformation is a property of metal to change form permanently under stain while not breaking. Generally, plastic deformation occurs once the acceptable strain elastic deformation limit is passed for a given metal. For example, a paperclip elastically deforms when slid to hold a couple of pages, but when the number of pages increases, the paper clip will locally deform plastically. When a metal is plastically deformed, it is ‘bent’ into a different shape. Aside from fatigue cracks or micro-tears, metal is perfectly suited for successive plastic deformation. 
     To the contrary, most polymer or plastics while having both elastic and plastic deformation regions associated with different levels of strain, the polymer or plastic is damaged when plastic deformations occur. For example, reticulations will break creating a change in color. Much like reinforced concrete relies on metal when placed in fraction and the concrete when placed in compression to give the whole a greater resistance to any strain, the principle behind for creation of the different bendable elements, connector elements, or aesthetic elements of the kits disclosed is to create kits made of elements that can be bent into a different shape and that can hold this new shape until a new shape is desired. Unlike prior art construction sets where thick foam is used, this new technology relies on plastic mats of a density greater than 6 pounds per cubic foot, and in one preferred embodiment, a mat having a density in the range of 10 to 15 pcf, and more specifically 13±1 pcf. Each mat is 1-4 mm thick, with a preferred thickness of approximately 2.5±1 mm. The mats may be made of multi-ply pieces with double side lamination and Polyvinyl Chloride covers, or a small soft interior with laminated top layers. 
     What is shown at  FIG. 1  is a flexible construction toy set  100  shown with a large number of elements numbered  1  to  6 . What is contemplated by the inventor is the sale of different size boxes, packages, pouches, each containing any number of elements designed to create a number of different structures formed from a plurality of elements. These sets  100  include instructions in the form of illustrations, pictures, written or digital media for quick access to inspiration. 
     One possible set is shown at  FIG. 1  and is then shown in its assembled form at  FIG. 2 . All of the elements shown at  FIG. 1  can be assembled to form a pair of glasses to be worn by a child. Boxes forming the sets  100  can have a theme, a design element based on any number of different known and created element. For example, a famous morning cartoon can be licensed to help create a theme for the different elements and pieces of the set  100 . The external shape of each of these elements can be cut to different shapes and to match the different design elements printed on them. For example, element  5  is a little skull head in the associated shape with the associated design embossed. 
     As shown, some of the smaller elements that do not have a shape where a portion can be bent (as element  4  on  FIG. 2 ) to attach to other elements, either an adhesive can be placed on the back side of the elements with a pealed paper so a child can simply stick the element on the others to help assemble the overall shape (as element  5  on  FIG. 2 ). In another embodiment, the metal insert inside each piece can be made of a metal that can be magnetized and instead of placing an adhesive paper or even some other type of connecting means. What is contemplated is the use of any attachment technology known in conjunction with bendable elements to make a set  100  with the greatest playability. 
     Going back to the design at  FIG. 1 , the set  100  includes two long sticks  1 , two rounded shapes  2 , a middle connector  4  illustrated as a little horned character with a central design element  4 , and several little decorative elements  5 ,  6  attached to the glasses. To assemble the pair of glasses  110 , the ends  3  of the middle connector  4  are bent around the two different circles  2 . The end portion of the two long sticks  1  are also bent at opposite ends of the circles  2 . Finally, the small design elements  5 ,  6 , are placed. 
     Within the scope of this disclosure, we will refer to the elements as bendable elements (i.e. elements with a metal insert that can be bent into shape and will retain the bent shape) for example elements  1 , and  4 , connector elements or elements that can be used to connect and join other elements (with or without a metal insert) like elements  2 , and  4 , and aesthetic elements that serve the purpose of enhancing the structures created by the other elements of the set such as the bendable elements and/or the connector elements like elements  5 , and  6 . 
     As part of the design of each construction set  100 , designers will help create a wide variety of different elements (bendable, connectors, or aesthetic) that can be easily adapted to create a wide variety of overall constructions. For example, a set could be designed to create airplanes, or a branded franchise. In such a case, the construction set  100  will include all of the design elements in such a way to help recreate a needed world or atmosphere that reinforces the desired design. As illustrated at  FIG. 2 , because of the limited thickness of the plastic mats used in the elements, unlike the inventions from the prior art made of foam, the bend of each element can be up to 180 degrees and can wrap and hold around another adjacent element. The foam structures of the prior art as shown at  FIG. 10  were unable to bend more than approximately 45 degree and required external foam elements and connector pieces to help define a full structure. 
     What is shown is a set  100  comprising a first plurality of elements  1 ,  2 ,  4 ,  5 , and  6  where elements have different shapes like sticks, circles, etc. where at least some of the elements are capable of retaining a bent shape due to a metal insert encased fully between two plasticized surfaces.  FIGS. 3 , and  4  show a cross section of the stick element  1  from  FIG. 1 . The bendable element  1  is made of a flat piece of metal  26  between two plasticized mats  21 ,  22  joined by sealing such as pinching, stamping, or any other known closing method at the outer periphery  27 . Since the metal insert  26  is flat and the overall shape of the stick element  1  is also flat, there is no issue of improper movement of the metal insert  26  into the plasticized sleeve created around the metal. The sticks  1  can be bent and twisted into any different shape as shown at  FIG. 7 . 
     The thickness of the metal insert  26  is calculated in a way to allow the element to be easily bent but having such a strength to prevent the return elastic force of the two layers of plastic mats  21 ,  22  to deform the element back into shape. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the width of the metal insert  26  is also relevant in the overall physical properties of the insert and also allows for lateral twisting and lateral deformations to occur to further increase the usefulness and playability of the stick  1  alone or as part of a set  100 . 
     Each of the bent shape retaining elements as shown are manufactured using a process with the steps are described in greater detail at  FIGS. 8 and 9 .  FIG. 5  shows the three segments forming a stick  1  before they are assembled and  FIG. 6  shows the same three segments forming the stick  1  once they are assembled according to the process or method as described in full at  FIGS. 8 , and  9 . While one process or method of manufacture  300  is described, one of ordinary skill will understand that other related methods and processes can be used. 
     First, a party will select a first plasticized surface  21  as shown at  FIG. 5 . What is shown is a square piece but one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that as part of several different types of industrial processes, the size of the sheet  21  can be part of a roll, pre-cut, or of any size. The first plasticized surface  21  can be a plastic mat  303  on which graphics can be printed  303  or not or can be a laminated compound where graphics are printed on a plastic or other type of sheet  301  before it is attached to a plastic mat  302 . 
     Printing can be made on one of the two plasticized surfaces  21 ,  22 . The print can be of any design needed. What is also contemplated is a blank unprinted surfaces  21 ,  22 . A blank unprinted surface could be used in conjunction with markers to force children to design and color their own pieces to help further increase the playability of the set  100 . In addition to using a printed design, what is contemplated is the use as part of the process of the step of creating a three dimension embossing of the plastic mat or the plastic sheet to create a three dimensional effect. Other known methods can be used to further enhance each pieces, for example the attachment on the two plasticized surfaces  21 ,  22  of other decorative items. 
     The method  300  next includes the step of placing the first plasticized surface  21  over a metal insert  26  formed from a flat metal sheet stamp cut in shape. This is shown at  FIG. 5 . While one method is described to obtain the flat metal sheet, what is contemplated is any method or process that results in the use of metal sheeting  26 . After both mats are layered  305 , a second plasticized surface  22  below the metal insert to fully enclose the metal insert  26  between the first plasticized surface  21  and the second plasticized surface  22 . In a subsequent step, a thermal seal  307  is made at a first external edge  27  of the first plasticized surface  21  to a second external edge  28  of the second plasticized surface to fully encase the metal insert  26 . 
     Finally, using any one of multiple technologies, the piece is cut from the two plasticized surfaces  21 ,  22  at the first and second external edges  27 ,  28  to separate a finished flexible construction element (for example 1) from the first and second plasticized surfaces  21 ,  22 . In one embodiment, the metal insert  26  is made from a spool (not shown) with a flat rectangular metal section cut into length instead of a flat metal sheet stamp cut in shape. In one embodiment, the cutting of the mat is made using a die cut. 
     Persons of ordinary skill in the art appreciate that although the teachings of the disclosure have been illustrated in connection with certain embodiments, there is no intent to limit the invention to such embodiments. On the contrary, the intention of this application is to cover all modifications and embodiments falling fairly within the scope of the teachings of the disclosure.

Technology Category: 1