MODULAR CONSTRUCTION KITS
A modular construction kit has a plurality of components comprising first components which consist of substantially straight elements (1-3), second components (4-6) which are curved and subtend an angle of approximately 12°, third components (7-9) which are curved and subtend an angle of approximately 6°, the radius of the curved second components being approximately 604 mm and the radius of the curved third components being approximately 440 mm, and fourth components (10-12) which consist of corner elements. Each component is provided with connecting means (16-30) at its ends which enable the component to be connected to other components at one or both ends. The modular construction kit may include a plurality of fifth components which comprise end elements (13-15) which have only one connecting means (16-30) enabling an end element to be connected to one end of a first, second, third or fourth component.
This invention relates to modular construction kits and is particularly concerned with a modular construction kit which can be used to construct a plurality of toys or furniture having a wide variety of shapes and configurations.
According to the invention there is provided a component for a modular construction kit, according to claim 1. Preferred features are set out in the sub-claims. Another aspect of the invention provides a modular construction kit having a plurality of components comprising first components which consist of substantially straight elements, second components which are curved and subtend a first angle, third components which are curved and subtend a second angle which is approximately half of the first angle and fourth components which consist of corner elements, each component being provided with connecting means at its ends which enable the component to be connected to other components at one or both ends.
Preferably, the curved second components subtend an angle of approximately 12° and the curved third components subtend an angle of approximately 6°. The radius of curvature of the second components is desirably approximately 604 mm and the radius of curvature of the third components is desirably approximately 440 mm. The modular construction kit according to the invention may also include a plurality of fifth components which comprise end elements having only one connecting means enabling an end element to be connected to one end of a first, second, third or fourth component.
Preferably, each component is available in three widths so that the first components can consist of wide, medium and narrow straight elements, the second and third components can consist of wide, medium and narrow curved elements and the fourth components can consist of wide, medium and narrow corner elements.
Likewise, the fifth components may be available in three widths and consist of wide, medium and narrow end elements.
The combined width of the medium and narrow components is desirably substantially equal to the width of the wide components.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the components comprises a span profile which is the widest of the components and has connecting means at each side and two cap elements which are the medium and narrow components and have connecting means at only one side.
The wide components or span profiles desirably have a width of approximately 47 mm, the medium components desirably have a width of approximately 29 mm and the narrow components desirably have a width of approximately 18 mm.
Preferably, the connecting means comprise a wedge shaped shaft and a wedge shaped hole, the shaft at one end of each component being adapted to be inserted into the hole at an end of another component which is adapted to receive the shaft of said one component and the shaft at the said end of the other component being adapted to be inserted into the hole at the said one end of the said one component which is adapted to receive the shaft.
Desirably, the span profiles have two shafts and two holes at each end except for the fifth components which have shafts and holes at only one end.
Preferably, the shaft of each connecting means is attached to an end of a component by a neck.
The wedge shaped holes are preferably provided with latches for engaging with bars in the shafts to lock connected components together.
A key may be provided which is adapted to engage with the latches to unlock connected components to allow them to be separated.
Each corner component preferably has two faces, each provided with connecting means, the two faces desirably extending at an angle of approximately 96° to each other.
The components of the modular construction kit according to the invention are preferably made of a plastics, preferably durable plastics, material.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, all of the five 47 mm wide span profiles have identical interlocking ends, each of which is made up of a wedge shaped shaft, 29 mm on one side and 18 mm on the other, and a wedge shaped hole 29 mm and 18 mm that corresponds to the wedge shaped shaft. Each wedge shaped hole has a locking mechanism that corresponds to bars in each shaft.
The 29 mm wedge shaft can slide into the corresponding 29 mm hole on any two span profiles where two locks hook onto the corresponding bars in a tight fitting joint, which cannot be separated without a special key. When connected face-to-face the span profiles are offset by 18 mm on either side revealing the other end of the wedge shaft and a corresponding 18 mm wedge hole.
Any span profile can then be attached to the assembly by sliding the corresponding 18 mm hole with the protruding 18 mm shaft and locked in a similar tight fitting wedge lock. By this process the assembly can be made as wide as the user chooses in increments of 47 mm.
Alternatively a corresponding 18 mm wide cap element which has a corresponding 18 mm wedge shaft and 18 mm wedge hole, can be used to cap the side of the assembly using the same tight fitting wedge lock mechanism.
The span profiles can also be connected back-to-back where the 18 mm wedge shaft can slide into the corresponding 18 mm hole on any two span profiles offsetting the joint by 29 mm revealing the 29 mm shaft and 29 mm in which the 29 mm wide cap element can be connected with the same tight fitting wedge double lock mechanism.
The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which:
In the drawings, like parts are denoted by like reference numerals.
Reference will first be made to
The components 1, 2 and 3 in
Each of the span components 1, 4, 7, 10, & 13 is 47 mm wide and has identical end details, shown in plan, section and side views in
Each of the wide cap elements 2, 5, 8, 11 & 14, which is 29 mm wide, also has identical end details shown in plan, section and side views in
Similarly, each of the narrow cap elements 3, 6, 9, 12 & 15, which is 18 mm wide, also has identical end details shown in plan, section and side views in
The first connection is by rotating another span component anti-clockwise to where the wedge shape of the shaft 19 fits into the corresponding wedge shaped hole 21 which is 29 mm deep, and the neck 16 slides into an opening 17. A latch 32 in the hole 21 engages with a bar 34 on the shaft 19 to lock the two span components face-to-face.
The second connection is by rotating another span component clockwise to where the wedge shape of the shaft 20 fits into the corresponding wedge shaped hole 22 which is 18 mm deep. A latch 33 in the hole 22 engages with a bar 35 on the shaft 20 to lock the two span components back-to-back.
Both connection methods result in a tight fitting wedge double lock. The components are hollow as indicated by the void 37 in
Two wide cap elements can also be connected face-to-face by rotating another cap element clockwise where shaft 25 fits into hole 26 with neck 23 sliding into opening 24 and with the latch 39 engaging with the bar 40 in a double locked tight fitting joint. The elements are hollow as indicated by the void 43 in
Similarly two narrow cap elements can also be connected face-to-face by rotating another cap element clockwise where shaft 29 fits into hole 30 with neck 27 sliding into opening 28 and with the latch 45 engaging with the bar 46 in a double locked tight fitting joint. The elements are hollow as indicated by the void 49 in
The accompanying tables show the quantities of components used in each assembly. The width of the assemblies is determined by factors of the 47 mm wide span components and the choice of using either the 18 mm wide or 29 mm wide cap elements.
The components can be manufactured in various colours and the assemblies shown in
The invention is not restricted to the above described embodiments but variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the span components need not be 47 mm wide but could be wider or narrower. However, it is preferred that the combined width of the cap elements should be substantially equal to the width of the span components. Further, the invention is not restricted to the assemblies shown in
Claims
1. A component for a modular construction kit, the component comprising:
- a first component including a substantially straight element;
- a second component which is curved and subtends a first angle;
- a third component which is curved and subtends a second angle which is approximately half of the first angle; or
- a fourth component which includes a corner element;
- the component being provided with a connecting means at its ends which enable the component to be connected to other components at one or both ends; wherein
- the connecting means comprises a wedge shaped shaft and a wedge shaped hole, the shaft at one end of the component being adapted to be inserted into the hole at an end of another component which is adapted to receive the shaft of said one component and
- the shaft at the said end of the other component being adapted to be inserted into the hole at the said one end of the said one component which is adapted to receive the shaft.
2. The component of claim 1, wherein the wedge shaped shaft and the wedge shaped hole are situated adjacent each other at the end of the component and are oriented in the same direction.
3. The component of claim 1, wherein an axis is defined between the ends of the component and wherein the wedge shaped shaft and wedge shaped hole that comprise the connecting means extend perpendicular to the axis.
4. The component of claim 1, wherein the connecting means is provided on each side of the ends of the component, such that the component can be connected to another component on both sides as well as at both ends.
5. The component of claim 4, wherein each wedge shaped shaft at each end of the component is co-axial with the wedge shaped shaft on the other side of the said end of the component and each wedge shaped hole at each end is co-axial with the wedge shaped hole on the other side of said end.
6. The component of claim 1, wherein the shaft of each connecting means is attached to an end of the component by a neck.
7. The component of claim 1, wherein the wedge shaped holes are provided with latches for engaging with bars in the shafts to lock connected components together.
8. The component of claim 1, further comprising a modular construction kit including a plurality of components.
9. The component of claim 7, wherein the modular construction kit having a plurality of components further comprises a key which is adapted to engage with the latches to unlock connected components to allow them to be separated.
10. The modular construction kit of claim 9, wherein the key comprises two prongs arranged to disengage the latch of the wedge shaped hole of each of the two connected components at the same time.
11. The component of claim 1, wherein the curved second components subtend an angle of approximately 12° and the curved third components subtend an angle of approximately 6°.
12. The component of claim 1, wherein the radius of curvature of the second component is approximately 604 mm.
13. The component of claim 1, wherein the radius of curvature of the third components is approximately 440 mm.
14. The modular construction kit of claim 8, further including a plurality of fifth components which comprise end elements having only one connecting means enabling an end element to be connected to one end of a first, second, third, or fourth component.
15. The modular construction kit of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of components is provided in three widths so that the first components consist of wide, medium and narrow straight elements, the second and third components consist of wide, medium and narrow curved elements and the fourth components consist of wide, medium and narrow elements.
16. The modular construction kit of claim 14, wherein the fifth components are available in three widths and consist of wide, medium and narrow end elements.
17. The modular construction kit of claim 15, wherein the combined width of the medium and narrow components is substantially equal to the width of the wide components.
18. The modular construction kit of claim 15, wherein each of the components comprises a span profile which is the widest of the components and has connecting means at each side and two cap elements which are the medium and narrow components and have connecting means at only one side.
19. The modular construction kit of claim 18, wherein the wide elements have a width of approximately 47 mm, the medium width elements have a width of approximately 29 mm and the narrow elements have a width of approximately 18 mm.
20. The modular construction kit of claim 18, wherein the connecting means of the span profiles comprise two wedge shaped shafts and two wedge shaped holes.
21. The modular construction kit of claim 8, wherein a corner component is provided and has two faces each provided with connecting means.
22. The modular construction kit of claim 21, wherein the faces extend at an angle of approximately 96° to each other.
23. The component or a modular construction kit of claim 1, wherein the component is made of a plastic material.
24. The modular construction kit of claim 8, wherein the plurality of components comprise the first component which consists of the substantially straight element.
25. The modular construction kit of claim 8, wherein the plurality of components comprise the second component which is curved and subtends the first angle.
26. The modular construction kit of claim 25, wherein the plurality of components comprise the third component which is curved and subtends the second angle which is approximately half of the first angle.
27. The modular construction kit of claim 8, wherein the plurality of components comprise the fourth component which consists of the corner element.
28. (canceled)
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 17, 2012
Publication Date: Sep 18, 2014
Inventor: Aderemi Knut Lawal-Solarin (Gra Ikeja Lagos)
Application Number: 14/352,816
International Classification: A63H 33/08 (20060101);