FLEXIBLE INTERCONNECTABLE BRICK ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A flexible interconnectable brick assembly includes a connector panel having a top side, a bottom side and a perimeter edge. The connector panel is resiliently flexible and is comprised of an elastomeric material. The perimeter edge includes a first end edge, a second end edge, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge. A top adhesive is positioned on and covers the top side of the connector panel. A plurality of female interconnection members is positioned on the bottom side of the connector panel and each releasably and frictionally receives a male interconnection member of a brick.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The disclosure and prior art relates to toy building and connection block devices and more particularly pertains to a new toy building and connection block device for coupling together otherwise non-compatible structures and allowing for attachment to and between surfaces having no coupling mechanisms.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a connector panel having a top side, a bottom side and a perimeter edge. The connector panel is resiliently flexible and is comprised of an elastomeric material. The perimeter edge includes a first end edge, a second end edge, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge. A top adhesive is positioned on and covers the top side of the connector panel. A plurality of female interconnection members is positioned on the bottom side of the connector panel and each is configured to releasably and frictionally receive a male interconnection member of a brick.

In another embodiment, the invention includes a connector panel having a top side, a bottom side and a perimeter edge. The connector panel is resiliently flexible and is comprised of an elastomeric material. The perimeter edge includes a first end edge, a second end edge, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge. A first coupler and a second coupler is positioned on the top side of the connector panel. The first and second couplers are spatially and structurally discreet with respect to each other. A bottom adhesive is positioned on and covers the bottom side of the connector panel.

In yet another embodiment, the invention comprises a connector panel having a top side, a bottom side and a perimeter edge. The connector panel is resiliently flexible and is comprised of an elastomeric material. The perimeter edge includes a first end edge, a second end edge, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge. A plurality of male interconnection members is integrally formed in and extends upwardly from the top side. The male interconnection members are arranged in a plurality of columns extending from the first end edge to the second end edge and rows extending between the first and second lateral edges. The male interconnection members are configured to frictionally and releasably engage female receivers of a brick. A plurality of female interconnection members is positioned on the bottom side of the connector panel. Each of the female interconnection members is configured to releasably and frictionally receive male pegs of a brick. The male interconnection members on the connector panel have a size that is incompatible with engagement of the female interconnection members on the connector panel.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a flexible interconnectable brick assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is an in-use, top perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an in-use, top perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure shown in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 16 is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure shown in FIG. 15.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 16 thereof, a new toy building and connection block device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 16, the flexible interconnectable brick assembly 10 generally comprises a device to be utilized with building brick systems utilizing generally similar structures for frictionally coupling together these structures. Typically these structures comprise interconnecting toy bricks 76 and the systems therefore. These brick systems are ubiquitous in the toy arts and are found in multiple references such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,005,282. Toy bricks of this type may be found, for instance, being sold under the names Lego and Duplo. Lego and Duplo bricks may be analogous to either generally, but vary in size with respect to each other. More particularly, the Duplo toy bricks includes larger features than Lego toy bricks which allows Duplo type bricks to be used more easily by small children. Because there are instances of large format bricks 70 and small format bricks 72 being used by the same child, and because these varying sized bricks are not compatible with each other, the assembly 10 is utilized to secure these together or allow their simultaneous usage. Furthermore, these brick systems do not allow for easy attachment to other articles which do not have analogous coupling structures and therefore embodiments of the assembly 10 may be used for this purpose as well.

The assembly 10 includes a plurality of embodiments shown generally in FIGS. 1-16 to allow differently sized bricks as well as other articles to be releasably attached to each other. In all embodiments of invention, a connector panel 12 is provided having a top side 14, a bottom side 16 and a perimeter edge 18. The terms “top” and “bottom” are being used to more clearly understand the invention by providing reference points within the Figures, however it should be understood that the connector panel 12 may be used utilized in any orientation. The connector panel 12 may be comprised of resiliently flexible material and more particularly may include an elastomeric material, such as silicones, rubbers and the like such that the connector panel 12 is non-rigid and easily bendable. However, some embodiments described below may include versions incorporating a rigid, plastic material. The perimeter edge 18 includes a first end edge 20, a second end edge 22, a first lateral edge 24 and a second lateral edge 26. Typically, the connector panel 12 is elongated from the first end edge 20 to the second end edge 22 and the connector panel 12 has a width dimension from the first lateral edge 24 to the second lateral edge 26. Moreover, the connector panel 12 has a height dimension from the top side 14 to the bottom side 16 and a width dimension from the first lateral edge 24 to the second lateral edge 26. The width dimension may be at least three times greater than the height dimension and the height dimension is typically less than 0.5 inches. Greater heights may interfere with the bending, twisting or looping of the connector panel 12.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, a top adhesive 28 is positioned on and covers the top side 14 of the connector panel 12. A removable covering, not shown, may be positioned on to protect the top adhesive 28 and which is removed when the top adhesive 28 is to be used. A plurality of female interconnection members 30 is positioned on the bottom side 16 of the connector panel 12. Each of the female interconnection members 30 is configured to releasably and frictionally receive a male interconnection member (or peg) 78 of a brick 76. The female interconnection members 30 may be structured so that they extend away from the connector panel and include wells or receivers to engage the brick 76 male interconnection members 78. However, as seen in FIG. 2 the female interconnection members 30 may extend upwardly into the bottom side 16 of the connector panel 12 and have a cylindrical shape. FIG. 4 depicts the connector panel 12 extending between two bricks 76 and coupled to male interconnection members 76 positioned thereon. The top adhesive 28 allows small toy articles 74, such as toy figurines, toy cars or the like to be secured to the connector panel 12.

FIGS. 5-12 include embodiments including the connector panel but wherein a bottom adhesive 32 is positioned on and covers the bottom side 16 of the connector panel 12 as shown in FIG. 6. The bottom adhesive 32 allows coupling of the connector panel 12 to a surface of an object such as a wall. As with the top adhesive 28, a removable covering may be positioned on the bottom adhesive 32 to protect it until usage.

The embodiments of FIGS. 5-12 each include a first coupler 34 and a second coupler 36 are each positioned on the top side 14 of the connector panel 12. The first 34 and second 36 couplers are spatially and structurally discreet with respect to each other to allow for compatibility of attachment with more than one type of article. That is, the first coupler 34 is segregated from the second coupler 36 so that each provides an area to connect with one particular type of object. Also, the first coupler 34 does not share a same structure as the second coupler 36 so that each is compatible with a different type of object or mating coupling.

With respect to the embodiments found in FIGS. 5, 7 and 8, the first coupler 34 comprises a plurality of male interconnection members 38 that are integrally formed in and extend upwardly from the top side. The male interconnection members 38 may be arranged in a plurality of columns extending from the first end edge 20 to the second end edge 22 and rows extending between the first 24 and second 26 lateral edges. However, it should be understood that there may be either a single row, a single column, or a single male interconnection member positioned on the connector panel 12. The male interconnection members 38 are configured to frictionally and releasably engage female interconnection members either on additional ones of the assemblies 10 or with conventional bricks 78 as described above. Typically the male interconnection members 38 have a cylindrical shape. In this embodiment the second coupler 36 comprises a top adhesive 40 that is positioned on the top side 36 of the connector panel 12. In some embodiments, as shown in the Figures, the male interconnection members 38 are placed in sections spaced from each other and the top adhesive 40 is positioned in open areas lacking the sections of the male interconnection members 38. FIG. 5 includes areas of top adhesive 40 adjacent to the first 20 and second 22 end edges and between sections of male interconnection members 38. The top adhesive 40 allows articles, such as shown in FIG. 4, to be attached to the top side 14 though such articles lack female interconnection members.

The embodiments shown in FIGS. 9-12 include the first 34 and second 36 couplers each comprising a plurality of male interconnection members 38. However, the first couplers 34 have a different size than the second couplers 36 so that the first couplers 34 are smaller than the second couplers 36. More particularly, the first couplers 34 have a lesser width than the second couplers 36 to allow them to engage smaller bricks 72, as shown in FIG. 11, than is possible with the second couplers 36. Additionally, the first couplers 34 may have a shorter height than the second couplers 36. As can been seen in FIG. 11, this embodiment allows different sized bricks to be used with each other on a single connector panel 12. FIGS. 11 and 12 also demonstrate that the first 34 and second 36 couplers of this embodiment may be arranged in various patterns as needed or desired.

Another embodiment of the assembly 10 is found in FIGS. 13-16 and includes a plurality of male interconnection members 38 that are integrally formed in and extend upwardly from the top side 14 and a plurality of female interconnection members 30 that are positioned on the bottom side 16 of the connector panel 12. However, in this embodiment, the male interconnection members 38 on the connector panel 12 have a size that is incompatible with engagement of the female interconnection members 30 on the connector panel 12. Depending on the arrangement of the male 38 and female 30 interconnection members, this allows one sized brick to be placed on the top side 14 of the connector panel 12 and a different sized brick to be placed on the bottom side 16 of the connector panel 12. The connector panel 12, in this manner, allows differently sized bricks 76 to be attached together. More particularly, FIGS. 13 and 14 show a top side 14 having male interconnection members 38 that are smaller than the female interconnection members 30 on its bottom side 16. FIGS. 15 and 16 include a top side 14 having male interconnection members 38 that are larger than the female interconnection members 30 on its bottom side 16.

In use, the connector panel 12 allows for articles to be attached together that conventional brick couplers would not. Specifically, the assembly 10 encourages attachment together of varying sized bricks that are not compatible with each other and further allows, where adhesive is utilized, coupling to articles that do not include either male or female interconnection members.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

Claims

1. A building brick assembly comprising:

a connector panel having a top side, a bottom side and a perimeter edge, said connector panel being non-rigid and resiliently flexible and being comprised of an elastomeric material, said perimeter edge including a first end edge, a second end edge, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge;

a top adhesive being positioned on and covering said top side of said connector panel;

a plurality of female interconnection members being positioned on said bottom side of said connector panel, each of said female interconnection members being configured to releasably and frictionally receive a male interconnection member of a brick.

2. The building brick assembly according to claim 1, wherein said female interconnection members extend upwardly into said bottom side.

3. The building brick assembly according to claim 2, wherein said female interconnection members each have a cylindrical shape.

4. The building brick assembly according to claim 1, wherein said connector panel is elongated from said first end edge to said second end edge.

5. The building brick assembly according to claim 4, wherein said connector panel having a width dimension from said first lateral edge to said second lateral edge, said connector panel having a height dimension from said top side to said bottom side, said width dimension being at least three times greater than said height dimension.

6. A building brick assembly comprising:

a connector panel having a top side, a bottom side and a perimeter edge, said connector panel being resiliently flexible and being comprised of an elastomeric material, said perimeter edge including a first end edge, a second end edge, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge;

a first coupler and a second coupler being positioned on said top side of said connector panel, said first and second couplers being spatially and structurally discreet with respect to each other; and

a bottom adhesive being positioned on and covering said bottom side of said connector panel.

7. The building brick assembly comprising according to claim 6, wherein said connector panel is elongated from said first end edge to said second end edge.

8. The building brick assembly according to claim 7, wherein said connector panel has a width dimension from said first lateral edge to said second lateral edge, said connector panel having a height dimension from said top side to said bottom side, said width dimension being at least three times greater than said height dimension.

9. The building brick assembly according to claim 6, wherein said first coupler comprises a plurality of male interconnection members being integrally formed in and extending upwardly from said top side, said male interconnection members being arranged in a plurality of columns extending from said first end edge to said second end edge and rows extending between said first and second lateral edges, said male interconnection members being configured to frictionally and releasably engage female interconnection members, wherein said second coupler comprises a top adhesive being positioned on said top side of said connector panel.

10. The building brick assembly according to claim 6, wherein said first coupler comprises a plurality of male interconnection members being integrally formed in and extending upwardly from said top side, said male interconnection members being arranged in a plurality of columns extending from said first end edge to said second end edge and rows extending between said first and second lateral edges, said male interconnection members being configured to frictionally and releasably engage female interconnection members.

11. The building brick assembly according to claim 10, wherein said second coupler comprises a top adhesive being positioned on said top side of said connector panel.

12. The building brick assembly according to claim 11, wherein said male interconnection members are placed in sections spaced from each other and said top adhesive is positioned in open areas lacking said sections of said male interconnection members.

13. The building brick assembly according to claim 6, wherein said first and second couplers each comprises a plurality of male interconnection members being integrally formed in and extending upwardly from said top side, said male interconnection members being arranged in a plurality of columns extending from said first end edge to said second end edge and rows extending between said first and second lateral edges, said male interconnection members being configured to frictionally and releasably engage female interconnection members, said first couplers having a different size than said second couplers wherein said first couplers are smaller than said second couplers.

14. The building brick assembly according to claim 6, wherein said first and second couplers each have a cylindrical shape, said first couplers having a lesser width than said second couplers.

15. The building brick assembly according to claim 14, wherein said first couplers having a shorter height than said second couplers.

16. A building brick assembly comprising:

a connector panel having a top side, a bottom side and a perimeter edge, said connector panel being resiliently flexible and being comprised of an elastomeric material, said perimeter edge including a first end edge, a second end edge, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge;

a plurality of male interconnection members being integrally formed in and extending upwardly from said top side, said male interconnection members being arranged in a plurality of columns extending from said first end edge to said second end edge and rows extending between said first and second lateral edges, said male interconnection members being configured to frictionally and releasably engage female receivers of a brick;

a plurality of female interconnection members being positioned on said bottom side of said connector panel, each of said female interconnection members being configured to releasably and frictionally receive male pegs of a brick;

said male interconnection members on said connector panel having a size being incompatible with engagement of said female interconnection members on said connector panel.

17. The building brick assembly according to claim 16, wherein said female interconnection members extend upwardly into said bottom side.

18. The building brick assembly according to claim 17, wherein said female interconnection members each have a cylindrical shape.

19. The building brick assembly according to claim 17, wherein said connector panel is elongated from said first end edge to said second end edge.

20. The building brick assembly according to claim 17, wherein said connector panel having a width dimension from said first lateral edge to said second lateral edge, said connector panel having a height dimension from said top side to said bottom side, said width dimension being at least three times greater than said height dimension.