IMAGINATION TILES
Imagination Tiles is a multiuse play mat which can also be used as a building set. Many different shapes and different size padded mats can be provided. Connection straps having Velcro-like hooks attach to loop fabric located on the exterior of the play mats. Multiple Velcro-like hook straps can be attached at any location along the play mats in order to connect multiple play mats together in many different configurations. The play mat and Velcro-like hook straps can be used together to create a house, a boat, a castle, and many other creative structures.
The present application is related to and claims priority from prior provisional application Ser. No. 62/536,405, filed Jul. 24, 2017 which application is incorporated herein by reference.
COPYRIGHT NOTICEA portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 37 CFR 1.71(d).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention(s). It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art, or material, to the presently described or claimed inventions, or that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates generally to the field of play surface devices and more specifically relates to a play surface arranged from padded tiles which may be reconfigured into a building set with attachable hook and loop or Velcro members.
2. Description of the Related ArtChildren enjoy play areas in dwellings where they can play without damaging nearby items or themselves. Soft play mats are often used to protect flooring from damage and protect children from injuries. Interior play mats provide a space to promote child physical and mental development, but are not themselves used for creative play. As such, an improved play mat which may be more interactive and used for creative play for children is needed. Not only children, but also creative adults can make use of the Imagination Tiles to model different indoor or outdoor scenes.
Various attempts have been made to solve the above-mentioned problems such as those found in U.S. Pat. and Pub. Nos. 2009/0162579 to Rodrigue McDuff; U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,842 to Jon A. Glydon; and U.S. Pat. No. 9,364,769 to Jennifer Lynn Kosmo. This art is representative of connectable pad flooring devices. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed.
Ideally, a soft play surface device for children should provide physical and mental stimulation for the developing child and, yet would operate reliably and be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for a reliable play surface arranged from soft padded tiles which may be reconfigured into a building set with attachable hook and loop or Velcro members.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known art, the present invention provides for novel imagination tiles. The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail is to provide a play mat which may be used as a padded surface as well as a building set. Multiple different shaped tiles may be interconnected to create a play mat surface or may be deconstructed and used as toy blocks to create various items and shapes. Imagination Tiles may also serve as a modeling tool for adults.
The multiuse padded tiles of the present invention are composed of an interior pad having an exterior cover of a loop fabric material. Elongated connector members of a flexible material having hook material on each side are provided. The hook material of the connector members releasably connect with the loop fabric material of the padded tiles forming a hook and loop fastener arrangement. In this way the connector members are used to releasably attach the various padded tiles together in different configurations.
The padded tiles may be the same width and length as conventional flooring tile, just thicker and softer. The tiles are typically square, and up to, but not limited to, one inch in depth and the width and length are typically, but not limited to, twelve inches. Although typically square, the tiles are not limited to that shape and may be of any desired geometrical shape, such as rectangular, square, circular, and triangular, which will allow for an infinite number of color schemes and patterns. Using the connector members to attach adjacent peripheral edges of the padded tiles together one can have a versatile flooring that can make a child's play area soft and fun.
The connection members are useful for attaching multiple multiuse padded tiles in a plurality of different configurations, in order to function as a building set. A building set can include a house, a corner castle, a crawl tunnel, tables, chairs, furniture, a spaceship, a box with a hinged lid, and many other creative forms. The possibilities are literally endless. The Imagination Tiles are easy to put away when play time is over; just take the creations apart and place the tiles right back on the floor.
The present invention holds significant improvements and serves as imagination tiles for creative play. For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.
The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and method(s) of use for the present invention, Imagination Tiles are constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention.
The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONAs discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to Imagination Tiles and more particularly to a play mat which may be used as a padded stand on surface as well as a building set as used to improve the mental and physical development of children or to serve as a modeling tool for adults.
Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference there is shown in
The padded tile 2 is defined by the shape of the interior padding 6. As shown in
As shown in
Referring to
Any number, shape, and color of padded tiles may be used to create various life size creations.
Upon reading this specification, it should be appreciated that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other kit contents or arrangements such as, for example, including more or less components, customized parts, different color combinations, parts may be sold separately, etc., may be sufficient.
Claims
1. A tile system comprising:
- a plurality of padded tiles, comprising: an interior padding; wherein said interior padding has a length, a width, a height, and a uniform thickness forming a flat top surface and flat bottom surface parallel to said flat top surface; and a cover; wherein said cover is adapted to removably cover and enclose said interior padding; and wherein said cover is formed from a loop material adapted to releasably connect with hook material of a hook and loop fastener; and
- at least one connector member comprising: an elongated body including: a top surface; wherein said top surface includes hook material of a hook and loop fastener adapted to releasably connect with said loop material of said cover of any one of said plurality of padded tiles; and a bottom surface; wherein said bottom surface is opposite and parallel to said top surface; and wherein said bottom surface includes hook material of a hook and loop fastener adapted to releasably connect with said loop material of said cover of any one of said plurality of padded tiles; and wherein said at least one connector member is adapted to releasably connect any two of said plurality of padded tiles in a plurality of different locations; and wherein a plurality of connector members can be used to releasably connect a plurality of said padded tiles in a plurality of different configurations to form any of a plurality of structures.
2. The tile system of claim 1, wherein said elongated body of said connector member is formed from a semi-rigid material adapted such that said body member can be manipulated into different chosen shapes.
3. The tile system of claim 1220, wherein one of said chosen shapes is an L-shape.
4. The tile system of claim 2, wherein one of said chosen shapes forms a handle when attached to any one of said plurality of said padded tiles.
5. The tile system of claim 1, wherein said interior padding is formed in a shape forming a rectangle volume.
6. The tile system of claim 1, wherein said interior padding is formed in a shape forming a square volume.
7. The tile system of claim 1, wherein said interior padding is formed in a shape forming a triangular volume.
8. The tile system of claim 1, wherein said interior padding is formed in a shape forming a circular volume.
9. The tile system of claim 1, wherein said interior padding is formed from a foam material.
10. The tile system of claim 1, wherein said interior padding is formed from a cotton material.
11. The tile system of claim 1, wherein said interior padding is formed from a nylon material.
12. The tile system of claim 1, wherein said cover is formed from a fabric material.
13. The tile system of claim 1, wherein said elongated body of said connector member is formed from a flexible material.
14. The tile system of claim 13, wherein said connector member forms a movable connection between two connected said plurality of padded tiles.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 23, 2018
Publication Date: May 19, 2022
Inventor: Daniel McClory (Middleton, MA)
Application Number: 16/043,145