Kit with male and female elements having deformable gripping means
AssigneeModulo S.A.
InventorJean-Paul Bettens
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A construction kit comprises male and female elements, preferably of molded plastic material, for assembly into various model structures. The male elements have cubic bodies with studs protruding from two or more faces and the female elements are elongated U-section pieces having corresponding square end walls with keyhole-shaped openings for receiving and gripping shanks of the studs whose heads are guided and held between the lateral walls of the female elements. The male elements can be formed of interengaging pieces, and may possibly be pivotally joined. The kit may include various accessories such as panels, struts, pulleys, wheels with removable toothed rings or tines, a motor and so forth to complete the desired structure.
Claims8
A construction kit comprising a plurality of male and female assembly elements,
- said male elements being in the form of cubic bodies having square faces of predetermined dimensions, each said body having at least two securing members protruding from respective said faces, said securing members being in the form of tenons, each said tenon having a cylindrical shank, each said tenon having a guiding and positioning part in the form of a polygonal head on said shank, said polygonal head having side faces,
- said female elements being in the form of elongate pieces of square section of said predetermined dimensions, each said female element having an end wall, said end wall having an opening therein with a major circular arcuate part which is bounded by and entered into through a narrow passageway defined and formed by gripping means comprising two elastically deformable facing projections defined in said end wall,
- each said tenon shank being shaped and dimensioned such that said tenon shank can be forced through said narrow passageway and past said projections and said tenon shank deforms said projections as its passes and such that said tenon shank can be introduced into and retained in said major circular arcuate part of said opening in said end wall of said female element,
- each said female element having inner walls defining a hollow space for receiving a said tenon polygonal head, said polygonal head being shaped and sized such that said faces of said polygonal head engage and are guided and positioned by said inner walls of a said female element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.