US 4,778,392 AGranted

Educational block set

OwnerLeslie K. Mitchellinventor

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Abstract

A block set, each block including a generally cubical portion with a frusto-pyramidal or convex portion, and an oppositely disposed frusto-pyramidally configured mating concave portion for interlocking. Each of the fourteen surfaces or sides thus formed includes a substantially similar pictorial depiction of an object, such as an animal or the like, with a letter imprinted on the object, preferably in a portion of the object which bears a resemblance to the letter. The edges of each side of the block are colored, with each edge being a different color for promoting color awareness, with the like colored edges of adjacent blocks establishing a preferred orientation for pictorial and indicia alignment. The individual pictorial representations on adjacent surfaces of the same block are oriented in different orthogonal directions for enabling reading of a word on the adjoined surfaces of adjacent blocks on at least one other of the adjoined surfaces of the blocks. The block may be formed as a unitary member or may be formed from foldable blanks formed from a sheet of foldable cardboard or the like.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A block set comprising a plurality of like blocks, each of said blocks having a generally cubical configuration with four like orthogonally arranged adjacent panels of given dimensions, a convex portion extending in a first direction from said four like panels, and a concave portion opposite said convex portion and formed at least partially within the dimensions of said four like panels, wherein said convex portion and said concave portion are each frusto-pyramidally configured and are configured and dimensioned for mating stacking engagement with substantially all surfaces of the convex portion of one block in abutting relation with substantially all surfaces of the concave portion of another block, and wherein each of said blocks is formed from two generally identically configured blanks of paperboard material, each of said blanks including:

a first generally square panel portion;
a second generally square panel portion connected to said first panel portion;
third and fourth panel portions configured as substantially identical trapezoids with the base thereof being a long leg with the side opposite thereto being a short leg, said trapezoids having the long legs thereof connected to opposite edges of said first panel portion perpendicular to the connection of said first and second panel portions;
a fifth panel portion configured as a trapezoid substantially identical to said third and fourth panel portions and having the long leg thereof connected to the edge of said second panel portion perpendicular to said connecting edge with said first panel portion;
a sixth generally square panel portion having a dimension generally equal to the short leg of said fourth panel portion and connected thereto;
a seventh panel portion of generally trapezoidal configuration substantially identical to said third and fourth panel portions and having the short leg thereof connected to an edge of said sixth panel portion opposite the connecting edge with said fourth panel portion;
and
tab means on the majority of non-connecting edges of said panel portions for enabling connection of said blank with another like blank to form a fourteen sided geometric figure.

5 more elements

In a blank for forming a block from paperboard or the like, the combination comrpising:

a first generally square panel portion;
a second generally square panel portion connected to said first panel portion;
third and fourth panel portions configured as substantially identical trapezoids with the base thereof being a long leg with the side opposite thereto being a short leg, said trapezoids having the long legs thereof connected to opposite edges of said first panel portion perpendicular to the connection of said first and second panel portions;
a fifth panel portion configured as a trapezoid substantially identical to said third and fourth panel portions and having the long leg thereof connected to the edge of said second panel portion perpendicular to said connecting edge with said first panel portion;
a sixth generally square panel portion having a dimension generally equal to the short leg of said fourth panel portion and connected thereto;
a seventh panel portion of generally trapezoidal configuration substantially identical to said third and fourth panel portions and having the short leg thereof connected to an edge of said sixth panel portion opposite the connecting edge with said fourth panel portion;
and
tab means on the majority of non-connecting edges of said panel portions for enabling connection of said blank with another like blank to form a fourteen sided geometric figure.

5 more elements

A block set comprising a plurality of like blocks, each of said blocks having a generally cubical configuration with four like orthogonally arranged adjacent panels of given dimensions, a frusto-pyramidal convex portion extending in a first direction from said four like panels, and a frusto-pyramidal concave portion opposite said convex portion and formed at least partially within the dimensions of said four like panels thus forming fourteen surfaces in said panels, each of said panels containing a like pictorial representation of an object, and wherein each of said blocks is formed from two generally identically configured blanks of paperboard material, each of said blanks including

a first generally square panel portion;
a second generally square panel portion connected to said first panel portion;
third and fourth panel portions configured as substantially identical trapezoids with the base thereof being a long leg with the side opposite thereto being a short leg, said trapezoids having the long legs thereof connected to opposite edges of said first panel portion perpendicular to the connection of said first and second panel portions;
a fifth panel portion configured as a trapezoid substantially identical to said third and fourth panel portions and having the long leg thereof connected to the edge of said second panel portion perpendicular to said connecting edge with said first panel portion;
a sixth generally square panel portion having a dimension generally equal to the short leg of said fourth panel portion and connected thereto;
a seventh panel portion of generally trapezoidal configuration substantially identical to said third and fourth panel portions and having the short leg thereof connected to an edge of said sixth panel portion opposite the connecting edge with said fourth panel portion;
and
tab means on the majority of non-connecting edges of said panel portions for enabling connection of said blank with another like blank to form a fourteen sided geometric figure.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.