Flexible toy construction blocks

A flexible toy building block having a top surface, a bottom surface, a first front end and a second rear end comprising in combination:

• means for vertically stacking said building block to a similar building block,
• means for horizontally connecting said building block to a similar building block, and
• means for flexing said building block;
• whereby a versatile building block is created which can be combined with other similar blocks in a multitude of unique and original ways, providing a medium for exercising creativity and improving various developmental skills of a user;
• wherein said vertical stacking means includes a top surface attachment means and a complemental bottom surface attachment means, whereby said bottom surface connects to said top surface when said building block is positioned above or below a similar building block;
• wherein said horizontal connecting means includes a first front end attachment means and a complemental second rear end attachment means, whereby said first front end connects to said second rear end when said building block is positioned in front of or behind a similar building block;
• wherein said top surface attachment means is complemental to said first front end attachment means, whereby said building block may be attached to a similar building block when said top surface of said building block is positioned adjacent to said first front end of a similar building block or when said first front end of said building block is positioned adjacent to said top surface of a similar building block;
• wherein said building block has side surfaces which include mounts therein, and wherein said building block includes an axle with wheels thereon, said mounts supporting said axle and restricting said axle from translation while allowing said axle and said wheels to rotate;
• whereby said building block may be supported above a flat surface and moved thereon through rotation of said wheels fastened to said axle.

A flexible toy building block having a top surface, a bottom surface, a first front end and a second rear end comprising in combination:

• means for vertically stacking said building block to a similar building block,
• means for horizontally connecting said building block to a similar building block, and
• means for flexing said building block about a first axis and means for flexing said building block about a second axis which is perpendicular to the first axis;
• wherein said means for flexing said block about said first axis is a plurality of gaps intersecting said flexible block in a plurality of spaced, parallel planes, each gap orthogonal to a third axis of said flexible block which is perpendicular to both the first axis and the second axis, said gaps dividing said flexible block into a plurality of segments which also extend in spaced, parallel planes orthogonal to the third axis, each of said segments connected to adjacent said segments by a web intersecting each of said gaps, each said web being substantially a planar rectangular construct which extends in a plane orthogonal to the second axis;
• whereby when bending forces are applied to said flexible block about the first axis, side walls of said segments orthogonal to the second axis on one side of said flexible block can move closer together by reducing the width of said gaps, and side walls of said segments orthogonal to the second axis on an opposite parallel side of said flexible block can move further apart by increasing the width of said gaps, thereby causing said flexible block to bend about the first axis;
• whereby a versatile building block is created which can be combined with other similar blocks in a multitude of unique and original ways, providing a medium for exercising creativity and improving various developmental skills of a user.

A single polygonal flexible toy block having a substantially orthorhombic structure comprising in combination:

• means for flexing said block about a first axis and means for flexing said block about a second axis integrally formed with said block, said second axis perpendicular to said first axis, and
• means for interconnecting said flexible block to a similar flexible block;
• whereby a block is created which can flex in a variety of unique ways and interconnect with other similar blocks to provide the user with a toy for education and amusement;
• wherein said means for flexing said block about said first axis is a plurality of gaps intersecting said flexible block in a plurality of spaced, parallel planes, each gap orthogonal to a third axis of said flexible block which is perpendicular to both the first axis and the second axis, said gaps dividing said flexible block into a plurality of segments which also extend in spaced, parallel planes orthogonal to the third axis, each of said segments connected to adjacent said segments by a web intersecting each of said gaps, each said web being substantially a planar rectangular construct which extends in a plane orthogonal to the second axis;
• whereby when bending forces are applied to said flexible block about the first axis, side walls of said segments orthogonal to the second axis on one side of said flexible block can move closer together by reducing the width of said gaps, and side walls of said segments orthogonal to the second axis on an opposite parallel side of said flexible block can move further apart by increasing the width of said gaps, thereby causing said flexible block to bend about the first axis.

A set of interconnectable flexible blocks of similar construction comprising in combination:

• means for interconnecting a series of said blocks together, and
• means for internally flexing said blocks;
• whereby a series of said blocks can be formed into a chain through serial interconnection by a user allowing the user to create enjoyable structures from said blocks;
• wherein a plurality of mounts are provided on said blocks including a plurality of axles which support a plurality of wheels, whereby when said blocks are interconnected in a set said wheels can provide a means for smooth translation of said set of blocks;
• and wherein each of said blocks has both a horizontal flexing means and a vertical flexing means which together comprise said flexing means, whereby said blocks may be flexed alone or as an interconnecting set by utilizing said horizontal flexing means or said vertical flexing means to bend while remaining in a horizontal plane or in a vertical plane or by utilizing both said horizontal flexing means and said vertical flexing means to simultaneously bend into a variety of non-planar configurations.