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US 8,403,723 B1Granted
Pattern making and construction kit
OwnerGregory Lee Hanerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A construction kit of modular components including rigid and flexible foam bars with endcaps designed to be joined together by snap-fit connections to define three-dimensional, adult-sized playing fields which float in aquatic settings such as swimming pools. The connectivity of the modular components is characterized by manual assembly, a high resistance to separation during active play by teams of adults participating in vigorous athletic activities, and tool-assisted disassembly.
Claims71
A rigid bar, said rigid bar being a modular component in a construction kit, said rigid bar comprising:
- a beam of a closed-cell foam material having a generally square-shaped uniform cross-section and axially elongated along a length of said beam, wherein said beam comprises two opposing ends, and wherein said beam has a hollow circular channel positioned centrally along the length of the beam;
- a rigid spine, wherein said rigid spine is hollow, and wherein said rigid spine is accommodated in and fixedly bonded to the hollow circular channel of the beam, wherein said rigid spine extends axially along the length of the beam;
- a pair of endcaps permanently attached to said opposing ends of the beam, wherein each of the pair of endcaps comprises:
- a half-cube shaped structure with four side walls configured to define the half-cube shape, wherein the half-cube shaped structure comprises a closed butt-end and an opposing open end proximal to the beam, and wherein each of the four side walls comprises a plurality of first ports adjacent to one another;
- said closed butt-end, comprising:
- a pair of posts positioned diagonally opposite to each other;
- a pair of second ports positioned diagonally opposite to each other;
- and
- an aperture positioned centrally on the butt-end, and configured to receive a fastening element;
- a plurality of rounded edges at an intersection of the butt-end and each of the four side walls;
- a plurality of recesses positioned at said intersection of the butt-end and the four side walls, and wherein a pair of plurality of recesses defines ridges, wherein said ridges are positioned centrally in said pair of plurality of recesses;
- a plurality of beveled slots positioned centrally at the intersection of the butt-end and each of the four side walls;
- and
- said opposing open end comprising an underside, comprising:
- a dual-stepped peripheral recess, wherein the dual-stepped-peripheral recess is shaped and configured to receive the ends of the beam;
- a receptacle positioned centrally within the opposing open end of the half-cube shaped structure, wherein the receptacle is configured to snugly receive the connector;
- and
- a plurality of strengthening ribs molded integrally with the four side walls and the butt-end, wherein the plurality of strengthening ribs accommodate a plurality of enlarged posts;
- a connector disposed between the rigid spine and each of the pair of endcaps for fixedly attaching the pair of end caps to said rigid spine, wherein said rigid spine is closed at each end by the connector.
16 more elements
A flexible bar, said flexible bar being a modular component in a construction kit, said flexible bar comprising:
- a beam:
- said beam having an elongated length, said elongated length having an axis along said length;
- and
- said beam having a hollow channel axially therethrough, said beam having a circular cross-sectional shape, said circular cross-sectional shape being uniform along said length, and said beam being made from a closed-cell foam material;
- a pair of endcaps, one of said endcaps being attached to each end of said beam, each of said endcaps comprising an adaptor and a collar;
- said adaptor comprising a butt-end and a shaft;
- said butt-end comprising a circular plate having a central axis;
- a joinery integrally molded on said circular plate and extending axially away from said butt-end, said joinery comprising an array of posts and ports arranged on said butt-end, wherein all of said posts are substantially identical and all of said ports are substantially identical, wherein said array of posts and ports comprises two posts alternating with two second ports around the four corners of a simulated square, said posts being centered on one of the diagonals of said simulated square and said second ports being centered on the other of the diagonals of said simulated square, said simulated square being centrally located on said circular plate of said butt-end, wherein each of said posts and second ports being spaced apart a fixed, standard distance which is equidistant from its neighboring second ports and posts, respectively;
- each of said posts comprises:
- an arcuately sloped base, said base merging smoothly with the top surface of said butt-end;
- a substantially cylindrical body extending away from said butt-end surface;
- a closed, domed top, all integrally joined together;
- four slots extending from said arcuately sloped base into said domed top, said slots penetrating through said cylindrical body to a hollow interior, said slots dividing said body into four strips, each of which is individually joined at its ends with said base and said domed top;
- four latches, each of said latches being molded as a part of one of said four strips, each latch having an outwardly sloping ramp beginning tangentially at the bottom of said domed top and terminating in a slightly rounded tip and a flat step, said step extending orthogonally from said rounded tip back to said strip;
- and
- the linear distance of said cylindrical body from the top of said butt-end surface to the underside of said step being a predetermined selected distance;
- each of said second ports comprises:
- a circular aperture through said butt-end, the diameter of said aperture being equal to the diameter of said cylindrical body of said post;
- the external edge of said circular aperture being arcuately shaped complementary to said arcuately sloped base of said post;
- the depth of said circular aperture being the same as said predetermined selected distance of said cylindrical body;
- and
- the internal edge of said circular aperture being square;
- said shaft being elongated and having an axis;
- said shaft being adapted to be fixedly attached within said hollow channel;
- said butt-end and said shaft being integrally molded with said circular plate having a central axis and said elongated shaft having an axis being coaxial;
- and
- said collar comprising a hollow, cylindrical shell having an axis, and said collar being permanently attached to said adaptor with the axes of said shaft and of said collar being coaxial, said cylindrical shell has a contour that provides a hand-hold where the collar mates to the beam, said hand-hold enables grasping of the beam and force insert of the posts into the ports;
- and
- wherein a combination of said beam and endcaps being capable of floating in water.
26 more elements
A hub, said hub being a modular component in a construction kit, comprising:
- a half-cube shaped structure comprising a butt-end, four side walls depending from said butt-end, wherein each of the four side walls comprises a plurality of first ports adjacent to one another to provide connectivity on all four exposed sides of the hub, wherein each of said first ports is configured to receive a mating post;
- said butt-end having a substantially square face;
- each of said four side walls having a length equal to the width of said square face and a width equal to one-half the width of said square face;
- a joinery integrally formed with said square face, said joinery comprising an array of posts and second ports arranged on said square face, said array comprising two posts and two second ports, said posts being centered on one of the diagonals of said square face and said second ports being centered on the other of the diagonals of said square face, said posts alternating with said second ports around the four corners of a simulated square, said simulated square being centrally located on said butt-end, and each of said posts and second ports being separated from its neighboring second ports and posts, respectively, by a standard fixed distance, wherein said simulated square comprises a standard simulated square and said array comprises a standard array, wherein all of said posts are substantially identical and all of said second ports are substantially identical;
- each of said posts comprises:
- an arcuately sloped base, said base merging smoothly with said butt-end;
- an axially extending, substantially cylindrical body;
- a closed, domed top, all integrally joined together;
- four slots extending from said arcuately sloped base into said domed top, said slots penetrating through said cylindrical body to a hollow interior, said slots dividing said body into four strips, each of which is individually joined at its ends with said base and said domed top;
- four latches, each of said latches being molded as a part of a respective one of said four strips, each latch having a linearly, outwardly sloping ramp beginning tangentially at the bottom of said domed top and terminating in a slightly rounded tip and a flat step, said step extending from said rounded tip orthogonally back to said strip;
- and
- the linear distance of said cylindrical body from the top of said butt-end to the underside of said step being a predetermined selected distance:
- each of said second ports comprises:
- a circular aperture through said butt-end, the diameter of said aperture being equal to the diameter of said cylindrical body;
- the external edge of said circular aperture being arcuately shaped complementary to said arcuately sloped base of said post;
- the depth of said circular aperture being the same as said predetermined selected distance of said cylindrical body;
- and
- the internal edge of said circular aperture being square;
- a cover plate permanently attached to said butt-end of said half-cube shaped structure, wherein said cover plate has four symmetrically placed ports, said four symmetrically placed ports being located at the corners of a standard simulated square, said standard simulated square being centrally located on said cover plate, each of said ports being separated from its neighboring port by a standard fixed distance.
16 more elements
A noodle endcap for converting a commercially available noodle beam into a flexible bar, said flexible bar being a modular component in a construction kit,
- said commercially available noodle beam including a hollow channel extending axially therethrough, said noodle endcap comprising:
- an adaptor and a collar;
- said adaptor comprising a butt-end and a shaft;
- said butt-end comprising a circular plate having a central axis;
- said shaft being elongated and having an axis;
- said butt-end and said shaft being integrally molded with said plate axis and said shaft axis being coaxial;
- and
- said shaft being adapted to be fixedly attached within said hollow channel of said commercially available noodle beam;
- a joinery integrally molded on said circular plate and extending axially away from said butt-end, said joinery comprising an array of posts and ports, wherein said array of posts and ports comprises two posts alternated with two second ports around the four corners of a simulated square, wherein said simulated square is centrally located on said circular plate, wherein said posts are centered on one of the diagonals of said simulated square and said second ports are centered on the other of the diagonals of said simulated square, and wherein each of said posts and second ports is spaced apart a fixed standard distance which is equidistant from its neighboring ports and posts respectively;
- each of said posts comprises:
- an arcuately sloped base, said base merging smoothly with the top surface of said butt-end;
- a substantially cylindrical body extending away from said butt-end surface;
- a closed, domed top, all integrally joined together;
- four slots extending from said arcuately sloped base into said domed top, said slots penetrating through said cylindrical body to a hollow interior, said slots dividing said body into four strips, each of which is individually joined at its ends with said base and said domed top;
- four latches, each of said latches being molded as a part of one of said four strips, each latch having an outwardly sloping ramp beginning tangentially at the bottom of said domed top and terminating in a slightly rounded tip and a flat step, said step extending orthogonally from said rounded tip back to said strip;
- and
- the linear distance of said cylindrical body from the top of said butt-end surface to the underside of said step being a predetermined selected distance;
- each of said second ports comprises:
- a circular aperture through said butt-end, the diameter of said aperture being equal to the diameter of said cylindrical body of said post;
- the external edge of said circular aperture being arcuately shaped complementary to said arcuately sloped base of said post;
- the depth of said circular aperture being the same as said predetermined selected distance of said cylindrical body;
- and
- the internal edge of said circular aperture being square;
- said collar comprising a hollow shell having an axis, and said collar being permanently attached to said adaptor with the axes of said shaft and of said collar being coaxial, said cylindrical shell has a contour that provides a hand-hold where the collar mates to the beam, said hand-hold enables grasping of the beam and force insert of the posts into the ports.
21 more elements
A construction kit, comprising:
- a plurality of components, said components comprising a plurality of rigid bars, a plurality of flexible bars, and a plurality of hubs;
- (1) each of said the plurality of rigid bars comprising a square-shaped beam, a rigid spine, and a pair of endcaps;
- (a) said square-shaped beam having an axis extending along the length of said square-shaped beam, a substantially square cross-section from end to end, and said square beam being made of a closed-cell foam material having a specific gravity of less than one, and wherein said square-shaped beam has a hollow circular channel positioned centrally along the length of the square-shaped beam;
- (b) said rigid spine being accommodated in and fixedly bonded to the hollow circular channel of the square-shaped beam, wherein said rigid spine axially elongates along the length of the square-shaped beam;
- and
- (c) said pair of endcaps being permanently attached to the ends of said rigid spine, each of said endcaps including a half-cube shaped structure comprising a closed butt-end, four side walls depending from said butt-end, and an open bottom;
- (i) said butt-end being substantially square with the plane of said butt-end being transverse of and centered on said axis, said butt-end having joinery thereon facing axially away from said square beam;
- (ii) each of said four side walls having a transverse length equal to the width of said square butt-end and an axial width equal to one-half the width of said square butt-end, wherein each of said four side walls comprises first ports;
- and
- (iii) said open bottom being square and snugly receiving an end of a connector therein;
- (d) said connector disposed between the rigid spine and each of the pair of endcaps for fixedly attaching the pair of end caps to the rigid spine, wherein the rigid spine is closed at each end by the connector;
- (2) said flexible bar comprising a circular beam and a pair of endcaps, wherein
- (a) said circular beam being elongated and having an axis extending along the length of said circular beam, a substantially circular cross-section from end-to-end, said circular beam having a hollow channel axially therethrough, and said circular beam being made of a closed-cell foam material having a specific gravity of less than one;
- (b) each of said endcaps comprising an adaptor and a collar:
- (i) said adaptor comprising a butt-end and a shaft, said butt-end and said shaft being integrally molded:
- (A) said butt-end comprising a circular plate having a central axis, said butt-end having joinery integrally molded on said circular plate and extending axially away from said circular beam;
- and
- (B) said shaft being elongated and having an axis;
- with said plate axis and said shaft axis being coaxial and said shaft being adapted to be fixedly attached within said hollow channel of said circular beam;
- (ii) said collar comprising a hollow cylindrical shell having circular cross-sections, said collar being permanently attached to said adaptor, and the axes of said plate, of said shaft, and of said collar being coaxial;
- (3) each of said hubs comprising:
- (a) a half-cube shaped structure, comprising a butt-end, four side walls depending from said butt-end, an open bottom, and a cover plate:
- (i) said butt-end being substantially square with joinery integrally formed therewith and facing away from the plane of said butt-end;
- (ii) each of said four side walls having a length equal to the width of said square face and a width equal to one-half the width of said plane of said butt-end;
- (iii) said open bottom being opposite and parallel to said plane of said butt-end, said open bottom being defined by said four side walls;
- and
- (iv) said cover plate being permanently attached to said body and closing said open bottom, wherein said cover plate has four symmetrically placed ports, said four symmetrically placed ports being located at the corners of a standard simulated square, said standard simulated square being centrally located on said cover plate, each of said ports being separated from its neighboring port by a standard fixed distance;
- wherein said butt-ends of said rigid bar, said flexible bar, and said hub have substantially identical joinery, and said joinery on any one component being capable of interlocking with any joinery on any facing component.
25 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.