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US 9,115,738 B2Granted
Connector for straw construction kit
AssigneeBlank Bubble LLC
InventorPatrick Martinez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A connector for a straw construction kit includes a body having a central base portion and a plurality of fingers extending radially outward from the central base portion and spaced apart from one another. The central base portion has a notch formed therein and being accessible between a pair of fingers. The finger is configured for insertion into one straw. The connector can be mated to another connector to form another connector having a different shape.
Claims12
A connector for a straw construction kit comprising:
- a body having a central base portion and a plurality of fingers extending radially outward from the central base portion and spaced apart from one another, the central base portion having a notch formed therein and being accessible between a pair of fingers of the plurality of fingers, wherein each finger of the plurality of fingers is configured for insertion into one straw, wherein each finger extends from the central base portion and terminates at a distal end and each finger of the plurality of fingers has a first surface and an opposing second surface, the first surface having a first raised rib extending outwardly therefrom and extending longitudinally along a length of the finger from the central base portion to the distal end of the finger and the second surface having a second raised rib extending outwardly therefrom and extending longitudinally along a length of the finger from the central base portion to the distal end of the finger, wherein a height of each of the first and second rib varies along a length thereof, wherein each rib is defined by a first angled section that extends from the central base portion to an intermediate point defined along the rib and a second angled section that extends from the intermediate point and terminates at the distal end of the finger, wherein the rib has a maximum height relative to the respective first or second surface at the intermediate point.
A straw construction kit comprising:
- a connector including:
- a first connector part having a central base portion and a plurality of fingers extending radially outward from the central base portion and spaced apart from one another, the central base portion having a notch formed therein and being accessible between a pair of fingers;
- and
- a second connector part having a central base portion and a plurality of fingers extending radially outward from the central base portion and spaced apart from one another, the central base portion having a notch formed therein and being accessible between a pair of fingers;
- wherein each finger of the plurality of fingers is configured for insertion into one straw, wherein each finger of the plurality of fingers has a first surface and an opposing second surface, the first surface having a first raised rib extending outwardly therefrom and extending longitudinally along a length of the finger from the central base portion to a distal end of the finger and the second surface having a second raised rib extending outwardly therefrom and extending longitudinally along a length of the finger from the central base portion to the distal end of the finger, wherein a height of each of the first and second rib varies along a length thereof, wherein each rib is defined by a first angled section that extends from the central base portion to an intermediate point defined along the rib and a second angled section that extends from the intermediate point and terminates at the distal end of the finger, wherein the rib has a maximum height relative to the respective first or second surface at the intermediate point;
- wherein the connector has a first mode of use in which the first and second connector parts are detached from one another and a second mode of use in which the first and second connector parts are mated to one another with the first connector part lying in a first plane and the second connector part lying in a different second plane;
- and
- a plurality of straws for mating with selected fingers to form a connected object.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.