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US 9,474,986 B2Granted
Block-forming toy
AssigneeOpenloop Inc.
InventorColin Boyd Drylie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A block-forming toy includes a plunger, a mold and an ejector plate. The plunger includes a shaft that passes through a barrel. The two pieces are able to move with respect to one another. Each piece connects to either the mold or the ejector plate, using male and female locking mechanisms. Subsequent to assembling the toy, the mold may be filled and packed with a moldable material. By pulling the plunger up to move the mold upwards relative to the ejector plate, and thus relative to the casted article, the block-forming toy may be used to easily remove the formed block of moldable material from the mold. A variety of mold shapes may be used to create additional blocks to form structures of moldable material. Examples of moldable material include sand and snow.
Claims42
A kit of parts that, when assembled, form a block-forming toy, comprising:
- a plunger comprising a barrel encompassing a shaft and a plunger head located at an end of the shaft, the barrel comprising a male mold-locking component and the plunger head comprising a male plate-locking component, the male mold-locking component comprising a neck and at least one nub located on the neck;
- a mold comprising a female mold-locking component that is configured to lock with the male mold-locking component, the mold configured to receive a malleable material used to form a block;
- and
- an ejector plate comprising a female plate-locking component that is configured to lock with the male plate-locking component, the ejector plate configured to fit within the mold;
- wherein the female mold-locking component comprising a first wall defining an aperture, a second wall located below the first wall, and a shoulder surface transitioning between the first wall and the second wall, the second wall defining a space larger than the aperture;
- and
- the female mold-locking component further comprising a secondary wall extending from the first wall to define at least one cut-out, the cut-out and the aperture forming a continuous space configured to receive the neck and the nub of the male mold-locking component.
4 more elements
A mold for a block-forming toy, the mold comprising:
- a mold wall defining at least part of a cavity within the mold for receiving malleable material;
- a female mold-locking component located on the mold wall configured to lock and unlock with a counterpart locking component on a plunger used with the mold;
- and
- the female mold-locking component comprising a first wall defining an aperture, a second wall located below the first wall, and a shoulder surface transitioning between the first wall and the second wall, the second wall defining a space larger than the aperture.
1 more element
An ejector plate for a block-forming toy, the ejector plate comprising:
- a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the second surface configured to push against malleable material with a mold of the block-forming toy;
- a female plate-locking component configured to lock and unlock with a counterpart locking component on a plunger used with the block-forming toy;
- and
- the female plate-locking component comprising a first wall extending from the first surface to define an aperture within the first surface, a second wall extending from the second surface, and a shoulder surface transitioning between the first wall and the second wall, the second wall defining a space larger than the aperture.
1 more element
A plunger for a block-forming toy, the plunger comprising:
- a barrel encompassing a shaft and a plunger head located at an end of the shaft, the plunger head and shaft configured to linearly slide relative to the barrel;
- the barrel comprising a male mold-locking component that is configured to lock and unlock with a counterpart locking component on a mold, the male mold-locking component comprising a neck and at least one nub located on the neck;
- and
- the plunger head comprising a male plate-locking component that is configured to lock and unlock with a counterpart locking component on an ejector plate, the male plate-locking component comprising another neck and at least one nub located on the other neck.
1 more element
A kit of parts that, when assembled, form a block-forming toy, comprising:
- a plunger comprising a barrel encompassing a shaft and a plunger head located at an end of the shaft, the barrel comprising a male mold-locking component and the plunger head comprising a male plate-locking component, the male plate-locking component comprising a neck and at least one nub located on the neck;
- a mold comprising a female mold-locking component that is configured to lock with the male mold-locking component, the mold configured to receive a malleable material used to form a block;
- an ejector plate comprising a female plate-locking component that is configured to lock with the male plate-locking component, the ejector plate configured to fit within the mold;
- wherein the female plate-locking component comprises a first wall defining an aperture, a second wall located below the first wall, and a shoulder surface transitioning between the first wall and the second wall, the second wall defining a space larger than the aperture;
- and
- the female plate-locking component further comprises a secondary wall extending from the first wall to define at least one cut-out, the cut-out and the aperture forming a continuous space configured to receive the neck and the nub of the male plate-locking component.
3 more elements
A kit of parts that, when assembled, form a block-forming toy, comprising:
- a plunger comprising a barrel encompassing a shaft and a plunger head located at an end of the shaft, the barrel comprising a male mold-locking component and the plunger head comprising a male plate-locking component;
- a mold comprising a female mold-locking component that is configured to lock with the male mold-locking component, the mold configured to receive a malleable material used to form a block;
- and
- an ejector plate comprising a female plate-locking component that is configured to lock with the male plate-locking component, the ejector plate configured to fit within the mold;
- wherein the male mold-locking component and the male plate-locking component are configured to both respectively lock with the female mold-locking component and the female plate-locking component when the plunger is hand-rotated once less than 360 degrees.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.