Geometric toy construction system

Abstract

A geometric model construction system comprised of a variety of shape elements. These shape elements are connected to each other along edges by connector strip parts in a hinged, sliding union. This union allows a full continuous range of angular positions between adjacent shape elements. Polyhedra and other geometric forms may be easily built up by joining connector strips onto multiple shape elements. These shape elements may be flat or curved polygons of a sheet material ( 10 ) or may be skeletal wire frame elements ( 12 ). Hinged sliding joints between shape elements and connector strips are accomplished with hinge-leaf ( 30 ) and hinge-pivot features ( 42 ). Female features of c-shaped cross-section are designed to admit and grip male features of circular cross-section along shape element edges ( 14 ). Finished models may be easily disassembled and parts reused. They are also suitable for long term display, and will not degrade over time.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A geometric toy construction system comprising: 
 A. a plurality of geometric shape elements, each said shape element having a face area and at least one edge, each said edge comprising a hinge-leaf feature, said hinge-leaf and said edge having substantially equal length, the hinge-leaf comprising a substantially cylindrical bearing surface, said bearing surface having a bearing axis and a bearing radius about said bearing axis, the bearing axis being substantially parallel with said edge, and    B. a plurality of connector strip elements, each said connector strip having a central axis and having a length up to that of an edge of said shape element, each connector strip being comprised of a plurality of hinge-pivot features, said hinge-pivots being arranged radially about said central axis, each hinge-pivot extending a length substantially equal to that of said connector strip, each hinge-pivot comprising a substantially cylindrical mating surface, said mating surface having a mating axis and a mating radius about said mating axis, said mating radius being substantially similar to said bearing radius and the mating axis being substantially parallel with said central axis, and    C. a hinging means of pivotably, slideably, grippingly and removably joining a shape element and a connector strip by mating together a respective hinge-leaf and hinge-pivot, thereby forming a hinged union having a contiguous area between the respective bearing surface and mating surface, said hinged union extending a length substantially equal to that of said connector strip, the joined bearing axis of said shape element being substantially collinear with the corresponding mating axis of said connector strip, the bearing axis and the mating axis together forming a pivot axis, said hinged union having a pivot sweep-arc between said shape element and said connector strip, said sweep-arc being full angular measure of possible positions of the shape element with respect to the connector strip about the common pivot axis of said hinged union, and    D. an adjusting means of positioning adjacent shape elements joined to a common connector strip in hinged unions, said adjusting means being accomplished by urging said shape elements rotationally about said pivot axes, and    E. a constructing means of pivotably, slideably, grippingly and removably joining a plurality of connector strips with a plurality of shape elements in hinged unions by said hinging means,    whereby gripping action of said construction means holds adjacent shape elements of hinged unions firmly in relation to each other, and    whereby any hinge-leaf of any shape element connects by said hinging means to any hinge-pivot of any connector strip, and    whereby pivoting and sliding motion of said hinging means compensates for cumulative tolerance and positional errors within a model structure, and    whereby two-dimensional and three-dimensional geometric toy model structures are built up.    
     
     
         2 . The hinged union of  claim 1  wherein 
 A. said hinged union has a said sweep-arc of at least one quarter-turn, and  
 B. adjacent said hinged unions of a common connector strip have said sweep-arcs that intersect in space and together subtend an arc greater than one half-turn,  
 whereby two adjacent shape elements, each joined to a common connector strip in hinged unions by said constructing means form an included angle that continuously varies from naught to one half-turn by said adjustment means, and  
 whereby different shape elements are joined in various combinations to build a full range of polyhedron models.  
 
     
     
         3 . The shape element of  claim 1  wherein the form of the shape element is selected from the group consisting of 
 A. polygon and  
 B. circle and  
 C. shape with curved edges and  
 D. ring shape  
 E. cylindrical shell and  
 F. spherical shell section,  
 whereby different shape elements may be combined to form a wide variety of model structures.  
 
     
     
         4 . The shape element of  claim 1  further comprising 
 A. a face area as a sheet element, and  
 B. a bead fabricated as an integral part of said shape element,  
 whereby said shape element is fabricated as a single part by suitable means, and  
 whereby fabrication of the shape element is simplified.  
 
     
     
         5 . The shape element of  claim 1  further comprising 
 A. a face area as a void, and  
 B. a skeletal frame forming a continuous circuit and having a substantially circular cross-section, said skeletal frame comprising a plurality of hinge-leaves,  
 whereby said hinge union means and said constructing means are employed to build up open frame models revealing interior structure, and  
 whereby model structures are internally strengthened with a plurality of said skeletal frames.  
 
     
     
         6 . The connector strip of  claim 1  further comprising a double hinge strip, said double hinge strip being comprised of two said sleeves of c-shaped cross-section affixed in a back-to-back relationship substantially along said central axis, 
 whereby each of two shape elements are joined by said hinging means, and a multiplicity of shape elements are joined by said constructing means.  
 
     
     
         7 . The connector strip of  claim 1  further comprising a quad hinge strip, said quad hinge strip being comprised of four said sleeves of c-shaped cross-section affixed in a back-to-back relationship substantially along said central axis, said sleeves being joined together in a substantially radial fashion about said central axis, 
 whereby each of four shape elements are joined to a single quad hinge strip by said hinging means, and a multiplicity of shape elements are joined by said constructing means, and  
 whereby model structures are built up with intersecting planes, and  
 whereby model structures are strengthened with internal elements.  
 
     
     
         8 . A geometric toy construction system comprising: 
 A. a plurality of geometric shape elements, each said shape element having a face area and at least one edge, each edge comprising a bead, said bead extending substantially the length of said edge and, the bead being of a substantially cylindrical form, the surface of the bead comprising a cylindrical bearing surface, said bearing surface having a bearing axis and a bearing radius about said bearing axis, the bearing axis being substantially parallel with said edge, and    B. a plurality of connector strip elements, each said connector strip having a central axis and having a length up to the length of an edge of said shape element, each connector strip being comprised of a plurality of sleeves of substantially identical form, each said sleeve is of c-shaped cross-section and is arranged radially about said central axis, each sleeve extending a length substantially equal to that of said connector strip, the inside surface of each said sleeve comprising a substantially cylindrical mating surface, each said mating surface having a mating axis and a mating radius about said mating axis, said mating radius being substantially similar to said bearing radius and the mating axis being substantially parallel with said central axis, and    C. said bead being made of a suitably tough and hard material as to be gripped firmly by said sleeve, the sleeve being made of a suitably resilient material as to admit and grip the bead, and    D. a hinging means of pivotably, slideably, grippingly and removably joining a shape element and a connector strip by mating together a respective bead and sleeve thereby forming a hinged union having a contiguous area between the respective bearing surface and mating surface, said hinged union extending substantially the length of said connector strip, the joined bearing axis of said shape element being substantially collinear with the corresponding mating axis of said connector strip, the bearing axis and the mating axis together forming a pivot axis, said hinged union having a pivot sweep-arc, said sweep-arc defining the full range of pivot motion between the shape element and the connector strip about the common pivot axis of said hinged union, and    E. an adjusting means of positioning adjacent shape elements joined to a common connector strip in hinged unions, said adjusting means being accomplished by urging said shape elements rotationally about said pivot axes, and    F. a constructing means of pivotably, slideably, grippingly and removably joining a plurality of said connector strips with a plurality of said shape elements in hinged unions by said hinging means,    whereby the gripping action of said construction means holds adjacent shape elements of said hinged unions firmly in relation to each other, and    whereby the pivoting and sliding motion of a hinged union compensates for cumulative tolerance and positional errors within a model structure, and    whereby any bead of any shape element connects by said hinging means to any sleeve of a model structure under construction, and    whereby two-dimensional and three-dimensional geometric toy model structures are built up.    
     
     
         9 . The hinged union of  claim 8  wherein 
 A. said hinged union has a said sweep-arc of at least one quarter-turn, and  
 B. adjacent said hinged unions of a common connector strip have said sweep-arcs that intersect in space and together subtend an arc greater than one half-turn,  
 whereby two adjacent shape elements, each joined to a common connector strip in hinged unions by said constructing means form an included angle, said angle continuously varies from naught to one half-turn by said adjusting means, and  
 whereby different shape elements are joined in various combinations to form a full range of polyhedron models.  
 
     
     
         10 . The shape element of  claim 8  wherein the form of the shape element is selected from the group consisting of 
 A. polygon and  
 B. circle and  
 C. shape with curved edges and  
 D. ring shape and  
 E. cylindrical shell and  
 F. spherical shell section,  
 whereby different shape elements may be combined to form a wide variety of model structures.  
 
     
     
         11 . The shape element of  claim 8  further comprising 
 C. said face area as a sheet element, and  
 D. said bead fabricated as an integral part of said shape element,  
 whereby said shape element is fabricated as a single part by suitable means, and  
 whereby fabrication of the shape element is simplified.  
 
     
     
         12 . The shape element of  claim 8  further comprising 
 A. said face area as a void, and  
 B. said bead a s a skeletal frame forming a continuous circuit and having a substantially circular cross-section,  
 whereby said hinge union means and said constructing means are employed to build up open frame models revealing interior structure, and  
 whereby models are internally strengthened with a plurality of said skeletal frames.  
 
     
     
         13 . The connector strip of  claim 8  further comprising a double hinge strip, said double hinge strip being made from commercially available extruded twin-tubing, said twin-tubing being comprised of two substantially tubes of circular cross-section joined together, said twin-tubing being sectioned, forming two said sleeves of c-shaped cross-section contiguously affixed in a back-to-back relationship substantially along said central axis, 
 whereby each of two shape elements are joined by said hinging means, and a plurality of shape elements are joined by said constructing means, and  
 whereby geometric toy model kits are fabricated with economical commercially available standard parts with minor modification.  
 
     
     
         14 . The connector strip  claim 8  further comprising a quad hinge strip, said quad hinge strip being made from commercially available extruded quadruple tubing said quadruple tubing being comprised of four substantially similar tubes of circular cross-section joined together in a substantially radial fashion about said central axis, said quadruple tubing being sectioned forming four said sleeves of c-shaped cross-section contiguously affixed in a back-to-back relationship substantially along said central axis 
 whereby each of four shape elements are joined to a single quad hinge strip by said hinging means, and a plurality of said shape elements are joined by said constructing means,  
 whereby model structures with intersecting planes are built up, and  
 whereby model structures are strengthened with internal elements.  
 
     
     
         15 . The shape element of  claim 8  further comprising 
 A. said face area as a sheet element having a perimeter substantially the same as heretofore said perimeter and having edges that are substantially the same as heretofore said edges, said sheet element is made of a material selected from the group consisting of 
 a. paper tag stock and  
 b. polymer sheet and  
 c. cardboard stock and  
 d. wood panel and  
 e. metal sheet and  
 f. glass pane and  
 g. ceramic wafer and  
 h. Composite material,  
 
 B. said bead being a separate part attached to said sheet element by appropriate means, the bead comprising a cylindrical tube with a single radial through-cut parallel to said bearing axis, said through-cut substantially extending the length of said cylindrical tube, the cylindrical tube being made of a suitably resilient material as to admit and grip said sheet element along said edge, and  
 C. a mating means of joining said cylindrical tube and said sheet element by urging said edge of the sheet element into said through-cut in the cylindrical tube substantially along the length of the through-cut,  
 whereby a shape element is fabricated economically with commercially available standard parts requiring only minor modification, and  
 whereby an end-user may fabricate and use new shape elements to supplement those supplied with the system.  
 
     
     
         16 . A geometric toy construction system comprising: 
 A. a plurality of geometric shape elements, each said shape element having a face area and at least one edge, each edge comprising a sleeve of c-shaped cross-section, said sleeve extending substantially the length of said edge and, the inside surface of the sleeve comprising a substantially cylindrical bearing surface, said bearing surface having a bearing axis and a bearing radius about said bearing axis, the bearing axis being substantially parallel with said edge, and    B. a plurality of connector strip elements each said connector strip having a central axis and a length up to the length of an edge of said shape element, each connector strip being comprised of a plurality of cylindrical beads of substantially identical form, each said bead is arranged radially about said central axis, each bead extending substantially the length of said connector strip, the surface of each said bead comprising a substantially cylindrical mating surface, each said mating surface having a mating axis and a mating radius about said mating axis, said mating radius being substantially similar to said bearing radius and the mating axis being substantially parallel with said central axis, and    C. said bead being made of a suitably tough and hard material as to be gripped firmly by said sleeve, the sleeve being made of a suitably resilient material as to admit and grip the bead, and    D. a hinging means of pivotably, slideably, grippingly and removably joining a shape element and a connector strip by mating together respective bead and sleeve thereby forming a hinged union having a contiguous area between respective bearing surface and mating surface, said hinged union extending substantially the length of said connector strip, the joined bearing axis of said shape element being substantially collinear with the corresponding mating axis of said connector strip, the bearing axis and the mating axis together forming a pivot axis, said hinged union having a pivot sweep-arc, said sweep-arc defining the full range of pivot motion between the shape element and the connector strip about the common pivot axis of said hinged union, and    E. an adjusting means of positioning adjacent shape elements joined to a common connector strip in hinged unions, said adjusting means being accomplished by urging said shape elements rotationally about their joined pivot axes, and    F. a constructing means of pivotably, slideably, grippingly and removably joining a plurality of said connector strips with a plurality of said shape elements in hinged unions by said hinging means,    whereby the gripping action of said construction means holds adjacent shape elements of said hinged unions firmly in relation to each other, and    whereby the pivoting and sliding motion of said hinging means compensates for cumulative tolerance and positional errors within a model structures, and    whereby any bead of any shape element connects by said hinging means to any sleeve of a model structures under construction, and    whereby two-dimensional and three-dimensional geometric toy model structures are built up.    
     
     
         17 . The hinged union of  claim 16  wherein 
 A. said hinged union having a said sweep-arc of at least one quarter-turn, and  
 B. adjacent said hinged unions of a common connector strip have said sweep-arcs that intersect in space and together subtend an arc greater than one half-turn,  
 whereby two adjacent shape elements, each joined to a common connector strip in hinged unions by said constructing means form an included angle that continuously varies from naught to one half-turn by said adjusting means, and  
 whereby different shape elements are joined in various combinations to build a full range of polyhedron models.  
 
     
     
         18 . The shape element of  claim 16  wherein the form of the shape element is selected from the group consisting of 
 G. polygon and  
 H. circle and  
 I. shape with curved edges and  
 J. ring shape and  
 K. cylindrical shell and  
 L. spherical shell section.  
 
     
     
         19 . The connector strip of  claim 16  further comprising a double hinge strip, said double hinge strip being comprised of two said cylindrical beads affixed in a back-to-back relationship substantially along said central axis, 
 whereby two shape elements are joined to a common connector strip by said hinging means, and a plurality of shape elements are joined by said constructing means, and  
 whereby geometric toy model kits are fabricated with economical commercially available standard parts with minor modification.  
 
     
     
         20 . The connector strip of  claim 16  further comprising a quad hinge strip said quad hinge strip being comprised of four substantially similar cylinders of circular cross-section joined together in a substantially radial fashion about said central axis, said cylinders affixed in a back-to-back relationship substantially along said central axis, 
 whereby each of four shape elements are joined by said hinging means, and a multiplicity of shape elements are joined by said constructing means,  
 whereby model structures with intersecting planes are built up, and  
 whereby model structures are strengthened with internal elements.