Toy block assembly

Abstract

A toy block assembly includes a housing. The housing includes an upper surface having protrusions, and a lower surface having recesses. Gear assemblies are positioned between the upper and lower surfaces of the housing. Each gear assembly is sized and configured to rotate about an axis of the gear assembly and to mesh with one or more adjacent gear assemblies.

1 . A toy block assembly comprising: 
 a housing including an upper surface having one or more protrusions, and a lower surface having one or more recesses; and    two or more gear assemblies positioned between the upper and lower surfaces of the housing, wherein each gear assembly is sized and configured to rotate about an axis of the gear assembly and to mesh with one or more adjacent gear assemblies.    
   
   
       2 . The toy block assembly of  claim 1  wherein the protrusions of the upper surface are configured to releasably engage recesses of an adjacent toy block assembly.  
   
   
       3 . The toy block assembly of  claim 1  wherein the recesses of the lower surface are configured to releasably engage protrusions of an adjacent toy block assembly.  
   
   
       4 . The toy block assembly of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the housing includes a first end portion and a second end portion, and    at least one of the end portions includes a passage for allowing one of the gear assemblies to mesh with a gear assembly of an adjacent toy block assembly.    
   
   
       5 . The toy block assembly of  claim 4  wherein: 
 the housing includes a front portion and a rear portion extending between the end portions, and;    at least one of the front and rear portions includes a passage for allowing one of the gear assemblies to mesh with a gear assembly of an adjacent toy block assembly.    
   
   
       6 . The toy block assembly of  claim 1  wherein the housing includes a passage for allowing one of the gear assemblies to interconnect with a gear assembly of an adjacent toy block assembly.  
   
   
       7 . The toy block assembly of  claim 1  wherein the one or more gear assemblies includes five linearly-configured gear assemblies.  
   
   
       8 . The toy block assembly of  claim 7  wherein a first and second end portion of the housing each include a passage through which a different one of two gear assemblies is accessible.  
   
   
       9 . The toy block assembly of  claim 7  wherein a rear portion of the housing includes a passage through which a middle gear assembly is accessible.  
   
   
       10 . The toy block assembly of  claim 7  wherein the housing includes passages through which alternating gear assemblies are accessible.  
   
   
       11 . The toy block assembly of  claim 10  wherein upper surfaces of three of the gear assemblies include one or more protrusions for releasably coupling to recesses on lower surfaces of gear assemblies of adjacent toy block assemblies, wherein the one or more protrusions are accessible through the passages in the housing.  
   
   
       12 . The toy block assembly of  claim 10  wherein lower surfaces of three of the gear assemblies includes one or more recesses for releasably coupling to protrusions on upper surfaces of gear assemblies of adjacent toy block assemblies, wherein the one or more protrusions are accessible through the passages in the housing.  
   
   
       13 . A toy block assembly comprising: 
 a housing including an upper surface having one or more protrusions, and a lower surface having one or more recesses; and    a first, second, third, fourth, and fifth gear assembly, each positioned between the upper and lower surfaces of the housing, wherein each gear assembly is sized and configured to rotate about an axis of the gear assembly and to mesh with one or more adjacent gear assemblies.    
   
   
       14 . The toy block assembly of  claim 13  wherein at least one of a first and second end portion of the housing includes a passage through which one of the gear assemblies is accessible.  
   
   
       15 . The toy block assembly of  claim 14  wherein at least one of a front and rear portion of the housing, each of which extends between the end portions, includes a passage through which a gear assembly is accessible.  
   
   
       16 . The toy block assembly of  claim 13  wherein the housing includes one passage through which a gear assembly is accessible.  
   
   
       17 . The toy block assembly of  claim 16  wherein upper surfaces of three of the gear assemblies include one or more protrusions for releasably coupling to recesses on lower surfaces of gear assemblies of adjacent toy block assemblies, wherein the one or more protrusions are accessible through the passages in the housing.  
   
   
       18 . The toy block assembly of  claim 16  wherein lower surfaces of three of the gear assemblies includes one or more recesses for releasably coupling protrusions on upper surfaces of gear assemblies of adjacent toy block assemblies, wherein the one or more protrusions are accessible through the passages in the housing.  
   
   
       19 . A toy block system comprising: 
 a first toy block assembly including: 
 a top surface having one or more protrusions, a bottom surface having one or more recesses, a left surface; a right surface, a front surface, and a rear surface, and  
 two or more gear assemblies positioned between the top, bottom, front, and rear surfaces of the first toy block assembly, wherein each gear assembly is sized and configured to rotate about an axis of the gear assembly and to mesh with one or more adjacent gear assemblies;  
   a second toy block assembly including: 
 a top surface having one or more protrusions, a bottom surface having one or more recesses, a left surface, a right surface, a front surface, and a rear surface, and  
 two or more gear assemblies positioned between the top, bottom, front, and back surfaces of the second toy block assembly, wherein each gear assembly is sized and configured to rotate about an axis of the gear assembly and to mesh with one or more adjacent gear assemblies.  
   
   
   
       20 . The toy block system of  claim 19  wherein the protrusions of the top surface of the first toy block assembly are configured to releasable engage the recesses of the bottom surface of the second toy block assembly.  
   
   
       21 . The toy block system of  claim 19  wherein the recesses of the bottom surface of the first toy block assembly are configured to releasably engage the protrusions of the top surface of the second toy block assembly.  
   
   
       22 . The toy block system of  claim 19  wherein the right surface of the first toy block assembly includes a first passage, the left surface of the second toy block assembly includes a second passage, and the combination of the first and second passages allow one or more gear assemblies of the first toy block assembly to mesh with one or more gear assemblies of the second toy block assembly.  
   
   
       23 . The toy block system of  claim 19  wherein one of the right and left surfaces of the first toy block assembly includes a first passage, one of the front and rear surfaces of the second toy block assembly includes a second passage, and the combination of the first and second passages allow one or more gear assemblies of the first toy block assembly to mesh with one or more gear assemblies of the second toy block assembly.  
   
   
       24 . The toy block system of  claim 19  wherein the bottom surface of the first toy block assembly includes a first passage, the top surface of the second toy block assembly includes a second passage, and the combination of the first and second passages allow one or more gear assemblies of the first toy block assembly to mesh with one or more gear assemblies of the second toy block assembly.  
   
   
       25 . The toy block system of  claim 24  wherein an upper surface of one or more of the gear assemblies of the first toy block assembly includes one or more protrusions for releasably engaging one or more recesses on a lower surface of one or more of the gear assemblies of the second toy block assembly.  
   
   
       26 . A toy block assembly comprising: 
 a housing including an upper surface having one or more protrusions, and a lower surface having one or more recesses; and    a gear assembly positioned between the upper and lower surfaces of the housing, wherein the gear assembly is sized and configured to rotate about an axis of the gear assembly.    
   
   
       27 . The toy block assembly of  claim 26  wherein: 
 the housing includes a front portion, a rear portion, a left portion, and a right portion, and;    at least one of the portions includes a passage for allowing the gear assembly to mesh with a gear assembly of an adjacent toy block assembly.    
   
   
       28 . The toy block assembly of  claim 26  wherein at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface includes a passage for allowing the gear assembly to interconnect with a gear assembly of an adjacent toy block assembly.