Tube connector for assembly toy

Abstract

Disclosed is a tube connector for an assembly toy, which includes a cylindrical body having upper and lower horizontal surfaces, a circular hole perforated through the center of the body perpendicular to the horizontal surfaces for insertion of a tube, and at least one coupling rib integrally formed around the body at the level of one of the horizontal surfaces. As a tube is coupled to the coupling rib, assembly of various shapes of three-dimensional toys is possible. In addition, disclosed is a tube connector for an assembly toy, which includes a semispherical body having a horizontal bottom surface, a circular hole perforated in the center of the body perpendicular to the bottom surface for insertion of a tube, and at least one insertion groove and plural coupling holes formed in the body. A tube connector coupling rib is fixedly inserted through the insertion groove or the coupling hole.

1 . A tube connector for an assembly toy, comprising a semispherical or cylindrical body having horizontal surfaces defined at opposite end surfaces thereof, a hole perforated through the center of the body perpendicular to the horizontal surfaces, and at least one coupling rib integrally formed around the body at the level of any one of the horizontal surfaces,
 wherein a portion of the coupling rib corresponding to half the thickness of the coupling rib protrudes outward from the horizontal plane provided with the coupling rib,   wherein the coupling rib takes the form of a bar and is configured to allow a tube to be inserted thereon, and   wherein, when the tube connector is coupled with another tube connector such that the horizontal surfaces provided with the coupling ribs of the two tube connectors are alternately coupled and come into contact with each other, a center axis of the at least one coupling rib formed at each of the tube connectors is aligned with the horizontal surfaces of the two alternately coupled tube connectors, and the tube connectors are rotatable clockwise or counterclockwise on the basis of the horizontal surfaces in contact with each other.   
   
   
       2 . The tube connector according to  claim 1 , wherein an end of the coupling rib is divided into two parts spaced apart from each other, to enable elastic fixation of a tube when the two spaced parts of the coupling rib are inserted into the tube. 
   
   
       3 . The tube connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling rib extends in the same horizontal direction as the horizontal surface. 
   
   
       4 . The tube connector according to  claim 2 , wherein the coupling rib extends in the same horizontal direction as the horizontal surface. 
   
   
       5 . The tube connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling rib obliquely extends by a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal surface. 
   
   
       6 . The tube connector according to  claim 2 , wherein the coupling rib obliquely extends by a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal surface. 
   
   
       7 . The tube connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the hole has a circular cross section, and a tube is inserted through the holes of the two tube connectors for inter-coupling of the two tube connectors.