Hobby Blocks Including Latently-Adhesive Surfaces

Abstract

Described herein is a block set including a plurality of blocks having latently adhesive surfaces. Also described is a method of creating a bound structure from the individual blocks, including activating the adhesive of the latently adhesive surface of one or more of the blocks; and contacting an activated adhesive surface of the one or more blocks with another of said blocks, to bond the blocks together.

1 . A block set that may be used to form unbreakable structures and mosaics, comprising a plurality of blocks comprising latently adhesive surfaces that can be activated to form permanent bonds without exogenous adhesive. 
     
     
         2 . The block set in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the surfaces of said blocks are smooth. 
     
     
         3 . The block set in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein each of said blocks comprises one of or both projections and recesses on at least one surface of said blocks, the projections and/or recesses disposed for contacting alignment of said blocks with respect to each other. 
     
     
         4 . The block set in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein said blocks comprise both surface projections and surface recesses, and said surface projections and said surface recesses are sized for frictional engagement between each other, respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The block set in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein said projections complement in shape said recesses on adjacent blocks. 
     
     
         6 . The block set in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said blocks can be repeatedly joined and disengaged prior to activation of the latent adhesive. 
     
     
         7 . A block set in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the surfaces of the blocks comprise a water-soluble, injection-moldable polymer. 
     
     
         8 . The block set in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the water-soluble polymer comprises a polyvinyl alcohol. 
     
     
         9 . The block set in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein said compound further comprises a plasticizer. 
     
     
         10 . The block set in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein said polymer is soluble in cold water. 
     
     
         11 . The block set in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the blocks have a homogenous, injection-molded structure. 
     
     
         12 . The block set in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the core of each block is hollow. 
     
     
         13 . A method of creating a bound structure from individual blocks, comprising:
 providing a plurality of blocks comprising latently adhesive surfaces;   activating the adhesive of a latently adhesive surface of one or more of the blocks; and   contacting an activated adhesive surface of the one or more blocks with another of said blocks, to permanently bond said blocks together.   
     
     
         14 . The method in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein said activating comprises wetting the latently adhesive surface with water. 
     
     
         15 . The method in accordance with  claim 14 , comprising performing said contacting while the wetted surface is damp. 
     
     
         16 . The method in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein said activating comprises solubilizing the latently adhesive surface. 
     
     
         17 . The method in accordance with  claim 13 , comprising activating a latently adhesive surface on each of two of the blocks, and contacting said activated surfaces with each other, to permanently bond said blocks together. 
     
     
         18 . The method in accordance with  claim 13 , comprising activating said latently adhesive surface at room temperature. 
     
     
         19 . The block set in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the blocks have a homogenous, injection-molded structure. 
     
     
         20 . The block set in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein said polyvinyl alcohol polymer is soluble in cold water.