Element for amusement articles, corresponding system and method

Abstract

An element ( 10 ) of amusement articles includes: a flat body with two opposite faces ( 10 a, 10 b ), a hub region ( 12 ), and a contour region ( 14 ) around the hub region ( 12 ), a plurality of coupling elements arranged facing one another along the contour region ( 14 ) in an alternating sequence of first coupling elements ( 18 ) and second coupling elements ( 16, 28 ), wherein the first coupling elements are in the form of swivel-coupling recesses ( 18 ) and the second coupling elements are chosen from between: a) toothed coupling sectors ( 16 ); and b) swivel-engagement heads ( 28 ) complementary to said swivel-coupling recesses ( 18 ), and complementary axial-engagement formations ( 20 a, 20 b ) provided on one ( 10 a ) and the other ( 10 b ) of said opposite faces. The element ( 10 ) may be used as pendant or necklace, as component of a modular construction toy, possibly with different possibilities of connection, such as (e.g., radial and axial) coupling and swivel connection, as wheel (e.g., for providing models of wheeled vehicles), and/or for creating toys, such as statuettes or “characters” with added parts, which may be articulated. The element ( 10 ) may be used for creating, for example, surprises to be put in chocolate eggs and the like.

1 . An element ( 10 ) of amusement articles, including:
 a flat body with two opposite faces ( 10   a ,  10   b ), a hub region ( 12 ) and a contour region ( 14 ) around the hub region ( 12 ),   a plurality of coupling elements arranged along the contour region ( 14 ) in alternating sequence of first coupling elements ( 18 ) and second coupling elements ( 16 ,  28 ), wherein the first coupling elements are in the form of swivel coupling recesses ( 18 ), and the second coupling elements are selected out of:   a) toothed coupling sectors ( 16 ),   b) swivel engagement heads ( 28 ) complementary to said swivel coupling recesses ( 18 ),   complementary axial engagement formations ( 20   a ,  20   b ) provided on the one ( 10   a ) and the other ( 10   b ) of said opposite faces.   
     
     
         2 . The element of  claim 1 , including toothed coupling sectors ( 16 ) having at least one characteristic out of:
 the toothed coupling sectors ( 16 ) include a plurality of teeth ( 161 );   the toothed coupling sectors ( 16 ) are provided with a toothing ( 160 ,  161 ), preferably a dovetail-like toothing, snap-engageable with an analogous toothing.   
     
     
         3 . The element of  claim 1 , wherein the second coupling elements ( 16 ,  28 ) are equally spaced and/or identical to one another. 
     
     
         4 . The element of  claim 1 , wherein the complementary axial engagement formations ( 20   a ,  20   b ) are located in the hub region ( 12 ). 
     
     
         5 . The element of  claim 1 , wherein the complementary axial engagement formations ( 20   a ,  20   b ) include a pin ( 20   a ) and a cavity ( 20   b ) for engagement by a pin ( 20   a ). 
     
     
         6 . The element of  claim 1 , wherein the complementary axial engagement formations ( 20   a ,  20   b ) are coupleable in free relative rotation conditions. 
     
     
         7 . The element of  claim 1 , including radial spokes ( 13 ) extending between the hub region ( 12 ) and the contour region ( 14 ). 
     
     
         8 . The element of  claim 1 , in the form of a piece of plastics material. 
     
     
         9 . The element of  claim 1 , wherein the element ( 10 ) is circular in shape, thus being useable as a wheel. 
     
     
         10 . The element of  claim 1 , wherein the element ( 10 ) is of a polygonal shape. 
     
     
         11 . The element of  claim 10 , including toothed coupling sectors ( 16 ) that are rectilinear or curvilinear with a convexity facing towards the exterior of the element ( 10 ). 
     
     
         12 . A construction system including a plurality of elements ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , coupleable according to a modular arrangement. 
     
     
         13 . The modular construction system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the elements ( 10 ) in said plurality of elements are identical;   the elements ( 10 ) in said plurality of elements differ for at least one of:   i) a different shape of said flat body;   ii) the presence, as said second coupling elements, of toothed coupling sectors ( 16 ) and/or swivel engagement heads ( 28 ) complementary to said swivel coupling recesses ( 18 ), respectively.   
     
     
         14 . A method of using an element according to  claim 1 , including at least one operation out of:
 coupling with the element ( 10 ) at least one analogous element ( 10 ) by coupling respective coupling elements out of said first coupling elements ( 18 ) and second coupling elements ( 16 ,  28 ),   coupling with the element ( 10 ) at least one analogous element by axial engagement of respective complementary engagement formations ( 20   a ,  20   b ),   coupling with the element ( 10 ) at least one auxiliary body (B 1 , B 3 , B 4 ) having a toothed part (B 11 , B 31 , B 41 ) coupleable with one of said toothed coupling sectors ( 16 ),   coupling with the element ( 10 ) at least one auxiliary body (B 2 , B 5 , B 6 ) having an articulation element (B 21 , B 51 , B 61 ) coupleable with one of said swivel coupling recesses ( 18 ) and said swivel coupling heads ( 28 ).