Construction Craft with Connectable Base Plates

Abstract

A toy construction craft utilizing construction elements including modular building blocks comprises a base plate usable with a template that directs the user to create a scene and/or usable with a base joiner that enables multiple base plates to be removably connected to form a larger playing surface. The base plate comprises a flat base and an outer flange. The flat base includes a substantially planar building surface configured with forward-facing coupling studs for being interconnected with toy building elements having complementary coupling means, and the flat base includes rearward-facing protrusions that can interface with the template and/or with the base joiner. Additional optional accessories and specialized blocks are also provided, including one or more graphic segments and a frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A construction craft utilizing modular building blocks each of which has a male stud and a complementary, opposing female coupling structure, comprising:
 a transparent base plate comprising a flat base having at least three outer edges, an outer flange, multiple forward-facing base studs, and multiple rearward-facing protuberances; wherein said base studs extend upwardly from said flat base, are integrally formed with said flat base, and are configured to receive said block female coupling structure; wherein said rearward-facing multiple protuberances extend rearwardly from said flat base and are integrally formed with said flat base; and   a template sheet sized and configured to be received below said base plate and having at least one area of designation configured with guidance indicia comprising multiple guidance indicium; wherein said template sheet is configured with internal alignment holes defined by internal alignment hole edges; wherein each of said internal alignment holes will accommodate one of said rearward-facing multiple protuberances; and wherein said guidance indicia provides information to indicate a height of at least one of said modular building blocks that is designated to be attached to said particular one of said base studs; and wherein, upon placement of multiple designated ones of said modular building blocks on ones of said base studs, a three-dimensional block construction structure is created.   
     
     
         2 . The construction craft, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said guidance indicium is associated with a particular one of said base studs and comprises a number on a colored field, indicating both said height and a color of said of at least one of said modular building blocks that is designated to be attached to said particular one of said base studs. 
     
     
         3 . The construction craft, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a pop-up decorative piece having a decorative top surface; wherein said pop-up decorative piece is attachable to said construction craft. 
     
     
         4 . The construction craft, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a thin pop-up decorative piece having a decorative top surface and having multiple attachment holes defined by attachment hole edges extending vertically through said thin pop-up decorative piece; wherein said attachment holes have a larger diameter than the diameter of said male stud of said modular building block; and wherein the spacing between said attachment holes corresponds to the spacing between said base studs of said base plate. 
     
     
         5 . The construction craft, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a frame having a rear portion configured to accommodate said template sheet and said base plate. 
     
     
         6 . The construction craft, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a platform block having an upper platform with flat top surface and having an opposing lower female coupling structure that is complementary to said base studs of said base plate. 
     
     
         7 . The construction craft, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a base joiner configured with multiple receiving voids each defined by a void wall; wherein:
 a portion of said outer flange extends along each of said outer edges of said flat base;   a flange corner is formed where two of said portions of said outer flange meet;   one of said multiple rearward-facing protuberances is disposed near said flange corner; and   one of said multiple receiving voids is configured to receive said one of said multiple rearward-facing protuberances disposed near said flange corner.   
     
     
         8 . The construction craft, as recited in  claim 7 , wherein:
 said flange is configured with at least two slits defined by slit edges;   said at least two slits are disposed near said flange corner;   said base joiner comprises support structures disposed between each of said multiple receiving voids; and   each of said at least two slits are configured to removably receive one of said support structures of said base joiner.   
     
     
         9 . The construction craft, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a separable hanger having a back configured with a keyhole and having at least two hanger female coupling structures configured to receive one of said multiple rearward-facing protuberances. 
     
     
         10 . The construction craft, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one graphic segment. 
     
     
         11 . A construction craft utilizing modular building blocks each of which has a male stud and a complementary, opposing female coupling structure, comprising:
 a base plate comprising a flat base having at least three outer edges, an outer flange, multiple forward-facing base studs, and multiple rearward-facing protuberances; wherein said base studs extend upwardly from said flat base, are integrally formed with said flat base, and are configured to receive said block female coupling structure; wherein said rearward-facing multiple protuberances extend rearwardly from said flat base and are integrally formed with said flat base; wherein a portion of said outer flange extends along each of said outer edges of said flat base; wherein flange corners are formed where two of said portions of said outer flange meet; wherein one of said multiple rearward-facing protuberances is disposed near said flange corner; and   a base joiner comprising at least two void walls defining at least two receiving voids; wherein each of said receiving voids removably accommodates said one of said multiple rearward-facing protuberances disposed near said flange corner.   
     
     
         12 . The construction craft, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein:
 said flange is configured with at least two slits defined by slit edges;   said at least two slits are disposed near said flange corner;   said base joiner comprises support structures disposed between each of said at least two receiving voids; and   each of said at least two slits are configured to removably receive one of said support structures of said base joiner.   
     
     
         13 . The construction craft, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein:
 said base joiner comprises four void walls defining four receiving voids; and   said base joiner comprises four support structures.   
     
     
         14 . The construction craft, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said base is substantially transparent; and further comprising a template sheet sized and configured to be received below said base plate, having alignment holes extending vertically through said template sheet defined by alignment hole edges configured to receive said rearward-facing protuberances, and having at least one area of designation configured with guidance indicia comprising multiple guidance indicium; wherein, when said template sheet is positioned below said base plate, each guidance indicium is positioned under a particular one of said base studs and each guidance indicium provides information to indicate both a height and a color of at least one of said modular building blocks that is designated to be attached to said particular one of said base studs; wherein, upon placement of multiple designated ones of said modular building blocks on correlating ones of said base studs, a three-dimensional block construction structure is created. 
     
     
         15 . The construction craft, as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising at least one graphic segment having a decorative top surface and configured to extend beyond said base plate outer flange. 
     
     
         16 . The construction craft, as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising a pop-up decorative piece having a decorative top surface; wherein said pop-up decorative piece is attachable to said construction craft; and wherein said pop-up decorative piece, upon attachment to said construction craft, extends past said outer flange of said base plate. 
     
     
         17 . The construction craft, as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising a thin pop-up decorative piece having a decorative top surface and having multiple attachment holes defined by attachment hole edges extending vertically through said thin pop-up decorative piece; wherein said attachment holes have a larger diameter than the diameter of said male stud of said modular building block; and wherein the spacing between said attachment holes corresponds to the spacing between said base studs of said base plate. 
     
     
         18 . The construction craft, as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising a frame having a rear portion configured to accommodate said template sheet, said base plate, and said at least one graphic segment. 
     
     
         19 . The construction craft, as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a platform block having an upper platform with flat top surface and having an opposing lower female coupling structure that is complementary to said base studs of said base plate;   an ornamental platform element having a flat bottom surface and a decorative top surface; and   an attachment means for attaching said ornamental platform element to said flat top surface of said platform block.   
     
     
         20 . The construction craft, as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising a separable hanger having a back configured with a keyhole and having at least two hanger female coupling structures; wherein said base plate is configured with at least two rearwardly-facing male coupling structures complementary to said at least two hanger female coupling structures.