Foam Panel Toy System

Abstract

A toy system of foam panels having a novel edge design that permits panels to being resistant to separation without the application of an additional force whether orientated in a planar manner, orthogonally or any angle therebetween is described.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A generally rectangular foam panel having left, right, top and bottom edges and a planar upper surface spaced a thickness from a parallel lower surface, the opposing left and right edges including a plurality of rectangular projections extending outwardly from the respective edge, the opposing top and bottom edges including a plurality of rectangular recesses extending inwardly from the respective edges, each projection having substantially square left and right projection sides orthogonally intersecting with the edges of an outwardly facing projection side, each recess having substantially left and right recess sides orthogonally intersecting with an outwardly facing recess side, the projections and the recesses having similar dimensions with lengths of edges of the left and right projections sides and edges of the left and right recess sides being the thickness in length wherein (i) at a center point of each of the left and right recess sides, one of a protrusion projects outwardly or an indentation extends inwardly, and (ii) at a center point of each of the left and right projection sides, one of a protrusion projects outwardly or an indentation extends inwardly, each indentation being sized to receive a corresponding protrusion on another similarly configured foam panel therein. 
     
     
         2 . The foam panel of  claim 1 , wherein each of the recesses and projections are generally hemispherical. 
     
     
         3 . The foam panel of  claim 1 , wherein the panel is generally square. 
     
     
         4 . The foam panel of  claim 1 , wherein the left and right recess sides each have a protrusion, and the left and right projection sides each have a recess. 
     
     
         5 . The foam panel of  claim 1  consisting essentially of EVA foam. 
     
     
         6 . The foam panel of  claim 5 , wherein the EVA foam has a Shore C durometer of about 40-45. 
     
     
         7 . The foam panel of  claim 1 , wherein the top and bottom sides each include two recesses, and the left and right sides each include two projections. 
     
     
         8 . The foam panel of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness is about 0.5″. 
     
     
         9 . The foam panel of  claim 1 , wherein an overall size of the foam panel is about 7.875″ by 7.875″ with the recesses extending inwardly about 0.50″ and the projections extending about 0.50″ outwardly. 
     
     
         10 . The foam panel of  claim 1 , wherein a graphical design is imprinted on the top side. 
     
     
         11 . The foam panel of  claim 1 , wherein the recesses and projections are molded into the foam panel during creation thereof. 
     
     
         12 . A toy system comprising in combination of eight or more foam panels of  claim 1 , all of the same size and dimensions. 
     
     
         13 . A toy system comprising in combination of eight or more foam panels of  claim 1  including a first plurality of foam panels having a first overall size and a second plurality of panels having a second overall size, wherein the projections and recesses of each of the first and second panels are all of the same size and dimensions. 
     
     
         14 . A generally square foam panel comprising EVA having a Shore C hardness of about 40-45, the foam panel having left, right, top and bottom sides and a planar upper surface spaced a thickness from a parallel lower surface, the opposing left and right sides including a plurality of rectangular projections extending outwardly from the respective side, the opposing top and bottom sides including a plurality of rectangular recesses extending inwardly from the respective sides, each projection having substantially square left and right projection sides orthogonally intersecting with the edges of an outwardly facing projection side, each recess having substantially left and right recess sides orthogonally intersecting with an outwardly facing recess side, the projections and the recesses having similar dimensions with lengths of edges of the left and right projections sides and edges of the left and right recess sides being the thickness in length wherein (i) at a center point of each of the left and right recess sides, one of a hemispherical protrusion projects outwardly or a hemispherical indentation extends inwardly, and (ii) at a center point of each of the left and right projection sides, one of a hemispherical protrusion projects outwardly or a hemispherical indentation extends inwardly, each indentation being sized to receive a corresponding protrusion on another similarly configured foam panel therein, and (iii) a graphical design is imprinted on the top side. 
     
     
         15 . The foam panel of  claim 14 , wherein the left and right recess sides each have a protrusion, and the left and right projection sides each have a recess. 
     
     
         16 . A toy system comprising in combination of eight or more foam panels of  claim 14 , all of the same size and dimensions. 
     
     
         17 . A method of using the toy system of  claim 14  comprising joining a first panel of the eight or more foam panels to a second panel of the eight or more panels along corresponding first edges of the panels, wherein the first and second panels are orientated in a planar relationship. 
     
     
         18 . A method of using the toy system of  claim 14  comprising joining a first panel of the eight or more foam panels to a second panel of the eight or more panels along corresponding first edges of the panels, wherein the first and second panels are orientated in an orthogonal relationship. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising joining a third panel of the eight or more foam panels to the first panel along a first edge of the third panel and a second edge of the first panel in an orthogonal relationship. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising joining a plurality of panels of the eight or more foam panels to create a representation of a building.