Set of blocks for construction game

Abstract

A set of blocks for constructing game assemblies for children includes basic block members (10) and complementary block members (11) that can be magnetically anchored and assembled each other; each basic block member (10) has a hollow body (18) including lateral faces having flat and / or shaped coupling surfaces. In turn, the complementary block members (11) include a hollow body (16) having lateral coupling surfaces matching with the coupling surfaces of the basic block members (10). Magnetic elements (14, 20) are fixedly or movably positioned in each basic and complementary block member (10, 11) to enable the anchorage and the assembling of the block members (10, 11) during the construction of the game. The block members (10, 11) have dimensions suitable to be easily gripped with the hands by a children, and may be provided with differently coloured surfaces to offer different tactile, visual and sound sensations during the game.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention refers to the children games field, and in particular relates to a set of magnetically anchorable game block members, variously shaped and conformed to enable them to be easily assembled and to construct structurally simple games, capable of providing different visual and / or tactile and / or sound sensations, also contributing towards enabling a child to develop manual skills and acquire elementary information, during the construction of a game.[0002]In the field of game construction, for some time it has been suggested to make use of magnetically anchorable modular elements, substantially consisting of bars and ball shaped elements of limited dimensions, which can be assembled in various ways to create simple and / or complex reticulated structures; magnetic modules of this type are illustrated for example in EP-A-1,370,334, U.S. Pat. No. 1,535,035, U.S. Pat. No. 2,970,388 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,727.[0003]While on the one hand these modu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]The main object of the invention is to provide a set of magnetically assemblable block members, having geometrically simple shapes and appropriately conformed coupling surfaces, capable of allowing a facilitated magnetic anchorage, and the utmost freedom and versatility in the construction of simple or complex game assemblies, by assembling modular block members of a same and / or of different types.

[0011]A still further object is to provide a set of block members comprising a system of magnetic elements conformed and disposed to allow a stable anchorage and a different positioning between blocks, without requiring particular expedients and / or skills.

[0019]The block members of the set, or some of them, may also be provided with a covering of soft elastomeric material, or have faces and / or coupling surfaces of a same and / or different colours. Each of the magnetic elements can be fixedly or freely movable, and / or rotatingly housed in its own seat, thereby providing particularly stable and extremely versatile magnetic coupling conditions, as well as the possibility of generating a pleasant sound or noise by shaking the block members themselves.

[0020]The use of additional block members, variously conformed and shaped to imitate an animal, a living creature and / or an object in general, associable with the complementary block members, increases the possibility of creating different combinations and configurations of assemblies during the game.

Problems solved by technology

While on the one hand these modular elements offer a firm magnetic anchorage and enable the construction of structures of any shape and size, stimulating creative abilities during the game, they are not wholly suitable for use by very young children, who do not yet possess sufficient manual skills and sufficient creative abilities; in fact, in the construction of a game with modules of this type, it is necessary to ensure a precise positioning and a correct orientation of the magnetic polarities of the various elements which make up the game, in order to obtain a structurally stable assembly having the desired shape.

For these and other reasons, the modular magnetic elements of this type prove to be unsuitable for use by children of ages equivalent to or less than three or four years, or slightly older.

The possibilities of composition and of magnetic coupling between blocks is therefore extremely limited and conditional upon the same geometrical shape of the blocks, as well as upon the characteristics of the coupling surfaces.

The manual skills and gripping of the blocks are poorly stimulated; moreover, the flat shape of the coupling surfaces and the disposition of the magnets are such as to make it difficult to correctly position and magnetically couple the blocks, in particular by children devoid of experience and specific knowledge.

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