Interlocking Toy Building Plate Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing toy building sets require large building plates to provide sufficient support for structures and restrict user flexibility due to the need for separate elements to connect multiple plates.

Innovation Solution

A building plate design featuring a bracket plate on one side face and sockets with coupling studs on the other, allowing plates to interconnect without additional elements, forming a continuous top face for building structures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If separate building elements are used to connect multiple building plates, then the building plates can be connected together, but the device complexity increases and user flexibility decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser flexibilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the coupling function directly into the building plate structure by providing sockets with coupling studs on the side faces of the plates. This merging of the connection function into the plate itself eliminates the need for separate building elements, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining user flexibility in constructing various structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Stability of the object's composition

If large building plates are used to provide sufficient support for structures, then structural stability is improved, but the area occupied increases and user flexibility decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidplate area

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the large building plate into multiple smaller plates that can be connected together via sockets and coupling studs on their side faces. This segmentation allows the construction of large, stable structures with sufficient support while using smaller individual plates that occupy less space and provide greater user flexibility in arrangement and configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple building plates are connected using separate building elements, then the plates can form larger structures, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure configurabilityVSAvoidcoupling precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

By integrating the coupling mechanism directly into the building plate structure through sockets and coupling studs formed as integral parts of the plates, the patent reduces the number of separate components. This integration simplifies the coupling process and reduces manufacturing precision requirements compared to using separate building elements that would require precise alignment and assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10143932B2Building plate for a toy building set and a toy building set including such building plate

Publication Date: 2018.12.04 LEGO AS

AI summary

A building plate 1a, 1b, 1c for a toy building set is provided, said building plate having a bracket plate 5 and a complementarily configured socket 7 to the effect that several building plates can be interconnected to form a larger building plate by mounting of the bracket plate 5 on a building plate 1b in a socket 7 on another building plate 1c.