FIELD OF INVENTION This invention relates to a toy construction kit.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a toy construction kit including: a number of substantially flat panel members which are connectable to one another in a co-planar arrangement for forming a base on which toy articles are releasably attached, each panel member having an upper side and a lower side, the upper side of each panel member defining a plurality of attachment formations to which the toy articles are releasably attached, each panel member having an aperture defined in a peripheral edge thereof and a locating formation disposed adjacent the aperture; and a plurality of continuous elastic bands which are each configured for connecting adjacent panel members to one another, each elastic band being removably attached to the locating formation of one of the panel members, extending through the apertures of the adjacent panel members and being removably attached to the locating formation of the other panel member.

Each panel member may define a recess formation in the lower side thereof adjacent the aperture, with the aperture leading into the recess formation. The locating formation of each panel member may be located within the recess formation. More specifically, the locating formation of each panel member may be in the form of a peg onto which the elastic band is hooked. Each elastic band may be in the form of a rubber band. Each elastic band may have an oval configuration when viewed in plan view. More specifically, the elastic band may have two opposite ends, with a gripping formation being defined at each end.

The peripheral edge of each panel member may have a rectilinear profile. The peripheral edge may define a flat abutment face which abuts the abutment face of the peripheral edge of an adjacent panel member of the kit when the panel members are in a co-planar abutting arrangement.

The aperture in the peripheral edge of the panel member, the recess formation and the locating formation adjacent the aperture, may together comprise a connecting structure for connecting two of the panel members to one another using one of the elastic bands.

In a particular embodiment, each panel member may have a rectangular or square configuration when viewed in plan view. Each panel member may have a rectilinear peripheral edge at each side of the panel member. As such, the panel member may include at least one connecting structure at each peripheral edge for connection with other panel members. In a particular embodiment each panel member may have two or more connecting structures defined along a particular peripheral edge thereof, for hinged connection to an adjacent panel member by means of elastic bands. The aperture of each connecting structure may be defined in the relevant peripheral side edge of the panel member, at a location midway between the upper and lower sides of the panel member. In use, the elastic bands provide a hinged joint permitting hinged displacement of two panel members connected by the elastic bands between a first folded over condition wherein the upper sides of the connected panel members abut one another and a second folded over position wherein the lower sides of the connected panel members abut one another. As such, the hinged joint of the connected panel members provides for rotation of the panel members through 360 ° relative to one another. Furthermore, the hinged joint provides for positioning and holding of the panel members in an intermediate position relative to one another wherein the panel members are arranged co-planar with respect to one another with adjacent peripheral edges of the panel members abutting one another, so as to form a flat planar base to which toy articles are releasably attached.

The toy construction kit may include a number of toy articles having complementary attachment formations for attachment to the attachment formations defined on the upper sides of panel members forming the base.

The attachment formations of the panel members may be arranged in a predetermined pattern. More specifically, the attachment formations of the panel member may comprise one of a plurality of sockets defined within the upper side of the panel member or studs projecting therefrom, while the complementary attachment formations of the toy articles may comprise complementary studs or sockets, respectively.

The invention extends to a particular one of the panel members of the toy construction kit as defined and described hereinabove. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features of the invention are described hereinafter by way of a non-limiting example of the invention, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a toy construction kit in accordance with the invention, illustrating the manner in which the toy construction kit is used to construct a base to which a number of toy articles of the kit are secured;

Figure 2 shows a three-dimensional view of the base of the toy construction kit of Figure 1 , as seen from above;

Figure 3 shows a three-dimensional view of the base of the toy construction kit of Figure 1 , as seen from below;

Figure 4 shows a three-dimensional view of one of the panels of the base of the toy construction kit of Figure 1 as seen from above; Figure 5 shows a three-dimensional view of the panel of Figure 4 as seen from below;

Figure 6 shows a bottom plan view of two of the panels of the toy construction kit of Figure 1 hingedly connected to one another in a co-planar arrangement; Figure 7 shows a sectional side view of the panels of Figure 6;

Figure 8 shows a three-dimensional view of two hingedly connected panels of the construction kit of Figure 1 , in an arrangement wherein under sides of the panels are folded onto one another; Figure 8A shows a sectional side view of the hingedly connected panels of Figure 8 as sectioned along section line VII IA-VI 11 A of Figure 8;

Figure 9 shows a three-dimensional view of the two hinged connected panels of Figure 8 in a secondly completely folded over configuration wherein upper sides of the panels are folded onto one another;

Figure 9A shows a sectional side view of the hingedly connected panels of Figure 9 sectioned along section line IXA-IXA of Figure 9;

Figure 10A shows a three-dimensional view of the hingedly connected panels of Figure 8, as seen from above, in an intermediate folded configuration;

Figure 10B shows the folded hingedly connected panels of Figure 10A as seen from below;

Figure 10C shows the folded hingedly connected panels of Figure 10A as sectioned along section line XC-XC of Figure 10B; Figure 1 1 shows a plan view of an elastic band of the toy construction kit of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 12 shows a three-dimensional view of one of the toy articles of the toy construction kit of Figure 1 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the drawings, a toy construction kit in accordance with the invention, is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The toy construction kit comprises, broadly, a number of flat panels 12 which are connectable to one another to form a base 14 and toy articles 16.1 and 16.2 which are releasably attached to the base.

The toy construction kit 1 0 further includes a number of continuous rubber elastic bands 1 8 for connecting the panels to one another so as to define the base 14.

Each panel 1 2 has an upper side 20 and a lower side 22. The upper side of each panel defines a plurality of attachment formations in the form of sockets 24 which are arranged in a predetermined grid pattern. The lower side 22 is generally flat permitting the panels to be placed on an underlying flat surface such as a floor surface.

The toy article 16.1 and 16.2 have one or more complementary studs 26 which are received in the sockets 24 in a slight press fit for releasably attaching the articles to the upper side of the panels when the panels are connected to one another to form the base 14.

The panels 12 are of plastics moulded material and have a square configuration when viewed in plan view. More specifically, each panel has four peripheral side edges 28 which each have a rectilinear profile. The peripheral edge of each panel defines a flat abutment face which abuts the abutment face of a peripheral edge of an adjacent panel when the panels are in a co-planar abutting arrangement for forming the base 14 as is shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings. Each panel has an aperture 30 defined in each of the peripheral edges thereof. Each panel defines a recess formation 32 in the lower side thereof adjacent a particular one of the apertures, with the aperture leading into the recess formation associated therewith. Each panel further defines a locating formation the form of a peg 34 located within each recess formation onto which an elastic band 18 of the kit is hooked. More specifically, the pegs are recessed within the recess formations so as not to project from the lower sides of the panels, thereby permitting the panels to be supported flat on a flat substrate surface when forming the base 14. Each aperture 30 is defined in a particular peripheral edge 28 of a panel 12, the recess formation 32 and the locating formation 34 associated with the aperture, together comprise a connecting structure for connecting two panels to one another using one of the elastic bands of the kit. As such, each of the panels 12 has a set of four connecting structures for releasable connection with adjacent panels.

The elastic bands thus provide a resiliently deformable and flexible hinged joint connecting two panels of the kit to one another thereby providing for hinged displacement of the panels relative to one another. As can be seen in Figures 1 to 3 and 6 and 7, the hinged joint provides for positioning and holding of the panels relative to one another in a co-planar arrangement wherein adjacent peripheral edges 28 of the panel members abut one another. The hinged joint further permits the hinged displacement of two panel members connected by the elastic bands between a first folded over condition wherein the upper sides 20 of the connected panel members abut one another as is shown in Figures 9 and 9A and a second folded over position wherein the lower sides 22 of the connected panel members abut one another as is shown in Figures 8 and 8A. The hinged joint thus provides for rotation of the panel members through 360 degrees relative to one another. An intermediate folded position of two hingedly connected panels is shown in Figures 10A-10C.

Each elastic band 1 8 has an elongate oval configuration when viewed in plan view and defines a longitudinal axis A. The elastic band comprises a band element 19 having opposite ends 21 .1 , 21 .2 and gripping tabs 23 which are located at each of the ends. The gripping tabs extend outwardly from the ends of the band 19 and provide formations which can be gripped between the fingers of a user to exert a tensile force on the band element 19 for stretching the band along the longitudinal axis A when locating the band on the locating formations 34 or removing the band therefrom.

The apertures 30 of each panel are defined in the peripheral side edges 28 of the panels, at a location midway between the upper and lower sides of the panel. As such, the elastic bands passing through the apertures of two abutting joined panels, pass through the centres of the peripheral side edges of the panels. Forces applied to the panels by the tensioned elastic bands are applied in a direction normal to the abutting abutment faces of the panels. When the panels are joined to form a planar base, the fact that the elastic bands pass through the centres of the peripheral edges of the panels, ensures that the panels are held in a stable co-planar abutting relationship avoiding any misalignment of the panels caused by offset tension forces which may be exerted on the panels if the elastic bands were not centralized. Furthermore, when folding over two panel members relative to one another, the tension force on the elastic band of the hinged joint and thereby the force applied to the panels, is the same irrespective of the side to which the panels are folded over.

The flexibility of the elastic bands allows a degree of movement of the panels relative to one another when connecting the panels to one another to form the base, thereby to maintain the pattern of the sockets 24 across the hinged joints. By providing apertures 30 in the abutting peripheral edges of the panels through which the elastic bands extend, the upper and lower sides remain free of projecting components which, in the case of the upper sides of the panels, would interfere with the placement and attachment of toy articles to the base and in the case of the lower sides of the panels, would interfere with flat stable support of the panels on a flat substrate surface. The hinged joints thus provide for construction of a base from connected panels wherein the base defines a level, continuous and uninterrupted playing surface. Furthermore, the hinged joints provide for connection of panels to one another in an arrangement wherein the spacing and pattern of the sockets 24 on the upper sides of the panels is retained across the joints, thereby permitting attachment of toy articles to the base across the hinged joints.