System for interlocking objects
US4336699A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 5, 1979 |
| Grant date | Jun 29, 1982 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 5, 1999 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T70/7175
- WIPO fieldFurniture, games
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A system and method of interlocking objects by the use of locking and blocking pins that longitudinally move through channels when an external directional force field is longitudinally aligned with and applied to the channels inside of which the pins are located. The channels are self-contained within the objects, with at least a portion of one channel extending from one object to the other. The two objects become interlocked, at least with respect to lateral movement, when a locking pin is positioned in these channels so as to simultaneously extend from one object into the other. Removal of this locking pin, and hence the unlocking of the objects, may be preconditioned on the prior movement of other blocking pins in other intersecting channels selectively positioned so as to block the movement of the locking pin or of each other. Hence, a unique sequence of directional forces selectively applied to the locked objects may be required to unlock the objects. For small hand-held objects that can be easily rotated, the directional force field may be gravity. A preferred embodiment incorporates a pyramid puzzle in which a drawer may be pulled therefrom only after the pyramid has been ro…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.