日常の特許：LEGO編 (Everyday Patents: LEGO)

     As a mom, few chores strike fear like stepping into the toy room barefoot… and discovering the world’s smallest landmine: LEGO. Foot pain aside, those little bricks are brilliantly designed—for ages 4 to 99 and for imaginations of any size. Today on Everyday Patent, let’s take a look at one of the earliest patent applications filed by Interlego As (LEGO Group’s Swiss subsidiary). 　

    

    素足でおもちゃ部屋に踏み込み、世界最小の地雷――LEGO――を踏んでしまう。母親にとって、こんなに恐ろしい家事はそうありません。足の痛みはさておき、あの小さなブロックは、4歳から99歳まで、あらゆる想像力に応える見事な設計です。今日は「Everyday Patent」で、LEGOグループのスイス子会社である Interlego A/S が出願した最初期の特許出願のひとつを一緒に見ていきましょう。 

    身為媽媽，赤腳走進玩具房、踩到號稱「世界最小地雷」的 LEGO，真是讓人聞之色變。撇開腳底的疼痛不談，這些小積木設計精巧，從 4 歲到 99 歲，各種想像力都能盡情發揮。今天在《Everyday Patent》，我們一起來看看樂高集團瑞士子公司 Interlego A/S 早期提交的一件專利申請。 

 TW443939B 玩具積木組 

1. 一種玩具積木組，其包含：一第一玩具積木元件(10)，其在一側面上係具有一結合突柱(15)，以及一第二玩具積木元件(30)，其係具與結合裝置(35，36)共同界定出一凹室(32)之壁體(31)，該凹室可以將位於第一玩具積木元件上之結合突柱(15)收納於其中，使得至少某些結合突柱(15)係以在結合突柱(15)與結合裝置(36，36)之間的一第一預定摩擦力的方式與結合裝置(35，36)相接觸；其特徵在於引導裝置(37)係配置在凹室(34)中，其係用以一第二預定摩擦力的方式與結合突柱(15)相接觸，其中該第二預定摩擦力係比第一預定摩擦力小。 

2. 如申請專利範圍第1項所述之玩具積木組，其中該結合突柱(15)係呈圓柱形，且每一圓柱體係界定出一軸，且該結合裝置(35，36)和引導裝置(37)係一起形成多邊形的邊角，該多邊形的邊角係用以環繞一結合突伸的軸。 

3. 如申請專利範圍第1項或第2項所述之玩具積木組，其中該第二預定摩擦力係等於零。 

 

US6554676B1 Toy building set 

1. A toy building set comprising a first toy building element (10) having a side wall with four cylindrical coupling studs (15) arranged with their axes defining respective corners of a first square, and a second toy building element (30) having walls (31) which define a cavity (32) with four tubular coupling means (35) arranged with their axes defining respective corners of a second square, and one tubular coupling means (35) arranged with its axis in the centre of the second square, wherein each tubular coupling means (35) is capable of fitting in between the four cylindrical coupling studs (15) of the first toy building element (10), and the four cylindrical coupling studs (15) of the first toy building element (10) are capable of fitting in between the four tubular coupling means (35) of the second toy building element (30) so that each of the four cylindrical coupling studs (15) is in contact, with a first friction, both with a respective one of the four tubular coupling means (35) of the second square and with the tubular coupling means (35) in the centre of the second square, wherein the second toy building element (30) has, in the cavity (32), partitions (33) with guide means (37) restricting the lateral movement of the coupling studs (15) fitted between two tubular coupling means (35). 

2. A toy building set according to claim 1, wherein the guide means (37) are adapted to contact coupling studs (15) with a second friction, which is smaller than the first friction.

專利評語Comment：

這組申請專利範圍的核心是把「定位」與「鎖合」分離：結合裝置（35,36）提供較大的第一預定摩擦力來負責保持力；引導裝置（37）在凹室內以更小的第二預定摩擦力（權3甚至可為零）先協助突柱對位並抑制橫向晃動。權2以「圍繞突柱軸的多邊形邊角」實作多點接觸環，兼顧穩定與製造公差。設計上透過「低摩擦的導向＋較高摩擦的鎖合」達成好對準、好卡住、也好拆的平衡。

The claims separate guiding from locking: low-friction guides align the stud first, then higher-friction coupling provides retention—giving LEGO its “easy align, firm click, easy release” balance.

本件は案内（低摩擦）と固定（高摩擦）を分離し、まず位置決め→次に保持力を与える構成で、「合わせやすく・外れにくく・外しやすい」バランスを実現しています。