JP7540664B2 - Play equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a playground device that includes large blocks and a storage frame that can be installed on a wall.

As described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, large building block-type playground equipment made of low-resilience materials such as EVA foam has traditionally been used as playground equipment for indoor play in childcare facilities, children's centers, and kids' spaces in commercial facilities.

JP 2008-272177 A JP 2009-285075 A

However, these large block play equipment are bulky even on their own, and there are many of them, so they take up a lot of space when stored. Also, because there is no set method for putting them away, they tend to become messy and lack interior design appeal. Furthermore, children tend to see putting the building blocks away as work rather than play, so it is difficult to find enjoyment in the process, and there are problems with them not wanting to put them away or being unable to tidy up neatly.

There are also puzzle toys available that can be stored by fitting them onto a wall or into a wall-mounted frame, but these puzzles are small or thin and cannot be used as play equipment by children, who can freely combine them as they please, like large block play equipment.

The inventor of this invention has thoroughly studied these problems and attempted to solve them. The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a playground device equipped with large blocks that children can combine and play on using their own imagination, which children can enjoy and put away, and which is both easy to store and aesthetically pleasing.

In order to solve the above problems, the play equipment comprises a plurality of large blocks on which children can stand and play, and a storage frame installed on a wall, the large blocks fit together to form a puzzle shape, and recesses are formed in the front of the storage frame into which the large blocks fit when combined , and when the large blocks are stored in the storage frame installed with its back surface against the wall and tidying up is completed, the play equipment allows the puzzle to be seen assembled from the front .

It is also preferable that the large block is made of resin foam.

It is also preferable that the surfaces of the large blocks are made of a material with high friction so that the frictional forces acting on the large blocks when they are combined to play make them less slippery.

It is also preferable that the thickness of the large blocks in the depth direction is constant, and that the front faces of the large blocks can be aligned flat when stored in the storage frame.

It is also preferable that the thickness of the large block in the depth direction is greater than the depth of the space in the storage frame in which the large block is stored.

The present invention provides a playground device equipped with large blocks that children can combine and play on using their own imagination, allowing children to have fun putting it away and providing a playground device that is both easy to store and aesthetically pleasing.

1 is a perspective view of a play equipment device according to an embodiment of the present invention, seen from the front side; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a play equipment device according to another embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the front side. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the state in which the large block is removed from the storage frame in the play equipment of the present invention. 11 is a diagram showing a child playing with large blocks taken from the play equipment of the present invention by combining them. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a child fitting the large block of the present invention into a storage frame. FIG.

The following is an embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the playground equipment 1 of this embodiment includes multiple large blocks 2 that are large enough for children to stand on and play on, and a storage frame 3 for storing the large blocks 2.

The large block 2 is made of, for example, foamed resin so that it has a hardness that allows children to play safely. The material for the large block 2 is preferably a soft and light material such as urethane foam. The large block 2 in this embodiment is made by spraying resin onto the urethane foam to coat it, but it can also be made by covering the urethane foam with synthetic leather, leather, cloth, etc.

The playground equipment 1 of the embodiment includes six large blocks 2, each of which is approximately 45 cm wide x 30 cm high x 20 cm deep. As shown in FIG. 1, the large blocks 2 are in the shape of a puzzle that can be fitted together. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the large blocks 2 of the embodiment are each formed in an abstract shape that imitates an animal such as an elephant, a cow, a rabbit, or a squirrel, and have different colors, with features such as eyes and limbs being expressed by recesses. The features of the motif may be expressed by painting, but expressing them by forming unevenness in the material not only makes them resistant to wear but also provides a clue when holding them. In addition, in order to increase the variety of children's play, it is preferable to vary the shape of the large blocks 2, such as making them long or having an inclined surface. The design of the large blocks 2 is not limited to animals, and motifs that children like, such as food and vehicles, can be freely used, and the colors and number of the blocks can also be freely set.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, a recess is formed on the front surface of the storage frame 3 of the play equipment 1, and the large blocks 2 are stacked like a puzzle and stored by fitting into the recess.

As shown in FIG. 3, the large block 2 is taken out of the storage frame 3 and used for playing. It is preferable that the large block 2 is formed to be large enough and light enough for a small child to hold or carry it by himself so that the small child can take it out of the storage frame 3 and carry it by himself.

Children can combine the large blocks 2 removed from the storage frame 3 in any way they like, and use them as play equipment. One example of how to play with them is combining the large blocks 2 together to create a slide-like structure, as shown in Figure 4, which can be climbed on or slid down. In addition, children can also use long blocks to create a bridge-like structure, which can be climbed on or crawled under.

If the large blocks 2 are made of a material with high friction, they will not slip when put together, and children will have a stable footing to play on safely. In addition, because the large blocks 2 do not slip easily, they can be stacked like a puzzle even outside the storage frame 3, allowing them to enjoy balancing. Of course, you can also play with the puzzle by fitting the large blocks 2 into the storage frame 3.

When a child has finished playing with the playground equipment 1, as shown in Figure 5, the child can put the large blocks 2 away in the storage frame 3 by putting them together like a puzzle. In this way, the act of playing with a puzzle ultimately results in the tidying up, so the child can tidy up by himself while having fun. It is also expected that the child will feel a sense of accomplishment both by putting the puzzle together and by completing the tidying up.

As in the embodiment of the playground equipment 1, it is preferable to have 10 or less large blocks 2, as this allows children to put the equipment away without getting bored or tired. Also, if a parent or guardian posts a photo of the completed model in case they need to put the equipment away quickly, the child can put the equipment away smoothly and without wasting time.

When the large blocks 2 are stored in the storage frame 3 and the playground equipment 1 is put away, the appearance is such that the highly designed puzzle can be seen from the front, making it highly decorative and not detracting from the beauty of the room even when installed in a conspicuous location.

In addition, the storage frame 3 of the embodiment is shaped so that the large blocks 2 are stacked on top of each other to store them together, minimizing the thickness in the depth direction. By aligning the back surface of the storage frame 3 with the wall surface, it can be installed without taking up space, making it possible to effectively secure space in the room.

Here, it is preferable that the large blocks 2 are formed so that their thickness in the depth direction is constant. If the large blocks 2 have a uniform thickness, the end faces of the large blocks 2 will be flush with each other on the front side when stored in the storage frame 3, making it possible to create a playground device 1 that is safe, space-saving, and looks good.

It is preferable that the thickness of the large block 2 in the depth direction is slightly larger than the depth of the recess in the storage frame 3. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the large block 2 in this embodiment protrudes about 5 cm from the front surface of the storage frame 3 toward the interior side when stored in the storage frame 3. This structure makes it easier to remove the large block 2.

The present invention has been described above using examples of embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be implemented in various forms.

1 Play equipment 2 Large blocks 3 Storage frame

Claims (5)

The device comprises a number of large blocks on which children can stand and play, and a storage frame attached to a wall, the large blocks fitting together to form a puzzle shape, and recesses are formed on the front surface of the storage frame into which the large blocks fit together when assembled,
In this play equipment, when the large blocks are stored in a storage frame installed with its back surface against a wall and the frame is put away, the assembled puzzle can be seen from the front side . The playground equipment according to claim 1, wherein the large block is made of a resin foam. The playground equipment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the surfaces of the large blocks are made of a material with high friction so that the frictional force exerted on the large blocks when they are combined and played with makes them less slippery. A playground device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the thickness of the large blocks in the depth direction is constant, and the front faces of the large blocks can be aligned flat when stored in the storage frame. A playground device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the thickness of the large block in the depth direction is greater than the depth of the space in the storage frame in which the large block is stored.

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