Did You Know...
...that while attempting to develop a super strong glue, 3M employee Spencer Silver accidentally developed a glue that was so weak it would barely hold two pieces of paper together? However, his colleague Art Fry needed the glue. Fry sang with his church choir and marked the pages of his hymnal with small scraps of paper that often fell out. He used Silver's glue to hold the papers in place. Today we call this invention Post-it Notes.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7340868 | Universal structural element The invention describes a universal structural element (1) for the purpose of forming in particular, three-dimensional structures, which structural element can be manufactured in a convenient manner efficiently, cost-effectively from the most varied materials... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7290377 | Block connector A block connector for pre-cast building blocks comprising a top body portion to be fitted into the bottom surface groove of an upper block and a bottom body portion to be fitted into the top surface groove of a lower block. The top and bottom body portions define th... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7267598 | Interfacings between block type and rod and connector type construction toy sets A multi-part construction toy incorporating rod and connector elements, as well as block elements, modified in a way to accommodate the building of hybrid structures utilizing both types of building components. Specialized adapter blocks are provided with openings f... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7198270 | Kinematically compatible parallelpipedal cells This invention generally relates to a set of parallelepipedal bodies (cells) capable of matingly compatible engagement for interconnection, so as to allow up to three degrees of freedom in the sliding movement of an individual cell or grouping of cells about a group... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7152381 | Building with triangular facades A building uses three or more triangular facades arranged in a serial array formed by one triangular facade jutting from side face boundaries of each of the abutted and side-by-side triangular facades. The triangular facades configured similarly are in a dispersed s... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7107734 | Audience seating system An interface for connecting supporting members of an audience seating system including an end plate secured to the first end of a horizontal member. The end plate includes a downwardly extending tongue and outwardly extending tabs and a hook member extending outward... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7104864 | Blocks and building system for the construction of lifesize inflatable play structures A system for the construction of life size play structures includes a multiplicity of inflatable building blocks, each being a member of a finite set of different multi-sided block types. Each such type is a cylinder having the cross section of a regular polyhedron,... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7086923 | Transformable toy furniture and room system A system and method for simulating a wide variety of different toy furniture items including a plurality of three-dimensional predetermined shaped members wherein at least some of the predetermined shaped members are adaptable to be positioned and repositioned adjac... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7048346 | Snap together modular storage A modular storage rack, display structural element or cube system formed by snap together panels with alignment guides, which may also support wheels, shelves, drawers and doors. The system is assemble-in-place and may shipped and displayed for sale in a flat pack. | 05/23/2006 |
| 7044825 | Panel and girder system for construction toy A construction toy system comprised of a plurality of molded plastic girders and connectors. The girder elements of generally square cross section, with interlocking elements extending axially from each end. The interlocking elements each comprise a flange of square... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7037339 | Modular spinal fusion device An implant is disclosed for use in stabilization of one or more bones, for example, adjacent vertebrae. The implant includes two or more coupled structural elements. Each structural element includes a first end spaced apart by a side surface from a second end. The s... | 05/02/2006 |
| 6966814 | Hoop-type amusement device An improved hoop-type amusement system is disclosed wherein a plurality of variously sized and shaped connectable components may be selectively interconnected by the user to form simple and complex hoop configurations of a particular size and complex geometric shape... | 11/22/2005 |
| 6938382 | Stockade A palisade comprises visible or wall surfaces disposed on opposing sides and intermediate end faces. One of the end faces is provided with a projecting convex head, while the other end face comprises a correspondingly formed concave receptacle for the head. When for... | 09/06/2005 |
| 6921231 | Segmental retaining wall system The present invention relates to a wall block for use in a segmental retaining wall system. The wall block comprises an interior face for forming an interior surface of a segmental retaining wall, an exterior face for forming an exterior surface of the segmental ret... | 07/26/2005 |
| 6843700 | Rod and connector toy construction set A rod and connector toy construction set, especially for use by young children. Connector elements, are formed with one or more rod-gripping sockets arranged radially with respect to a hub. The sockets are open at opposite sides, enabling lateral insertion and remov... | 01/18/2005 |
| 6718709 | Snap panel display unit A light-weight, portable display system which includes plural, hollow, plastic panels having uniquely contoured corners. The panels may be of flat or curved configuration. Most of the plastic panels are fabricated to present smooth front and rear faces. However, som... | 04/13/2004 |
| 6622447 | Modular hub and strut structural system A modular structural system for building models and structures. The system comprises a plurality of connector hub members each having spherical symmetry, and a plurality of strut members having longitudinal symmetry, wherein, each of the connector hub mem... | 09/23/2003 |
| 6616499 | Interconnection of toy building elements in a releasable secure engagement Square and octagonal building elements for a set of toy building elements that are capable of being inteconnected in a releasable engagement both side-to-side and top-to-bottom. The side walls of the building elements include a groove and/or a split flexi... | 09/09/2003 |
| 6447360 | Interconnection of toy building elements in a releasable restraining engagement A building element for a set of toy building elements that are capable of being interconnected in a releasable engagement includes side walls having grooves and tongues, a top having a broad surface that extends toward the side walls and a primarily cylin... | 09/10/2002 |
| 6443798 | Building block toy set A building block toy set having flat plate elements containing semi-circular recesses located along the periphery thereof. The flat plate elements are interconnected utilizing various configurations of interconnection elements that are received within the... | 09/03/2002 |
| 6374556 | Concrete elevation assembly, hollow concrete block, and method of making In a method for forming a block having a core, the core is formed in a vertical orientation, providing for increased control of wall thickness. The block has a projection on one surface and a groove on an opposing surface. The block core is disposed paral... | 04/23/2002 |
| 6250986 | Building element for set of toy building blocks A building element for a set of toy building blocks that are capable of being interconnected in a releasable engagement includes a box with side walls, a top having one or more projections, and an open bottom providing access to interior surfaces for fric... | 06/26/2001 |
| 6224451 | Assembling structure for main wing of a model airplane An assembling structure for main wing of a model airplane. The main wing is composed of a left wing and a right wing. The mating faces of the left and right wings are disposed with complementary engaging seat and engaging block which are mated with each o... | 05/01/2001 |
| 6171110 | Teaching aid for developing a child's intelligence A teaching aid is designed to develop intelligence of the preschoolers and is composed of a base and a plurality of sliding members. The base has a pathway portion which is provided with a plurality of intersecting paths. The sliding members are provided ... | 01/09/2001 |
| 6126506 | Multi-block structure with multiple rail configuration and pivot means A toy block set includes a plurality of toy block configurations that are slidably, pivotally and fixably coupled to one another and which are further capable of three dimensional slidable and pivotal maneuvering with respect to one another by virtue of r... | 10/03/2000 |
| 6059631 | Toy construction kit with interconnecting building pieces Toy building pieces are disclosed which may be advantageously used in conjunction with a variety of different shaped framing pieces or connectors for building of structures such as polyhedral figures, geodesic domes or many other structures. One or more f... | 05/09/2000 |
| 6050044 | Building block A building block has connectors on its side walls comprising interlocking male and female dovetails for connecting blocks side-by-side, in addition to connectors on its upper and lower ends for connecting the blocks vertically. The building blocks also ha... | 04/18/2000 |
| 5993283 | Modular buildings for a toy building set A modular building for a toy building set includes a planar member, or foundation, having raised ribs on its top and a wall member having a wall portion and a base portion. The wall portion of the wall member is substantially orthogonal to the base portio... | 11/30/1999 |
| 5984756 | Toy construction system The invention relates to a toy construction system comprising building elements of a first type having a pair of opposed walls that define a space between said opposed walls, wherein the space has, at the free edges of the opposed walls, an open end and t... | 11/16/1999 |
| 5975977 | Toy building construction kit A toy building construction kit includes a plurality of floor defining elements, connectors for interconnecting the floor defining elements, a plurality of support pillar elements for interconnecting adjacent floors, and partition elements adapted to be r... | 11/02/1999 |
| 5957744 | Construction toys comprising building blocks and single and composite elongated star connectors A constructional toy comprises main building blocks which are typically square, triangular or rectangular in cross-section and moulded in a suitable plastics material. Each block has respective dovetail-shaped grooves in each of its side faces. The toy al... | 09/28/1999 |
| 5954562 | Building block assembly Various constructions may be formed from a plurality of different geometric blocks having mortises formed therein for receiving correspondingly shaped connecting and axial rods which permit the blocks to be assembled in both longitudinal and transverse di... | 09/21/1999 |
| 5951356 | Modular lattice substructure for a toy building set having columns and foundations The modular lattice substructure for a playing structure, such as a toy building set, includes a planar frame having a plurality of exterior corners and a column having a height greater than the height of the frame. The column includes a lower portion and... | 09/14/1999 |
| 5947787 | Modular lattice substructure for a toy building set The modular lattice substructure for a playing structure, such as a toy building set, includes elongate beams, elongate joists, and columns having a height greater than the height of the elongate beams and joists. The sides of the columns have a protrusio... | 09/07/1999 |
| 5833512 | Slotted and grooved construction toy A slotted and grooved construction toy of the type having a plurality of flat bodies with slots interlocking with other flat bodies. The flat bodies have a plastic foam core in combination with a laminated surface. The foam core is a semi-rigid and compre... | 11/10/1998 |
| 5775046 | Modular construction member Construction member panels have an array of engaging elements and cooperating receiving spaces, such as dovetails and dovetail shaped keyways. The engaging elements are relatively closely spaced such that a pair of such panels can be meshed together, and ... | 07/07/1998 |
| 5749196 | Building and building element therefor The invention relates to a building structure of a number of construction elements each comprising two plate-like side parts (2) which are mutually connected at a distance parallel to each other by at least one connecting part (3) which protrudes partiall... | 05/12/1998 |
| 5733168 | Coupling mechanism for a toy building set A coupling mechanism comprises a rod-shaped object (10) and a coupling head (20, 30) and is adapted to be used in a toy building set containing various building elements with other types of coupling means, e.g. bushings or ball heads. The rod-shaped objec... | 03/31/1998 |
| 5653621 | Toy building block puzzle A toy building block puzzle includes a first plurality of differently shaped tall hollow blocks which include lugs and slots on side walls thereof and protrusions and recesses on respective upper and lower sides thereof by which blocks of same or differen... | 08/05/1997 |
| 5601470 | Toy building block puzzle A toy building block puzzle comprises a plurality of at least five differently shaped building blocks. Each block has a peripheral side wall which may include a plurality of lugs and recesses. The lugs and recesses are shaped and sized to interlock two or... | 02/11/1997 |
