(19)
(11) EP 1 360 981 A2

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(43) Date of publication:
12.11.2003 Bulletin 2003/46

(21) Application number: 03380062.4

(22) Date of filing: 17.03.2003
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7A63H 33/00, A63H 3/52, A63H 33/04
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PT RO SE SI SK TR
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK

(30) Priority: 08.05.2002 ES 200201147 U

(71) Applicant: Rodriguez Martinez, S.C.
03440 Ibi, Alicante (ES)

(72) Inventor:
  • Rodriguez Ferre, José Manuel
    03440 IBI (Alicante) (ES)

(74) Representative: Canadell-Isern, Roberto 
Travessera de Gracia 30-1o C
08021 Barcelona
08021 Barcelona (ES)

   


(54) Child's playhouse


(57) CHILD'S PLAYHOUSE, designed so that small children can play inside it, made up of a set of plastic material parts the assembly of which results in a ground floor formed by a rectangular base prism with four orthogonal walls and a ceiling that also serves as the floor of the upstairs part. This has a slight truncated pyramid shape with a rectangular base, four walls and a double sloping roof. Assembly of the parts is generally made by caps (1) that, by means of a screwdriver, can be screwed on to square headed screws (2) through coinciding orifices made on the parts to be joined (Figures 25 and 25).







Description

PURPOSE



[0001] The purpose of this Invention Patent request is a child's playhouse that provides for the function for which it is intended various advantages to be detailed later on, apart from others inherent to its organization and constitution.

HISTORY



[0002] At present there are several construction models simulating a traditional child's playhouse on the market, which are made up of rather heavy integral bulky units installed permanently in public parks and gardens.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION



[0003] The child's playhouse, purpose of this invention, is designed so that small children can play inside it. It consists of lightweight plastic material parts able to be easily assembled in a provisional way with the help of a screwdriver so that any adult can assemble and disassemble it, thus facilitating its installation in any place and, once disassembled, its subsequent transportation and storage where it takes up minimum space.

[0004] The parts of the child's playhouse have representative shapes of a two-storied mansion and constitute a set the first floor of which has a prismatic shape with a rectangular base, four mutually orthogonal walls and a ceiling that also serves as the floor of the part upstairs. This top floor has a general truncated pyramid shape with a rectangular base, four walls and a double sloping roof.

[0005] On the ground floor the front wall houses a folding entrance door provided with a key, finished off with two columns and an arch as well as a corbel next to it. It also has a battery-operated doorbell near the door.

[0006] Furthermore, the two wall next to the front wall have a window each, whilst the back wall has a window on the base of which a platform extending outwards as a shelf and inwards as a sink with a tap is installed.

[0007] On the second floor the biggest walls, front and back, have two and one windows, respectively, whilst the two smaller side walls have access openings to a staircase and slide, respectively, provided with pairs of handrails on their upper part so that the children can reach the top floor by the staircase and then slide down the slide out of the house.

[0008] In order to complement the description that follows and to help with a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, this descriptive report includes a set of drawings in which the most significant details are represented in an illustrative but not limiting way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS



[0009] Figures 1 to 24 show the assembly stages of a practical performance of the invention.

[0010] Figure 25 and 26 shown perspective front and back views of the assembled set.

PERFORMANCE EXAMPLE DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION



[0011] In view of the figures commented above and in accordance with the numbering used, an illustrative but not limiting example of a performance example of the invention can be seen. This consists in a construction in the shape of a child's playhouse, designed so that small children can play inside it. It is made up of a set of plastic material parts comprising a ground floor formed by a rectangular base prism with four orthogonal walls and a ceiling that also serves as the floor of the upstairs part. This has a slight truncated pyramid shape with a rectangular base, four walls and a double sloping roof.

[0012] Assembly of the various parts is generally carried out by means of caps -1- screwed on to square headed screws -2- using a screwdriver through the coinciding orifices made on the parts to be joined.

[0013] Figure 1 shows two L-shaped parts -3-, -4- making up the front wall of the ground floor of the house. These parts are joined facing each other by caps -1- and screws -2-, leaving an opening to install the entrance door -5-, which is installed on hinges so that it can rotate, as indicated in figure 2. Figure 2 also indicates assembly of an access shelf -6- fastened to screwed stubs projecting out below in the parts -3- and -4-, next to both sides of the door. The union is made by two caps-1- with the help of a screwdriver.

[0014] Figure 3 shows assembly of the two side walls of the ground floor of the house, made up of a lower U-shaped part -7- and an upper H-shaped part -8- that are superimposed and joined along their wings by caps -1- and joint screws -2-. The opposite inlets form a window -9-.

[0015] Figure 4 shows assembly of the back wall of the ground floor of the case. This is made up of two C-shaped parts -10-, -11-, facing each other and joined along their wings by caps -1-and fastening screws -2-, so that their respective inlets coincide to form a window -12-.

[0016] Figures 5 to 7 represent the union between the walls of ground floor of the house corresponding to the joining of the main wall -3-, -4- and the two side walls -7-, -8- by caps -1 - and screws -2- that fasten the side edges of said walls.

[0017] Figure 8 shows how the front wall of the ground floor of the house, enclosing its entrance door -5-, has been provided with some columns -13- and -14, as well as with an arch -15-, that are attached to said front wall by caps -1- screwed on to stubs projecting out from said elements.

[0018] Figures 9 to 11 indicate assembly of the ceiling of the ground floor, which also constitutes the floor of the upper part. This is made up of two platforms -16-, -17- that are assembled together and arranged on three beams -18- coupled between the larger walls of the construction. The ends of the parts -16-, -17- are fastened to the smaller walls of said construction by caps -1- that screw on to stubs projecting out from said ends of the parts -16-, -17-.

[0019] Figures 12 to 15 show assembly of the top floor. This is made using two opposite parts -19-, -20- in the form of a horseshoe that are laterally joined to two parts -21-, -22- forming the front and back walls of the top floor. They are fastened to said parts -19-, -20- in the form of a horseshoe by caps -1- that screw on to stubs projecting out from said parts.

[0020] The upper front wall -21- has two windows -21a-, whilst the upper back wall -22- has a rather large window -22a-.

[0021] The roof consists of a part -23- fastened to the parts -19- -20- in the form of a horseshoe by its ends using caps -1- that screw on to stubs projecting out from said parts -19-, -20-.

[0022] Figure 14 and 15 show assembly of said top floor on top of the ground floor using caps -1- that screw on to stubs projecting on to the front and back walls of the ground floor (figure 14) and caps -1- that screw on to fastening screws around the construction (figure 15).

[0023] The recesses of parts -19-, -20- in the form of a horseshoe coincide with the upper recesses of the previous H-shaped parts -8- constituting the upper part of the side walls of the ground floor, in such a way that two side accesses -25-, -26- to the upper floor are provided.

[0024] Figures 16 and 17 show a staircase -27- that, on the upper part of both its sides, has stubs for fastening two handrails -28a-, -28b-, by caps -1-. The staircase is subsequently fastened by said handrails -28a-, -28b-, to one of the sides of the construction by caps -1-, thus facilitating access to an opening -25- in the top floor.

[0025] Figure 18 shows a detail of said entrance door -5- on the ground floor of the house in order to indicate said door has a closing mechanism -29- with a key -30-.

[0026] Figures 19 and 20 show a platform installed on the base of the window -12- in the back wall of the ground floor of the house by means of caps -1- fastened on to stubs projecting out of said window base. Part of said platform -31- extends outwards in the shape of a shelf whilst the other extends inside the house and represents a sink on which a part shaped like a tap is fastened under pressure.

[0027] Figures 21 to 24 show a slide -32- on which two handrails -33a-, -32b-, are fastened on the upper part of both sides by stubs projecting out of said zones of the slide on which caps -1- are screwed. A support foot -34- is joined under the lower part of said slide from which a stub emerges and on which a cap -1- is screwed. The slide -32- is fastened by caps-1- and by its corresponding handrails -33a-, -33b-, on the other side of the construction, coinciding with the other access opening -26 to the top floor of the house so that the children can slide down the slide and leave the house at the same time.

[0028] Likewise, a doorbell -35 with its corresponding button and loudspeaker, the batteries of which are rechargeable by unscrewing their housing, has been provided on the front wall of the ground floor of the house.

[0029] Figures 25 and 26 represent respective perspective front and back views of the assembled set with all its elements.


Claims

1. CHILD'S PLAYHOUSE, designed so that small children can play inside it, characterized by the fact it is made up of a set of plastic material parts comprising a ground floor formed by a rectangular base prism with four orthogonal walls and a ceiling that also serves as the floor of the upstairs part. This has a slight truncated pyramid shape with a rectangular base, four walls and a double sloping roof. Assembly of the parts is generally made by caps (1) that, by means of a screwdriver, can be screwed on to square headed screws (2) through coinciding orifices made on the parts to be joined.
 
2. CHILD'S PLAYHOUSE, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact the front wall of the ground floor of the house is made up of two L-shaped parts (3, 4). These parts are joined facing each other by caps -1- and screws -2-, leaving an opening to install the entrance door -5- by rotating hinges. The door has a locking mechanism (29) with a key (30) and also an access shelf (6) fastened on to screwed stubs projecting out below in the parts (3, 4), next to both sides of the door. The union is made by two caps (1).
 
3. CHILD'S PLAYHOUSE, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized by the fact the two side walls of the ground floor of the house are each made up of a lower U-shaped part (7) and an upper H-shaped part (8) that are superimposed and joined along their wings using caps (1) and joint screws (2). Their opposite inlets form a window (9).
 
4. CHILD'S PLAYHOUSE, according to claims 1 to 3, characterized by the fact the back wall of the ground floor of the house is made up two C-shaped parts (10, 11) facing each other and joined along their wings by caps (1) and fastening screws (2), so that their respective inlets coincide to form a window (12).
 
5. CHILD'S PLAYHOUSE, according to claims 1 to 4, characterized by the fact the union between the walls of the ground floor of the house, corresponding to the main wall (3, 4) and the side walls (7, 8), and the union of the latter to the back wall (10, 11) be made by caps (1) and screws (2) that fasten the side edges of said walls.
 
6. CHILD'S PLAYHOUSE, according to claims 1 to 5, characterized by the fact some columns (13) and (14), as well as an arch (15), have been provided on the front wall of the ground floor of the house. These are fastened to said front wall by caps (1) that screw on to stubs projecting out from said elements.
 
7. CHILD'S PLAYHOUSE, according to claims 1 to 6, characterized by the fact the ceiling of the ground floor, that also constitutes the floor of the upper part, is formed by two platforms (16, 17) that are assembled together and arranged on beams (18) coupled between the larger walls of the construction. The ends of the parts (16, 17) are fastened to the smaller walls of said construction by caps -1- that screw on to stubs projecting out from said ends of the parts (16, 17).
 
8. CHILD'S PLAYHOUSE, according to claims 1 to 7, characterized by the fact the top floor includes two opposite parts -19-, -20- in the form of a horseshoe that are laterally joined to two parts -21-, -22- forming the front and back walls of the top floor. They are fastened to said parts -19-, -20- in the form of a horseshoe by caps -1- that screw on to stubs projecting out from said parts. The upper front wall (21) has two windows (21a), whilst the upper back wall (22) has a rather large window (22a) formed by a part (23) fastened by its ends (24) to the parts (19, 20) in the shape of a horseshoe by caps (1) that screw on to stubs projecting out from said parts (19, 20).
 
9. CHILD'S PLAYHOUSE, according to claims 1 to 8, characterized by the fact the joining of the top floor on the ground floor is made by using caps (1) that screw on to stubs projecting out on the front and back walls of the ground floor, and caps (1) that screw on to fastening screws around the construction.
 
10. CHILD'S PLAYHOUSE, according to claims 1 to 9, characterized by the fact the inlets of the parts (19, 20) in the form of a horseshoe coincide with the upper recesses of the previous H-shaped parts (8) constituting the upper part of the side walls of the ground floor, in such a way that two side accesses (25, 26) to the upper floor are provided.
 
11. CHILD'S PLAYHOUSE, according to claims 1 to 10, characterized by the fact provision has been made for a staircase (27) that, on the upper part of both its sides, has stubs for fastening two handrails (28a, 28b) by caps (1). The staircase is subsequently fastened by said handrails (28a, 28b) to one of the sides of the construction by caps (1), thus facilitating access to an opening (25) in the top floor.
 
12. CHILD'S PLAYHOUSE, according to claims 1 to 11, characterized by the fact provision has been made for a platform (31) to be installed on the base of the window (12)of the back wall of the ground floor of the house by caps (1) fastened on to stubs projecting out from said window base. Part of said platform (31) extends outwards in the shape of a shelf whilst the other extends inside the house and represents a sink on which a part shaped like a tap is fastened under pressure.
 
13. CHILD'S PLAYHOUSE, according to claims 1 to 12, characterized by the fact a slide (32) has been included to which two handrails (33a, 33b) have been fastened on to the upper part of both side of the slide by stubs projecting out from said zones of the slide on which caps (1) are screwed. A support foot -34- is joined under the lower part of said slide from which a stub emerges and on which a cap (1) is screwed. The slide (32) is fastened by caps (1) and by its corresponding handrails (33a, 33b) on the other side of the construction, coinciding with the other access opening (26) to the top floor of the house.
 
14. CHILD'S PLAYHOUSE, according to claims 1 to 13, characterized by the fact a bell device (35) with its corresponding button and loudspeaker, the batteries of which can be recharged by unscrewing their housing, has been provided on the front wall of the ground floor of the house.
 




Drawing