Squeeze connectors for foam construction noodles
Squeezable connector for connecting two playset components together includes a body having at least two arrowhead tips. Each arrowhead tip has an expanded form in which it is retainable in connection with a respective playset component and a narrowed form in which it is insertable into and removable from the respective playset components through a portal therein. Each arrowhead tip is squeezable from the expanded form to the narrowed form, and when the manually squeezing or compressive force is released, it returns to its original, uncompressed state.
1 . A connector that enables two playset components to be connected together, comprising:
a body having first and second arrowhead tips and first and second elongate, opposed side walls,
said first and second elongate side walls being spaced apart from one another,
said first elongate side wall having a first end connected to said first arrowhead tip and a second end opposite the first end connected to said second arrowhead tip,
said second elongate side wall having a first end connected to said first arrowhead tip and a second end opposite the first end of said second elongate side wall connected to said second arrowhead tip,
each of said first and second arrowhead tips having an expanded form in which each of said first and second arrowhead tips is retainable in connection with a respective one of the playset components and a narrowed form in which each of said first and second arrowhead tips is insertable into and removable from the respective one of the playset components through a portal therein,
each of said first and second arrowhead tips being squeezable from the expanded form to the narrowed form by pressing said first and second elongate side walls toward one another, whereby each of said first and second arrowhead tips returns to the expanded form from the narrowed form upon release on the pressing of said first and second elongate side walls toward one another, and
wherein said body has only said first and second arrowhead tips, one at each of two opposite ends of said body and said first and second arrowhead tips are oriented in opposite directions, and
wherein said body further comprises a first rib extending outward from said first elongate side wall in a direction perpendicular to said first elongate side wall, a second rib extending outward from said second elongate side wall in a direction perpendicular to said second elongate side wall, and a respective pad at an outward end of each of said first and second ribs, whereby pressing said respective pads inward causes said first and second elongate side walls to be pressed toward one another and said first and second arrowhead tips to be squeezed from the expanded form to the narrowed form.
2 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein said body has a unitary construction in that it is made of one piece of material.
3 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein said first arrowhead tip comprises a tip edge and a pair of angled parts separated from one another to define a void therebetween, said angled parts extending in opposite directions from said tip edge, and said second arrowhead tip comprises a tip edge and a pair of angled parts separated from one another to define a void therebetween, said angled parts of said second arrowhead tip extending in opposite directions from said tip edge of said second arrowhead tip.
4 . The connector of claim 3 , wherein said first arrowhead tip has undercut surfaces on an opposite side of said angled parts of said first arrowhead tip from said tip edge of said first arrowhead tip, said second arrowhead tip has undercut surfaces on an opposite side of said angled parts of said second arrowhead tip from said tip edge of said second arrowhead tip, and said first and second elongate side walls providing said body with a portion having a reduced dimension relative to a side of said first and second arrowhead tips opposite said tip edge of said first and second arrowhead tips respectively to thereby define the undercut surfaces, said portion being compressible to thereby cause movement of said first and second arrowhead tips into their narrowed form.
5 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein said first rib is centrally located, and said second rib is centrally located.
6 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein said first arrowhead tip includes a first compressible triangular region, said second arrowhead tip includes a second compressible triangular region, and said body defines a rectangular region between said first and second elongate side walls that connects said first and second triangular regions, said body further including undercut surfaces between said first triangular region and said rectangular region and between said second triangular region and said rectangular region, said first and second triangular regions being compressed or squeezed to reduce their size.
7 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein said body has a uniform thickness.
8 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein said body further comprises at least one reinforcement rib extending axially along an outer surface of each of said first and second elongate side walls, an axial direction being a direction between said first and second arrowhead tips.
9 . The connector of claim 5 , wherein said first centrally located rib extends outward from a broad surface of said first elongate side wall and said second centrally located rib extends outward from a broad surface of said second elongate side wall in a direction.
10 . A connector that enables two playset components to be connected together, comprising:
a body having first and second arrowhead tips and first and second elongate, opposed side walls,
said first and second elongate side walls being spaced apart from one another,
said first elongate side wall having a first end connected to said first arrowhead tip and a second end opposite the first end connected to said second arrowhead tip,
said second elongate side wall having a first end connected to said first arrowhead tip and a second end opposite the first end of said second elongate side wall connected to said second arrowhead tip,
each of said first and second arrowhead tips having an expanded form in which each of said first and second arrowhead tips is retainable in connection with a respective one of the playset components and a narrowed form in which each of said first and second arrowhead tips is insertable into and removable from the respective one of the playset components through a portal therein,
each of said first and second arrowhead tips being squeezable from the expanded form to the narrowed form by pressing said first and second elongate side walls toward one another, whereby each of said first and second arrowhead tips returns to the expanded form from the narrowed form upon release on the pressing of said first and second elongate side walls toward one another, and
wherein said body further comprises a first elongate pad extending alongside said first elongate side wall and a second elongate pad extending alongside said second elongate side wall, said first and second elongate pads being opposite one another,
whereby pressing said first and second elongate pads inward causes said first and second elongate side walls to be pressed toward one another and said first and second arrowhead tips to be squeezed from the expanded form to the narrowed form.
11 . The connector of claim 10 , wherein said first arrowhead tip comprises a tip edge and a pair of angled parts separated from one another to define a void therebetween, said angled parts extending in opposite directions from said tip edge, and said second arrowhead tip comprises a tip edge and a pair of angled parts separated from one another to define a void therebetween, said angled parts of said second arrowhead tip extending in opposite directions from said tip edge of said second arrowhead tip.
12 . The connector of claim 10 , wherein said first arrowhead tip includes a first compressible triangular region, said second arrowhead tip includes a second compressible triangular region, and said body defines a rectangular region between said first and second elongate side walls that connects said first and second triangular regions, said body further including undercut surfaces between said first triangular region and said rectangular region and between said second triangular region and said rectangular region, said first and second triangular regions being compressed or squeezed to reduce their size.
13 . A connector that enables two playset components to be connected together, comprising:
a body having a first arrowhead tip and a pair of opposed first and second elongate side walls each connected at one end to said first arrowhead tip,
said body having a second arrowhead tip and a pair of opposed third and fourth elongate side walls each connected at one end to said second arrowhead tip,
each of said first and second arrowhead tips having an expanded form in which each of said first and second arrowhead tips is retainable in connection with a respective one of the playset components and a narrowed form in which each of said first and second arrowhead tips is insertable into and removable from the respective one of the playset components through a portal therein,
wherein said first and second arrowhead tips are laterally spaced apart from one another and oriented in a common direction, and
wherein said body further comprises a flat intermediate body portion connected at one edge to said first elongate side wall and at an opposite edge to said third elongate side wall to laterally space said first and second arrowhead tips apart from one another.
14 . The connector of claim 13 , wherein said first arrowhead tip comprises a tip portion including a tip edge and a pair of angled parts separated from one another to define a void therebetween, said angled parts extending in opposite directions from said tip edge, and said second arrowhead tip comprises a tip portion including a tip edge and a pair of angled parts separated from one another to define a void therebetween, said angled parts of said second arrowhead tip extending in opposite directions from said tip edge of said second arrowhead tip.
15 . The connector of claim 14 , wherein said first and second elongate side walls are connected to said tip portion of said first arrowhead tip and define a space continuous with said void of said tip portion of said first arrowhead tip and said third and fourth elongate side walls are connected to said tip portion of said second arrowhead tip and define a space continuous with said void of said tip portion of said second arrowhead.
16 . The connector of claim 15 , wherein said first and second elongate side walls extend from undercut surfaces defined between said tip portion of said first arrowhead tip and said first and second elongate side walls, and said third and fourth elongate side walls extend from undercut surfaces defined between said tip portion of said second arrowhead tip and said third and fourth elongate side walls.
17 . The connector of claim 15 , wherein said body further comprises reinforcement ribs on outer surfaces of said first, second, third and fourth elongate side walls and extending in a direction alongside said first, second, third and fourth elongate side walls and between edges of said first, second, third and fourth side walls.
18 . The connector of claim 13 , wherein said intermediate body portion includes a hinge extending in a direction transverse to a line between said first and second arrowhead tips to enable said first and second arrowhead tips to pivot relative to one another.
19 . The connector of claim 13 , wherein said intermediate body portion is rigid.
20 . The connector of claim 13 , wherein said intermediate body portion and said first and third elongate side walls form an H-shape.