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Revision as of 19:16, 25 November 2007
 | This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. |
K'NEX is a brand name of a toy construction system invented by Joel Glickman, designed and produced by K'NEX Industries, Inc. of Hatfield, Pennsylvania, USA. Currently Michael Araten is the president of the organization. The name is, presumably, based around a spelling variation of connects, but keeping the phonetic term. The toy consists of interconnecting plastic rods and connectors. It improved upon, and was inspired by, an earlier construction toy made of colored wooden dowels and connecting nodes called Tinkertoys.[citation needed] It is a construction toy in the same genre as LEGO and Meccano, although it uses rods, not bricks or metal strips. Until 2001, K'NEX did not make sets containing brand constructions (as LEGO had with Harry Potter, Star Wars, etc.), but often based its sets around popular fads (such as mech warriors and RC cars). In 2001, K'NEX broke from this trend and introduced a line of toys using the BattleTech/MechWarrior label. [1]
K'NEX connectors and rods are colour coded: K'NEX rods come in a range of lengths, each length being a distinct color. When the additional length of connections is taken into account, the ratio between successive lengths of rods is 1/√2. This makes the construction of right-angle isosceles triangles simple, and these triangles provide the structural strength in models. Most types of K'NEX rods are only very slightly flexible, but there are extra rigid and very flexible versions of some of the longer rods. K'NEX connectors connect rods at angles which are multiples of 45 degrees.
Connections
There are three primary ways in which a rod may be joined to a connector:
- Most commonly, the rod's head is inserted into a connector's slot.
- A rod may also be "snapped in" perpendicular to a connector. It is harder to insert and remove rods this way, but they are for the most part immobile. There are four grooves on rods which allow for rods to be attached in this method in four different directions. They can be slid in the slot, but the heads on the rods stop from further sliding.
- Most connectors have an eye through which a rod may be threaded. The rod will slide out unless a connection is made using one or both of the previously mentioned methods.
Special pieces, commonly called 3-D connectors, connect differently.
- They connect using the first and second ways mentioned.
- Their hole has been removed and instead, a special locking system is put in.
- This locking system allows two 3-D connectors to be directly attached and kept in place.
- The locking system is the basis for all 3-D creations
Rods
The rods come in many sizes. From smallest to largest:
- Dark Green
- By far the shortest, with no room to snap anything in
- Used only to connect two connectors end to end; It is too small to be used for anything else
- Alternate colors: black
- White
- Can form the hypotenuse of a right triangle with legs made up of green rods
- If nothing is attached to the end, three connectors can be snapped on. If there is a piece on either end, only two can snap on
- Alternate colors: silver, gold, black, teal, purple and blue (used for Lost Mines figures)
- Blue
- Can form the hypotenuse of a right triangle with legs made up of white rods
- Six connectors can be snapped on
- Alternate colors: metallic blue
- Yellow
- Can form the hypotenuse of a right triangle with legs made up of dark blue rods
- "Metallic version" is dark gray
- Alternate colors: gold (used for Lost Mines sets)
- Red
- Can form the hypotenuse of a right triangle with legs made up of yellow rods
- Alternate colors: metallic green, tan (a stronger version), golden yellow (the heads on this rod are longer because they are special to the Original K'NEX Roller Coaster)
- Gray
- Longest of the rods
- Can form a the hypotenuse of a right triangle with legs made up of red rods
- Alternate colors: Black (made of carbon; a stronger version), neon orange, Blue, and Light Gray. (as seen in the "Starburst Spinner" K'nex Building Set)
- Flexi-rods
- Come in 4 sizes
- A size comparable to a gray rod
- This rod comes in lime green, a dull yellow, a neon yellow, a dark purple and a light purple
- A size comparable to a yellow rod
- This rod comes in a bright and normal orange and a neon red
- A size comparable to a blue rod
- This rod comes in a sky blue color only
- A size comparable to a white rod
- This rod comes in a dark purple color only (same dark purple as the gray-sized flexi-rod)
Also note that rods can be combined with connectors to take the place of longer rods. For example:
- A connector with green rods on opposite ends is equal in length to a blue rod.
- A connector with white rods on opposite ends is equal in length to a yellow rod.
- A connector with blue rods on opposite ends is equal in length to a red rod.
- A connector with yellow rods on opposite ends is equal in length to a gray rod.
- Light Up Rods (used in the Light Ups 30 Model Building Set)
- Blue Light Up Rod
- Size almost comparable to the gray rod
- Used on the Light Module
- Yellow Light Up Rod
- Size almost comparable to the red rod
- Also used on the Light Module
List of Connectors
- Dark Gray (Alternate Color: Dark Purple)
- one slot for a rod and one hole
- Orange (Alternate color: dark brown)
- Two opposite slots for rods and one hole
- Light Gray-45 degrees (Alternate colors: light gray with blue speckles, neon orange)
- Two adjacent slots for rods and one hole
- Red-90 degrees (Alternate colors: dark gray with black speckles, neon red)
- Three adjacent slots for rods and one hole
- Green-135 degrees (Alternate colors: metallic grey-green, neon yellow, neon green)
- Four adjacent slots for rods and one hole
- Yellow-180 degrees (a.k.a. half-moon) (Alternate colors: light gray, gold)
- Five adjacent slots for rods and one hole
- Orange tabbed (No Alternate Colors)
- This connector is the same as the yellow connector except for the tab on the flat side
- The tab is used to connect tubing on the K'NEX Roller Coaster, Big Ball Factory, and Trampoline Tower
- White (Alternate color: black)
- Eight adjacent slots for rods and one hole
- 3-D Connectors
- Dark blue (Alternate color: metallic blue)
- Seven adjacent slots for rods and one slot to slide another 3D connector into
- Purple (Alternate color: metallic silver)
- Four adjacent slots for rods and one slot to slide another 3-D connector into
- Dark blue (Alternate color: metallic blue)
- Light Module (also used in the Light Ups 30 Model Building set and
talked in the Rods section)(No alternate color)
- Largest of all connectors
- Eight holes for the Light Up Rods
- Lights up the Light Up Rods
- One hole in the middle also for Light Up Rods and other rods
Other
- Gears
- These pieces slide over a rod's hole and may be stabilized by a tan lock.
- Four distinct sizes
- Yellow (alternate color: black)
- Red (Alternate colors: yellow, metallic gray)
- The yellow and metallic gray gears have larger teeth which allow for 90 degree angles to be made
- Blue (Alternate colors: Gold, dark gray)
- Black and light gray variations connect to the very tips of rod heads, but are used for stablization rather than gearing. Can also be used as wheels.
- White worm gear
- This gear only works with the electric motor which can be bought from K'NEX or found in numerous older sets
- Tan Locks
- These pieces have on slot a rod may be connected into, but no hole
- A protrusion is used to lock into gears, connectors, or wheels to prevent them from spinning on a rod.
- Hinge
- This is actually two pieces: A blue piece and a black (or green) piece
- Both pieces are similar to the gray connectors, but the hole and the area around it is half the width
- One slot on each for a total of two
- Can be interlocked to form a hinge which can produce angles from 45 to 315 degrees
- Motors
- Battery Pack (2 piece) -most common
- Comes in an older, square version, an old version with an extended cord, and a new version with rounded sides
- Pull-back motor
- Uses rubber bands inside to power vehicles or rotating pieces without batteries
- Remote control
- Most commonly seen in Cyber K'NEX, but also found in an old robot set
- Utilizes a remote to control multiple motors for complex movements
- Electric Motors
- These motors use an adapter to plug into the wall
- Quieter and more torque than a battery pack
- Battery pack (1 piece)
- This is K'NEX's newest motor
- These motors are high in torque and can be found in new sets like Storm Mountain, Shark Run, and Loopin' Lizard
- Solar Motor
- Only one set ever contained this motor
- Utilizes sunlight and is sent to a unique motor which drives lightweight vehicles
- Roller coaster pieces
- Special track pieces called track-ties are used for the construction of the newer roller coasters.
- These pieces have two extended slots, one recessed slot, a hole, one 1/4" tab and two 1/2" tabs.
- These pieces are normally placed on two flexi rods via the extended slots, and two rails of tubing are added on the 1/2" tabs. Occasionally, a rail of tubing may be added to the 1/4" slot or a flexi may be added to the recessed slot to increase track stablity.
- Tubing is a long, flexible piece of plastic.
- It currently comes in purple, red, light red, blue, and yellow colors
- Boosters
- Only found in Rippin' Rocket Roller Coaster
- Propels the car forward via two black, rotating fins
- A variant can be found on the Pirate Ship Park which only has one rotating fin
- Trains
- The train from the Screamin' Serpent had a front car, a middle car, and a back car (All were orange)
- If one buys more middle cars, they may be added to create a longer train.
- Rippin' Rocket cars were lightweight and designed for boosters
- Could not be joined to make a train
- Storm Mountain car was the same as the Screamin' Serpent front car, but it was blue
- Shark run car was made to look like a surfer riding a wave
- Could not be joined to make a train
- Pulleys, Tires, and Wheels
- Pulleys come in a large and small size
- Tires come in three standard sizes, as well as multiple other sizes for special wheels
- Wider wheels have been produced for racier-looking cars, but are not common in today's sets.
The company also offers a variant brand, Kid K'NEX, which is made of a softer injection-molded plastic and is twice the scale of the original K'NEX. It is intended for children ages 3 to 5. Kid K'NEX is incompatible with K'NEX. (Because of the small parts, both K'NEX and Kid K'NEX are not recommended for children under age 3).
Two newer variants are Micro K'Nex, which are (as the name implies) smaller than standard K'Nex, and K'Nex Bricks, which provide building blocks similar to Lego brand blocks[2]. Unlike Kid K'Nex, both Micro K'Nex and K'Nex Bricks have adapter pieces to let them interconnect to standard K'Nex pieces. Micro K'Nex are in different colors from standard K'Nex, generally much more subdued than the bright primary colors used for standard K'Nex.
K'NEX Industries also manufactures and distributes Lincoln Logs under license from Hasbro, Inc.
The largest K'NEX set available is the 6 Foot Ferris Wheel at approximately 8,550 parts. This broke the previous record, held by the Big Ball Factory (3165 parts)
The current record holder for tallest K'Nex roller coaster is Particle Accelerator at a height of 40'2" .[3] A previous record holder, Colossus, was 28 feet tall and modeled after Kingda Ka. [4] [5]
KEYWORDS for extra info:
Products
K'NEX offers an abundance of products that range from roller coasters to cars that can be found on the web and in a variety of stores. K'NEX products usually fall under one of the following categories: Thrill Rides, Storage, Vehicles, Kid K'NEX, and K'NEX Education.
Thrill Rides
The K'NEX Thrill Rides building sets create awesome large-scale models like Roller Coasters, Ferris Wheels, Ball Blasters, and more. Builders can bring them to life with the included motors and other features such as lights and sounds. Most advanced builders have fun making these creations, but they offer a good challenge for anyone up to it. The following are the newest Thrill Ride Amusements:
- The K'NEX Swing Ride is the ultimate thrill ride for building and playing fun. It includes 853 genuine K'NEX rods and connectors, and also includes 16 swings and a battery-powered motor that allows the ride to spin.
- A roller coaster thrill to build with over 1,100 original and micro K'NEX parts. The coaster cars travel up five feet on the motorized chain lift, and then go spiraling down more than 38 feet of winding track!
- An exciting, high powered ride that stands over 3 feet tall with 850+ K'NEX pieces creating two star shaped wheels that spin in opposite directions as a result of the motor included.
- A perfect mix of thrill ride fun and building challenge, this coaster includes 675 pieces and a motor that creates a coaster standing 3 feet tall with 19 feet of track!
- One building set that can create three different models all with an exciting dual-motor action that allows the builds to rotate in two different spinning motions. The Starburst Spinner, Cosmic Flier, and Moon Orbiter are among the builds to choose from with this set, all complete with motors and sound modules.
- A mix between a roller coaster and ferris wheel, this build stands over four feet tall with 584 pieces. The build intertwines the spinning motion of a ferris wheel with the racing cars of a roller coaster.
- The Hometown Carnival builds a Ferris Wheel, Spin Ride, and Merry-Go-Round all at the same time for plenty of building and playing fun with one motor working all three rides.
- Sixteen horses rotate around and move up and down on this K'NEX Carousel with the help of a motor and set of gears. Real carousel music makes the building experience complete.
- An authentic Ferris Wheel design that builders can create from the ground up and complete it with a motor to set the ride in motion. In addition to the Ferris Wheel, a Swing Ride and Boom Ride can also be made with this set.
- The Giant K'NEX Ferris Wheel is for those advanced K'NEX builders out there. Standing six feet tall, this Ferris Wheel consists of over 8,550 parts and is the largest set ever to be offered from K'NEX.
Storage
K'NEX Storage consists of tubs and case sets loaded with great ideas and K'NEX parts. Each set has its own theme and style so builders can find the one that is perfect for them. Genuine K'NEX parts are included in every set, but the specific number of parts and types is dependent on the models that the set builds. There are sets for various size and building difficulty. The Storage component is broken into two types - K'NEX Tubs and K'NEX Cases - which reflects the type of container in which the set is packaged in.
- TUBS
-
- A tub with 525 pieces and a spring model that are used to build the 30 models shown in the instruction book, and can also be used to build the 30 other ideas which are provided in an additional bonus idea book. A set that appeals to builders of all ages and abilities.
- With 150 more pieces than before, this tub lends itself to endless building possibilities including ferris wheels, cars, and boats that can be made mobile with a spring motor and wheels.
- With 20 building ideas to choose from this tub is capable of making planes, cars, animals, and more. Builders can also use their own imaginations to create a structure and then store the pieces away easy clean up.
- Complete with 30 pages of step-by-step instructions and an additional 30 bonus idea this set is perfect for all abilities and ages. Models vary from windsails, race-cars, planes, and helicopters.
- Spring motors, idea and instruction books, and 325 K'NEX pieces give kids endless inspiration to build models that range from cars to animals to their own creations.
- K'NEX is commemorating their 15th anniversary with a tub that includes all parts of the K'NEX building system. Complete with micro K'NEX, new K'NEX bricks, and the original K'NEX pieces this tub offers an abundance of materials for builders to create with along with the ideas and instructions for 20 builds already supplied.
- CASES
-
- This case set has ideas for all vehicle types that range from cars to dragsters to trucks. With original K'NEX parts, micro K'NEX parts, and new K'NEX brick this set is good for any builder's skill level.
- Similar to the Speed Machines set this case set is full of genuine K'NEX parts, micro K'NEX parts, and the new K'NEX bricks that can be used to build a variety of the 10 model ideas supplied by this set.
- A set with varying difficulty levels from simple to more difficult any builder has the chance to create their own theme park with the 10 model ideas from this set and the genuine K'NEX parts, micro K'NEX parts, and the new K'NEX bricks that are all included.
- A set for those adventurous types out there gives builders the change to create any type of wild animal or safari vehicle as well as providing step-by-step instructions for 10 models.
- With a theme of flying this case is full of parts to build 10 models revolving around this idea. Anything from airplanes to balloons can be built with the 112 pieces included in this set.
- A perfect set for new builders who are into all types of fast vehicles and racing. They can choose from 10 models in the step-by-step instructions.
- A case set that consists of 252 K'NEX pieces and ideas for 20 builds revolves around the idea of building models that one could find in the air or on the land. Models include dragsters, airplanes, and bugs.
- This case set is all about making the models move, but not with a motor. New gear parts are included in this set that allow builders to create any of the 30 model ideas with the 210 pieces included.
- The light up K'NEX offer a whole new dimension to building. Once the build is complete kids can light up their creation with specially designed rods and light up parts. There is 304 K'NEX pieces to choose from as well as 30 model ideas with step-by-step instructions.
- A case set unlike any others, where the models in this set where chosen by builders themselves. Everything from vehicles, rides, and games can be created with this set that consists of 330 pieces and 30 models from a variety of themes.
- A 50 model building set that has 466 K'NEX pieces that can be used to create some of the world's most famous structures ranging from the Taj Mahal to the Chrysler Building. A set that is designed more for intermediate to advanced buildings and will offer hours and hours of creative fun.
External links
