Did LEGO once make taller studs?

[splatman]

I have always wondered, why stud notches (aka missing notches of plastic) are always deeper than studs are tall?

To see what I mean, take any piece that has stud notches, a common example is the 2x2 round brick, and click it onto another brick, and you will see, there are gaps at the tops of the notches.

Was it because LEGO once made bricks with taller studs, and are always making the notches as deep as they are to maintain backwards compatibility?

Gary "LEGO Historian" Istok, where are you?

[BrickCurve]

I think the notches are deeper because the studs on the top are hollow, though I at be wrong. As far as I know, Lego has never made taller studs.

[JGW3000]

You have found the secret of LEGO. The extra length of the anti-stud tubes allows for a slight amount of flexibility, giving the connection it's Clutch Power.

[mpfirnhaber]

Bigger gap = less plastic = cheaper to produce = more profit.

But yes, there are bricks out there with taller studs :)

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7398/16469204096_87b22a90d9_h.jpg

Edited July 8, 2016 by WhiteFang
Image is oversized, please resize it. Removed deeplink

[SevenStuds]

Correct, it has to do with having less material and more flexibility to hold the parts together. Also, there has to be sufficient tolerance for things like dust/dirt and deformation due to kids biting on the parts.