Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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An electric cable
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The invention concerns an electric cable for playing
purposes comprising a plurality of mutually insulated
electric conductors, where the cross section of the cable
is substantially rectangular.
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The cable is mainly intended for use in connection with
a building set with connectible elements which have at
least coupling studs arranged with a predetermined modular
distance.
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10 It is known to provide connectible elements with various
forms of contact areas so that a distributed voltage
supply is established when the elements are interconnec-
ted. The elements, which comprise energy consuming means,
e.g. a light or sound source, may thus be coupled with ~;
15 the other elements at an arbitrary location, thus estab-
lishing, simultaneously with the mechanical coupling,
an electric connection between the energy consuming means
and the voltage supply via the interconnected elements.
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Such~ ~ are known e.g. from the US Patent Specifi-
20 catio ~ 52 ~ where a plurality of coupling studs
arranged in a row has uniformly constructed areas which
~b~ are electrically insulating and electrically conducting -~
33J~ respectively. These-electrically conducting areas are
3 3/D~ connected to at least one contact means which is parallel
25 with the row and adapted to establish electric co~nection
to the electrically conducting areas on coupling studs ~`
of an adjacent element coupled to the element.
These known elements are relatively expensive to manu-
facture, and their usefulness is limited when electric `
30 signals are to be transmitted over long distances in -
a structure built from a plurality of different elements.
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The object of the invention is therefore to provide an
~: electric cable which ensures convenient transmission -
of electric signals over long distances, vertically as ~ .
well as horizontally, and is useful in being adapted
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-~0/09824 PCT/DK90/00049
to cooperate mechanically as well as electrically with
elements which have at least coupling studs arranged
with a predetermined modular distance.
This object is achieved in that the cable, whose cross
S section is substantially rectangular, comprises a plu-
rality of mutually insulated electric conductors where
the insulation of the cable is formed with a plurality
of cuts which preferably extend transversely to a first
pair o~ opposed side faces, at least one of the conductors
being exposed in a plurality of such cuts which have ~;
a mutual location in accordance with a modular measure,
at least some of the cuts of the cable being adapted
to fully or partly surround coupling studs, which are
arranged with a pred~termined modular distance.
lS The cuts may be incisions in the second pair of opposed
side faces, holes disposed inside the second pair of
opposed side faces or a combination of these. The cuts
may moreover have different geometric shapes depending
upon their intended use, as will be described later~
Of course, the cable may comprise a plurality of con-
ductors which are not exposed in said cuts, so that these ~;
; can only be contacted at the ends of the cable.
The conductors of the cable may be contacted in the cuts -~
where they are respectively exposed, and this contacting
may take place in different ways, e.g. in that an exposed
conductor is caused to contact a conducting area on a
coupling stud, or in that a conducting coupling leg on
a special coupling element is caused to contact an ex-
posed connector.
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The invention will be explained more fully below with
reference to the drawing, in which
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WO')0/09S24 PCT~DK90/00~49
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Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 2 sho~s how the cable in fig. 1 can cooperate with
a building element.
Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of the invention.
S Fig. 4 shows an example of the use of the cable in fig.
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Fig. 5 shows a building element intended for cooperation
with the cable in fig. 3~
Fig. 6 shows a third embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 7 shows a fourth embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 8 shows a fifth embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 9 shows a sixth embodiment of the invention.
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Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a cable according
to the invention. The cable contains two electric con-
ductors 5 and 6 and is formed with cuts 3 and 4 in two
^ opposed sides. At least some of these cuts are arrangedin accordance with a modular measure - in this case all.
Depending upon the location of the electric conductors `~
S and 6 and the geometry and size of the cuts 3 and 4,
the conductors 5 and 6 will be exposed in the bottom
of the respective cuts. In this case the conductor 5
is exposed in all cuts 3, while the conductor 6 is ex-
posed in all cuts 4. Since all cuts are disposed in ac-
cordance with a modular measure, and since the geometry
of the cuts is adapted to the geometry of the coupling
studs on a connectible element, this cable 2 is very
useful for mechanical and electrical cooperation with
such an element.
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Y~90/098~ PCT/DK90~00049
Fig. 2 shows how the cable in fig. 1 can cooperate with
a building element 7, e.g. an element as described in
the previously mentioned US Patent Specification 4 552
541. Together with the coupling studs 8, 9, the cuts
3 and 4 serve to mechanically connect the cable 2 and
the element 7. If the element is constructed as described
in the US Patent Specification 4 552 541 and comprises
two mutually insulated electric contact means, the elec-
tric conductor 6 will be in electric connection with
one contact means of the element e.g. via a coupling
stud 8, while the electric conductor 5 will be in elec-
tric connection with the second contact means of the ;~
element via a coupling stud 9. The mechanical coupling
force between the cable 2 and the element 7 is provided
e.g. by elasticity in the cable, which causes friction
against the coupling studs touching the cable. This elas- -
ticity is moreover instrumental in making the electric '~ `
connection between the cable and the element stable and ~ -
reliable. ~
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Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of a cable 10 according
to the invention. The cable 10 i9 formed with cuts 3
and 4 like the cable 2 in fig. 1, the electric conductors -
5 and 6 being exposed in respective cuts 3 and 4. The
cable 10 is additionally provided with cuts 11 and 12,
where the conductor 5 is exposed in the cuts 11, and
the conductor 6 is exposed in the cuts 12. The position
and the shape of the cuts 11 and 12 are adapted so that
it is possible, by means of elements having special elec- ;
tric coupling legs, to contact the conductors 5 and 6
by allowing the coupling legs to penetrate the cable.
which will be described below.
Fig. 4 shows the use of a cable as shown in fig. 3. It
being assumed that the element 7 is connected to a vol- ;~
tage supply ~not shown), the cable 10 contacts the con-
ductors 5 and 6 via a coupling stud 8 and 9, respectively
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WO~OtO9824 PCTtDK90tOOW9
so that a voltage difference will exist between the con- -
ductors, substantially corresponding to the voltage dif-
ference on the output terminals of the voltage supply.
The cable 10 is mechanically coupled with an element
15 by means of the cuts 3 and 4 and coupling studs 16
of the element. This element contains e.g. no electrically
conducting areas, so the coupling has no influence on
the electric circuit. An element 17 is placed on top
of the element 15. This elelnent 17 comprises coupling
legs for electric contacting of the conductors 5 and
6 and energy consuming means, here a light source 8 (will
be described more fully below). The coupling legs pene-
trate the cable in the cuts 11 and 12 and thus establish
electric connection between the cable 10 and the element
17. It will be appreciated that another embodiment of
the cable 10 is conceivable where the conductors 5 and
6 are not exposed in all cuts 3 and 4, but e.g. only
in the cuts 3 and 4 which are disposed at the ends of
the cable. This reduces the risc of unintentional short
circuiting of the conduc~ors 5 and 6. ~
Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the element 17. The element ~ -
comprises e.g. two electrically conducting coupling legs
19 and 20. These coupling legs may be pointed for better
penetration of the cable 10 in the cuts 11 and 12. The
sides of the element are moreover provided with cuts
21 whose cross section corresponds to the maximum cross
section of the cable. The cable 10 will thus be received
by the cuts 21 when the coupling legs penetrate the cuts
11 and 12 of the cable. The element 17 is moreover adapted
to cooperate mechanically with coupling studs on other
elements. It will be appreciated that such an element
17 may be constructed in many other ways and still be
able to contact a cable as described in connection with
eig. 3. It is moreover possible to couple the element
17 to the cable 10 without using an additional element
15, but this coupling will not have the same mechanical
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W~0/09824 PCT/DK90/00049
and electrical reliability.
. ~ 5~ a ~ , em~Dàm~n~ D5 a ~ah2e accv~ng
to the invention. The cuts 35, 38 and 41 are so shaped ~ -
and positioned that they serve to mechanically connect
S the cable with a building eleme~,t having coupling studs.
The cuts may moreover expose the conductors so that the
conductor 31 is exposed in cuts 35, the conductors 32
and 33 are exposed in cuts 3a, and the conductor 34 is
exposed in cuts 41. The cable may moreover be provided
with cuts 36, 37, 39 and 40, in which the conductors
31, 32, 33 and 34, respectively, are exposed. With respect
to shape and position, these cuts are adapted for contact-
ing as described in connection with figs. 3, 4 and 5.
The cable may additionally be provided with electric
conductors which are not exposed, so that these can only
be contacted at the ends of the cable.
Fig. 7 shows a fourth embodiment of a cable 50 according
to the invention. The cable 50 comprises two electric -
conductors 51 and 52 which are exposed in a plurality
of cuts 53 and 54, respectively. In addition, th2 cable
50 comprises a conductor 55 which is not exposed and
can therefore only be contacted at the ends of the cable.
The electric conductors 51 and 52 may e.g. be used for
distribution of voltage, while the electric conductor
55 is used for transmitting a control signal to a speci-
fied position in a toy structure~
Fig. 8 shows a fifth embodiment of a cable 60 a~cording
to the inventionO The cable 60 comprises two electric
conductors 61 and 62 which are exposed in a plurality
of cuts 63 and 64. In this embodiment the electric con-
ductors are implemented in the form of e.g. sheet strips
or strips of conducting paste. If the cable 60 is provided
with additional cuts, like the cable 10 in fig. 3, the ;
use of sheet or paste will be particularly advantageous i~
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W~0/098~ PCT/DK90/OQ~9
since penetrating coupling legs will bend the sheet so
that this is pressed against the walls of the cut, which
gives a good electric contact.
Fig. 9 shows a sixth embodiment of a cable 70 according
to the invention. The cable 70 comprises two electric
conductors 71 and 72. Like the conductors 61 and 62 in
fig. 8, the cond~ctors 71 and 72 are implemented in the
form of sheet strips or a layer of conducting paste,
but the conductors 71 and 72 are disposed on the surface
of the cable. This makes the cable very inexpensive to
manufacture and enables contacting of a conductor by
means of e.g. a collector shoe. The conductors 71 and ~`
72 are disposed on their respective sides of the cable
70, and their geometry is so adapted that the conductor
71 is exposed in a plurality of cuts 73 at one side of
the cable 70, while the conductor 72 is exposed in a
plurality of cuts 74 at the other side of the cable 70.
As appears from the foregoing description, the invention
may be utilized in a very large number of different em-
bodiments. If the conductors are twisted inside the cable,e.g. an embodiment comprising alternate exposure of two
conductors in a row of cuts is conceivable~ As described,
the width of the cable may be varied within wide limits,
it being preferred that the height of the cable is smaller
than or equal to the height o~ the coupling studs of
the buildlng ele=ents.
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