Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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A toy building set with a vibrator and a vibration sensor
The invention relates to a building set with building elements that have
coupling means for interconnection of building elements.
Such building sets are known eg in the form of toy building sets for children
and the following patent publications are examples of such: US 3 005 282,
US 5 984 756 and P 490 033 showing toy building elements with various
coupling means for interconnection of building elements, and toy building
sets with other coupling means are known. These and other prior art building
sets are used primarily as toys for children, but also for the construction of
models of buildings and machinery.
The toy building set as described in the above patent publications area also
available with movable elements, such as motors and wheels, and with other
functional elements of which some are able to generate audible sound. In
neither of these publications the vibrations are used to advantage for
mechanical purposes.
It is an object of the invention to provide a building set for use as toy and
for
teaching purposes, and whereby it is possible to build models with novel
functions that are useful - both when used for toys and when used for the
construction of models for teaching purposes, where it is possible to build
illustrative models for demonstrating the influence of vibrations on static
and
dynamic structures.
This object is accomplished with a building set according to the invention
comprising a vibrator building element with a device for generating vibrations
and having coupling means for interconnection with the remaining building
elements of the building set.
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By such building set it is possible to build structures and models, wherein
the
vibrator building element can be arranged in various places in the structure.
Depending on the size of the structure, its rigidity, etc, and the nature of
the
vibrations, such as intensity and frequency, the vibrations will influence the
structure in different ways. In case of relatively powertul vibrations, the
structure will be caused to move across its support, and different positions
of
the vibrator building element on the structure will result in different
movement
patterns and, likewise, constructions of different sizes and rigidities will
react
differently to vibrations. Moreover, when one touches the structure with one's
hand or finger, one will experience a sensory impression of the intensity of
the vibrations.
By a building set that also comprises a sensor building element with a
vibration sensor configured for emitting signals representing vibrations and
with coupling means for interconnection with the remaining building elements
of the building set, it is possible to obtain signals for objective
measurements
and registrations of vibrations in structures built with the building set for
illustrating the propagation of vibrations through solid structures. Thus, the
building set can be used both as toy and for teaching purposes. The sensor
building element may be configured for emitting signals that represent
vibration rate or vibration acceleration.
The configuration of the vibrator building element for generating vibrations
may conveniently comprise a motor with a rotatable shaft and an eccentric
mass on the shaft that will generate two-dimensional vibrations, or a
magnetisable mass and an electric solenoid for magnetic cooperation with
the magnetisable mass that will generate one-dimensional vibrations.
Preferably the motor is an electromotor, but it is also an option to use a
purely mechanical motor that is driven by a spring that can be wound or by a
flywheel that the user may cause to rotate.
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The building set may also comprise a building element with two mutually
movable parts that each has coupling means for interconnection with the
remaining building elements of the building set, and which are mutually
connected by means of a flexible element. Such element can be arranged as
a vibration deadening or absorbing element in the structure, and the user
may experiment with the effects it has.
Brief description of the drawing
Figure 1 shows a known toy building element, seen in a perspective view
from above and below, respectively;
Figure 2 shows a further known toy building element, seen in a perspective
view from above and below, respectively;
Figure 3 shows building elements in a prior art toy building system;
Figures 4A and 4B show a vibrator building element according to the
invention;
Figure 5 shows a flexible building element for use in a building set according
to the invention;
Figures 6A and 6B show an alternative vibrator building element according to
the invention;
Figure 7 shows a third vibrator building element according to the invention;
Figure 8 is a schematic view of a structure built by means of a building set
according to the invention;
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Figure 9 is a schematic view of an alternative structure built by means of a
building set according to the invention;
Figure 10 shows a principle of how to use vibrations to advantage to create a
net linear movement;
Figure 11 shows a variety of the principle shown in Figure 10; and
Figure 12 shows a principle for using vibrations to advantage to create a net
rotating movement.
Detailed description of the invention
Figure 1 shows an example of the type of building elements that are known
from US 3 005 282. The building element has vertical sidewalls and a top
wall with coupling means in the form of cylindrical protrusions or studs. The
element has a downwardly open cavity, and centrally in the cavity there is a
coupling means in the form of a tubular element that is in permanent
connection with the top wall. Such building elements are available in many
sizes and with varying numbers of coupling studs. When they are to be
interconnected, the building elements shown in Figure 1 can be built on top
of each other, whereby coupling studs on an element are received in the
cavity of another element.
Figure 2 shows examples of other prior art building elements that share
essential characteristics with the building elements shown in Figure 1.
Moreover, on their coupling means, the building elements shown in Figure 2
have electric contact faces of a conductive material.
On their top faces the coupling means thus have contact faces of metal on a
part of their cylindrical faces; and two of the four walls that define the
cavity
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of the element have corresponding contact faces of metal in those places
that will, upon interconnection with other elements, be in contact with the
contact faces on their coupling studs. Such interconnected elements are able
to transmit electric power and electric signals.
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Figure 3 shows a third type of known building elements that use the same
coupling principle as the building elements shown in Figures 1 and 2.
Moreover, the through-going cylindrical openings are able to receive bushing
joints by which two building elements can be joined next to each other. At its
ends, the elongate building element has coupling means that are known from
the above-referenced US 5 984 756.
The prior art building elements are mere examples of building sets for which
the invention lends itself for use. In the following the invention will be
described and exemplified by use of the prior art building elements shown in
Figures 1 and 2.
Figures 4A and 4B show a building element 10 with coupling means of the
same type as in Figures 1 and 2, wherein cylindrical coupling studs 11 on the
top face are shown. The building element 10 contains an electromotor 12
carrying on its rotatable shaft 13 and eccentric mass 14. The electromotor 12
and the eccentric mass 14 is entirely contained in the building element 10,
and the motor 12 is provided with electric power, eg through an electric wire
or through electric contact faces, like in the building element shown in
Figure
2.
Figures 6A and 6b show a building element 15, wherein the electromotor 12
is built integrally with the building element 15, whereby the shaft 13 of the
motor extends beyond the building element 15. In a manner similar to that of
Figures 4A and 4B, the shaft 13 carries the eccentric mass 14, with the sole
difference that the eccentric mass 14 is outside the building element 15.
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When the motor in Figures 4A, 4B, 6A and 6B rotates, the eccentric mass 14
with its imbalance will bring about the generation of correspondingly rotating
forces that will result in vibrations.
Figure 7 shows a building element 16 that contains a vibrator with an electric
solenoid 17 and a magnetisable mass 18 that is mounted flexibly in the
building element 16. When alternating current of a suitable frequency and
amplitude is supplied to the solenoid, the solenoid will in a known manner
cooperate magnetically with the magnetisable mass 18, and thereby
oscillating forces corresponding to the alternating current will be
transmitted
to the building element 16 will then be caused to vibrate correspondingly. In
principle, these vibrations are one-dimensional, linear vibrations.
Figure 5 shows a building element 20 with two mutually movable parts 20A
and 20B that each has coupling means for interconnection with the remaining
building elements of the building set, and that are mutually connected by
means of a flexible element, herein two springs 21. Such building element is
known from EP 560 843.
Figure 8 schematically exemplifies a structure built by means of a building
set
according to the invention. In this structure, a number of prior art building
elements as shown in Figure 1 partake. On top of these prior art building
elements there is a vibrator building element 10 like in Figures 4A and 4B.
The motor 1 in the vibrator building element is provided with electric power
from a power supply 22, either through a separate wire or by means of
building elements like in Figure 2.
Figure 8 also shows a sensor building element 23 that features a vibration
sensor configured for emitting electric signals representing vibrations; and
coupling means for interconnection with the remaining building elements of
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the building set. The vibration sensor can be configured in accordance with
the same principle as the vibrator building element shown in Figure 7; and
when the sensor building element is caused to vibrate, the magnetisable
mass will move in relation to the solenoid, whereby an electric signal is
generated in the solenoid, which signal is proportionate to the rate of the
vibrations. Alternatively the vibration sensor may be an accelerometer that
emits a signal which is proportionate to the acceleration of the vibrations.
The electric signals from the sensor building element 23 are conveyed to an
analyser or a measurement instrument 24 configured for indicating or
measuring the amplitude of the vibration signals or optionally analysing these
signals.
In the shown configuration, vibrations from the vibrator building element 10
will be transmitted through the structure to the sensor building element 23,
and the measurement instrument 24 will indicate the amplitude of the
transmitted vibrations.
Figure 9 shows the same structure as figure 8, wherein, however, the vibrator
building element 15 is used and has been turned 90 degrees in relation to
Figure 8, and moreover the building element 20 shown in Figure 5 is
arranged between the vibrator building element 15 and the remaining
structure. With its springs the building element 20 serves as vibration
deadening element.
Figure 10 shows a building element 25 having bristles 26 on its underside
that all face essentially in the same direction that forms an angle different
from zero degrees to the normal in relation to the surface, and that are hence
not perpendicular to the bottom of the building element, but are all
inclining.
The bristles may be made of hair or fibres of natural materials, such as plant
fibres or metal threads, or artificial materials, such as plastics fibres.
Herein,
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the vibrator building element 16 is interconnected with such building element
25 that is supported on a support 27. When the vibrator building element 16
vibrates, it will cooperate with the inclining bristles and cause the vibrator
element 16 to move in the direction of the bristle orientation, ie to the
right. In
Figure 10 the vibrator building element is configured for vibrating in the
horizontal direction, but the same effect is accomplished with vibrations in
the
vertical direction.
Figure 11 shows a support 27 having bristles 28 on its top face that are not
perpendicular to the underside of the support, but rather, in a manner similar
to the one shown in Figure 10, they are all inclining. A structure 29 of a
number of interconnected building elements rests on top of the bristles 28.
The support 27 with the bristles 28 vibrate in vertical direction, and by
these
vibrations, too, the structure 29 will cooperate with the inclining bristles
to the
effect that the structure 29 will move in the direction of the bristle
orientation,
ie to the right. The same effect is accomplished if the support 27 with
bristles
28 vibrates in horizontal direction.
In Figures 10 and 11 it is in principle of no consequence whether it is an
element provided with bristles or the element without the bristles that
vibrates, and whether the vibrations have a vertical orientation or a
horizontal
direction. The resulting movement is determined by the direction of the
bristles in relation to the normal of the outer surface that carries the
bristles.
Figure 12 shows the vibrator building element 16 interconnected with a
building element 30 as a part of a larger structure, which is not shown.
Figure
12 also shows a wheel 31, which is also a part of a larger structure. The
building element 30 is arranged such that its one end touches the periphery
of the wheel 31. When the vibrator building element 16 vibrates in horizontal
direction as shown, ie approximately in the tangential direction of the wheel
in
the point of contact thereof, the wheel will rotate. This effect relies on the
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building element 30 transferring, in the contact point, different forces in
the
two directions for the vibration movement. This rotation can be used to
advantage for operating mechanisms in the structure.
