Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02829582 2013-10-07
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MODULARIZED CONTACT TYPE OF CONDUCTIVE BUILDING
BLOCK
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0001]
The present invention relates generally to a building block, and in
particular to a modularized contact type of conductive building block.
2. The Prior Arts
[0002]
New types of toys that can boost intelligence, such as building blocks, are
developed with the advance of the electronic industry.
For example, the
conventional building block further includes a circuit board, LED lights,
speakers, etc.
disposed therein. After a plurality of building blocks are connected with each
other,
the building blocks would emit light or play music, which provides more
entertainment and fun.
[0003]
A conventional electric connection building blocks, such as Taiwan
Utility Model Patent No. M408402, include fixation posts mounted on a circuit
board.
The fixation post includes a positive conducting unit and a negative
conducting unit.
Each of the positive and negative conducting units has a metal lead. The metal
leads
are soldered on the circuit board and connected with the electronic components
by the
circuit board.
[0004]
However, the positive and negative electrodes are simultaneously
assembled to the fixation post of the conventional light emitting building
block.
Thus, the fixation post has a lot of components and a complex structure.
Moreover,
it needs to solder the positive and negative conducting units on the circuit
board, but
the soldering process is not only expensive but also not environmental
friendly.
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[0005] Furthermore, both of the positive electrode and the
negative electrode are
assembled in the same stud hole. If any metal foreign matter is fallen into
the stud or
the stud is compressed and deformed, it is likely that both of electrodes are
contacted
with each other to form the electric connection. Short circuit would occur.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] To overcome the disadvantages of conventional designs
which has a lot
of components, a complex structure, a need for a soldering process and a risk
of short
circuit, a primary objective of the present invention is to provide a
modularized
contact type of conductive building block, which has few components, a simple
structure and improved safety and is soldering free.
[0007] In order to achieve the objective, a modularized
contact type of
conductive building block according to a first embodiment and a second
embodiment
of the present invention includes: a hollow brick, at least one pair of
fixation posts, a
circuit board and a base. The brick includes at least one pair of studs
projected from
a top thereof and an opening defined in a bottom thereof and communicates with
an
interior thereof. A stud hole penetrates through the stud and communicates
with the
interior of the brick. The at least one pair of fixation posts are disposed in
the stud
holes, respectively. The fixation post includes an insulating piece and a
conductive
piece. The insulating piece includes an assembling hole vertically penetrating
through an interior thereof and an extension groove formed at a side thereof.
The
extension groove communicates with the assembling hole. The conductive piece
is
disposed in the assembling hole of the insulating piece. An insertion
electrode is
located at a top of the conductive piece and projected out of the assembling
hole. A
contact electrode is horizontally extended from a side of the conductive
piece. The
contact electrode penetrates through and projects out of the extension groove.
A
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connection electrode is vertically extended from a bottom of the conductive
piece.
The circuit board is disposed in the interior of the brick and sleeved on the
fixation
posts. The circuit board has a positive electrode circuit, a negative
electrode circuit
and a functional unit. The positive electrode circuit is contacted with the
contact
electrode of a first fixation post of each pair of fixation posts, and the
first fixation
post is defined as a positive electrode fixation post and the conductive piece
of the
positive electrode fixation post is defined as a positive conductive piece.
The
negative electrode circuit is contacted with the contact electrode of a second
fixation
post of each pair of fixation posts, and the second fixation post is defined
as a
negative electrode fixation post and the conductive piece of the negative
electrode
fixation post is defined as a negative conductive piece. The functional unit
is
electrically connected with the positive and negative electrode circuits. The
base is
disposed in the interior of the brick. The base includes at least one pair of
through
holes allowing the fixation posts to pass through. A modularized contact type
of
conductive building block according to a third embodiment of the present
invention
includes at least one pair of conductive pieces but does not have any
insulating piece.
Each conductive piece according to the third embodiment includes a retaining
portion
horizontally extended from a top thereof and a contact electrode horizontally
extended
from a bottom thereof.
[0008] The
modularized contact type of conductive building block according to
the first and second embodiments of the present invention provides the
positive and
negative electrode fixation posts having the same structure. Moreover, the
insulating
piece and the conductive piece of the fixation post have simple structures and
are easy
to assemble. Similarly, according to the third embodiment of the present
invention,
the positive electrode conductive piece has a structure the same as that of
the negative
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electrode conductive piece. Therefore, the present invention can effectively
simplify
the structural designs and greatly reduce the manufacturing cost. Moreover,
according to the first and second embodiments of present invention, tops of
the
fixation posts are pressed against the brick, the contact electrodes of the
fixation posts
are pressed against the circuit board, the circuit board is pressed against
the base and
the base is fixed in the brick. According to the third embodiment, the
retaining
pieces of the conductive pieces are pressed against the brick, the contact
electrodes of
the conductive pieces are pressed against the circuit board, the base is
pressed against
the circuit board and the base is fixed in the brick. Therefore, the
conductive pieces
are securely pressed against and contacted with the circuit board and it does
not need
to electrically connect the conductive piece with the circuit board by the
soldering
process. Thus, the building block according to the present invention has the
advantage of being environmental friendly and labor saving.
[0009] Furthermore,
the positive and the negative electrodes of the conductive
piece are decided by the contact electrode of the conductive piece being
contacted
with the positive electrode circuit or the negative electrode circuit of the
circuit board,
therefore, after the building block is assembled, the conductive piece can be
clearly
classified as the positive electrode conductive piece or the negative
electrode
conductive piece. Moreover, each stud hole has only one electrode disposed
therein.
Therefore, even the metal foreign matter is fallen into the stud hole or the
stud being
compressed and deformed, it does not cause the short circuit. Therefore, the
safety
of the building blocks is secured.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The present invention will be apparent to those
skilled in the art by
reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof,
with
reference to the attached drawings, in which:
[0011] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a modularized
contact type of
conductive building block according to a first embodiment of the present
invention;
[0012] Fig. 2 is an exploded view showing the modularized
contact type of
conductive building block according to the first embodiment of the present
invention;
[0013] Fig. 3 is an exploded view showing a fixation post
according to the first
embodiment of the present invention;
[0014] Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the
fixation posts
mounted on a circuit board according to the first embodiment of the present
invention;
[0015] Fig. 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing
the fixation posts
mounted on the circuit board according to the first embodiment of the present
invention;
[0016] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing two of the
modularized
contact type of conductive building blocks according to the first embodiment
of the
present invention connected with each other;
[0017] Figure 7 is an exploded view showing a fixation post
according to a
second embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] Figure 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing
the fixation posts
mounted on the circuit board according to the second embodiment of the present
invention;
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[0019] Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing two of the modularized
contact
type of conductive building blocks according to the second embodiment of the
present
invention connected with each other;
[0020] Figure 10 is a perspective view showing a conductive piece according
to
a third embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing two of the modularized
contact
type of conductive building blocks according to the third embodiment of the
present
invention connected with each other; and
[0022] Figure 12 is a perspective view showing a modularized contact type
of
conductive building block according to a fourth embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0023] With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, a modularized contact type of
conductive
building block according to a first preferred embodiment of the present
invention
includes a brick 10, at least one pair of fixation posts 20, a circuit board
30 and a base
40. The brick 10 is a light-transmittable hollow cube. The brick 10 includes
at
least one pair of ring-shaped studs 11 projected from a top thereof. A stud
hole 12
penetrates through the stud 11 and communicates with an interior of the brick
10. A
top edge of an inner wall of the stud hole 12 extends inward to form a ring-
shaped
retaining ridge 13. An opening is defined in a bottom of the brick 10 and
communicates with the interior of the brick 10. Preferably, the top of the
brick 10 is
projected to form two pairs of studs which are symmetrically arranged in a
matrix.
[0024] The at least one pair of fixation posts 20 are disposed in the stud
holes 12
of the stud 11 of the brick 10 and tops of the fixation posts 20 are pressed
against the
ring-shaped retaining ridges 13 (as shown in Fig. 6), respectively. According
to the
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first embodiment, the brick 10 has two pairs of fixation posts 20
symmetrically
arranged in a matrix. Referring to Fig. 3, each fixation post 20 includes an
insulating
piece 21 and a conductive piece 22. A top of the insulating piece 21 is
located in the
stud hole 12. The insulating piece 21 includes an assembling hole 210
vertically
penetrating through an interior thereof and an extension groove 211 formed at
a side
of a bottom thereof. The extension groove 211 communicates with the assembling
hole 210. The insulating piece 21 according to the first embodiment is only a
type of
the present invention. According to another type, the insulating piece 21 may
have
two half pieces face-to-face joining together. According to still another
type, the
insulating piece 21 may also have upper and lower tubes connected with each
other in
an insertion way. Moreover, the top and the bottom of the insulating piece 21
of the
fixation post 20 may be shaped in a circle or a rectangle. The types and the
shapes
of the fixation posts 20 according to the present invention are not limited.
[0025] The conductive piece 22 is disposed in the assembling hole 210 of
the
insulating piece 21. An insertion electrode 220 is located at a top of the
conductive
piece 22 and projected out of the assembling hole 210. A contact electrode 221
is
horizontally extended from a side of a bottom of the conductive piece 22. The
contact electrode 221 penetrates through and projects out of the extension
groove 211.
A connection electrode 222 is vertically extended from the bottom of the
conductive
piece 22 and misaligned with the insertion electrode 220.
[0026] Referring to Figs. 2, 4 and 5, the circuit board 30 is disposed in
the
interior of the brick 10. The circuit board 30 includes a plurality of
insertion through
holes 31 to sleeve on the corresponding fixation posts 20, respectively.
Furthermore,
the circuit board 30 has a positive electrode circuit 32 and a negative
electrode circuit
33 (as shown in Fig. 5). Each pair of fixation posts 20 has a first fixation
post and a
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second fixation post. The contact electrode 221 of the conductive piece 22 of
the
first fixation post of each pair of fixation posts 20 is pressed against the
circuit board
30, so that the contact electrode 221 of the first fixation post is contacted
with and
electrically connected with the positive electrode circuit 32. Due to being
contacted
with the positive electrode circuit 32, the first fixation post is defined as
a positive
electrode fixation post 20A and the conductive piece 22 of the positive
electrode
fixation post 20A is defined as a positive electrode conductive piece 22A. The
contact electrode 221 of the conductive piece 22 of the second fixation post
of each
pair of fixation posts 20 is pressed against the circuit board 30, so that the
contact
electrode 221 of the second fixation post is contacted with and electrically
connected
with the negative electrode circuit 33. Due to being contacted with the
negative
electrode circuit 33, the second fixation post is defined as a negative
electrode fixation
post 20B and the conductive piece 22 of the negative electrode fixation post
20B is
defined as a negative electrode conductive piece 22B. Preferably, the positive
electrode fixation posts 20A and the negative electrode fixation posts 20B are
symmetrically arranged in a matrix and crisscross with each other, such that
both of
the fixation posts immediately adjacent to two sides of the positive electrode
fixation
post 20A are the negative electrode fixation posts 20B and both of the
fixation posts
immediately adjacent to two sides of the negative electrode fixation post 20B
are the
positive electrode fixation posts 20A. Similarly, the positive electrode
conductive
pieces 22A and the negative electrode conductive pieces 22B are symmetrically
arranged in a matrix and crisscross with each other.
[0027] The circuit
board 30 further includes a functional unit 34 connected with
the positive electrode circuit 32 and the negative electrode circuit 33.
Preferably, the
functional unit 34 is a LED light or a sound generating device.
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[0028] Referring to Fig. 2, the base 40 is disposed in the interior of the
brick 10.
Moreover, the base 40 is located under the circuit board 30 and pressed
against the
bottom of the circuit board 30. The base 40 includes at least one pair of
through
holes 41 and the bottoms of the fixation posts 20 penetrate through the
through holes
41 to pass through the base 40. Preferably, the base 40 is hollow out.
[0029] Referring to Fig. 6, when assembling two building blocks according
to
the first embodiment, the bottom of the positive electrode fixation post 20A
in the
upper brick 10 is correspondingly inserted into the top of the positive
electrode
fixation post 20A in the lower brick 10 and the connection electrode 222 of
the
conductive piece 22 in the upper positive electrode fixation post 20A is
contacted
with the insertion electrode 220 of the conductive piece 22 in the lower
positive
electrode fixation post 20A, thereby electrically connecting the positive
electrode
fixation posts 20A in the upper and lower bricks 10 with each other. At this
moment,
the bottom of the negative electrode fixation post 20B in the upper brick 10
is
correspondingly inserted into the top of the negative electrode fixation post
20B in the
lower brick 10 and the connection electrode 222 of the conductive piece 22 in
the
upper positive electrode fixation post 20B is contacted with the insertion
electrode
220 of the conductive piece 22 in the lower positive electrode fixation post
20B,
thereby electrically connecting the positive electrode fixation posts 20B in
the upper
and lower bricks 10 with each other.
[0030] After the building blocks are connected with each other, the
positive
electrode fixation post 20A and the negative electrode fixation post 20B of
the most
top or the most bottom building block are respectively connected to a positive
electrode and a negative electrode of a power supply, thereby supplying power
to the
functional unit 34 to emit light or generate sound.
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[00311 A modularized contact type of conductive building block
according to a
second embodiment of the present invention has a structure essentially the
same as
that of the first embodiment. However, the type of the fixation post 20C is
slightly
different from that of the first embodiment. Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, a
conductive
piece 22C is disposed in an assembling hole 210C of the insulating piece 21C.
An
insertion electrode 220C is located at a top of the conductive piece 22C and
projected
out of the assembling hole 210C. A top end of the insertion electrode 220C is
recessed to form an insertion hole 223C. A contact electrode 221C is
horizontally
extended from a side of a bottom of the conductive piece 22C. The contact
electrode
221C penetrates through and projects out of the extension groove 211C. A
connection electrode 222C is vertically extended from the bottom of the
conductive
piece 22C and located corresponding to the insertion hole 223C. The diameter
of the
connection electrode 222C is corresponding to the diameter of the insertion
hole
223C.
[0032] Referring to Fig. 9, when assembling two building blocks
according to
the second embodiment, the connection electrode 222C of the conductive piece
22C
in the upper brick 10C is inserted into the insertion hole 223C of the
conductive piece
22C in the lower brick 10C, thereby electrically connecting the conductive
pieces 22C
in the upper and lower bricks 10C with each other. Except the description
mentioned above, the second embodiment has a structure, an assembling method
and
functions the same as that of the first embodiment. Thus, the descriptions
about the
structure, assembling method and functions of the second embodiment are not
repeated again here.
[0033] Referring to Figs. 10 and 11, a modularized contact type of
conductive
building block according to a third embodiment of the present invention has a
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structure similar to that of the first embodiment. The difference between the
first
embodiment and the third embodiment is that the modularized contact type of
conductive building block according to the third embodiment only has a
conductive
piece 22D but does not have any insulating piece. The conductive piece 22D
includes an insertion electrode 220D located at a top of the conductive piece
22D, a
retaining portion 225D horizontally extended from a side of the top of the
conductive
piece 22D, a contact electrode 221D horizontally extended from a side of a
bottom of
the conductive piece 22D, a fork-shaped connection electrode 222D located at
the
bottom of the conductive piece 22D and corresponding to the insertion
electrode
220D. The connection electrode 222D according to the third embodiment is
shaped
in a fork which includes a gap 224D disposed between two elastic tines. The
gap
224D has a location and size corresponding to those of the insertion electrode
220D.
The types and shapes of the conductive piece according to the present
invention are
not limited. For example, according to another embodiment (not shown in the
drawings), the connection electrode 222D may be shaped in a cylinder and a
bottom
end of the connection electrode 222D is recessed to form an insertion hole.
The
insertion hole of the connection electrode 222D has a location and diameter
corresponding to those of the insertion electrode 220D and is adapted for the
insertion
of the insertion electrode 220D.
[0034] When
assembling the modularized contact type of conductive building
block according to the third embodiment, the conductive piece 22D is disposed
in the
brick 10, the insertion electrode 220D of the conductive piece 22D is received
in the
stud hole 12, the retaining portion 225D of the conductive piece 22D is
pressed
against the brick 10, the insertion through holes 31 of the circuit board 30
is sleeved
on the connection electrode 222D of the conductive piece 22D, the circuit
board 30 is
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pressed against the contact electrode 221D of the conductive piece 22D, the
base 40 is
pressed against the circuit board 30 and the base 40 is fixed in the brick 10.
Similar
to the first embodiment, each pair of conductive pieces 22D has a first
conductive
piece and a second conductive piece. The contact electrode 221D of the first
conductive piece of each pair of conductive pieces 22D is contacted with and
electrically connected with the positive electrode circuit 32; and the contact
electrode
221D of the second conductive piece of each pair of conductive pieces 22D is
contacted with and electrically connected with the negative electrode circuit
33.
Therefore, the first conductive piece of each pair of conductive pieces 22D is
defined
as a positive electrode conductive piece 22A; and the second conductive piece
of each
pair of conductive pieces 22D is defined as a negative electrode conductive
piece 22B.
Similar to the first embodiment, the positive electrode conductive pieces 22A
and the
negative electrode conductive pieces 22B according to the third embodiment are
symmetrically arranged in a matrix and crisscross with each other.
[0035] Referring to
Fig. 11, when assembling two modularized contact type of
conductive building blocks according to the third embodiment, the insertion
electrode
220D of the conductive piece 22D in the lower brick 10D is inserted into the
corresponding gap 224D of the connection electrode 222D of the conductive
piece
22D in the upper brick 10D. The elastic tines of the connection electrode 222D
securely hold the insertion electrode 220D of the conductive piece 22D, and
therefore
the conductive pieces 22D in the upper and lower bricks 10D are electrically
connected with each other. Except the description mentioned above, the third
embodiment has a structure, an assembling method and functions the same as
those of
the first embodiment. Thus, the descriptions about the structure, assembling
method
and functions of the third embodiment are not repeated again here.
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[0036] Referring to Fig. 12, a modularized contact type of
conductive building
block according to a fourth embodiment has a structure essentially the same as
that of
the first embodiment. Nevertheless, a first stud of the at least one pair of
studs 11E
of the brick 10E is shaped in a circle and a second stud 11 E is shaped in a
rectangle.
When the brick 10E has a plurality pairs of studs 11E, the circular and
rectangular
studs 11E are symmetrically arranged in a matrix and crisscross with each
other, such
that both studs 11E immediately adjacent to two sides of the circular stud 11E
are the
rectangular studs and both studs 11E immediately adjacent to two sides of the
rectangular stud are the circular studs 11E. Except the description mentioned
above,
the fourth embodiment has a structure, an assembling method and functions the
same
as that of the first embodiment. Thus, the descriptions about the structure,
assembling method and functions of the fourth embodiment are not repeated
again
here.
[0037] It is easy to distinguish locations of the positive and
negative electrode
fixation posts from the appearances of the studs 11E according to the fourth
embodiment. Therefore, the building block according to the fourth embodiment
is
equipped with a fool-proofing function when assembling. For example, the
positive
electrode fixation post is configured as a circular stud 11E and the negative
electrode
fixation post is configured as a rectangular stud 11E. When connecting the
building
blocks together, the user can accurately connect the positive electrode
fixation posts
with each other and connect the negative electrode fixation posts with each
other. It
can prevent from misconnecting the positive electrode fixation post with the
negative
electrode fixation post.
[0038] Furthermore, the positive and negative electrodes are
decided by the
contact electrode 221 of the conductive piece 22 being contacted with the
positive
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electrode circuit 32 or the negative electrode circuit 33 of the circuit board
30.
Therefore, when the contact electrode 221 is contacted with the positive
electrode
circuit 32, the conductive piece 22 is defined as the positive electrode
conductive
piece 22A. And, when the contact electrode 221 is contacted with the negative
electrode circuit 33, the conductive piece 22 is defined as the negative
electrode
conductive piece 22B. Therefore, different from the conventional designs
having
both of the positive and negative electrodes simultaneously disposed in each
stud hole,
each stud hole 12 according to the present invention has only one single
electrode.
Thus, it does not need to worry about the metal foreign matter fallen into the
stud hole
12 or the studs being compressed and deformed, which causes the positive and
negative electrodes contacted with each other and short circuit. Therefore,
the safety
of the building blocks is increased.
[0039] Although the
present invention has been described with reference to the
preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that
a variety
of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of
the
present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.
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