Abstract:
Interlocking plastic blocks, trademarked as PIXELBLOCKS, are configured to serve as basic pixels, i.e. picture elements, in the creation of a variety of two- and three-dimensional graphic artifacts. The pixel blocks can be made in various equilateral polygonal cross-sectional shapes of designated length, typically embodied in an equilateral cube shape. All side facets in the outline of cross-sectional shape, e.g. four facets of the cube, are made identical, each facet configured with a tongue alongside a groove in a symmetrical complementary configuration such that adjacent blocks can be interlocked together to form one- and two-dimensional arrays; thus pixel blocks of uniform depth front-to-back can form two-dimensional artifacts. A 3D embodiment includes posts and post holes for Z axis attachment to form multi-layer three-dimensional artifacts. By utilizing the blocks in a variety of visual properties such as color and light transmission, quantities of pixel blocks may be interlocked together to form pictures, graphics patterns, beams and other artifacts, optionally enhanced by electric lighting effects for which the pixel blocks may be specially configured.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to graphic arts and more particularly it relates to interlocking blocks configured as basic elements which may be combined in an interlocking manner to create two- and three-dimensional graphic art works. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Materials and computer technology advancements have opened up the potential of new approaches to providing building blocks for graphic creations, particularly new creations or stylized reproductions of existing artwork in the form of graphics artifacts structured from assembling and joining pixels (picture elements) of uniform shape, in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional form. Field experience and further development have led to new structural improvements and other refinements. 
     DISCUSSION OF KNOWN ART 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,863 issued Dec. 7, 1993 to the present inventor, disclosed INTERLOCKING PIXEL BLOCKS AND BEAMS, forming the basis of a product that has been widely marketed both nationally and internationally under the registered copyright trade name “PIXELBLOCKS”. Basic pixel block units are molded in the general form of cubes approximately 3 inch per side, four side facets being each configured with a protruding tongue and a complementary groove, each generally T shaped to provide tongue and groove attachment that enables unlimited quantities of pixel blocks to be assembled in a mutually interlocked manner, similar to a jig-saw puzzle, into large area grids that can be made to form works of art utilizing pixel blocks of various color, either transparent or translucent. Experience with this known form of pixel block has led to the present invention of improvements to extend their flexibility, merit and utility. 
     Pub. No. US 2005/0106989 for INTERLOCKING BLOCKS, published May 19, 2005 from application Ser. No. 10/852,882 filed May 24, 2004 by Rincover and assigned to PIXELBLOCKS, LLC on Apr. 28, 2004, references provisional application 60/520,855 filed Nov. 17, 2003 and discloses variants developed in connection with research, development and marketing of pixel blocks based on the &#39;863 patent. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a family of improvements applicable to known pixel blocks and thus provide a functional family of refined pixel block embodiments incorporating novel features. 
     It is a main object to tighten and enhance the overall structural stability of a panel assembled from a grid of pixel blocks as a departure from reliance on the circular protruding nub that was located on the tongues of early pixel blocks (claim 12 of the &#39;863 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,863) for such structural stability. 
     It is a further object to disclose a structural modification in the shape of the pixel block that facilitates the fitting of each pixel block into another in view of small clearances and tight tolerances involved. 
     It is another object to disclose novel facilities for incorporating electric lighting elements and associated wiring thereof into novel embodiments of the pixel block incorporating the above objects. 
     It is a further object to disclose additional outline shapes other than generally square with which novel embodiments of the pixel block concept can be practiced. 
     It is a further object to designate larger sizes of pixel blocks that are still compatible for intermixing with known embodiments of the basic pixel blocks. 
     It is a further object to designate special configurations for panel edges and corners in which novel embodiments of pixel blocks can be made and practiced. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The above and other objects have been realized in the improvements disclosed in the present invention. (1) In a novel basic pixel block embodiment, panel stability is accomplished by an integral pressure bar configured that extends across each tongue the full back-to-front thickness of an assembled panel, as a two-way extension to a nub located centrally on each tongue, accomplishing a more firmly leveraged overall assembly, and (2) in a structural shape of the pixel block to facilitate the fitting of each pixel block into another in view of small clearances and tight tolerances involved, to facilitate initial entry of each pixel block to another in assembly, corner edges that interface in initial inter-assembly, including the ends of the tongues and grooves, are configured with a rounded fillet shape. 
     To accommodate electric wiring and/or resistor elements associated with electrical lighting, surface channel passageways are provided in strategic locations. In addition to the basic square XY shape, novel pixels blocks of the present invention may be made in other shapes, including polygons and special edge and corner pixel blocks, that can be assembled into solid panels incorporating intermixture of different shaped pixel blocks in 2D and 3D art objects. 
     Block sizes in multiples of the basic pixel block XY shape are disclosed in configurations that remain compatible for co-assembly with basic pixel blocks. 
     Using computerized scanning of an original object, pixel data of the original may be acquired and stored; from this data, artifacts may be assembled automatically from pixel blocks to produce either a likeness, or, with data manipulation, a graphically-stylized rendition. 
     For manual assembly, acquired pixel data may be utilized to generate a pixel map and a corresponding kit of blocks having different properties in the correct quantities, for use in industrial assembly, education, therapy, home hobbies, and such involving users of all ages. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  depicts the front face and figured outline of a basic pixel block of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  depicts a side facet of the pixel block of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  depicts the rear face and reverse outline of the pixel block of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of a tongue of a pixel block of  FIG. 1  fitted into a groove of a second similar pixel block. 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged view showing rounded corners of two pixel blocks at an initial stage of being assembled together. 
         FIG. 6  depicts the front face and figured outline of a 3D pixel block embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of the 3D pixel block of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  depicts the reverse outline of the 3D pixel block of  FIGS. 6 and 7  as viewed from the opposite face. 
         FIG. 9A  depicts the face view and figured outline of a 2×2 square matrix pattern formed by four assembled 3D pixel blocks of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 9B  is a side view of a 2×2×2 cube formed from two attached 2×2 layers of 3D pixel block as in  FIG. 9A . 
         FIG. 10A  is a primary face view of a single double-sized pixel block providing the same figured outline as 2×2 square matrix pattern of  FIG. 9A . 
         FIG. 10B  is a side view of the single double-sized pixel block of  FIG. 10A . 
         FIG. 11  is a front face view of an “end edge” pixel block. 
         FIG. 12  is a front face view of a basic square “corner” pixel block. 
         FIG. 13  is a face view of an alternative “corner” pixel block in a three-flat chamfered configuration. 
         FIG. 14  is a face view of a second alternative “corner” pixel block in a quarter-round configuration. 
         FIG. 15  is a face view of a third alternative “corner” pixel block in a diagonally-cut half-block configuration. 
         FIG. 16  depicts face views of a series of seven alternative equilateral closed plane outline shapes in which pixel blocks can be made and practiced. 
         FIGS. 17-24  depict face view examples of two-dimensional graphics patterns that can be assembled from pixel blocks having shapes selected from those shown in  FIG. 16 . 
         FIG. 25  depicts a face view of a special version of shape b of  FIG. 16  that enables “half-stepping”. 
         FIG. 26  depicts the reverse outline of the pixel block of  FIG. 25  as viewed from the rears. 
         FIG. 27  depicts an example of a half-stepped triangle pattern that can be formed from the pixel block shapes of  FIGS. 25 and 26 . 
         FIG. 28  depicts a group of pixel blocks assembled in an intermediate outline pattern for forming larger circular patterns. 
         FIG. 29  depicts the reverse of the outline pattern of  FIG. 28 . 
         FIG. 30  depicts a single block configured with the outline pattern shown in  FIG. 28  and having four posts. 
         FIG. 31  depicts the “footprint” pattern of the four posts in the block of  FIG. 30 . 
         FIG. 32  depicts a uniform pattern formed by the “footprints” of two blocks of  FIG. 30  in special adjacent disposition. 
         FIG. 33  depicts a 3D two-layer assembly of the two blocks of  FIG. 32  as the rear layer and an additional block of  FIG. 30  in front, attached together via four posts: two from each rear block. 
         FIG. 34  depicts a large circular pattern formed form multiples of the block of  FIG. 30 , assembled together as depicted in  FIG. 31 . 
         FIG. 35  is a perspective view of a two-dimensional array of pixel blocks assembled in a frame. 
         FIG. 36  a cross-section taken through a two-dimensional array of pixel blocks, sandwiched between two transparent panels retained by a surrounding frame 
         FIG. 37  is a perspective view of a pixel block configured with a circular nub located on a tongue surface. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a top view of a basic pixel block  10  of the present invention, showing the outline shape to be generally square with four identical edge patterns, each edge having an extending tongue  12  and a recessed groove  14  of similar mating shape. Tongues  12  and grooves  14  are shaped in a “jigsaw puzzle” pattern so as to mate and interlock with adjacent pixels. Located centrally on each tongue  12  is a stability bar  12 A protruding from the tongue  12  approximately 0.003 inches, serving to tighten and stabilize the structure of panels assembled from pixel blocks  10 . 
       FIG. 2  is an elevational view of the pixel block  10  of  FIG. 1  showing groove  14  and three tongues  12  with associated stability bars  12 A all extending uniformly from a top surface  10 A (typically a front panel surface) to a bottom surface  10 B (typically a rear panel surface). Stability bars  12 A, typically half round in cross-sectional shape with a radius of 0.003 inches, are intended to compress slightly if necessary in assembly and provide a desired amount of friction to tighten and stabilize two-dimensional matrix panels formed from groups of pixel blocks assembled together. At a central region of the stability bar  12 A there may be a small circular nub left as a by-product of the injection plastic molding process. Shown at the bottom surface  10 B is the open end of an inverted-U-shaped wiring channel  10 C, typically made 0.080 inches wide, configured in four places at the bottom surface  10 B of each facet to accommodate electrical wiring and/or resistive components for LED or other types of lamps for lighting effects. 
       FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the pixel block  10  of  FIGS. 1 and 2  showing the four tongues  12  and four grooves  14  forming an outline that is a mirror image of the outline in  FIG. 1 . Wiring channels  10 C and  10 D are seen extending fully across the pixel block  10  in X and Y directions in a centered “cross-hairs” pattern. 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged view showing a tongue  12  of one pixel block engaged with a groove  14  of a second similar pixel block. The stability bar  12 A creates a small gap along the flat portion of the tongue and groove about 0.003 inches; this spacing is set by the radius of the half-round cross-section of the stabilizing bar  12 A. 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged view showing typical corner edges of two pixel blocks  10  in an initial entry stage of sliding assembly together. All corners involved in such entry are rounded as shown, approximately 0.005 radius, to facilitate assembly by guiding the tongue and groove ends into each other. 
       FIG. 6  is top view of a “3D” pixel block  16 , an embodiment having the same outline pattern of tongues  12 , stability bars  12 A and grooves  14  as in pixel block  10  of  FIG. 1 , but further configured with an integral cylindrical post  18  extending up from the top surface  16 A to provide a 3D embodiment of the pixel block from which multiple layers of pixel blocks can be mutually attached and built-out in the Z-axis for construction of 3 dimensional objects. An internal cylindrical lamp cavity  18 A is provided within post  18  for installation of a lamp for lighting effects. 
       FIG. 7  is an elevational view showing one of the four facets of the 3D pixel block  16  of  FIG. 6 , with groove  14 , three tongues  12  and associated stability bars  12 A. Also shown is a cylindrical post  18  extending upwardly from the top surface, containing a cylindrical internal lamp cavity  18 A shown in broken lines. Within the main pixel block body, a cylindrical post hole  16 C, shown in broken lines, is dimensioned and configured accept the post  18  of an adjoining pixel block  16  in a close friction fit so as to hold adjacent pixel block layers attached together, and to provide wiring access to the lamp cavity  18 A. 
     As in the basic pixel block  10  ( FIG. 2 ), one of four wiring channels  16 D is visible in  FIG. 7  at the bottom of the facet. Additionally a wiring passageway  18 B, one of four, is visible immediately above the top surface  16 A, traversing the wall of post  18  at its base so as to facilitate wiring access to the lamp cavity  18 A. 
       FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the 3D pixel block  16  of  FIGS. 6 and 7 , showing, in addition to four tongues  12  (each with a stability bar  12 A) and four grooves  14 , four wiring passageways  16 D each traversing a central region of a corresponding one of the four facet sidewalls of pixel block  16 . When a second identical pixel block is attached above pixel block  10 , by inserting post  18  into the main cavity ( 16 C) of the second block, the four wiring passageways ( 16 D) at the bottom of the second block will become aligned with the four corresponding wiring passageways  18 B immediately above the top surface  16 A of the first pixel block  16 , thus providing versatility for installing lamp wiring. 
       FIG. 9A  depicts the front face view and figured outline of a 2×2 square matrix pattern formed by four assembled 3D pixel blocks  16  of  FIG. 2 . Multiples of basic pixel block  10 , or of 3D pixel block  16  of  FIGS. 6-8 , or mixtures thereof, can be assembled together in this same manner to create an extensive matrix panel of any desired overall size. A preferred embodiment is standardized at ¼ inch by ¼ inch, however the invention could be practiced with any designated size. 
       FIG. 9B  is a side view of a 2×2×2 cube formed from a first 2×2 layer of pixel blocks  16  as in  FIG. 9A  stacked onto a second similar layer, thus containing a total of 9 pixel blocks. 
       FIG. 10A  is a primary face view of a single enlarged cubic pixel block  20  providing the same 2×2 square matrix outline pattern as the eight block assembly in  FIGS. 9A and 9B . Each enlarged pixel block  20  has four posts  18  for attaching layers together. 
       FIG. 10B  is a side view depicting an edge facet of the single enlarged pixel block  20  of  FIG. 10A , showing in broken lines a regular sized lamp cavity  18 A in each post  18 , the same as in the basic-sized 3D pixel block. however, as also shown in broken lines, the four post holes  20 A extend to over twice the regular depth of post holes  16 C ( FIG. 7 ) to provide wiring access to lamp cavities  18 A. Two tongues and two grooves on each edge facet in the outline pattern provide full compatibility for attachment to basic and 3D pixel blocks. 
       FIG. 11  is a plan view of an “end edge” pixel block  22  made to have one of the four edges flat: only the other three sides each have a tongue  12  and groove  14 . Typically pixel block  22  could be utilized around the outside edge of a matrix panel. 
       FIG. 12  is a plan view of a “corner” pixel block  24  wherein two adjacent edges are made flat: the other two sides each have a tongue  12  and groove  14 . 
       FIG. 13  is a plan view of a first alternative “corner” pixel block  26  providing a chamfered pattern with three adjacent flat surfaces and two adjacent surfaces each having a tongue  12  and groove  14 . 
       FIG. 14  is a plan view of a second alternative “corner” pixel block  28  providing a quarter-round pattern with an arcuate surface and two adjacent surfaces each having tongue  12  and groove  14 . Any of the foregoing “end edge” or “corner” outline patterns could also be applied to 3D pixel blocks  16  ( FIGS. 6-8 ). 
       FIG. 15  is a plan view of a third alternative “corner” pixel block  30  constituting a diagonally-cut half-block with one flat surface and two adjacent surfaces each having a tongue  12  and groove  14 . 
       FIG. 16  depicts plan views of seven examples of alternative closed plane outline shapes with different numbers of facets in which pixel blocks could be made and practiced in either 2D or 3D versions: triangle (a), square (b), pentagon (c), modified pentagon (d), hexagon (e), octagon (f) and a twelve-sided polygon (g). For purposes of facilitating intermixture, it is a principle of pixel blocks to make all of these different block shapes with all facets made equal in length. Typically the outline shapes are made radially symmetrical, i.e. all of angles between facets of a pixel block are made equal such that the corners between facets of the pixel block are located on a circle; as an exception, in modified pentagon (d) two non-adjacent angles are made to be 90 degrees to enable versatile combinations. 
       FIG. 17  depicts a pattern formed from a mixture of three different shaped pixel blocks of  FIG. 16 : a, b and e. 
       FIGS. 18 and 19  depict patterns formed from a mixture of two different shaped pixel blocks of  FIG. 16 : a and e. 
       FIG. 20  depicts a pattern formed from a mixture of three different shaped pixel blocks of  FIG. 16 : a, b and e. 
       FIGS. 21 and 22  depicts patterns that can be formed from a mixture of four different shaped pixel blocks of  FIG. 16 : a, b, e and g. 
       FIG. 23  depicts a pattern formed from identical pixel blocks of shape d, the modified pentagon, from  FIG. 16 . 
       FIG. 24  depicts a pattern formed from a mixture of two different shaped pixel blocks of  FIG. 16 : b and f. 
       FIG. 25  shows the outline of a basic cubic pixel block with shape b′ as seen from the front. The shape is a special case of shape b of  FIG. 16 , wherein the center-to-center spacing of each tongue and groove is made exactly half the dimension of each side of the square facet. 
       FIG. 26  shows shape b″, the mirror image of outline b′ of the basic cubic pixel block of  FIG. 25 , i.e. as it appears when viewed from the rear. 
       FIG. 27  depicts a triangular pattern formed from identical pixel blocks with adjacent rows offset and alternating between outlines b′ and b″ respectively in a “brick wall” arrangement. 
       FIG. 28  depicts a special intermediate pattern  22 , intended for further “cloning”, formed from six 3D type pixel blocks h with posts  18  as shown. The outline shape of pixel blocks h is a special version of the outline of 3D pixel block  16  ( FIG. 6 ) wherein the center-to-center spacing between the tongue and the groove are made exactly half of the square block dimension and the location along the side facet is dimensioned to enable offset attachment as shown between pixel blocks h′ and h″ at the upper left hand corner of pattern  22 . 
       FIG. 29  shows a reverse view of pattern  22  of  FIG. 28 , as seen from the rear; post holes and optional lamp openings are seen in each pixel block in this view. 
       FIG. 30  depicts a special enlarged intermediary pixel block  24  made to have the outline shape of pattern  22  ( FIG. 28 ) and to have four posts  18  and four corresponding post holes, optionally including lamp openings, on the reverse side located as shown at locations of the corresponding posts in  FIG. 20 . 
       FIG. 31  depicts the four posts  18  of  FIG. 30  located at the corners of a non-equilateral quadrangle, shown in broken lines. 
       FIG. 32  depicts two pixel blocks  24 A and  24 B, each identical with pixel block  24  of  FIG. 30 , specially located relative to each other such that the two upper posts  18  of pixel block  24 A and two lower posts  18  of pixel block  24 B are positioned at the corners of the same quadrangle shape as that of the four posts on each pixel block  24 A, i.e. the quadrangle shown in  FIG. 31 . 
       FIG. 33  shows a third pixel block  24 C added to and attached via the four posts onto the top of pixel blocks  24 A and  24 B of  FIG. 32 , forming a 3D, two-layer, self-supporting assembly of the three pixel blocks that can be further expanded in the same manner into a larger arcuate pattern or even into a full circle. 
       FIG. 34  shows a two-layer full circle  26  formed from pixel blocks  24  assembled as a continuation of the sequence shown in  FIGS. 32 and 33 . Any number of additional layers can be added to the basic two-layer circle  26  to form a 3D hollow cylindrical shape of desired size. Increased diameter of the circle  26  can be provided by creating specially shaped larger intermediary pixel blocks with suitable shape derived from the shape shown in  FIG. 30 . 
       FIG. 35  is a perspective view of a two-dimensional array of pixel blocks  10  assembled in a frame  28  surrounding the array, the frame  38  having a planar backing member  26  and each of said blocks  10  having a surface abutting the backing member  26 . 
       FIG. 36  is a cross-sectional view of a two-dimensional array of pixel blocks  10 , sandwiched between two transparent panels  30 A and  30 B retained by a surrounding frame  32 . A mixture of transparent pixel blocks and translucent pixel blocks of various colors can provide a stained-glass window effect. 
       FIG. 37  is a perspective view of a pixel block  10  configured with a circular nub  34  located centrally on a tongue surface. Nub  34  is a residual quantity of molded plastic material left at that location as a normal by-product of injection molding of the pixel block  10 ′ following injection of plastic molding material at that location. Typically there is only one such nub formed in this manner on each pixel block, however with appropriate dimensioning of the pixel block it can serve to provide a frictional fit that can stabilize a vertical or supported horizontal array of pixel blocks. With suitable dimensioning of the pixel blocks, arrays can be assembled utilizing these nubs  34  as an alternative to the stability bars  12 A shown in  FIG. 3 , however because they acts only at central point on one tongue in each pixel block, a horizontal array of any but very small size will fail to be self-supporting overhead due to teeter-tottering effect at each nub  34 , whereas with four stability bars  12 A on each pixel block  10  as shown and described above, one of the bars  12 A may actually incorporate a buried nub  34 . Properly dimensioned for friction, an overhead array can be self-supporting, supported only around the perimeter of the array. 
     The deployment of 3D pixel blocks  16  (e.g. as in  FIGS. 6-8 ) is not restricted to 3D art objects; they can be deployed for example in designated locations amongst basic pixel blocks  10  ( FIGS. 1-3 ) in a single layer XY matrix panel for the purpose of electric lighting, for which wiring accommodation may be provided by wiring channels  10 C in basic pixel blocks  10  and wiring channels  16 D and passageways  18 B in 3D pixel blocks  16 . 
     The location of stability bar  12 A as shown centered on a tongue  12  of each pixel block is considered optimal, however the invention could be practiced with stability bar located elsewhere on tongue  12  or in the groove  14 . 
     The “jigsaw puzzle” shape of the tongues  12  and grooves  14  shown is considered optimal, however the invention could be practiced with other interlocking shapes as long as they have e form of enlargement that enables them fit and hold together in an interlocked manner. In one approach, the enlargement is made small enough that attached pixel blocks can be snapped apart in a twisting action rather than the usual sliding displacement between the tongues and the grooves. 
     As an option, pixel blocks may be configured with a generally cylindrical opening in a surface thereof to serve at least one of the following two functions: (1) engagement of an insertion tool tip for assembly of said pixel blocks and (2) engagement with an optic fiber end for lighting effects. 
     The invention may be embodied and practiced in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description; and all variations, substitutions and changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.