Abstract:
Assembly structures are characterized to allow electronic components quick, safe, easy to modify (manipulate by hands without tools), and visually intuitive (topographic) three-dimensional construction of circuits. The assembly structure allows an electronic component lead to connect to a neodymium iron boron magnet within the structure and extend the connection to other assembly structures having the same through a chrome steel ball magnetically attracting both assembly structures. The assembly structures house electronic components such as a resistor, capacitor, variable capacitor, inductor, diode, transistor, transformer, integrated circuit, wired battery clips, and a wired earpiece.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims priority of provisional application No. 60/437,230 filed Dec. 31, 2002  
         [0002]     This application claims priority of provisional application No. 60/432,813 filed Dec. 10, 2002  
         [0003]     This application claims priority of provisional application No. 60/420,688 filed Oct. 23, 2002 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     This invention relates to the field of electronic component assembly structures presently employed in circuit construction using terminals, breadboard, wire wrap, solder to wire, a printed circuit board, and connection wires into spring nodes for final products such as electronic kits.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     Traditional approaches to connecting electronic components involve the use of terminals, a wire mesh on a breadboard, wire wrapping with a wire wrap tool, solder to a wire and an etched printed circuit board, and connection wires into spring nodes particularly used in educational experiment kits.  
         [0006]     This assembly structure invention containing electronic components is collectively referred to as “BrainyWires” and lends itself as a quick, safe, easy to modify (manipulate by hands), and visually intuitive (topographic) three-dimensional construction of circuits. Cutting wires is not required; a wire wrap tool is not required; a soldering iron with solder is not required; the parts are able to move about unlike an assembly structure containing an electronic component fastened on a lead spring node connection panel; finally, the end points of wires are hidden to avoid finger cuts altogether.  
         [0007]     Described is a functional and low cost variable capacitor designed to operate as a BrainyWires assembly structure. All parts described here are employed in a prototyped crystal radio able to be reassembled quickly by hand into a cube, stacked, or simple detector three-dimensional structures. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [heading-0008]     EC Rod  
         [heading-0009]     Electronic Components with Two Leads (EC2)  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is an angled view of a rod with an inserted EC2. A NIB magnet  1  is positioned against the protruding edge  2  of a Rod (a rigid vinyl tubing  3  of {fraction (3/16)}″ ID, ¼″ OD, and 1.0″ length). It is held firmly in place at  4  due to a wire  5  from EC2  6  without the need for adhesives (e.g. household glue) or specially designed plastic ends and with minimal distortion. The rigid vinyl tubing  3  is clear, for the purposes of easy identification of an EC2  6 . As the glossary implies, any EC2, may be used such as a resistor, capacitor, or diode.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a cross section of a rod with an embedded EC2  1 . NIB magnets  2  and  3  are flush against the vinyl tube at  4  and  5 .  
         [heading-0012]     Serial EC Rod  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  shows a Serial Rod where the EC of an EC Rod is a single piece of wire wrap wire  1  completing electrical contact at  2  and  3  on NIB magnets  4  and  5 . It serves the purpose of serially connecting circuit paths while maintaining a physical separation and magnetic fastening of other assembly structures.  
         [heading-0014]     Extruding EC Rod  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is an angled view of a rod  1  with an extruding EC2  2  through two holes  3  and  4 . Leads connect opposite and same radial locations  5  and  6  of the NIB magnets  7  and  8  respectively. As the glossary implies, the EC2 may be an earpiece or battery clip with long strand wires serving as the EC2 leads. One lead sockets may be substituted at holes  3  and  4 .with the wire wrap wire completing the remaining connection to NIB magnets  7  and  8 .  
         [heading-0016]     EC Panel  
         [heading-0017]     An Assembly Structure for Electronic Components with any Number of Leads  
         [0018]      FIG. 9  is an angled view of an EC3 Panel. An example of an EC3 is a transistor. Panel  1 , composed of Lexan or rigid acrylic, holds three Connector Cells  2 ,  3 , and  4  electrically connected at  5 ,  6 , and  7  to the EC3 ( 8 ) leads  9 ,  10 , and  11 . Holes  12 ,  13 , and  14  allow the EC3 leads to pass-through to the bottom of the panel.  
         [0019]      FIG. 10 , is a cross section of the EC Panel  1  showing an EC  2  with only one of the EC leads  3  passing through a hole  4  of {fraction (1/32)}″ diameter. To prevent solder joint stress and to keep the EC3 firmly in place the lead is bent at  5 ,  6 , and  7 . The EC3 lead is soldered at  8  to wire wrap wire  9 . A clear plastic epoxy  10  is cemented to shield the wire leads and wire wrap wire.  
         [0020]      FIG. 11  is a cross section of an EC Panel Connector.  1  and  2  are the panel cross section. Connector Cell  3  (comprised of the NIB magnet  4  and soft vinyl tubing  5  and  6 ) electrically exposes to the top and bottom of the panel. Wire wrap wire  7  extends from an EC3 lead and wraps around a tubing cross section at  8  to provide one full turn. The wire wrap wire is stripped at  9  before coming in contact with NIB magnet  4 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 12  is a top view of EC4 Panel to accommodate an EC4  1  having all the attributes of an EC3 Panel with the addition of a fourth EC Panel Connector.  
         [heading-0022]     EC Variable Capacitor  
         [0023]      FIG. 16  is a low cost polyfilm variable capacitor designed over an EC Panel. Plate  1  is a steel sheet metal. Plates  2 ,  3 , and  4  are aluminum sheet metal. All plates are {fraction (1/32)}″ thick. Plates  1 ,  3 , and  4  are equilateral triangles with sides 2.5″. Plate  2  is a portion of the same equilateral triangle with a width of 0.25″. It is used primarily to space plates  1  and  4  while allowing plate  3  to move freely. Plate  3  is held firmly between steel sheet metal plate  1  and aluminum sheet metal plate  4 . Aluminum sheet metal plate  2  provides the stop necessary to keep plate  3  at 120 degrees of circular freedom. The circular curvature at  5  allows aluminum sheet metal plate  3  to avoid contact with plate  2 . NIB magnet  6  causes the magnetically attracted steel plate  1  to firmly press plates  1 ,  3 , and  4  together. This works since aluminum plates do not absorb magnetic flux. NIB magnet  6  has dimension ¼″ diameter and ¼″ length.  
         [0024]     Both sides of plate  2 , have two layers of clear packaging tape to provide an extra thickness necessary to keep plate  3  free for movement from plates  1  and  4 .  
         [0025]     Both sides of plate  3 , have one layer of clear packaging tape to provide current isolation. The tape effects a dielectric film for capacitance above and below the intersecting region of plate  3  and plates  1  and  4 .  
         [0026]     Rivets  7  and  8  (both ⅛″) provide physical rigidity to keep the variable capacitor plates  1 ,  3 , and  4  fastened to EC Panel  9  at holes  37  and  38 . Even though tape dielectric film layers electrically isolate plates  1 ,  2 , and  4 , rivets  7  and  8  electrically connect plates  1 ,  2 , and  4  at holes  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 , and  36 , since the rivets expand radial when fastened by a hand held rivet tool. A complete electrical connection is made from plates  1  and  4  to the rivet, onto connector  10 , soldered wire wrap wire  11 , and finally to EC Cell  12  on EC Panel  9 . Aluminum washers  25  and  26  (both ⅛″) fasten the rivets as well as secure an electrical connection for connector  10 . Aluminum spacers  13  and  14  of ¼″ outer diameter and ¼″ length provide spacing of the plates from EC Panel  9  for agile hand manipulation of rotating plate  3 . Plate  3  is rotated by hand manipulation at triangular point  15 , which extends further than plates  1  and  4 .  
         [0027]     Machine screw  16  centers and pivots plate  3  through {fraction (5/64)}″ holes  23  and  24  and makes electrical connection of plate  3  through washer  17  (given a ¼″ diameter clearing of the dielectric film on plate  3 ), onto connector  18 , wire wrap wire  19 , and finally to EC Connector  20  on EC Panel  9 . Washer  17  is sufficiently centered to prevent contact with plate  1  through ¼″ hole  22 . Electrically isolating plastic tube  21  of ¼″ outer diameter and ¼″ plus {fraction (1/32)}″ height fits into plate  4  at hole  39  to prevent mechanical stress on center rotating plate  3 . Bolts  27  and  28  keep machine screw  16  secure and aid the electrical connection of connector  18 .  
         [0028]     Though only EC Connectors  12 , and  20  have an electrical connection to the EC Variable Capacitor, EC Connectors  12 ,  20 ,  29 , and  30  provide the capability of external magnetic fastening to other assembly structures.  
         [0029]     Plate  3  is allowed to move 120 degrees to provide a 30 to 370 pf capacitance, a range typically desired for a functional and low cost AM crystal radio tank circuit.  
         [heading-0030]     EC Coil  
         [0031]      FIG. 17  is a functional and easy to snap into place coil design. A clear plastic tube  1  of outer diameter OD 1.5″, thickness {fraction (1/32)}″ and length L 3.75″ holds a 30 gauge magnetic wire winding  2 . The magnetic wire winding  2  terminates at top holes  9  and  10  and bottom holes  11  and  12  below where at  3  and  4  the magnetic wires proceed to electrically connect to EC Connector Cells  5  and  6 . The height h from the center of EC Connector Cells  5  and  6  is {fraction (7/32)}″ (half the diameter of a chrome steel ball) and the separation distance d (determined empirically through triangulation at 1.02″) account for magnetic fastening with chrome steel balls on a mounting EC4 Panel (not shown). A half mix of epoxy hardener and half mix of resin at  7  and  8  keep the coil firmly against clear plastic tube  1 . The magnetic coil length of C at 2.875″ provides an overall coil inductance of 1022 uH.  
         [0032]     Additional neodymium iron boron magnets held by the tension of soft plastic tubing in tube holes may provide structural support by magnetic fastening to other assembly structures.  
         [heading-0033]     EC Panel Separator  
         [0034]      FIG. 15  is a top view diagram of an EC Panel Separator comprised of M×N Connector Cells, (one example being  1 ) and having no wires connected and serving the sole purpose of magnetically holding and spacing EC Rods and Panels on a Lexan or acrylic panel  2 . In this example diagram M×N is 4×5.  
         [heading-0035]     Magnetic Connection of Electronic Assemblies  
         [0036]     FIGS.  4  (at contact points  8 ,  9 ,  10 ),  6  (at contact points  7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 ), and  13  (at contact points  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  20 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23 ) elucidate the method of magnetically and electrically connecting neodymium iron boron magnets contained in assembly structures through structural contact of chrome steel balls.  
         [0037]     In  FIG. 4 , chrome steel ball  4  of diameter {fraction (7/16)}″ serves the purpose of electrically connecting ECs  5 ,  6 , and  7  while physically holding in place rods  1 ,  2 , and  3 . This is a visual improvement over a breadboard design commonplace in circuit prototyping and allows for a rapid and topologically visible three-dimensional construction of circuit design. It appeals to people learning circuit design. The {fraction (7/16)}″ diameter chrome steel ball accommodates a flexible non-obtrusive arrangement of EC Rods and Panels and a suitable magnetic flux attraction force per weight ratio to the NIB magnet.  
         [0038]      FIG. 6  shows how two EC Rods  1  and  2  are parallel connected via Connector Cells  3  and  4  while chrome steel balls  5  and  6  allow electrical continuity to other circuit EC&#39;s. By induction, any number of EC Rods may be connected in parallel.  
         [0039]      FIG. 13  depicts an example partial circuit assembly of a transistor  1  (EC3) amplifier stage on an EC Panel  13  with EC Rods  2  and  3  gaining advantage to connect below EC Panel Connector Cells  4 ,  5 , and  6 . EC Rod  7  has an extruding EC2  8 . EC Rods  2 ,  3 ,  9 , and  10  have embedded EC2s  25 ,  26 ,  24 , and  27  respectively. The intended amplifier input and output are shown at chrome steel balls  11  and  12  respectively.  
         [heading-0040]     Connector Cell  
         [0041]     To ease parallel connections,  FIG. 5  shows a short connector referred to as a Connector Cell. A NIB magnet  1  is held within a soft vinyl tube  2 . The ID disparity between the NIB magnet ({fraction (3/16)}″) and the vinyl tube (0.170″) allows the ⅛″ long vinyl tube to grasp the NIB magnet tightly. A ⅛″ long wire wrap wire  3  between the NIB magnet and the vinyl tubing adheres the NIB magnet firmly in place.  
         [heading-0042]     Separator Rod  
         [0043]     The Separator Rod in  FIG. 8  contains no EC and serves the purpose of electrically isolating circuit paths while maintaining a physical separation.  
         [heading-0044]     EC Wire Connector  
         [0045]      FIG. 14  is an EC Wire Connector composed of two Connector Cells  1  and  2  electrically connected at  3  and  4  respectively via wire wrap wire  5 . The wire is to be provided at varied lengths to connect distinct circuit nodes.  
         [heading-0046]     Glossary  
         [0047]     NIB magnet—A Neodymium Iron Boron magnet.  
         [0048]     ID—Inner Diameter.  
         [0049]     OD—Outer Diameter.  
         [0050]     EC—An electronic component such as a resistor, capacitor, transistor, etc. with any number of leads.  
         [0051]     ECn—Where n is some number, refers to an electronic component having n leads.  
         [0052]     Rod—A rigid vinyl tube of varying length.  
         [0053]     EC Rod—A rod containing an electrically connected EC with NIB magnets at each end.  
         [0054]     EC Panel—A plastic panel used to hold and electrically connect ECn assembly structures.  
         [0055]     EC Panel Connector—A soft vinyl tube wrapped NIB magnet placed in a hole within an EC Panel to allow the NIB magnet electrical exposure to the top and bottom of the panel.  
         [heading-0056]     Assumptions  
         [0057]     All NIB magnets in this application are nickel plated with dimension {fraction (3/16)}″ diameter and ⅛″ thick unless stated otherwise.  
         [0058]     All panels are Lexan sheets at ⅛″ thick.  
         [0059]     All wire wrap wire is 30 gauge.  
         [0060]     All rigid vinyl tubing has a plasticity of 75A durometer and dimension {fraction (3/16)}″ ID, ¼″ OD.  
         [0061]     All soft vinyl tubing has a plasticity of 68A durometer and dimension 0.170″ ID and ¼″ OD.  
         [0062]     All Rods are comprised of varied length rigid vinyl tubing.  
         [0063]     ECn examples: a resistor is EC2; a transistor is EC3; and an eight lead chip such as the 1458 dual  741  op-amp is EC8; an earpiece and battery clip with long stranded wire leads are EC2.