Abstract:
An electrically conductive block component and method of producing such a block component are disclosed. The electrically conductive block component includes a main block section having first and second faces opposed to one another and a first channel extending through the main block section from the first face to the second face. The electrically conductive block component also includes a first conductive pin positioned within the first channel and having first and second end portions proximate the first and second faces, respectively. The first and second end portions of the first conductive pin are configured so that the electrically conductive block component can be both physically assembled with and electrically coupled to another electrically conductive block component.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to children&#39;s toys, and more particularly to block toy sets or similar construction systems that include block components or similar parts that can be assembled together to form larger toys.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Block toys remain a popular class of toys for children ranging in ages from preschool age up even into the high school years. Such toys include multiple block components that can be connected to and disconnected from one another (or at least positioned in relation to one another) to assemble and disassemble larger toy entities. Among the most versatile of the block toys, in terms of the complexity of the toy entities that can be constructed using the blocks, are the LEGO® toys and similar toys in which the block components have protrusions and indentations that allow multiple blocks to be combined with, and affixed to, one another.  
           [0003]    In recent years, the variety of block components available from block toy manufacturers has increased significantly. In particular, some toy manufacturers now provide block systems that include, in addition to standard block components, specialized components such as gear mechanisms or electronic components such as motors, batteries, electric lights, and even programmable computerized control devices. By way of these more complicated block systems, children can now construct toy entities that more closely resemble real-world systems and perform mechanized or automatic operations.  
           [0004]    Despite efforts on the part of block toy manufacturers to design these specialized components in such a way as to make the specialized components compatible with standard block components, compatibility between these different components remains a problem. Children who utilize the specialized components in conjunction with the standard block components must be cognizant of the proper manner in which to assemble the components and cautious not to lose any of the specialized components. Further, because the components can only be assembled in a certain manner, children can in some circumstances be precluded from fashioning toys according to their own designs. Indeed, often the aesthetic appearance of the specialized components is substantially different from that of the standard blocks, such that the specialized components detract from the overall appearance of the toy assemblies built using the block systems.  
           [0005]    These problems are particularly evident with respect to the implementation of electrical components in block toy systems. To provide power to and from electrical devices such as motors, lights, and batteries, and to communicate electrical control signals from computerized controllers to other electrical devices, electrical pathways must be provided. While wire cables can be employed to provided the desired connections, the use of wires in block toy systems is both functionally and aesthetically incompatible with the general design of the block components. The use of wires is further complicated when multiple signals or voltages (e.g., a voltage differential) are to be transmitted.  
           [0006]    [0006]FIGS. 1 and 2 (Prior Art) show one existing component  5  for providing electrical connections in a block toy system, which was developed by The LEGO Group, and was also shown in the Robotics Invention System™ Constructopaedia™ building guide published in 1998. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the component  5  includes first and second blocks  10  and  20 , respectively, that are coupled to one another by a cable  15 . Each block  10 , 20  is a two-by-two (square) protrusion/indentation LEGO® block. That is, each block  10 , 20  has a respective first row  25  of two cylindrical protrusions  30  protruding from a respective top side  35  of the respective block, a respective second row  40  of two cylindrical protrusions  30  protruding from the respective top side, a respective first row  45  of two indentations  50  extending inward through a bottom side  55  of the respective block, and a second row  60  of the two indentations  50  extending inward through the bottom side. As is commonly the case in such block toy components, in the embodiment shown the two indentations  50  of each of the first and second rows  45 , 60  are not separated from one another but instead together form a single rectangular channel.  
           [0007]    Further as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, within each of the blocks  10 , 20  are first and second electrical conductors  65  and  70 . As shown, each of the electrical conductors  65 , 70  includes a respective flat panel section  75  that is coupled to two protrusion sections  80 . The flat panel sections  75  of the first electrical conductors  65  are positioned along first internal walls  85  of each of the first and second blocks  10 , 20 . The flat panel sections  75  of the second electrical conductors  70  are positioned along second internal walls  90  of each of the first and second blocks  10 , 20 . Thus, the flat panel sections  75  of the first and second electrical conductors  65 , 70  respectively form parts of the indentations  50  of each of the first and second rows of indentations  45 , 60 . The first and second electrical conductors  65 , 70  respectively extend the entire length of the corresponding first and second internal walls  85 , 90  of the blocks  10 , 20  and consequently the pair of indentations  50  of each respective row  45 , 60  are short circuited with one another. When other block components are attached to the first and second blocks  10 , 20  by the insertion of protrusions of the other block components into the indentations  50 , portions of the protrusions of the other block components are tangent to and in contact with the internal walls  85 , 90 .  
           [0008]    The two protrusion sections  80  of the first electrical conductor  65  of each block  10 , 20  respectively extend into the two protrusions  30  of the second row  40  of protrusions on that block, while the two protrusion sections  80  of the second electrical conductor  70  of each block respectively extend into the two protrusions  30  of the first row  25  of protrusions on that block. As shown, segments  95  of the outer cylindrical surfaces of each of the protrusions  30  that are outward facing towards the planes formed by the first and second internal walls  85 , 90  are missing. Consequently, portions of the protrusion sections  80  of the first and second electrical conductors  65  and  70  are exposed at each of the protrusions  30 .  
           [0009]    The cable  15  internally includes first and second wires  100 , 105 . The first wire  100  is coupled between the first electrical conductors  65  of the first and second blocks  10 , 20  while the second wire  105  is coupled between the second electrical conductors  70  of the first and second blocks. Consequently, the component  5  is configured to allow a voltage differential to be applied at one of the blocks (e.g., at the first block  10 ) across the first and second conductors  65 , 70  of that block, such that the voltage differential is then provided at the other of the blocks (e.g., at the second block  20 ) across its first and second conductors.  
           [0010]    The component  5  of FIGS. 1 and 2 provides certain desirable features. In particular, electrical signals/voltages can be applied and delivered at the indentations/protrusions of a block, such that electrical connections can be established between two blocks simply by assembling the blocks in the standard manner. Additionally, the design successfully enables the transmission of a voltage differential over a distance.  
           [0011]    Nevertheless, the design of the component  5  limits its usefulness. To begin, the component  5  still employs the cable  15 , which is aesthetically inharmonious with the blocks  10 , 20 , and which may become dislodged from the blocks  10 , 20  over time. In particular, the interfaces between the cable  15  and the two blocks  10 , 20  can constitute a structural weak points of the component.  
           [0012]    Further, the manner in which the first and second electrical conductors  65 , 70  are constructed and positioned in relation to the blocks  10 , 20  limits the usefulness of the component  5 . As shown, the flat panel sections  75  of the first and second electrical conductors  65  and  70  are positioned only along the first and second internal walls  85  and  90 , and the first and second electrical conductors only protrude from the protrusions  30  at the outward-facing segments  95  of the protrusions. Consequently, if a block like that of blocks  10 , 20  (e.g., from another one of the components  5 ) is to be successfully coupled electrically to the bottom side  55  of one of the blocks  10 , 20 , that block must be oriented so that its respective first and second rows of protrusions are aligned with the first and second rows  45 , 60  of indentations of the one of the blocks  10 , 20  to which it is attached. Likewise, if a block like the blocks  10 , 20  is to be successfully coupled electrically to the top side  35  of one of the blocks  10 , 20 , that block must be oriented so that its respective first and second rows of indentations are aligned with the first and second rows  25 , 40  of protrusions of the one of the blocks  10 , 20  to which it is attached. Otherwise, the flat panel sections  75  of the electrical conductors  65 , 70  of one block will not be in contact with the portions of the electrical conductors of the other block that are exposed within the segments  95  of that block, and no electrical connections will be established. Thus, two of the blocks cannot be assembled in a manner in which the blocks only are in contact along one of the rows  25 , 40  of protrusions of one of the blocks and one of the rows  45 , 60  of indentations of the other of the blocks (e.g., in a staggered manner).  
           [0013]    Additionally, because adjacent protrusions  30  of each of the rows  25 , 40  of each of the blocks  10 , 20  are short-circuited with one another, and similarly because adjacent indentations  50  of each of the rows  45 , 60  of each of the blocks  10 , 20  are short-circuited with one another, any voltage differential between the first and second electrical conductors  65 , 70  can become short-circuited when two or more blocks that are the same as the blocks  10 , 20  are stacked above one another in an improper orientation. In particular, if two blocks are stacked in a manner where the rows  25 , 40  of one the blocks are perpendicular to the rows  45 , 60  of the other of the blocks, then a voltage differential existing on at least one of the blocks will be short-circuited. Thus, the design of the component  5  does not facilitate the communication of a voltage differential by way of the stacking of blocks, since blocks must be stacked in a particular manner for such a voltage differential to be properly communicated from the bottom of the stack to the top of the stack.  
           [0014]    Therefore, given the limitations of conventional block toy components such as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it would be advantageous if an improved electrical block toy component could be developed. In particular, it would be advantageous if such a component allowed for the communication of a voltage differential over a distance. Additionally, it would be advantageous if such a component allowed for the communication of a voltage differential over a distance without the use of externally visible wires or other externally-visible or structurally weak non-block components. Further, it would be advantageous if such a component was easy to construct and manufacture, robust, and consistent in aesthetic appearance and function with standard block toy components of its corresponding block toy system.  
           [0015]    Additionally, it would be advantageous if such a component was designed so that, whenever the component was assembled to another similar interface component in any manner consistent with the normal manner of assembling block components of that type, electrical connections were successfully created regardless of the particular orientation of assembly. For example, with respect to LEGO®-type block components, it would be advantageous if electrical connections could be created between two block components whenever one or more indentations of one of the components received one or more corresponding protrusions of the other of the components, regardless of whether pairs of indentations of one component were aligned with pairs of protrusions of the other components, or whether all or some of the indentations of one component were in contact all or some of the protrusions of the other component. Additionally, it would be advantageous if the components were designed in such a manner that, regardless of the orientation of components that were affixed to one another, a voltage differential applied to one component in a stack of components would always be properly transmitted to another one of the components in the stack, without any short-circuiting of the voltage differential occurring due to the relative orientation of the components.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0016]    The present inventors have realized that an electrically conductive block component can be constructed by inserting a plurality of pins into corresponding sockets within a rectangular block portion. Heads of the pins at first ends of the pins extend out of a top face of the rectangular block portion to form protrusions, while indentations exist within the opposite ends of the pins along a bottom face of the rectangular block portion, where the indentations are capable of receiving and being connected to corresponding protrusions from other block components. Because the entire circumferences of the heads of the pins, and the entire inner surfaces of the indentations, are electrically conductive, electrical connections can be established between two of the electrically conductive block components regardless of the relative orientations of the block components, so long as one or more of the protrusions of one block component are connected to one or more of the indentations of another block component.  
           [0017]    The present inventors have further realized that, by internally short-circuiting only those pins on a block component that are positioned diagonally with respect to one another, the block component is thus configured to have two sets of pins that are electrically isolated from one another and that can coexist with a voltage differential between the two sets of pins. Further, because adjacent pins within a given row of pins (rather than pins from different rows that are diagonally-neighboring) are always electrically isolated from one another, two of the block components of this type can be assembled in any orientation without short circuiting the voltage differential between the two sets of pins. Consequently, an inexperienced user can easily connect or stack multiple such electrically conductive block components, in any orientation, and successfully provide a voltage differential from a first location at one of the block components to a second location at one of the other block components.  
           [0018]    In particular, the present invention relates to an electrically conductive block component. The electrically conductive block component includes a main block section having first and second faces opposed to one another and a first channel extending through the main block section from the first face to the second face. The electrically conductive block component further includes a first conductive pin positioned within the first channel and having first and second end portions proximate the first and second faces, respectively. The first and second end portions of the first conductive pin are configured so that the electrically conductive block component can be both physically assembled with and electrically coupled to another electrically conductive block component.  
           [0019]    The present invention further relates to an electrically conductive block component. The electrically conductive block component includes a main block section having a plurality of channels extending between first and second surfaces of the main block section, and a plurality of electrically conductive pins. Each pin is inserted within a respective one of the channels, and each pin has a respective head forming a respective protrusion out of the first surface and a respective base including a respective indentation recessed into the second surface. The electrically conductive block component additionally includes at least one connection that electrically couples at least two of the electrically conductive pins.  
           [0020]    The present invention additionally relates to a method of producing an electrically conductive block component. The method includes providing a main block section having first and second faces and a first channel extending from the first face to the second face, and inserting a first electrically conductive pin into the first channel so that the pin extends from proximate the first face to proximate the second face. Upon being inserted sufficiently far into the first channel, the first electrically conductive pin is fixed in position with respect to the main block section. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a Prior Art electrically conductive block component;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the component of FIG. 1; and  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of an exemplary electrically conductive block component in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary electrically conductive block component of FIG. 3, taken along line  4 - 4  of FIG. 3;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary electrically conductive block component of FIGS. 3 and 4, taken along line  5 - 5  of FIG. 4;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 6 is an alternate embodiment of the cross-sectional view of the exemplary electrically conductive block component shown in FIG. 4;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of an assembly of multiple electrically conductive block components in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of another exemplary electrically conductive block component in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0029]    Referring to FIG. 3, a perspective view of an exemplary electrically conductive block component  200  shows the block component to be rectangular with respective first and second rows  210 ,  220  of protrusions  230  protruding from a top face  240  of the block component. In the embodiment shown, each of the first and second rows  210 ,  220  includes three of the protrusions  230 , although in alternate embodiments, the number of protrusions per row could vary. Indeed, depending upon the embodiment, the number of rows  210 ,  220  could also vary. For example, the block component  200  could also be a block component having only one protrusion  230  in a single row or a block component with nine protrusions  230  arranged in three rows.  
         [0030]    Also shown in FIG. 3, in phantom, are respective first and second rows  250 ,  260  of indentations  270  recessed inward into a bottom face  280  of the block component  200 . Each of the rows of indentations  250 ,  260  includes three of the indentations  270 , to match the protrusions  230  along the top face  240 . In alternate embodiments, in which the number and/or arrangements of protrusions  230  varies from that shown in FIG. 3, typically the arrangement of indentations  270  would be changed to match that of the corresponding protrusions. However, it is possible that, in some alternate embodiments, a block component would include one or more protrusions  230  that were unmatched by corresponding indentations  270 , or vice versa.  
         [0031]    The block component  200  is generally in the form of a LEGO® type block component and is capable of being connected to other block components of the LEGO® type. However, the present invention is also capable of being implemented with respect to block components for use with block toy systems other than the LEGO® systems. For example, while the LEGO® type blocks typically have cylindrical shaped protrusions  230 , other types of block components may have rectangular shaped protrusions or protrusions of other shapes, as well as indentations capable of receiving such protrusions. The block component  200  need not be rectangular. The present invention is intended to be applicable with respect to all of these other types of block toy systems.  
         [0032]    Referring to FIG. 4, a cross-sectional view of the electrically conductive block component  200  taken along line  4 - 4  is shown. As is evident from FIG. 4, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the protrusions  230  and indentations  270  are formed by pins  290  that extend through a main block portion  360  of the block component  200  from its bottom face  280  to (and out of) its top face  240 . As shown, each of the pins  290  has a respective head  300 , respective top portions of which form the protrusions  230 . Also, each of the pins  290  includes a respective base  310 , in which is formed a respective one of the indentations  270 . Further, as shown, each of the heads  300  of the respective pins  290  includes a respective slot  320  through, and a respective locking ridge  330  around, the head  300  of the pin  290 . The respective slot  320  of each pin  290  extends from a respective upper end  325  of the pin up to a respective interior section  340  of the pin.  
         [0033]    The pins  290  are made from one or more electrically conductive materials such as copper or steel, such that each of the pins  290  provides a short circuit between its respective protrusion  230  and indentation  270 . To construct the block component  200 , each of the pins  290  is inserted into a respective channel  350  within the main block portion  360 . The pins  290  are inserted with the heads  300  first. The slots  320 , which allow the circumferences of the heads to be slightly reduced during insertion, facilitate the insertion of the pins, which would otherwise be more difficult due to the presence of the locking ridges  330 . Once the respective pins  290  are inserted all of the way into their respective channels  350 , the respective ridges  330  fit into respective complementary notches  370  of the main block portion  360 , thus locking the respective pins  290  with respect to the main block portion  360  so that the pins do not slide back out of the bottom face  280  of the block component  200 . Additionally, the bases  310  of the pins  290  include ridges  380  that prevent the pins  290  from being inserted too far into the respective slots  350 . Thus, the pins  290  snap into place within the main block portion  360  and are locked in relation to the main block portion, thereby forming a robust block component  200  with the multiple protrusions  230  and indentations  270 .  
         [0034]    In certain embodiments, the block components such as the block component  200  additionally are designed to provide for electrical connections between multiple pins  290 . For example, FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the block component  200  taken along line  5 - 5  of FIG. 4, in which pins  290  that are positioned diagonally apart from one another are electrically connected (short circuited) by way of connections  390 ,  400  existing within the interior of the main block portion  360 . Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the middle one of the three pins  290  forming the middle indentation  270  of the first row of indentations  250  is coupled to both of the outside pins  290  forming the outermost (e.g., first and third) indentations  270  of the second row of indentations  260 . The connections  390  between these three pins  290  are embedded within the main block portion  360  and can be, for example, discrete wires that run parallel to the top and bottom faces  240 ,  280  between the respective diagonally-positioned pins  290 . Also as shown in phantom, the middle one of the pins  290  forming the middle indentation  270  of the second row  260  of indentations is coupled by way of the connections  400  to the outside pins  290  forming the outermost indentations  270  of the first row  250  of indentations. The additional connections  400  also can be, for example, discrete wires that run parallel to the top and bottom faces  240 ,  280  of the block component  200 .  
         [0035]    Because the respective connections  390  and connections  400  connect alternating sets of diagonally-positioned pins  290 , the connectors  390  and additional connectors  400  crisscross one another. In order that the crisscrossing connections  390 ,  400  remain electrically isolated, so that the respective sets of pins  290  coupled to the different connections also are electrically isolated from one another within the block component  200  and thus can be maintained at different voltages, the connections  390  are typically positioned at a different level between the bottom and top faces  240 ,  280  than the additional connections  400 . In the embodiment shown, for example, the connections  390  are positioned at a higher level (e.g., closer to the top face  240 ) than the additional connections  400 . In certain embodiments, the main block portion  360  can be formed by way of a molding/layering process, in which the additional connections  400  are positioned above a bottom layer of plastic that forms the bottom face  280 , a middle layer of plastic is positioned on top of the additional connections  400 , the connections  390  are positioned above the middle layer, and a top layer of plastic is finally provided above the connections  390 , where the top layer also forms the top face  240  of the main block portion  360 . Thus, the connections  390  are electrically isolated from the additional connections by the middle layer of plastic.  
         [0036]    Turning to FIG. 6, an alternate cross-sectional view of the block component  200  of FIG. 3 taken along line  4 - 4  is shown. In this embodiment, pins  410  are still inserted within corresponding channels  420  of a main block portion  430  of the block component  200 . However, in order to retain the pins  410  in their channels  420 , caps  440  are positioned respectively over heads  450  of the pins  410 . The caps  440 , which form the outer surfaces of the protrusions  230  of the block component  200 , are electrically conductive and are pressed onto the heads  450  of the pins  410 . Because the outer circumference of the caps  450  is larger than the diameter of the channels  420 , the pins  410  are locked in place and prevented from coming out of the bottom face  280  of the block component  200 . Also, the pins  410  again include ridges  480  around their respective bases  490  that preclude the pins from being inserted too far into the main block portion  430 . The embodiments shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 are only intended to be exemplary of a variety of different designs of electrically conductive block components that can be simply assembled to allow for electrical connections between respective indentations  270  and protrusions  230  of the block component.  
         [0037]    Referring to FIG. 7, several of the block components  200  are shown to be assembled with one another and with an additional block component  460  to form a larger block assembly  470 . The block assembly  470  is only intended to be exemplary of a variety of block assemblies that could be constructed using one or more of the block components  200 ,  460  or other block components. That is, the assembly  470  is exemplary of other assemblies constructed from block components that have fewer or larger numbers of protrusions  230  and indentations  270  than the block components  200  and the additional block component  460  (which has first and second rows of four protrusions and first and second rows of four indentations).  
         [0038]    As shown in FIG. 7, assuming that each of the block components  200  and  460  employ connections such as those of FIG. 5 that connect diagonally-positioned pins (and their respective protrusions and indentations), a voltage differential can be transmitted across multiple blocks. FIG. 7 shows how two different voltage potentials at two sets of pins (and thus a voltage differential between those respective sets of pins) is transmitted by the blocks by showing respective plus signs on those of the protrusions  230  that would have a first voltage potential and respective negative signs on those of the protrusions that would have a second voltage potential.  
         [0039]    Block components in which diagonally-positioned pins (rather than adjacent pins) are connected to one another are especially advantageous insofar as the block components having this configuration can be assembled with one another in any orientation without resulting in the short-circuiting of the two sets of pins and any voltage differential between them. Thus, a child constructing an assembly such as the assembly  470  with the block components can easily provide a voltage differential and thus communicate power from one location in the assembly to another without having to follow any specialized rules of assembly other than the normal manner of assembling the block components. Further, this embodiment of block components is advantageous insofar as it eliminates the need for wires that could negatively impact the aesthetic appearance of the blocks or compromise the blocks&#39; robustness. In essence, the block components integrate the electrical componentry of the blocks with the physical structure/shape of the blocks.  
         [0040]    Turning to FIG. 8, an alternate embodiment of the invention shows a block component  500  that employs pins  520  (which can be of any of the types discussed above, including the pins  290  and pins  410 ). In this example, the block component  500  only has a single row  510  of the pins  520  and corresponding indentations and protrusions. Preferably, the pins  520  are electrically isolated from one another rather than coupled to one another by any connections. By electrically isolating the pins  520  of the block component  500  from one another, voltage differentials carried by other block components such as the block components  200 , 460  described above are not short-circuited when those other block components are coupled to the block component  500 .  
         [0041]    The present invention is generally applicable to block components having a different number and arrangement of pins and corresponding protrusions and indentations, and to a variety of other types of block components than those shown in FIGS. 3-8. Also, while not preferred, the present invention includes embodiments in which adjacent pins rather than just diagonally-positioned pins are electrically coupled to one another.  
         [0042]    Many other modifications and variations of the preferred embodiment which will still be within the spirit and scope of the invention will be apparent to those with ordinary skill in the art. In order to apprise the public of the various embodiments that may fall within the scope of the invention, the following claims are made.