Universal interconnecting building block

The inventor of the present invention aimed to solve the problem of limited modes of interconnection between blocks. To solve this problem, the inventor created a building block that is reconfigurable to connect to a neighboring block by any two adjacent faces. To achieve this, the inventor created a system that allows a user to construct and reconfigure each individual face to provide either male or female connecting features, as well as configurable slidable connection between male and female parts. Said slidable connection allows two mating faces to be shifted or offset from one another in continuously varying amounts of offset.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The overall field of invention is interconnecting building blocks.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates generally to interconnecting building blocks that are connectible using only integral block features, and more specifically to a system of several types of interconnecting blocks that are adaptable and reconfigurable in order to allow flexible interconnection between multiple blocks.

Interconnecting blocks are well known in the toy industry. Lego and Mega Bloks provide two such examples of toy building blocks having integral features that provide for ready interconnection between blocks. A variety of interconnecting blocks are commercially available, and the majority of such blocks operate on the principal that a first block will have a projecting male feature, a second block will have a female feature, and the male feature of the first block will mate to the female feature of the second block to create a semi-permanent mechanical connection between the two. Generally, the mechanical connection will lock the blocks into relative positions with one another, and the blocks cannot be rearranged or re-oriented with respect to one-another without fully disconnecting the blocks and then reconnecting in the new desired configuration.

The basic form of this type of block generally provides male features on the top surface of a block and female features on the bottom surface of the block. The interconnection between male and female blocks is generally quantized, such that two given blocks are connectible in a finite number of configurations.

This general design concept has significant implications to the types of structures that can be constructed of these blocks. For example, if a regular rectangular vertical wall is built of basic Lego-type bricks, any bricks not at the periphery of the wall are fully locked into place and cannot be moved or removed without some degree of disassembly of the entire wall. Furthermore, a wall constructed in such a manner will not have interconnecting features on any faces other than the top and bottom faces. Therefore, it would not be possible to further interconnect additional blocks to the existing wall in any areas other than the top or bottom.

Specialized interconnecting blocks exist that have multiple faces with male or female interconnection features, but they are not the norm. Typically, significant planning is required to construct a desired structure out of interconnecting toy blocks because of the limited ways in which they can be connected and because of the difficulty of modifying a structure on an ad hoc basis.

In general, interconnecting building blocks are not reconfigurable, and a given block can only be connected to other blocks in the manners permitted by the existing permanent interconnection feature arrangement. If a given block is not suitable for a given situation or use, then a different, suitable block must be procured.

A need exists for an interconnecting block and interconnecting block system that will allow users to connect blocks in a much more flexible and unconstrained manner.

SUMMARY

The disclosure presented herein relates to a universally interconnecting building block and related system. In some embodiments, the preceding and following embodiments and descriptions are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Other aspects and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description.

Existing interconnecting building blocks are generally solid and generally rigid bodies. Each individual building block is manufactured with a given set of interconnection features, and a user is limited to connecting the blocks in manners that the manufactured designs permit. Additionally, the design of the interconnection features generally do not permit slidable mechanical connection between the blocks. If a user desires to modify the connection between the blocks, a user is generally required to disconnect the blocks, then reconnect in the new, desired connection.

The inventor of the present invention aimed to solve the problem of limited modes of interconnection between blocks. To solve this problem, the inventor created a building block that is reconfigurable to connect to a neighboring block by any two adjacent faces. To achieve this, the inventor created a system that allows a user to construct and reconfigure each individual face to provide either male or female connecting features, as well as configurable slidable connection between male and female parts. Said slidable connection allows two mating faces to be shifted or offset from one another in continuously varying amounts of offset.

The universal blocks are comprised of just three fundamental parts: 1) a slide block, 2) a slide face, and 3) flat connectors. These three parts allow users to construct infinitely configurable and infinitely interconnecting cubic blocks.

A basic cubic block is formed by combining six square faces, each face formed by a slide block and a slide face. The basic cubic block is referred to by the inventor as a “Byte.”

The system of universal blocks is further comprised of an additional family of blocks, “Bits”, which are half the size of a Byte in linear dimensions, and therefore one eighth of the volume of a Byte. Bits are flexibly interconnectable with both other Bits as well as Bytes. Bits, too, are reconfigurable, but because of Bits' smaller size, reconfiguration is limited to certain faces. Bits' smaller size further expand the flexibility of the system and provide users additional options easily construct large assemblies.

The Bit family of blocks is fundamentally cubic, while variations on the cubes provide differing combinations and orientations of male and female faces to accommodate interconnection as needed.

Finally, interconnection is highly flexible between the blocks, in that blocks may be aligned in multiple quantized positions in certain directions and slidably interconnected in other positions, which provides much higher degrees of flexibility in assembly design and construction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1-5show various rotated views of an embodiment of a slide block. Slide blocks are one of the fundamental elements of the system. A slide block is generally square and planar in shape, such that it has an outer face100, an inner face102, and four edges104. The slide block is further characterized as having a large center hole106adapted to accept the slide face.

Slide blocks incorporate a variety of interconnection features. The outer face incorporates a plurality of channels108that run parallel to the edges104. These channels108function as a female interconnection feature for mating the block to the male features of slide faces or Bits. These channels can be further categorized as being either “horizontal”120or “vertical”122.

The edges of the slide block each incorporate a pair of edge interconnection features114, comprising of a male interconnection tab feature110, and a female interconnection tab feature112. A pair of edge interconnection features114on an edge104can be mated to an edge interconnection feature pair114on another slide block. The edges104of the slide blocks incorporate a miter feature118. When a slide block is interconnected directly with one another using the edge interconnection features114, the miter feature118and the orientation of the tabs cause the slide blocks to mate at a right angle.

The large center hole106incorporates a female slide face connection feature116on each edge of the hole106. The female slide face connection features116accept a male slide face connection feature.

Each of the mating features are adapted to form semi-permanent connections between mated parts, such that parts may be assembled or mated together by hand, have some degree of mechanical strength once mated, and may be disassembled readily by hand. The strength of the mechanical attachment between parts is dependent on the precise shape and tolerances of the mated pairs, and mechanical strength may be modified accordingly.

In the shown embodiment, the slide block has two channels108running in each direction. In alternative embodiments, a slide block may have three or more channels running in each direction in order to allow a greater number of quantized offset configurations.

FIGS. 6-11show various rotated views of an embodiment of a slide face. A slide face is adapted to fit in the hole106in the slide block. The slide face is characterized as being generally planar in shape, with a male face202, a female face204, and four edges206. The male face202has a plurality of male interconnection features208that are adapted to mate to the slide block female interconnection features116or with the slide face female interconnection feature210. The slide face has two female interconnection features210running in each direction.

Slide face edges each have two pairs of interconnection features. A pair of male edge connectors212mate to the female feature116on the slide block hole106. An additional pair of male edge stabilizing connectors214serve to align the slide face to be coplanar with the slide block. The stabilizing connectors214will mate with the female features116on the slide block, but their length is reduced such that the slide face can be flipped along the axis formed by male edge connectors212while installed within hole106, and the stabilizing connectors214will merely serve to index the slide face into a position parallel to the slide block. The male edge connectors212are generally cylindrical, though a modified cylinder profile with flats216can reduce the force required to install a slide face in a slide block during assembly. The male edge connectors212may be connected to either pair of female features116on a given slide block, such that a slide block can be rotated within the plane of the slide block by 90 degrees in the hole106. This permitted rotation provides that a slide face may be installed in a slide block in three general configurations: 1) with male features208oriented outward and parallel to horizontal channels120, 2) with male features208oriented outward and parallel to vertical channels122, and 3) with female features210oriented outward.

In the shown embodiment, the slide face has two male connection features208and four female interconnection features210. In alternative embodiments, a slide block may have three or more connection features running in each direction in order to allow a greater number of quantized offset configurations.

FIGS. 12-17show various rotated views of an embodiment of a flat connector. A flat connector is used to connect a pair of slide blocks in an adjacent coplanar configuration. The flat connector therefore has interconnection tab features302functionally identical to the edge interconnection features114on the slide blocks. Similarly, it has mitered receivers304designed to accept the miter features118of the slide blocks, however the miter feature of the flat connector is configured to connect and align adjacent slide blocks in a plane.

FIG. 18shows a perspective view of an assembly of a slide block, slide face, and flat connector. In the shown assembly, the male interconnection features208of the slide face are oriented toward the outer face of the slide block402.

FIGS. 19-14show various rotated views of an assembly of slide blocks, slide faces, and flat connectors assembled to make a planar assembly. In the shown assembly, multiple slide blocks are interconnected in a coplanar configuration by flat connectors. Additionally, the shown assembly represents the way in which the slide faces may be installed with the male interconnection features208running parallel to either pair of female features120or122of a slide block.

FIG. 25shows a perspective view of an assembly of slide blocks and slide faces to make a Byte. In this embodiment, slide blocks are mated directly to other slide blocks using the edge interconnection features114. Six slide blocks may be mated directly together in this manner to form a cube. Slide faces may then be installed in each slide block to form a Byte. The slide faces may be installed with such that either the male202or female204faces are oriented outward. Similarly, users may choose the orientation of the male faces202such that the male connection features208can run parallel to either pair of female features120or122.

FIG. 26shows a perspective view of an assembly of four Bytes. The four Bytes,702,704,706, and708are interconnected by mating the male interconnection feature208on a slide face to a female interconnection feature210of the adjacent block.

FIGS. 27-32show various rotated and detail views of a pair of Bytes assembled in a slidably offset configuration. In this embodiment, the male interconnection feature208is mated to the female interconnection feature108of the slide face. The two Bytes are therefore slidably connected along the axis parallel to the male features208and therefore the offset amount is continuously adjustable.

FIGS. 33-36show various rotated views of a pair of Bytes assembled in a quantized offset configuration. The male interconnection feature208is further capable of mating with a slide block along any pair of adjacent parallel female mating features, including the edge of the Byte. In this manner, the Bytes may also be assembled offset from one another, however amount of offset is dictated by the position of the mating features, and is therefore quantized when offsetting in a direction perpendicular to the male features208. In the shown configuration, only three possible such offsets are possible: offset left, no offset, and offset right. In alternative embodiments of the invention that incorporate greater numbers of mating features, greater numbers of offset arrangements would be possible.

FIGS. 37-40show various rotated views of an alternative embodiment of a Byte. In this embodiment, the male interconnection features208take the form of cylindrical pegs. In the shown embodiment, the assembly is in a partially assembled state, wherein a slide face is installed in an intermediate position1102.

FIGS. 41-44show various rotated views of an assembly of four Bytes assembled in an aligned configuration. In this embodiment, Bytes incorporate additional female108features to provide greater possibility for quantized offset assembly. Furthermore, the greater number of connection features may also improve the mechanical interconnection between the Bytes.

FIGS. 45-49show various rotated views of an embodiment of a Female Bit. Bits are generally characterized as being one half the size of Bytes in linear dimensions, and one eighth of the volume. In the embodiment, the Bit has female connecting features1202on five of the six sides, with a single male connecting feature1204on one face.

FIGS. 50-56show various rotated views of an embodiment of a Male Bit. In the embodiment, the Bit has female connecting features1302on four of the six sides, with a male connecting feature1304on two opposing faces. Every Bit is formed of an X Half-Bit and a Y Half-Bit, however the orientation of the Half-Bits will dictate whether the Half-Bit is of the Male or Female variety.

FIGS. 57-60show various rotated views of an assembly of Female Bits. In this embodiment, the Female Bits are connected in a repeating linear pattern by connecting the female feature1202to the male feature1204on the opposite face.

FIGS. 61-64show various rotated views of an assembly of Bits. In this embodiment, the male feature1204is mated to a female feature1202on a side adjacent to the feature1204.

FIGS. 65-68show various rotated views of an assembly of a Byte and multiple Bits. This embodiment demonstrates the manifold ways in which the system of Bits and Bytes may be interconnected.

FIGS. 69-74show various rotated views of an X Half-Bit. An X Half-Bit is characterized as having a single male interconnection feature1702.

FIGS. 75-79shows various rotated views of a Y Half-Bit. A Y Half-Bit is characterized as having two male interconnection features1802.

FIGS. 80-82show various rotated exploded views of a Male Bit. The Male Bit is formed from an X Half-Bit and a Y Half-Bit mated such that the male feature1702of the X Half-Bit is oriented outwards.

FIGS. 83-85show various rotated exploded views of a Female Bit. The Female Bit is formed from an X Half-Bit and a Y Half-Bit mated such that the male feature1702of the X Half-Bit is oriented inwards and mated to a corresponding female feature on the Y Half-Bit.

FIG. 86shows an exploded view of a Byte in which one slide face and one slide block are shown in exploded positions.

FIG. 86shows an exploded view of a Byte in which three slide faces and three slide blocks are shown in exploded positions.

While preferred and alternate embodiments have been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of these preferred and alternate embodiments. Instead, the scope of the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims. Insofar as the description above and the accompanying drawings disclose any additional subject matter that is not within the scope of the claims below, the inventions are not dedicated to the public and Applicant hereby reserves the right to file one or more applications to claim such additional inventions.