AN ELECTRIC CABLE

Abstract: An electric cable (10) comprising a plurality of mutually insulated electric conductors (5, 6) is provided with a plurality of cuts (3, 4). The cross section of the cable is substantially rectangular, and the cuts preferably extend transversely to a first pair of opposed side faces. The cable is intended for mechanical and electrical cooperation with connectible elements (7, 15) which have at least coupling studs (8, 9, 16) arranged with a predetermined modular distance, so that at least some of the cuts are intended to surround these coupling studs fully or partly, just as at least one of the conductors is exposed in a plurality of cuts which have a mutual position in accordance with a modular measure.

Description: An electric cable The invention concerns an electric cable for use in connection with a building set with connectible elements which have at least coupling studs arranged with a pre- determined modular distance. It is known to provide connectible elements with various forms of contact areas so that a distributed voltage supply is established when the elements are interconnec¬ ted. The elements, which comprise energy consuming means, e.g. a light or sound source, may thus be coupled with the other elements at an arbitrary location, thus estab¬ lishing, simultaneously with the mechanical coupling, an electric connection between the energy consuming means and the voltage supply via the interconnected elements. Such elements are known e.g. from the US Patent Specifi¬ cation 4 552 541, where a plurality of coupling studs arranged in a row has uniformly constructed areas which are electrically insulating and electrically conducting respectively. These electrically conducting areas are connected to at least one contact means which is parallel with the row and adapted to establish electric connection to the electrically conducting areas on coupling studs of an adjacent element coupled to the element. These known elements are relatively expensive to manu- facture, and their usefulness is limited when electric signals are to be transmitted over long distances in a structure built from a plurality of different elements. The object of the invention is therefore to provide an electric cable which ensures convenient transmission of electric signals over long distances, vertically as well as horizontally, and is useful in being adapted to cooperate mechanically as well as electrically with elements which have at least coupling studs arranged with a predetermined modular distance. This object is achieved in that the cable, whose cross section is substantially rectangular, comprises a plu¬ rality of mutually insulated electric conductors where the insulation of the cable is formed with a plurality of cuts which preferably extend transversely to a first pair of opposed side faces, at least one of the conductors being exposed in a plurality of such cuts which have a mutual location in accordance with a modular measure, at least some of the cuts of the cable being adapted to fully or partly surround coupling studs, which are arranged with a predetermined modular distance. The cuts may be incisions in the second pair of opposed side faces, holes disposed inside the second pair of opposed side faces or a combination of these. The cuts may moreover have different geometric shapes depending upon their intended use, as will be described later. of course, the cable may comprise a plurality of con¬ ductors which are not exposed in said cuts, so that these can only be contacted at the ends of the cable. The conductors of the cable may be contacted in the cuts where they are respectively exposed, and this contacting may take place in different ways, e.g. in that an exposed conductor is caused to contact a conducting area on a coupling stud, or in that a conducting coupling leg on a special coupling element is caused to contact an ex¬ posed connector. The invention will be explained more fully below with reference to the drawing, in which Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 shows how the cable in fig. 1 can cooperate with a building element. Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of the invention. Fig. 4 shows an example of the use of the cable in fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows a building element intended for cooperation with the cable in fig. 3. Fig. 6 shows a third embodiment of the invention. Fig. 7 shows a fourth embodiment of the invention. Fig. 8 shows a fifth embodiment of the invention. Fig. 9 shows a sixth embodiment of the invention. Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a cable according to the invention. The cable contains two electric con- ductors 5 and 6 and is formed with cuts 3 and 4 in two opposed sides. At least some of these cuts are arranged in accordance with a modular measure - in this case all. Depending upon the location of the electric conductors 5 and 6 and the geometry and size of the cuts 3 and 4, the conductors 5 and 6 will be exposed in the bottom of the respective cuts. In this case the conductor 5 is exposed in all cuts 3, while the conductor 6 is ex¬ posed in all cuts 4. Since all cuts are disposed in ac¬ cordance with a modular measure, and since the geometry of the cuts is adapted to the geometry of the coupling studs on a connectible element, this cable 2 is very useful for mechanical and electrical cooperation with such an element. Fig. 2 shows how the cable in fig. 1 can cooperate with a building element 7, e.g. an element as described in the previously mentioned US Patent Specification 4 552 541. Together with the coupling studs 8, 9, the cuts 3 and 4 serve to mechanically connect the cable 2 and the element 7. If the element is constructed as described in the US Patent Specification 4 552 541 and comprises two mutually insulated electric contact means, the elec¬ tric conductor 6 will be in electric connection with one contact means of the element e.g. via a coupling stud 8, while the electric conductor 5 will be in elec¬ tric connection with the second contact means of the element via a coupling stud 9. The mechanical coupling force between the cable 2 and the element 7 is provided e.g. by elasticity in the cable, which causes friction against the coupling studs touching the cable. This elas¬ ticity is moreover instrumental in making the electric connection between the cable and the element stable and reliable. Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of a cable 10 according to the invention. The cable 10 is formed with cuts 3 and 4 like the cable 2 in fig. 1, the electric conductors 5 and 6 being exposed in respective cuts 3 and 4. The cable 10 is additionally provided with cuts 11 and 12, where the conductor 5 is exposed in the cuts 11, and the conductor 6 is exposed in the cuts 12. The position and the shape of the cuts 11 and 12 are adapted so that it is possible, by means of elements having special elec¬ tric coupling legs, to contact the conductors 5 and 6 by allowing the coupling legs to penetrate the cable, which will be described below. Fig. 4 shows the use of a cable as shown in fig. 3. It being assumed that the element 7 is connected to a vol¬ tage supply (not shown), the cable 10 contacts the con- ductors 5 and 6 via a coupling stud 8 and 9, respectively so that a voltage difference will exist between the con¬ ductors, substantially corresponding to the voltage dif¬ ference on the output terminals of the voltage supply. The cable 10 is mechanically coupled with an element 15 by means of the cuts 3 and 4 and coupling studs 16 of the element. This element contains e.g. no electrically conducting areas, so the coupling has no influence on the electric circuit. An element 17 is placed on top of the element 15. This element 17 comprises coupling legs for electric contacting of the conductors 5 and 6 and energy consuming means, here a light source 8 (will be described more fully below) . The coupling legs pene¬ trate the cable in the cuts 11 and 12 and thus establish electric connection between the cable 10 and the element 17. It will be appreciated that another embodiment of the cable 10 is conceivable where the conductors 5 and 6 are not exposed in all cuts 3 and 4, but e.g. only in the cuts 3 and 4 which are disposed at the ends of the cable. This reduces the rise of unintentional short circuiting of the conductors 5 and 6. Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the element 17. The element comprises e.g. two electrically conducting coupling legs 19 and 20. These coupling legs may be pointed for better penetration of the cable 10 in the cuts 11 and 12. The sides of the element are moreover provided with cuts 21 whose cross section corresponds to the maximum cross section of the cable. The cable 10 will thus be received by the cuts 21 when the coupling legs penetrate the cuts 11 and 12 of the cable. The element 17 is moreover adapted to cooperate mechanically with coupling studs on other elements. It will be appreciated that such an element 17 may be constructed in many other ways and still be able to contact a cable as described in connection with fig. 3. It is moreover possible to couple the element 17 to the cable 10 without using an additional element 15, but this coupling will not have the same mechanical and electrical reliability. Fig. 6 shows a third embodiment of a cable according to the invention. The cuts 35, 38 and 41 are so shaped and positioned that they serve to mechanically connect the cable with a building element having coupling studs. The cuts may moreover expose the conductors so that the conductor 31 is exposed in cuts 35, the conductors 32 and 33 are exposed in cuts 38, and the conductor 34 is exposed in cuts 41. The cable may moreover be provided with cuts 36, 37, 39 and 40, in which the conductors 31, 32, 33 and 34, respectively, are exposed. With respect to shape and position, these cuts are adapted for contact¬ ing as described in connection with figs. 3, 4 and 5. The cable may additionally be provided with electric conductors which are not exposed, so that these can only be contacted at the ends of the cable. Fig. 7 shows a fourth embodiment of a cable 50 according to the invention. The cable 50 comprises two electric conductors 51 and 52 which are exposed in a plurality of cuts 53 and 54, respectively. In addition, the cable 50 comprises a conductor 55 which is not exposed and can therefore only be contacted at the ends of the cable. The electric conductors 51 and 52 may e.g. be used for distribution of voltage, while the electric conductor 55 is used for transmitting a control signal to a speci¬ fied position in a toy structure. Fig. 8 shows a fifth embodiment of a cable 60 according to the invention. The cable 60 comprises two electric conductors 61 and 62 which are exposed in a plurality of cuts 63 and 64. In this embodiment the electric con¬ ductors are implemented in the form of e.g. sheet strips or strips of conducting paste. If the cable 60 is provided with additional cuts, like the cable 10 in fig 3, the use of sheet or paste will be particularly advantageous since penetrating coupling legs will bend the sheet so that this is pressed against the walls of the cut, which gives a good electric contact. Fig. 9 shows a sixth embodiment of a cable 70 according to the invention. The cable 70 comprises two electric conductors 71 and 72. Like the conductors 61 and 62 in fig. 8, the conductors 71 and 72 are implemented in the form of sheet strips or a layer of conducting paste, but the conductors 71 and 72 are disposed on the surface of the cable. This makes the cable very inexpensive to manufacture and enables contacting of a conductor by means of e.g. a collector shoe. The conductors 71 and 72 are disposed on their respective sides of the cable 70, and their geometry is so adapted that the conductor 71 is exposed in a plurality of cuts 73 at one side of the cable 70, while the conductor 72 is exposed in a plurality of cuts 74 at the other side of the cable 70. As appears from the foregoing description, the invention may be utilized in a very large number of different em- bodiments. If the conductors are twisted inside the cable, e.g. an embodiment comprising alternate exposure of two conductors in a row of cuts is conceivable. As described, the width of the cable may be varied within wide limits, it being preferred that the height of the cable is smaller than or equal to the height of the coupling studs of the building elements.

Claims: P a t e n t C l a i m s 1. An electric cable, comprising a plurality of mutually insulated electric conductors, where the cross section of the cable is substantially rectangular and the cable is adapted for use in connection with a building set having connectible elements which have at least coupling studs arranged with a predetermined modular distance, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the cable comprises a plurality of cuts which preferably extend transversely to a first pair of opposed side faces, that at least one of the conductors is exposed in a plurality of such cuts which have a mutual location in accordance with a modular measure, and that at least some of the cuts of the cable are adapted to surround said coupling studs fully or partly. 2. A cable according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that at least some of the cuts are incisions in the second pair of opposed side faces. 3. A cable according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r - i z e d in that at least some of the cuts are holes disposed inside said second pair of opposed side faces. 4. A cable according to claims 1-3, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the cable comprises additional, non- exposed, separately insulated conductors. 5. A cable according to claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that at least some of the cuts are intended to receive electrically coupling legs on a coupling ele¬ ment.

Inventors: BACH ERIK, TOFT ALLAN, BACH, ERIK, TOFT, ALLAN
Applicants: LEGO AS, LEGO A/S
Application year: 1990
Main classification: A63H33
IPC codes: A63H33