Abstract:
A board including a number of holes is designed to receive junction pieces. These junction pieces include a head and a lug designed for fitting the holes of the plate for mechanical interconnection of said junction pieces to said board. Electrical connectors are provided on each head for interconnection with the terminals of the electronic components. These terminals are held together by lamellas which provide the electric contact and which are connected one with another.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention pertains to a kit designed for the construction of electric circuits and particularly to circuit kits to be used in laboratories and in the educational field. 
     In general, the prior art electric circuits obtained with the usual methods do not accurately reflect the theoretical operating diagram. Furthermore, because soldering is required in the prior art circuits in order to connect the electronic components in these circuits, it is not possible to reuse the components in other circuits, as they may be damaged during an unsoldering operation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is designed to eliminate these disadvantages by using a convenient, solderless, complete kit designed for the construction of electric circuits. The electric circuit thus obtained is the exact replica of its theoretical diagram and the electronic components used may be reused on other circuits. 
     The complete kit, designed for the construction of electric circuits, and as called for in the invention, is characterized by the fact that it includes a drilled plate as well as junction pieces which fit in the holes of the plate. 
     According to another characterization, the plate includes holes which may be staggered. 
     According to another characterization, the junction pieces include a cylindrical head defined by two parallel planes. Along the axis and below this cylindrical head, a lug is provided to hold the junction piece by frictional contact in one of the holes of the plate. This lug is split in its middle and consists of two truncated cones. 
     According to another characterization, the heads of the junction pieces are of parallelepiped shape. 
     According to another characterization, the head of the junction pieces includes a series of connections which are equally spaced and located at a constant distance from the edge of the upper face of the head. 
     According to another characterization, all of the above connections are connected by a common conductor. This conductor is represented by a solid line which conforms to the shape of the network of connections. 
     According to another characterization, in the case where the heads of the junction pieces are parallelepiped shaped, the heads include a series of connections which are equally distributed along lines that are parallel to one of the sides of the head. 
     According to another characterization, the above connections belonging to the same line, parallel with one of the sides of the head, are connected by the same conductor, these conductors being parallel to each other. 
     According to another characterization, each connection consists of two lamellas which are attached, as by soldering, onto a contact piece connected to the above conductor. The lamellas, the contact piece and the contact piece-conductor connection are made of a conducting material. 
     According to another characterization, the shape of the lamellas of any given connection are such as to provide an adequate attachment of the electronic components, as well as provide an electric contact between these components and the contact piece. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The attached, schematic drawing will give a better understanding of the specifications of the invention. 
     FIG. 1 is a partial elevational view of an electric connection abtained with the kit as described by the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial elevational view of a connection, as well as a diagram of the circuit represented in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a junction piece; 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of a junction piece, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a junction piece taken along line V--V of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of a connection, taken along line VI--VI of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of a connection, taken along line VII--VII of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 8 is a top view of a junction piece, according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a junction piece, taken along line IX--IX of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 shows a variation of the support plates, according to a further embodiment of the invention, which may be used with double faced electronic patterns; 
     FIG. 11 is a large scale illustration of the detail of the elevation represented in FIG. 10; 
     FIGS. 12 and 13 show a variation of the embodiment of the junction piece shown in FIG. 8; 
     FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate a variation of the embodiment of the junction piece shown in FIG. 4; 
     FIGS. 16, 17, 18 and 19 are the respective illustrations of further embodiments of junction pieces especially designed for electronic connections in the double faced mode; 
     FIG. 20 is an exploded view illustrating the conducting structure of the junction piece shown in FIG. 8, as illustrated by FIGS. 16 and 17; 
     FIG. 21 is a similar exploded view representing the conducting structure of the junction piece shown in FIG. 4, as illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19; 
     FIG. 22 shows a detail of the junction piece of FIG. 8, illustrated on FIGS. 16, 17 and 20; 
     FIG. 23 shows a hinge piece according to the invention; 
     FIG. 24 is a cross sectional view illustrating the mode of assembly of two junction pieces of the type illustrated in FIGS. 17, 19, 13 and 15 in the case of a double face connection; 
     FIG. 25 illustrates an application of the invention in the case of a connection including a slanted panel; and 
     FIG. 26 illustrates another type of construction including two support panels, one of which is double faced. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to FIGS. 1-4, 8 and 9, the kit, according to the invention, consists of a plate 1, including holes 2, and which can be made of wood of the &#34;isorel&#34; type, and of junction pieces which may be of two types: junction pieces 3 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and junction pieces 3 I , as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. 
     The junction piece 3 of FIG. 3 consists of a head 4, an attaching lug 5, a split 10 from its bottom, and connections 6. 
     With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, each connection 6 consists of two lamellas 7 which are soldered to a contact piece 8. The connections 6 are connected by a conductor 9 and are housed in the recesses 11 of the head 4. 
     All of the connections of the junction pieces 3 I  are connected by the same conductor 9, as shown in FIG. 4. The connections 6 of the junction pieces 3 I  are connected by conductors 9 so as to be arranged in independent rows of connections 12, no conductor 9 being provided to connect two rows 12, as illustrated in FIG. 8. 
     The system operates as follows. 
     In the case of the electric diagram 13 shown in FIGS. 1-3, the plate 1 is selected to have as many junction pieces 3 as the number of nodes 14 of the electric system. 
     The junction pieces 3 are attached to the plate 1, using the hole 2, by means of their lug 5. 
     The electronic components 15 are arranged between the various junction pieces 3 following the electric diagram 13, as determined by the circuit diagram. The terminals 16 of these components penetrate the connections 6 of the junction pieces. The remainder of the circuit is obtained by means of tabs 17 attached in the same fashion as the electronic components 15. 
     The electronic components 18 of the integrated circuit type, are attached by their lugs 19 to the rows 20 of junction pieces 3. 
     The terminals 16 of the electronic component 15 are locked between both lamellas 7 of the connections 6 so as to obtain a connection providing a permanent electrical contact between these two elements, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. The advantages of the kit used for the construction of electric circuits as called for in the invention are the following. 
     The circuits thus obtained accurately reflect the theoretical electric diagrams. Used in laboratories or in the educational field, these circuits, equipped with the kit according to the invention, allow for a better understanding of their operation. 
     As modes of the circuits are obtained by solderless connections, their use is more flexible. Furthermore, the electronic components used are not damaged and may be reused on other circuits, and the circuit thus obtained may be easily modified. 
     Both types of junction pieces may be used jointly with all types of electronic components, such as integrated circuits for instance. 
     If the contact is lost at any point of the circuits, it is not necessary to discard the plate and its connections which are equivalent to the plate of the usual printed circuits, the defective junction piece being the only part to be discarded. 
     The connections thus obtained require less connecting wires since a direct liaison is provided from component to component. 
     It is possible to separate the various functions of a connection. 
     The above applies more particularly to the wiring patterns called &#34;monoface&#34; or &#34;singlefaced&#34;. 
     The variations illustrated in FIGS. 10 through 26 are specifically designed for doublefaced wiring patterns, such as those in which the electronic components may be arranged on both faces of the same plate. Such a plate 21 is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 10 and 11. This plate may be made of a single molded piece of plastic material for instance. It includes square or rectangular holes 22 and various holes 23 which are arranged in series on both faces. Finally two of the peripheral sides of the plate include male lugs 54 which extend externally and the two other sides include female sleeves 55 designed to receive the male lug 54 of another plate 21. It is therefore possible to assemble, side by side, several plates 21 according to the invention. 
     The junction piece 3 II  illustrated on FIGS. 12 and 13 may be used in the same way as that illustrated on FIGS. 8 and 9. The first junction piece, however, shows the following differences when compared to the second one. 
     Each row of connections 6 is replaced by a single connecting bar 26 which extends practically over the whole length of the head of the junction piece. 
     The attaching lug 25 is both square and hollow. 
     Four conducting plates 30 are provided on the internal faces of the attaching lug 25. These plates may be made of metal and each one of them is connected to one of the single connecting bars 26 by means of a metal structure surrounded by the plastic material of the junction pieces 3 II , as more clearly shown in FIGS. 12, 13 and 20. 
     In the case of the junction piece 3 III  illustrated on FIGS. 14, 15 and 21, its function is similar to that of the junction piece 3 I  illustrated on FIGS. 4 and 5, but with the following differences. 
     In this case also, the separate connections 6 are replaced by a conducting peripheral bar 31, housed in the head 24 of the junction piece. 
     A conducting plate 32 is inserted on one of the internal faces of the attaching lug 25. This conducting plate may be made of metal and is connected by means of metal to the connecting bar 31 with which it forms a metal structure which is surrounded by the plastic material of the junction piece 3 III . 
     The junction pieces 3 II  and 3 III  which have just been described on FIGS. 12 through 15 and 20, 21, are female junction pieces. The respective male junction pieces 3 II  and 3 V  are illustrated on FIGS. 16 and 17 in the case of the junction piece 3 IV , and on FIGS. 18 and 19 in the case of the junction piece 3 V . 
     In the case of the latter, the only difference comes from the fact that the lug 33 is both square and solid, and that its dimensions enable it to penetrate smoothly in the attaching lug 25 of one of the above mentioned female junction pieces. 
     With this arrangement, FIG. 24 shows that it is possible to plug a male junction 3 IV  or 3 V  in one of the holes 22 of the plate 21, whereas a famale junction piece 3 II  or 3 III  is plugged in the opposite face and in the same hole. Therefore, the conducting bars 26 or 31 of the male junction piece 3 IV  or 3 V  are electrically connected to the conducting bars 26 or 31 of the female junction piece 3 II  or 3 III . The passage from one face of the plate 21 to the other is obtained by means of the conducting plates 30 or 32 of the attaching lug 25 of the junction element 3 II  or 3 III , and which are in contact with the plates 30 or 32 of the male square studs 35 of one of the male junction pieces 3 IV  or 3 V . 
     FIG. 23 illustrates a hinge piece 36 which completes the invented components. 
     The hinge piece 36 includes two square lugs 37 whose dimensions and spacing are directly related to the loops of the system of holes drilled in the plate 21. It is therefore possible to plug these square lugs 37 either in the holes 22 of the plate 21 or another plate 38, or in the female sleeve 55 provided along its perimeter. With this arrangement, it is possible to connect two hinge pieces 36, using a pin 39, in order to obtain the type of connection illustrated on FIG. 25. In this case, the hinge pin 36 connect a support plate 21 and another similar support plate 38 which define a variable angle 40. This system may be desirable in order to provide a console including components, as illustrated at 41, designed to display electro-luminescent digits. 
     FIG. 26 illustrates another application of an electronic kit according to the invention. In this case, the male lugs 24 (FIG. 11) of a support plate 42 are plugged in the holes 22 (FIG. 11) of another support plate 21 (FIG. 26). On the support plate 42, whose faces are thus made accessible, it is possible to obtain various electronical wiring connections with the junction pieces according to the invention. In particular, the following connections may be obtained. 
     A level 43 may be provided on one part of the upper face of the support plate 21. Another level, such 45 is provided on the front face of the support plate 42 and may be connected to the first level by means of an electrical wiring 44. 
     An additional level such as the one shown at 46 and schematically illustrated on FIG. 26, is actually located on the rear face 47 of the support plate 42 and may be connected to the level 45. 
     In conclusion, the invention offers the following advantages. 
     All of the components may be assembled by means of plugs, thus suppressing the need for soldering. 
     It is also possible to obtain &#34;double face&#34; patterns and still observe the accuracy of the theoretical systems drawn on paper. 
     The &#34;double face&#34; pattern avoids a quick saturation of the support plates such as those shown in FIGS. 25 and 26. 
     The connections allow for the strict observation of the theoretical patterns even in the case of the &#34;double face.