FIELD OF TH E INVENTION

The present Invention is in the field of toy building sets, more specifically toy block building sets and even more specifically electronic component integrated into blocks of toy building sets.

BACKGROUND AN D PRIOR ART

Toy building sets are well known in the art of constructive and educational games, toys and knowhow kits. Such toy build ing sets, for example, are known commercially by the trade name LEGO, those building blocks to hich the invention relates are described, e.g., in U .S. Pat. os. 3,005,282 and 6,645,033, which are incorporated herein by reference. Those and other building blocks typically comprise hollow box-shaped bricks having tops with outwardly facing su rfaces, having coupling cylindrical projections or studs. The studs are located at evenly-spaced positions in row and column array arrangements, which for embodiments such s the standard re ct angular parallelepiped blocks shown (e.g., standard LEGO™ block with length L 3 cm, width W = 1.5 cm, height H 1 cm rectangular size format and 2x4 stud arrangement). These studs are designed to fit cylindrical tubu lar coupling members that placed with in the opening hollow cavities defined by inside surfaces of the top and sides of the blocks.

The blocks are typically fabricated using injection molding of thermoplastic material, with the coupling members and insides of the cavities designed to allow blocks to be removably interconnected by causing the coupling studs of one block to enter the cavity of another block, whereby the studs fractionally engage with the inside walls that define the cavity and with the cylindrical tubular coupling members.

It will be understood to those skilled In the art that the present invention is generally applicable to all toy building systems with building elements having coupling means for releasabSy interconnecting building elements.

Such toy building sets are sometimes equipped with integrated electronic features and components, allowing the user to experience, assembly, design and alter not only the building aspect of the game but also to obtain an electronic- based feature or principle as part of the use. Such electronic features are demonstrated in the following examples.

US3346775A Describes a toy building set a toy building set having a plurality of blocks, each block having a hollow parallelepiped body open at one face, a bottom and four side walls defining a cavity, at least one primary projection extending typically outwardly from said bottom, at least one secondary projection within said cavity, the position of said second projection relative to the walls being such that a primary projection of a block can be clamped between at least one side wall and at least one secondary projection of another similar block the improvement wherein at least one primary projection is electrically conductive and at least one electrical component is located in the cavity of said blocks and electrically connected with said conductive primary projection .

EP2340093B1 Discloses a building element for a toy building set, said building element comprising a body part with a top face and a bottom face seen relative to the normal use situation of the building element, and wherein the top surface is configured with a number of coupling studs (3a, 3 b), and wherein the bottom face is configured with complementarily configured coupling me ns (2a, 2b) that are configured with a view to interconnection with corresponding coupling studs (3a, 3b) on another building element; and wherein the body part of the building element is configured from an electricaliy insulating thermoplastics material, wherein at least one electrically con ducting conductor (4a, 4b) is configured that extends through the body part and connects at least an electrical contact face on at least one coupling stud (3a, 3b) on the top face of the building element to at least one electrical contact face on one complementarily configured coupling means (2a, 2b) on the bottom face of the building element, characterised in that the conductor (4a, 4b) comprises electrically insulating and curable material into which a plurality of electrically conductive elements are admixed and distributed, such as fibres or particles, in such a way that a large number of electrically conducting elements enables the conductor to convey the current through the conductor (4a, 4b) from the electrical contact face on the coupling stud and to the electrical contact face on the complementarily configured coupling means.

US20110021107A1 relates to a toy building block of a type which may be interconnected with similarly configured blocks has a hollow box-shaped structure having a top with cylindrical stud coupling members, and sides which together with the top define a downwardly opening cavity into which the cylindr cal studs of a like configured block may be inserted for frictional interconnection. One or more integrated circuit chips are embedded within the moulding material of the block and leads incorporated within the block studs, and sides provide electrical interconnection between blocks when like configured blocks are brought into frictional inter-engagement. In a described embodiment, components of a digital video recording system are apportioned to different blocks which when interconnected provide the complete system functionality.

None of the prior art publications teaches a way to use a single toy building block for multi-circuit conduction therefore when such multi lines are needed a special central main base block is used as a building surface, and other blocks are merely connected to it at selected areas. Such block is disclosed in KR2G16012SG88 describing an as embly toy comprises: a base block having a first power line where a positive electrode and a negative electrode are alternately arranged in a coupling stud and having a first data line provided to a centroid between the coupling studs; and a subunit coupled to the base block to receive power from the first power line and performing data communication through the first data line.

Other solutions in the art simply tried to avoid the need for multi-circuit conduction by way of eliminating, for example, the need for a data line and basically use one input and one output for each block. And when a multi-task is needed the operation is defined by setting the bricks in a uniformed manner.

Such publication is for example US77G8615B2 which describes a toy building system with function bricks adapted to perform a function in response to a mechanical trigger action; sensor bricks with a sensor adapted to produce an output in response to a mechanical trigger action; and logic bricks with an input responsive to a sensor brick output and adapted to perform a logic fun ct on on the sensor brick output and to produce a logic out ut. The sensor brick output and the logic brick output are arranged in a first uniform manner relative to the coupling means, and the sensor output action and the logic output action are of uniform physical nature. The logic brick input and the function brick input are arranged in a second uniform manner relative to the coupling means. The function brick input is responsive to a logic brick output and adapted to perform the function in response to a logic brick output.

Another example showing the tendency in the art to avoid the need for a multi-circuit conduct on bricks by way of eliminating data lines is shown in US10335702B2 that provides a circuit building system, comprising a plurality of electrically conductive and detachably and mechanically inter-connectable blocks that extend between a low voltage power source and one or more electrically active members and that are selectively interconnected in such a way to build a closable electric block-defined circuit through which current is fiowahle to activate said one or more electrically active members and by which a trlggerable action is generatable independently of a separate data line, wherein a first block of said plurality of electrically conductive blocks Is an electrically switchable block that comprises first and second electrically conductive terminal members by which said activating current, in response to said trlggerable action, is selectively flowable to an adjacent block of the plurality of blocks in abutting and electricity conducting relation therewith.

There is, therefore, a need in the art for a multi conductive terminal toy building block to allow multi circuits conduction functions to be integrated with toy building sets. A SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a block to be used as part of a toy building set and allows for partial or full multi-circuit conduction blocks to be placed in an electrical circuit built with said building set.

In this document, the term full multi-circuit conduction block refers to a building block having more than one inputs and more than one outputs that allows for at least two total separated routes of electricity. The term partial or semi multi-circuit conduction block refers to a block having at least two inputs and at least one output, or having at least one input and at least two outputs and allows for different routes of electricity to be merged into one, or for one route to be split into two or more.

It is another object of the present invention to provide for a multi-circuit conduction block that allows for a full or partial separated data line to be placed in a block in a manner that can run a power-consuming electric element without shorting a circuit governed by said power consuming element.

It is yet another object of the present invention to allow for more complex function bricks that require multiple different data or power routes.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some embodiments of the invention are herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the invention. In this regard, the description taken with the drawings makes apparent to those skilled in the art how embodiments of the invention may be practised, and the variety of usages enabled thereof.

Fig. 1 depict samples of electronic component integrated into blocks of toy building set. The blocks could be categorized into four different categories: Power, actuators, shorts and functions. Power could be a power source or a connection to a power source 100. it has at least two conductive contacts (-} 82 and ( + } 84.

The actuator could be a motor 220, or a LED 222 or 224, each has at least two conductive contacts {-) 82 and ( + } 84.

Short could be a block with two conductive contacts (-} 82 and ( + } 84 like the block 200 or a single conductive contact with two ends.

It will be emphasized that the LED 224 could also be a short having two conductive contacts (-) 82 and { + } 84, or a sensor having two conductive contacts (-} 82 and ÷} 84. Thus it is understood that the block 200 could also contain different circuits, actuators or shorts.

Yet the configuration as shown has the drawbacks of prior art building blocks namely having only two conductive contacts. This feature is limiting the possibilities of such toy sets to demonstrate certain electronic circuits basics.

Fig. 2 depicts two building blocks according to the present invention. The block 208 has four conductive contacts and isolated members in between them. The conductive contacts

(-} 82a, b and (÷} 84 a, b, or vice versa. This lines could be used to run two completely different circuits. The first one is using (-} 82a and ( + } 84a, while the second circuit uses (-) 82b and { + ) 84b. It could also be used for an electric consuming sensor or switch, using one circuit for Data as the main circuit, and the other for Power for the component in the block as a secondary circuit. Optionally the second conductive contact could have a voltage division property, but unlike prior art blocks it is not mandatory.

The other building block 206 has three conductive contacts and could be used as a short for splitting circuits when first conductive contact (-) 82, second conductive contact ( + } 84a for a first circuit and third conductive contact { + } 84b for a second circuit, or as a circuit merger with ( + ) 82 and (-} 84a and b accordingly.

The blocks could also be used for a power-consuming component or multi-data line parameters or circuits.

Fig.3 and 4 is a configuration of circuits using the sensor 260 which is a sample use of the block 206 of Fig. 2. The circuit has a Power 100 with two conductive contacts 821/841, an actuator that could be a motor 222 with two conductive contacts 822/842, straight short blocks 4, and a sensor 260. Fig.3 configuration includes only one circuit and thus the block 260 could be either a short or if it is a sensor or power- consuming parameter, gate or bridge should have a voltage divider for the second line. In Fig.4 it is clear that there is no need for a voltage divider even when the block 260 is a power-consuming component such as a sensor.

Using these two configurations could demonstrate to players of the toy set the meaning of a data line or the need for a separate circuit for separate roles.

Fig. 4 could also represent a split circuit component 260, in which a single power unit 100 having a short 42 between its conductive contact 841 and the blocks 260 conductive contact 82. The circuit is then split into a first circuit 120 going all the way to the conductive contact 821, and to 122 going through the actuator 222 through the short 44 to the conductive contact 821. The circuit 120 could be a sensor power line while the circuit 122 could be a data line, turning the actuator 222 on, only if a predetermined condition applies. It is understood that the circuit 120 could include any actuator and that the block 260 could be a short, a parameter, a sensor or a gate that decides which of the circuits will be connected one, both or none.

Fig. 4a depicts the configuration of Fig.4 demonstrating the block 260 as a light, touch, sound and Bluetooth sensors. That could either open or close the circuit of the actuator, using voltage lead through the other circuit. Fig.5 depicts a similar configuration as Fig. 4 using as the block 260 the configuration of block 208 of Fig. 2. It will be understood that these are only some of the possible uses, while many other uses could be applied to this configuration by using the different (-) conductive contacts 82a and 82b.

Attention is drawn now to Fig.6, which shows an example of the internal design of a building block 206 as appears in Fig.2 having a printed circuit 124 as an inner component. The different crossing sections of the block depict the position of the circuit 124 within the block 206 and the contacts it has 86, 88a, b with the conductive contacts 82, 84a, b.

Fig.7 shows an example of the internal design of a building block 208 as appears in Fig.2 having a printed circuit 124 as an inner component. The different crossing sections of the block depict the position of the circuit 124 within the block 208 and the contacts it has 86a, b, 88a, b with the conductive contacts 82a, b, 84a, b.

Fig. 8 depicts another design allowing for a multi-circuit conduction blocks architecture. The blocks shown are 208, which is precisely the same blocks, as shown in previous Figs. 284, and 284a which has four pogo pins on top and in the centre of its studs. The four pogo pins are four conductive contacts that can be used in any manner explained herein. For example, a two lines block could be implemented when the contact 840a is (-), and 820a is ( + ) as one line while 840b is (-), and 820b is ( + ) for the second line. The lines could be separated or used for data and power lines. The blocks 284 and 282 could have another 4 conductive contacts within the cavity of the blocks integrated with its cylindrical tubular coupling members. Some blocks like for example 224 could have only the bottom 4 contacts and can be used as an actuator, a sensor a parameter or any other component.

The architecture could integrate both block 208 and block 284 into one block 282, which has eight different conductive contacts and optionally could have another four contacts at the bottom cylindrical tubular coupling members.

It will be understood to those skilled in the art that the examples shown herein are not limiting the possibilities of usage if the basic idea of the invention which is to run separate voltage lines within one block.

Fig.9 depict an example of usage of the architecture of Fig.8 where the blocks used in a circuit are a LED actuator 224 and other blocks are colour parameters 240,242,244 The LED comprises two contacts 82 and 84 for the voltage, and another four used to communicate with the parameters. The parameters could use only the bottom contacts like block 240 or both bottom and top contacts as depicted in blocks 242 and 244.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLES

There are numerous types of electric or electronic components used in the art of toy building sets. Typically four main categories of building blocks or cubes: Power, Circuit-Component, Actuator and short. The Power - usually contains a battery, but could alternatively be a self generating power source, a transformer etc. or could be simply be connected to another power source such as for example a USB port. The power supplies voltage to the system .

The circuit component 260 could be a switch, a capacitor, a resistor, a transistor etc. or any combination printed or otherwise connected, such as for example a sensor that can sense specific or many different properties and parameters, e.g. light, proximity, temperature, movement, sound etc. and perform a predesigned action or series of actions with accordance to said property presence, absence, intensity or other measurements. The actuator can be any electric consumer element, for example, LED, speaker, motor etc. The short function as electrical conductive connector or lead and allows circuit connection between two or more neighbouring blocks.

The traditional building blocks have two conductive contacts. Thus a circuit could be established by having voltage going through the block using the + conductive contact and the - conductive contact.

Therefore, whenever a more complex circuit design is required, it is impossible to split a line, to merge separate lines or to create a bypass without using another set of blocks.

Furthermore, if an electric-circuit component, such as a sensor requires power to function, the only way to supply this voltage is by performing a voltage division for allowing the component to be on while the actuator is off. This, of course, requires also the actuator to be designed with a specific threshold, that wouldn't react to the lower voltage of the circuit.

The present invention discloses a block, designed to have more than two conductive contacts, and therefore allow more than one line to be run through the same brick.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the block could have three conductive contacts. One conductive contact could be a (-), and two could be ( + ) or vice versa.

In other embodiments, the block could have four conductive contacts. To allow two ( -) and two ( + ).

In yet other embodiments the block could have more conductive contacts with accordance to the functionality of the component or the number of lines, leads or circuits required.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that any combination of conductive contacts is available in accordance with the present invention. Numerous separate lines, split or merged lines and combinations thereof.

The conductive contacts could be made in any known manner. A conductive material coating a thermoplastic member of the block, a projection of conductive contact through the walls or top of the block, pogo pins inserted in the circular coupling studs of the block and a contact to match is placed in the inner bottom coupling members.

Each conductive contact is characterized by allowing lead of voltage from or to a defined part of the outer surface of the block to or from the inner cavity thereof. And said defined part of the outer surface is designed to be in contact with any neighbouring block assembled next to it, with accordance to the location of said conductive contact.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the block 206 has 3 conductive contacts. One conductive contact 82 is located at one side of the block, and two other conductive contacts 84a, b are located at the other end of the block.

In this configuration, the conductive contacts are separated by a nonconductive material, either as a thin divider between two conductive contacts or by the middle body of the brick itself. It will be understood to those skilled in the art, that these are merely examples. And that any means of conductive contacts and any means of isolating could be used in accordance with the present invention.

This block could be, for example, a short. It is, therefore, can receive Voltage from said one conductive contacts and split it through the opposite two conductive contacts. This could be useful for example when a single power block is being connected to two functionalities or to two different circuits. The voltage is to be run through the block to or from a neighbouring block, wherein said neighbouring block could be coupled to any of the parts of the conductive contacts including on top or underneath them.

The block 206 could also be a sensor. In this embodiment the voltage is lead into the block from the one conductive contact 82 and split inside the block into two circuits. One is a power line designed to power the sensor itself, or other functionalities thereof, while the other one is the data line governed by the output of said sensor. In this embodiment the conductive contact used as power is connected through a separate circuit 84b to the other contact of the power block while the conductive contact of the data line 84a is connected through a circuit to the actuator. Such assembly is demonstrated for example in Fig. 4.

In this configuration, the power line doesn't need a voltage division and could be run as supplied from the power block.

It will, of course, be possible to assemble different functionalities and options to said sensor. Such as a multi functional design in which the output of the voltage through the data-line could have other options besides open or closed, for example by the use of a potentiometer, changing the data voltage to the actuator in a linear manner from 0 to 1.

Although not required a voltage division could be added to such blocks and by this way expanding the use of it as a regular sensor cube as depicted in fig.3.

Another embodiment of the present invention is block 208. It would be apparent to those skilled in the art that this brick could perform each and every task or role exactly as the embodiment described for block 206, yet this brick is having at least four conductive contacts, and therefore allows for two different lines to be lead through it. It could be used as a short brick, for one or two circuits but could also be used to merge or split circuits as described above.

It should be emphasized that such a block could be used for whole different circuits or for more complex functionality circuits.

It could be used for example as actuators or sensor parameters, or combine logic gate or other multi-data functions. In these cases, the brick could have one or more conductive contacts for voltage to be lead into it and one or more conductive contacts for voltage to be lead out of it. A lot of data power lines either generated by a pre-designed circuit within the brick or gathered from a different sensor, parameters or other functions bricks are leading voltage into the brick. The brick could be designed to allow the output of voltage with accordance to the different inputs it gets, or to manage different outputs with accordance to a sole input.

In some embodiments of the present invention voltage is lead by conductive contacts placed on top and bottom of the coupling means of the bricks. In these embodiments, the bricks having pogo pins or other conductive means at the centre of each coupling stud, and other conductive contacts are located in the correspondent position of the cavity in the bottom of each brick.

The bricks with accordance to these embodiments could perform any of the task demonstrated above and could have said pogo pins functioning as different or as connected or shorten contacts.

As depicted in Fig.8 This configuration could be used combined with the configuration of the bricks described in Fig.2, or it could be used by its own. It will be understood that this configuration could be used together with any other configuration that allows for conductive contacts to be in touch with neighbouring bricks.

This configuration could be used for example for erecting a circuit vertically, yet it could be designed for using an inner component such as a parameter, gate or sensor to be used with any other brick.

Such use could be, for example, a parameter for an actuator, it could define the colour or brightness of a LED the polarity of a motor or the volume of a speaker.

The system has four main building blocks or cubes: power, component, actuator and short. The Power could be a battery and supply the voltage to the system, the Component can be any printed or otherwise arranged circuit, it could be for example a receiver, a gate or a sensor, in the case of a sensor it could sense many different properties such as light, proximity, temperature, movement, sound etc. The actuator can be, for example, LED, speaker, motor etc. The Actuator may have at least two contacts. A sensor may have at least three contacts, and the short function as electrical connector or lead for the circuit connection.

Each of the system building blocks has four electrical connections: one input and two outputs to the other end. One of the connectors on each side is the power line, and the other is data line.

A better understanding of the embodiments of the present invention is by way of examples of the lines lead within the bricks. Figure 10 is an example of a basic system. The power block 100 connected with the contact 821 that is the positive power supply to the input contact of cube 260 that is the contact 82. The Cube 260 is a sensor cube and has two separated outputs: data line output 84a and power output 84b.

The system in Figure 10 has the following short cubes in 41, 42, 43 and 44. The short cubes have contacts in all sides of the cube, and the contacts are electrically connected.

Another cube in figure 10 is the actuator block 222. The power 100 negative connector 841 is connected to the short cube 41. The short cubes 41, 42, 43 and 44, have all arranged in a way, that the sides are shorted with each other. This is demonstrated in 42, wherein the internal conductor connects the short 42 connectors. The only difference between the short cubes is the size and the location of the external connectors 880.

The sensor cube 260 in this specific example is a light intensity sensor. The sensor gets the power to operate from the voltage potential differences between the input 82 and the power connector 84b that is connected to the negative connector of the battery with the shorts 44 and 41. The Sensor senses the light intensity, and when the light intensity goes over specified threshold, the sensor logic connects a voltage to its data connector 84a. The voltage that is connected to the data connector 84a is somehow less than the voltage in the sensor positive input 82. The differences between the input connector 82 and the data connector 84b, when the data connector in on state, is small yet enough for the inside logic of 260 to work. This voltage difference is not necessary for the circuit operation in Figure 10 but if added is useful for some embodiments such as shown in Fig. 11. The voltage is the output connector 84a of cube 260 is connected to the shorts 42 and to the actuator 222 connector.

In this specific example, the actuator 222 is a DC motor. As the other connector of the motor 842 is connected to the negative contact of the battery 100 by the short 41, the motor starts working immediately after the light intensity that the sensor 260 senses is above the threshold.

Figure 11 depicts a different arrangement of the cubes of figurelO. The Battery 100 connected with the contact 821 that is the positive power supply to the input contact of cube 261 that is the contact 82a. The Cube 261 is a sensor cube and has two separated outputs: data line output 84a and power output 84b. Both outputs 84a and 84b are shorted together with the short 41.

The sensor cube 261 in this specific example is light intensity sensor. The sensor gets the power to operate from the voltage potential differences between the input 82a and the power connector 84b that is connected to the negative connector of the battery through the short 41 and the motor 222. Since the current to operate the sensor logic through the power contact 84b is very small, then the small current does not cause the motor to operate when the sensor senses light intensity that is less than the sensor threshold. The Sensor senses the light intensity, and when the light intensity goes over specified threshold, the sensor logic connects a voltage to its data connector 84a. The voltage that is connected to the data connector 84a is somehow less than the voltage in the sensor positive input 82a. The differences between the input connector 82a and the data connector 84a, when the data connector in on state is small but enough for the inside logic of 261 to work. The voltage is the output connector 84a of cube 261 is connected to the short 41 and to the actuator 222 connector. In this specific example the actuator 222 is a DC motor. As the other connector of the motor 821 is connected to the negative contact of the power 100, the motor 222 start working immediately after the light intensity that the sensor 261 senses above the threshold intensity level.

Figure 12 demonstrates an example of the internal structure of the sensor 260 of figure 10, specifying the power line 84a and the data line 84b. The input power connector 302 supply positive power to the electronic circuit 124 through the internal power supply unit 129. The negative power 306 is supplied to the cube 260 and the power supply unit 129 with the external connectors 84a that are internally shorted to each other with the conductor 87.

When the sensor electronics sets the unit to on, it switches the data line connector 84b by controlling the internal switch 811, with the control signal 308. The internal switch 811 is built from a relay, transistor FET, or Mosfet or other techniques that are common in the electrical circuit switching and known in the art. As a result of the switching operation, the voltage in the contact 84b is the input voltage at contact 82a minus the minimum voltage that is required by the internal power supply unit 129.

Figure 12 is a detailed description of the block 129. The voltage potential difference between the positive power input from the connector 82a and the negative power input from the connector 84a, create a low voltage drop on the Zener diode 112. The Zener diode in this application may be replaced with a resistor, ordinary diodes or other known elements in the art that when current flows through, a voltage drop is detected. The voltage drop on the Zener diode 112 is regulated and increased using the regulator and DC/DC converter 113. The regulator and DC/DC converter 113 are known electrical elements in the industry and are using to stabilize a working voltage for the sensor electronics.

Figure 12a specifies an example for the electronic circuit of the sensor block 124 of Figure 12 in more details. For this example, the sensor is a light sensor.

It will be understood that these are merely examples demonstrating the usage of the present invention and that the invention is not limited to these examples as described.