US20130109268A1

US20130109268A1 - Light-emitting Building Block Having Electricity Connection Unit

Info

Publication number: US20130109268A1
Application number: US13/288,020
Authority: US
Inventors: Chia-Yen Lin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-11-02
Filing date: 2011-11-02
Publication date: 2013-05-02

Abstract

A building block includes a hollow brick and a plurality of electricity connection units. The brick has a light member mounted on a circuit board. Each electricity connection unit is connected with the circuit board, and includes a hollow tubular member having two half tubes, two conducting members received in the tubular member, a compression spring received in the tubular member and an annular electricity connection member sleeved on a top end of the tubular member. A first wire connects with the circuit board and the compression spring. A second wire connects with the circuit board and the annular electricity connection member. The second wire has a bending portion disposed by a bottom end of the tubular member. Thus, after multiple building blocks are assembled, the electricity connection units form a circuit to illuminate the light member.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a light-emitting building block, and in particular to a light-emitting building block having an electricity connection unit received therein and when multiple building blocks are connected to each other, the electricity connection units are connected to illuminate the building blocks.
2. The Prior Arts
Although modern toys or video games provide more vivid entertainment than traditional toys, some traditional toys, such as building blocks, still attract many parents and children. Playing the building blocks can improve hand-eye coordination of young children. Moreover, the building blocks can be assembled and connected in many ways, which is fun. Children and adults both can use bricks in various shapes to create anything and everything, such as vehicles, buildings, and even robots. Therefore, the building block is still one of most popular toys across all ages.
Although the conventional building blocks provide entertainment and stimulate creativity, the building blocks can be improved to attract more children to play. One of schemes to attract attention of the children is to provide a light-emitting building block. The improved building blocks can illuminate when they are connected to each other and still has a structure not too complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a light-emitting building block having a light member and an electricity connection unit received therein. When the building blocks are connected to each other, the electricity connection units form a circuit to supply power to the light members, thereby enhancing entertainment.
In order to achieve the objective, a light-emitting building block having an electricity connection unit according to the present invention comprises a hollow and light transmittable brick and a plurality of electricity connection units disposed in the brick. The brick include a control circuit board disposed therein, a plurality of ring-shaped studs projected from a top thereof and a plurality of tubes defined in a bottom thereof. The numbers, shapes, sizes and the positions of the tubes are corresponding to the studs. The control circuit board has a light member mounted thereon and a plurality of assembling holes defined therethrough. Each assembling hole is disposed between the stud and the corresponding tube.
The electricity connection unit includes a hollow tubular member, two conducting members, a compression spring and an annular electricity connection member. The tubular member includes a top end and a bottom end, and each end comprises a post having a central through hole. The post disposed at the bottom end of the tubular member is mounted on the control circuit board, and the posts disposed at the top end and the bottom end of the tubular member are respectively received in the stud and the tube of the brick. The tubular member includes two half tubes connected with each other. One of the half tubes has a male engaging member and another half tube has a female engaging member corresponding to the male engaging member. After the male engaging member is engaged with the female engaging member, the two half tubes are assembled to form the tubular member.
The two conducting members are received in the top end and the bottom end of the tubular member, respectively. Each conducting member extends through the through hole and projects out of the tubular member. Portions of the conducting members 40 projecting out of the top end and bottom end of the tubular member are received in the stud and the tube, respectively.
The compression spring is vertically received in the tubular member. Both ends of the compression spring are pressed against the two conducting member. The compression spring has a first wire which passes through the tubular member and connects with the control circuit board.
The annular electricity connection member is sleeved on the top end of the tubular member, and received in an inside of the stud. The annular electricity connection member includes a second wire extends along the side wall of the tubular member. The second wire has a length long enough to pass through the control circuit board and includes a bending portion disposed by the inner surface of the tube. A lower end of the second wire is connected with the control circuit board.
When the studs of one brick are engaged with the tubes of another brick, the conducting members disposed in the studs of one brick are contacted with the conducting members disposed in the tubes of the corresponding brick. Moreover, the bending portions are inserted into the studs and contacted with the annular electricity connection members that are located by inner surfaces of the studs. After the multiple bricks are assembled together, the control circuit boards disposed in the bricks are electrically connected with each other in parallel by the electricity connection units. Therefore, when any one of the electricity connection units is connected with the power source or the power source is directly disposed in the brick, the light members disposed in the bricks may be illuminated to provide the interlocking bricks with the visual attraction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiments thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a light-emitting building block in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the building block in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an electricity connection unit according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an explosive view showing the electricity connection unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an explosive view showing the electricity connection unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the building blocks according to the present invention connected to each other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, a light-emitting building block according to the present invention comprises a hollow and light transmittable brick 10 and a plurality of electricity connection units 20 disposed in the brick 10. A control circuit board 11 is disposed in the brick 10. The brick 10 has a plurality of ring-shaped studs 12 projected from a top of the brick 10 and a plurality of tubes 13 defined in a bottom of the brick 10. The numbers, shapes, sizes and the positions of the tubes 13 are corresponding to the studs 12. A light member 14 is mounted on the control circuit board 11. A plurality of assembling holes 15 are defined through the control circuit board 11 and each assembling hole 15 is disposed between the stud 12 and the corresponding tube 13. According to the preferred embodiment, the brick 10 has a bottom base 102 and a top cover 101 mounted on the bottom base 102. The studs 12 and the tubes 13 are disposed on the top cover 101 and the bottom base 102, respectively.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the electricity connection unit 20 includes a hollow tubular member 30, two conducting members 40, a compression spring 50 and an annular electricity connection member 60. The tubular member 30 has a top end and a bottom end. Each of the top end and the bottom end of the tubular member 30 comprises a post 31, and each of the posts 31 includes a through hole 32 disposed at a center thereof. The post 31 disposed at the bottom end of the tubular member 30 is mounted on the control circuit board 11, and the posts 31 disposed at the top end and the bottom end of the tubular member 30 are respectively received in the stud 12 and the tube 13 of the brick 10. A side wall of the tubular member 30 comprises a side opening 33. The tubular member 30 includes two half tubes 34 connected with each other. One of the half tubes 34 has a male engaging member 35 and another half tube 34 has a female engaging member 36 corresponding to the male engaging member 35. After the male engaging member 35 is engaged with the female engaging member 36, the two half tubes 34 are assembled to form the tubular member 30. According to a first embodiment, a folding piece 37 is disposed between and connected with side edges of the two half tubes 34. The male engaging member 35 and the female engaging member 36 are respectively disposed at side edges opposite to the side edges connecting with the folding piece 37. The male engaging member 35 and the female engaging member 36 include an engaging rod 351 and an engaging hole 361, respectively. Therefore, after the folding piece 37 is folded, the engaging rod 351 of the male engaging member 35 is engaged with the engaging hole 361 of the female engaging member 36 to assemble the two half tubes 34 together. Referring to FIG. 5, each half tube 34 according to a second embodiment includes a male engaging member 35 and a female engaging member 36 disposed at two opposite side edges thereof. The male engaging member 35 and the female engaging member 36 disposed on one half tube 34 are corresponding to the female engaging member 36 and the male engaging member 35 disposed on another half tube 34, respectively. Therefore, when assembling the tubular member 30, the two half tubes 34 are facing with each other and the male engaging member 35 and the female engaging member 36 disposed on one half tube 34 are respectively engaged with the female engaging member 36 and the male engaging member 35 disposed on another half tube 34.
The two conducting members 40 are received in the top end and the bottom end of the tubular member 30, respectively. Each conducting member 40 extends through the through hole 32 and projects out of the tubular member 30. Portions of the conducting members 40 projecting out of the top end and bottom end of the tubular member 30 are received in the stud 12 and the tube 13, respectively. The conducting member 40 comprises a head 41 and a tail 42. The head 41 of the conducting member 40 has a diameter larger than that of the through hole 32 and is received in the tubular member 30. The tail 42 has a diameter smaller than that of the through hole 32, and extends through the through hole 32 and projects out of the tubular member 30.
The compression spring 50 is vertically received in the tubular member 30. Both ends of the compression spring 50 are pressed against the heads of the two conducting member 40, thereby forcing the tails 42 to project out of the tubular member 30. The spring 50 has a first wire 51 which passes through the side opening 33 of the tubular member 30 and connects with the control circuit board 11.
The annular electricity connection member 60 is sleeved on the top end of the tubular member 30, so that the annular electricity connection member 60 encircles the post 31 of the tubular member 30 and is received in an inside of the stud 12. The annular electricity connection member 60 includes a second wire 61 extends along the side wall of the tubular member 30. The second wire 61 has a length long enough to pass through the control circuit board 11 and includes a bending portion 62 disposed by the inner surface of the tube 13. A lower end of the second wire 61 is connected with the control circuit board 11. According to the preferred embodiment, the annular electricity connection member 60 is a conical spring.
Referring to FIG. 6, when the brick 10 is connected with another brick 10, the studs 12 of one brick 10 are engaged with the tubes 13 of another brick 10. The conducting members 40 disposed in the studs 12 of one brick 10 are contacted with the conducting members 40 disposed in the tubes 13 of the corresponding brick 10. The first wire 51 is connected with the control circuit board 11 and the compression spring 50. Thus, after the multiple bricks 10 are assembled together, the control circuit boards 11 disposed in the bricks 10 are electrically connected with each other by the first wires 51, the compression springs 50 and the conducting members 40. Moreover, the bending portion 62 of the annular electricity connection member 60 is disposed by the inner surface of the tube 13. Therefore, after the studs 12 are engaged with the tubes 13, the bending portions 62 are inserted into the studs 12 and contacted with the annular electricity connection members 60 that are disposed by inner surfaces of the studs 12. The second wires 61, which are connected with the control circuit boards 11 of the bricks 10, are electrically connected with each other by the annular electricity connection members 60 and the bending portions 62. Thus, the control circuit boards 11 are electrically connected in parallel by the first wires 51 and the second wires 61. When any one of the electricity connection units 20 (including the first wire 51 and the second wire 61) is connected with the power source, the control circuit boards 11 are powered and the light members 14 are turned on to provide the interlocking bricks 10 with the visual attraction.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A light-emitting building block, comprising:

a hollow and light transmittable brick, the brick including a control circuit board disposed therein, a plurality of ring-shaped studs projected from a top thereof and a plurality of tubes corresponding to the studs defined in a bottom thereof, the control circuit board including a light member mounted thereon and a plurality of assembling holes defined therethrough, each assembling hole being disposed between the stud and the corresponding tube; and

a plurality of electricity connection units corresponding to the studs disposed in the brick, each electricity connection unit including:

a hollow tubular member having two half tubes connected with each other, the tubular member having a top end and a bottom end, each of the top end and the bottom end of the tubular member having a through hole, the top end and the bottom end of the tubular member being respectively received in the stud and the tube of the brick, one of the half tubes having a male engaging member and another half tube having a female engaging member, after the male engaging member being engaged with the female engaging member, the two half tubes being assembled to form the tubular member;

two conducting members respectively received in the top end and the bottom end of the tubular member, and extended through the through hole and projected out of the tubular member, portions of the conducting members projected out of the top end and bottom end of the tubular member being respectively received in the stud and the tube;

a compression spring received in the tubular member, both ends of the compression spring being respectively pressed against the two conducting member, the compression spring having a first wire which passes through the tubular member and connects with the control circuit board; and

an annular electricity connection member sleeved on the top end of the tubular member and received in an inside of the stud, the annular electricity connection member having a second wire extending along a side wall of the tubular member and passing through the control circuit board, the second wire having a bending portion disposed by an inner surface of the tube, the second wire connected with the control circuit board.

2. The building block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tubular member comprises a folding piece disposed between and connected with side edges of the two half tubes, the male engaging member and the female engaging member are respectively disposed at side edges opposite to the side edges connecting with the folding piece, after the folding piece is folded, the male engaging member is engaged with the female engaging member to assemble the two half tubes together.

3. The building block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tubular member comprises a side opening disposed at a side wall thereof to allow the first wire to pass through.

4. The building block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conducting member comprises a head and a tail, the head has a diameter larger than that of the through hole of the tubular member and is received in the tubular member, the tail has a diameter smaller than that of the through hole of the tubular member and extends through the through hole and projects out of the tubular member.

5. The building block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the brick comprises a bottom base and a top cover mounted on the bottom base, the studs and the tubes are respectively disposed on the top cover and the bottom base.

6. An electricity connection unit for a light-emitting building block, the electricity connection unit comprising:

a hollow tubular member having two half tubes connected with each other, the tubular member having a top end and a bottom end, each of the top end and the bottom end of the tubular member having a through hole, one of the half tubes having a male engaging member and another half tube having a female engaging member, after the male engaging member being engaged with the female engaging member, the two half tubes being assembled to form the tubular member;

two conducting members respectively received in the top end and the bottom end of the tubular member, and extended through the through hole and projected out of the tubular member;

a compression spring received in the tubular member, both ends of the compression spring being respectively pressed against the two conducting member, the compression spring having a first wire which passes through the tubular member; and

an annular electricity connection member sleeved on the top end of the tubular member and received in an inside of the stud, the annular electricity connection member having a second wire extending along a side wall of the tubular member, the second wire having a bending portion disposed by the bottom end of the tubular member.

7. The unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the tubular member comprises a folding piece disposed between and connected with side edges of the two half tubes, the male engaging member and the female engaging member are respectively disposed at side edges opposite to the side edges connecting with the folding piece, after the folding piece is folded, the male engaging member is engaged with the female engaging member to assemble the two half tubes together.

8. The unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the tubular member comprises a side opening disposed at a side wall thereof to allow the first wire to pass through.

9. The unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the conducting member comprises a head and a tail, the head has a diameter larger than that of the through hole of the tubular member and is received in the tubular member, the tail has a diameter smaller than that of the through hole of the tubular member and extends through the through hole and projects out of the tubular member.

10. The unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the annular electricity connection member is a spring.