CN111163849A - Building blocks and building block combinations - Google Patents

Abstract

The building block includes a main body (110), a first surface (122) on a first side (124) of the main body (110), a second surface (142) on a second side (144) of the main body (110), and a second surface (122) on a second side (144) of the main body (110). ), a plurality of joints (170A, 180A) on the second surface (142) of the first surface. Each connector (170A, 180A) has a connection portion that defines a coupling axis and its coupling direction along the coupling axis. There are multiple connectors (170A, 180A) that define a first connection surface, and the first connection surface has a connection parallel to In the first connection direction of the coupling direction, the plurality of connectors (170A, 180A) include one or more male connectors (170A) and one or more female connectors (180A).

Description

Building block and building block combination

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to building blocks and building block assemblies.

Background

Modular interconnectable blocks for use in constructing toys, such as toy figures, toy vehicles, toy houses, toy farms, toy machines, toy models and other toy blocks, toy products and toy structures, are generally recognized by a person as having educational value, such as to promote and encourage creativity, patience and willingness. Educational modular interconnectable toy blocks, such as many different types of toy blocks, toy products and toy structures, may be used with a small number of carefully designed blocks of basic configuration, which may be reused for the manufacture of other toy blocks, toy products and toy structures, etc. Modular interconnectable blocks are also used in the construction industry, such as modular blocks used as buildings and structures, and it is known that modular interconnectable blocks can be used to facilitate flexible, quick and standardized construction, reduce the need for manual work and increase productivity. In addition to applications in the toy and construction industries, modular interconnectable toy bricks may also be used for modular construction of tools, equipment, appliances and many other types of products.

Disclosure of Invention

The disclosure includes modular interconnectable blocks and block combinations.

According to the present disclosure, a toy building block includes a body, a first surface on a first side of the body, a second surface on a second side of the body, the second surface being opposite the first surface, and a plurality of connectors on the first surface. Each of the plurality of contacts has a connecting portion defining a coupling axis and a coupling direction along the coupling axis, and a plurality of contacts define a first connecting surface having a first connecting direction parallel to the coupling direction, the plurality of contacts including one or more male contacts and one or more female contacts.

In some embodiments, the female connector comprises a coupling sleeve for releasably mechanically engaging the male connector, the coupling sleeve comprising a sleeve compartment and a sleeve inlet having an inlet aperture for allowing the male connector to be inserted into the coupling sleeve, the sleeve inlet and/or the inlet aperture being located on the first surface.

In some embodiments, the body includes a panel portion having an upper surface and a lower surface, and the sleeve inlet and/or inlet aperture extends through the panel portion.

In some embodiments, the coupling sleeve is at least partially inside the faceplate portion and/or surrounded by an inner boundary of the faceplate portion.

In some embodiments, the coupling sleeve includes a sleeve neck for engaging the neck of the male connector, the sleeve neck being internal to or surrounded by an internal boundary of the panel portion.

In some embodiments, the male connector includes a neck portion at a first axial level or axial extent above the first surface, and the female connector includes a neck portion at a first axial level or axial extent below the first surface.

In some embodiments, the coupling sleeve includes an inner peripheral wall defining the sleeve compartment and the coupling axis of the box, the inner peripheral wall extending in a direction opposite to the coupling direction of the box.

In some embodiments, the coupling sleeve includes a peripheral wall defining an outer periphery of the sleeve, the peripheral wall being an annular wall projecting from a lower surface of the panel portion and extending in a direction opposite to the female connector coupling direction.

In some embodiments, the projection portion includes a peripheral wall defining an outer periphery of the projection portion, the peripheral wall being an annular wall protruding from an upper surface of the panel portion and extending in a direction opposite to the coupling direction.

In some embodiments, the male connector includes a male mating portion and the female connector includes a female mating portion sized to complimentarily engage the male mating portion.

In some embodiments, the male connector includes a protrusion protruding away from the first surface and extending along a coupling direction orthogonal to the first surface.

In some embodiments, a plurality of joints are distributed on the second surface, the joints having a connecting portion defining a coupling axis and a coupling direction along the coupling axis. The plurality of contacts on the second surface define a second connection surface having a second connection direction parallel to the coupling direction. The plurality of linkers includes one or more male linkers and one or more female linkers.

In some embodiments, the male connector on the first surface has a corresponding female connector on the second surface, the coupling axis of the male connector and the corresponding female connector being coaxially aligned.

In some embodiments, the female connector on the first surface has a corresponding male connector on the second surface, the coupling axis of the female connector and the corresponding male connector being coaxially aligned.

In some embodiments, the plurality of connectors on the first surface are disposed on opposite sides of a plane of symmetry that is orthogonal to the first connecting surface, wherein the number of male and female connectors is equal on both sides of the plane of symmetry.

In some embodiments, adjacent rows or columns are different male or female connectors for mating.

In some embodiments, the body comprises a first lateral portion, a second lateral portion and a bridge portion interconnecting the first and second lateral portions, wherein the plurality of contacts defining the first connecting surface are distributed over the first portion of the first surface, the first portion being located on the first lateral portion and the second portion being located on the second lateral portion, wherein the bridge portion has a recess defining a compartment or portion of a compartment extending between the first and second lateral portions and between the first and second surfaces.

In some embodiments, the connector on a first portion of the first surface of the first lateral portion and the connector on a second portion of the first surface of the second lateral portion are different mating male or female connectors.

In some embodiments, the tabs on the first portion of the first surface of the first lateral portion and the tabs on the second portion of the first surface of the second lateral portion are symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the plane of symmetry.

In some embodiments, a plurality of tabs are formed on the bridge portion, the tabs on the bridge portion being offset from an axial horizontal plane of the first connecting surface, the axial horizontal plane facing toward the tab connecting axis on the first connecting surface.

The building block assembly according to the invention comprises a first and a second building block in stacked engagement, the first and the second building block being as claimed in any of the above-mentioned patent applications, the first and the second building block abutting the first connecting surface in a releasable manner.

The bricks herein comprise one or more connectors for releasable or releasable mechanical engagement between adjacent modular bricks, typically by press-and snap-fit engagement. The toy bricks comprise one or more joints on at least one connecting surface, and the toy bricks can be stacked on respective connecting surfaces adjacent to each other, the joints on the respective connecting surfaces being mechanically engaged in a detachable manner.

The blocks herein may be toy blocks, which are typically made of thermoplastic, such as ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), PC (polycarbonate) or other plastic materials, with high strength and rigidity and slight elasticity, the deformation characteristics of which facilitate the snap or snap engagement.

The building blocks herein may be made of clay, ceramic, porcelain, concrete or other moldable materials that have high rigidity and very low or virtually no elasticity.

The blocks herein may also be made of wood, metal (e.g., steel, aluminum alloys, or other formable materials).

When the blocks are made of a material with high stiffness but very low or no elasticity, the blocks can be engaged with blocks having sufficient elasticity to cause mechanical engagement by elastic deformation of their joints.

Generally, the building blocks may be rigid and have a slight or no elasticity, or suitable rigidity and elasticity may be selected by selecting suitable materials or by suitably mixing the materials.

The building blocks herein may be ceramic or porcelain building blocks, which may be ceramic or porcelain blocks, tiles or sheets, slabs or plates or other forms of ceramic parts without loss of generality. Ceramic or porcelain blocks can be interconnected using adhesive glues, cements or mortars to form modules, to assemble blocks or to assemble sub-blocks or to interconnect articles of rigid and slightly elastic material.

The toy bricks herein generally comprise a main body, a first respective surface on a first respective side of the main body, a second respective surface on a second side of the main body, a peripheral portion extending between the first and second respective surfaces, and a plurality of connectors formed on the main body. The body is typically of a rigid or semi-rigid material and the connector has a peripheral wall which is rigid or semi-rigid and has a slight elasticity to facilitate snap-fit engagement with a corresponding connector by elastic deformation of the connector. The tabs are typically formed on the panel portion of the body. In some embodiments, a male connector is defined in one panel portion and a female connector is defined in another panel portion, the two panel portions being spaced apart from each other. In some embodiments, the male connector and the female connector are formed in a common panel portion.

Unless the context requires otherwise, the joints herein are toy joints, which comprise a connecting portion having a coupling axis defining a coupling direction. The connecting portion includes a mating portion for mating engagement of the mating contacts, thereby defining a pair of interengaging contacts.

The mating portions include mechanical engagement features for mating engagement of corresponding mating portions of the joint, thereby defining a pair of mating portions that engage one another, which may be male or female mating portions.

The connector may be generally classified as a male connector or a female connector, but the male connector includes a female mating portion in addition to the inherent male mating portion; in addition to the inherent female mating portion, the female connector also includes a male mating portion.

The male mating portion includes male engagement features, and the male mating portion typically includes a protrusion shaped and dimensioned to mate with a corresponding female mating portion. A protrusion adapted to mate with a female mating portion is a male mating portion corresponding to the female mating portion, and is also referred to herein as a "protrusion," a "projection," a "protrusion," and a "protrusion," unless the context requires otherwise, these terms are used interchangeably herein.

The female mating portion includes female mating features and the female mating portion generally includes a coupling sleeve shaped and dimensioned to mate with a corresponding male mating portion. The coupling sleeve for tightly engaging the corresponding male mating portion is such that the male mating portion engages the corresponding female mating portion. Unless the context requires otherwise, a sleeve herein means a coupling sleeve of a female toy building set joint, also referred to as a male-mating-portion sleeve or a male-joint sleeve.

When the separate bricks are releasably defined with releasable mechanical engagement, a pair of connectors can be used to engage corresponding mating portions. When the pair of connectors have mating snap fit portions, the connectors may be snap fit, thereby defining snap fit mating connectors.

When the male mating portions and the corresponding female mating portions have mating compatible engagement features, the mating portions can be engaged when the respective connection axes are aligned and brought into close proximity or movement with respect to each other, the mating or mating engagement herein can be engaged by means of an insertion or snap engagement, and when the mating engagement connectors herein are brought into close proximity or movement with respect to each other, the respective coupling axes are aligned and then pressed together, and the engaged connectors are engaged into a mated engagement.

The joint has the characteristics of a radial profile having the characteristics of a radial extent of the mating portion or the mating portion between the joint and its axial end, and the snap joint has the characteristics of a non-uniform radial extent in the axial direction, in particular having an outwardly projecting radial profile.

The male connecting portion includes a protruding portion that enters a corresponding female connecting portion and its socket, thereby defining a releasable mechanical engagement, the protruding portion may be a protrusion, a projection or a protruding member.

The projection of the male coupling portion projects from the base surface and extends in an axial direction away from the base surface, the axial direction being the opposite direction of the coupling axis of the projection, the male coupling portion including a tab defining an axial end thereof, the height of the projection being defined by the axial extent of the projection measured along the coupling axis of the male coupling portion between the convex base surface and the axial end thereof. The protrusion has an outer peripheral wall defining the engagement functional characteristics of the protrusion, the contents of which include shape, configuration, radial profile and dimensions.

The male snap fitting has a male portion with a radial profile defined by an outer peripheral wall, the radial profile of the snap fitting being characterized by a non-uniform radial extent in the axial direction, the male snap fitting generally comprising a male portion with an outwardly projecting radial profile and a female portion with a female radial profile.

The protrusion is herein an annular protrusion comprising a first protrusion and a second protrusion, the first protrusion and the second protrusion being in series and aligned with each other on the coupling axis, the first protrusion abutting the base surface, the second protrusion comprising an axial end, the axial end being generally free to move, the first protrusion being axially located within a range intermediate the second protrusion and the base surface.

The first projection is referred to as the neck and is supported on the base surface and the second projection is referred to as the head supported by the neck.

The head has a greater radial profile, also called enlarged portion, compared to the radial profile of the neck, and when the profile exhibits a radial enlargement, this head is also called widened portion.

Generally, the head has an enlarged portion of the radial profile of the head, which is a convex radial profile or an outwardly convex profile.

The head has an outer periphery, which is usually a peripherally extending rib design, where the peripherally extending ribs are annular ribs having a head radial profile extending in a peripheral direction, the peripheral wall of the annular rib projection defining an annular rib, which may be a continuous or discontinuous annular design, the peripheral direction being perpendicular to the coupling axis and tangential to the circle defining the annular rib, the annular rib surrounding a head core, which may be of solid or hollow design. When the core is hollow in design, the head is in the shape of a hollow shell having an internal compartment. The radial profile of the head and the annular rib have radial profiles of radial projections and thereby define a mating portion, more specifically a male snap mating portion of the male connection portion. For ease of reference, the mating portion of the head of the male connecting portion is referred to as the first mating portion or the first snap mating portion of the male connecting portion. The terms "rib" and "ridge" are intended to be the same and are used interchangeably herein.

The outwardly projecting head has a maximum radial extent defining a maximum radial plane in an axial horizontal plane relative to the base surface, the maximum radial plane being a maximum transverse plane, the axial horizontal plane of the maximum radial plane being the horizontal plane of the maximum radial extent.

The outwardly projecting portion has a lower surface extending between a maximum radial plane and the base surface, the lower surface being a tapered surface opposite the base surface, the axial extent of the lower surface of the protruding nose at the axial level diminishing as the axial level approaches the base level of the lower surface defining the lower tapered surface. Conversely, the radial extent of the lower surface of the axially horizontal protruding nose increases as the axial extent of the lower surface becomes increasingly further away from the base surface. The radial extent of the lower surface of the outwardly projecting head reaches a local minimum at its axial level of connection with the neck.

The head portion tapers as it extends from the plane of maximum radial extent towards the base surface. Conversely, the head expands wider as it extends axially from the base surface toward the plane of greatest radial extent.

The axially free end of the head may be flat or rounded, in which case the male connector has a flat head shape. When the shaft end is round, the male connector is round-head-shaped. The rounded head may be a dome, spherical cap or rounded boss or other suitably shaped design.

The head radial profile extends in a circumferential direction thereby defining an annular outer periphery of the head, and the neck radial profile extends in a circumferential direction thereby defining an annular outer periphery of the neck.

The neck portion has a smaller radial profile than the head portion radial profile, also referred to as a concave portion. When the profile is radially concave, the neck is also referred to as a narrowing.

Generally, the neck is concave with an enlarged portion of the radial profile of the neck, which is a tapered radial profile or simply a tapered profile.

The neck has an outer periphery in the form of a peripheral channel extension, the peripheral channel extension being an annular channel having a radial profile in the circumferential direction over the radial profile of the neck. The annular channel is defined by the peripheral wall of the projection and may be continuous or discontinuous. The peripheral direction is orthogonal to the coupling axis and is tangential to the circle defining the annular passage. The annular channel, i.e., the peripherally extending channel, surrounds the core portion of the neck, which may be solid or hollow. When the core is hollow, the neck has the form of a hollow shell with an internal compartment. The neck radial profile and the annular channel are radial profiles with radial notches, thereby defining a mating portion, more specifically a female snap mating portion of the male connecting portion. For ease of reference, the neck-engaging portion of the male connecting portion is referred to as the second engaging portion or the second catch portion of the male connecting portion. The second mating portion is a retaining portion for receiving a neck sleeve of a retaining female connector. The terms "channel" and "groove" are used interchangeably herein.

The neck has a local maximum radial extent at an axial level at which the neck is connected or adjacent to the head. The local maximum radial extent defines a local maximum radial plane, which is also a local maximum transverse plane.

The neck has an outer peripheral surface extending between the local maximum radial plane and the base surface, the outer peripheral surface being a conical surface, opposite to the base surface. The radial extent of the outer peripheral surface of the neck portion of the axial extent decreases as the axial level approaches the base level of the base surface, thereby defining a tapered outer peripheral surface. Conversely, the radial extent of the peripheral surface of the outer portion of the narrowing neck increases as the peripheral surface of the outer portion is further from the base surface in its axial horizontal plane. The neck portion engages the head portion when the radial extent of its outer peripheral surface reaches a local minimum in an axial horizontal plane. The outer peripheral surface may take the form of a continuous smooth continuation of the lower surface of the head, and the radial profile of the outer peripheral surface may also follow the curved continuation of the tapered curved profile as the lower surface of the head narrows along the curved profile. In some embodiments, the curved profile moves along a radius of curvature that is half of its maximum radial extent.

Thus, the neck portion narrows as it extends axially from the plane of local maximum radial extent towards the base surface. Conversely, the neck expands wider as it extends axially from the base surface towards the plane of local maximum radial extent.

When the peripheral channel is defined primarily by the peripheral surface of the neck exterior to the neck in combination with the base surface, the entire channel can be considered to be defined collectively by the lower axial end of the enlarged portion, the narrowed neck portion, and the base surface.

The channel may have a constant radial extent in the axial direction or may have a tapered radial profile, with the radial extent of the neck decreasing in decreasing direction along the axial horizontal plane towards the extent of the base surface.

Tapering may be along a curved profile, such as a convex curve, a straight slope, or other desired profile without losing its general shape.

Generally, the axial extent of the protrusions of the connecting portion is a fraction of the maximum radial extent of the protrusions, and this fraction may be selected to have a value between 20% and 80%, for example, expressed as a percentage value of 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80%, or any single or multiple ranges limited by any combination of the above values and/or ranges. Typically, the protrusions have a rounded end or partial ball end shape at higher values in the axial range, i.e. between 50% and 80%, and flat head or shaft ends at lower values in the range of 15% and 60%. For the annular protrusion, the maximum radial extent E has a circular diameter D, the circle defining the plane of the maximum radial extent, said portion also being the diameter-related portion.

The axial extent between the level of the maximum radial extent and the axially free end of the projecting portion is that portion of the maximum radial extent of the projection which may optionally be a value between 5% and 50% of the maximum radial extent (E), and may for example be expressed as a percentage value of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50% or a range formed by any combination of the above values or a limit of the range. If the protuberance has a flat head or axial end, the axial extent of the upper portion of the protuberance is between 5% and 30% lower, and if the protuberance has a rounded end or a part-spherical end shape, between 25% and 50% higher values are taken. If the axial extent of the upper protrusion is 50%, the upper portion is hemispherical.

The axial extent between the base surface and the maximum radial extent of the protrusion is a fraction of the maximum radial extent of the protrusion, which may optionally be a value between the maximum radial extent (E) 6 and 30%, and may be expressed, for example, as a percentage value of 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 25, 30%, or a range formed by any combination of the above values, or a limit of the range.

The axial extent of the overhang portion is a fraction of the maximum radial extent of the projection, and this fraction may optionally be represented by a value between 5% and 25% of the maximum radial extent (E), for example, as a percentage value of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25% or a range formed by any combination of the above values or a limit of the range.

The axial extent of the neck is a fraction of the maximum radial extent of the protuberance, which may optionally be a value between 5% and 15% of the maximum radial extent (E), and may for example be expressed as a percentage value of 5, 10, 15% or a range formed by any combination of the above values or a limit of the range.

The radial extent of the neck portion is a fraction of the maximum radial extent of the protrusion, and this fraction may optionally be a value between 90% and 99% of the maximum radial extent, and may be expressed, for example, as a percentage value of 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99% or a range formed by any combination of the above values or a limit of the range.

The radial extent of the radial recess defining the neck passage is a fraction of the maximum radial extent of the protrusion, which may optionally be a value between 1% and 6%, and may be expressed, for example, as a percentage value of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6% or higher, or a range formed by any combination of the above values, or a limitation of the range.

The protruding portion or a part thereof is a convex annular portion which moves along a convex curve when extending toward the base surface in the coupling axis direction. The convex annular portion may be spherical, the spherical portion having a radius of curvature R, R being half the maximum radial extent, axial extent or height h of the maximum radial plane. The maximum radial plane generally comprises two smaller radial planes between which the radial extent of the convex curved portion increases from a first radial extent defined by the first smaller radial plane to a maximum radial extent and then decreases as the curved portion extends along the coupling axis to a second radial extent defined by the second radial extent, the radial planes extending transversely or laterally to the coupling axis.

The projection between the base surface and the maximum radial plane may be spherical or frustoconical, such as frustoconical. The axial height between the base surface and the maximum radial plane may optionally be a value between R and 85%, R being the radius of the sphere defining the sphere portion, and may be expressed, for example, as a percentage value of 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85%, or a range formed by any combination of the foregoing values, or a limitation of the range.

When the neck portion where the protrusion portion abuts the base surface is a sphere, the neck portion has the shape of a lower sphere portion and has a convex curved profile in a radial direction. When the neck has such a shape, the neck has a smaller radial extent at the base surface and a local maximum radial extent at the axial spacing of the base surface.

The radial extent of the neck portion at the base surface is a fraction of the maximum radial extent, which may optionally be a value between 90% and 98.8%, for example, as a percentage value of 90, 92, 94, 96, 98, 98.8% or a range formed by any combination of the above values or a limit of the range.

The local maximum radial plane is elevated at the base surface and has a smaller radial extent, adjoining the radial plane and the base surface.

The neck may be tapered to connect the base surfaces at an engagement angle, the taper may follow a convex curved profile, may have a constant slope, or other desired taper. This engagement angle is an acute angle, optionally a number between 50 and 88 degrees, for example, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 70, 80, 85, 88 degrees or any single or multiple ranges bounded by any combination of the above values and/or ranges are employed.

The protruding portion, such as the protruding portion or the recessed portion, may comprise a cylinder or prism, which protrudes away from the base surface, defining a tapered portion at the periphery adjacent to or near the base surface.

The snap joint or the mating portion of the snap joint herein is axially symmetrical, the axially symmetrical mating portion having a profile with axially symmetrical engaging functional characteristics. The axially symmetric mating portions or joints typically have a circular cross-section in the axial direction defined by the mating portion coupling axis or joint, and in some embodiments, the mating portions need not be of axially symmetric design, having a square cross-section or a regular polygonal cross-sectional shape with 5 sides, 6 sides, 7 sides, 8 sides, 9 sides, 10 sides, or more. Unless otherwise required herein, the snap fit joint herein includes types of axial symmetry and non-axial symmetry, among others.

On the other hand, the radial extent of the protruding portion of the press-fit or snap-fit joint without snap-fit function is designed to be substantially uniform in the axial direction.

The female connecting portion includes a coupling sleeve for engaging a male portion of a corresponding male connector, and more particularly, the female connecting portion includes a coupling sleeve or simply a sleeve for tightly engaging a male portion of a corresponding male connecting portion for facilitating a snap-fit engagement. The male mating portion is engaged by the sleeve when the male mating portion is in intimate engagement with the female mating portion, the male mating portion extending at least partially into and engaging the sleeve compartment.

The female connector sleeve includes a sleeve compartment and a sleeve inlet whereby the axial ends of the projections of the corresponding male connecting portions are insertable into the sleeve compartment. The sleeve includes an inner peripheral wall defining a sleeve compartment, a sleeve inlet, and a sleeve inlet plane and an inlet aperture at the sleeve inlet. The inlet opening is typically located at the axial end of the sleeve, also referred to as the inlet opening, the plane of the sleeve inlet being perpendicular to the coupling axis, the inlet opening defining a minimum radial clearance of the sleeve, which in turn defines a maximum radial extent or outward projection of the projection, allowing insertion into the sleeve without radial deformation of the sleeve inlet or male connector projection. The coupling sleeve extends axially away from the sleeve inlet, thereby defining an axial extent of the sleeve compartment. The axial extent of the sleeve defines the height of the sleeve along the axis of coupling of the sleeve between the axial ends of the inner peripheral wall defining the compartment of the sleeve. The inner circumferential wall of the sleeve may define the shape, configuration and size of the sleeve compartments. The sleeve may be in the form of a sleeve portion, sleeve body or sleeve member. In some embodiments, the female connector includes a peripheral wall defining a sleeve. The peripheral wall may comprise an inner peripheral wall defining the radial profile of the sleeve and the sleeve compartment and an outer peripheral wall surrounding the inner peripheral wall and defining the outer periphery of the sleeve, which may be a continuous or discontinuous wall. In some embodiments, the peripheral wall of the sleeve depends from the face plate portion over a substantial portion of its axial extent, this portion being spaced from or independent of the face plate. For example, the peripheral wall may take the following percentage values in the axial range or the maximum radial range of the compartment of the sleeve, namely 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 90, 95, 100% or any single or multiple ranges limited by any combination of the above values and/or ranges, the radially spaced space between the peripheral wall and the panel portion being the footprint of the sleeve. In some embodiments, the smaller portion of the axial extent of the sleeve is spaced apart from or independent of the faceplate portion, and the percentage value of this smaller portion (axial extent or percentage of maximum radial extent of the sleeve compartment) may be 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10%, or any single or multiple ranges limited by any combination of the above values and/or ranges.

The female snap fitting includes a snap engaging sleeve shaped and dimensioned to closely engage the male snap-fit portion. When the female and male snap-fit connectors are in tight engagement, the male engagement portion is subjected to a small radial compressive force exerted inwardly by the sleeve of the female engagement portion and the sleeve is subjected to a small radial expansive force exerted outwardly by the male engagement portion.

The sleeve compartment of the female connector has a radial profile defined by the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve, and the radial profile of the female snap connector sleeve compartment has a non-uniform radial extent in the axial direction, typically including the axially outwardly projecting sleeve portion and the inwardly recessed radial profile of the inwardly recessed sleeve portion. Unless the context requires otherwise, terms such as sleeve, coupling sleeve, snap fit sleeve, sleeve portion, sleeve body and sleeve member may be used interchangeably herein.

The inlet opening is at or above the axial end of the sleeve and is shaped as an annular bore with a male mating portion providing a passage for insertion of the male mating portion into the compartment of the sleeve, whereby the axial end and the inlet opening are inserted and then the sleeve is inserted into tight engagement. The sleeve is formed with an inlet opening at each of its two axial ends to allow entry and exit of the male connector projection from a selected one of the two axial ends.

The inlet bore may alternatively have a radial clearance that is less than or slightly less than the maximum radial extent of the male mating portion, which is typically located at the outwardly projecting portion of the male connector protrusion. The radial clearance of the inlet port is less than the maximum radial extent of the outwardly projecting portion, which is generally indicative of a radial contraction of the sleeve axial end. The male connector has an outer projection which overcomes the resistance to radial contraction to allow access to the sleeve compartment from outside the sleeve compartment or, if already within the sleeve compartment, to remain within the sleeve compartment, defining a minimum radial clearance of the sleeve at the inlet opening.

The sleeve may include a first sleeve portion having a first sleeve compartment and a second sleeve portion having a second sleeve compartment, the first sleeve portion and the second sleeve portion being in series and aligned with each other on the coupling axis, the first sleeve portion including a sleeve inlet end, the second sleeve portion extending axially away from the first sleeve portion and the sleeve inlet. In snap engagement, the first sleeve portion surrounds and snap engages a head portion of a corresponding male mating portion, referred to as a sleeve neck, also referred to as an engagement neck, which contains a sleeve neck compartment. In the snap-fit engagement, the second sleeve portion surrounds and snap-engages a head portion of the corresponding male mating portion, referred to as the sleeve head, also referred to as the engagement head, which contains a sleeve head compartment, the two sleeve portions being the sleeve head and the sleeve neck, which may be of separate or integral design.

The mating portion of the sleeve portion is an annular sleeve portion defined by an inner peripheral wall defining the sleeve portion, and the mating portion may be an annular bracket portion, a collar portion, or a collar member. In some embodiments, the sleeve portion has an inlet opening at each axial end thereof into and/or out of engagement with the male mating portion at either axial end.

In some embodiments, the sleeve may have only one sleeve portion, e.g., only the sleeve head or the sleeve neck.

The sleeve head includes a sleeve head compartment for receiving the snap-fit engagement of the head of a single male connector and has a radial gripping profile that may be complementarily shaped and sized for engaging the radial profile of the male portion of a corresponding male connector.

The sleeve head is an enlarged sleeve portion, also referred to as a widened sleeve portion or simply an enlarged portion. The sleeve head has a sleeve head radial profile that is enlarged compared to the radial profile of the sleeve neck. The radial profile of the sleeve head extends in the peripheral direction, thereby defining an annular inner periphery of the sleeve head. The radial profile of the sleeve head and the inner periphery of the sleeve head are defined by an inner peripheral wall defining the sleeve head, the mating portion of the sleeve head being generally in the form of an annular button or clip, which in the case of an annular bracket may be an annular bracket member, a collar portion or a collar member, generally defining the maximum radial clearance extent of the sleeve at the sleeve head.

The inner peripheral wall portion of the sleeve defining the sleeve head and the compartment of the sleeve head has a concave or concave radial profile facing the coupling axis. The recess has a radial profile which defines the radial profile of the sleeve head, which may be of angular or curved design, extending in the peripheral direction, i.e. annularly, thereby defining the sleeve head compartment and its boundaries. The peripheral direction is perpendicular to the coupling axis and is tangential to a circle defining a ring-shaped buckle or clamp in the form of an annular channel surrounding the core of the sleeve head. The socket head defines a female snap-fit portion of the female coupling portion, referred to herein as the first snap-fit portion or first snap-fit portion of the socket, so-called "channels" and "grooves" are used interchangeably.

The sleeve head has a maximum radial extent defined at an axial level referred to as the maximum radial extent level, which is also the maximum transverse level. The radial extent of the sleeve head decreases as the axial distance from the maximum radial extent horizontal increases. Specifically, the radial extent of the sleeve head decreases as the sleeve head extends away from the maximum radial extent level and toward the sleeve inlet, and the radial extent of the sleeve head decreases as the sleeve head extends away from the maximum radial extent level and the sleeve inlet. Thus, the sleeve head tapers to narrow as the plane axially away from the maximum radial extent or the level of the maximum radial extent increases. Conversely, the sleeve head widens as the axial extension approaches the plane of maximum radial extent or the level of maximum radial extent.

The end of the sleeve head remote from the sleeve inlet may be flat or curved in shape, for example, may be of a spherical cap or other desired shape design.

The sleeve neck includes a sleeve neck compartment for snap engagement with the neck of a corresponding male connector, and the radial clamping profile is of complementary shape design for engagement with the neck radial profile of a corresponding male connector.

The neck of the sleeve is a concave sleeve portion compared to the radial profile of the sleeve head. The neck of the sleeve is a concave sleeve portion, since this portion has a radial profile of the neck of the sleeve which is smaller than the radial profile of the head of the sleeve, which is also referred to as the narrowed sleeve portion or simply as the concave portion. The radial profile of the neck portion defined by the inner peripheral wall portion of the sleeve defines the neck portion and the inner periphery of the neck portion. The radially outer extending contour of the neck of the sleeve defines an annular inner periphery of the neck of the sleeve, the inner circumferential wall portion of the sleeve defines the neck of the sleeve, the compartments of the neck of the sleeve have a notch-like or concave-like radial contour, a coupling axis facing inwardly towards the head of the sleeve and a maximum radial plane center point. The recess has a radial profile which is or defines the radial profile of the neck of the sleeve. The radial profile may be of angular or curved design, extending in the peripheral direction, i.e. annularly, thereby defining the neck of the sleeve compartment and its boundaries.

The engagement portion in the case of a neck of the sleeve is in the form of a ring buckle or ring clamp, which may have a radial profile of the clamping bracket or clamping collar, around which the neck of the sleeve is defined, in embodiments in which the neck of the sleeve is in the form of a ring bracket portion, ring bracket member, collar portion or collar member. Unless the context requires otherwise, the terms "carrier" and "collar" are used interchangeably herein. The clamping bracket is herein a tilting bracket having an inner recess or notch facing the sleeve head at its coupling axis and the maximum radial plane center point, the bracket extending in a peripheral direction defining the sleeve neck compartment and its boundary. The peripheral direction is perpendicular to the coupling axis and is oriented tangentially to the circle defining the ring-shaped buckle or ring-shaped clamp, the neck of the sleeve defining a female snap-fit portion of the female coupling portion, which may be referred to as the second snap-fit portion or the second snap-fit portion of the sleeve or female coupling portion, as the case may be. This so-called second engagement means is similar to the first engagement means, i.e. defines the retaining portion of the female retaining means, generally defining the minimum radial clearance of the sleeve at the neck of the sleeve.

The concave sleeve portion has a local maximum radial extent at its axial extent at a horizontal plane referred to as the local maximum radial extent, which is also the local maximum transverse plane. The radial extent of the neck compartment of the sleeve increases as one moves axially away from the level of the local maximum radial extent and towards the inlet of the sleeve. In particular, the radial extent of the sleeve neck compartment decreases as the sleeve neck compartment moves away from the maximum radial extent level and is inserted into the sleeve inlet. The sleeve neck compartment is a tapered sleeve neck that tapers as the axial extension approaches the sleeve inlet. Conversely, when the shaft is axially spaced away from the sleeve inlet, the sleeve neck compartment widens.

The tapered inlet end of the neck of the sleeve is dimensioned in accordance with the engagement portion or, more specifically, in accordance with its male engagement portion for engagement or snap-fitting, such as wedging engagement, of its narrowed neck in correspondence with the male engagement portion. Thus, the tapered inlet end can be considered to be the third snap-fit portion of the sleeve.

The taper may be moved along a curve, such as a concave curve, a straight sloped line, or other desired profile without loss of generality.

The sleeves of the female connecting parts can be sleeved with the protrusions of the male connecting parts, when two building blocks are provided with connecting devices capable of being jointed, the building blocks can be piled and jointed, the corresponding connecting devices adopt a releasable joint mode, and the corresponding connecting surfaces of the building blocks can adopt an abutting or even splicing design. To meet the engagement requirements, the axial end or tip of the sleeve remote from the inlet end is located at an axial level sufficient to engage the projection.

The sleeve inlet end is located at the axial level of the engagement surface and unless the top end is open to allow insertion of the projection, the sleeve top end is typically located at the level of the axial extent of the projection corresponding to the engagement surface. Generally, the axial extent of the sleeve compartment is the maximum radial extent (E), the protrusion or a portion of the sleeve, which may optionally be a value between 15% and 80%, for example, expressed as a percentage value of 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80% or any single or multiple ranges limited by any combination of the above values and/or ranges. Typically, the protrusions have a rounded end or partial ball end shape at higher values in the axial range, i.e. between 50% and 80%, and flat head or shaft ends at lower values in the range of 15% and 60%.

The sleeve head snap-engaging over the outwardly projecting portion has a radial gripping profile with a complementary profile design for engaging the outwardly projecting radial profile of the sleeve head.

In order to be able to provide an effective snap engagement at the projecting portion, the radial extent of the radial clamping profile of the sleeve head (determined by the radial profile of the annular cradle) can be compared with the axial extent of the projecting portion of the corresponding male mating portion. Generally, the radial extent of the sleeve head is a fraction of the maximum radial extent of the outwardly projecting portion, which may optionally be a value between 10% and 40%, for example, expressed as a percentage value of 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40% or a range formed by any combination of the above values or a limit of the range.

The sleeve head may be symmetrical about the radial extent, corresponding to a plane of maximum radial extent of the outwardly projecting sleeve head or to an outwardly projecting portion of a snap-fit engagement projection, the plane of symmetry dividing the sleeve head into two halves symmetrical about the radial plane, the sleeve head tapering with a plane extending axially away from the maximum radial extent, the sleeve head being movable along a concave conical profile or defining a concave radial profile as it extends axially conically. Alternatively, the concave profile may follow or engage the convex profile of its corresponding outwardly projecting portion. In some embodiments, the tapering may be along a slope or other desired profile without loss of generality, the radius of curvature of the concave curve being half the value of the maximum radial extent E.

The radial extent of the sleeve head is at the end of the plane of symmetry, and the axial extent of the sleeve head is a fraction of the maximum radial extent of the outwardly projecting sleeve head, which fraction may optionally have a value between 95% and 99%, and may be expressed, for example, as a percentage value of 95, 96, 97, 98, 99% or a range formed by any combination of the above values or a limit of the range.

The axial extent of the sleeve neck can provide a snap-fit clamping force on the male fitting neck, which is a fraction of the maximum radial extent of the outwardly projecting portion, which can optionally be a value between 2% and 10%, for example, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10%, or any single or multiple ranges limited by any combination of the above values and/or ranges.

In order to provide sufficient or effective snap-fit grip on the neck of the protrusion, the radial extent of the radial gripping profile of the neck of the sleeve, i.e. the radial profile of the annular bracket, should correspond to the extent of the neck of the corresponding male mating portion. Generally, the radial extent of the neck portion of the sleeve is a portion of the radial extent of the neck portion of the base surface, which portion may optionally be between 10% and 35%, and may be expressed, for example, as a percentage value of 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 35%, or a range formed by any combination of the above values, or a limit of the range.

The maximum radial extent of the neck portion of the sleeve may be considered to be a fraction of the maximum radial extent of the sleeve, which may optionally be a value between 1.9% and 5%, for example, expressed as a percentage value of 1.9, 2, 2.0, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.0, 4.5, 5% or a range formed by any combination of the above values or a limit of the range.

The snap engagement is facilitated by the sleeve neck extending axially proximate the access hole, which is tapered to define a narrowed access hole.

As a result of the tapering, the passage opening at the tapered axial end of the neck of the sleeve has a radial extent which is a fraction of the maximum radial extent of the gap between the internal compartments of the sleeve, which fraction may optionally be a value between 85% and 96%, for example expressed as a percentage value of 85, 90, 95, 96% or a range formed by any combination of the above values or a limit of the range thereof.

Due to the tapering, the inner circumferential wall of the neck of the sleeve is inclined at an angle to the radial plane at the axial end of the through-opening of the neck of the sleeve. The angle of inclination may optionally be between 50 and 88 degrees, for example, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 70, 80, 85, 88 degrees or any single or multiple ranges limited by any combination of the above values and/or ranges.

The sleeve comprises a sleeve neck and a sleeve head, the sleeve neck and the sleeve head may be defined by a sleeve integrally formed peripheral wall, and the axial extent of the sleeve peripheral wall may optionally have an R value between 30% and 85%, for example, may be expressed as a percentage value of 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85% or any single or multiple ranges limited by any combination of the above values and/or ranges.

Description of the drawings

An example of the disclosed implementation will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1A is an axial perspective view of an exemplary block 100,

figure 1B is another axial perspective view of the exemplary block of figure 1A,

figure 1C is a perspective view of one side of the exemplary block of figure 1A,

FIG. 1D is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary building block of FIG. 1A taken along axial section line A-A',

FIG. 1E is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary building block of FIG. 1A taken along axial section line B-B',

figure 2A is an axial perspective view of an exemplary block 200,

figure 2B is another axial perspective view of the exemplary block of figure 2A,

figure 2C is a side view of the block 200 of figure 2A,

fig. 2D is a plan view of the block 200 of fig. 2A, shown in section a1-a1',

figure 2E is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary building block 200 of figure 2A taken along the axial cross-section line in figure 2D,

figure 2F is an axial end perspective view of an exemplary stacked block assembly 20 formed by stacking two block assemblies 200A, 200B of figure 2A,

figure 2G is a perspective view of the other axial end of the block of figure 2F,

FIGS. 2H and 2I are side and cross-sectional views of the block of FIG. 2F;

figures 3A and 3B are perspective views of an exemplary block 300,

figure 3C is a side view of the block 300 of figure 3A,

figure 3D is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary block 300 of figure 3A taken along the section line of figure 3A,

figures 3E and 3F are perspective and plan views respectively of an exemplary block assembly 30,

figures 4A and 4B are perspective views of an example block 400,

figure 4C is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary block 400 of figure 4A taken along the section line of figure 4B,

figure 4D is a side view of the block 400 of figure 4A,

figures 4F and 4G are perspective views of an exemplary block assembly 40,

figures 5 and 5A are perspective views of an example block 500,

figure 5B is a perspective view of an exemplary building block assembly 50,

figures 6A and 6B are perspective views of an example block 600,

FIG. 6C is a plan view of the block of FIG. 6A

Figure 6D is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the block of figure 6A taken along the section line of figure 6C,

figures 6E and 6F are perspective views of an exemplary brick 60,

figure 6G is a plan view of the block assembly of figure 6E,

figure 6H is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the combination 60 of figure 6E taken along the cross-sectional line of figure 6G,

FIGS. 7A and 7B are perspective and plan views, respectively, of an exemplary building block assembly 70, and

fig. 7C and 7D are perspective views of an exemplary block 700 of block assembly 70.

Description of the invention

The exemplary construction 100 includes a body 110, a first surface 122 on a first side 124 of the body, a second surface 142 on a second side 144 of the body, and a peripheral portion 160 extending between the first surface 122 and the second surface 124, as shown in fig. 1A, 1B, and 1C.

The toy block 100 includes a first panel portion 120, a plurality of toy building sets formed on the first panel portion 120, the first panel portion 120 having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface forming a first surface 122, the lower surface being aligned parallel to the upper surface and facing each other. The thickness of the first panel portion is defined by the axial spacing between the upper and lower surfaces thereof and is substantially uniform.

The toy brick 100 includes a second panel portion 140, where a plurality of toy joints are formed. The second panel portion 140 has a lower surface forming a second surface 142, the upper surfaces being arranged parallel to the lower surface and facing each other. The thickness of the second panel portion is defined by the axial spacing between the upper and lower surfaces thereof and is substantially uniform.

The peripheral portion 160 includes an outer peripheral wall 162 extending around the outer periphery of the first panel portion 120 and the second panel portion 140, and the peripheral wall 162 includes an outer peripheral wall portion and an inner peripheral wall portion.

The first panel portion 120, the second panel portion 140 and the perimeter wall 162 collectively define an interior compartment 164 of the block.

A plurality of tabs 170A, 180A are formed on the first side 124 of the block and a plurality of tabs 170B, 180B are formed on the second side 144 of the block, with tabs 170A and 170B being male tabs and tabs 180A and 180B being female tabs.

Each connector 170A, 180A of the first side 124 has a coupling axis and a coupling direction defined by the coupling direction, e.g., the male connector 170A of the first side 25 of the toy block 100 includes a first male connector having a coupling axis X1-X1 'and a second male connector having a coupling axis X2-X2'. The female connector 180A of the first side of the toy building block 100 comprises a first female connector having a coupling axis X3-X3 'and a second female connector having a coupling axis X4-X4'.

Each connector 170B, 180B of the second side 124 has a coupling axis and a coupling direction defined by the coupling direction, e.g. the second side male connector 170B of the toy building block 100 comprises a first male connector having a coupling axis Y3-Y3 'and a second male connector having a coupling axis Y4-Y4'. The female connector 180B of the second side of the toy building block 100 comprises a first female connector having a coupling axis Y1-Y1 'and a second female connector having a coupling axis Y2-Y2'.

The exemplary 4 joints formed on the first surface 122 are distributed at the four corners of the square, such that adjacent joints on different sides of the square have the same pitch, i.e., equal to the pitch of the square matrix defined by the corners of the square. The square is referred to herein as a joint-locating square or locating square, the first surface being a square surface, the joints being arranged so that the joints on one side of the block have a distance of half the distance to the side, the joints on the opposite sides of two respective blocks abutting each other, the distance between the joints contributing to the connection between the blocks. The plurality of joints of the first surface 122 define a first connection surface, a first connection means on the first side, and a first connection direction, the first connection direction being the same as the connection direction of the joints on the first side.

The exemplary 4 joints formed on the second surface 142 are distributed at the four corners of the square to allow adjacent joints on different sides of the square to have the same pitch, i.e., equal to the pitch of the square matrix defined by the corners of the square. The second surface is a square surface, the joints are arranged so that the joints on one side of the building block have a distance of half the distance to the side, and the joints on the corresponding side of two corresponding building blocks are adjacent to each other, and the total distance between the joints is helpful for the connection between the building blocks. In this example, the first surface 122 and the second surface 142 are the same square surface, but the first surface 122 and the second surface 142 may have different shapes and/or sizes in other embodiments without loss of generality. The plurality of tabs on the second surface 142 define a second attachment surface, a second attachment means on the second side, and a second attachment direction, the second attachment direction being the same as the attachment direction of the tabs on the second side.

Each connector on the first face 122 has a corresponding connector on the second face 142, the coupling axes of which are aligned with the connector coupling axes on the first face, e.g., a male connector 170A having a coupling axis X1-X1' on a first side is aligned with a female connector 180B having a coupling axis Y1-Y1' on a second side, and likewise, a female connector 180A having a coupling axis X3-X3' on a first side is aligned with a male connector 170B having a coupling axis on a second side, in this example, 4 pairs of coupling axes aligned with each other are formed in the toy brick 100.

Referring to fig. 1A and 1D, the male connector 170A includes a protrusion that protrudes away from the first surface 122 as a base surface, the male connector 170A having a peripheral wall that defines the shape, radial profile, dimensions, and mating portions of the protrusion. The peripheral wall is axially symmetrical and the projecting portion is an annular projection having a coupling axis and characteristics thereof between the base surface and the axially free end of the projecting portion defining the height of the projecting portion and the height of the male connector. The projection includes a head portion and a neck portion, the neck portion being located intermediate the head and base surfaces, the head portion being an outwardly projecting portion having a convex radial profile with a convex curvature, the plane defining a maximum radial extent and a maximum radial extent at a maximum radial extent level. The neck is a narrow portion having a convexly curved radial portion that tapers towards the base surface. The protruding head and narrowing neck together define the snap-fit engagement characteristics of the male connector, with the protruding portion actually having a partial-spherical shape resembling a spherical connector, and in some embodiments the head has a corrugated radial profile and/or a flat head rather than a round or bulbous head. In some embodiments, the protrusions have a cylindrical or prismatic profile along the axial extent of the mating portion for a conventional snap-fit or snap-fit engagement. The prismatic profile may be a polygonal regular polygonal cross-section, for example, such a polygon may be 6 to 12 sides.

The male connector 170B on the second side of the block has the same characteristics as the male connector 170A, and the first surface can be modified for application to the second surface in relation to the application described herein.

The first side female connector 180A includes a coupling sleeve for engaging the male connector, the coupling sleeve having a sleeve compartment defined by an inner peripheral wall. The inner peripheral wall is interior of the peripheral wall thereby defining the coupling sleeve, and thus, the peripheral wall portion is defined by the sleeve compartment. The sleeve has a sleeve inlet, an inlet bore and an inlet plane defined at the sleeve inlet, the coupling sleeve being located at an axial end of the coupling sleeve, the sleeve inlet plane being perpendicular to the coupling axis of the sleeve, the axial end being located at an axial end of the coupling axis. The peripheral wall of the coupling sleeve is an annular peripheral wall which projects axially into the interior compartment 164 of the building block, the entire coupling sleeve being retracted below the first surface. The sleeve has a dome-shaped axial portion formed by the outer peripheral wall of the coupling sleeve, and the dome-shaped axial end portion is the portion of the coupling sleeve that is most distant from the first surface in the axial direction, as shown in fig. 1E. A sleeve inlet and a sleeve inlet aperture are formed in the first surface, the sleeve inlet plane being coplanar with the first surface.

The coupling sleeve includes a sleeve neck for engaging the male connector and a sleeve head for engaging the head of the male connector, the sleeve neck including an annular shelf that engages the neck of the male connector, the sleeve neck being surrounded by the inner periphery of the panel portion. The annular shelf of the neck of the sleeve includes a collar portion adjacent the first surface, the collar portion defining the inlet and the inlet opening of the sleeve, the inlet opening defining a minimum radial clearance of the neck of the sleeve, the collar portion having a freely upstanding annular collar wall portion surrounding the inlet opening. The free standing annular collar wall portion has a free axial end nearest the first surface, the collar wall portion and the panel portion being spaced from each other by a radial spacing of the collar wall portion and the panel portion, an annular groove or channel being defined by the collar portion and the panel portion. The radial spacing allows the free standing collar portion to spring outwardly when the radial extent of the male mating portion exceeds the maximum clearance extent of the collar portion.

The sleeve head is located further from the first surface than the sleeve neck, with the sleeve neck being axially between the sleeve head and the sleeve neck, in which case the domed portion of the coupling sleeve comprises the sleeve head, in some embodiments the female connector may comprise only one of the sleeve neck or the sleeve head, in some embodiments the coupling sleeve has a flat end with the sleeve head also contained in the flat end, in this example the inner circumferential wall of the coupling sleeve has a concavely curved radial profile, thereby defining an outwardly projecting sleeve compartment. In some embodiments, the inner circumferential wall has a corrugated radial profile and the sleeve compartment has a corrugated internal profile. In some embodiments, the inner peripheral wall has a cylindrical or prismatic longitudinal profile along the axial extent of its mating portion for a conventional press-fit or snap-fit engagement. The prismatic profile may be a polygonal regular polygonal cross-section, for example, such a polygon may be 6 to 12 sides. Typically, the radial and longitudinal profiles of the coupling sleeve engage with corresponding radial and longitudinal profiles of the male connector to facilitate tight engagement.

The female connector 180B on the second side of the block has the same characteristics as the female connector 180A, with respect to what is described herein, that the first surface can be modified for application to the second surface.

The male connectors 170A, 170B and the female connectors 180A, 180B have mating compatible portions that allow the male and female connectors to engage each other if the male or female connectors are formed from different building blocks. When the male and female connectors are compatibly engaged, the connecting portions thereof have engaging characteristics sized and contoured to facilitate engagement with each other. In some embodiments, the male and female connectors on different sides may not be engageable.

The male connectors 170A, 170B on one side of the building block are located on one side of the square, a plurality of connectors are distributed on one corner of the square, and the female connectors 180A, 180B are located on the opposite and parallel side. The symmetrical arrangement of the male and female connectors on either side of the plane of symmetry facilitates resilient engagement between the blocks, since the engagement of identical blocks with each other can be carried out by a flip-over action around the plane of symmetry. In this example, the plane of symmetry is a plane, also a bisector plane, parallel to the four sides of the square.

In this example, the (first) one axial end panel portion of the internal compartment of block 100 forms joints 170A and 180A, and the panel portion at the other axial end of the internal compartment of block 100 forms another set of joints 170B and 180B, and in some embodiments, the second side is free of joints. In some embodiments, the other side of the same type of linker is a male or female linker. In some embodiments, the block has only one panel portion.

The example block 200 includes a body 210, a first surface 222 on a first side 224 of the body, a second surface 242 on a second side 244 of the body, and a peripheral portion 260 extending between the first surface 222 and the second surface 242, as shown in fig. 1A, 1B, and 1C.

The toy bricks include a panel portion 220 in which a plurality of toy bricks 270A, 270B, 280A, 280B are formed. The first panel portion 220 has an upper surface and a lower surface, with a first surface 222 formed thereon, the lower surfaces 222B being arranged in a face-to-face relationship with each other parallel to the upper surface, and a thickness of the first panel portion being defined by an axial spacing between the upper and lower surfaces thereof, the thickness being substantially uniform.

The peripheral portion 260 includes a peripheral wall 262 extending around the outer periphery of the panel portion 220, the peripheral wall 262 including an outer peripheral wall portion and an inner peripheral wall portion, the panel portion 220 and the peripheral wall 262 together defining an interior compartment 264 of the block.

A plurality of male connectors 270A and a plurality of female connectors 280A are formed on the first side 224 of the block and a plurality of male connectors 270B and a plurality of female connectors 280B are formed on the second side 244 of the block, each connector on one side of the block having a male and female opposing engagement of the connector, the axis of coupling being aligned with the connector on one side. In this example, a plurality of joints 270A, 280A, 270B, 280B are formed in a single panel portion of the block 100, rather than in two spaced parallel panel portions, with the plurality of joints on the first side 224 defining a first plurality of connecting surfaces, a first connecting means on the first side, and a first connecting direction, the first connecting direction being the same as the connecting direction of the joints on the first side. The plurality of tabs on the second side 244 define a second attachment surface, a second attachment means on the second side, and a second attachment direction that is the same as the attachment direction of the tabs on the second side. The tabs 270B, 280B on the second side 244 project from the lower surface 222B of the panel portion 220 into the interior compartment 264 of the block 200 and extend toward the second surface 242 and a plurality of tabs 270B, 280B, having coupling axes parallel to each other, collectively defining a second connecting surface on the second side 20 of the block 200. The male tab 270B of the second side has a protruding portion protruding from the second side as its base surface and extending from the base surface along the coupling direction toward an axial extent, which becomes the height of the protruding portion.

16 connector instances are formed on the first side 224 of the block and 16 connector instances are formed on the second side 244 of the block, and the 16 connectors on the block side may be arranged in 4 rows and 4 columns, evenly spaced from each other. On both sides of the planar symmetry, the 4 rows of connectors are divided into two adjacent rows of male connectors and two adjacent rows of female connectors. In some embodiments, the male and female connectors of the 30 connectors can be staggered. In some embodiments, adjacent connectors arranged in rows or columns may be different male or female connectors.

The male connectors 270A, 270B of the building block 200 have a truncated and corrugated radial profile, and the male connector 270B of the second side 244 is dependent on the arrangement of the coupling sleeve peripheral walls of the first side aligned female connectors and their corresponding coupling shafts, and the male connectors 270A, 270B are identical to the male connectors 170A, 170B, unless the context requires otherwise, and the description of the male connectors 170A, 170B is incorporated herein by reference, as applicable to the male connectors 270A, 270B.

The female connectors 280A, 280B of the toy bricks 200 comprise a coupling sleeve comprising a sleeve neck formed by the inner boundary of the panel portion and a sleeve head formed by a peripheral wall depending from the panel portion, the peripheral wall comprising an inner peripheral wall portion defining the shape, size and engagement profile of the sleeve head and an outer peripheral wall portion defining the outer periphery of the sleeve. The sleeve compartment of the sleeve head has a corrugated radial profile that engages the corrugated radial profile of the male connector 270A, 270B. The peripheral wall portion is substantially cylindrical corresponding to the cylindrical head portion of the male connector 270A, 270B. Further, unless the context requires otherwise, female connectors 280A, 280B are identical to female connectors 180A, 180B, and the description of female connectors 180A, 180B is incorporated herein by reference, where applicable, to female connectors 280A, 280B.

Unless the context requires otherwise, in addition to the differences described above, the construction 200 and construction 100 are substantially identical, and the features and interrelationships between the male and female connectors are substantially identical, and the associated descriptions thereof are incorporated herein by reference as if appropriate.

An example block assembly 20 includes a first block 200A and a second block 200B, with aligned peripheral portions stacked on top of each other, as shown in fig. 2F, 2H, 2I. Each of the first and second bricks 200A, 200B is identical to the brick 200, with the second joining surface of the brick 200A abutting the first joining surface of the brick 200B.

In a symmetrical arrangement of the same number of male and female connectors on one side, a combination of bricks may be formed by stacking and joining a first brick 200A and a second brick 200B, wherein the first or second joining surfaces of the respective bricks are correspondingly adjacent to each other. The joint arrangement herein helps to substantially enhance the flexible joint between the bricks, thereby substantially increasing the number of modules of the bricks.

While the male connectors 270A, 270B and female connectors 280A, 280B of the building block 200 have different characteristics than their counterparts in the building block 100, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the male connectors 170A, 170B and/or the female connectors 170A, 170B of the building block 100 may be integrated into the building block 200 without loss of generality.

The example block 300 includes a body 310, a first surface 322 on a first side 324 of the body, a second surface 342 on a second side 344 of the body, and a peripheral portion 360 extending between the first surface 322 and the second surface 342, as shown in fig. 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D.

The main body includes a face portion 320 over which a plurality of toy bricks 370A, 370B, 380A, 380B are formed. The panel portion 320 has a lower surface over which a first surface 322 is formed, the upper surfaces being arranged facing each other parallel to the lower surface. The thickness of the first panel portion 320 is defined by the axial spacing between the upper and lower surfaces thereof and is substantially uniform, the peripheral portion 360 including a peripheral wall 362 extending around the outer periphery of the panel portion 320, the peripheral wall 362 including outer and inner peripheral wall portions, the panel portion 320 and the peripheral wall 362 together defining an interior compartment 364 of the block.

Panel portion 320 includes a first lateral portion 321, a second lateral portion 323, and a bridge portion 325 interconnecting first lateral portion 321 and second lateral portion 323, bridge portion 325 being shaped to form a carrier bridge portion and a carrier compartment thereof, carrier portion 325 including a first bridge leg 325A connected to first lateral portion 321, a second bridge leg 325B continuously connected to the second lateral portion, and an intermediate bridge leg 325C interconnecting first bridge leg 325A and second bridge leg 325B. The intermediate bridging leg 325C is offset from the first and second lateral portions 321, 323 parallel to the first and second lateral portions 321, 323, thereby defining a substantially rectangular tray compartment rectangular boundary.

The first lateral portion 321 is a first transverse panel portion that extends away from the bridge portion 325 and the tray compartment. A plurality of male snap tabs 370A are formed on the first surface 322 of the first lateral portion, the male tabs 370A of the first surface 322 having a coupling axis and a coupling direction, the coupling direction being perpendicular to the first surface 322, the coupling axis being distal from the panel portion.

The second lateral portion 323 is a first transverse panel portion that extends away from the bridge portion 325, the tray compartment, and the first lateral portion 321, and has a plurality of male snap-fit joints 380A formed on the first surface 322 of the second lateral portion, the first surface 322 having a female joint 380A with a coupling axis that is perpendicular to the first surface 322 and a coupling direction that is away from the panel portion.

The contacts 370A of the first surface 322 of the first lateral portion 321 are arranged in a square matrix of two rows and two columns, each column being equally spaced and perpendicular to adjacent columns. With this arrangement, the contacts are disposed at the corners of the square, and the contacts 380A of the first surface 322 of the second lateral portion 323 are arranged in the same square matrix as the square matrix of the first lateral portion 321. With this arrangement, the connectors are disposed at the corners of a square, as with the square arrangement of the first side plate portion, the plurality of male connectors 370A and female connectors 380B of the first surface 322 collectively define a first connecting means having a first connecting direction and a first connecting surface.

The male connector 370A of the first surface 322 of the first lateral portion 321 and the female connector 380A of the first surface 322 of the second lateral portion 323 are arranged in a laterally symmetrical arrangement in the same plane, the laterally symmetrical arrangement being between the first and second lateral portions and perpendicular to the first surface. By staggering the male and female connectors in this transverse plane of symmetry, two identical bricks 300A and 300B can be stacked and joined to form a brick combination 30, wherein each brick 300A and 300B is identical to brick 300 and engages a corresponding first connecting surface, as shown in fig. 3E and 3F.

In addition, a plurality of female connectors 380B may be formed on the second surface 342 of the first lateral portion 321, and the male connector 370A on the first surface of the first lateral portion 321 may have a coupling axis aligned with the corresponding female connector 380B on the second surface of the first lateral portion 321 with respect to the arrangement of the plurality of female snap connectors 380B.

In addition, a plurality of male connectors 370B may be formed on the second surface 342 of the second lateral portion 323, and the male connectors 380A of the first surface of the second lateral portion 323 have a coupling axis aligned with the corresponding female connectors 370B of the second surface of the second lateral portion 323 with respect to the arrangement of the plurality of male snap connectors 370B.

In addition, a plurality of connectors may be formed on the upper surface of the panel at the bridging portion, particularly on the surface of the panel facing upward through the bridging branch 325C, such that the coupling axes of the connectors are aligned, thereby defining a third connecting direction. Furthermore, the third connection direction is parallel to the opposite first connection direction, and likewise the contacts on the bridging portion may advantageously be arranged according to the same contact matrix.

In this example, although the male connectors 370A, 370B are of the same type as the male connectors 170A, 170B and the female connectors 380A, 380B, and also of the same type as the female connectors 180A, 180B, one skilled in the art can readily use other compatible types of connector combinations without loss of generality. For example, blunt male connectors 270A, 270B may be used as male connectors 370A, 370B and female connectors 280A, 280B may be used as female connectors 380.

The example block 400 includes a body 410, a first face 422 of a first side 424 of the body, a second face 442 of a second side 444 of the body, and a peripheral portion 460 extending between the first face 422 and the second face 442, as shown in fig. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D.

The body includes a panel portion 420 over which a plurality of building blocks 470A, 470B, 480A, 480B are formed. The panel portion 420 has a lower surface over which a first surface 422 is formed, the upper surfaces being arranged facing each other parallel to the lower surface. The thickness of the first panel portion 420 is defined by the axial spacing between the upper and lower surfaces thereof, and is substantially uniform, with the peripheral portion 460 including a peripheral wall 462 extending around the outer periphery of the panel portion 420, the peripheral wall 462 including outer and inner peripheral wall portions, and the panel portion 420 and the peripheral wall 462 together defining an interior compartment 464 of the block.

The panel portion 420 includes a first lateral portion 421, a second lateral portion 423, and a bridge portion 425 interconnecting the first lateral portion 421 and the second lateral portion 423, the bridge portion 425 being shaped to form the tray portion and the tray compartment thereof, the bridge portion 425 including a first bridge branch 425A and a second bridge branch 425B, the first bridge branch 425A being continuously connected to the first lateral portion 421, the second bridge branch being continuously connected to the second lateral portion 423. The bracket portions 425 substantially define triangular bracket compartments and, in addition, a plurality of retaining apertures are formed in the bridge portion, the retaining apertures being sized and shaped to receive connectors of the same type and size as the first surface, the toy brick 400 having the same features as the toy brick 300 except for the differences described above, the description of the toy brick 300 being incorporated herein by reference and is comparable to the toy brick 400.

Similarly, the block assembly 40 may be formed by stacking and joining blocks 400A and 400B, each of which blocks 400A and 400B is like the block 400 described in fig. 4F and 4G.

The example construction 500 includes a body 510, a first surface 522 of a first side 524 of the body, a second surface 542 of a second side 544 of the body, and a peripheral portion 560 extending between the first surface 522 and the second surface 542, as shown in fig. 5 and 5A. A plurality of connectors 570A, 580A including a male connector and a female connector are disposed on the first surface 522, each connector 570A, 580A having a coupling axis defining a coupling direction, the plurality of connectors 570A and 580A collectively defining a first connecting means, a first connecting surface and a first connecting direction. In addition, a plurality of joints 588 and 599 are distributed over the body as shown in fig. 5 and 5A. Unless the context requires otherwise, linkers 570A, 580A, 588, 599 are of the type described above, as contrasted to other different kinds of linkers herein.

The body includes a first lateral portion 521, a second lateral portion 523, and a bridge portion 525 interconnecting the first and second lateral portions 521, 523. The first connecting means are distributed over a first surface of the first lateral portion 521 for the first portion and over a first surface of the second lateral portion 523 for the second portion. The bridge portion 525 is shaped to form the tray portion and its tray compartment, and more specifically, the bridge portion 525 is shaped to be recessed into the portion defining a compartment between the first lateral portion 521 and the second lateral portion 523.

Similarly, the block assembly 50 may be formed by stacking and joining blocks 500A and 500B, each of the blocks 500A and 500B being like the block 500 described in fig. 5B. The assembly 50 includes a penetration compartment having a circular inner boundary formed by corresponding bridging portions, as shown in FIG. 5B.

The example building block 600 includes a body 610, a first surface 622 on a first side 624 of the body, a second surface on a second side 644 of the body, and a peripheral portion 660 extending between the first surface 622 and the second surface 642, as shown in fig. 6, 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D. A plurality of joints 670A, 680A including a plurality of male joints 670A and a plurality of female joints 680A are distributed on the first surface 622, each joint 670A, 680A having a coupling axis defining a coupling direction, the plurality of joints 670A and 680A collectively defining a first connection means, a first connection surface, and a first connection direction. A plurality of tabs 670B are distributed on the second surface 642, thereby defining a second attachment means, a second attachment surface, and a second attachment direction.

The toy bricks include a panel portion 620 upon which a plurality of toy bricks 670A, 670B, 680A are formed. The main body is elongated and extends along a longitudinal axis and the panel portion 620 is elongated, thereby defining the elongated shape of the main body. The panel portion 620 has an upper surface protruding from the portions of the plurality of joints 670A, 680A in a direction perpendicular to the coupling axis toward the first side 624, the first connection surface, and a lower surface opposite to the upper surface.

The outer peripheral portion 660 includes a peripheral wall 662 extending around an outer periphery of the panel portion 620, and the peripheral wall 662 includes an inner peripheral wall portion and an outer peripheral wall portion surrounding the inner peripheral wall. Panel portion 620 and perimeter wall 662 cooperate to define an interior compartment 664 of the construction, with perimeter wall 662 projecting from an upper surface of panel portion 620 and extending toward first side 624, thereby defining a first connecting surface. More specifically, an upper edge of the peripheral wall 662 extends around the panel portion 620, thereby defining a first connecting surface 622. A second surface 642 of the second side of the block 600, in this example the lower surface of the panel portion, forms a plurality of male connectors 670B and projects away from the panel portion 620 and the interior compartment 664 in the coupling direction thereof.

Thus, the body of block 600 forms part of the shell shape, with the panel portion forming part of the shell base, and the peripheral wall portion surrounding the panel portion and projecting upwardly from the upper surface of panel portion 620 towards the first connecting surface. The joints 670A, 680A and the joints 270B, 280B of the building block 200 in this example are internal joints, protruding into the internal compartment of the block and surrounded by a peripheral portion or more specifically by a peripheral wall of the block.

The male 670A and female 680A connectors are staggered along a dispensing axis that is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the body, such that the rows of male and female connectors are staggered relative to each other. Further, there are a plurality of joints 688, 699 distributed on the body, unless the context requires otherwise, joints 670A, 670B, 680A, 688 and 699 are of the type described above, as should be applicable to the other different kinds of joints herein. While the connector 670B is a male connector, the connector on the second side may be a female connector 680B or a combination of a male connector 670B and a female connector 680B without loss of generality.

The stacked engagement of the two blocks 600A and 600B may form a block assembly 60, each of the blocks 600A and 600B being like the block 600 described in fig. 6E through 6H.

In this example, the peripheral portion of the block 600 and the block assembly 60 have a rectangular cross-sectional profile. In some embodiments, the outer portion of block 600 has a semi-circular cross-sectional profile and block assembly 60 has a circular cross-sectional profile, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that different profiles may be used for the block and host assemblies herein without loss of generality.

The block assembly 70 includes a first face 722 of a first side 724, a second face of a second side 744, and a peripheral portion 760 extending between the first face 722 and the second face 742, as shown in fig. 7A and 7B. The assembly 70 is circular in shape with a first surface 722 extending along a circular path having a circular axis and a second surface 742 also extending along the circular path and around the same circular axis, the circular path defining the peripheral direction of the assembly. The combination 70 has a circular cross-section along its circumferential axis, which is a longitudinal line extending in the peripheral direction. The plurality of male connectors 770A and the plurality of male connectors 770A are distributed on the first surface, thereby defining a first connection surface, the first surface 722 extends in a peripheral direction, and the connectors on the first surface have a coupling direction with a coupling axis perpendicular to the first surface. The block assembly 70 is defined by a plurality of curved blocks 700, as shown in FIGS. 7C and 7D. Apart from the above differences, the block 700 has substantially the same description as the block 600, and the references to the block 600 and its related description are incorporated herein by reference, and the appropriate case may be compared, taking into account that where appropriate or necessary, the increment of the corresponding number is in units of 100.

The first example of a building block has a first surface with a connector arrangement as shown in a connector matrix, the connector matrix having a plurality of connector columns and rows, the columns and rows being perpendicular to each other, the connector matrix being arranged in a regular pattern so that adjacent columns and rows of the matrix are equally spaced, and when adjacent columns and rows of the matrix are equally spaced, adjacent rows and columns of the matrix are equally spaced, and the adjacent rows and columns of the matrix are equally spaced at a constant pitch, and are equally spaced at a given pitch. Pitch as used herein means the spacing between adjacent connector rows and/or columns, and when connectors are arranged in a matrix, adjacent connectors in each row and column are spaced apart according to the specified spacing of the matrix, optionally the matrix of connectors is arranged such that the outermost connector row is closest to the corresponding peripheral wall of the block, the block being arranged with half the spacing parallel to the outermost connector row, meaning that the spacing between the connector row and the corresponding peripheral wall is half the spacing between adjacent connector rows. Similarly, the outermost connector column is closest to the corresponding peripheral wall of the block, which is parallel to the outermost connector column with half the pitch, i.e. the distance separating the connector column and the corresponding peripheral wall is half the pitch of the adjacent connector column.

More specifically, the joints on the first surface of the block example are arranged in a square matrix, for example, a plurality of joint examples on the first side of the block are arranged in a square matrix, wherein adjacent joints each have 2 longitudinal rows and 2 transverse rows, are equally and constantly spaced from each other, and are equally and constantly spaced from each other by a distance equal to the spacing of the matrix.

An example of the first surface is a square surface of a panel portion, the square boundary of the panel portion being defined by a peripheral wall along the square boundary, the peripheral wall including an inner peripheral wall defining a portion of the interior compartment and an outer peripheral wall, the outer peripheral wall surrounding the inner peripheral wall. The outermost connector columns closest to the corresponding peripheral wall of the building blocks are arranged in parallel with the outermost connector columns, at a half-pitch distance from each other. The outermost connector rows closest to the corresponding peripheral wall of the building blocks are parallel to the outermost connector rows and are spaced apart from each other by half the distance. When the outermost connector row of a block holds half the distance to the peripheral wall, the corresponding peripheral wall, i.e. the peripheral wall of an adjacent block, holds the full half of the distance between the outermost connector row of a block and the outermost connector row or column of another corresponding block.

When the example block is a square panel or the first surface of a square and the connector matrix is a square matrix of 2x2 or 4x4, the panel or first surface need not be of square design and the connector matrix may be of a non-square matrix design.

For example, the panel portion may be square and the tab matrix may be 3x3, 5x5, 6x6, 7x7, 8x8 or other dimensions. For example, the panel portion may be rectangular and the tab matrix may be 1x2, 1x3, 1x4, 1 x.a., 2x3, 2x4, 2x5, 2 x.a., 3x4, 3x5, 3x6, 3x7, 4x5, 4x6, 4x7, or any other arrangement that does not detract from its generality. In some embodiments, the panel portion has a polygon boundary, which may be three or four sides, and may have equal or unequal sides without loss of generality. In some embodiments, the panel portion may have a circular perimeter and the tabs on one side may be arranged in rows of concentric circles with equal spacing between the rows and adjacent tabs.

The disclosure has been made with reference to various embodiments, but the application of these embodiments is not limited to the scope of this disclosure.

For example, the block example herein is a toy block or a toy-like application, and the block assembly may be a toy block or a toy block assembly like a toy. The blocks herein may also be non-toy blocks, such as machine blocks, blocks such as blocks or block-like constructions and/or other industrial blocks, such block combinations may be modularly constructed machines or machine parts, modular structures, modular structural parts, modular structural fasteners, fastener parts and/or fastener sub-combinations.

In applications where toy block assemblies are used, the building blocks are constructed with a radial extent (or width or lateral extent) and an axial extent (or thickness) of typically between 1cm and 15cm, with micro-blocks between 0.3mm and 5 cm. For example, the radial range for a1 micro building block may be in cm, and may be 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, 12, 12.5, 13.5, 14, 14.5, 15, 15.5, 16, 16.5, 17, 17.5, 18, 18.5, 19, 19.5, 20 or a larger number belonging to a macro building block, or a range or related number restricted by any selected combination of the foregoing numbers, e.g., for a1 micro building block, the radial range may be in cm, i.e., 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8.5, 9.5, 10, or any combination of the foregoing numbers.

For example, for industrial applications, such as modular construction of machines, buildings, structures, components, the above values may be exaggerated in units, the values may be 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120 or ranges formed by any combination of the above values or limits of ranges, or the building components may be made of strong thermoplastics, carbon fibers, glass fibers, metals or other moldable materials, but with high rigidity and low elasticity.

As described above with respect to the combination of snap engagement, snap connection and snap connector, the blocks may be engaged and connected by other snap mechanisms or methods without loss of generality.

The examples of joints described herein are snap joints for snap engagement, and unless the context requires otherwise, the joints herein may be press-fit or friction press-fit joint designs.

Generally, a snap connector includes a mating portion having snap engagement characteristics. Unless otherwise required herein, the terms "snap," "snap engagement," and "snap engagement" are used interchangeably herein. Unless otherwise required by the context, terms such as "fastener" and "joint" may be used interchangeably herein. Unless the context requires otherwise, in the present description, reference is made to a joint or a mating part with a connecting shaft, the so-called "tight engagement" and "engagement" being used interchangeably, with respect to the axial direction of the coupling shaft, along the axial direction of the coupling shaft, with respect to the radial direction and the radial extent of the coupling shaft, i.e. radial.

Unless the context requires otherwise, the terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," and the like are used for convenience of reference only and are not intended to indicate a priority or order. If the above general terms conflict with each other, the conflict between the terms can be resolved by reasonable interpretation.

As used herein, the singular and plural referents, the singular referents to the plural, and the plural referents to the singular as is allowed or necessary in the context of the specification.

Digital watch

100	Building blocks	110	Main body	120	A first panel portion
						122	First surface	124	First side	140	A second panel part
142	Second surface	144	Second side	160	Outer part
						162	Peripheral wall	164	Internal compartment	170A, 170B	Male joint
				180A, 180B	Female joint

Claims (22)

1. A component comprising a body, a first surface on a first side of the body, a second surface on a second side of the body, the first surface opposite the second surface, and a plurality of tabs on the first surface, wherein each tab has a connecting portion defining a coupling axis and a coupling direction along the coupling axis, the plurality of tabs define a first connecting surface, the first direction of the first connecting surface is parallel to the coupling direction, wherein the plurality of tabs comprise one or more male tabs and one or more female tabs.

2. The block according to claim 1, wherein said female connector comprises a coupling sleeve for releasably mechanically engaging the male connector, the coupling sleeve comprising a sleeve compartment and a sleeve inlet having an inlet opening for insertion of the male connector into the coupling sleeve, wherein the sleeve inlet and/or the inlet opening is/are located on the first surface.

3. A toy building set according to claim 2, wherein the body comprises a panel portion having an upper surface and a lower surface, the sleeve inlet and/or the inlet opening extending through the panel portion.

4. The block according to item 3, wherein the coupling sleeve is at least partly located inside the panel part and/or is surrounded by an inner boundary of the panel part.

5. The building block according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the coupling sleeve comprises a sleeve neck for engaging the neck of the male connector, the sleeve neck being located within the panel portion or surrounded by an inner boundary of the panel.

6. The toy building block of any one of claims 3-5, wherein the male connector comprises a neck portion at a first axial level or axial extent above the first surface, and the female connector comprises a sleeve neck portion at a first axial level or axial extent below the first surface.

7. The toy building set according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the coupling sleeve comprises an inner circumferential wall defining the coupling axis of the sleeve compartment and the female connector, the inner circumferential wall extending in a direction opposite to the coupling direction of the female connector.

8. The block according to any one of items 3 to 5, wherein the coupling sleeve comprises a peripheral wall defining an outer periphery of the sleeve, the peripheral wall projecting from a lower surface of the panel portion and extending opposite to the coupling direction of the female connector.

9. The block according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the projection comprises a peripheral wall defining an outer periphery of the projection, the peripheral wall being a circumferential wall projecting from an upper surface of the panel portion and extending in opposite directions along the coupling direction.

10. The toy building block of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the male connector comprises a male portion and wherein the female connector comprises a female portion dimensioned to complementarily engage the male portion in profile.

11. The toy building block of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the male connector comprises a protrusion projecting away from the first surface and extending in a coupling direction orthogonal to the first surface.

12. The toy brick according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of joints are distributed on the second surface, the joints having a connecting portion defining a coupling axis and a coupling direction along the coupling axis, wherein the plurality of joints on the second surface define a second connecting surface having a second connecting direction parallel to the coupling direction, wherein the plurality of joints comprises one or more male joints and one or more female joints.

13. The block according to claim 12, wherein the male connector on the first face has a corresponding female connector on the second face, the male connector and the corresponding female connector having their axes of coupling aligned and coaxial.

14. The block according to item 12 or 13, wherein the female connector on the first face has a corresponding male connector on the second face, the female connector and the corresponding male connector having their coupling axes aligned and coaxial.

15. The block according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of connectors on the first surface are arranged on either side of a plane of symmetry perpendicular to the first connecting surface, and wherein the plurality of male connectors is equal in number to the plurality of female connectors on either side of the plane of symmetry.

16. The block of any preceding claim, wherein the plurality of contacts on the first surface are arranged in accordance with at least one ordered matrix having respective adjacent contacts that are equidistant from each other in longitudinal rows and/or transverse rows.

17. The block of claim 16, wherein the male and female connectors of adjacent longitudinal rows and/or transverse rows of connectors are staggered.

18. A block according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body comprises a first lateral portion, a second lateral portion and a bridge portion interconnecting the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion, wherein the plurality of contacts defining the first connecting surface are distributed over the first portion of the first surface, the first portion being located on the first lateral portion, the second portion being located on the second lateral portion, and wherein the bridge portion has a recess defining a compartment or portion of a compartment extending between the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion and between the first surface and the second surface.

19. The block according to item 18, wherein the connectors on the first portion of the first side surface of the first lateral portion and the connectors on the second portion of the first side surface of the second lateral portion are engaged in a staggered arrangement of male and female connectors.

20. The block according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the tabs on the first part of the first surface of the first lateral part and the tabs on the second part of the first surface of the second lateral part are symmetrically located on both sides of the plane.

21. The block according to any one of claims 18 to 20, wherein a plurality of joints are formed in the bridge portion, the joints of the bridge portion being located at an axial level offset from the first connecting surface, the axial level facing the joint coupling axis on the first connecting surface.

22. Namely a building block assembly comprising a first block and a second block stacked together, wherein the first block and the second block are each as described in any one of the above patent applications, the first and second blocks being releasably engageable adjacent to each other on a first surface.

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