Modular electronic building systems with magnetic interconnections and methods of using the same

• US 10,244,630 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2017
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sphero Inc.
• Original Assignee: LittleBits Electronics Inc (Sphero Inc.)
• Inventors: Bdeir, Aya
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoffberg, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Hung
• Application Number:
  US15/463,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20170196086A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/042 Mechanical, electrical, optical, pneumatic or hydraulic arrangements; Motors
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/046 comprising magnetic interaction means, e.g. holding together by magnetic attraction
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/26 Magnetic or electric toys electric drives A63H29/22 ; indoor games played with small balls using magnetic power A63F7/0088, A63F7/068
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0053 Computers, e.g. programming
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/186 for digital electronics; for computers, e.g. microprocessors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/718 Contact members provided on the PCB without an insulating housing contacts for abutting H01R12/714
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/732 Printed circuits being in the same plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2466 using a planar conductive structure, e.g. printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0213 Electrical arrangements not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/14 Structural association of two or more printed circuits providing electric connection to or between printed circuits H05K1/11, H01R12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/18 Printed circuits structurally associated with non-printed electric components H05K1/0201, H05K1/023, H05K1/0243, and H05K1/16 take precedence

Abstract

Electrical connectors, electrical modules, and systems are provided. In one aspect, an electrical connector includes a housing defining a side surface, an electrical conductor supported by the housing and including an engagement portion proximate the side surface of the housing. The engagement portion is adapted to engage another electrical conductor of another electrical connector. The connector also includes a magnet supported by the housing proximate the side surface of the housing, a projection extending from the side surface of the housing, and a receptacle defined in the side surface of the housing. In other aspects, an electrical module includes at least one of these electrical connectors. In further aspects, a system includes a plurality of these modules and the modules are selectively couplable together.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first circuit board having a first side surface, a second side surface opposite the first side surface, a first end surface and a second end surface opposite the first end surface, the first side surface and the second side surface each being different than both the first end surface and the second end surface, the first circuit board defining a width between the first side surface and the second side surface, the first circuit board defining a length between the first end surface and the second end surface;

a first connector mounted to the circuit board; and

a second connector mounted to the circuit board such that an exterior end surface of the second connector is disposed substantially perpendicular to an exterior end surface of the first connector,

the first connector including at least one first conductor configured to engage a second conductor on a third connector coupled to a second circuit board, the second connector including at least one third conductor configured to engage a fourth conductor on a fourth connector coupled to a third circuit board.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first connector includes a first mounting portion configured to be removably coupled to a mounting board and a second mounting portion configured to be removably coupled to the mounting board, the second connector includes a first mounting portion configured to be removably coupled to the mounting board and a second mounting portion configured to be removably coupled to the mounting board.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a mounting board having a first side defining a plurality of openings and a second side including a plurality of projections,

the first connector and the second connector each configured to be removably coupled to the first side of the mounting board,

the second side of the mounting board configured to be removably coupled to at least one block having a projection and being from an interlocking block system.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first connector has a first height and includes a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion each configured to be removably coupled to a mounting board, the apparatus further comprising:

a first adapter configured to be coupled to a bottom surface of the first mounting portion; and

a second adapter configured to be coupled to a bottom surface of the second mounting portion,

the first connector having a second height when the first adapter and the second adapter are coupled to the first connector, the second height being greater than the first height.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second connector includes a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion, the apparatus further comprising:

the second circuit board,

the third connector mounted to the second circuit board, the third connector of the second circuit board including a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion,

the first mounting portion of the second connector configured to be removably coupled to a mounting board and the second mounting portion of the second electrical connector configured to be removably coupled to the mounting board,

the first mounting portion of the third connector mounted to the second circuit board configured to be removably coupled to a mounting board and the second mounting portion of the third connector configured to be removably coupled to the mounting board.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one first conductor of the first connector has an engagement portion configured to engage the second conductor on the third connector of the second circuit board, and has a coupling portion monolithically formed with the engagement portion.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a first circuit board having a length, a first exterior side surface along the length and a second exterior side surface along the length on an opposite side of the first circuit board;

a first connector including an exterior side surface and an exterior end surface different than the exterior side surface of the first connector, the first connector mounted to the first circuit board such that one of the first exterior side surface and the second exterior side surface of the first circuit board is substantially aligned in a same plane with the exterior side surface of the first connector, the first connector having a first conductor, a portion of the first conductor extending from the exterior end surface of the first connector;

a second circuit board having a length, a first exterior side surface along the length and a second exterior side surface along the length on an opposite side of the second circuit board; and

a second connector having an exterior side surface and an exterior end surface different than the exterior side surface of the second connector, the second connector mounted to the second circuit board such that one of the first exterior side surface and the second exterior side surface of the second circuit board is substantially aligned in a same plane with the exterior side surface of the second connector, the second connector having a second conductor, a portion of the second conductor extending from the exterior end surface of the second connector.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the exterior end surface of the first connector and the exterior end surface of the second connector each includes a first elongate portion extending in a vertical direction and a second elongate portion extending in a horizontal direction, the first elongate portion of the first connector configured to contact the first elongate portion of the second connector, the second elongate portion of the first connector configured to contact the second elongate portion of the second connector when the first connector is coupled to the second connector.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a mounting board having a first side defining a plurality of openings and a second side including a plurality of projections,

the first connector and the second connector each configured to be removably coupled to the first side of the mounting board,

the second side of the mounting board configured to be removably coupled to at least one block having a projection and being from an interlocking block system.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the first connector includes a first mounting portion configured to be received within a first opening from a plurality of openings defined in a mounting board and a second mounting portion configured to be received within a second opening from the plurality of openings defined in the mounting board to removably couple the first circuit board to the mounting board,

the second connector includes a first mounting portion configured to be received within the first opening in the mounting board and a second mounting portion configured to be received within the second opening in the mounting board to removably couple the second circuit board to the mounting board.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first connector has a first height and includes a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion each configured to be removably coupled to a mounting board, the apparatus further comprising:

a first adapter configured to be coupled to a bottom surface of the first mounting portion; and

a second adapter configured to be coupled to a bottom surface of the second mounting portion,

the first connector having a second height when the first adapter and the second adapter are coupled to the first connector, the second height being greater than the first height.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the first connector includes a first mounting portion configured to be received within a first opening defined in a support member and a second mounting portion configured to be received within a second opening defined in the support member,

the second connector includes a first mounting portion configured to be received within the first opening of the support member and a second mounting portion configured to be received within the second opening of the support member, the support member configured to maintain the first connector coupled to the second connector.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

a circuit board having a first end surface and a second end surface;

a first connector having a first housing fixedly coupled directly to the circuit board at a first end portion of the circuit board, the first end portion including the first end surface of the circuit board, the first connector having a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion, the first mounting portion configured to be removably coupled to a mounting board, the second mounting portion configured to be removably coupled to the mounting board; and

a second connector having a second housing fixedly coupled directly to the circuit board at a second end portion of the circuit board, the second end portion including the second end surface of the circuit board, the second connector having a third mounting portion configured to be removably coupled to the mounting board and a fourth mounting portion configured to be removably coupled to the mounting board,

the circuit board, the first connector and the second connector collectively having a length and configured to be collectively removably coupled to the mounting board such that (1) the first mounting portion and the second mounting member are each disposed at a first location along one of a length of the mounting board and (2) the third mounting portion and the fourth mounting portion are each disposed at a second location along the length of the mounting board, a distance between the first location and the second location substantially coinciding with the collective length of the circuit board, the first connector and the second connector.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

the mounting board, the mounting board configured to be removably coupled to at least one block from an interlocking block system.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the circuit board is a first circuit board, the apparatus further comprising:

a second circuit board; and

a connector coupled to the second circuit board, the connector including a first mounting portion configured to be removably coupled to the mounting board and a second mounting portion configured to be removably coupled to the mounting board to removably couple the second circuit board to the mounting board.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first connector has a front surface and a conductor, at least a portion of the conductor extending from the front surface of the first connector and configured to engage a conductor on a connector coupled to a second circuit board.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first connector has a first height, the apparatus further comprising:

a first adapter configured to be coupled to a bottom surface of the first mounting portion; and

a second adapter configured to be coupled to a bottom surface of the second mounting portion,

the first connector having a second height when the first adapter and the second adapter are coupled to the first connector, the second height being greater than the first height.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first housing of the first connector and the second housing of the second connector each includes a first housing portion coupled to a second housing portion.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

at least one electrical component disposed on a top surface of the circuit board and between the first connector and the second connector such that the electrical component is visibly and physically accessible to a user.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion of the first connector complimentarily mate with a first portion of the mounting board and a second portion of the mounting board, respectively,

the third mounting portion and the fourth mounting portion of the second connector complimentarily mate with a third portion of the mounting board and a fourth portion of the mounting board, respectively.