SELECTIVELY CONDUCTIVE TOY BUILDING ELEMENTS

• US 20160220919A1
• Filed: 09/03/2014
• Published: 08/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brixo Smart Toys Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Brixo Smart Toys Ltd.
• Inventors: Saraf, Amir, Almog, Boaz
• Granted Patent: US 9,914,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/042 Mechanical, electrical, optical, pneumatic or hydraulic arrangements; Motors
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/086 with primary projections fitting by friction in complementary spaces between secondary projections, e.g. sidewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0284 Details of three-dimensional rigid printed circuit boards H05K1/119 takes precedence; shaping of the substrate H05K3/0014
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/119 Details of rigid insulating substrates therefor, e.g. three-dimensional details H05K1/117 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0367 Metallic bump or raised conductor not used as solder bump
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09045 Locally raised area or protrusion of insulating substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09081 Tongue or tail integrated in planar structure, e.g. obtained by cutting from the planar structure
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/091 Locally and permanently deformed areas including dielectric material
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0999 Circuit printed on or in housing, e.g. housing as PCB; Circuit printed on the case of a component; PCB affixed to housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/209 Auto-mechanical connection between a component and a PCB or between two PCBs
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/326 the printed circuit having integral resilient or deformable parts, e.g. tabs or parts of flexible circuits H05K3/365 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to a selectively conductive toy building element, comprising: a body adapted for releasable engagement to at least one other toy building element body or to a corresponding baseplate, the body including at least one conductive portion having at least one contact area adapted to generate pressure on a conductive portion or contact area of an adjacent toy building element body, in such a way that ensures electrical conduction between said toy building elements in a desired location and direction.

Claims

1. A selectively conductive toy building element, comprising:

a body adapted for releasable engagement to at least one other toy building element body or to a corresponding baseplate, the body including at least one conductive portion having at least one contact area adapted to generate pressure on a conductive portion or contact area of an adjacent toy building element body, in such a way that ensures electrical conduction between said toy building elements in a desired location and direction.

2. A toy building element according to claim 1, in which the conductive portion is created by coating the body, at least partially, with a conductive layer.

3. A toy building element according to claim 1, which is coated by one or more layers of metals selected from copper, nickel and chrome.

4. A toy building element according to claim 1, in which the contact area extends outwardly from the conductive portion or the body.

5. A toy building element according to claim 1, in which the body includes an upper portion and/or a lower portion, wherein the upper portion has a top attachment surface and the lower portion has a bottom attachment surface, each of which surfaces are configured for releasable engagement with complementary attachment surfaces of other toy building elements.

6. A toy building element according to claim 1, in which at least one segment of the upper portion or the bottom attachment surface of the body are conductive after being coated with a conductive layer, thereby being useful as contact areas.

7. A toy building element according to claim 4, in which the top attachment surface has a portion that extends outwardly, resulting in a building element having an angular structure, such that said extended portion forms a 90 degrees angle with the side portion of the housing, thereby allowing to use said extended portion as a contact area.

8. A toy building element according to claim 1, in which at least one contact area of the toy building element is flexible or elastic in order to assure physical contact when pressed sideways with another toy building element.

9. A toy building element according to claim 8, in which at least one contact area comprises at least one embedded flexible arm that extends away from the element'"'"'s body.

10. A toy building element according to claim 9, in which the flexible arm is connected to the body only from one end in order to increase its flexibility.

11. A toy building element according to claim 1, in which the contact area has a rounded shape, thereby assuring smooth connectability to an adjacent toy building element.

12. A toy building element according to claim 1, further comprising at least one electrical component housed inside a plastic compartment that is coupled to the element'"'"'s body, wherein each electrical contact of said at least one electrical component is electrically connected to a corresponding contact area at said body, either directly or via wiring arrangement.

13. A toy building element according to claim 12, in which the electrical component include or is coupled to at least one current limiting and/or current monitoring component.

14. A method of manufacturing a selectively conductive toy building element, comprising:

a) creating a connectable brick that has at least one portion adapted to generate pressure on a conductive portion or contact area of an adjacent building element; and

b) applying a conductive layer to the surface of said at least one portion, thereby converting said at least one portion into a conductive portion that has at least one conductive contact area.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising repeating the coating with additional metallic conductive layer.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the coating is applied by using lithography techniques.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the lithography techniques involves etching the metallic layers from certain areas on the brick.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein the coating is applied by attaching fully conductive and non-conductive parts to form a single brick.

19. A kit comprising:

a) a plurality of selectively conductive toy building elements, each of said toy building element comprising a body adapted for releasable engagement to at least one other toy building element body or to a corresponding baseplate, the body including at least one conductive portion having at least one contact area adapted to generate pressure on a conductive portion or contact area of an adjacent toy building element body, in such a way that ensures electrical conduction between said toy building elements in a desired location and direction;

b) a plurality of non-conductive toy building elements; and

c) conventional base plates and accessories of toy building systems.