GB2465339A - Illuminated connecting shapes - Google Patents

Abstract

Illuminated translucent interconnecting blocks (1) which may be connected together to effect sequenced illumination of the blocks (1). The blocks (1) are three-dimensional (3D) shapes, such as bricks or pyramids. Each block (1) has electrical contacts ports (2) on its side and an internal electronic controller. They are battery powered, with a master block (5) containing a battery and having a charging socket and an on / off switch. The contact ports (2) may comprise concentric magnets. The blocks (1) may be built together in different orientations to form various structures, and light may be made to "flow" (4) through the structure.

Description

3D translucent illuminated shapes This invention relates to a set of 3D translucent shapes which are illuminated in various sequences.

Children can play with all sorts of handy shapes, alphabet building bricks for example.

They can build these shapes up but cannot gain knowledge, or feel, of flow and movement. Prior art such as Rope lights give a certain amount of movement, but these lights are grouped into clusters of 6 or so lights with one master controller. The 6 or so lights are then copied down the rope, so that whatever happens to one group of 6, happens to all the other groups, making light flow limited, and making it impossible to separate each light as 7 connections would be required to provide the drive all down the chain.

To overcome this, the present invention proposes a set of 3D translucent shapes, powered by battery, which have mounted on some of their sides a minimum of two-way contact electrical ports that make it feasible to relay synchronized power, under electronic control inside each shape, to adjoining shapes, when brought together. Each shape has a controller inside which passes on synchronized power to the next adjoining shapes. Flow or sequenced illumination takes place via the energized controllers, where timing is critical.

With controllers inside each shape and only power relayed by ports, the intelligence required to control the lights does not need relaying through extra connections on the ports. These connections are inside the shapes instead. The two-way ports and internal controllers make it possible to build the shapes together into many designs that flow with light across the whole of their structures.

Preferably, the ports are mounted on enough sides of each shape, so that the shapes can be stacked together in all directions.

Preferably, the ports are made out of flush mounting magnets, to make for minimal effort in connecting and separating the shapes, and to make them waterproof.

Preferably, the magnets are in the form of concentric rings, to allow the shapes to be put together in many orientations.

Preferably, one master shape holds a battery inside to power the set, a charging socket and an on/off switch.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: -Figure 1 shows a set of bricks running in sequence, -Figure 2 shows a set of pyramids as an alternative to bricks.

In figure 1, a collection of plastic, translucent toy bricks I are held together by two-way concentric magnetic ports 2, mounted on several sides of each brick to make them 3D stackable. The magnets are not only used to hold the bricks together, but to pass power from one brick to another. The master brick 5 includes a battery and charging socket. Each brick contains at least two electronic timing functions. The first timer controls the switching of power to the conducting magnetic ports 2, and so initiates the functions in the adjoining brick or bricks 1 synchronously. The second timer and subsequent timers deal with turning on and off the light 3 in each brick. The direction of light flow 4 is as shown, from master brick 5 to the furthest away bricks.

The sequence is repeated a number of times, and then a random timer in each brick begins, making the lights 3 appear to jump around. After a number of random flickers have completed, all bricks are lit for a moment and then the cycle begins again through the first, original timer elapsing and removing power from adjoining bricks.

Figure 2 works the same way as figure 1, but with pyramid shapes instead of bricks.

Claims (4)

1. Claims 1 A set of 3D translucent shapes, powered by battery, which have mounted on some of their sides a minimum of two-way contact electrical ports that make it feasible to relay synchronized power, under electronic control inside each shape, to adjoining shapes, when brought together, and so with critical timing, flow or sequenced illumination can take place via the energized controllers.
2. 2 A set of shapes according to claim 1, in which the ports are mounted on enough sides of each shape, so that the shapes can be stacked together in all directions.
3. 3 A set of shapes according to claim 2, in which the ports are made out of flush mounting magnets, to make for minimal effort in connecting and separating the shapes, and to make them waterproof.
4. 4 A set of shapes according to claim 3, in which the flush mounting magnets are in the form of concentric rings to allow the shapes to be put together in many orientations.A set of shapes according to any of the preceding claims, in which one master shape holds a battery inside to power the set, a charging socket and an on/off switch.