US20170173485A1 - Reconfigurable brick building system and structure - Google Patents
Reconfigurable brick building system and structure Download PDFInfo
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- US20170173485A1 US20170173485A1 US15/040,081 US201615040081A US2017173485A1 US 20170173485 A1 US20170173485 A1 US 20170173485A1 US 201615040081 A US201615040081 A US 201615040081A US 2017173485 A1 US2017173485 A1 US 2017173485A1
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Images
Classifications
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
- A63H33/00—Other toys
- A63H33/04—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts
- A63H33/042—Mechanical, electrical, optical, pneumatic or hydraulic arrangements; Motors
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
- A63H17/00—Toy vehicles, e.g. with self-drive; ; Cranes, winches or the like; Accessories therefor
- A63H17/002—Toy vehicles, e.g. with self-drive; ; Cranes, winches or the like; Accessories therefor made of parts to be assembled
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
- A63H3/00—Dolls
- A63H3/16—Dolls made of parts that can be put together
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
- A63H33/00—Other toys
- A63H33/04—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts
- A63H33/06—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements
- A63H33/08—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails
- A63H33/086—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails with primary projections fitting by friction in complementary spaces between secondary projections, e.g. sidewalls
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
- A63H30/00—Remote-control arrangements specially adapted for toys, e.g. for toy vehicles
- A63H30/02—Electrical arrangements
- A63H30/04—Electrical arrangements using wireless transmission
Definitions
- the present disclosure generally relates to games, puzzles and/or toys using inter-locking pieces.
- the embodiments discussed herein relate to a reconfigurable toy or system including a series of bricks, blocks or other pieces that are inter-connectable to form a variety of user configured structures, and which allow for controllable motion of such user configured structures.
- Reconfigurable brick building systems such as those sold under the trademarks LEGO®, K'NEX®, MEGA BLOCKS®, and/or KREO® have become very popular with children and adults.
- remotely controlled, user designed vehicles such as cars, planes, etc., have also become increasingly popular.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a user configurable brick building system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 2A shows a perspective view of a power brick according to an example embodiment.
- FIG. 2B shows a perspective view of a remote control module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 3A shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the user configurable remote controlled vehicle using the system of FIG. 1 , with two power bricks connected with a universal connector.
- FIG. 3B illustrates a remote control module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, such as shown in FIG. 3A .
- FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the power brick of the user configurable brick building system according to FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the remote of the user reconfigurable brick building system according to FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the brick building system according to an additional embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 7A shows a further embodiment in which a mobile device, such as smartphone or tablet, is used to control the power bricks wherein a display image includes remotes.
- a mobile device such as smartphone or tablet
- FIG. 7B shows another embodiment in which a smartphone or tablet is used to control the power bricks wherein a display image includes a joystick.
- FIG. 7C shows an embodiment in which a smartphone or tablet is used to control the power bricks wherein a display image includes a steering wheel.
- a user configurable brick building system or toy 1 allowing for controllable motion of user designed/built brick based creations.
- the building system 1 generally will include a series of inter-connectable pieces, here shown as blocks or bricks, including one or more power bricks 2 and one or more remotes 3 .
- the building system 1 can further include a series of body pieces, including at least one universal connector 5 that can be configured to allow for the connection of multiple power bricks and/or other attachments, and one or more wheel assemblies 4 connectible to each power brick 2 .
- Each power brick 2 generally can be configured to receive a signal sent from a remote 3 to control a motor 215 or other actuator housed within the power brick 2 to enable user controllable motion of the user's brick based creations.
- the brick building system 1 can be sold in a kit 10 , having various different configurations of blocks, bricks and/or other types of connectable pieces, and further can engage and be connectable with other, known building block or connectable brick systems.
- each power brick 2 will typically include power brick body 200 that can be formed in various sizes and/or configurations.
- the power brick body 200 generally includes a top portion 201 , a bottom portion 202 , and side walls 203 .
- the power brick body 200 further can be made of plastic, composite, or other suitable materials.
- the top portion 201 , bottom portion 202 , and/or side walls 203 generally can comprise a material that transmits infrared (IR), radio frequency (RF) or other types of wireless control signals at various wavelengths.
- IR infrared
- RF radio frequency
- at least the top portion 201 of the power brick body 200 is indicated as including a material capable of transmitting material an infrared signal.
- the top portion 201 , bottom portion 202 , and side portions 203 of the power brick body 200 may, for example, have a substantially rectangular shape as generally indicated in FIGS. 1-4 .
- the top portion 201 , bottom portion 202 , and side portions 203 of the power brick body 200 are not limited to a rectangular shape, and may have any suitable shape, such as a square, circle, triangle.
- the top portion 201 may include a generally flat surface 204 with mating connectors 205 / 206 disposed therealong
- the bottom portion 202 may include a generally flat surface 207 with mating connectors 205 / 206 disposed therealong.
- the mating connectors 205 / 206 can include male connectors 205 , shown in the present embodiment as formed as generally cylindrical protrusions 205 A; and female connectors 206 , including protrusions 206 A with recessed portions 206 B defined therein, as shown in FIG. 4 , or including spaces 206 C defined between protrusions 205 A.
- These mating connectors 205 / 206 can be configured to connect to existing building brick sets, such as those sold under the trademarks LEGO®, K'NEX®, MEGA BLOCKS®, and/or KREO®. Other mating or connectable element systems and/or devices also can be used.
- one or more of the side portions 203 and/or bottom portion 202 of each power brick also can include mating connectors 205 / 206 for connection to other building bricks or blocks.
- FIG. 2A shows that a chamber 208 generally will be defined within the body 200 of each power brick 2 , and in which a power source 209 , a receiver 210 , and a driving mechanism 211 , can be received and housed.
- the power source 209 which provides power to the various components of power brick 2 , including the receiver 210 and the driving mechanism 211 , can include rechargeable and/or replaceable batteries, such as LR44 button cell batteries, or any other suitable power source.
- the receiver 210 which receives a signal from the remote 3 to operate the driving mechanism 211 , can be configured to receive an infrared (IR), radio frequency (RF), Bluetooth, and/or any other signal.
- the driving mechanism 211 can include a gear assembly 212 and an axle 213 configured to connect wheel assemblies 4 ( FIG. 1 ) to the power brick 2 , and an electric motor 215 ( FIG. 2A ).
- the driving mechanism 211 further can include multiple motors, actuators and/or other driving mechanisms for providing motion to the resultant block based creations.
- the electric motor 215 generally will be connected to gear assembly 212 to supply power generated by the driving mechanism 211 to the axle 213 , in order to cause rotation of the axle 213 ( FIG. 2A ).
- the gear assembly 212 can be configured to create sufficient torque to move various size brick building structures a user would like to put into motion.
- the driving mechanism 211 can further provide motion for different functions or operations of the power brick 2 other than just driving wheel assemblies and/or can drive various attachments connected to the power brick 2 .
- the power bricks 2 can operate a spring loaded dart shooter, a catapult, gripper, and/or an up/down motion linear motor.
- Other actions, such as lights, horns, animal noises, etc., also can be powered by each power brick, including the provision of multiple different operations, such as where multiple power bricks are used.
- the axle 213 can be connected to an exterior connector 216 , which is provided in an aperture 217 defined in a surface of one of the side portions 203 .
- This exterior connector 216 can be a male or female connector used to attach wheels, pulleys, and/or any other moving parts attached to the power brick 2 .
- the external connector 216 can be a female plus connector 218 that is configured to be connected to wheel assemblies 4 ( FIG. 3A ), which may include a tire 219 A attached to the wheel, and a plus shaped axle 219 B attached to the wheel ( FIG. 1 ).
- the external connector 216 can be a male plus connector or any other suitable connector to connect to brick building attachments. Accordingly, when the axle 213 is driven by the motor 215 , through the gear assembly 212 , the axle 213 will rotate the attached external connector 216 and any moving parts attached thereto, e.g., the wheel assemblies 4 .
- a setting switch 220 can be provided in an aperture 220 A defined in the body 200 of each power brick 2 , for example, in one of the side portions 203 .
- the setting switch 220 can be configured to receive a tool, such as a screw driver, a coin, or other implement so that the channel setting can be changed by turning the setting switch 220 between a series of settings.
- the setting switch 220 can also be configured to receive screw drivers, wrenches, or other tools of other shapes, such as a phillips or hex shape.
- the setting switch 220 can also include a button, knob, or other suitable mechanism for changing between different channels.
- a channel setting encoder 214 can be provided to detect the relative position of the switch 220 to set the selected, appropriate control transmission channel.
- the receiver 210 of the power brick 2 can be configured to receive signals on multiple channels.
- the setting switch 220 can be settable to four or more different channel or selection positions, such as A, B, C, and D channels.
- the side portions 203 of the power brick body 200 can each have flat surface 221 , with a fastener aperture 222 defined in at least one of the side portions to allow a user to remove the side portion 203 to open the internal chamber 208 and enable access to the internal components of the power brick 2 ( FIG. 4 ). The user can thus change batteries or other components of the power brick 2 as needed.
- This removable side portion 203 also can be connected to the power brick body 200 using a hinge or tab and slot assembly.
- Each power brick 2 can also include a power switch 225 that turns the power brick 2 on and off ( FIGS. 2A and 4 ).
- the switch 225 can have multiple positions so as to enable the user to change the rotational direction of the motor 215 in addition to turning it on and off.
- FIGS. 2A and 2B further show that switch 225 can be disposed in a slot 226 defined in a surface of one of the side portions 203 .
- FIGS. 3A-3B show that two or more power bricks 2 can be connected together in a modular manner such as by using mating connectors.
- a series of multiple power bricks 2 can be connected together in a variety of user definable configurations using different bricks and/or various brick building systems.
- two or more power bricks 2 can be connected together by a universal connector 5 ( FIG. 3A ).
- This universal connector 5 can be further be used as a balancing piece for the two or more power bricks 2
- the universal connector 5 can have a connector body 500 / 600 that can include a number of different shapes or body types ( FIGS. 3A and 6 ).
- the universal connector body 500 can take the shape of a car or other vehicle ( FIGS.
- the universal connector body 600 can take the shape of a robot ( FIG. 6 ).
- the universal connector 5 is not limited to these shapes and may take any shape a user may select or design, including various building structures created by the user using different bricks from various brick building systems.
- the body of the universal connector 500 includes a top portion 501 (shown with a cockpit 501 B), a bottom portion 502 , a front portion 503 , and a rear portion 504 , generally shown in FIG. 3A .
- the rear portion 504 can have a surface 505 with mating connectors 506 / 507 disposed thereon, which mating connectors 506 / 507 can connect to the mating connectors 205 / 206 of one or more power bricks 2 , to thus link or connect multiple power bricks 2 together ( FIG. 3A ).
- the mating connectors 506 / 507 can include male connectors 506 and female connectors 507 .
- the male connectors 506 can include cylindrical or other protrusions 506 A, and the female connectors 507 may include protrusions 507 A with recessed portions 507 B defined therein, or alternatively may be defined by spaces 507 C defined between protrusions 506 A.
- These mating connectors 506 / 507 can be configured to connect to existing building brick sets, such as those sold under the trademarks LEGO®, K'NEX®, MEGA BLOCKS®, and/or KREO®.
- the bottom portion 502 of the universal connector 5 also may have a protruding portion 508 including a protruding stud 509 that can ride on the ground to provide stability to the two power bricks 2 , and when the two power bricks 2 are connected to a wheel assembly 4 , define a tricycle type vehicle, as shown in FIG. 3A .
- the protruding portion 508 is shown as a stud 509 in this embodiment, the protruding portion 508 is not limited to a stud and may include a wheel, skid, or any other mechanism to provide stability to two or more power bricks 2 connected together.
- the body 5 of the universal connector 600 can be formed in other configurations, such as in the shape of a robot having a base portion 601 with a top portion 602 , a bottom portion 603 , and side portions 604 .
- the top portion 602 will typically extend in upward direction from the base portion 601 , and can further include a head portion 605 and arm portions 606 .
- the body portions can include mating connectors 607 / 608 connectors so that various blocks, bricks or other attachments can be connected to the body 600 .
- the mating connectors 607 / 608 can include male connectors 607 and female connectors 608 .
- male connectors 607 can include cylindrical or other protrusions 607 A
- female connectors 608 may include protrusions 608 A with recessed portions 608 B defined therein, or may be defined by spaces 608 C defined between protrusions 607 A.
- Mating connectors 607 / 608 can be configured to connect to existing building brick sets, such as those under the trademarks LEGO®, K'NEX®, MEGA BLOCKS®, and/or KREO®.
- FIG. 6 additionally shows that the bottom portions 603 of the universal connector body 600 may include mating connectors 607 / 608 connectors that can be connected to the connectors of one or more power bricks 2 , allowing multiple power bricks 2 to be connected together, and/or to other building bricks. Additionally, the universal connector body 600 can have extension portions 609 that extend in the downward direction from the side portions 604 so as to as least partially cover the side portions 203 of one or more power bricks 2 connected to the universal connector body 600 .
- extension portions 609 can have a flat surface 610 with mating connectors 607 / 608 disposed thereon, allowing for the connection of various brick based attachments to the extension portions 609 , and the extension portions 609 can include a bottom portion 611 with a protruding portion 612 disposed thereon, which further may include a protruding skid, stud or similar part 613 ( FIG. 6 ).
- the body 600 also can include recessed areas 614 along sides thereof such that when wheel assemblies 4 are connected to the power bricks, the wheels can be located closer to a center line of the body 600 , with its head portion 605 supported in an upright arrangement.
- a power brick 2 can further be used to move components or appendages of the universal connector body 600 , such as the head portion 605 and the arm portions 606 , and/or other parts or appendages such as legs, eyes, etc.
- a power brick 2 with a driving mechanism including a motor can be used to rotate the head portion 605 about an axis
- a power brick 2 with a driving mechanism including an actuator can be used to move the arm portions 606 in an up/down direction.
- each remote 3 will include a remote body 300 that can be foamed in various configurations and can generally be made of plastic, composite, or other suitable materials, including a material that transmits IR, RF, Bluetooth®, or other signals, which the remote body 300 will generally include a top portion 301 , a bottom portion 302 , and side portions 303 ( FIGS. 2B and 5 ).
- the top portion 301 , bottom portion 302 , and side portions 303 of the remote 3 are shown with a substantially rectangular shape.
- the top portion 301 , bottom portion 302 , and side portions 303 are not limited to a rectangular shape and may have any suitable shape.
- top, bottom and side portions each may include a generally flat surface 304 with mating connectors 305 / 306 disposed thereon.
- the mating connectors 305 / 306 can include male connectors 305 and female connectors 306 .
- the male connectors 305 can include cylindrical protrusions 305 A
- the female connectors 306 may include protrusions 306 A with recessed portions 306 B defined therein.
- female connectors 306 may include spaces 306 C defined between protrusions 305 A.
- These mating connectors 305 / 306 connectors can be configured to connect to existing building brick sets, such as those under the trademarks LEGO®, K'NEX®, MEGA BLOCKS®, and/or KREO®.
- the remote 3 generally includes a control mechanism 309 , a transmitter 310 , and a power source 311 .
- the control mechanism 309 can be disposed on the upper surface 304 of the top portion 301 of the remote body 300 , and can include a control lever 313 .
- the control mechanism 309 is not, however, limited to control lever 313 , and can also include a wheel, joystick, or any other mechanism suitable to control the driving mechanism of a paired power brick 2 .
- the remote 3 also may include a transmitter 310 that can transmit an infrared (IR), radio frequency (RF), Bluetooth®, and/or any other wireless control signal.
- the transmitter transmits a signal that is received by the receiver 210 of the power brick 2 linked to the remote, enabling a user to control the driving mechanism of the power brick.
- the motor of the power brick is rotated in one direction, (e.g., forward).
- the motor will be rotated in the opposite direction (e.g., in reverse).
- the remote 3 can include a setting switch 315 that allows a user to change the channel of the transmitter 310 .
- the setting switch 315 can be disposed in an aperture 316 provided along the top portion 301 of the remote body and can be toggled between different setting positions corresponding to different channels transmitted by the transmitter.
- the setting switch 315 can include four different channels, A, B, C, and D, that match the channels of the power bricks.
- the setting switch 315 can be configured to receive a flat head screw driver, coin, or other implement so that the channel setting can be changed by rotating the setting switch 315 , although the setting switch 315 also can be configured to receive other screw drivers, wrenches, or tools of other shapes, such as a phillips or hex shape.
- the setting switch 315 also can be a button, knob, or other suitable mechanism for toggling between different channels.
- Multiple control channels for example, 4 channels, can be available for the wireless control system of the brick building system.
- Each power brick can have an A, B, C, D setting switch as well as a power switch that turns the power brick on and sets the base rotation of the motor (either clockwise or counterclockwise), and each remote also can have the same A, B, C, D channel settings for transmission.
- one example of configurations that can be controlled includes one-to-one pairing of one power brick and one remote by setting them to the same channel, with each remote controlling an individual power brick.
- one-to-many pairing of multiple power bricks such as by setting multiple motors to the same channel and using one remote set to that channel may be achieved.
- each remote can simultaneously control multiple power-bricks, and each power brick in this configuration does not necessarily need to turn the same way, since each power brick can be selectively set with its default rotation either clockwise or counterclockwise. Therefore, the user can engage the control stick on the remote and have the drive axles a group of power bricks start turning, with all turning the same direction or with some turning the opposite direction. For example, when the user reverses the control stick, the motion of the power bricks can reverse from their previous rotation.
- the bottom portion 302 of the remote body also can have a removable portion 317 (FIG.
- This removable portion 317 can be connected to the remote body 300 using a hinge or tab and slot assembly, or by using screws 318 or other suitable fasteners.
- the power source will supply power to the various components of the remote 3 , and may include one or more AAA batteries or other suitable power source.
- the mating connectors 305 / 306 can further allow for two or more remotes 3 to be connected together.
- two remotes 3 can be positioned side to side such that their control levers 313 are parallel to each other ( FIG. 3B ).
- one remote 3 can be disposed such that it is rotated at a 90° angle from a second remote 3 to create a system of two control levers in which one of the control levers can be moved in forward/backward directions and the control lever can be moved in the right/left direction.
- the mating connectors 305 / 306 arranged therealong an unlimited number of remotes 3 can be attached together in this manner.
- FIG. 2A and one remote 3 can be achieved by setting the setting switch 315 of the remote 3 and the setting switch 220 ( FIG. 2A ) of the power brick 2 to the same channel, e.g., channel A if an IR signal is used.
- a single remote 3 can be paired to and thus control an individual power brick 2 .
- a single remote 3 can be paired to multiple power bricks 2 by setting the switches 220 of the multiple power bricks 2 to the same channel as the setting switch 315 of the remote 3 .
- a single remote 3 can thus simultaneously control the motors 215 of multiple power bricks 2 .
- a user can use switch 225 to change the default rotation of the motors of the power brick 2 to either clockwise or counterclockwise, the motor of each power brick 2 in this configuration does not have to be rotated in the same direction. Therefore, a user can push the control lever (or levers) on the remote 3 in the forward direction and the motors of multiple power bricks 2 can be engaged so as to all turn in the same direction, or with some turning in one direction and others turning in an opposite direction, such as in response to engagement of different control levers. Conversely, when a user pushes the control lever on the remote 3 in the backward or opposite direction, the motors can rotate in the direction opposite to their previous rotation state.
- an application can be used to control the power brick 2 , or other attachments, with a smartphone or tablet 7 .
- Bluetooth® and/or another integrated frequency can be used to control one or more power bricks 2 .
- a dongle 700 can be provided to be plugged into the smartphone or tablet 7 to control a power brick 2 that receives IR or other non-integrated frequencies, or the Bluetooth® capability of the device can directly control the linked power bricks.
- the application may include a control display 701 in which a control image 702 , icons 703 for activating sensors or placing the power bricks 2 into various modes, and other images can be displayed.
- the control image 702 may include an image of the remote 3 and control lever allowing a user to control the motor by sliding their finger in the forward/backward direction over the control lever image ( FIG. 7A ).
- the control image 702 is not limited to an image of the remote 3 and may include any other image suitable for controlling the functions of the power brick, including a joystick 703 ( FIG. 7B ) or steering wheel image 704 ( FIG. 7C ).
- the control image may further include a grid type arrangement in which a grid contains a plurality of portions or icons that correspond to power bricks 2 on particular channels, and the functions of the different power bricks 2 , such as controlling the motor, can be executed by pressing one of the portions or icons in the grid.
- the control display 701 may further include icons 703 selectable to place each of a series of power bricks in various modes of operation.
- these modes of operation may include turning various power bricks 2 on and off in different sequences so that different brick based creations incorporating the power bricks 2 can achieve complex motion patterns, such as mimicking the motion of a snake, centipede, or other complex motion.
- the modes of operation can further include mimicking a vehicle, such as a 2 wheel or 4 wheel drive car or a tank, to control these types of brick based creations.
- the power brick 2 can include one or more sensor assemblies.
- One of these sensors may include a bump sensor assembly.
- a power brick 2 , or separate attachment/connected brick can include a bump sensor, a button or switch, and a transmitter that transmits a signal, such as IR, RF, Bluetooth®, or other signal.
- the bump sensor may be a momentary bump sensor which activates only when the bump sensor is engaged, or this bump sensor can be a continuous bump sensor that stay engaged until pressed again. For example, when the button or switch is triggered, the transmitter can transmit a continuous signal causing the motor of the power brick 2 rotate in one direction.
- the transmitter can transmit a continuous signal that causes the motor of the power brick 2 rotate in the opposite direction.
- the bump sensor can be further used to trigger another function of the power brick, or a separate attachment thereto. This function may include playing a continuous sound, turning on a light, activating a spring loaded dart shooter or catapult and/or any other function.
- the bump sensor can be engaged when it senses a force or impact.
- a user can combine two or more power bricks 2 , two or more wheel assemblies 4 , and one or more universal connectors 5 to create a car arrangement.
- a bump sensor configuration can be attached to one of the power bricks 2 or otherwise provided to the car. If the car runs or bumps into a another car, wall, or other obstacle, the bump sensor can be engaged so that a signal is sent that causes the motor(s) of the power brick(s) to rotate in the opposite direction, thus causing the car to move in the rearward or opposite direction, such as for a programmed or selected time or until another obstacle is engaged.
- the car with the power bricks can operate without a user controlling the remote, and the remote can be used to operate other features of the assembly, for example, the remote 3 can be used to control head and arm portions of a robot body.
- the bump sensor can be connected to one or more lights and/or a display, such as LEDs connected to the power bricks, universal connector and/or remotes, a display screen in the application shown in FIGS. 7A-7C , and/or other suitable lights or displays, and each time the bump sensor is triggered, one of the lights and/or the display lights up.
- one or more power bricks 2 , or an attachment brick, with the bump sensor assembly can further include one or more lights or display.
- users can have a “battle” or “demolition derby” in which the object is to engage another user's car arrangement's bump sensor.
- the bump sensor connected to lights or a display the number of times a car arrangement's bump sensor has been engaged can be tallied by lighting up one of the lights and/or by displaying a number on the display.
- the power brick, or a separate attachment brick can include a speaker that plays various sounds, such as a horn, buzzer, beeping, animal roars or growls, or other sounds. Sounds can further be controlled by a separate sensor such as the bump sensor, such that when the bump sensor is engaged the speaker may play various sounds.
- the remote can be used to cause the speaker to play various sounds. For example, when a user pushes the control lever of the remote in the forward direction, one sound is played, and when the user pushes the control lever of the remote in the backward or opposite direction, a different sound is played.
- Other sensor assemblies can also be provided. These may include a light sensor assembly in which light greater than ambient light can cause the power brick to turn on/off or perform various functions; a tilt sensor assembly in which a tilt sensor senses whether the power brick is turn upside down or on its side and the power brick is caused to perform various functions when the tilt sensor is triggered, such as apply a mechanism to turn the power brick right side up; and/or a timer assembly in which the power brick performs different functions when a timer goes on and off.
- a light sensor assembly in which light greater than ambient light can cause the power brick to turn on/off or perform various functions
- a tilt sensor assembly in which a tilt sensor senses whether the power brick is turn upside down or on its side and the power brick is caused to perform various functions when the tilt sensor is triggered, such as apply a mechanism to turn the power brick right side up
- a timer assembly in which the power brick performs different functions when a timer goes on and off.
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Abstract
Description
- The present Patent Application is a formalization of previously filed, co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/176,263, filed Feb. 12, 2015 by the inventors named in the present Application. This Patent Application claims the benefit of the filing date of this cited Provisional Patent Application according to the statutes and rules governing provisional patent applications, particularly 35 U.S.C. §119(e), and 37 C.F.R. §§1.78(a)(3) and 1.78(a)(4). The specification and drawings of the Provisional Patent Application referenced above are specifically incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in their entirety.
- The present disclosure generally relates to games, puzzles and/or toys using inter-locking pieces. In particular, the embodiments discussed herein relate to a reconfigurable toy or system including a series of bricks, blocks or other pieces that are inter-connectable to form a variety of user configured structures, and which allow for controllable motion of such user configured structures.
- Reconfigurable brick building systems, such as those sold under the trademarks LEGO®, K'NEX®, MEGA BLOCKS®, and/or KREO® have become very popular with children and adults. Similarly, remotely controlled, user designed vehicles such as cars, planes, etc., have also become increasingly popular. As such, a need exists for building systems that enable movement of user designed creations.
- The foregoing and/or other aspects and utilities of the present general inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. For the purpose of illustration, forms of the present general inventive concept which are presently preferred are shown in the drawings; it being understood, however, that the general inventive concept is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:
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FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a user configurable brick building system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 2A shows a perspective view of a power brick according to an example embodiment. -
FIG. 2B shows a perspective view of a remote control module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 3A shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the user configurable remote controlled vehicle using the system ofFIG. 1 , with two power bricks connected with a universal connector. -
FIG. 3B illustrates a remote control module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, such as shown inFIG. 3A . -
FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the power brick of the user configurable brick building system according toFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the remote of the user reconfigurable brick building system according toFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the brick building system according to an additional embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 7A shows a further embodiment in which a mobile device, such as smartphone or tablet, is used to control the power bricks wherein a display image includes remotes. -
FIG. 7B shows another embodiment in which a smartphone or tablet is used to control the power bricks wherein a display image includes a joystick. -
FIG. 7C shows an embodiment in which a smartphone or tablet is used to control the power bricks wherein a display image includes a steering wheel. - According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a user configurable brick building system or toy 1 allowing for controllable motion of user designed/built brick based creations is provided. As illustrated in
FIGS. 1-7C , the building system 1 generally will include a series of inter-connectable pieces, here shown as blocks or bricks, including one ormore power bricks 2 and one ormore remotes 3. The building system 1 can further include a series of body pieces, including at least oneuniversal connector 5 that can be configured to allow for the connection of multiple power bricks and/or other attachments, and one ormore wheel assemblies 4 connectible to eachpower brick 2. Eachpower brick 2 generally can be configured to receive a signal sent from a remote 3 to control amotor 215 or other actuator housed within thepower brick 2 to enable user controllable motion of the user's brick based creations. As shown inFIG. 1 , the brick building system 1 can be sold in akit 10, having various different configurations of blocks, bricks and/or other types of connectable pieces, and further can engage and be connectable with other, known building block or connectable brick systems. - As illustrated in
FIG. 2A , eachpower brick 2 will typically includepower brick body 200 that can be formed in various sizes and/or configurations. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 2A , thepower brick body 200 generally includes atop portion 201, abottom portion 202, andside walls 203. Thepower brick body 200 further can be made of plastic, composite, or other suitable materials. Additionally, thetop portion 201,bottom portion 202, and/orside walls 203 generally can comprise a material that transmits infrared (IR), radio frequency (RF) or other types of wireless control signals at various wavelengths. For example, as shown inFIG. 2A , at least thetop portion 201 of thepower brick body 200 is indicated as including a material capable of transmitting material an infrared signal. - The
top portion 201,bottom portion 202, andside portions 203 of thepower brick body 200 may, for example, have a substantially rectangular shape as generally indicated inFIGS. 1-4 . However, thetop portion 201,bottom portion 202, andside portions 203 of thepower brick body 200 are not limited to a rectangular shape, and may have any suitable shape, such as a square, circle, triangle. Thetop portion 201 may include a generallyflat surface 204 withmating connectors 205/206 disposed therealong, and thebottom portion 202 may include a generallyflat surface 207 withmating connectors 205/206 disposed therealong. Themating connectors 205/206 can includemale connectors 205, shown in the present embodiment as formed as generallycylindrical protrusions 205A; and female connectors 206, includingprotrusions 206A with recessedportions 206B defined therein, as shown inFIG. 4 , or includingspaces 206C defined betweenprotrusions 205A. Thesemating connectors 205/206 can be configured to connect to existing building brick sets, such as those sold under the trademarks LEGO®, K'NEX®, MEGA BLOCKS®, and/or KREO®. Other mating or connectable element systems and/or devices also can be used. Additionally, one or more of theside portions 203 and/orbottom portion 202 of each power brick also can includemating connectors 205/206 for connection to other building bricks or blocks. -
FIG. 2A shows that achamber 208 generally will be defined within thebody 200 of eachpower brick 2, and in which apower source 209, areceiver 210, and adriving mechanism 211, can be received and housed. Thepower source 209, which provides power to the various components ofpower brick 2, including thereceiver 210 and thedriving mechanism 211, can include rechargeable and/or replaceable batteries, such as LR44 button cell batteries, or any other suitable power source. In addition, thereceiver 210, which receives a signal from the remote 3 to operate thedriving mechanism 211, can be configured to receive an infrared (IR), radio frequency (RF), Bluetooth, and/or any other signal. - In one embodiment, the
driving mechanism 211 can include agear assembly 212 and anaxle 213 configured to connect wheel assemblies 4 (FIG. 1 ) to thepower brick 2, and an electric motor 215 (FIG. 2A ). Thedriving mechanism 211 further can include multiple motors, actuators and/or other driving mechanisms for providing motion to the resultant block based creations. Theelectric motor 215 generally will be connected togear assembly 212 to supply power generated by thedriving mechanism 211 to theaxle 213, in order to cause rotation of the axle 213 (FIG. 2A ). Thegear assembly 212 can be configured to create sufficient torque to move various size brick building structures a user would like to put into motion. Thedriving mechanism 211 can further provide motion for different functions or operations of thepower brick 2 other than just driving wheel assemblies and/or can drive various attachments connected to thepower brick 2. For example, thepower bricks 2 can operate a spring loaded dart shooter, a catapult, gripper, and/or an up/down motion linear motor. Other actions, such as lights, horns, animal noises, etc., also can be powered by each power brick, including the provision of multiple different operations, such as where multiple power bricks are used. - As illustrated in
FIGS. 1, 2A and 4 , theaxle 213 can be connected to anexterior connector 216, which is provided in anaperture 217 defined in a surface of one of theside portions 203. Thisexterior connector 216 can be a male or female connector used to attach wheels, pulleys, and/or any other moving parts attached to thepower brick 2. For example, theexternal connector 216 can be afemale plus connector 218 that is configured to be connected to wheel assemblies 4 (FIG. 3A ), which may include atire 219A attached to the wheel, and a plus shapedaxle 219B attached to the wheel (FIG. 1 ). However, theexternal connector 216 can be a male plus connector or any other suitable connector to connect to brick building attachments. Accordingly, when theaxle 213 is driven by themotor 215, through thegear assembly 212, theaxle 213 will rotate the attachedexternal connector 216 and any moving parts attached thereto, e.g., thewheel assemblies 4. - As further illustrated in
FIGS. 2A and 4 , a settingswitch 220 can be provided in anaperture 220A defined in thebody 200 of eachpower brick 2, for example, in one of theside portions 203. The settingswitch 220 can be configured to receive a tool, such as a screw driver, a coin, or other implement so that the channel setting can be changed by turning the settingswitch 220 between a series of settings. The settingswitch 220 can also be configured to receive screw drivers, wrenches, or other tools of other shapes, such as a phillips or hex shape. The settingswitch 220 can also include a button, knob, or other suitable mechanism for changing between different channels. Achannel setting encoder 214 can be provided to detect the relative position of theswitch 220 to set the selected, appropriate control transmission channel. Thereceiver 210 of thepower brick 2 can be configured to receive signals on multiple channels. For example, in one embodiment, the settingswitch 220 can be settable to four or more different channel or selection positions, such as A, B, C, and D channels. - In addition, the
side portions 203 of thepower brick body 200 can each haveflat surface 221, with afastener aperture 222 defined in at least one of the side portions to allow a user to remove theside portion 203 to open theinternal chamber 208 and enable access to the internal components of the power brick 2 (FIG. 4 ). The user can thus change batteries or other components of thepower brick 2 as needed. Thisremovable side portion 203 also can be connected to thepower brick body 200 using a hinge or tab and slot assembly. - Each
power brick 2 can also include apower switch 225 that turns thepower brick 2 on and off (FIGS. 2A and 4 ). Theswitch 225 can have multiple positions so as to enable the user to change the rotational direction of themotor 215 in addition to turning it on and off.FIGS. 2A and 2B further show thatswitch 225 can be disposed in aslot 226 defined in a surface of one of theside portions 203. -
FIGS. 3A-3B show that two ormore power bricks 2 can be connected together in a modular manner such as by using mating connectors. Thus, a series ofmultiple power bricks 2 can be connected together in a variety of user definable configurations using different bricks and/or various brick building systems. In one embodiment, two ormore power bricks 2 can be connected together by a universal connector 5 (FIG. 3A ). Thisuniversal connector 5 can be further be used as a balancing piece for the two ormore power bricks 2, and theuniversal connector 5 can have a connector body 500/600 that can include a number of different shapes or body types (FIGS. 3A and 6 ). In one embodiment, the universal connector body 500 can take the shape of a car or other vehicle (FIGS. 1 and 3A ), and in an alternative embodiment (FIG. 6 ), theuniversal connector body 600 can take the shape of a robot (FIG. 6 ). However, theuniversal connector 5 is not limited to these shapes and may take any shape a user may select or design, including various building structures created by the user using different bricks from various brick building systems. - In one example embodiment, the body of the universal connector 500 includes a top portion 501 (shown with a
cockpit 501B), abottom portion 502, afront portion 503, and arear portion 504, generally shown inFIG. 3A . Therear portion 504 can have asurface 505 with mating connectors 506/507 disposed thereon, which mating connectors 506/507 can connect to themating connectors 205/206 of one ormore power bricks 2, to thus link or connectmultiple power bricks 2 together (FIG. 3A ). The mating connectors 506/507 can include male connectors 506 andfemale connectors 507. The male connectors 506 can include cylindrical orother protrusions 506A, and thefemale connectors 507 may include protrusions 507A with recessed portions 507B defined therein, or alternatively may be defined byspaces 507C defined betweenprotrusions 506A. These mating connectors 506/507 can be configured to connect to existing building brick sets, such as those sold under the trademarks LEGO®, K'NEX®, MEGA BLOCKS®, and/or KREO®. - The
bottom portion 502 of theuniversal connector 5 also may have a protrudingportion 508 including aprotruding stud 509 that can ride on the ground to provide stability to the twopower bricks 2, and when the twopower bricks 2 are connected to awheel assembly 4, define a tricycle type vehicle, as shown inFIG. 3A . Although the protrudingportion 508 is shown as astud 509 in this embodiment, the protrudingportion 508 is not limited to a stud and may include a wheel, skid, or any other mechanism to provide stability to two ormore power bricks 2 connected together. - In alternative embodiments, as shown in
FIG. 6 , thebody 5 of theuniversal connector 600 can be formed in other configurations, such as in the shape of a robot having abase portion 601 with atop portion 602, abottom portion 603, andside portions 604. Thetop portion 602 will typically extend in upward direction from thebase portion 601, and can further include ahead portion 605 andarm portions 606. The body portions can include mating connectors 607/608 connectors so that various blocks, bricks or other attachments can be connected to thebody 600. The mating connectors 607/608 can include male connectors 607 and female connectors 608. For example, male connectors 607 can include cylindrical orother protrusions 607A, while female connectors 608 may includeprotrusions 608A with recessedportions 608B defined therein, or may be defined byspaces 608C defined betweenprotrusions 607A. Mating connectors 607/608 can be configured to connect to existing building brick sets, such as those under the trademarks LEGO®, K'NEX®, MEGA BLOCKS®, and/or KREO®. -
FIG. 6 additionally shows that thebottom portions 603 of theuniversal connector body 600 may include mating connectors 607/608 connectors that can be connected to the connectors of one ormore power bricks 2, allowingmultiple power bricks 2 to be connected together, and/or to other building bricks. Additionally, theuniversal connector body 600 can haveextension portions 609 that extend in the downward direction from theside portions 604 so as to as least partially cover theside portions 203 of one ormore power bricks 2 connected to theuniversal connector body 600. Theseextension portions 609 can have aflat surface 610 with mating connectors 607/608 disposed thereon, allowing for the connection of various brick based attachments to theextension portions 609, and theextension portions 609 can include abottom portion 611 with a protrudingportion 612 disposed thereon, which further may include a protruding skid, stud or similar part 613 (FIG. 6 ). Thebody 600 also can include recessedareas 614 along sides thereof such that whenwheel assemblies 4 are connected to the power bricks, the wheels can be located closer to a center line of thebody 600, with itshead portion 605 supported in an upright arrangement. - A
power brick 2 can further be used to move components or appendages of theuniversal connector body 600, such as thehead portion 605 and thearm portions 606, and/or other parts or appendages such as legs, eyes, etc. By way of example, apower brick 2 with a driving mechanism including a motor can be used to rotate thehead portion 605 about an axis, and/or apower brick 2 with a driving mechanism including an actuator can be used to move thearm portions 606 in an up/down direction. - According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the system 1 will also include one or more remote control modules or
remotes 3. For example, each remote 3 will include aremote body 300 that can be foamed in various configurations and can generally be made of plastic, composite, or other suitable materials, including a material that transmits IR, RF, Bluetooth®, or other signals, which theremote body 300 will generally include atop portion 301, abottom portion 302, and side portions 303 (FIGS. 2B and 5 ). Thetop portion 301,bottom portion 302, andside portions 303 of the remote 3 are shown with a substantially rectangular shape. However, thetop portion 301,bottom portion 302, andside portions 303 are not limited to a rectangular shape and may have any suitable shape. Further, the top, bottom and side portions each may include a generallyflat surface 304 withmating connectors 305/306 disposed thereon. Themating connectors 305/306 can includemale connectors 305 and female connectors 306. Themale connectors 305 can includecylindrical protrusions 305A, and the female connectors 306 may includeprotrusions 306A with recessedportions 306B defined therein. Also, female connectors 306 may includespaces 306C defined betweenprotrusions 305A. Thesemating connectors 305/306 connectors can be configured to connect to existing building brick sets, such as those under the trademarks LEGO®, K'NEX®, MEGA BLOCKS®, and/or KREO®. - Additionally, as shown in
FIG. 2B , the remote 3 generally includes acontrol mechanism 309, atransmitter 310, and apower source 311. Thecontrol mechanism 309 can be disposed on theupper surface 304 of thetop portion 301 of theremote body 300, and can include acontrol lever 313. Thecontrol mechanism 309 is not, however, limited to controllever 313, and can also include a wheel, joystick, or any other mechanism suitable to control the driving mechanism of a pairedpower brick 2. The remote 3 also may include atransmitter 310 that can transmit an infrared (IR), radio frequency (RF), Bluetooth®, and/or any other wireless control signal. When a user engages thecontrol mechanism 309, the transmitter transmits a signal that is received by thereceiver 210 of thepower brick 2 linked to the remote, enabling a user to control the driving mechanism of the power brick. For example, when a user moves thecontrol lever 313 in the forward direction, the motor of the power brick is rotated in one direction, (e.g., forward). Conversely, when the user pushes the control lever in the backward direction, the motor will be rotated in the opposite direction (e.g., in reverse). - As further illustrated in
FIG. 2B , the remote 3 can include a settingswitch 315 that allows a user to change the channel of thetransmitter 310. The settingswitch 315 can be disposed in anaperture 316 provided along thetop portion 301 of the remote body and can be toggled between different setting positions corresponding to different channels transmitted by the transmitter. For example, the settingswitch 315 can include four different channels, A, B, C, and D, that match the channels of the power bricks.FIG. 5 shows that the settingswitch 315 can be configured to receive a flat head screw driver, coin, or other implement so that the channel setting can be changed by rotating the settingswitch 315, although the settingswitch 315 also can be configured to receive other screw drivers, wrenches, or tools of other shapes, such as a phillips or hex shape. The settingswitch 315 also can be a button, knob, or other suitable mechanism for toggling between different channels. - Multiple control channels, for example, 4 channels, can be available for the wireless control system of the brick building system. Each power brick can have an A, B, C, D setting switch as well as a power switch that turns the power brick on and sets the base rotation of the motor (either clockwise or counterclockwise), and each remote also can have the same A, B, C, D channel settings for transmission. In the case of multiple remotes and multiple power bricks, one example of configurations that can be controlled includes one-to-one pairing of one power brick and one remote by setting them to the same channel, with each remote controlling an individual power brick. In an additional example, one-to-many pairing of multiple power bricks, such as by setting multiple motors to the same channel and using one remote set to that channel may be achieved. In this case, one remote can simultaneously control multiple power-bricks, and each power brick in this configuration does not necessarily need to turn the same way, since each power brick can be selectively set with its default rotation either clockwise or counterclockwise. Therefore, the user can engage the control stick on the remote and have the drive axles a group of power bricks start turning, with all turning the same direction or with some turning the opposite direction. For example, when the user reverses the control stick, the motion of the power bricks can reverse from their previous rotation.
- The
bottom portion 302 of the remote body also can have a removable portion 317 (FIG. - 2B) covering an aperture or
chamber 316 which receives apower source 311 of the remote. Thisremovable portion 317 can be connected to theremote body 300 using a hinge or tab and slot assembly, or by usingscrews 318 or other suitable fasteners. The power source will supply power to the various components of the remote 3, and may include one or more AAA batteries or other suitable power source. - The
mating connectors 305/306 can further allow for two ormore remotes 3 to be connected together. For example, tworemotes 3 can be positioned side to side such that theircontrol levers 313 are parallel to each other (FIG. 3B ). Alternatively, one remote 3 can be disposed such that it is rotated at a 90° angle from a second remote 3 to create a system of two control levers in which one of the control levers can be moved in forward/backward directions and the control lever can be moved in the right/left direction. With themating connectors 305/306 arranged therealong, an unlimited number ofremotes 3 can be attached together in this manner. - According to embodiments of this disclosure, one-to-one pairing of one
power brick 2 - (
FIG. 2A ) and one remote 3 (FIG. 2B ) can be achieved by setting the settingswitch 315 of the remote 3 and the setting switch 220 (FIG. 2A ) of thepower brick 2 to the same channel, e.g., channel A if an IR signal is used. In this regard, asingle remote 3 can be paired to and thus control anindividual power brick 2. In addition, asingle remote 3 can be paired tomultiple power bricks 2 by setting theswitches 220 of themultiple power bricks 2 to the same channel as the settingswitch 315 of the remote 3. Asingle remote 3 can thus simultaneously control themotors 215 ofmultiple power bricks 2. Moreover, because a user can useswitch 225 to change the default rotation of the motors of thepower brick 2 to either clockwise or counterclockwise, the motor of eachpower brick 2 in this configuration does not have to be rotated in the same direction. Therefore, a user can push the control lever (or levers) on the remote 3 in the forward direction and the motors ofmultiple power bricks 2 can be engaged so as to all turn in the same direction, or with some turning in one direction and others turning in an opposite direction, such as in response to engagement of different control levers. Conversely, when a user pushes the control lever on the remote 3 in the backward or opposite direction, the motors can rotate in the direction opposite to their previous rotation state. - In an additional embodiment, as illustrated in
FIGS. 7A-7C , an application can be used to control thepower brick 2, or other attachments, with a smartphone ortablet 7. Bluetooth® and/or another integrated frequency can be used to control one ormore power bricks 2. For example, adongle 700 can be provided to be plugged into the smartphone ortablet 7 to control apower brick 2 that receives IR or other non-integrated frequencies, or the Bluetooth® capability of the device can directly control the linked power bricks. The application may include acontrol display 701 in which acontrol image 702,icons 703 for activating sensors or placing thepower bricks 2 into various modes, and other images can be displayed. Thecontrol image 702 may include an image of the remote 3 and control lever allowing a user to control the motor by sliding their finger in the forward/backward direction over the control lever image (FIG. 7A ). However, thecontrol image 702 is not limited to an image of the remote 3 and may include any other image suitable for controlling the functions of the power brick, including a joystick 703 (FIG. 7B ) or steering wheel image 704 (FIG. 7C ). The control image may further include a grid type arrangement in which a grid contains a plurality of portions or icons that correspond topower bricks 2 on particular channels, and the functions of thedifferent power bricks 2, such as controlling the motor, can be executed by pressing one of the portions or icons in the grid. Thecontrol display 701 may further includeicons 703 selectable to place each of a series of power bricks in various modes of operation. For example, these modes of operation may include turningvarious power bricks 2 on and off in different sequences so that different brick based creations incorporating thepower bricks 2 can achieve complex motion patterns, such as mimicking the motion of a snake, centipede, or other complex motion. The modes of operation can further include mimicking a vehicle, such as a 2 wheel or 4 wheel drive car or a tank, to control these types of brick based creations. - In an additional embodiment, the
power brick 2, or a separate brick configured to be attached to thepower brick 2, can include one or more sensor assemblies. One of these sensors may include a bump sensor assembly. In this embodiment, apower brick 2, or separate attachment/connected brick, can include a bump sensor, a button or switch, and a transmitter that transmits a signal, such as IR, RF, Bluetooth®, or other signal. The bump sensor may be a momentary bump sensor which activates only when the bump sensor is engaged, or this bump sensor can be a continuous bump sensor that stay engaged until pressed again. For example, when the button or switch is triggered, the transmitter can transmit a continuous signal causing the motor of thepower brick 2 rotate in one direction. Then, when the bump sensor is engaged, the transmitter can transmit a continuous signal that causes the motor of thepower brick 2 rotate in the opposite direction. The bump sensor can be further used to trigger another function of the power brick, or a separate attachment thereto. This function may include playing a continuous sound, turning on a light, activating a spring loaded dart shooter or catapult and/or any other function. In general, the bump sensor can be engaged when it senses a force or impact. - For example, a user can combine two or
more power bricks 2, two ormore wheel assemblies 4, and one or moreuniversal connectors 5 to create a car arrangement. Further, a bump sensor configuration can be attached to one of thepower bricks 2 or otherwise provided to the car. If the car runs or bumps into a another car, wall, or other obstacle, the bump sensor can be engaged so that a signal is sent that causes the motor(s) of the power brick(s) to rotate in the opposite direction, thus causing the car to move in the rearward or opposite direction, such as for a programmed or selected time or until another obstacle is engaged. In this regard, the car with the power bricks can operate without a user controlling the remote, and the remote can be used to operate other features of the assembly, for example, the remote 3 can be used to control head and arm portions of a robot body. - Additionally, the bump sensor can be connected to one or more lights and/or a display, such as LEDs connected to the power bricks, universal connector and/or remotes, a display screen in the application shown in
FIGS. 7A-7C , and/or other suitable lights or displays, and each time the bump sensor is triggered, one of the lights and/or the display lights up. For example, one ormore power bricks 2, or an attachment brick, with the bump sensor assembly can further include one or more lights or display. Using this configuration with two or more of the car arrangement discussed above, users can have a “battle” or “demolition derby” in which the object is to engage another user's car arrangement's bump sensor. In this regard, with the bump sensor connected to lights or a display, the number of times a car arrangement's bump sensor has been engaged can be tallied by lighting up one of the lights and/or by displaying a number on the display. - In an alternative embodiment, with another sensor assembly, the power brick, or a separate attachment brick, can include a speaker that plays various sounds, such as a horn, buzzer, beeping, animal roars or growls, or other sounds. Sounds can further be controlled by a separate sensor such as the bump sensor, such that when the bump sensor is engaged the speaker may play various sounds. Alternatively, the remote can be used to cause the speaker to play various sounds. For example, when a user pushes the control lever of the remote in the forward direction, one sound is played, and when the user pushes the control lever of the remote in the backward or opposite direction, a different sound is played.
- Other sensor assemblies can also be provided. These may include a light sensor assembly in which light greater than ambient light can cause the power brick to turn on/off or perform various functions; a tilt sensor assembly in which a tilt sensor senses whether the power brick is turn upside down or on its side and the power brick is caused to perform various functions when the tilt sensor is triggered, such as apply a mechanism to turn the power brick right side up; and/or a timer assembly in which the power brick performs different functions when a timer goes on and off.
- The foregoing description of the disclosure illustrates and describes various embodiments. As various changes could be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Furthermore, this disclosure covers various modifications, combinations, alterations, etc., of the above-described embodiments, as well as various other combinations, modifications, and environments, which are within the scope of the disclosure as expressed herein, commensurate with the above teachings, and/or within the skill or knowledge of the relevant art. Furthermore, certain features and characteristics of each embodiment may be selectively interchanged and applied to other illustrated and non-illustrated embodiments of the disclosure.
- It will be understood by those skilled in the art that while the present invention has been discussed above with respect to particular embodiments of the present invention, various additions, modifications and/or changes can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims (20)
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