RU2698335C1 - Constructor from cubes - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: games.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the field of children's playing construction kits, in particular to game designers assembled from cubes using detachable connection elements. Device in the form of set of 3D parts of a game constructor includes cubes and detachable connection elements intended for bonding cubes by any faces, wherein the cubes are full-bodied and each of their faces comprises at least one rectilinear groove of constant cross-section parallel to ribs of the cube lying in the plane of the same face, and the connecting element is a straight-line rod of constant cross-section, area of which is limited by perimeter of closed lines formed by boundaries of contours of two parallel and matched in cross-section grooves of different cubes docked by faces; wherein width of cross-section of grooves in interface of faces is known to be less than similar width of at least two cross-sections installed in slots of rod, located independently in each other in two planes, which are parallel moved aside at some distance from plane of docking of faces in opposite directions from the latter.

EFFECT: improved design of cubic modules, as well as method of installation and design of connecting elements, which ensures performance and improvement of all previous functions.

1 cl, 9 dwg

Description

The device relates to the field of children's game building kits, in particular to game designers assembled from cubes using removable connecting elements. The proposed scheme of collapsible joints allows reliable fastening of mating cubes on several, individually selected, or simultaneously on all six of their faces. The assembled structures do not require any external holding, connecting or limiting frames and are able to absorb significant loads in all directions. The basic assembly parts are cubes of the same type and removable locking elements for their fastening. The advantage is the ability to synthesize a wide range of both static structures and moving mechanisms.

A well-known designer that provides a collapsible connection of multifaceted elements with the help of round clamps installed in holes in the centers of all faces. At the same time, annular cylindrical bores are made coaxially with the holes on the faces. The latch is a symmetrical rod with a cylindrical bead in the middle and two ends equipped with resiliently latched locks. During installation, the latch is inserted into the holes of two joined elements, for example, cubes. Its locks at both ends are latched against the structural elements of the internal cavity of the cubes, and the central flange abuts against cylindrical bores on the mating faces. (US Patent No. 2885822 dated 05/12/1959). This design allows the bonding of cubes in pairs along any selected faces, but does not have sufficient tensile strength due to the use of elastic retainers. The connection is not rigid. In addition, the principle of fastening two cubes does not provide their angular fixation: the cubes can spontaneously rotate relative to each other around the axis of the latch. There are excessive degrees of freedom. The side faces will not coincide, which may be important for the design or conditions for further assembly. It is not feasible to create a continuous array of cubes with fastening along all six faces due to the impossibility of converging them simultaneously in two or three coordinates with the introduction of retainers into the holes of the faces.

Also known is a constructor containing modules in the form of hollow cubes with open square windows on all faces; plug-in connecting elements in the form of four pairs of connected bars and a receiving container such as an enlarged cube with side walls and a bottom. The upper side of the container is closed with a removable lid with locking devices. The cubes are assembled by shifting the cubes with each other when placing the mating faces of the plug-in connecting element in the windows. Moreover, the design of the connecting element allows the location of the cubes with a displacement along the two coordinates of the face by half the length of their edges. (Patent RU No. 2261750 C2, IPC7 A63H 33/10, dated January 31, 2001). Technical disadvantages of this constructor (taken as a prototype):

- The difficulty of using the assembled structure without a receiving container. It performs the functions of combining and closing modules, preventing their spontaneous decay. Dimensions of the structure must be consistent with the size of the container and can not go beyond it. It is necessary to rest the cubes on the walls of the container, and the stops on each coordinate are necessary simultaneously from two opposite directions. This will eliminate the shift of the entire structure and its individual cubes relative to the container. The latter limits the areas of placement and conditions for the use of additional modules (such as wheels, various brackets, etc.)

- Unreliability of assembly of intermediate blocks from several cubes. When you try to take a block by any cube and tilt it in different planes, it can collapse under the influence of its weight. This is due to the fact that the fasteners extend from the windows perpendicular to their mating faces and are weakly fixed. Partial emphasis on adjacent side cubes will not change the situation. The low snap-in collars do not guarantee a rigid and durable fastening due to unpredictable elastic deformation of the structure, cubes, and retainers themselves.

- The difficulty of creating a continuous array of cubes with fastening along all faces. Sometimes this is impossible geometrically. Adjacent cubes come together immediately in two or three coordinates, including perpendicular to the insertion directions of the connecting elements. Some of the elements between adjacent faces are difficult to slide into the intended places, since it is impossible to first install the cubes, and then fix them. At the same time, the elements will still have to be deployed and interlocked. Elastic deformation of the cubed windows and retainers may be required.

- The design of the locking elements is complicated. They consist of four volumetric parts such as parallelepipeds, connected in a special way in space. At their midpoints, protruding envelopes of the peripheral edges (triangular beads) are needed, interacting with the edges of the cubic windows. These are one-way stops that prevent the "failure" of elements in the cavity of the cubes. Such fastening of elements in cubic windows is unreliable and insufficient, since efforts are perceived in only one direction. The element, in general, only centers the cubes in the windows. Impossible force clamping of two cubes by bilateral closure of forces through the body of the retainer located between them. There are restrictions on the conditions for the mutual orientation of the latches along different faces and the location of the parallelepipeds in them. For example, when moving a cube in two coordinates by half the face. Therefore, the fixing elements themselves are not universal and are not the same in geometry. In some cases, their various designs are required in terms of size and placement of the constituent four parts.

- The problem of fastening cubes and additional modules on a single principle has not been solved. A number of other types of fasteners are introduced. These are square, angular and ribbed side stops, ledges, landing nests, spikes, frames, steps, legs, latches and more.

- There is a restriction on reducing the size of the cubes. If the cubes are small enough, then manipulating the inside of their windows with locking elements for installing / removing with your fingers is much more difficult.

- Rigid and not very technological design of the cubes due to the hollow design. It is doubtful the perception of external loads (in addition to the weight of the structure itself), in particular, when trying to install additional elements without a hard stop in the container walls. In addition, for the gapless fit of the faces of the cubes to each other, it is necessary to perform external bevels (chamfers) on the walls of all windows in order to place triangular beads between the fixing elements between them.

- There are no ways to improve the design to give it greater strength, stiffness, simplify assembly / disassembly conditions and remove restrictions on dimensions. Including in order to reduce the cost, simplicity and manufacturability of production in mass production. It is difficult to obtain additional useful properties, noted below and implemented in the proposed block fixation scheme.

The technical problem solved in the invention: the fundamental processing of the design of the cubic modules of the prototype, as well as the installation method and design of the connecting elements, ensuring the implementation and improvement of all previous functions. With the addition of new and previously unattainable operational properties. In particular, this is the realization of the possibility of assembling a continuous array of cubes. It is proposed to use monolithic cubes complete with fixing elements of a simpler, rod structure. With a simultaneous change in the direction of mutual movements of the cubes and retainers in the process of combining the faces of the cubes during installation, determined by the new principle of fastening. This gives a sharp hardening of the connection zones of the cubes due to the internal closure of the main fixing forces through the bodies of the retainers. The associated goal is to adapt the geometric shape and design of these two basic parts for mass production, in particular with automated plastic molding.

The invention is illustrated by the following graphic materials:

FIG. 1 Drawing of an embodiment of the basic elements;

FIG. 2 Options for cross-sections of grooves and retainer;

FIG. 3 An example of assembly of a monolithic block in the form of a cube;

FIG. 4 Type and application examples of facing panels;

FIG. 5 Examples of modules-cubes with a change in one face;

FIG. 6 Examples of parts with connecting stud / groove;

FIG. 7 Execution of a cube with through openings grooves;

FIG. 8 Example of installation in a reinforcing bar structure;

FIG. 9 Example of execution of a universal cube

An embodiment of the cube and retainer module is shown in FIG. 1. The basic assembly module “A” is a solid cube with the height of the rib “h”. On each of its faces there is at least one groove parallel to two edges of the cube lying in the plane of the same face. There can be more than one groove on the edge. They can be both parallel and perpendicular to each other with a cross-shaped intersection. The grooves can be located at different distances from the ribs, including in the center. On mutually perpendicular faces of the cube, they can intersect or cross. All grooves are of the same type, with identical dimensions and section profile. The width of the groove in the plane of the face is less than the width of one of its similar sections, moved away from the face into the body of the cube. From the point of view of simplicity of manufacture and sufficiency of the necessary functions, it is convenient to use cubes with only 6 disjoint grooves located at the center of the faces, as shown in FIG. 1. One groove on each face of the cube. Moreover, the grooves are pairwise parallel. Each pair of grooves is oriented along one of the axes of the three-dimensional coordinate system, and the grooves lie in opposite parallel faces. The grooves on the mutually perpendicular faces of the cube are crossed without intersecting. This scheme is convenient for unifying the lengths of the clamps with the exception of situations of overlapping and sticking them into each other during assembly. And during installation, all the cubes are uniformly deployed with all the same faces. The grooves along one of the coordinates are sequentially extended in one line. This is an advantage for assembling groups of blocks with long clips. The latch itself (fastener), designated "B", is a straight rod of constant cross-section along the entire length. In the general case, with perpendicularly cut ends. The base length of the retainer is equal to the size "h", the length of the edge of the cube "A". The use of this design is quite enough for the layout of any type of structure. To speed up the assembly and increase the rigidity of the blocks, you can use clamps of increased length, a multiple of the length of the edge of the cube. We will arbitrarily denote them as “2B”, “3B”, “nB”; where the digits or indes “n” is an integer specifying the length of the latch multiple of the size “h”. To explain the geometry of the latch, we turn to the drawing in FIG. 2. Several options for the cross-section of the rod are shown. All of them are symmetrical with respect to the two coordinates “x” and “y” with the aim of arbitrary rotation of the latch when mounting all the cubes in the grooves. In cross section, the latch contains two wide zones and one narrow, located between the wide. The cross-sectional area of the retainer fits into the area of the figure formed by the boundary lines of the external contours of two mirror-aligned grooves belonging to two mating cubes. The grooves when aligning the faces coincide in width in the plane of the joint “S”, since they are of the same type, parallel and at equal distances from the ribs. The width of the grooves is measured in the direction perpendicular to their length. The boundary lines of the contours of two grooves in a cross section are combined into a continuous closed perimeter. The purpose of the connection is to ensure the retention of two cubes pressed by the faces along the “S” plane, i.e. the impossibility of their distance from each other along the axis "y" (normal to "S"). To do this, the transverse dimension “I” of the width of the grooves along the “x” axis, in the docking plane, must be deliberately smaller than at least one of the other similar dimensions in parallel sections of the retainer, which are separated from the plane “S” by a certain distance. For example, smaller than the size "t", in a maximally distant section. This is the condition for fastening the cubes along the grooves by means of the fixer body. The wide part of the retainer body, abutting against a narrower slot at the junction of the grooves, prevents the separation of the cubes from each other. In order to connect both cubes, a larger width requirement must be fulfilled simultaneously for both wide parts of the installed retainer on both sides of the docking plane. That is, some two, independent from each other, sizes “m” of the retainer in two parallel planes, on both sides of the joint plane “S” must be deliberately greater than the width “I” of the grooves in the joint zone. Both in the direction of the body of one cube, and in the direction of another. Then the latch cannot be displaced along the y axis either up or down from the joint plane, which is what is required from the joint. Without deformation or fracture of parts, separation of cubes is impossible. Even the symmetry of the cross sections is not important from this point of view. It plays another, no less valuable role, associated with the unification of the mounting dimensions of all modules at any of their turns. The profiles of the cross sections of the grooves and the latch should exclude excessive gaps in the mates of the latch with the grooves along the x and y axes and at any turns. It is allowed to shift the retainer relative to the cubes in only one direction: perpendicular to the drawing, along the rod. Moving in this direction is assembly. Such conditions can meet many groove profiles and matching sections of the clamps. The contours of the grooves can be formed from elements of any geometry: planes, several cylindrical surfaces of different curvatures, etc. We draw attention to the fact that the area and shape of the cross section of the retainer need not strictly coincide with the shape and area of the figure formed by combining the contours of two grooves. In some sections of the clamp along the axes "x" \ "y" its width \ height may be less than the width \ height of the groove in this place. And, the total cross-sectional area of the retainer, respectively, will be less than the total groove area. It fits into the area of the grooves with the contact at given points. For example, when coordinating the mutual dimensions, it is quite acceptable to use a “dumbbell-shaped” section clamp paired with prismatic grooves. Those. the cross section of the clamp is shaped like the middle image in FIG. 2., and the cross-section of the grooves is similar to the view shown in the drawing on the left. It is preferable to use a double dovetail lock (shown on the left), due to its simplicity, strength and manufacturability. In this case, the section of the retainer is almost completely consistent in shape and fills the entire cross-sectional area created by the contours of two trapezoidal grooves. A well-known dovetail groove is formed of three planes, and contact to hold parts is permissible only in two of them, inclined. This reduces the requirements for the accuracy of the geometry of the rod and grooves: you do not need the contact of the cubes 9 with a retainer on the third plane. The latch is inserted into the cubes with minimal gaps, guaranteeing assembly / disassembly by shifting it, or by hand. Clearances are better than the minimum tightness allowed for plastics. This is due to the fact that it is easier to insert a latch, and during assembly of structures small distortions and some interference will inevitably occur. In general, they are useful and appear due to deflection from the weight of structural parts, temperature deformations, workloads, and fatal errors in the geometry of manufactured parts. Friction increases, and as a result, shear resistance forces, preventing the spontaneous extension of the clamps. The material of the cubes and retainers is any, mainly solid, durable plastic. For heavier structures, composite materials may be used. Various combinations of plastic are possible with wood, metals and other dense materials. If strength and structural rigidity is not required, less dense, light, flexible or brittle materials are applicable: polystyrene foam, capron, rubber, polyurethane, textolite, organic or ordinary glass, and others.

The principle and order of assembly of parts does not require detailed explanations. Note that there are several ways to connect the cubes according to the condition of the direction of the displacement of the parts. The cubes can simply be pushed to each other and pushed into the grooves between them the latches on the desired side. Or pre-install the latch in one of the cubes and shift the latter relative to each other along the grooves. When disassembling, you will often have to first remove the clips, and then remove the cubes. Installation is carried out both by connecting individual cubes, and large, pre-assembled blocks. For example, layers, rods, corner elements. Any previously assembled blocks will not fall apart, as assembled by attaching from several sides and closing adjacent cubes on each other. For example, already two cubes connected with the use of only two clamps form an extremely strong and rigid structure with an internal power circuit. She is not inclined to self-disassemble. One type “B” latch is inserted along the mating faces, and the second, type “2B”, is inserted into the side, sequentially aligned grooves of both cubes. The latches are crossed perpendicularly. Moreover, the cubes cannot be shifted relative to each other in any of the three coordinates or deployed around any axis. This is an absolutely rigid and geometrically closed connection. Without removing at least one retainer, structural decay is not feasible. With the increase in the number of connected cubes, the use of a larger number of their faces and retainers, the rigidity and strength of the system increases many times. It is easy to create a continuous volume array, where each cube is joined with the others and fixed in three coordinates by three pairs of retainers in all 6 faces and grooves. In the prototype, this is fundamentally not feasible. And here an extremely rigid and durable construction arises, comparable to a monolith of the same shape. For example, 8 cubes “A” can be easily combined into a large continuous cube with the length of the rib “2h” (see Fig. 3). For this, 12 “B” type clamps or 6 “2B” type clamps (or a combination of them) will be required. The latches are laid inside the created cube. Obviously, a large cube can be assembled from two symmetrical layers. At the end of the assembly, another 24 open slots on the original “A” modules will remain outside. According to them, it is possible to build a cube by any blocks and in any directions. If you need a "smooth" cube without external grooves, the latter can be closed with prisms of the type "C" or "2C" shown in the drawing. They are halves of type “B” clamps cut symmetrically along the narrowest section. This section corresponds to a rectangle (gap) in the junction of the grooves of the cubes. The prism of the “C” section loses some of the functions of the retainer, not allowing the cubes to be fastened in the plane of the aligned faces. But, retains some other features associated with increasing the length of the prism. If you apply 12 prisms of the “2C” type, they, in addition to closing the grooves, will significantly strengthen the assembled cube from the outside. The “2 V” type lock itself will also perceive a part of bending loads with a cross section, and not just with side faces. Prisms of type “C” can be replaced with other facing parts that give advantages in the design of the appearance. In FIG. 4. shown in the context of the same assembled cube. But on it, the external grooves are closed not just by type “C” prisms, but by flat parts “glued” to these prisms. We designate these facing details by an index "D". All of them are a flat sheet with a thickness of "k" with a prism "C" rigidly attached to one side, turned by a swallow tail expanding outward (spike). The width and length of the sheet can be a multiple of the size "h" (the edge of the cube "A"), or slightly different. Usually, more or less by the value of the thickness "k". Such an element may have one or more parallel spikes oriented along one of the sides of the sheet. Sheet designs with differences in size and edge geometry are very convenient. When installed on free external grooves, they can be joined by ends, or perpendicular to one another, forming internal and external chamfers, roundings, right and step angles. It is possible to venerate the created cube with “D” panels with ribs of any kind: rectangular, rounded with a radius of “R”, with bevels. Each of the panels can be of any color, and also contain various symbols, patterns or patterns. Including embossed. In addition, pushing the panels onto each other at the corners of the cubes creates stops that block the spontaneous extension of the clips and cubes. Such panels can be lined with a design of any spatial complexity. This slightly increases the size, but gives room for creativity in the design and strengthening the spatial structure of the assembled blocks. For example, it is easy to assemble a practical black and white chessboard of the right size with a beautiful design of all its sides, edges and corners. Panels “D” of increased length with one or more spikes, along the way, strengthen the bonding of adjacent side cubes. It should be noted that it is not necessary to always use all 6 grooves on cubes when assembling. This is good for reinforcing the structure, but redundant in terms of its assembly. You can completely do with fewer clamps, speeding up and simplifying installation. In most cases, stabilization of the shape of the structure is carried out by multiple closures of the fastening forces through the bodies of different cubes and retainers in all coordinates. Some of the internal grooves can be left painlessly empty. Outside, these areas are covered with “D” panels, which improve the appearance. In particular, the ends of the empty grooves under the latches are hidden. The assembled cube with the “2h” edge has another interesting property. This is a cube, completely similar to the small cube "A", with the same orientation of all the grooves. But there are already two grooves on each face. Located parallel. It, as a monoblock, can be used for enlarged assembly absolutely on the same principles as a single "A" cube. This effect will be preserved even with a further increase in the length of the edge of the cube, a multiple of "h". The number of grooves on the faces increases by a multiple of the increase in the length of the rib.

A set of constructor from parts of only three types “A”, “B” and “D” forms a functionally complete set. In addition to training fine motor skills, he develops the imagination and creative abilities of children, guarantees the first skills in the design and manufacture of spatial structures with their artistic design. It gives intuitive concepts about the strength and rigidity of structures, as well as initial ideas about the algorithms for composing them with modular blocks. A separate creative task may be to optimize the placement structure of the clamps in order to reduce their number and accelerate the assembly / disassembly processes. For children, this is an interesting and exciting learning process in the form of a game.

Compared with the prototype constructor, the proposed idea of a collapsible connection and the form of parts has several advantages, namely:

- Monolithic module cubes. They are harder and stronger than hollow, more technologically advanced and cheaper to manufacture. Simplification of the design allows their mass production by automated casting. As well as the rods of the same type of retainers.

- The assembly procedure is simplified, because the installation area is not inside but outside the cubes. It is clearly visible, available for shear operations and control of the location of the clamps. The cubes can be permanently installed, and then fix them without moving. These are sequential operations that are independent of each other. In the prototype, separate installation / removal of the locking elements is not possible. There, elements are inserted between the cubes and are not removed without splitting the latter.

- Compared to the prototype, the cubes may be smaller. There is no need to manipulate hands or a tool inside the windows of a hollow cube, placing and removing the fixing elements. In the proposed solution, changing the size of the cubes does not in any way worsen the conditions of access to the installation / removal zones of the clips.

- The geometry of the fixing elements is much simpler and they are much smaller. Instead of a complex spatial frame of the prototype, made up of four parallelepipeds - one part in the form of a straight rod of constant cross section. Unlike the prototype, it is in contact with the cubes on almost all of its surfaces, ensuring tight coupling of the modules. Including the ends of the clamps. In addition, the cubes are tightly and gaplessly joined with each other, since the clamps are “recessed” into the grooves of the cubic bodies beyond the junction plane. And in the prototype you need an external triangular bead on the fasteners in the junction plane and inevitably chamfers on the cubes windows. So that the collars do not interfere with the docking.

In the proposed solution, the retainer rod fits well into the compact volume created by the grooves. Therefore, additional cavities and zones are not required.

- The proposed method of wedge fixation reliably holds the cubes in the main direction of the loads: perpendicular to the mating faces. This is a rigid connection that does not require elastic deformations of the parts of the retainer or cubes. External forces of pressing the cubes to the retainer are not needed, since an internal closed power circuit is formed. In the prototype, it is impossible to rigidly double-sided connection of two cubes with one retainer with the formation of a monoblock. External forces from two opposite sides of the joint are normal there, normal to the faces. Otherwise, do not keep the cubes close to each other. The latch does not participate in this process at all, preventing only mutual sliding of the sides to the sides.

- In the proposed solution, the assembly direction of the clamps is different from the prototype. There, this direction coincides with the vector of the main load forces in the joint. Here it is perpendicular to the normal forces pushing the cubes apart and is directed along the face plane. Moreover, of these two possible perpendicular directions, only one is used, taking away from the cubes even more degrees of freedom of movement and rotation due to the adopted clamp geometry.

- The design and installation method of the latches allows their reliable blocking from self-extension. Firstly, due to the contact of the retainer with cubes on all surfaces, friction arises, which makes it difficult to extend it. Secondly, in the assembled design, it is always possible to provide a hard stop for the ends of each latch in adjacent parts. At the end of the installation, the latches in all directions of the local assembly are closed with the final parts, excluding spontaneous decay of the structure. Including outside, on the outer cubes. In the prototype, this problem is solved unreliably, using elastic snap elements or focusing on the walls of the container. Or the use of new, additional to the main types of clamps, working on other principles. Inevitably, the expansion of the minimum necessary range of basic parts due to several types of fasteners. In the proposed solution, the principle of fastening parts is always one and quite sufficient for any nodes and blocks of construction.

- The latches in this constructor can be installed according to schemes that exclude their mutual touching or overlapping. In the prototype, this is not always possible. Often the locking elements there lean on each other, creating difficulties with mutual orientation. In addition, here one proposed latch can replace several others, combining their mounting functions. Without affecting the assembly conditions along other faces and simultaneously strengthening the design. In the prototype, combining a group of fixing elements into one is problematic. Especially if the cubes are installed with an offset of half the face when their edges and windows do not match.

- In this constructor, it is easy to create arbitrary intermediate blocks and autonomous nodes. They do not fall apart and do not require any external fasteners or containers, as in the prototype. In the vast majority of cases, blocks can be taken for any of the elements and freely deployed in space. Solid and branched arrays of any kind are created without problems. Cubes are easily attached to each other and sorted into the same or different, arbitrarily selected zones. Since no external supporting devices are required, the entire structure is capable of unlimited growth in space in any direction. In the prototype (and analogues known to the author), the creation of a continuous array of cubes of unlimited volume and rigid fastening at the same time along all 6 of their faces is not feasible. In particular, with the provision of internal power closure of the fastening forces in each connection through the latch, removed without a shift of the cubes.

- On the edge of a cube there can be two or more parallel and intersecting grooves at the same time, which allows you to move the cubes relative to each other by an amount, in general, a multiple of the step between the grooves. But with the modification of the lengths of the retainers, the cubes can be shifted by any other value within the face. In one of the coordinates, it is discrete in the groove steps, in the other, it is completely arbitrary. In this case, the fixing rods do not change, it is enough just to vary them in length. Grooves are made of a single section for attaching all modules, including oversized ones. For example, it is easy to join monolithic cubes with the dimensions of the edges "h" and "2h" on the same type of clamps. With the shift of a small cube along the verge of a large cube into a vast zone defined by grooves on two cubes. In the prototype, a shift is allowed only discretely, by half the length of the rib. And the docking of two similar cubes there is problematic, because the areas of the connecting windows vary very sharply. Universal latches in this case are structurally impossible. Or they will be unreasonably complicated with the use of internal fastening operations of assembly-disassembly and fitting to specific windows of blocks. Making a prototype non-separable module (say, an enlarged cube) with several rows of small windows on all six faces is impractical, difficult and expensive.

- The design of the basic modules-cubes allows the implementation of lightening or special through holes in them on all sides, which does not interfere with the installation of latches in the grooves and the fastening of the elements between them. Including non-circular section. They are convenient for centering parts during installation. They can also be used to install extended reinforcing rods, passed through several cubes in order to increase the strength of structures. The installation of 1 to 6 reinforcing rods in all directions, mated in the body of one cube, is real. Holes can be used as cable channels, or supporting seats for additional elements. In addition, the central holes create the possibility of alternative fastening of the cubes without retainers. For example, it is quite realistic to install the internal cubes of an array only on square rods, without the use of clamps. At the same time, regular “B” clamps will fasten only the outer layers, which is no less reliable and quite simple. The holes create additional possibilities for the use of cubes at the discretion of the installer, allow "for nothing" to expand the arsenal of ways and methods of improving the design.

- The use of cubes with a multiple of the increased length of the edge "nh" is similar to the use of the cube "A" with a unit length of the edge "h". They are completely similar in the orientation of the grooves on all faces and can be used as enlarged block “bricks”. Moreover, the number of grooves “n” on the faces increases by a multiple of the size of the cube while maintaining a single step “h” between the grooves. A larger number of grooves is beneficial, dividing the effort into all fastener zones with larger and heavier cubes.

Having a sufficient number of only the above details, you can mount a wide variety of spatial structures. Any complexity and unlimited sizes. They are durable, tough and, as a rule, statically unchanged. Except for gliding unbound blocks on each other. Constructions will not collapse from accidental contact or impact. For example, from hitting a child’s ball, or overturning. But, since the assembly always goes along three rectangular coordinates, the use of nodes assembled according to other structural schemes or movable is somewhat limited. Say, blocks located at different angles, or containing rotating and deflected parts. However, the designer’s scheme contains and can realize a lot of hidden features that easily solve this and an extensive range of other tasks. Then this set will undoubtedly interest children and older ages.

Let's consider some directions of geometry modernization and ways of expanding the functions of basic modules. For example, you can take the original cube “A” and transform one face of it. It will no longer be a square with a groove, but will be replaced by a gamut of other structural elements. An extensive class of special cubes with a changed face is formed. For some examples, see FIG. 5. You can also create additional details where two, three, four or five faces of the cube are changed at once. According to the forms of execution and purpose, these can be the most diverse elements, convenient for advanced design. For example, brackets, eyes, holders, couplers, axles, threaded areas, magnets, places for bearings and wheels, shafts for gears, retractable rods and guides, blocks for flexible elements, grooves, platforms for installing electric motors, battery compartments and etc. With adapters, it is easy to use any already commercially available drive transmission assemblies, actuators, etc. Including blocks of systems with electric and radio control, as well as robotic kits. It becomes possible to synthesize a mass of toys in the form of movable mechanisms and machines, where modules from cubes will be bodies, beds, or kinematically connected movable links. On the basis of such modified cubes, the proposed designer easily integrates with an unlimited range of special parts and typical profile products. Like tubes, pins, corners, etc. The cubes themselves are mounted in the body of the structure along the remaining grooves and can be loaded along the changed faces. If the loads are small, the elements must be easily removed or the function performed is simpler, you can expand the “facing” class of parts “D” using only flat panels. A gamut of final parts is formed with a dovetail spike, but with very different purposes and shapes. They will be mounted on a single spike less reliably, performing mainly decorative functions or perceiving perpendicular loads. Directed mainly into the bodies of the cubes: support legs, buffer stops, etc. Some of such details are shown in FIG. 6. As an option, an introduction instead of a spike of a standard groove for fastening with the usual clamp “B”. With the help of inclined planes, you can depart from the principle of orthogonal assembly, orienting the installation of part of the elements at arbitrary angles. For example, with the aim of forming multi-pitched roofs of toy houses or some kind of inclined gutters. Individual parts may have landing holes or pins for installing volumetric figures and geometric decorations: balls, facade stones, Christmas trees, soldiers, lampposts, railings and fences. On the basis of others, it is easy to organize hinges for hinged or hinged covers, hatches, windows and doors. You can independently invent and use a ton of other special elements with the required properties. And also, to make them based on the proposed blanks. For example, by gluing something on the plane of the “D” panels. Or develop drawings and make non-standard modules on 3D printers. Adapters are also acceptable, allowing combination with any other existing sets. Say, with products that are mass-produced according to LEGO standards.

The original “A” cube itself allows further improvements. For example, reducing the weight and volume of plastic required to cast it. To do this, it is enough to make three through holes of rectangular cross section between parallel faces with opposite grooves in its monolithic body (see Fig. 7). The dimensions of the sides of the holes "I" and "t". The smaller size “I” is equal to the width of the groove along the edge, the larger size “t” is oriented along the grooves. This design will hardly weaken the cube, will not affect the placement of the main mounting grooves and the installation of clips. But, during installation, it becomes possible to center it with an adjacent cube, especially on weight. This is achieved by introducing into their coaxial holes auxiliary pins of identical rectangular cross section. Similar pins can also be used as reinforcing fittings in openwork designs. For example, a metal rod “W” of rectangular cross section will significantly strengthen the console from single cubes fastened by opposite faces and facing (see Fig. 8). And in appearance of the structure it will not be noticeable. The holes can be round, square or any other section. Including, for example, with a female thread. It is possible to lighten the base cube “A” further by simultaneously expanding the possibilities of its rotation when connecting with others. For this, as described earlier, not one, but a pair of fixing grooves are perpendicular to each other along its center, but not one is executed on each face. In a typical assembly, it is sufficient to use only one groove of the face with fastening with one “B” lock. However, you can use the second groove perpendicular to the first. At the same time, part of the “B” clamps is performed with a length that is not a multiple of the "h" edge of the cube, but somewhat larger. The elongated part is intended for insertion into a groove on the edge of an adjacent cube. Until the end touches the sides of the other, perpendicular retainer. Double latches on one face, used in different types - this is another way to strengthen structures. Without adding other principles and mounting details. Additional build resources arise. For example, an absolutely rigid and fixed mounting scheme for two cubes only in two faces adjacent to each other. And, if you make 3 through square holes between opposite faces (in their center), another unusual reinforcement method is permissible. For example, you can install in one cube two or three mutually perpendicular rods of circular cross section. The side of the square hole "p" is twice as large as the diameters of the rods "d". The latter touch on the sides in the center of the cube with an offset in different directions from its central axes. These pins can be square or combined with round. Such a cube with the installation of 3 round pins “d” is shown in FIG. 9. The scheme does not exclude the use of one square pin with side “p” passing through the entire cube, or a dock in its center up to 6 such pins. On the basis of basic and special modules, it is easy to organize cable channels for electrical and digital communications, install connectors, switches, lamps, indicators, buttons, etc. And also to place electronic boards and all the required equipment in the niches being created. Backlit based on transparent elements.

Channels can be both internal, in the bodies of monolithic blocks, and external, joinable. It’s easy to attach ready-made boxes, hinged lids, displays, shields and more. The square or round holes of the cubes can be inserted to a considerable depth and the ends of any external elements. For example, in order to strengthen the sealing of cantilever-loaded adjacent parts. Including with threaded fastening directly in the cube body. It is not ruled out that airtight tubes or some liquids can be laid in the holes of the tubes. Say, for the purpose of creating a water pipe or model of a fire truck in a toy house. To do this, it is possible to install various types of seals and plugs inside the cubes, which ensure the creation of a network of branched sealed channels (including without the use of tubes). The retainer rod can also be structurally improved. Suppose that two installation inclined planes are replaced by convex cylindrical planes of a large radius. Contact along lines instead of planes will facilitate the installation / removal of the element into cubes.

The proposed connection principle is universal. The game constructor allows unlimited expansion of the range of its parts based on the same type of mount. With the inclusion in the proposed range of any special parts, standard profiles or whole blocks of different sizes. Probably, their unification by connecting dimensions, classification by types, release of catalogs with images and identification codes will be required. For example, for the purpose of manufacturing parts to order by different plants or the convenience of describing the structure of projects.

In the author’s opinion, the minimum edge size “h” of the “A” cube is approximately one inch. Then the end face of the latch will be large enough for ease of installation and removal with the fingers. Or using the simplest tool, like a flat screwdriver. It will also be convenient for preliminary spreading of the combined faces of the cubes in the process of their dismantling.

The author's name of the cubes of this constructor is proposed in the form:

“COMBIC” (in Russian transcription) and “COMBIC” (in Latin).

The name is based on the parts of the words “combination” and “cube”.

Claims (1)

A device in the form of a set of volumetric parts of the game constructor, including cubes and removable connecting elements, designed to fasten the cubes by any faces, characterized in that the cubes are solid and each face contains at least one rectilinear groove of constant cross section parallel to the edges of the cube lying in the plane of the same face, and the connecting element is a rectilinear rod of constant cross section, the area of which is limited by the perimeter of closed lines, about the borders of the two parallel and aligned in the cross-section grooves of different cubes joined by the edges; moreover, the width of the cross-section of the grooves in the plane of the joint of the faces is obviously less than the same width of at least two cross-sections of the rod installed in the grooves, located independently from each other in two planes, parallel to some distances from the plane of the joint of the faces in opposite directions from the last.

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