US20150336018A1

US20150336018A1 - Connecting building block

Info

Publication number: US20150336018A1
Application number: US14/524,241
Authority: US
Inventors: Taan-Kuan Chin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-05-23
Filing date: 2014-10-27
Publication date: 2015-11-26
Also published as: TWI549732B; TW201544152A; DE202014105521U1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a connecting building block and has a body, at least one engaging element, and at least one connection area. The body is a hollow structure and has an opening formed through the body. Each one of the at least one engaging element is mounted on an external wall of the body around the opening. Each one of the at least one connection area is formed on a top wall opposite to the opening and through another one of the external walls near to the engaging element. When combining multiple connecting building blocks, the engaging element of a connecting building block is connected pivotally to the connection area of another connecting building block. The connecting building blocks can be rotated to change the connecting direction, so the connecting variations of the building block can be expanded.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a building block, especially a connecting building block that has multiple connecting directions.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
Conventional connecting building blocks are toys and can be stacked and aligned with each other to make models of a real object. The conventional connecting building blocks have various shapes, so a user can make a complex model of a real object by combinations of the various connecting building blocks. Each one of the conventional connecting building blocks has a connecting portion and a fastening portion. The connecting portion is protrusive and is formed on and protrudes from a top surface of the conventional building block. The fastening portion is a recess and is formed in a bottom side of the conventional building block. When combining the conventional connecting building blocks, the connecting portion of one conventional connecting building block is mounted in the recess of another conventional connecting building block.
However, the conventional connecting building blocks are connected to each other by connecting the connecting portion of one conventional connecting building block to the fastening portion of another conventional connecting building block. That is, the conventional connecting building block is stacked over another conventional connecting building block, such that the combination of the conventional connecting building blocks is restricted to a single plane. The combining variation of the conventional connecting building blocks is limited.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a connecting building block to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a connecting building block that has multiple connecting directions.
The connecting building block has a body, at least one engaging element, and at least one connection area. The body is a hollow structure and has an opening formed through a bottom of the body. Each one of the at least one engaging element is mounted on an external wall around the opening of the body. The at least one connection area is formed on an edge of a top wall of the body that is opposite to the opening of the body, and the connection area is formed through the external wall of the body.
When combining multiple connecting building blocks, the engaging element of a connecting building block is connected pivotally to the connection area of another connecting building block, thereby expanding the connecting variations through the rotation of the connecting building blocks.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a connecting building block in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the connecting building block in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the connecting building block in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of two connecting building blocks in FIG. 1, shown connected;

FIG. 5 is an operational perspective view of the two connecting building blocks in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a second embodiment of a connecting building block in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is another operational perspective view of two connecting building blocks in FIG. 6, shown connected;

FIG. 8 is a top view of a third embodiment of a connecting building block in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a connecting building block in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a top view of the connecting building block in FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is an operational perspective view of the connecting building block in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a first embodiment of a connecting building block in accordance with the present invention comprises a body 10, multiple engaging elements 20, multiple connection areas 30, and at least one fastening block 40.
The body 10 is a hollow square structure and has an opening 11 formed through a bottom of the body 10.
The engaging elements 20 are formed on and protrude from the body 10. Each one of the engaging elements 20 has an extending bar 21 and a holding block 22. The extending bar 21 is formed on and extends perpendicularly from one of four external walls of the body 10 around the opening 11. The holding block 22 is circular, is formed on an extending end of the extending bar 21, and the outer diameter of the holding block 22 is bigger than the outer diameter of the extending bar 21. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, two extending bars 21 of the engaging elements 20 are respectively formed on and protrude from two adjacent external walls of the body 10, and with reference to FIG. 6, in a second embodiment of the present invention, two extending bars 21 of the engaging elements 20 are respectively formed on and protrude from two opposite external walls of the body 10.
The connection areas 30 are formed in the body 10 and through the external walls of the body 10. Each connection area 30 has an inner groove 31 and a rotation groove 32. The inner groove 31 is formed in an edge of a top wall of the body 10 that is opposite to the opening 11. A bottom side of the inner groove 31 is curved. The rotation groove 32 is formed through one of the external walls of the body 10 and communicates with the inner groove 31, and a bottom side of the rotation groove 32 is curved. A width and a depth of the rotation groove 32 are respectively smaller than a width and a depth of the inner groove 31. As a preferred embodiment, with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, the connection areas 30 are formed oppositely or adjacently on the external walls of the body 10.
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the at least one fastening block 40 is formed perpendicularly on the top wall of the body 10 and is opposite to the opening 11. An outer contour of the at least one fastening block 40 matches an inner contour of the opening 11.
With reference to FIGS. 4 to 5, when combining the connecting building blocks, one of the engaging elements 20 of one connecting building block is connected to one of the connection areas 30 of another connecting building block. The holding block 22 of the corresponding engaging element 20 is mounted in the inner groove 31 of the corresponding connection area 30, and the extending bar 21 of the corresponding engaging element 20 is mounted in the rotation groove 32 of the corresponding area 30. Then, the corresponding engaging element 20 can be connected pivotally in the corresponding connection area 30 due to the curved structures of the inner groove 31 and the rotation groove 32 of the corresponding connection area 30.
With reference to FIG. 8, a third embodiment of a connecting building block in accordance with the present invention comprises a body 10A and multiple fastening blocks 40. The body 10A is a rectangular structure. Each fastening block 40 is formed perpendicularly on and protrudes from the top wall of the body 10A.
With reference to FIGS. 9 to 10, a fourth embodiment of a connecting building block in accordance with the present invention comprises a body 10B, at least one engaging element 20, and at least one connection area 30. The body 10B is a triangular structure. The at least one engaging element 20 and the at least one connection area 30 are formed adjacently on the external walls of the body 10B. With reference to FIG. 11, multiple triangular connecting building blocks are combined to form a unique model by connecting the engaging elements 20 and connection areas 30 of the connecting building blocks.
The present invention has the advantage of various connecting ways. With reference to FIG. 7, the opening 11 of one of the connecting building blocks is securely mounted on the fastening block 40 of another one of the connecting building blocks. With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, one of the engaging elements 20 of a connecting building block is connected to one of the connection areas 30 of another connecting building block, and the engaging element 20 is connected pivotally to the connection area 30. So the connecting direction of the connecting building blocks can be changed by rotation of the engaging elements 20 and the connecting variations are increased.
Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

1. A connecting building block comprising:

a body being a hollow structure and having

an opening formed through a bottom of the body; and

multiple external walls formed around the opening of the body;

at least one engaging element mounted on one of the external walls of the body, and each engaging element having

an extending bar being circular and formed on and extending perpendicularly from one of the external walls of the body;

a holding block being circular and formed on an extending end of the extending bar, and an outer diameter of the holding block being larger than an outer diameter of the extending bar; and

at least one connection area formed on an edge of a top wall of the body opposite to the opening and through the external wall of the body, and each connection area having

an inner groove formed in the edge of the top wall of the body that is opposite to the opening, a bottom side of the inner groove being curved; and

a rotation groove formed through one of the external walls of the body and communicating with the inner groove, a bottom side of the rotation groove being curved, and the rotation groove having a width and a depth respectively smaller than a width and a depth of the inner groove;

wherein a diameter of the extending bar is equal to the width of the rotation groove, a diameter of the holding block is equal to the width of the inner groove, and an area of the holding block is bigger than an area of the extending bar.

2. The connecting building block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting building block has multiple engaging elements formed on and protruding from the body.

3. The connecting building block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting building block has multiple connection areas formed on the body and through the external walls of the body.

4. The connecting building block as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connecting building block has multiple connection areas formed on the body and through the external walls of the body.

5. The connecting building block as claimed in claim 3, wherein the body is a hollow square structure.

6. The connecting building block as claimed in claim 4, wherein the body is a hollow square structure.

7. The connecting building block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting building block has at least one fastening block extending perpendicularly on the top wall of the body.

8. The connecting building block as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connecting building block has at least one fastening block extending perpendicularly on the top wall of the body.

9. The connecting building block as claimed in claim 4, wherein the connecting building block has at least one fastening block extending perpendicularly on the top wall of the body.

10. The connecting building block as claimed in claim 8, wherein the body is a hollow rectangular structure; and the connecting building block has multiple fastening blocks formed perpendicularly on and protruding from the top wall of the body.

11. The connecting building block as claimed in claim 9, wherein the body is a hollow rectangular structure; and the connecting building block has multiple fastening blocks formed perpendicularly on and protruding from the top wall of the body.

12. The connecting building block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body is a triangular structure, and the at least one engaging element and the at least one connection area are respectively formed on two adjacent external walls of the body.

13. The connecting building block as claimed in claim 2, wherein the body is a triangular structure, and the at least one engaging element and the at least one connection area are respectively formed on two adjacent external walls of the body.

14. The connecting building block as claimed in claim 3, wherein the body is a triangular structure, and the at least one engaging element and the at least one connection area are respectively formed on two adjacent external walls of the body.

15. The connecting building block as claimed in claim 4, wherein the body is a triangular structure, and the at least one engaging element and the at least one connection area are respectively formed on two adjacent external walls of the body.