US20170036132A1

US20170036132A1 - Compatible and Magnetic Absorption-Type Electronic Building Block

Info

Publication number: US20170036132A1
Application number: US15/106,841
Authority: US
Inventors: Haiyuan Yang; Canfa Chen; Xiao Wang; Shuiliang Yang
Original assignee: HANGZHOU SUZE ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY Co Ltd
Current assignee: HANGZHOU SUZE ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY Co Ltd
Priority date: 2014-01-25
Filing date: 2015-01-23
Publication date: 2017-02-09
Also published as: WO2015110068A1; AU2016100896A4; CN203710704U

Abstract

Disclosed is a compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block, which comprises a circuit board, a plug connector and a socket connector, wherein the plug connector and the socket connector both comprise an insulation body and a conductive terminal, and the insulation body is arranged with a mounting body and two support feet. A bottom of the mounting body is arranged with an open region, and the mounting body is provided with a butting panel, a top panel and a rear cover. The electronic building block of the invention can not only implement electronic circuit module splicing, but also implement a complex three-dimensional modeling function due to the above specially designed structure. Moreover, the electronic building block can be seamlessly spliced to a common plastic building block in a market.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the technical field of electronic building block, and more particularly, to a compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Building blocks are classified into wooden building blocks, plastic building blocks, electronic building blocks, etc. Plastic building blocks may be spliced into various kinds of complex three-dimensional modeling. Now a system with LEGO building block as a standard has been established. These building blocks may be mutually spliced. The splicing methods are mutually compatible. Following the progress of science and technology, electronic building blocks have been gradually developed to a mature state. Electronic building block is a circuit combination formed by fixing conductors, lamp bulbs, diodes, triodes, resistors, capacitors, switches, electric meters, motors, trumpets, integrated blocks and other electronic components to plastic blocks, using unique snap fasteners to make them into stand-alone detachable fittings, and splicing the fittings onto a mounting plate provided for the product as if splicing building blocks. The existing electronic building blocks mostly adopt button-type splicing and energizing of mounting plate. The building blocks adopting button-type splicing have poor durability and are liable to damage after they are spliced for a number of times and the splicing is relatively complex. At present, a magnet absorption-type electronic building block has been designed. This electronic building block does not have a mounting plate and may be spliced directly without plugging and matching. The use is more convenient and simpler.
However, the abovementioned magnet absorption-type electronic building block is incompatible with common building block. Common building block is mainly used for splicing of various kinds of complex three-dimensional modeling, while electronic building block is used to add fun of circuit design. They are independent of each other. During splicing, they are incompatible, causing waste of cost. Moreover, they are both unitary in function.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention intends to address the foregoing problem that existing electronic building block can be not compatible with common plastic building block and provide a compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block that is compatible with common plastic building block to implement complex three-dimensional modeling and realize interesting electronic circuit.
To solve the above problem, the present invention provides the following technical solution:
a compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block, comprising a circuit board arranged with a functional circuit; a plug connector and a socket connector which are connected to the circuit board, in which the plug connector and the socket connector both comprise an insulation body and a conductive terminal arranged side by side on the insulation body;
wherein the insulation body is arranged with a mounting body in a shape of hollow rectangle and two support feet arranged on two sides of a bottom of the mounting body, in which a bottom of the mounting body is arranged with an open region arranged between the two support feet at bottom of the mounting body, and the mounting body is provided with a butting panel that is butted a panel of another connector on the insulation body, a top panel and a rear cover which is connected to the mounting body detachably and arranged face to face with respect to the butting panel;
and wherein one end of the conductive terminal runs through interior of the mounting body and stretches out of the butting panel and a plurality of holding tanks having a permanent magnet arranged on two sides of the conductive terminal is arranged on a back of the butting panel;
and wherein a plurality of bosses is arranged on top panel of the mounting body, and a space is arranged between bosses, and bottoms of the two support feet are respectively arranged with a groove used for matching and plugging with the bosses of another electronic building block, in which the distance from bottoms of the support feet to bottom of the mounting body is greater than the distance from bottom of the conductive terminal to bottom of the mounting body;
and wherein the conductive terminal on the plug connector is an elastic clubfoot probe and the conductive terminal on the socket connector is a flat-end clubfoot probe.
Compared with the prior art, the compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block provided by the present invention is arranged with bosses and a groove on an electronic building block with a detachable circuit structure, and used to implement a complex three-dimensional modeling function of common plastic building blocks, and fosters an electronic building block that can not only implement electronic circuit module splicing but also implement a complex three-dimensional modeling function. Moreover, the electronic building block can be seamlessly spliced to a common plastic building block available in the market, which significantly improves its compatibility and flexibility.
Preferably, the bosses are in a shape of round platform, and the groove is shaped as a square. The overall dimensions of the electronic building block and the shapes of the bosses and the groove may be designed to have a structure similar to that of common plastic building block so as to realize better compatibility with common plastic building block.
Preferably, the upper end of the groove is open towards the butting panel. One side of the groove is arranged with an open end to make for fast and accurate plugging during splicing of multiple building blocks on a mounting base.
Preferably, the sides of the two support feet opposite to the butting panel are arranged with a slope at an angle of inclination of 172-177 degrees. The arrangement of the slope makes the thickness of the bottoms of the two support feet smaller than that of the tops of the support feet, which may balance the thickness of the lower end of the groove in every direction, and facilitate more flexible plugging of other electronic building blocks.
Preferably, the conductive terminal has a 90° bend and comprises a contact end for contact-type electric connection and a welding end for welding. The contact end and the welding end are molded integrally. The contact end is perpendicular to the welding end. The butting panel is arranged with through-holes for installation of the contact end, the lower end of every through-hole is arranged with a slot for partial reception of the welding end, and the slot is arranged on the back of the butting panel. The design of the slot raises connection strength of the connector and makes the connection between the conductive terminal and the connector firmer and compacter.
Preferably, positioning members for positioning the connector during welding are arranged on the two sides of the open region of the mounting body. The positioning members allow that the connector may be stably mounted on the circuit board or other electronic components.
Preferably, a fool-proof plug-in and a fool-proof slot for matching and connecting the fool-proof plug-in are arranged on the butting panel of the insulation body, in which a fool-proof plug-in on the plug connector matches and is connected to a fool-proof slot on the socket connector, and a fool-proof slot on the plug connector matches and is connected to a fool-proof plug-in on the socket connector. The design of fool-proof structure avoids the possibility of wrong connection of the connector, allowing safer and more convenient use of the building block of the invention.
Preferably, two holding tanks are arranged on the two sides of the conductive terminal and side by side with the conductive terminal, and the permanent magnet on the plug connector and the permanent magnet on the socket connector have opposite polarity. Arrangement of the two holding tanks on the two sides of the conductive terminal improves the magnetism of the connector, allowing convenience of automatic alignment of the connectors.
Preferably, the cross section of the holding tanks is round.
Preferably, three conductive terminals are provided with the insulation body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional schematic view of a compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional schematic view of a compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block according to the present invention at another angle of view;

FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional schematic view of a compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded schematic view of a plug connector in a compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a butting panel of a plug connector in a compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic side-view of a plug connector in a compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block according to the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block in use according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Below the present invention will be further described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, but the protective scope of the present invention is not limited to them.
As shown in FIGS. 1-2, a compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block according to the present invention comprises a circuit board 3 arranged with a functional circuit, and a plug connector 1 and a socket connector 2 connected to the circuit board. The plug connector 1 is connected to a socket connector 2 on another electronic building block in an magnetic adsorption manner, the joint and contact panel between the plug connector 1 and the socket connector 2 on another electronic building block is a butting panel, and various functional circuits are arranged on the circuit board 3 and have realized circuit function. The plug connector 1 and the socket connector 2 are generally mounted on two opposite sides of the circuit board 3, and may also be mounted in a flexible manner, for example: four socket connectors 2 are jointly connected to four sides of the circuit board 3, as shown in FIG. 3.
As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, the plug connector 1 and the socket connector 2 both comprise an insulation body 6 and a conductive terminal 7 arranged side by side on the insulation body. 3 conductive terminals 7 are provided. Alternatively, the number of the conductive terminals 7 may be provided according to actual need. The conductive terminal 7 on the plug connector 1 is an elastic clubfoot probe, which is a telescopic elastic probe. The plug connector 1 has a similar structure to the socket connection 2, but their main difference lies in the structure of the conductive terminals on them. Specifically, the conductive terminal 7 on the socket connector 2 has a flat-end clubfoot, i.e.: not telescopic, to make for convenient connection between them. The conductive terminal 7 has a 90° bend and comprises a contact end for contact-type electric connection and a welding end for welding. The contact end and the welding end are molded integrally. The contact end is perpendicular to the welding end. The conductive terminal 7 adopts an integral gold-plated clubfoot probe to effectively reduce contact resistance, enhance electrical signals and assure the stability of current or signal transmission. The clubfoot probe is directly welded to a circuit board or other electronic components, significantly raising the strength of the connector.
As shown in FIG. 4-FIG. 6, the detailed structures of the plug connector 1 and the socket connector 2 are described below by taking the structure of the plug connector 1 as an example. A mounting body 8 in a shape of hollow rectangle is arranged on the insulation body 6 of the plug connector 1, and two support feet 9 are arranged on two sides of the bottom of the mounting body 8. The mounting body 8 is arranged horizontally. The support feet 9 are solid rectangles and arranged on two sides of the bottom of the mounting body 8. The mounting body 8 and the support feet 9 are molded integrally. An open region is positioned on a bottom of the mounting body 8, and the open region is arranged between two support feet 9 at bottom of the mounting body 8. The mounting body 8 is provided with a butting panel 8.1, a top panel 8.2 and a rear cover 8.3. The butting panel 8.1 is a panel of the insulation body 6 butting another connector, the rear cover 8.3 and the butting panel 8.1 are arranged oppositely, and the rear cover 8.3 is connected to the mounting body 8 in a detachable manner. A plurality of bosses 4 is arranged on the top panel 8.2 of the mounting body 8. Taking 3 bosses as an example in the figures, a space is arranged between bosses 4, and the bosses 4 are in a shape of round platform. Bottoms of the two supporting feet 9 are respectively arranged with a groove 5 used for matching and plugging with the bosses 4 on another electronic building block. The groove 5 is a square groove, and the upper end of which is open towards the butting panel. The bosses 4 match and plug with the groove 5 of another electronic building block to realize the splicing function of common building block.
As shown in FIG. 6, the sides of the two support feet 9 opposite to the butting panel 8.1 are arranged with a slope 10 at an angle of inclination of 172-177 degrees. The slope 10 allows the thickness of the bottoms of the two support feet 9 smaller than that of the tops of the support feet 9, which may balance the thickness of the lower end of the groove 5 in every direction, and facilitates more flexible plugging of other electronic building blocks. The distance from bottoms of the two support feet 9 to bottom of the mounting body 8 is greater than the distance from bottom of the conductive terminal 7 to bottom of the mounting body 8, i.e.: the conductive terminal 7 is received in the internal space of the insulation body 6. During mounting, the support feet 9 are mounted at first, keeping the conductive terminal 7 a specific distance from the tabletop. The elevated design of the support feet 9 avoids the possibility of short-circuit when the connector is used on a conductive tabletop, and makes the support feet 9 more pleasing to the eye and easily fixed and located. Meanwhile, the design of the support feet also increases the contact area when two connectors are sucked and makes the suction firmer.
Through-holes for mounting conductive terminals 7 are arranged side by side in the central position of the butting panel 8.1 and reserve a space. The through-holes are used to mount the contact ends of the conductive terminals 7. The lower end of every through-hole is arranged with a slot 8.4 for partial reception of the welding end. The slot 8.4 is arranged on the back of the butting panel 8.1. The welding end of the conductive terminal 7 is partially received in the slot 8.4. The welding end of the conductive terminal 7 partially stretches out of the slot 8.4 and is used for directly welding onto the circuit board or other electronic components. The conductive terminal 7 runs through the interior of the mounting body 8 via a through-hole and a slot 8.4. One end of the conductive terminal 7 runs through the interior of the mounting body 8 and stretches out of the butting panel 8.1. A plurality of holding tanks 8.5 are arranged on the back of the butting panel 8.1. The holding tanks 8.5 are arranged on the two sides of the conductive terminal 7, and a permanent magnet 8.6 is mounted inside the holding tanks 8.5. One end of the permanent magnet 8.6 is placed inside the holding tanks 8.5, and the other end is fixed by the rear cover 8.3. If the permanent magnet 8.6 is exposed outside the mounting body 8, it is highly likely to magnetize other articles and might cause inconvenience when it is used as common building block. Therefore, receiving the permanent magnet 8.6 inside the mounting body 8 may effectively improve the above problem. To be specific, two holding tanks 8.5 are arranged on the two sides of the conductive terminal 7 and side by side with the conductive terminal 7. The cross section of the holding tanks 8.5 is round. Positioning members 8.7 are arranged on the two sides of the open region of the mounting body 8. They are for positioning the connector during welding and make the connector more conveniently mounted on the circuit board or other electronic components. A fool-proof plug-in 1.3 and a fool-proof slot 1.4 for matching and connecting the fool-proof plug-in 1.3 are arranged on the butting panel 8.1 of the insulation body 8. The fool-proof plug-in 1.3 is a block extruded on the mounting body 8. The volume of the fool-proof plug-in 1.3 matches the size of the chamber of the fool-proof slot 1.4.
When a compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block provided by the present invention is used as a electronic building block, as the polarity of the permanent magnet 8.6 on the plug connector 1 of the electronic building block is opposite to the polarity of the permanent magnet 8.6 in the corresponding connection position of the socket connector 2 on another electronic building block, the two connectors can automatically align with and be fast connected to each other to realize circuit connection. When the present invention is used as a common building block, it may use bosses 4 on the insulation body 6 to match and plug with the groove 5. The design of the bosses 4 and groove 5 conforms to LEGO plastic building blocks in the market and may achieve splicing with other common building blocks and realize complex three-dimensional modeling. When the present invention is used as both electronic building block and common building block, it can realize both electronic function and three-dimensional modeling.
FIG. 7 shows an example of the present invention in practical use. An electronic building block 21 and an electronic building block 25 in the present invention are both plugged on the bottom plate 20 of a common building block. Bosses 23 and groove 22 are arranged on the bottom plate 20 to match the arrangement and size on the electronic building block 21. The electronic building block 21 and the electronic building block 25 may be spliced with common building blocks, for example: transition plates 24 of bosses and groove, and common building blocks are arranged.
Unless otherwise stated explicitly herein, all the technical means in the technical solution are conventional in prior art.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block, comprising:

a circuit board arranged with a functional circuit; and

a plug connector and a socket connector which are connected to the circuit board, in which the plug connector and the socket connector both comprise an insulation body and a conductive terminal arranged side by side on the insulation body;

wherein the insulation body is arranged with a mounting body in a shape of hollow rectangle and two support feet arranged on two sides of a bottom of the mounting body, in which a bottom of the mounting body is arranged with an open region arranged between the two support feet at bottom of the mounting body, and the mounting body is provided with a butting panel that is butted a panel of another connector on the insulation body, a top panel and a rear cover which is connected to the mounting body detachably and arranged face to face with respect to the butting panel;

and wherein one end of the conductive terminal runs through interior of the mounting body and stretches out of the butting panel and a plurality of holding tanks having a permanent magnet arranged on two sides of the conductive terminal is arranged on a back of the butting panel;

and wherein a plurality of bosses is arranged on top panel of the mounting body, and a space is arranged between bosses, and bottoms of the two support feet are respectively arranged with a groove used for matching and plugging with the bosses of another electronic building block, in which the distance from bottoms of the support feet to bottom of the mounting body is greater than the distance from bottom of the conductive terminal to bottom of the mounting body;

and wherein the conductive terminal on the plug connector is an elastic clubfoot probe and the conductive terminal on the socket connector is a flat-end clubfoot probe.

2. The compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block according to claim 1, wherein the bosses are in a shape of round platform, and the groove is shaped as a square.

3. The compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block according to claim 1, wherein an upper end of the groove is open towards a butting panel.

4. The compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block according to claim 1, wherein sides of the two support feet opposite to the butting panel are arranged with a slope at an angle of inclination of 172-177 degrees.

5. The compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block according to claim 1, wherein the conductive terminal has a 90° bend and comprises a contact end for contact-type electric connection and a welding end for welding, in which the contact end and the welding end are molded integrally, and the contact end is perpendicular to the welding end;

and wherein the butting panel is arranged with through-holes for installation of the contact end, and a lower end of every through-hole is arranged with a slot arranged on a back of the butting panel for partial reception of the welding end.

6. The compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block according to claim 1, wherein positioning members for positioning the connector during welding are arranged on two sides of the open region of the mounting body.

7. The compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block according to claim 1, wherein a fool-proof plug-in and a fool-proof slot for matching and connecting the fool-proof plug-in are arranged on a butting panel of the insulation body, in which a fool-proof plug-in on the plug connector matches and is connected to a fool-proof slot on the socket connector, and a fool-proof slot on the plug connector matches and is connected to a fool-proof plug-in on the socket connector.

8. The compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block according to claim 1, wherein two holding tanks are arranged on two sides of the conductive terminal and side by side with the conductive terminal; and the permanent magnet on the plug connector has an opposite polarity with respect to the permanent magnet on the socket connector.

9. The compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block according to claim 1, wherein the cross section of the holding tanks is round.

10. The compatible and magnetic absorption-type electronic building block according to claim 1, wherein three conductive terminals are provided with the insulation body.