The present disclosure relates generally to the field of toys. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to electronic toy bricks that can be used to build a structure.
Toy building blocks are configured to be mated to one another to build various structures. Snap-together electronic toys are configured to be snapped-together to complete various electric circuits. However, typically toy building blocks and snap-together electronic toys are not configured to be attached to one another. This reduces the ways these toys can be used and limits the structures that can be built. One example of an adapter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 10,252,176, owned by the Applicant and which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes.
An electric toy brick and method is needed to allow toy building blocks and snap-together electronic toys to be attached to one another. In one embodiment, the building bock adapted is a lighted building block or toy brick that provides lighting to the toy building blocks by using the snap-together electronic toys together.
Embodiments of the lighted toy brick are disclosed with reference to the accompanying exemplary drawings, which are for illustrative purposes. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that one or more aspects of this invention can meet certain objectives, while one or more other aspects can lead to certain other objectives. Other objects, features, benefits, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in the summary and descriptions of the disclosed embodiment(s), and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such objects, features, benefits, and advantages will be apparent from that previously described taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures and all reasonable inferences to be drawn therefrom.
According to one embodiment, a toy brick is configured to be used to create a structure by connecting a number of toy bricks. At least one toy brick is configured to be connected to a power source to provide electricity to the toy brick. The electricity could be used by the brick in a number of different ways including, but not limited to, moving an object (e.g., spinning a fan blade), making noise (e.g., playing a sound), creating heat, and emitting light.
Referring to
On one embodiment seen in
In one embodiment, seen in
The knob(s) 32, in addition to the ridge 30, increases the friction between the projections 18 from the second brick 10′ and the knob(s) and ridge to promote a stronger attachment between the bricks. Alternatively, the bottom plate could include pockets sized to receive the projections 18 from a second brick 10′ to selectively hold two bricks together as seen in
In one embodiment, the bricks 10 are made from injection molding a plastic, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. However, the bricks could be made from other methods, such as blow molding, three dimensional printing, carving, rotomolding, etc., without defeating the spirit of the invention. Further, the bricks 10 could be made from other materials including other plastics, such as acrylonitrile styrene for transparent or clear bricks, or from wood, metal, glass, etc.
In one embodiment seen in
In one embodiment, the first brick piece 34 has a tongue 38 and the second brick piece 36 has a slot 40 formed therein to receive the tongue when the first brick piece is attached to the second brick piece. In one embodiment seen in
In one embodiment seen in
The brick 10 includes a light device 48 that can be turned on or off. In one embodiment, the light device 48, such as an electric lamp, is located in the cavity 16 of the brick and the light from the light device is emitted out of or passes through the brick 10 as seen in
The brick 10 seen in
The light device 48 may have one pin 60, for example the anode or positive pin, attached or electrically connected to a first one of the conductive rivets 56 and a second pin 62, for example the cathode or negative pin, attached or electrically connected to a second one of the conductive rivets 56′. When the conductive snaps 54 are electrically connected to the power source 52, as seen in
In another embodiment seen in
In one embodiment seen in
In another embodiment seen in
In another embodiment as seen in
As seen in
The first pin housing 100 is electrically connected to the first conductive strip 70 and the second housing 102 is electrically connected to the third conductive strip 74 (or second conductive strip 72 if not using a separate resistor 80). A pair of jumper wires 64 with at least one end being a pin are connected to respective ones of the pin housings 100, 102 and the power source 52 (such as seen in
Other components could additional be used with the brick 10, such as, a switch (e.g., part number 6SCS1 available from Elenco Electronics, LLC). Further, the brick 10 could include additional conductive nodes to electronically couple a number of bricks or other devices together. Although the conductive node has been described as at least two conductive components, such as snaps and pins, the conductive node could be a single conductive component such as a socket, e.g., a stereo jack, without defeating the spirit of the invention.
Although the invention has been herein described in what is perceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments set forth above. Rather, it is recognized that modifications may be made by one of skill in the art of the invention without departing from the spirit or intent of the invention and, therefore, the invention is to be taken as including all reasonable equivalents to the subject matter of the appended claims and the description of the invention herein. Further, although certain advantages of different embodiments and disadvantages of certain prior art are described, no single claim must realize every or any benefit or overcome every or any disadvantage.
This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/339,204, filed May 6, 2022, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3005282 | Christiansen | Oct 1961 | A |
3696548 | Teller | Oct 1972 | A |
4894040 | Bach et al. | Jan 1990 | A |
5742486 | Yangkuai | Apr 1998 | A |
5779515 | Chung | Jul 1998 | A |
6443796 | Shackelford | Sep 2002 | B1 |
6805605 | Reining et al. | Oct 2004 | B2 |
7144255 | Seymour | Dec 2006 | B2 |
7273377 | Seymour | Sep 2007 | B2 |
7611357 | Han et al. | Nov 2009 | B2 |
7666054 | Glickman et al. | Feb 2010 | B2 |
8221182 | Seymour et al. | Jul 2012 | B2 |
8371894 | Rosen et al. | Feb 2013 | B1 |
8864546 | Capriola | Oct 2014 | B1 |
8991040 | Chen | Mar 2015 | B2 |
9168464 | Karunaratne | Oct 2015 | B2 |
9419378 | Bdeir | Aug 2016 | B2 |
9531031 | Shaffer, II et al. | Dec 2016 | B2 |
9597607 | Bdeir | Mar 2017 | B2 |
9812034 | Shim | Nov 2017 | B2 |
10252176 | Cecchin et al. | Apr 2019 | B1 |
20090215357 | Seligman | Aug 2009 | A1 |
20160220919 | Almog et al. | Aug 2016 | A1 |
20180236368 | Chen | Aug 2018 | A1 |
20190165527 | Lin | May 2019 | A1 |
20190232185 | Lin | Aug 2019 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
105617685 | Jun 2016 | CN |
209333212 | Sep 2019 | CN |
3422444 | May 2020 | EP |
Entry |
---|
Website screenshot of Snap Circuits BRIC: Structures | Brick & Electronics Exploration Kit; https://www.amazon.com/Snap-Circuits-BRIC-Electronics-Exploration/dp/B07CNDG65B/ref=sr_1_1?crid=N0W1OYP7N1KS&keywords=snap%2Bcircuits%2BSCBRIC1&qid=1679341125&sprefix=snap%2Bcircuits%2Bscbric1%2Caps%2C80&sr=8-1&th=1; obtained on Apr. 26, 2023 (prior art for purposes of prosecution). |
Website screenshot of E-Blox Power Blox Builder—Starter Kit 3D LED Light-Up Building Blocks; https://www.amazon.com/Blox-Power-Blox-Builder-Light-Up/dp/B071L327KC?ref_=ast_sto_dp; obtained on Apr. 26, 2023; (prior art for purposes of prosecution). |
Website screenshot of E-Blox Circuit Blox Builder—59 Projects Circuit Board Building Blocks; https://www.amazon.com/Blox-Circuit-Builder-Building-Set/dp/B01MG575LU?ref_=ast_sto_dp; obtained on Apr. 26, 2023; (prior art for purposes of prosecution). |
Website screenshot of LED “Four in One” Down Lights—(4) White 1×4 Bricks with White LEDs—USB Powered—Brick Loot; https://www.brickloot.com/collections/lights/products/white-led-down-lights-4-in-a-series-white-1x4-bricks-usb-powered-by-brickloot; obtained on Apr. 26, 2023 (prior art for purposes of prosecution). |
Website screenshot of The Original Lite Brix 12-in-1 Light Up Fire Rescue; https://www.kidswhs.com/the-original-lite-brix-12-in-1-light-up-fire-rescue/; obtained on Apr. 26, 2023 (prior art for purposes of prosecution). |
Lite Brix Super Light Buildings System (prior art for purposes of prosecution). |
Lighted blocks (prior art for purposes of prosecution). |
Yisheng Edutainment Integrated Circuit Blocks (prior art for purposes of prosecution). |
E-Blox Power Blox (prior art for purposes of prosecution). |
Light Stax Illuminated Blocks (prior art for purposes of prosecution). |
Search Report and Written Opinion for PCT Application No. PCT/US18/53821 dated Jan. 8, 2019. |
“The new Snap Circuits kit adds lighting, audio & moving parts to your LEGO builds” (Kahn) Feb. 15, 2018; retrieved from internet Nov. 25, 2018 (entire document) https://9to5toys.com/2018/02/15/snap-circuits-bric-lego/. |
Website screenshot of Light Stax Classic Light Up Building Blocks; https://shorturl.at/eCEGR; obtained on Apr. 26, 2023 (prior art for purposes of prosecution). |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20230356101 A1 | Nov 2023 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
63339204 | May 2022 | US |