Joint brick for building block

Abstract

A joint brick for a building block is pivotally connected between the building blocks to work as a joint of the limbs. The joint brick includes two side plates and two axial post disposed between the side plates to be pivotally connected with engaging recesses of other building blocks. When the axial posts disposed at a top end and a bottom end of the joint brick are pivotally connected with other building blocks, the limbs can substantially swing, extend and bend relative to each other to make playing the building blocks more convenient and more interesting.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates generally to a joint brick for a building block, such as Lego bricks and Mega Bloks bricks, and more particularly, to provide a joint brick pivotally connected between the building blocks to work as a joint of a limb.[0003]2. The Prior Arts[0004]Building blocks are toys that can train hand eye coordination, enhance the development of intelligence and develop children's imagination and creativity. Therefore, the building blocks are popular and widely favored by the consumers. Currently, the most successful construction toy in the world is generally considered to be the Lego bricks, which are manufactured by The Lego Group, a company having a history of 50 years and based in Denmark. The Lego Group not only has the most customers and the largest market share in the world but also has the largest forum, creators and players. Therefore, Lego become a synonym for the building blocks. Because man...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a joint brick for a building block, and particular to a joint brick pivotally connected between the building blocks to work as a joint of a limb. Therefore, the joint brick according to the present invention overcomes the disadvantage of the conventional building blocks which use the studs and engaging recesses to connect the building blocks with each other and thus can not substantially swing, extend and bend between the building blocks that work as limbs.

[0009]When connecting the building blocks to form robots having movable limbs (upper limbs or lower limbs), insects or animals, etc, both ends of the joint brick are respectively acted as a top end and a bottom end due to the two axial posts respectively located at both ends of the joint brick. When connecting the building blocks, another building block having engaging recesses is provided at the top end of the joint brick and the engaging recess of the building block is engaged with the axial post disposed at the top end of the joint brick, so that the building block can swing around an axis of the axial post disposed at the top end of the joint brick. Similarly, another building block having engaging recesses is provided at the bottom end of the joint brick and the engaging recess of the building block is engaged with the axial post disposed at the bottom end of the joint brick, so that the building block can swing around an axis of the axial post disposed at the bottom end of the joint brick. As such, the joint brick and the building blocks connected at both ends of the joint brick can substantially swing, extend and bend relative to each other, which greatly improve convenience and interest of assembling the building blocks.

[0010]Accordingly, the joint brick pivotally connected between the building blocks to work as a joint of a limb not only can achieve the objective of the present invention but also has a very simple structure. The joint brick according to the present invention only needs two side plates and two axial posts. Thus, it greatly reduces the cost of manufacture. Assembling the building blocks with the joint bricks according to the present invention is quite simple and easy, which make playing the building blocks more interesting.

[0011]According to the technical feature of the structure mentioned above, an outer wall of the axial post includes a cylindrical surface and a ridge portion disposed on the cylindrical surface, projected in a radial direction of the axial post and extended parallel to an axis of the axial post. Due to the positional relationship between the cylindrical surface and the ridge portion, the cross section of the axial post has a contour of a water drop. The axial posts are located at positions adjacent to corners of the side plates. When the inner surface of the engaging recess of another building block is pivotally rotated along the cylindrical surface of the axial post of the joint brick, the ridge portion of the axial post can stop the relative rotation at the outer edge portions disposed at the recess opening of the engaging recess, thereby limiting the engaging recess of the building block pivotally rotating along the cylindrical surface of the joint brick. Therefore, the angle that the other building block swings relative to the joint brick is limited and the other building block is controlled to swing in a predetermined range.

[0012]According to the technical feature of the structure mentioned above, an engaging shaft is provided between the side plates to be engaged with the engaging recess of the building block. Therefore, the engaging shaft is disposed between the axial posts, so that the engaging shaft of the joint brick can be engaged with another building block having the engaging recesses. Thus, the building block is fixed with the engaging shaft of the joint brick by the engaging recess and provides the encasing function for the joint brick. Moreover, the building block may further include a decoration portion disposed at a side opposite to the connected joint brick to work as an exterior structure of the robot, the insect, the animal, and the like. Therefore, the appearance of the connected building blocks can be changed according to the designs of the decoration portion. It makes connecting the building blocks easier, more convenient and more fun.

[0013]According to the technical feature of the structure mentioned above, the axial posts and the engaging shaft are located at apexes of a triangle. The ridge portions of the axial posts are pointed toward the engaging shaft, respectively. Moreover, a portion of the engaging shaft is projected out of peripheries of the side plates. When connecting the building blocks to form the robot having upper or lower limb, the joint brick working as an elbow or a knee of the robot, the engaging shaft working as the front of the elbow or the knee, the other building blocks working as the upper arm, the lower arm, the thigh or the shank of the robot, the ridge portion of the axial post can limit the swing directions of the upper arm, the lower arm, the thigh or the shank due to the ridge portion of the axial post pointing toward the engaging shaft. This technical feature prevents the upper arm, the lower arm, the thigh or the shank from swinging to the front of the elbow or the knee, which is an abnormal state such as a bone dislocation. Therefore, the joint brick can simulate the normal activities of the upper limb and the lower limb.

Problems solved by technology

However, the interlocking structure of the conventional building blocks still has some disadvantages.

For example, when assembling the building blocks to form a robot having movable limbs (hands or legs), an insect or an animal and the like, the conventional stud-and-engaging-recess interlocking structure can not achieve that the limbs can substantially swing, extend or bend relative to each other.

However, these topics are not disclosed yet.

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