Novel pixel particles

Abstract

This invention provides a novel pixel particle, comprising a particle body made of a flexible, elastically deformable material. The particle body includes a pixel display portion and a connecting portion, which are layered vertically. The bottom surface of the connecting portion has a central inlet hole communicating with an internal locking cavity located within the particle body. The size of the central inlet hole is smaller than the size of the internal locking cavity, and an elastic locking lip is formed around the periphery of the central inlet hole. The bottom surface of the connecting portion also has at least two guide grooves extending outward from the central inlet hole. These guide grooves are configured to expel air from the internal locking cavity when the novel pixel particle is inserted into an external connecting post through the central inlet hole, thereby creating a negative pressure within the internal locking cavity. Thus, this invention solves the problem that existing flexible pixel particles struggle to balance smooth insertion with secure connection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of detachable decorative parts technology, and in particular to a novel pixel particle. Background Technology

[0002] Existing interlocking components such as pixel tiles or mushroom-shaped fasteners typically use a standard post-hole fit for connection. This type of connection relies heavily on the interference force generated between rigid materials to ensure a strong connection. However, when pixel tiles are made of flexible materials such as silicone, flexible plastic, or flexible rubber, the traditional rigid post-hole fit solution becomes unsuitable. Simply enlarging the hole diameter makes insertion easier, but the connection becomes loose and prone to detachment; conversely, simply reducing the hole diameter, while providing a stronger connection, significantly increases insertion resistance, leading to difficulties in locking.

[0003] An existing patent (application number 201620041889.2) discloses a flexible bearing component, which includes a flexible plate and patterning units. The flexible plate has multiple connecting posts, and the patterning units are fitted onto the connecting posts to form a pattern. However, when this existing patterning unit is made of a flexible material, the fit between the sleeve and the connecting posts relies solely on the matching of the hole size with the dimensions of the connecting posts. If the sleeve hole diameter is too small, the insertion resistance increases; if the sleeve hole diameter is too large, the connection becomes loose. This fails to effectively balance the contradictory requirements of "easy insertion" and "firm engagement." Furthermore, in actual use, the patterning units easily slip on the connecting posts.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new type of pixel particle that can adjust the insertion and extraction forces through structural design based on the characteristics of soft materials. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a novel pixel particle and method to solve the problem that existing soft pixel particles are difficult to balance insertion smoothness and connection firmness.

[0006] To achieve the aforementioned technical effects, on one hand, the present invention provides a novel pixel particle, comprising a particle body made of a flexible material capable of elastic deformation. The particle body includes a pixel display portion and a connecting portion, which are layered vertically. The bottom surface of the connecting portion is provided with a central inlet hole, which communicates with an internal locking cavity located inside the particle body. The size of the central inlet hole is smaller than the size of the internal locking cavity, and an elastic locking lip is formed around the periphery of the central inlet hole. The bottom surface of the connecting portion is also provided with at least two guide grooves extending outward from the central inlet hole. The guide grooves are configured to squeeze the air in the internal locking cavity outward when the novel pixel particle is inserted into the external connecting post through the central inlet hole, thereby creating a negative pressure in the internal locking cavity.

[0007] Furthermore, it includes four guide grooves, which are evenly distributed circumferentially at the central entrance and extend toward the four sides of the pixel display section.

[0008] Furthermore, the upper surface of the pixel display portion is square or rounded square; and / or

[0009] The elastically deformable flexible material is silicone, flexible plastic, or flexible rubber.

[0010] Furthermore, the internal locking cavity is located inside the pixel display unit, and the pixel display unit is a hollow cavity structure; or

[0011] The internal locking cavity is located inside the connecting part, which is a hollow cavity structure.

[0012] Furthermore, the outline of the central inlet hole is a circle interrupted by the guide groove in the unstressed state, or a rhomboid shape with rounded corners; the depth and width of the guide groove are configured to provide space for the sidewall of the connecting part to expand and deform outward when the central inlet hole is opened by the external connecting column.

[0013] Furthermore, each of the guide grooves extends to the edge of the central inlet hole to form a notch; or

[0014] A partial connecting wall is maintained between each of the guide grooves and the edge of the central inlet hole.

[0015] Furthermore, the guide groove has a gradually decreasing depth structure from its inner end to its outer end; and / or

[0016] The elastic locking lip is provided with a pressure relief groove that connects the internal locking cavity and the outside.

[0017] Furthermore, when multiple novel pixel particles are arranged side by side, the sides of each pair of adjacent pixel display units are attached to or nearly attached to each other to form a continuous pixel image.

[0018] Furthermore, the guide groove is also used to cooperate with external guide ridges to position the novel pixel particles in the circumferential direction and prevent rotational displacement.

[0019] Furthermore, the elastic locking lip has a preset radial thickness, which is less than the average wall thickness of the sidewall of the connecting portion, in order to reduce the initial insertion resistance when the novel pixel particle is fitted into the external connecting post.

[0020] The novel pixel particle of the present invention, by having a guide groove extending outward from the central inlet hole on the bottom surface of the connecting part, can bring the following beneficial effects:

[0021] (1) Guiding alignment: The guide groove can be used as a guiding positioning structure to help users quickly position the external connecting column and reduce the phenomenon of misalignment.

[0022] (2) Reduce insertion resistance: The guide groove provides space for the side wall of the connection part to expand and deform outward when it is stretched by the external connecting column, which significantly reduces the insertion resistance when the soft particles are fastened, making it easier to fasten.

[0023] (3) Formation of negative pressure adsorption: During the insertion process, the air in the internal locking cavity is squeezed out through the guide groove, forming negative pressure and generating an adsorption effect similar to a suction cup, making the connection more secure.

[0024] (4) Anti-rotation positioning: Multiple guide grooves can cooperate with the guide ridges around the external connecting column to restrict the rotation of pixel particles in the circumferential direction, so that the edges of the assembled pixel image remain neat.

[0025] (5) Adjustment function: By adjusting the structural parameters such as the depth, width, whether it is through or not, and the thickness of the elastic locking lip, the insertion force and the pull-out force can be precisely adjusted to achieve the optimal balance between "easy to fasten" and "firm". Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the novel pixel particle provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the back structure of the connecting portion of the novel pixel particle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the installation between the novel pixel and the external connecting post according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the structure connecting the novel pixel particle and the external connecting post according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure of the novel pixel particles described in this invention on a flexible carrier. Detailed Implementation

[0031] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0032] It should be noted that references to "an embodiment," "embodiment," "example embodiment," etc., in this specification refer to the described embodiment including specific features, structures, or characteristics, but not every embodiment must include these specific features, structures, or characteristics. Furthermore, such expressions do not refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, when describing specific features, structures, or characteristics in conjunction with embodiments, whether or not explicitly described, it is indicated that incorporating such features, structures, or characteristics into other embodiments is within the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[0033] Furthermore, certain terms are used in the specification and subsequent claims to refer to specific components or parts. Those skilled in the art will understand that manufacturers may use different names or terms to refer to the same component or part. This specification and subsequent claims do not distinguish components or parts by differences in name, but rather by differences in function. The terms "comprising" and "including" used throughout the specification and subsequent claims are open-ended and should be interpreted as "including but not limited to".

[0034] Figures 1-4 This invention illustrates a novel pixel particle according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprising a particle body made of a flexible material that can be elastically deformed, preferably silicone, flexible plastic, or flexible rubber. The particle body includes upper and lower layered pixel display portions 11 and connecting portions 12. Specifically, the upper pixel display portion 11 and the lower connecting portion 12 are located below. The upper surface of the pixel display portion 10 is used for pixel display, and its outline shape can be set to square, rounded square, or other approximately square shape to facilitate the formation of a regular image when multiple particles are arranged side-by-side. The upper surface of the pixel display portion 10 can also be other shapes such as circles or triangles; the present invention does not limit this. The upper surfaces of multiple pixel display portions 10 have the same or different colors to facilitate the formation of various image patterns when multiple pixel display portions 10 are arranged.

[0035] The bottom surface of the connecting part 12 is provided with a central inlet hole 201. The central inlet hole 201 extends upward and communicates with the internal locking cavity 204 located inside the particle body. The size of the central inlet hole 201 is smaller than the maximum lateral size of the internal locking cavity 204, thereby naturally forming an elastically retractable ring structure, namely the elastic locking lip 203, around the central inlet hole 201. Thus, through the structural design of a large internal cavity and a small inlet, after the expanded diameter locking part 101 of the external connecting post forcibly passes through the elastic locking lip 203 and enters the internal locking cavity 204, the elastic locking lip 203 can rebound and lock the lower edge of the expanded diameter locking part 101, effectively preventing the particle from falling out.

[0036] The bottom surface of the connecting part 12 is also provided with at least two guide grooves 202 extending outward from the central inlet hole 201, such as Figure 2 In the preferred embodiment shown, there are four guide grooves 202, which are evenly distributed around the central inlet hole 201, with each pair of grooves having an included angle of approximately 90 degrees. When the upper surface of the pixel display unit 11 is square or rounded, the four guide grooves 202 extend toward the midpoints of the four sides of the square or rounded square, which gives the installation of the pixels a clear directionality, making it easy for the user to align them precisely.

[0037] See Figure 4 One of the primary functions of the guide groove 202 in this embodiment is as a pressure relief channel. It is configured such that when the user aligns the central inlet hole 201 of the new pixel particle with the external connecting post and presses it down, the end of the expanded diameter locking portion 101 of the external connecting post gradually closes the central inlet hole 201. As the external connecting post penetrates deeper and occupies the space of the internal locking cavity 204, the air inside the cavity is forced outward through the guide groove 202, which is still connected to the outside. When the particle body is fully engaged, some of the gas in the internal locking cavity 204 is discharged, creating a negative pressure state. This negative pressure is similar to the suction effect of an elastic suction cup, providing additional holding force for the connection between the particle body and the external connecting post, making it more secure.

[0038] Meanwhile, the guide groove 202 can also be used to reduce insertion resistance. The outline of the central inlet hole 201, in its unstressed state, can be a circle interrupted by the guide groove 23, or a rhomboid shape with rounded corners. The depth and width of the guide groove 202 are configured such that when the central inlet hole 201 is opened by the external connecting post, the guide groove 202 can provide space for the sidewall of the connecting portion 12 to expand outwards. Specifically, the presence of four guide grooves 202 can divide the originally continuous annular sidewall into four independently opening and closing wall segments, as if dividing the entire nozzle into multiple lobes, thus significantly reducing the pressure required for expansion.

[0039] There are two structural forms between the guide groove 202 and the central inlet hole 201. One form is: as shown below. Figure 2 As shown, each guide groove 202 extends to the edge of the central inlet hole 201 to form a notch, which allows the sidewalls to completely separate at the groove opening, providing maximum expansion freedom. Alternatively, a partial connecting wall is maintained between each guide groove 202 and the edge of the central inlet hole 201. This partial connecting wall is a thin, uncut layer of material that maintains the annular continuity of the connection 20 when unstressed, but is stretched or broken under stress, similarly achieving connectivity and providing expansion space, while potentially providing a slightly stronger initial resilience.

[0040] Furthermore, to optimize the guiding and expansion process, the guide groove 202 has a gradually decreasing depth structure from its inner end (the end near the central inlet hole 201) to its outer end (the end away from the central inlet hole 201). Specifically, in this embodiment, the inner end of the guide groove 202 (i.e., the end communicating with the central inlet hole 201) has the greatest depth; from the inner end to the outer end, the bottom surface of the guide groove 202 gradually rises in the form of a slope or arc, until it smoothly transitions and merges with the bottom surface of the connecting part 12 at the outer end of the guide groove 202. Through this gradual structure design, it is possible to ensure that the guide groove 202 has sufficient depth in its most critical inner end region to meet the dual requirements of providing ample deformation space for sidewall expansion and serving as a pressure relief channel to discharge air; at the same time, the gradually shallower outer end region ensures that the guide groove 202 does not excessively weaken the structural strength of the root of the connecting part 12, avoiding the risk of the connecting part 12 tearing from the outer end of the guide groove 202 due to stress concentration during repeated insertion and removal.

[0041] To achieve lower initial resistance during insertion, the resilient locking lip 203 has a preset radial thickness, which is less than the average wall thickness of the sidewalls of the connecting portion 12. The thinner locking lip deforms more easily upon initial contact with the external connecting post, reducing initial insertion resistance during insertion.

[0042] The location of the internal locking cavity 204 can be chosen in several ways. Preferably, in this embodiment, the internal locking cavity 204 is located inside the pixel display section 11, in which case the pixel display section 11 is designed as a hollow cavity structure to provide a larger locking space. Of course, in another optional embodiment, the internal locking cavity 204 can be located inside the connecting section 12, in which case the sidewall of the connecting section 12 extends downward and encloses a sufficient internal cavity space. The specific location can be flexibly selected according to the overall size and appearance requirements of the particles.

[0043] The novel pixel particles are designed to be used side-by-side. For example... Figure 5 As shown, when multiple novel pixel particles 20 are mounted side-by-side on a flexible carrier 10, the sides of the pixel display portions 10 of each adjacent particle are in contact with or nearly in contact with each other, thereby visually eliminating the gaps between the particles and forming a complete and continuous pixel image. The flexible carrier 10 has a specific array of connecting posts 111 arranged on it. Each connecting post 111 can be detachably connected to the particle body. The structure of each connecting post 111 is as follows: Figure 3 As shown.

[0044] Furthermore, the positioning function between the guide groove 202 and the guide ridge 102 around the external connecting post is specifically implemented in this embodiment as follows: See Figure 3The external connecting post 111 is mounted on a flexible support member 10. This flexible support member 10 has four guide ribs 102 arranged in a cross shape around each external connecting post 111. When the user installs the new pixel particle onto the external connecting post, even if the central inlet hole 201 is not fully aligned with the expanded diameter locking part 101, as long as the opening of any one of the four guide grooves 202 contacts the end of the corresponding guide rib 102, the entire pixel particle can be automatically guided to rotate to the correct installation direction during the user's downward pressure. Once installed in place, the four guide grooves 202 engage with the four guide ribs 102 one-to-one. At this time, the pixel particle is constrained circumferentially by the guide ribs 102 and cannot rotate freely. This ensures that the edges of each pixel display part 11 in the pixel image composed of multiple pixel particles remain neat and uniform, and the overall image's regularity is not compromised by the slight rotation of individual particles.

[0045] In an optional embodiment, the elastic locking lip 203 is provided with a pressure relief groove that connects the internal locking cavity 204 to the outside. That is, the pressure relief channel can be either a guide groove extending outward from the central hole, or a pressure relief notch / groove opened at the lip of the elastic locking lip and connecting the inner cavity and the outside; both are embodiments of this solution.

[0046] In summary, the novel pixel particle provided by this invention systematically solves the technical problem of soft material pixel particles being easy to insert but loose, and difficult to insert but secure, by integrating multiple structural elements such as a central inlet hole, an internal locking cavity, an elastic locking lip, and multiple guide grooves that combine guiding, pressure relief, and anti-rotation functions on its flexible connecting part. Its ingenious structural design and diverse functions not only allow for compatibility with existing matrix connecting columns, reducing the risks of industrialization and market application, but also significantly improve the user's assembly experience and the final decorative effect.

[0047] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element. Furthermore, it should be noted that the scope of the methods and apparatuses in the embodiments of the present invention is not limited to performing functions in the order shown or discussed, but may also include performing functions substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order, depending on the functions involved. For example, the described methods may be performed in a different order than described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Additionally, features described with reference to certain examples may be combined in other examples.

[0048] Of course, the present invention may have other various embodiments. Without departing from the spirit and essence of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make various corresponding changes and modifications according to the present invention, but these corresponding changes and modifications should all fall within the protection scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A novel pixel particle, characterized in that, The device includes a particle body made of a flexible, elastically deformable material. The particle body comprises a pixel display section and a connecting section, which are layered on top and bottom. The bottom surface of the connecting section has a central inlet hole that communicates with an internal locking cavity located inside the particle body. The size of the central inlet hole is smaller than the size of the internal locking cavity, and an elastic locking lip is formed around the periphery of the central inlet hole. The bottom surface of the connecting section also has at least two guide grooves extending outward from the central inlet hole. The guide grooves are configured to squeeze the air in the internal locking cavity outward when the new pixel particle is inserted into the external connecting post through the central inlet hole, thereby creating a negative pressure in the internal locking cavity.

2. The novel pixel particle according to claim 1, characterized in that, It includes four guide grooves, which are evenly distributed circumferentially at the central entrance and extend toward the four sides of the pixel display section.

3. The novel pixel particle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper surface of the pixel display unit is square or rounded square; and / or The elastically deformable flexible material is silicone, flexible plastic, or flexible rubber.

4. The novel pixel particle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The internal locking cavity is located inside the pixel display section, which is a hollow cavity structure; or The internal locking cavity is located inside the connecting part, which is a hollow cavity structure.

5. The novel pixel particle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outline of the central inlet hole is circular in the unstressed state, interrupted by the guide groove, or prismatic with rounded corners; the depth and width of the guide groove are configured to provide space for the sidewall of the connecting part to expand and deform outward when the central inlet hole is opened by the external connecting column.

6. The novel pixel particle according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the guide grooves extends to the edge of the central inlet hole to form a notch; or A partial connecting wall is maintained between each of the guide grooves and the edge of the central inlet hole.

7. The novel pixel particle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide groove has a gradually decreasing depth structure from its inner end to its outer end; and / or The elastic locking lip is provided with a pressure relief groove that connects the internal locking cavity and the outside.

8. The novel pixel particle according to claim 1, characterized in that, When multiple novel pixel particles are arranged side by side, the sides of each pair of adjacent pixel display units are attached to or nearly attached to each other to form a continuous pixel image.

9. The novel pixel particle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide groove is also used to cooperate with external guide ridges to position the novel pixel particles in the circumferential direction and prevent rotational displacement.

10. The novel pixel particle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic locking lip has a preset radial thickness, which is less than the average wall thickness of the sidewall of the connecting part, so as to reduce the initial insertion resistance when the new pixel particle is inserted into the external connecting post.

Images