Coupling device and block

Abstract

This coupling device includes a pair of coupling elements 100. Each coupling element 100 includes a coupling element body, and an engagement body 102 that can move between a retreat position and an engagement position. While moving from the retreat position to the engagement position, a portion of the moving engagement body 102 enters the counterpart coupling element 100, and moves the engagement body 102 included in the counterpart coupling element 100 to the corresponding engagement position thereof.

Description

Connectors and blocks

[0001] The present invention relates to a connecting device and a block equipped with the same.

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Known examples of connecting devices for connecting a pair of objects to each other include those that use magnetic force and those that insert a convex plug into a concave connector to secure them together.

[0003] The conventional magnetic coupling devices described above are weak against pulling forces, and the coupling can be easily broken. Furthermore, when using plugs or connectors, the surfaces to be coupled can become uneven, which limits the external shapes of the objects to be coupled and the coupling method, reducing the degree of freedom in coupling. Specifically, when there are uneven surfaces, when attempting to couple another object between two objects, it is necessary to move both objects outward to align the uneven surfaces.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and one of its objects is to provide a connecting device that can ensure a reliable connection and improve the degree of freedom in connection.

[0005] One aspect of the present invention for solving the problems of the above-mentioned conventional examples is a connecting device including a pair of connecting elements, each of which has a connecting element main body and an engaging body that is movable between a retracted position and an engaging position, and while moving from the retracted position to the engaging position, a part of the moving engaging body enters the mating connecting element, and moves the engaging body of the mating connecting element to the engaging position.

[0006] According to the present invention, since the engaging bodies can be disposed in a retracted position, there is no need to make the connecting surfaces uneven, and since they enter and engage with each other's connecting elements, the connection can be ensured.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a block according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing an example of a coupling device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing an example of an engaging body of a coupling device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing an example of movement of the engaging body of a coupling device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing an example of a drive unit of a coupling device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing an example of an arrangement of blocks when coupled according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing an example of a coupled state of a coupling device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing an example of a coupling surface in a coupling device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 9 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing another example of a coupling device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10 is an explanatory

[0008] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description and drawings, the size of each part, the size ratio of each part, and the like are examples unless otherwise specified, and are not limited to the examples in the following description, etc.

[0009] 1, a connecting device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention connects a pair of blocks 1, which are objects to be connected, to each other, and each of the blocks 1a, 1b, etc. includes at least one connecting element 100. For ease of explanation, the blocks 1 are all assumed to have substantially the same cubic shape.

[0010] In the following description, the normal direction of the surface member 103 of the block 1 illustrated in Fig. 1 is the Z axis (the inward direction of the block 1 is the positive direction), the vertical direction is the Y axis (the up direction is the positive direction), and the direction perpendicular to the Z axis and Y axis is the X axis (the rightward direction in Fig. 1 is the positive direction).

[0011] This block 1 has a frame 11 made of cubic pillars, and surface members are fitted and fixed to each face of this frame 11. In this embodiment, a connecting element 100 is disposed on at least one of the six faces of this block 1 (or on multiple faces).

[0012] As shown in Fig. 2, each connecting element 100 includes a connecting element main body 101, an engaging body 102, and a surface member 103. In the following description, as shown in Fig. 3, the engaging body 102 has a main body 1021 having a solid semi-torus shape (a shape obtained by rotating a circle of radius r, which is the generating line, by 180 degrees around a rotation axis located outside the circle (a distance R-r from the generating line circle, where R>r)), and a columnar convex portion 1022 disposed at the center of the outer circumference of the main body 1021 and convex outward in a direction perpendicular to the tangent to the outer circumference. In the following description, both end surfaces of this semi-torus shape (the surfaces of the circle of radius r, which is the generating line) are referred to as engaging surfaces 102P, Q.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 2 , the connecting element body 101 includes a support portion 21 , an engagement body accommodating portion 22 , and a drive portion 23 rotatably supported by the engagement body accommodating portion 22 .

[0014] The support portion 21 supports the engaging body accommodating portion 22 so that it is parallel to the surface member 103. In one example of this embodiment, the support portion 21 includes a support pillar 211 fixed (standing) so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the surface member 103 from a position corresponding to the center of the surface member 103 of the connecting element, and the support pillar 211 supports the engaging body accommodating portion 22 and the drive portion 23.

[0015] The housing body 221 is supported by a support column 211 of the support unit 21, with its center fixed thereto. In this embodiment, the housing body 221 is a slightly thick, plate-like member (disk-shaped in the example of FIG. 3 ) having a surface 103P parallel to the surface member 103, and at least one guide groove 2211 capable of accommodating the engaging body 102 is formed on the surface (front surface) facing the surface member 103. In one example of this embodiment, as already described, the body 1021 of the engaging body 102 has a semi-torus shape. In this example, the guide groove 2211 is a semi-circular recess capable of accommodating the engaging body 102, and its depth is shorter by d than R + r (the radius of the semicircle around the outer periphery of the engaging body 102). Furthermore, the guide groove 2211 has an opening 2211H at the center of the width direction of the groove, allowing the protrusion 1022 of the engaging body 102 to protrude toward the back surface of the housing body 221 along the longitudinal direction of the guide groove 2211.

[0016] In this example, the guide grooves 2211 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the Y axis. The example in Fig. 2 shows an example in which four guide grooves 2211 are arranged at 90 degrees around an axis whose center passes through the center of the surface member 103. In Fig. 2, two of the guide grooves 2211 are arranged so that their centers are located on a line segment that passes through the center and is parallel to the Y axis.

[0017] The drive unit 23 has a surface parallel to the surface member 103 and includes a disk body 231 supported by the support column 211 of the support unit 21 so as to be rotatable around the support column 211 (around the Z axis), and a rotation mechanism unit 232 that rotates the disk body 231 around the support column 211. Hereinafter, rotation of the disk body 231 refers to rotation around the support column 211. In one example of this embodiment, the rotation mechanism 232 is disposed on the back surface of the disk body 231 (the surface on the positive side of the Z axis in the drawing). However, this is just one example, and as will be described later, this embodiment is not limited to this example.

[0018] The disk body 231 is disposed on the rear side of the housing main body 221, and has a through-hole 2311 formed therein into which the protrusion 1022 of the engaging body 102, which protrudes to the rear side through (the opening 2211H of) the housing main body 221, fits with play (is loosely fitted). The disk body 231 is rotated at least within a predetermined angular range by a rotation mechanism 232, which will be described later.

[0019] In this configuration, when the protrusions 1022 of the engaging bodies 102 are oriented parallel to the positive direction of the Z axis, the through-holes 2311 corresponding to each engaging body 102 are positioned substantially at the center of the guide grooves 2211 corresponding to the engaging bodies 102. Hereinafter, the position (rotation angle) of the disk body 231 at this time will be referred to as the reference position. At this time, as schematically shown in FIG. 4( a), the engaging body 102 is housed within the guide grooves 2211, and is positioned in a retracted position where neither of the two engaging surfaces 102P, Q protrudes from the surface member 103, which will be described later.

[0020] On the other hand, when the disc body 231 rotates from the reference position, the through hole 2311 moves in accordance with this rotation, and the protrusion 1022 loosely fitted in the through hole 2311 also moves, so that the engaging body 102 slides along the inner surface of the guide groove 2211, and one of its engaging surfaces 102P moves outward from the guide groove 2211 and into an engaging position protruding from the surface member 103, which will be described later, as shown schematically in Figure 4 (b).

[0021] For example, when the disk body 231 rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the side of the surface member 103, one of the engaging bodies 102 supported by the guide groove 2211 whose longitudinal direction extends in the X-axis direction has the protrusion 1022 loosely fitted into the through-hole 2311 of this disk body 231 via the opening 2211H, and therefore the protrusion 1022 is pushed in the direction in which the through-hole 2311 moves as the disk body 231 rotates (for example, in the negative direction of the X-axis for the through-hole 2311 located on the positive side of the Y-axis relative to the center of rotation). As a result, the engaging body 102 slides within the guide groove 2211, causing one engaging surface 102P to protrude outside the guide groove 2211 by more than the length d, and moving to the engaging position.

[0022] Furthermore, when the disc body 231 rotates clockwise when viewed from the surface member 103 side from this engagement position, the engagement body 102 is pushed against the convex portion 1022 loosely fitted in the through hole 2311 as the through hole 2311 moves (moves in the positive direction of the X-axis), causing the engagement body 102 to slide within the guide groove 2211, and the engagement surface 102P moves toward the guide groove 2211, returning to the retracted position.

[0023] In order to rotate the disk body 231, in one example of this embodiment, as illustrated in Fig. 5(a), convex portions 2312 and 2313 are formed on the back side of the disk body 231 at positions that are offset from the rotation axis (center) C of the disk body 231, and that when the disk body 231 is in a predetermined reference position, are spaced apart from the center C by a line segment L that is parallel to the Y axis and passes through the center C, and at positions that are at different angles from the center C (and at positions where the angles from the positive direction of the Y axis are less than +90 degrees and less than -90 degrees, respectively). Note that in Fig. 5, the positive angle direction is counterclockwise.

[0024] The protrusion 2312 of the disk body 231 is loosely fitted into an opening B1H formed at one end of a push button B1 that is supported so as to be movable up and down in the Y-axis direction. The other end of the push button B1 extends to the other surface (bottom surface) F of the block 1 that is adjacent to the surface member 103 and is located below in the Y-axis direction in the drawing. This push button B1 serves as the first drive member of the present invention.

[0025] In this embodiment, by pressing the push button B1, the protrusion 2312 formed on the back surface of the disk body 231 of the drive unit 23 is moved in the positive direction of the Y axis, causing the disk body 231 to rotate counterclockwise as viewed from the side of the surface member 103 (FIG. 5(b)). Therefore, at this time, the engaging body 102 (or all of them if there are multiple engaging bodies) moves to the engaging position.

[0026] The device further includes a push button B2, one end of which abuts against the protrusion 2313 when the push button B1 is pressed and the disk body 231 rotates to a position where it is supported so as to be movable in the positive direction of the Y axis relative to the bottom surface. This push button B2 serves as a second drive member of the present invention. In this example of the present embodiment, the disk body 231 and the push buttons B1 and B2 form a rotation mechanism 232.

[0027] The other end of this push button B2 also extends to the bottom surface F. It is also preferable to restrict the movement of these push buttons B1 and B2 so that they are only allowed to move up and down in the Y-axis direction. This can be achieved by a known method such as providing a guide that restricts this movement, so a detailed explanation will be omitted here.

[0028] When push button B1 is pressed down, push button B2 is pushed outward from bottom surface F by convex portion 2313 (FIG. 5B). When push button B2 is pressed inward from block 1 from this state, convex portion 2313 formed on the back surface of disk body 231 moves in the positive direction of the Y axis, causing disk body 231 to rotate clockwise as viewed from the face member 103 side. Here, push button B2 has a length (length in the Y axis direction) and width (length in the X axis direction) that are sufficient to return disk body 231 to the reference position when push button B2 is pressed down. That is, by setting the length of the push button B2 equal to the length from the convex portion 2313 to the bottom surface F when the disk body 231 is in the reference position, operation of the push button B2 will prevent the disk body 231 from rotating further clockwise as seen from the side of the surface member 103 beyond the reference position, and movement of the engaging body 102 in one direction is restricted in the retracted position. Also, at this time, the push button B1, one end of which is engaged with the convex portion 2312, is pushed out in the direction protruding from the surface F, and the engaging body 102 (or all of them if there are multiple engaging bodies) moves to the retracted position.

[0029] The surface member 103 is a plate-like body with a thickness of approximately d, and is fixed to the frame 11. This surface member 103 is arranged with its back surface (the inner surface of the block 1) abutting against the accommodation body main body 221 of the engaging body accommodation section 22. Furthermore, this surface member 103 is provided with a pair of through-holes 1031 for each engaging body 102, through which the engaging surfaces 102P, Q, which are the ends of the engaging bodies, can pass (i.e., the through-holes 1031 communicate with the guide grooves 2211 formed in the accommodation body main body 221).

[0030] In this embodiment, when the engaging body 102 is in the retracted position, both of the engaging surfaces 102P and 102Q, which are both ends of the engaging body 102, protrude from the accommodating body main body 221 by a length d, which is equivalent to the thickness of the surface member 103. Therefore, the engaging body 102 is retracted into the surface member 103. On the other hand, when the engaging body 102 moves along the guide groove 2211 to the engaging position, the engaging surface 102P, which is one end of the engaging body 102, protrudes from the accommodating body main body 221 by more than the length d. In other words, in the engaged position, the engaging surface 102P of the engaging body 102 protrudes outward from the surface member 103. The movement trajectory of the end is a circular ring (torus-shaped) concentric with the center of a semi-torus (semicircle). In other words, the engaging body 102 in this example rotates around the center of the semicircle.

[0031] [Connection operation] The connection elements 100 of this embodiment are configured as in the above example, so when they are arranged opposite each other and the push button B1 is operated to move the engaging body 102 of one of the connection elements 100 to the engagement position, connection is performed as follows.

[0032] 6, when blocks 1a and 1b (connection targets), each having a pair of connecting elements, are arranged opposite each other, the engaging bodies 102 at corresponding positions housed in the guide grooves 2211 of the engaging body housing portions 22 arranged symmetrically with respect to the Y axis are positioned so that the engaging surfaces 102P and Q, which are the ends of the engaging bodies 102, face each other, and the through holes 1031 of the surface members 103, which are positioned symmetrically with respect to the Y axis, also face each other. Note that, for the sake of explanation below, the reference numerals of the parts of block 1a will be suffixed with "a," and the reference numerals of the parts of block 1b will be suffixed with "b."

[0033] In the above state, when a user operates the push button B1 of one block 1a, the disk body 231a of the connecting element 100a provided on block 1a rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the face member 103a side, and the engaging body 102a moves to the engaging position. At this time, the engaging surface 102aP, which is one end of the engaging body 102a on this block 1a side, protrudes from the through-hole 1031a of the face member 103a, as illustrated in Figures 7(a) and 7(b). However, because the face member 103a and the face member 103b of block 1b are arranged in positions where the through-holes 1031a and 1031b face each other, a part of the engaging body 102a, including the engaging surface 102aP, enters the connecting element 100b of the mating block 1b and pushes in the engaging surface 102bQ, which is one end of the engaging body 102b provided on the mating connecting element 100b, and this engaging body 102b also moves to the engaging position.

[0034] 7 shows a schematic cross section of the connecting element 100 of the connecting device 10, broken along a plane passing through the center of the thickness direction of the engaging body 102. For ease of viewing, only the engaging body 102 and the surface member 103 are shown in FIG. 7( a) . FIG. 7( a) illustrates a cross section in a state where neither of the engaging surfaces 102P, Q, which are the ends of the engaging body 102, protrudes from the surface member 103 (in the retracted position), and FIG. 7( b) illustrates a cross section in a state where the engaging surface 102P, which is one end of the engaging body 102, protrudes from the surface member 103 (in the engaged position).

[0035] 7(b), the protrusion 1022b on the rear side of the engaging body 102b rotates the disk body 231b counterclockwise as viewed from the face member 103b, pushing the push button B2b, which is engaged with the protrusion 2313b on the rear side of the disk body 231b, outward from the bottom surface. Furthermore, the engaging surface 102bP, which is the other end of the engaging body 102b, protrudes from the through-hole 1031b of the face member 103b. However, because the face member 103b and the face member 103a of the block 1a are positioned so that the through-holes 1031a and 1031b face each other, a portion of the engaging body 102b, including the engaging surface 102bP, enters the connecting element 100a of the mating block 1a. The engaging surface 102aQ, which is the other end of the engaging body 102a of the mating connecting element 100a, also moves.

[0036] At this time, the push button B2a on the block 1a side is also pushed outward from the bottom surface.

[0037] In this way, a portion of the engaging bodies 102a, 102b of the pair of connecting elements 100a, 100b enters the corresponding connecting element 100a, 100b along a torus-shaped movement locus, thereby engaging the connecting elements 100a, 100b with each other. Note that, because the movement loci of these engaging bodies 102a, 102b are torus-shaped, the ends of the engaging bodies 102a, 102b enter the inside of the surface member 103 of the corresponding connecting element 100, and the blocks 1a, 1b are connected to each other, and can withstand being pulled in opposite directions along the Z axis.

[0038] To release this connected state, both of the engaging bodies 102a and 102b of the connecting elements 100a and 100b that are engaged with each other are moved to the retracted positions.

[0039] To do this, the push button B2 of either of the connected blocks 1a or 1b is pressed in. For example, when the push button B2a of block 1a is pressed, the protrusion 2313a formed on the back surface of the disk body 231a moves in the positive direction of the Y axis, and the disk body 231a rotates clockwise when viewed from the face member 103a side.

[0040] As a result, the protrusions 1022a on the back surface of the engaging body 102a also move in accordance with the movement of the through-holes 2311a of the disk body 231a into which they are loosely fitted, and the engaging body 102a moves to the retracted position. At this time, the engaging surface 102bP of the engaging body 102b of the block 1b, which is the counterpart with which the engaging surface 102aQ of the engaging body 102a abuts, is pushed by the movement of the engaging body 102a, and the engaging body 102a returns to the retracted position (FIG. 7(a)).

[0041] In this manner, in this embodiment, by pressing the push button B2 of either of the connected blocks 1a, 1b, the engaging bodies 102 of both blocks 1 return to the retracted position, and the connection is released.

[0042] [Shape of the Engagement Body] In the explanation up to this point, the shape of the engagement body 102 has been described as a semi-torus shape obtained by rotating a circle, which is the generatrix, by 180 degrees within a predetermined plane around a point outside the circle as the center. However, the shape of the engagement body 102 in this embodiment is not limited to this example.

[0043] In this embodiment, the pair of engaging bodies 102 abut against each other at their end surfaces, i.e., engaging surfaces 102P, Q, and when one engaging surface 102P is moved in the normal direction of the abutment surface, the other engaging surface 102Q is pushed by the movement, and both engaging bodies 102 move integrally along a certain movement trajectory. In other words, the engaging body 102 has only to have a substantially semicircular shape in a plan view (excluding the convex portion formed on the back surface). Therefore, the cross section may have any shape, whether circular, rectangular, or other polygonal.

[0044] [Configuration of the drive unit] In the explanation up to this point, the drive unit 23 that rotates the disk body 231 and moves the engagement body 102 between the retracted position and the engagement position rotates the disk body 231 by pressing the convex portion formed on the back side of the disk body 231 and moving it with buttons B1 and B2, but this embodiment is not limited to this.

[0045] The rotation mechanism 232 according to another aspect of this embodiment is only required to be able to rotate the disk 231. It may also be configured to directly rotate the disk 231 by contacting the outer periphery of the disk 231. As an example, teeth may be formed on at least a portion of the outer periphery of the disk 231, and a gear may be used that engages with a dial or slide switch. The disk 231 may be rotated via the gear by operating the dial or slide switch. In this example, the dial, slide switch, and gear implement the rotation mechanism 232. In this example, the rotational range may be limited to between a reference position (the position where the engaging body 102 is in the retracted position) and a position where the engaging body 102 is in the engaged position. Furthermore, movement from the retracted position to the engaged position may be limited to one direction. In this example, when the engaging body 102 is returned from the engaged position to the retracted position, it will not move beyond the retracted position. Various known methods for restricting the rotation may be employed, such as limiting the range of teeth on the outer periphery of the disk 231.

[0046] [Guidance by Magnetic Force] In another example of this embodiment, magnets may be arranged on the surface (i.e., the connecting surface) of the surface member 103, so that when the magnets are placed facing each other, they are attracted to each other by the magnetic force of the magnets. Specifically, as illustrated in Fig. 8, a first magnet 91 with its north pole facing toward the surface of the surface member 103 and a second magnet 92 with its south pole facing toward the surface are arranged at at least a pair of locations (two pairs are shown in Fig. 8) symmetrical about the Y axis of the surface member 103.

[0047] In this example, when blocks 1 each equipped with the surface member 103 of this example are placed facing each other with the orientation of their bottom surfaces F aligned, the first magnet 91 and the second magnet 92 are attracted to each other and coupled together. Furthermore, since the first and second magnets 91, 92 are arranged in corresponding positions, it is relatively easy to align the positions of the corresponding through holes 1031a, b of the pair of blocks 1a, 1b, and to position the engaging surfaces 102P, Q, which are the ends of the engaging bodies 102 provided on each of the pair of connecting elements 100, in contact with each other.

[0048] Furthermore, in this example of the present embodiment, block 1 has at least two connection states as its connection manner: (1) a first connection state in which the blocks are joined by magnetic force without using any interlocking elements and can be released with a relatively small force, and (2) a second connection state in which the blocks are joined by interlocking elements such as engaging body 102 and cannot be released without following a predetermined release procedure, making it possible to select the connection state depending on the application, etc.

[0049] Furthermore, the magnets may be disposed not only on the surface of the plane member 103, but also on the end of the main body 1021 of the engaging body 102. In this example, magnets with opposite polarities are disposed on one end of the main bodies 1021a, 1021b of the engaging bodies 102a, 102b of a pair of blocks 1a, 1b that face each other when connected, and similarly, magnets with opposite polarities are disposed on the other end of the main bodies 1021a, 102b of each engaging body 102a, 102b. This makes it possible to reliably abut the opposing ends of the main body 1021 of the engaging body 102 with their centers aligned when connected.

[0050] [Example of Including a Conductor Inside an Engaging Body to Send and Receive Signals] In this example of the present embodiment, if a conductor is included inside the engaging body 102 and exposed at the engaging surfaces 102P, Q, which are its end faces, it becomes possible to obtain an electrical connection between the blocks 1 when the engaging surfaces 102P, Q, which are the end faces of the engaging bodies 102 of the connecting elements 100 provided on each of the pair of blocks 1, come into contact with each other. In this example, each block 1 may be provided with a programmable control device such as a microcomputer, and such a device may send and receive signals between the blocks 1 via the electrical connection.

[0051] When a conductor is included inside the engaging body 102 in this way, an insulator is placed around the conductor inside the engaging body 102, and magnets are placed on the periphery of the insulator and on the end of the main body 1021 of the engaging body 102 (the periphery of the engaging surfaces 102P, Q). The magnets are placed so that their polarities are opposite to each other on the engaging surfaces 102P, Q (the pairs of engaging surfaces 102aP and 102bQ, and the pairs of engaging surfaces 102bP and 102aQ) of the main bodies 1021a, b of the engaging bodies 102a, 102b of the pair of blocks 1a, 1b that face each other when connected. This ensures reliable alignment of the internal conductors.

[0052] [Another Example of Rotation Mechanism] In the description of this embodiment so far, in order to drive the engaging body 102, a columnar convex portion 1022 having an axial direction parallel to the normal direction of the engaging surfaces 102P, Q is formed in the center of the main body 1021 of the engaging body 102, and the engaging body 102 is driven by moving the convex portion 1022 using the rotation mechanism portion 232 that engages with the convex portion 1022. However, the method of driving the engaging body 102 in this embodiment is not limited to the example described so far.

[0053] Figure 9 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing an example of a connecting device 10' using an engaging body 102' according to another example of this embodiment. As shown in Figure 9, this connecting device 10' includes a connecting element main body 101', at least one engaging body 102' (four in Figure 9), a surface member 103, and a driver 104. Note that components similar to those shown in Figure 2 are designated by the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

[0054] Here, the engaging body 102′ includes a main body 1021′ having a shape similar to that of the main body 1021 of the engaging body 102, but differs in that a columnar convex portion 1022′ having an axial direction parallel to the engaging surfaces 102′P, Q is formed instead of the convex portion 1022. Furthermore, this convex portion 1022′ may be disposed at a position offset to one side from the center between both engaging surfaces 102′P, Q (for example, on a side relatively close to either of the engaging surfaces, e.g., the engaging surface 102′Q).

[0055] The connecting element main body 101' includes a support portion 21 and an engaging body accommodating portion 22'. The support portion 21 supports the engaging body accommodating portion 22' so that it is parallel to the surface member 103. Here too, the support portion 21 supports the engaging body accommodating portion 22' by the support portion 21 fixed (standing) so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the surface member 103 from a position corresponding to the center of the surface member 103 of the connecting element.

[0056] Like the engaging body accommodating portion 22, this engaging body accommodating portion 22' is configured to include a slightly thick, disk-shaped member having a surface parallel to the plane member 103, and at least one guide groove 2211' capable of accommodating the engaging body 102 is formed on its surface (referred to as the front surface) facing the plane member 103. In this example, the engaging body 102' has a semi-torus-shaped main body 1021', and therefore in this example, the guide groove 2211' is also a semi-circular recess capable of accommodating this, and its depth is set to be shorter by d than R+r (the radius of the semicircle around the outer periphery of the engaging body 102'). Furthermore, in this example of the present embodiment, a recess may be formed in the engaging body accommodating portion 22' from this guide groove 2211' to the outer periphery of the engaging body accommodating portion 22' that lacks the movement locus of the convex portion 1022' of the engaging body 102'.

[0057] The example of Figure 9 shows an example in which, similar to the example of Figure 2, four guide grooves 2211' corresponding to each of the engaging bodies 102' are arranged at 90-degree intervals around an axis whose center passes through the center of the surface member 103.

[0058] The driver 104 is an annular member having a knob 104K protruding outward from a portion of its circumference, and recesses 1041, the number of which is equal to the number of the engaging bodies 102', are formed on the inner circumference of the driver 104. The protrusions 1022' of the engaging body 102' are inserted (loosely inserted) at least in the Z-axis direction. In this embodiment, the position of the end of the recess 1041 on the surface member 103 side (i.e., the thickness of the driver 104 (width in the Z-axis direction in the drawing) and the shape and size of the recess 1041) are determined so that the protrusions 1022' come into contact with the end when the engaging body 102' is in the retracted position, and the engaging body 102' is rotatable in only one direction from the retracted position.

[0059] The driver 104 is supported rotatably around the outer periphery of the engaging body accommodating portion 22'. As an example, the driver 104 engages with the outer periphery of the engaging body accommodating portion 22' and is rotatable at least within a predetermined angular range along the outer periphery, and is sandwiched between the plane member 103 and the engaging body accommodating portion 22', so that its movement in the Z-axis direction is restricted.

[0060] Furthermore, the knob 104K of the driver 104 is exposed to the outside from the side of the surface member 103, and the user can rotate the driver 104 along the outer periphery of the engagement body accommodating portion 22' by moving the knob 104K.

[0061] In this example, when the engaging surfaces 102P, Q of the engaging body 102' are in a retracted position where they do not protrude from the face member 103 (Figure 10(a)), and the user operates the knob 104K to rotate the driver 104 counterclockwise as viewed from the outside of the face member 103, the convex portion 1022' of the engaging body 102', which is loosely inserted into the concave portion 1041 on the inner circumference of the driver 104, moves in accordance with the rotation, and the engaging body 102' slides within the guide groove 2211' and moves to an engaging position where one of the engaging surfaces 102'P protrudes outside the guide groove 2211' (Figure 10(b)).

[0062] Here, while the driver 104 rotates within a plane normal to the Z axis, the convex portion 1022' formed on the engaging body 102' also moves in the normal direction of the plane member 103 (the Z axis direction in FIG. 9 ) as the driver 104 rotates, but this convex portion 1022' is loosely inserted into the concave portion 1041 of the driver 104 so as to be movable in the Z axis direction, and therefore the movable range of the engaging body 102' can be determined by the position of the convex portion 1022' and the size and shape of the concave portion 1041. In the embodiment, as already described, the position of the convex portion 1022' and the size and shape of the concave portion 1041 are determined in advance so that the engaging body 102' can move between the retracted position and the engaging position.

[0063] In this example of the present embodiment, when the user operates the knob 104K from the engaged position (Figure 10(b)) to rotate the driver 104 clockwise as viewed from the outside of the face member 103, the convex portion 1022' of the engagement body 102', which is loosely inserted into the recess 1041 on the inner circumference of the driver 104, moves in response to the rotation, and the engagement body 102' slides within the guide groove 2211', moving to a retracted position where each engagement surface 102'P, Q does not protrude from the face member 103 (Figure 10(a)).

[0064] According to this example of the present embodiment, it is possible to couple and uncouple the blocks 1 to each other by operating a knob instead of a push button.

[0065] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Block, 10 Connecting device, 11 Frame body, 21 Support portion, 22 Engagement body accommodating portion, 23 Drive portion, 91 Magnet, 92 Magnet, 100 Connecting element, 101 Connecting element main body, 102 Engagement body, 103 Planar member, 211 Support column, 221 Accommodating portion main body, 231 Disk body, 232 Rotation mechanism portion, 1021 Main body, 1022 Convex portion, 1031 Through hole, 2211 Guide groove, 2311 Through hole.

Claims

1. A coupling device including a pair of coupling elements, each of which has a coupling element body and an engaging body that is movable between a retracted position and an engaged position, and during movement from the retracted position to the engaged position, a portion of the moving engaging body enters the mating coupling element, causing the engaging body of the mating coupling element to move to the engaged position.

2. A coupling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the engaging body has a semicircular shape and rotates around the centre of the semicircle while the ends of the engaging bodies of each of the pair of coupling elements are in contact with each other, moving from the retracted position to the engaging position, and the ends of the engaging bodies of each of the pair of coupling elements enter or retract into the coupling element bodies of the respective coupling elements, thereby achieving a coupled state.

3. A coupling device according to claim 2, comprising a first drive member that moves the engaging body in one direction from the retracted position to the engaging position, and a second drive member that moves the engaging body in the other direction from the engaging position to the retracted position.

4. A coupling device according to claim 2, comprising a drive member for moving said engaging body, wherein, in said retracted position, movement of said engaging body in either direction is restricted.

5. A coupling device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the engaging body has a semi-torus shape with the end portion being circular.

6. A coupling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pair of coupling elements are coupled to each other with coupling surfaces of the coupling element bodies in contact, and the coupling surfaces of the coupling element bodies are provided with magnetic members which attract each other with the coupling surfaces of the opposing coupling element bodies, and when the magnetic members attract each other and the coupling surfaces are in contact, the ends of the engaging bodies of each of the pair of coupling elements are aligned in a state of contact with each other.

7. Blocks that are equipped with a connecting device and can be connected to each other by the connecting device, wherein the connecting element comprises a connecting element main body and an engaging body that is movable between a retracted position and an engaging position, and while this engaging body moves from the retracted position to the engaging position, a part of the moving engaging body enters the connecting element of the other block to be connected, and moves the engaging body of the connecting element of the other block to the engaging position.

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