Modular Building Blocks With Rectangular Interlocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing modular construction systems for interior walls and furniture lack stability and versatility, particularly in vertical alignment, as they often rely on smaller protrusions or cylinders that fail to maintain structural integrity with increased height, and require additional fixing means or tools for assembly and disassembly.
Innovation Solution
A set of interlocking building blocks comprising a female block with rectangular indentations and multiple male blocks with different configurations that allow simultaneous vertical and horizontal interlocking, along with a terminal and filling block for versatile assembly, made from lightweight materials like cork for ease of handling and stability, enabling manual assembly and disassembly without tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If smaller protrusions or cylinders are used for interlocking, then the blocks are easier to handle and assemble, but the vertical stability and structural integrity deteriorate with increased height
Solution Approach 1:
The interlocking mechanism transitions from point or line contact (small protrusions/cylinders) to surface contact (rectangular projections fitting into rectangular recesses). This dimensional expansion from 1D/2D to 3D interlocking provides both ease of handling and superior vertical stability, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and structural integrity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If additional fixing means or tools are used for assembly, then the structural stability improves, but the ease of assembly and disassembly deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The blocks feature self-interlocking rectangular projections and recesses that automatically secure structures without requiring external fixing means or tools. The design enables both high structural integrity and tool-free assembly/disassembly, eliminating the contradiction between stability and ease of operation.
3Strength
If male-female connections are established in one direction, then interlocking is achieved, but simultaneous interlocking in multiple directions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The rectangular projection-recess design serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides strong interlocking in vertical stacking, enables horizontal joining, and allows multi-directional assembly. This universal interlocking mechanism achieves both high strength and multi-directional adaptability, resolving the contradiction between interlocking strength and versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to interlocking building blocks for changeable modular assemblies. The set of interlocking building blocks consists of a female block (1) and a set of male blocks (2-5), wherein the female block (1) has rectangular indentations (7) and the male blocks (2-5) fit inside the rectangular indentations (7) of female blocks (1), so that a female block (1) may simultaneously fit in its rectangular indentations (7) two male blocks (2-5), and a male block (2-5) may simultaneously fit inside at least two female blocks (1). In that way, each male block (2-5) simultaneously fills in at least half the rectangular indentations (7) of at least two female blocks (1) and thus fixedly connects said at least two female blocks (1). The set of interlocking building blocks further comprises a terminal block (6) to fill in empty spaces and provide straight edges on the assembly, and a filling block (11) to extend the assembly eight, width or length. The blocks are stackable and vertically stable but reversible and easy-to-handle. No additional tools or materials are required in order to build all kinds of tridimensional structures.