Interlocking blocks and assembly of interlocking structures
AssigneeTrustees of Dartmouth College
InventorsYinan Zhang, Devin J. Balkcom
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A set of interlocking blocks consists a plurality of first blocks and a plurality of second blocks capable of forming kinematic interlock. Each of the first blocks and second blocks comprise at least one male joint and female joint for mating with its counterpart. The motion of the first blocks and second blocks are constrained by joints. Subsequent first blocks and/or second blocks reinforce and immobilize prior first blocks and/or second blocks. Assembly of an interlock structure consisting the set of interlocking blocks may be performed via translation motions.
Claims21
A set of interlocking blocks consisting of:
- a. a plurality of first blocks, each first block having a substantially cubic shape and six faces, the six first block faces including:
- i. a first face including a central male joint, the central male joint located approximately centrally on the first face and configured for penetrating connection to a female joint;
- ii. a second face including a central female joint, the central female joint located approximately centrally on the second face, configured for penetrating connection to a male joint, and allowing for disassembly only in an opposing non-penetrating direction;
- iii. a third face including a first edge-associated male joint, the first edge-associated male joint located substantially along an edge of the third face and configured for tangential connection to an edge-associated female joint;
- and
- iv. a fourth face including a first open-ended female joint, the first open-ended female joint configured for penetrating or tangential connection to a male joint and allowing for disassembly in an opposing non-penetrating direction or an opposing tangential direction;
- and
- b. a plurality of second blocks, each second block having a substantially square cuboid shape and six face, the six second block faces including
- i. a first rectangular face having an upper portion and a lower portion,
- the upper portion of the first rectangular face including a plurality of first edge-associated female joints, each first edge-associated female joint located substantially along an edge of the upper portion of the first rectangular face and configured for tangential connection to an edge-associated male joint;
- and
- the lower portion of the first rectangular face including a lower rectangular face central male joint, the lower rectangular face central male joint located approximately centrally on the lower portion of the first rectangular face and configured for penetrating connection to a female joint;
- ii. a second rectangular face having an upper portion and a lower portion,
- the upper portion of the second rectangular face including a plurality of second edge-associated female joints, each second edge-associated female joint located substantially along an edge of the upper portion of the second rectangular face and configured for tangential connection to an edge-associated male joint;
- and
- the lower portion of the second rectangular face including a lower rectangular face central female joint, the lower rectangular face central female joint located approximately centrally on the lower portion of the second rectangular face, configured for penetrating connection to a male joint, and allowing for disassembly only in an opposing, non-penetrating direction;
- and
- iii. a first square face including
- a square face central female joint, the square face central female joint located approximately centrally on the first square face, configured for penetrating connection to a male joint, and allowing for disassembly only in an opposing, non-penetrating direction;
- and
- a plurality of square face edge-associated female joints, each square face edge-associated female joint located substantially along an edge of the first square face, configured for tangential connection to an edge-associated male joint.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.