Building block system and fasteners therefor

A building block comprising:

• a structural member defining an outer envelope of the building block and defining a cavity;
• and
• a first fastener securably assembled to and protruding from a first surface of the structural member, the first fastener received within the cavity and comprising:
• a first fastener body configured to not rotate in the cavity in the structural member, the first fastener body comprising:
• a first portion configured to be received within a structural member;
• and
• a second portion defining a plurality of teeth extending in a direction parallel to an axis of the fastener, the second portion of the first fastener body being configured to not rotate with respect to the first portion of the first fastener body about the axis of the fastener during manipulation of the first fastener or the first fastener body thereof, the fastener being a first fastener, a space defined between each pair of adjacent teeth of the plurality of teeth of the first fastener sized to receive any one of a plurality of teeth defined in a fastener of a second building block, the plurality of teeth of the first fastener configured to lockably engage with the plurality of teeth of the fastener of the second building block, the first fastener being configured to lockably receive the fastener of the second building block in any one of multiple angular positions of the fastener of the second building block measured about the axis of the first fastener when an axis of the fastener of the second building block is aligned with the axis of the first fastener;
• and
• one of a) a second fastener body comprising an axially magnetized magnet received within the first fastener body and configured to maintain a position of the fastener of the second building block with respect to the first fastener through a magnetic force attracting the magnet to the fastener of the second building block and b) a connecting fastener configured to maintain a position of the fastener of the second building block with respect to the first fastener through a mechanical connection.

A system of building blocks, the system comprising:

• a first building block comprising:
• a first structural member defining an outer envelope of the first building block;
• and
• a first fastener securably assembled to the first structural member and configured to not rotate with respect to the first structural member, the first fastener comprising:
• a first fastener body comprising:
• a first portion configured to be received within a structural member;
• and
• a second portion defining a plurality of teeth extending in a direction parallel to an axis of the fastener, the second portion of the first fastener body being configured to not rotate with respect to the first portion of the first fastener body about the axis of the fastener during manipulation of the first fastener or the first fastener body thereof, the fastener being a first fastener, a space defined between each pair of adjacent teeth of the plurality of teeth of the first fastener sized to receive any one of a plurality of teeth defined in a fastener of a second building block, the plurality of teeth of the first fastener configured to lockably engage with the plurality of teeth of a first fastener of the second building block, the first fastener of the first building block being configured to lockably receive the first fastener of the second building block in any one of multiple angular positions of the fastener of the second building block measured about the axis of the first fastener of the first building block when an axis of the fastener of the second building block is aligned with the axis of the first fastener of the first building block;
• and
• one of a) a second fastener body comprising an axially magnetized magnet received within the first fastener body and configured to maintain a position of the first fastener of the second building block with respect to the first fastener of the first building block through a magnetic force attracting the magnet to the first fastener of the second building block and b) a connecting fastener configured to maintain a position of the first fastener of the second building block with respect to the first fastener of the first building block through a mechanical connection, and
• a second building block comprising:
• a second structural member defining an outer envelope of the second building block;
• and
• a first fastener securably assembled to the second structural member and configured to not rotate with respect to the second structural member comprising:
• a first fastener body, the first fastener body of the first fastener of the second building block comprising:
• a first portion configured to be received within the second structural member;
• and
• a second portion defining a plurality of teeth extending in a direction parallel to an axis of the first fastener of the second building block, a space defined between each pair of adjacent teeth of the plurality of teeth of the first fastener of the second building block sized to receive any one of a plurality of teeth defined in the first fastener of the first building block, the plurality of teeth of the first fastener of the second building block configured to lockably engage with the plurality of teeth of the first fastener of the first building block;
• and
• one of a) a second fastener body of the first fastener of the second building block comprising an axially magnetized magnet received within the first fastener body of the first fastener of the second building block and configured to maintain a position of the first fastener of the second building block with respect to the first fastener of the first building block through a magnetic force attracting the magnet of the first fastener of the second building block to the first fastener of the first building block and b) a connecting fastener configured to maintain a position of the first fastener of the second building block with respect to the first fastener of the first building block.