US 7,731,558 B2 · Illuminated toy building structures

Abstract

The present device is an illuminated building block device that mimics the look of a laser. The building block includes a non-opaque body comprising at least two mechanical connectors. At least two electrically independent conductors each traverse the body from each connector to each other connector. At least one LED is electrically connected to at least two of the electrical conductors. With at least two building blocks mechanically connected, a power source may be applied to one of the connectors of one of the building blocks to illuminate each LED. Preferably, the body of the building block is generally transparent and is capable of transmitting light from a colored LED to a connected block, thus mimicking the look of a laser. The invention also comprises a set of building blocks that permits light from an LED to pass from one connected block to an adjacent connected block.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A building block comprising:

a non-opaque body comprising at least two mechanical connectors, at least one of the connectors of the body comprising a male connector and at least one of the other connectors of the body comprising a female connector;
two electrical conductors each traversing the body from each connector to each other connector;
at least one LED within the body and electrically connected across the two conductors;
each connector having a housing coupled to the two conductors so as to close a circuit between the conductors and illuminate the LED upon application of a power source to the connector and also transmit power to each other connector of the body along the two conductors;
and
whereby with at least two of the building blocks mechanically connected, a power source applied to any one of the connectors of either of the building blocks illuminates each LED.

3 more elements

A building block set comprising:

at least two blocks each having a non-opaque body and each having at least two mechanical connectors, one of which is a male connector and the other of which is a female connector, at least two electrically conductors each traversing the respective body from each connector to each other connector and at least one LED disposed within each body and electrically connected to the two electrical conductors of the respective body;
a power source unit having at least one mechanical connector and at least two electrically conductors each traversing the power source unit from each connector of the power source unit to a battery, the battery connected at either end to one of the conductors;
an electrical switch electrically disposed between one end of the battery and one of the connectors of the power source unit;
each connector having a housing coupled to the two conductors so as to close a circuit between the conductors and illuminate the LED upon application of a power source to the connector and also transmit power to each other connector of the body along the two conductors;
and
whereby when the blocks and the power source unit are connected at just one of the mechanical connectors of each block, the LEDs of all of the blocks are powered by the battery.

3 more elements

An illuminated toy building block set comprising:

at least one rectangular block having first and second opposing sides and third and fourth opposing sides, with an electrically conductive male mechanical connector attached with and extending laterally away from each of the first and third sides, and with an electrically conductive female mechanical connector attached with and extending inwardly into the rectangular block from each of the second and fourth sides;
at least one cylindrical block having first and second opposing ends with an electrically conductive male mechanical connector attached at and extending axially from the first end and an electrically conductive female mechanical connector attached at the second end and extending axially inwardly into the cylindrical block;
an LED fitted within each block;
each connector having a housing coupled to the two conductors so as to close a circuit between the conductors and illuminate the LED upon application of a power source to the connector and also transmit power to each other connector of the body along the two conductors;
means for conducting electrical current through the LED in each block and each of the electrically conductive mechanical connectors of each block;
and wherein
the electrically conductive male mechanical connectors and the electrically conductive female mechanical connectors of each block is dimensioned so that all of the male connectors are interconnectable with the female connectors of other blocks in an electrically conductive manner.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Illuminated toy building structures

Life of this patent

Illuminated toy building structures

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27