Brick

Abstract

A brick (2) for the plug connection in a plug connection system in a space spanned by a longitudinal direction (4), a transverse direction (6) transverse to the longitudinal direction (4) and a height direction (8) transverse to the longitudinal direction (4) and transverse to the transverse direction (6), including: a first brick part (10) having an interior space (14) which is bounded by a wall (16) in the longitudinal direction (4) and the transverse direction (6) on both sides and in the height direction (8) on the top side (17), the first brick part (10) having a first plug connection element (18) on the top side (17). a second brick part (12) having an interior space (26) which is bounded by a wall (28) in the longitudinal direction (4).

Claims

1. A brick (2) for the plug connection in a plug connection system in a space spanned by a longitudinal direction (4), a transverse direction (6) transverse to the longitudinal direction (4) and a height direction (8) transverse to the longitudinal direction (4) and transverse to the transverse direction (6), comprising: a first brick part (10) having an interior space (14) which is bounded by a wall (16) in the longitudinal direction (4) and the transverse direction (6) on both sides and in the height direction (8) on the top side (17), the first brick part (10) having a first plug connection element (18) on the top side (17), a second brick part (12) having an interior space (26) which is bounded by a wall (28) in the longitudinal direction (4) and the transverse direction (6) on both sides and in the height direction (8) on the bottom side(30), the second brick part (12) having a second plug connection element (32) on the bottom side (30) which can be plugged in to the first plug connection element (18). wherein the second brick part (12) is formed larger than the first brick part (10) both in the longitudinal direction (4) and in the transverse direction (6), wherein the first brick part (10) is telescopically pushed into the interior space (26) of the second brick part (12) against the height direction (8), and wherein the two brick parts (10, 12) being supported against each other by a common resetting element (42) arranged in the interior spaces (14, 26).

2. The brick (2) according to claim 1, wherein the wall (28) of the second brick part (12) has, on its surfaces facing the interior space (26), brick part form fit elements (32) directed into the interior space, which guide the first brick part (10) in the height direction (8) and block a movement of the first brick part (10) in the longitudinal direction (4) and the transverse direction (6).

3. The brick (2) according to claim 1, wherein a relative movement path of the first brick part (10) in the second brick part (12) in the height direction (8) is limited by a limiting device (24, 34).

4. The brick (2) according to claim 3, wherein the limiting device (24, 34) comprises a snap-fit connection comprising a first hook (24) formed on the wall (16) of the first brick part (10) directed outwardly as seen from the interior space (14) and a second hook (34) formed on the wall (28) of the second brick part (12) directed inwardly as seen from the interior space (26).

5. The brick (2) according to claim 4, wherein the wall (16) of the first brick part (10) adjacent to the first hook (24) is slotted (22).

6. The brick (2) according to claim 4, wherein the wall (28) of the second brick part (12) has an access opening (38) on the bottom side (30) in the area of the second hook (34) towards the interior space (26).

7. The brick (2) according to claim, 1 wherein the resetting element (42) is a spring.

8. The brick (2) according to claim 7, comprising a guiding sleeve (44), in which the spring (42) is guided in the height direction (8).

9. The brick (2) according to claim 8, wherein the guiding sleeve (40) is attached to the first brick part (10) or to the second brick part (12).

10. The brick (2) according to claim 9, wherein hook form fit elements (44) are formed on the guiding sleeve (40), which guide a hook (24) in the height direction and restrict a movement of the hook (24) towards the guiding sleeve (40).

11. The brick (2) according to claim 2, wherein a relative movement path of the first brick part (10) in the second brick part (12) in the height direction (8) is limited by a limiting device (24, 34).

12. The brick (2) according to claim 5, wherein the wall (28) of the second brick part (12) has an access opening (38) on the bottom side (30) in the area of the second hook (34) towards the interior space (26).

13. The brick (2) according to claim, 2 wherein the resetting element (42) is the spring.

14. The brick (2) according to claim, 3 wherein the resetting element (42) is the spring.

15. The brick (2) according to claim, 4 wherein the resetting element (42) is the spring.

16. The brick (2) according to claim, 5 wherein the resetting element (42) is the spring.

17. The brick (2) according to claim, 6 wherein the resetting element (42) is the spring.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The above-described properties, features and advantages of this disclosure, as well as the manner in which they are achieved, will become clearer in connection with the following description of the embodiments, which are explained in more detail in connection with the drawing, in which:

[0024] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a brick from a first perspective, and

[0025] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the brick of FIG. 1 from a second perspective.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In the figures, the same technical elements are provided with the same reference signs, and are only described once. The figures are purely schematic and, in particular, do not reflect the actual geometric proportions.

[0027] Reference is made to FIGS. 1 and 2, which show from two different perspectives a brick 2 for plug connection in a plug connection system not shown in any further detail in a space spanned by a longitudinal direction 4, a transverse direction 6 transverse to the longitudinal direction 4 and a height direction 8 transverse to the longitudinal direction 4 and transverse to the transverse direction 6.

[0028] The brick 2 comprises a first brick part 10 and a second brick part 12.

[0029] The first brick part 10 has an interior space 14 which is bounded in and against the longitudinal direction 4 and in the transverse direction 6 by a wall 16 which, in cross section viewed from the height direction 8, forms a square with an edge length 15. For the sake of clarity, the edge length 15 is only indicated in FIG. 1. In the height direction 8, the interior space 14 of the first brick part 10 is bounded by a top side 17 on whose upper side first plug connection elements in the form of studs 18 are formed. The studs 18 are formed in size and spacing according to the Lego grid dimension, as described, for example, in the disclosure of Pawel Sariel Kmiec, The Unofficial LEGO Technic Builders Guide, No Starch Press; 2.sup.nd edition (Oct. 1, 2016), ISBN: 978-1593277604. For further information on the Lego grid dimension, reference is made to the relevant literature thereon.

[0030] The wall 16 of the first brick part 10 has a recessed wall section 19 on each side, as viewed in the transverse direction 6, which is arranged centrally as viewed in the longitudinal direction 4 and is directed towards the interior space 14. The recessed wall section 19 is recessed into the wall 16 with a recess depth 20. For the sake of clarity, the recess depth 20 is only indicated in FIG. 2. The recessed wall section 19 is delimited from the rest of the wall 16 by slots 22 and has a hook 24 on its bottom side viewed in the height direction 8.

[0031] Analogous to the first brick part 10, the second brick part 12 also has an interior space 26, which is bounded in and against the longitudinal direction 4 and in the transverse direction 6 by a circumferential wall 28. The interior space 26 of the second brick part 12 is formed in its cross-section seen from the height direction 8 in the form of a square with an edge length 27. Opposite to the height direction 8, the interior space 26 of the second brick part 12 is bounded by a bottom side 30 on the bottom side of which second plug connection elements in the form of studs receptacles 32 are formed, as are known in principle from the disclosure U.S. Pat. No. 3,005,282 A. The geometry of the stud receptacles 32 is adapted to the studs 18 according to the Lego grid dimension.

[0032] The edge length 15 of the square first brick part 10 is selected to be smaller than the edge length 27 of the square interior space 26 of the second brick part 12, so that the first brick part 10 can be telescopically inserted into the interior space of the second brick part 12. To reduce friction between the two brick parts 10, brick form fit elements 32 may be formed on one of the walls 16, 28 of one brick part 10, 12 to restrict movement of the corresponding other brick part 12, 10 in the longitudinal direction 4 and the transverse direction 6.

[0033] In the present embodiment, these brick form fit elements 32 are formed on the wall 28 directed into the interior space 26 of the second brick part 12. In this regard, as viewed in the longitudinal direction 4, two brick form fit elements 32 are arranged on each side of the above-mentioned square, while as viewed in the transverse direction 6, only one brick form fit element 32 is arranged on each side of the above-mentioned square. In principle, a single brick form fit element 32 is sufficient on each side to achieve the desired engagement in the longitudinal and transverse directions 4, 6 and thus guidance in the height direction 8. The arrangement of two brick form fit elements 32 on one side is recommended, however, so that stable guidance can be achieved between the two brick parts 10, 12 despite the hook 24 on the first brick part 10.

[0034] A hook 34 is formed on the wall 28 of the second brick part 12 on each side of the square with two brick form fit elements 32, and a guide channel 36 is connected to the bottom side of the hook as seen in the height direction 8. If the first brick part 10 is pushed telescopically into the interior space 26 of the second brick part 12 against the height direction 8, the hooks 24, 34 of the respective brick parts 10, 12 are thereby aligned with one another. From a certain insertion depth of the first brick part 10 into the second brick part 12, the hooks 24 of the first brick part 10 snap over the hooks 34 of the second brick part 12 and thus form a positive connection in the height direction 8, so that the first brick part 10 can no longer be detached from the interior space 26 of the second brick part. In order to be able to release this positive connection in the height direction 8, the second brick part 12 has an access opening 38 on its bottom side 30 on each side of the square with two brick form fit elements 32, through which a lever not shown further can be pushed and the hook 24 of the first brick part 10 can be lifted in or against the transverse direction 6. Then the first brick part 10 can be released again from the interior space 26 of the second brick part in the height direction 8.

[0035] Furthermore, a guiding sleeve 40 is arranged on the bottom side 30 of the second brick part 12. A resetting element in the form of a spring 42 can be inserted into this guiding sleeve 40, which serves as a resettable spacer between the top side 17 of the first brick part 10 and the bottom side 30 of the second brick part 12. The length of the spring 42 has to be dimensioned such that when the hooks 24, 34 abut one another in the height direction 8, the spring 42 is subjected to a predetermined pre-stressing force. If a force is applied to the top side 17 in the direction opposite to the height direction 8, the first brick part 10 is pressed further into the interior space 26 of the second brick part 12. When the force is released, the spring 42 moves the first brick part 10 back out of the interior space 26 of the second brick part 12 until the hooks 24, 34 strike against each other again in the height direction. In this way, a damping function can be achieved that can be scaled as desired by stacking or arranging multiple bricks 2 side by side, because a parallel arrangement of the bricks 2 increases the overall spring constant and a row arrangement of the bricks 2 reduces overall spring constant.

[0036] In principle, the guiding sleeve 40 can be loosely arranged between the top side 17 of the first brick part 10 and the bottom side 30 of the second brick part 12. However, it is preferably attached to either the top side 17 of the first brick part 10 or the bottom side 30 of the second brick part 12. In the present embodiment, the guiding sleeve 40 is attached to the bottom side 30 of the second brick part 12 and further has shoulder-shaped hook form fit elements 44 directed towards the hooks 34 of the second brick part 12. In this way, a space for motion of the hooks 24 of the first brick part between each hook 34 of the second brick part 12 and the corresponding hook form fit element 44 can be defined, for example, to prevent overstretching.

[0037] To assemble the brick 2 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the spring 42 is first inserted into the guiding sleeve 40 on the bottom side 30 of the second brick part 12. Then, the first brick part 10 is inserted into the interior space 26 of the second brick part 12 with its hooks 24 first and aligned with the hooks 34 of the second brick part 12 until the hooks 24, 34 lock into each other. Thereafter, the brick 2 can be used, for example, as a damping element in a higher-level brick model.