Cube Based Building Block System

Abstract

A cube (100) has a first hemicube (HI) having a first connector configuration including a post (110) adjacent the vertex (VI) of each of the three faces (A, B, C) and a second hemicube (H2) having a second connector configuration including a channel (105) adjacent the vertex (V2) of each of the three faces (D, E, F). The connector configurations include an array of connectors (105, 110), possibly including an odd number of connectors (105, 110). The channels (105) are flush with and the posts (110) have a same shape of cross sections from the free end to the corresponding planar faces (A, B, C, D, E, F). The channels (105) have polygonal cross sections. The cube (100) is hollow and formed by folding the faces (A, B, C, D, E, F) along pivotably interconnected edges and connecting the remaining faces (A, B, C, D, E, F) by slideable interconnections.

1 . A building block system comprising: a block having a first set of three faces and a second set of three faces, with the first and second sets being diagonally opposite to each other, with each of the first and second sets including one of a first connector configuration and a second connector configuration, wherein the first connector configuration is different from and is configured to interconnect with the second connector configuration, wherein the three faces of the first and second sets include three edges which interconnect at first and second vertexes respectively diagonally opposite to each other, with the first and second connector configurations including an array defined by at least two rows and at least two columns of connectors, with the connectors in each row and each column of the first connection configuration comprising alternating posts and channels, with the posts configured to slideably interconnect within the channels, wherein the at least two rows comprise an odd number of rows and the at least two columns comprise an odd number of columns, wherein each post has circular cross sections, wherein each channel has polygonal cross sections, wherein the three faces of the first and second sets are three planar faces extending between the three edges, wherein each channel is flush with a corresponding planar face, wherein each post has a free end spaced from a corresponding planar face and has cross sections parallel to the corresponding planar face of a same shape from the free end to the corresponding planar face, wherein the three faces of the first set comprise first, second and third faces, with the three edges of the first set comprising first, second and third edges, with the first and second faces pivotably connected by the first edge, with the second and third faces interconnected by the second edge, with the first and second edges being perpendicular to each other, with the first and third faces interconnected by the third edge, with the first face including a fourth edge opposite to the first edge and a fifth edge opposite to the second edge, with the second face having a sixth edge opposite to the first edge and a seventh edge opposite to the second edge, with the third face having an eighth edge opposite to the second edge and a ninth edge opposite to the third edge, wherein the three faces of the second set comprises fourth, fifth and sixth faces, with the fourth face interconnected to the second face by the sixth edge and interconnected to the third face by the ninth edge, with the three edges of the second set comprising tenth, eleventh and twelfth edges, with the fifth face interconnected to the fourth face by the tenth edge, with the third and fifth faces interconnected by the eighth edge, with the first and fifth faces interconnected by the fourth edge, with the second and sixth faces interconnected by the seventh edge, with the first and sixth faces interconnected at the fifth edge, with the fourth and sixth faces interconnected by the eleventh edge, with the fifth and sixth faces interconnected by the twelfth edge, and wherein five of the first through the twelfth edges are formed by a pivotal interconnection and seven of the first through the twelfth edges are formed by a slideable interconnection. 
     
     
         2 . A building block system comprising: a block having a first set of three faces and a second set of three faces, with the first and second sets being diagonally opposite to each other, with each of the first and second sets including one of a first connector configuration and a second connector configuration, wherein the first connector configuration is different from and is configured to interconnect with the second connector configuration, wherein the three faces of the first and second sets include three edges which interconnect at first and second vertexes respectively diagonally opposite to each other, with the first connector configuration including at least one post, with the second connector configuration including at least one channel, with the at least one post configured to slideably interconnect within the at least one channel, wherein the three faces of the first and second sets are three planar faces extending between the three edges, wherein each channel is flush with a corresponding planar face, and wherein each post has a free end spaced from a corresponding planar face and has cross sections parallel to the corresponding planar face of a same shape from the free end to the corresponding planar face. 
     
     
         3 . The building block system of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second connector configurations include an array defined by at least two rows and at least two columns of connectors, with the connectors in each row and each column of the first connection configuration comprising alternating posts and channels, with the posts configured to slideably interconnect within the channels. 
     
     
         4 . The building block system of  claim 3 , with the connectors in each row and each column of the second connector configurations of two of the three faces of the second set comprising alternating channels and posts, and with the connectors in each row and each column of the second connector configuration of one of the three faces of the second sets being exclusively channels. 
     
     
         5 . The building block system of  claim 3 , wherein the at least two rows comprise an odd number of rows and the at least two columns comprise an odd number of columns. 
     
     
         6 . The building block system of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one post is located in an initial row of the at least two rows and an initial column of the at least two columns in each of the three faces of the first set; and wherein the at least one channel is located in an initial row of the at least two rows and an initial column of the at least two columns in each of the three faces of the second set. 
     
     
         7 . The building block system of  claim 5 , wherein each post has circular cross sections; and wherein each channel has polygonal cross sections. 
     
     
         8 . The building block system of  claim 7 , wherein the polygonal cross-sections are octagonal cross sections. 
     
     
         9 . The building block system of  claim 5 , wherein the three faces of the first set comprise first, second and third faces, with the three edges of the first set comprising first, second and third edges, with the first and second faces pivotably connected by the first edge, with the second and third faces interconnected by the second edge, with the first and second edges being perpendicular to each other, with the first and third faces interconnected by the third edge, with the first face including a fourth edge opposite to the first edge and a fifth edge opposite to the second edge, with the second face having a sixth edge opposite to the first edge and a seventh edge opposite to the second edge, with the third face having an eighth edge opposite to the second edge and a ninth edge opposite to the third edge, wherein the three faces of the second set comprises fourth, fifth and sixth faces, with the fourth face interconnected to the second face by the sixth edge and interconnected to the third face by the ninth edge, with the three edges of the second set comprising tenth, eleventh and twelfth edges, with the fifth face interconnected to the fourth face by the tenth edge, with the third and fifth faces interconnected by the eighth edge, with the first and fifth faces interconnected by the fourth edge, with the second and sixth faces interconnected by the seventh edge, with the first and sixth faces interconnected at the fifth edge, with the fourth and sixth faces interconnected by the eleventh edge, with the fifth and sixth faces interconnected by the twelfth edge, and wherein five of the first through the twelfth edges are formed by a pivotal interconnection and seven of the first through the twelfth edges are formed by a slideable interconnection. 
     
     
         10 . The building block system of  claim 9 , wherein each slideable interconnection comprises a lip extending below and outwardly beyond a corresponding edge of one of the faces being interconnected and slideably received in a trench formed in the corresponding edge of another of the faces being interconnected. 
     
     
         11 . The building block system of  claim 10 , wherein the lip of one of the slideable interconnections includes a tab extending outwardly beyond the lip and slideably received in a keyway extending from the trench. 
     
     
         12 . The building block system of  claim 10 , wherein the trench comprises a first flange extending inwardly from the other of the faces being interconnected at the corresponding edge of the other of the faces being interconnected and a second flange extending inwardly from the other of the faces being interconnected spaced inwardly from the first flange at a spacing for slideably receiving the lip. 
     
     
         13 . The building block system of  claim 10 , wherein the lip includes cutouts corresponding to the channels adjacent to the corresponding edge. 
     
     
         14 . A building block system comprising: a block having a first set of three faces and a second set of three faces, with the first and second sets being diagonally opposite to each other, with at least one face of each of the first and second sets including one of a first connector configuration and a second connector configuration, wherein the first connector configuration is different from and is configured to interconnect with the second connector configuration, with the first and second connector configurations including an array defined by an odd number of rows and an odd number of columns of connectors, with the connectors in each row and each column of the first connection configuration comprising alternating posts and channels, with the posts configured to slideably interconnect within the channels. 
     
     
         15 . A connector configuration comprising: a building block system including first and second blocks each having multiple faces interconnected at edges; a post extending from a first face of the multiple faces of the first block to a free end, with the post having circular cross sections of a constant size from adjacent the free end to the first face; and a channel defined by a through bore extending entirely through a second face of the multiple faces of the second block and having polygonal cross sections, with the post having an external diameter at the first face and the channel having an interior diameter, and with the external diameter of the post at the first face having an interference fit in the interior diameter of the channel when inserted therein with each polygonal section including adjacent sides at an angle greater than 90 degrees. 
     
     
         16 . The connector configuration of  claim 15 , wherein the polygonal cross sections are octagonal. 
     
     
         17 . A building block system comprising: a block having a first set of three faces and a second set of three faces, with the first and second sets being diagonally opposite to each other, with at least one face of each of the first and second sets including one of a first connector configuration and a second connector configuration, wherein the first connector configuration is different from and is configured to interconnect with the second connector configuration, wherein the three faces of the first set comprise first, second and third faces, with the three edges of the first set comprising first, second and third edges, with the first and second faces pivotably connected by the first edge, with the second and third faces interconnected by the second edge, with the first and second edges being perpendicular to each other, with the first and third faces interconnected by the third edge, with the first face including a fourth edge opposite to the first edge and a fifth edge opposite to the second edge, with the second face having a sixth edge opposite to the first edge and a seventh edge opposite to the second edge, with the third face having an eighth edge opposite to the second edge and a ninth edge opposite to the third edge, wherein the three faces of the second set comprises fourth, fifth and sixth faces, with the fourth face interconnected to the second face by the sixth edge and interconnected to the third face by the ninth edge, with the three edges of the second set comprising tenth, eleventh and twelfth edges, with the fifth face interconnected to the fourth face by the tenth edge, with the third and fifth faces interconnected by the eighth edge, with the first and fifth faces interconnected by the fourth edge, with the second and sixth faces interconnected by the seventh edge, with the first and sixth faces interconnected at the fifth edge, with the fourth and sixth faces interconnected by the eleventh edge, with the fifth and sixth faces interconnected by the twelfth edge, and wherein five of the first through the twelfth edges are formed by a pivotal interconnection and seven of the first through the twelfth edges are formed by a slideable interconnection.