Building blocks and building block assemblies

Abstract

A building block or a building block assembly comprising a main body, a first coupling surface on a first side of the main body, a second coupling surface on a second side of the main body which is opposite facing to the first coupling surface, one peripheral wall having a peripheral surface or a plurality of peripheral wall having a plurality of peripheral surface extending between the first coupling surface and the second coupling surface and defining a lateral or peripheral boundary of the main body, one coupling connector or a plurality of coupling connectors on or defining the first coupling surface and defining a first coupling direction, one coupling connector or a plurality of coupling connectors on or defining the second coupling surface and defining a second coupling direction, and one peripheral connector or a plurality of peripheral connectors formed on a peripheral wall.

1 . A building block comprising a main body, a first coupling surface on a first side of the main body, a second coupling surface on a second side of the main body which is opposite facing to the first coupling surface, one peripheral wall having a peripheral surface or a plurality of peripheral wall having a plurality of peripheral surface extending between the first coupling surface and the second coupling surface and defining a lateral or peripheral boundary of the main body, one coupling connector or a plurality of coupling connectors on or defining the first coupling surface and defining a first coupling direction, one coupling connector or a plurality of coupling connectors on or defining the second coupling surface and defining a second coupling direction, and one peripheral connector or a plurality of peripheral connectors formed on a peripheral wall; wherein the peripheral connector is a partial connector of an inter-block connector, the inter-block connector having a center axis defining a connection axis and a connection direction and having a transversal dimension which is measured in a direction orthogonal to the connection axis and passing through the center axis; wherein the partial connector being an axially split portion of the inter-block connector and comprising an axially extending split surface which defines a split plane, and the split surface extends along a splitting direction which is parallel to the connector axis of the inter-block connector; wherein the peripheral connector has an axial extent defined in the connection direction and a transversal extent defined in a direction orthogonal to the connection direction and orthogonal to the split surface or the split plane or orthogonal to the first coupling surface and/or the second coupling surface or orthogonal to the peripheral surface on which it is formed; wherein the coupling connector and the inter-block connector are compatible building block connectors having matching features of compatible mating feature dimensions; and wherein the transversal extent of the partial connector is a fraction of the transversal dimension of the inter-block connector or of the coupling connector. 
     
     
         2 . The building block according to  claim 1 , wherein the transversal extent of the partial connector is smaller than or not exceeding half of the transversal dimension of the inter-block connector, and wherein the transversal dimension and the transversal extent are measured in a same direction. 
     
     
         3 . The building block according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling connector has an axial extent, the axial extent being measured with respect to the coupling surface on which the coupling connector is formed, and wherein the axial extent of the coupling connector and the axial extent of the peripheral connector are same or comparable. 
     
     
         4 . The building block according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of peripheral connectors comprises one male-type peripheral connector and/or one female type peripheral connector; and wherein the male-type peripheral connector protrudes from the peripheral surface and extends orthogonally away from the peripheral surface along the connection direction, and wherein the female-type peripheral connector has a partial receptacle compartment for receiving a building block connector and defined by a partial receptacle wall, the partial receptacle wall projecting away from the peripheral surface and extending into the main body for an axial extent comparable to the axial extent of the coupling connector. 
     
     
         5 . The building block according to  claim 1 , wherein the split surface of the peripheral connector and the first coupling surface or the second coupling surface are in same facing direction; and/or wherein the split surface is flush with or proximal to the first coupling surface or the second coupling surface. 
     
     
         6 . The building block according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one male-type coupling connector is formed on the first coupling surface, and wherein the split surface of the peripheral connector and the first coupling surface are facing in a same facing direction and/or the split surface is flush with or proximal to the first coupling surface. 
     
     
         7 . The building block according to  claim 1 , wherein the transversal extent of the peripheral connector is defined by a first split plane and a second split plane which is parallel to the first split plane and the connector axis. 
     
     
         8 . The building block according to  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral connector has a first transversal end on the first coupling surface and a second transversal end of the second coupling surface. 
     
     
         9 . The building block according to  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral wall has a depth which is measured in a direction parallel to the coupling direction, and wherein the transversal extent of the peripheral connector is comparable, equal to or larger than the depth of the peripheral wall. 
     
     
         10 . The building block according to  claim 9 , wherein the peripheral connector comprises at least one male-type partial connector wherein the male-type partial connector has a transversal extent which comparable to, equal with or exceeding the depth of the peripheral wall, and/or the male-type partial connector has a transversal end which projects and protrude beyond the first coupling surface or the second coupling surface. 
     
     
         11 . A building block comprising:
 a top wall, the top wall having a boundary delimiting a top wall upper surface and a top wall lower surface,   a bottom end,   a peripheral wall extending orthogonally from the boundary to define the bottom end and comprising a peripheral wall inner surface and a peripheral wall outer surface, the peripheral wall cooperating with the top wall to define a main block body and the peripheral wall inner surface cooperating with the top wall upper surface to define a hollow internal compartment within the main block body,   at least one male connector projecting from the top wall, the male connector projecting orthogonally away from the top wall upper surface and extending along a first axis (Z-Z) and in a first axial direction (+Z), the first axis (Z-Z) being a centre axis and an axis of lateral symmetry of the male connector and defining a coupling axis of the male connector, wherein each said male connector has a corresponding female connector which is formed inside the internal compartment and the female connector extending along a coupling axis which is aligned with the first axis and has an entry end at or near the bottom end, the female connector being a matched connector of the male connector which is shaped and sized to mechanically match and engage with a connector having the shape and size of the male connector,   a plurality of partial connectors formed on the peripheral wall, wherein each said partial connector is a partitioned portion of a full connector and having a partitioning surface which divides, delineates or defines the partial connector from the full connector, wherein the full connector is adapted for making coupled mechanical engagement with a matched connector along a coupling axis of the full connector, and wherein the partitioned portion and the partitioning surface extends axially along a direction parallel to the coupling axis of the full connector, the coupling axis of the full connector being orthogonal to a portion of the peripheral wall on which the partial connector is formed;   wherein the partitioned surfaces of the plurality of partial connectors are either flush with or proximal the top wall upper surface and facing away the bottom end or flush with or proximal the bottom end and facing away from the top wall upper surface; and   wherein the plurality of partial connectors includes at least one partial connector of a male-type full connector and at least one partial connector of a female-type full connector which is shaped and sized to match and engage with the male-type full connector.   
     
     
         12 . The building block according to  claim 11 , wherein the male-type full connector is matched with the female connector inside the internal compartment and the female-type full connector is matched with the male connector on the top wall. 
     
     
         13 . The building block according to  claim 11 , wherein the partial connectors are axially bisected connectors of a full connector, and each bisected connector has a bisection plane containing a centre axis or the coupling axis of the full connector, and the bisection planes of all the partial connectors are either flush with the top wall upper surface or flush with the bottom end, or wherein each partial connector has a sectioning plane which is parallel to and offset from a centre axis or the coupling axis of the full connector, and the sectioning planes of all the partial connectors are either flush with the top wall upper surface or flush with the bottom end. 
     
     
         14 . The building block according to  claim 11 , wherein the partial connector has an axis of symmetry, the axis of symmetry being parallel to the coupling axis of the full connector, and wherein the axis of symmetry of the partial connector orthogonally intersects the first axis (Z-Z) and cooperate with the first axis to define a plane which is orthogonal to the top wall upper surface and a portion of the peripheral wall on which the partial connector is formed. 
     
     
         15 . The building block according to  claim 11 , wherein the top wall has a rectangular boundary and formed of one square top wall portion or a plurality of conjoining identical square top wall portions, the conjoining identical square top wall portions being joined so that the top wall has a rectangular shape and each said square top wall portion has equal sides each having a length of one unit and a square centre, wherein the peripheral wall comprises a plurality of four side walls extending orthogonally from the rectangular boundary of the top wall to the bottom end; and wherein one male connector is formed on the one or each square top wall portion and the centre axis of the one male connector passes through the square centre of the square top wall portion. 
     
     
         16 . The building block according to  claim 15 , wherein the peripheral wall has a depth or height of 0.5 length unit. 
     
     
         17 . The building block according to  claim 11 , wherein the female connector comprises a male-connector receptacle formed at or near the bottom end, and the male connector receptacle includes a sleeve member which is shaped and sized to enter into releasable mated frictional engagement with a protrusion member of the male connector on the top wall when the protrusion member is inserted into the sleeve member along the first axial direction, the sleeve member being coaxial with the first male connector and having the first centre axis (ZZ′) as its centre axis. 
     
     
         18 . A building block assembly comprising a first component block and a second component block, wherein the component block comprises a main body, a first coupling surface on a first side of the main body, a second coupling surface on a second side of the main body which is opposite facing to the first coupling surface, one peripheral wall having a peripheral surface or a plurality of peripheral wall having a plurality of peripheral surface extending between the first coupling surface and the second coupling surface and defining a lateral or peripheral boundary of the main body, one coupling connector or a plurality of coupling connectors on or defining the first coupling surface and defining a first coupling direction, one coupling connector or a plurality of coupling connectors on or defining the second coupling surface and defining a second coupling direction, and one peripheral connector or a plurality of peripheral connectors formed on a peripheral wall; wherein the peripheral connector is a partial connector of an inter-block connector, the inter-block connector having a center axis defining a connection axis and a connection direction and having a transversal dimension which is measured in a direction orthogonal to the connection axis and passing through the center axis; wherein the partial connector being an axially split portion of the inter-block connector and comprising an axially extending split surface which defines a split plane, and the split surface extends along a splitting direction which is parallel to the connector axis of the inter-block connector; wherein the peripheral connector has an axial extent defined in the connection direction and a transversal extent defined in a direction orthogonal to the connection direction and orthogonal to the split surface or the split plane or orthogonal to the first coupling surface and/or the second coupling surface or orthogonal to the peripheral surface on which it is formed; wherein the coupling connector and the inter-block connector are compatible building block connectors having matching features of compatible mating feature dimensions; and wherein the transversal extent of the partial connector is a fraction of the transversal dimension of the inter-block connector or of the coupling connector; wherein the first component block and the second component block are detachably connected by a plurality of inter-block connectors and are in abutment contact at a dividing surface, the dividing surface being intermediate the first coupling surface and the second coupling surface; and wherein the dividing surface divides the partial connector into two axially split portions and the dividing surface defines a dividing plane which is parallel to the split plane or the split surface. 
     
     
         19 . The building block assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein the inter-block connectors connecting the first and second component blocks are aligned with the inter-block connectors on or defining the first coupling surface and/or the second coupling surface; and wherein the inter-block connectors connecting the first and second component blocks and the inter-block connectors on or defining the first coupling surface and/or the second coupling surface are compatible inter-block connectors having mating features of compatible mating feature dimensions. 
     
     
         20 . The building block assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein the building block assembly further comprises a third component block; wherein the first component block and the second component block are detachable and are in abutment contact at a first dividing surface, wherein the second component block and the third component block are detachable and are in abutment contact at a second dividing surface.