Customizable interconnecting building blocks

Abstract

The present invention provides customizable building blocks comprising two “half” blocks that may be interconnected to form a “whole” block, allowing for the half blocks to be rotated and reattached to one another, thus changing the configuration and orientation of male and female connectors on the outer faces of the whole blocks. In a preferred embodiment, two half blocks combine to form a whole block, with each half block having an inner face, and outer face, and a plurality of side faces. The orientation of each half block when conjoined with another half block determines the number and orientation of male and female connectors on the outer faces of a whole block. The feature of conjoining two half blocks to create a whole block allows for the male and female connectors to be moved to different faces of the block depending on the desired building function and orientation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A reconfigurable and customizable block system comprising:
 a half block comprising:
 an inner face, an outer face, and a plurality of side faces; 
 wherein the inner face has at least one male connector and at least one female connector; 
 wherein at least one of the side faces includes at least one female connector and at least one of the side faces includes at least one male connector; 
 wherein the outer face has at least one female connector or at least one male connector; 
   whereby the at least one male connector of a first half block can be interconnected with the at least one female connector of a second half block, thereby creating a block structure.   
     
     
         2 . The reconfigurable and customizable block system of  claim 1 , whereby a whole block is formed when the at least one male connector of the inner face or outer face of a first half block interconnects with the at least one female connector of the inner face or outer face of a second half block, the whole block comprising;
 a plurality of outer faces; and   whereby the orientation of the side faces of the first half block when interconnected with the second half block determines the number and orientation of male connectors and female connectors on the outer faces of the whole block.   
     
     
         3 . The reconfigurable and customizable block system of  claim 1 , whereby the two half blocks are the same shape. 
     
     
         4 . The reconfigurable and customizable block system of  claim 1 , whereby the side faces of the half block are rectangularly shaped. 
     
     
         5 . The reconfigurable and customizable block system of  claim 1 , whereby the at least one female connector has a length that exceeds a width of the at least one male connector, whereby the male connector may be interconnected at any point along the length of the female connector, thereby allowing an offset interconnection. 
     
     
         6 . The reconfigurable and customizable block system of  claim 1 , whereby the first half block and the second half block are configured for rotation with respect to one another. 
     
     
         7 . The reconfigurable and customizable block system of  claim 1 , whereby the half block is designed in such a way to allow for straight pull injection molding. 
     
     
         8 . The reconfigurable and customizable block system of  claim 1 , whereby the inner face of a first half block can be interconnected with the inner face or outer face of a second half block at 45 degrees. 
     
     
         9 . The reconfigurable and customizable block system of  claim 1 , whereby the half block comprises a plurality of female connectors, and whereby at least one female connector is a first shape and at least one female connector is a second shape. 
     
     
         10 . The reconfigurable and customizable block system of  claim 1 , whereby the half block comprises a plurality of male connectors, and whereby at least one male connector is a first shape and at least one male connector is a second shape. 
     
     
         11 . The reconfigurable and customizable block system of  claim 1 , whereby the at least one male connector and at least one female connector occupy less than 25 percent of a surface area of the outer face and the side face. 
     
     
         12 . A reconfigurable and customizable block system comprising:
 a whole block comprising:
 two half blocks, each half block comprising: 
 an inner face, an outer face, and a plurality of side faces; 
 whereby the inner face comprises at least one connecting feature configured to interconnect to the inner face of a similarly shaped half block; 
 whereby at least one of the side faces comprises at least one connecting feature configured to interconnect to the side face and the outer face of a half block; 
 whereby the interconnection of the inner faces of the two half blocks creates a whole block; and 
 whereby the orientation of the connector features on the outer faces and side faces can be reoriented by disconnecting the two half blocks from one another, rotating the half blocks with respect to one another, and re-connecting the inner faces of the two half blocks to create a whole block with an altered configuration of connector features. 
   
     
     
         13 . The reconfigurable and customizable block system of  claim 12 , whereby the connecting feature of the inner face can be reoriented for interconnection to the side face, the inner face, and the outer face of a half block. 
     
     
         14 . The reconfigurable and customizable block system of  claim 12 , whereby the alignment of two side faces creates a square face. 
     
     
         15 . The reconfigurable and customizable block system of  claim 12 , whereby the connector features comprise a male connector and a female connector, and a whole block is formed when the at least one male connector of the inner face of a first half block interconnects with the at least one female connector of the inner face of a second half block, the whole block comprising;
 a plurality of outer faces, wherein each outer face includes at least one female connector, and wherein at least one outer face includes at least one male connector; and   whereby the orientation of the side faces of the first half block when interconnected with the second half block determines the number and orientation of male connectors on the outer faces of the whole block.   
     
     
         16 . The reconfigurable and customizable block system of  claim 12 , whereby the two half blocks are the same shape. 
     
     
         17 . The reconfigurable and customizable block system of  claim 12 , whereby the at least one male connector and at least one female connector occupy less than 25 percent of a surface area of the outer face and the side face. 
     
     
         18 . The reconfigurable and customizable block system of  claim 12 , whereby the whole block can have only one outer face with male connectors in a first orientation, or two outer faces with male connecters in different orientations. 
     
     
         19 . The reconfigurable and customizable block system of  claim 12 , whereby the half block is designed in such a way to allow for straight pull injection molding. 
     
     
         20 . A reconfigurable and customizable block system comprising:
 a whole block comprising:   two half blocks, each of the half blocks comprising:   an inner face, an outer face, and a plurality of side faces;   whereby the inner face has at least one male connector and a plurality of female connectors;   whereby at least one side face has at least one male connector;   whereby the outer face and side face has a plurality of female connectors;   whereby the male connector and female connector are adapted to interconnect via interference fit;   whereby interconnection of the inner faces of the two half blocks creates the whole block, the whole block having six outer faces; and   whereby the number of outer faces comprising male connectors can be changed by re-orienting the two half blocks with respect to one another.