GB2205985A

GB2205985A - Educational circuit board

Info

Publication number: GB2205985A
Application number: GB08813156A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stewart Dunn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-04-22
Filing date: 1988-04-13
Publication date: 1988-12-21
Anticipated expiration: 2008-04-13
Also published as: GB2205985B; GB8813156D0; GB8709451D0

Abstract

A circuit board of insulating material incorporates an array of clusters 110, each cluster having a number of electrically connected sockets 120. The clusters may be flush with the board surfaces. Components mounted on smaller boards bearing appropriate electrical symbols may be interconnected on the circuit board and powered from rails 180. Holes 190 enable the mounting of toy construction set elements. The circuit board can then be incorporated in a toy (e.g., wheeled crane - figure 9) built from the set. <IMAGE>

Description

VERSATILE CONSTRUCTION KIT THE INVENTION RELATES TO CONSTRUCTION KITS USEFUL IN TEACHING, TRAINING, AND DEMONSTRATING ELECTRICAL, MICRO-ELECTRONICS CIRCUITRY AND CONTROL USING COMPUTERS.

IN TEACHING CIRCUITRY OF ELECTRICS, ELECTRONICS, MICRO-ELECTRICS AND COMPUTERS IN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES IT HAS BECOME NOT UNCOMMON TO UTILISE ELECTRONIC TEACHING CONSTRUCTION KITS MADE UP OF A BASE BOARD UPON WHICH VARIOUS AND DIFFERENT PARTS CAN BE ASSEMBLED AND DISASSEMBLED AS REQUIRED.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION IS REQUIRED BETWEEN THE PARTS AND COMMON CONNECTING POINTS ON THE BASE BOARD. THE EASE TO WHICH THE PARTS CAN BE MOUNTED AND DISMOUNTED FROM THE BASEBOARD VARIES FROM THE NOT SO DIFFICULT TO THE VERY DIFFICULT.

ONE ASPECT OF THE ABOVE TYPES OF TEACHING SYSTEMS IS TO HAVE PHYSICAL FORMS UPON WHICH CAN BE DEMONSTRABLY SEEN THE THEORETICAL CIRCUIT DIAGRAM SYMBOLS FOR DENOTING THE ELECTRICAL FUNCTION OF'AN ITEM. THE ITEMS ARE ASSEMBLED ACCORDING TO THE STANDARD THEORETICAL DIAGRAMS GIVEN IN INSTRUCTION MANUALS AND CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS AND A WORKING CIRCUIT IS PRODUCED WHICH ALSO HAS THE APPEARANCE OF THE THEORETICAL CIRCUIT, THUS DEMONSTRATING THE PRACTICAL AND THEORETICAL TERMS BEING TAUGHT.

THERE ARE MANY ELECTRIC, MICRO-ELECTRONICS, COMPUTER CONTROL TRAINING KITS 'OFF THE SHELF' BEING SOLD BUT THEY ARE DEDICATED AND RELATIVELY INFLEXIBLE FOR PROTOTYPE/EXPERIMENTAL PROJECT WORK.

MOST DO NOT EASILY ALLOW STANDARD UNMOUNTED COMPONENTS SUCH AS RESISTORS AND CAPACITORS TO BE USED EASILY WHILE AT THE SAME TIME STILL ALLOWING OTHER KIT PARTS TO BE USED. THEY DO NOT ALLOW THE INTEGRATION WITH COMMON CONSTRUCTION KITS SUCH AS 'LEGO TECHNICAL', 'FISHERTECHNIK' OR 'MECCANO' CONSTRUCTION KITS TO BE INCORPORATED EASILY ON THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR SOME OPEN ENDED PROJECTS.

THE PRESENTLY AVAILABLE EDUCATIONAL TRAINING CIRCUIT BOARDS THAT DO ALLOW THE NORMAL 'STANDARD SCHEMATIC CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS' TO BE CONNECTED UP SO THAT THE FINISHED CIRCUIT RESEMBLES THE CIRCUIT DIAGRAM ARE BASED ON HAVING SINGLE POSTS (OR ISLANDS) INTO OR ONTO WHICH ALL COMMON CONNECTIONS JOIN, EG 'LOCKTRONIC' SYSTEM. IN ALL CASES THE CONNECTING POSTS STAND VERTICALLY UP FROM THE MAIN BOARD. THUS MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO INCORPORATE A WIDE RANGE OF OTHER COMPONENTS FROM OTHER CONSTUCTION KITS THAT COULD BE USED ONTOP OF THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD'.

THERE IS ANOTHER POPULAR METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION COMMONLY USED TO PROTOTYPE NEW CIRCUITS BY PROFESSIONALS SUCH AS 'S-DEC' OR 'PROTOBOARD'. THEY ARE FAST TO USE AND REASONABLY CHEAP, HOWEVER THE COMPLETED CIRCUITS DO NOT LOOK ANYTHING LIKE THE 'STANDARD SCHEMATIC CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS' COMMONLY USED TO WORK FROM. THIS MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO CHECK AND SEE IF IT IS WIRED UP PROPERLY. TEACHERS AND STUDENTS USING THESE KITS FIND IT DIFFICULT TO TRANSFER THE 'STANDARD SCHEMATIC CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS' COMMONLY USED ONTO THESE BOARDS; UNLESS A CONVERSION FROM 'STANDARD SCHEMATIC CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS' TO THESE KITS IS USED.

THERE ARE TWO VARIATIONS WHICH ARE EXPLAINED BELOW: (1) THE FIRST IS USUALLY CALLED A 'PROTOTYPE' BOARD AND IS USED FOR MICRO-ELECTRONIC WORK AND USES 'INTEGRATED CIRCUIT CHIPS' WHICH ARE PLACED IN THE CENTRE OF THE BOARD WITH INTERCONNECTING SOCKETS CONNECTED IN ROWS; FIVE IN A LINEAR ROW GOING OUTWARDS FROM THE TWO SIDES OF THE 'CHIP'. THESE CONNECTIONS ARE PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER. THE SPACING IS FIXED AT THE PIN SPACING OF INTEGRATED CIRCUITS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS (IE 0.lINCH).

(2) A VARIATION IS CALLED 'S-DEC' AND IS USED FOR SIMPLER CIRCUITS THAT DO NOT USE 'CHIPS'. THE SPACINGS OF THE SOCKETS BEING FURTHER APART BUT THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS UNDERNEATH THE BOARD ARE STILL LINEAR.

THE OBJECT OF MY INVENTION IS TO PROVIDE A RELATIVE SIMPLE CHEAP TEACHING SYSTEM WHICH HAS MANY ADVANTAGES OVER THE PRESENTLY AVAILABLE SYSTEMS AND WHICH DOES NOT SUFFER FROM THE DISAVANTAGES MENTIONED ABOVE.

A FURTHER OBJECTIVE IS TO ENABLE THE NEW 'OPEN ENDED PROBLEM SOLVING' APPROACH IN EDUCATION (WHICH ENCOURAGES EXPLORATION AND EXPERIMENTAL WORK) TO BE EASILY AND CHEAPLY CARRIED OUT USING , ONE MULTIPURPOSE STANDARD COMPACT 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' WHICH ALLOWS THE USE OF SEPERATE AND NORMALLY INCOMPATIBLE CONSTRUCTION KITS (SUCH AS ELECTRICAL KITS, 'LEGO' MECHANISM KITS, 'MECCANO' AND 'PLAWCO' CONTRUCTION KITS) TO BE USED ON THE SAME BOARD AT THE SAME TIME IF REQUIRED.

ONE ADVANTAGE OF THIS INVENTION IS THAT WHEN VEIWED FROM ABOVE THE THEORETICAL CIRCUITS MADE ON THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' RESEMBLE THE STANDARD 'THEORETICAL SCHEMATIC CIRCUIT DIAGRAM' AS USED IN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT TEXTBOOKS.

YET ANOTHER ADVANTAGE OF THIS INVENTION IS THAT, BESIDES OBVIOUS EDUCATION USES IT IS A QUICK AND EASY WAY THAT ENABLES ANYBODY INTERESTED IN 'DESIGNING AND MAKING' PRODUCTS INVOLVING THE INTEGRATION OF ELECTRICS OR ELECTRONICS OR MECHANISMS OR STRUCTURES TO PROTOTYPE THEIR PROJECT WORK EASILY AND QUICKLY ASSUMING THE COMMON EDUCATIONAL CONSTRUCTION KITS SUCH AS 'LEGO' ARE AVAILABLE TO THE USER. THE COMMON CONSTRUCTION KITS USED IN EDUCATION AND INDUSTRY ARE NOT PART OF THE INVENTION BUT THE FIXING HOLES AND THEIR SHAPES AND RELATIVE SPACING ARRANGEMENTS ARE. THE DESIGN OF THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' UTILISES AND INTEGRATES WHERE POSSIBLE THE SHAPES, RELATIVE SPACINGS AND CONNECTION PRINCIPLES OF CONSTRUCTION KITS TO MAXIMISE FLEXIBILITY.

THE CIRCUITS WHICH CAN BE CONSTRUCTED BY THE USE OF THIS INVENTION ARE BOTH OF PRACTICAL AND THEORETICAL USE IN VARIOUS WAYS SUCH AS LEARNING HOW TO CONNECT BULBS IN SERIES, BUILD RADIO CIRCUITS, TIMER CIRCUITS ETC. A FURTHER ADVANTAGE OF THIS INVENTION IS THAT WHEN THE CIRCUITS ARE COMPLETED THEY CAN BE PUT TO PRACTICAL USE IN FUNCTIONAL ITEMS SUCH AS BUGGIES, CRANES, ROBOTS ETC. THE PRACTICAL RESULTS OF THE THEORY BEING TAUGHT AND OR DEMONSTATED CAN BE USED TO MOTIVATE AND OR CONTROL FUNCTIOAL ITEMS. NO OTHER EDUCATIONAL OR TRAINING KIT SYSTEMS PRESENTLY AVAILABLE CAN DO THIS.

A FURTHER ADVANTAGE OF THIS INVENTION IS THAT THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' OF THIS INVENTION ALLOWS A VARIETY OF TEACHING APPROACHES TO BE CARRIED OUT SUCH AS: (A) THE 'SYSTEMS APPROACH' IE < INPUT > < PROCESS > AND < OUTPUT > , WHICH USES 'BLOCKS' OR 'BLACK BOXES' WHICH ARE LINKED TOGETHER WITH THE NECESSARY CONNECTIONS.

(B) THE TRADITIONAL 'DISCRETE COMPONENT' BASED APPROACH (C) A MIXTURE OF VARIOUS TEACHING METHODS CAN BE CATERED FOR WITHOUT RESORTING TO SPECIALIST CONSTRUCTION KITS AND SYSTEMS DUE TO THE INVENTIONS INHERENT FLEXIBILITY.

ANOTHER ADVANTAGE IS THAT IT ALLOWS THE TEACHING OF ELECTRICS, MICRO-ELECTRONICS, COMPUTER CONTROL, AND LOGIC USING ONE THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' THE PLURILITY OF EQUI-SPACED HOLES ALLOWS THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' TO FORM THE BASE FOR PROJECT WORK SUCH AS ROBOTS, BUGGIES, CRANES, LIFTS ETC.

THE SAME BASIC 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' CAN BE USED TO TEACH SIMPLE ELECTRICS TO YOUNG CHILDREN OR ADVANCED WORK IN INDUSTRY.

IN INDUSTRY THIS INVENTION WILL ALLOW USERS TO PROTOTYPE AND TEST CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS QUICKLY BEFORE MORE ROBUST SYSTEMS ARE BUILT IF LATER REQUIRED.

OTHER ADVANTAGES OF THIS INVENTION IS ITS FAST SPEED OF ASSEMBLY AND DISASSEMBLY, NO SOLDERING IS NEEDED, ALL COMPONANTS CAN BE SEEN AT A GLANCE, A COMMON SINGLE STRAND WIRE IS ALL THAT IS NEEDED TO MAKE RELIABLE CONNECTIONS TO ALL THE 'ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING POINTS' (SOCKETS).

MY INVENTION CONSISTS OF AN ELECTRICALY INSULATING BOARD INTO OR ONTO WHICH ARE INCORPORATED 'CLUSTERS' OF 'ELECTRICAL CONNECTING POINTS' (SOCKETS) WHICH PREFERABLY DO NOT PROTRUDE ABOVE THE TOP OR BOTTOM SURFACE OF THE BOARD, THE BOARD CAN BE MADE FROM 'PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD' MATERIAL BUT OTHER ELECTRICALLY INSULATING MATERIALS SUCH AS TRANSPARENT, COLOURED PLASTIC SHEET, COMPOSITE MATERIALS, LAMINATES OR LAYERED MATERIALS MAY BE USED WITH THE CLUSTERS AND ANY ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS OR CIRCUITS REQUIRED MOUNTED THEREON OR THEREIN OR SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE LAYERS.

THE TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES SHOULD PREFERABLY BE FLUSH TO ALLOW PARTS SUCH AS MECHANISMS TO MOVE WITHOUT CATCHING ON PROTRUDING PARTS.

BY CLUSTERS WE MEAN TWO OR MORE ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING POINTS ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TOGETHER AND ADAPTED TO RECIEVE ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS ENTERING FROM THE SAME DIRECTION. THE CONNECTING POINTS MAY BE IN PHYSICAL CONTACT OR PHYSICALLY SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER IN A BODY EITHER INSULATING OR OTHERWISE.

THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' ALSO INCORPORATES A GRID PATTERN OF HOLES, THE HOLES BEING SO POSITIONED AS TO ALLOW THE PARTS FROM POPULAR CONSTRUCTION KITS TO BE MOUNTED THEREON AND IF DESIRABLE THE BOARD ALSO INCLUDES SLOTTED HOLES TO ALLOW EVEN GREATER FLEXIBILITY OF CONSTRUCTION.

THE INDIVIDUAL CLUSTERS OF CONNECTING POINTS COMPRISE TWO OR MORE ELECTRICAL CONNECTING POINTS, IE TWO OR MORE SOCKETS PER CLUSTER, AND THE CLUSTERS ARE SPACED BETWEEN THE PATTERN OF HOLES ON THE BOARD. WHERE POWER RAILS ARE INCORPORATED IN OR ON THE BOARD THE HOLES AND CLUSTERS ARE PREFERABLY LOCATED BETWEEN THE POWER RAILS (+ AN - RAILS) WHICH ARE CONVENIENTLY MOUNTED TOWARDS THE OUTER EDGES OF THE BOARD. THE CLUSTERS AND THE + AND POWER RAILS PREFERABLY USE THE SAME TYPE OF 'ELECTRICAL CONNECTING POINTS' (SOCKETS).

THE CLUSTERS MAY BE ELECTRICALLY JOINED TO EXTERNAL SYSTEMS OR TO EACH OTHER AS REQUIRED.

WHILST IT IS PREFERABLE THAT THE CLUSTERS ARE WITHIN THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' THEY CAN IF REQUIRED BE PLACED ONTOP OR UNDERNEATH. THE MAIN CIRCUIT BOARDS MAY BE SUPPLIED WITH THE CLUSTERS LOCATED IN PREDETERMINED POSITIONS THEREON ON OR THE CLUSTERS MAY BE SUPPLIED AS UNITS THAT CAN BE FIXED TO THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' BY THE USER AS REQUIRED.

INSTEAD OF THE USUAL CLUSTER IT IS SOMETIMES DESIRABLE TO HAVE A VERTICAL HOLE THROUGH THE CLUSTER, TO BE USED FOR EXAMPLE AS A FIXING POINT FOR CONSTRUCTION KITS.

THE MINIMIUM USEFUL NUMBER OF CLUSTERS TO PRODUCE A SIMPLE CIRCUIT IS FOUR BUT IN PRACTICE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE ARE USED TO GIVE FLEXIBILITY AND ALLOW COMPLEX CIRCUITS TO BE MADE. IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT A USEFUL NUMBER OF CLUSTERS IS 5 X 4 OR 8 X 7 BUT THEY CAN BE MADE ALMOST ANY SIZE. THE REASON FOR CHOOSING 8 IS THAT IT ALLOWS AN 8 BIT COMPUTER TO BE LINKED TO THE MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD IF REQUIRED.

IT IS DESIRABLE TO HIGHLIGHT THE CLUSTERS AND POWER RAILS (+ AND- RAILS) BY COLOURING OR OTHER MEANS SO THE USER CAN SEE THE CLUSTERS EASILY.

TO CONNECT COMPONENTS AND OR CLUSTERS TO OTHER COMPONENTS OR CLUSTERS; CONNECTING WIRES (SINGLE STRAND WIRE) ARE INSERTED INTO THE SOCKETS AS REQUIRED ON THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' OR 'COMPONENT BOARDS'.

BOUGHT 'OFF THE SHELF' COMPONENTS, SUCH AS RESISTORS WITH CONNECTING LEADS OR WIRES, CAN BE PLUGGED DIRECTLY INTO THE SOCKETS. OTHER BOUGHT COMPONENTS THAT DO NOT HAVE THE CORRECT SIZE WIRE OR LEADS MAY NEED SOCKET SIZE WIRE SOLDERED ON.

OTHER PARTS FROM OTHER CONSTRUCTION KITS CAN EASILY BE CONNECTED AND INTEGRATED ON THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' AS AND WHEN REQUIRED.

THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' MAY HAVE ONE OR MORE LARGER HOLES THOUGH THE BOARD USUALY ALONG THE CENTRE OF THE BOARD SO THAT COMPONENTS SUCH AS VARIABLE RESISTORS CAN BE MOUNTED ON ONE SIDE OF THE BOARD WITH THE ADJUSTING KNOB ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BOARD. IN ANOTHER CASE A PEN, WHICH PASSES THROUGH THE HOLE, CAN BE USED AS A PLOTTING PEN, IF REQIURED, WHEN MAKING A 'DRAWING BUGGY' ETC.

THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' PREFERABLY HAS A LETTERING AND OR NUMBERING SYSTEM MARKED ON IT FOR IDENTIFYING THE CLUSTERS AND HOLE POSITIONS.

TO CONSTRUCT CIRCUITS UTILISING THE BOARD DESRIBED ABOVE ONE CAN USE INCONJUNTION WITH THE BOARD ITEMS SUCH AS: RESISTORS, CAPACITORS, SENSORS, VARIABLE RESISTORS. THE ITEMS MAY BE ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO THE BOARD SIMPLY BY MEANS OF A CONNECTOR (SUCH AS SINGLE STAND WIRES). ALTHOUGH IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES IT MAY BE DESIRABLE TO UTILISE OTHER ELECTRICAL CONNECTING MEANS EG IF SPECIALIST TEST EQUIPMENT IS BEING USED. INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS THAT ARE MORE COMPLEX EG TRANSISTORS, INTEGRATED CIRCUITS ETC ARE PREFERABLY MOUNTED ON COMPONENT BOARDS WITH THE APPROPRIATE SYMBOLS THEREON. THE 'COMPONENT BOARD' SYMBOLS MATCHING THE CLUSTER GRID SPACINGS OF THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD'; IN USE THEY ARE PLACED ONTOP OF THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' AND CONNECTIONS MADE USING ONLY SINGLE STRAND WIRES.

THE 'COMPONENT BOARDS' PREFERABLY HAVE 'INSULATION SPACERS' OR PADS OR OTHER INSULATING MEANS ON THE UNDERSIDE TO SPACE THEN (AND PROVIDE ELECTRICAL INSULATION)-FROM THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD'.

'MINI CIRCUIT BOARDS' CAN BE USED ONTOP OF THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' THUS ALLOWING SUB-SYSTEMS TO BE BUILT UP SEPERATELY INCOPORATING ONTO THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD'. INSULATION SPACERS OR PADS OR OTHER INSULATING MEANS MAY BE PROVIDED TO SEPERATETHE MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD AND THE MINICIRCUIT BOARDS.

THERE IS NO LIMIT TO THE SIZE AND COMPLEXITY OF THE CIRCUITS WHICH CAN BE ASSEMBLED AS REQUIRED IF BOARDS ARE STACKED UP OR LAID NEXT TO EACH OTHER.

THE BOARDS CAN BE LINKED TOGETHER MECHANICALLY AS WELL AS ELECTRICALLY USING THE CLUSTERS AND THE HOLES IN THE BOARD(S) IF LARGE PROJECTS ARE BEING UNDERTAKEN THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARDS' AND 'COMPONENT BOARDS' CAN BE STACKED OR USED NEXT TO EACH OTHER IN HORIZONTALLY/VERTICAL PLANES AS IN RACK SYSTEMS OR MOTHER BOARD SYSTEMS. (ONE OF THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARDS' -BEING THE MOTHER BOARD WHILE OTHER 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARDS' CAN BE ATTATCHED AT 90 DEGREES TO IT) THEY CAN BE LINKED MECHANICALLY, BY MECHANICAL MEANS THROUGH THE HOLES IN THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD', AS WELL AS ELECTRICALLY USING THE CLUSTERS. IF THE BOARDS ARE TO BE USED AS A BASE FOR BUGGIES, ROBOTS, CRANES ETC. THE NECESSARY ITEMS SUCH AS ELECTRIC MOTORS, 'LEGO' PARTS, SENSORS AND OTHER ELECTRIC PARTS ETC. ARE MOUNTED ON THE BOARDS USING THE CLUSTERS AND HOLES.

IF THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' IS TO BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A -COMPUTER THE NECESSARY CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE BOARD AND THE COMPUTER CAN BE MADE EITHER USING A 'SPECIAL BOARD' OR USING A 'MINI CIRCUIT BOARD' MADE FOR THE PURPOSE WITH THE COMPUTER CABLE ATTATCHED.

IN CERTAIN CASES IT MAY BE DESIRABLE FOR THE USER TO PRODUCE/COPY CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS FROM AN INSTRUCTION MANUAL ONTO TRACING PAPER OR THIN PLASTIC SHEET. THE COPY DIAGRAM IS THEN PLACED ON THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD'; CONNECTIONS BEING MADE THROUGH THE TRANSPARENT DIAGRAM BY POKING THE 'CONNECTING WIRES' THROUGH THE TRACING PAPER INTO THE CLUSTER OR POWER RAIL SOCKETS UNDERNEATH. AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE ABOVE BEING TO USE A CIRCUIT TEMPLATE (MADE FROM CARD OR PLASTIC) WITH PREMADE HOLES THROUGH WHICH CONNECTING WIRES ENTER THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD'.

REFERING TO DRAWINGS 1 TO 9 FIG1 REPRESENTS A 'PLAN' VIEW OF A 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' (100) MADE OF PREFERABLY RIDGID ELECTRICALLY INSULATING MATERIAL INTO WHICH ARE CLUSTERS (110) OR GROUPS CONSISTING OF INDIVIDUAL 'ELECTRICAL CONNECTING POINTS' (SOCKETS) (120). THE CLUSTERS ARE LOCATED IN A PARTICULAR GRID PATTERN ON THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD'. THE BOARD MAY ALSO CONTAIN A NUMBER OF HOLES (190) SPACED IN A CAREFULLY DESIGNED AND PREFERABLY REGULAR SPACED GRID PATTERN SUCH THAT READILY AVAILABLE PARTS OF POPULAR CONSTRUCTION KITS CAN BE MOUNTED THEREON, THUS ENABLING THE BOARD TO BE INCORPORATED INTO VARIOUS CONSTRUCTIOAL KITS.

ALSO INCORPORATED INTO THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD'(100) ARE POWER RAILS (180) (+ AND - RAILS) WHICH ARE PREFERABLY MOUNTED NEAR THE EDGE OF THE BOARD.

A 'LARGER HOLE' (200) FOR A PEN OR A VARIABLE RESISTOR TO PASS THROUGH MAY BE PROVIDED. OPTIONAL 'SLOTTED HOLES(210) CAN BE ADDED WHERE REQUIRED TO MAKE THE INVENTION MORE VERSATILE WHEN BEING USED WITH A RANGE OF POPULAR CONSTRUCTION KIT PARTS.

FIG 2 FIG2A SHOWS 'CLOSE UP' DETAIL OF A CORNER OF THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' (100) OF THE INVENTION.

THE SOCKET (120) IS SHOWN ENLARGED. FOUR SOCKETS FORMING THE CLUSTER (110). TO IDENTIFY THESE CLUSTERS A COLOURED MARKING (150) MAY BE PRINTED ON THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' (100). ENLARGED DETAIL OF A SINGLE STANDED 'CONNNECTING WIRE'(140) IS ALSO SHOWN.

THE HOLES (190) ARE FOR LOCATION AND/OR FIXING OF PARTS FROM COMMON CONSTRUCTION KITS.

FIG 2B SHOWS ANOTHER CLUSTER VARIATION IN WHICH A CLUSTER(11OA) IS MADE AS A PLUG WHICH MAY BE FIXED INTO PREMADE HOLES IN THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' (100).

FIG 2C-SHOWS ANOTHER VARIATION OF THE CLUSTER (190A) WITH A HOLE WHICH PASSES THROUGH THE CLUSTER AND THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD'(100).

FIG 3 ILLUSTRATES HOW 'STANDARD ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS' (150) EG. A CAPACITOR(150A) CAN BE CONNECTED DIRECTLY INTO THE CLUSTERS OF SOCKETS.

ALSO ILLUSTRATED IS A 'COMPONENT BOARD'(130) UPON WHICH IS MOUNTED A SINGLE TRANSISTOR WITH ITS ASSOCIATED LEGEND (135). A 'MINI CIRCUIT BOARD'(131) IS ALSO SHOWN WITH ITS ASSOCIATED LEGEND (132). IT CAN HAVE ALL THE FACILITIES OF A 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD'(100) SUCH AS HOLES, CLUSTERS AND LEGEND(S). THIS PARTICULAR EXAMPLE SHOWS A CIRCUIT THAT PROVIDES TWO 'OR' LOGIC GATES MADE FROM AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT AND SIX RESISTORS.

THE 'COMPONENT BOARD'(130) AND 'MINI MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD'(131) ARE ELECTRICALLY JOINED TO THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARDS' BY MEANS OF 'CONNECTING WIRES' (140).

FIG 4 FIG 4A SHOWS HOW A 'TIMER CIRCUIT DIAGRAM', AS SHOWN IN 4B, CAN BE ASSEMBLED ON A 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD'(100). THE 555 TIMER CHIP(136) IS MOUNTED ON A 'COMPONENT BOARD'(130) WITH THE APPROPRIATE SYMBOL MARKING (LEGEND). OTHER COMPONENTS USED ARE STANDARD ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS (150).WITH WIRES ATTATCHED.

NOTES THE CIRCUIT SHOWN HAS A TIMER CHIP WHICH USES POWER FROM THE POWER RAILS (+ AND - RAILS) (180).

THE TIME DURING WHICH THE BULB IS SWITCHED ON IS CONTROLLED BY THE EXTERNAL CIRCUITRY, NAMELY A FIXED RESISTOR, CAPACITOR AND A VARIABLE RESISTOR.

IF FIG 4A WAS VIEWED FROM ABOVE THE 'PLAN' VIEW WOULD RESEMBLE THE THEORETICAL SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM (FIG 4B).

FIG 5 ILLUSTRATES HOW A 'LIGHT SEEKING BUGGY' CAN BE ASSEMBLED ON THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD'(100) FIG 5A SHOWS THE 'PLAN VIEW' OF A 'LIGHT-SEEKNG BUGGY'.

ONE 'COMPONENT BOARD'(130) HAS AN OPERATIONAL AMPLIFIER (137) WITH APPROPRIATE LEGEND, THE OTHER COMPONENT BOARD(130D) HAS A VARIABLE RESISTOR AND APPROPRIATE LEGEND. THE ELECTRICAL COMPONANTS (150) ARE RESISTORS. THE PARTS MARKED (157) ARE LIGHT DEPENDENT RESISTORS HOUSED IN A TUBE AND BOLTED ONTO THE MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD.

5B SHOWS A 'SIDE VIEW' OF THE 'LIGHT SEEKING BUGGY' THE COMPONENTS ARE MARKED AS IN THE 'PLAN VIEW' ABOVE. TWO ELECTRIC MOTORS (228) ARE MOUNTED ON THE UNDERSIDE.

5C SHOWS THE 'CIRCUIT DIAGRAM' FROM WHICH THE LIGHT SEEKING BUGGY CIRCUIT WAS CONSTRUCTED. THE SIMILARITY OF THE PHYSICAL LAYOUT IN FIG 5A AND THE CIRCUIT DIAGRAM FIG 5C CAN BE SEEN. THE OPERATION OF THE CIRCUIT IS AS FOLLOWS: THE LIGHT SENSORS (157) SENSE FROM WHICH SIDE THE LIGHT IS COMING. THE AMPLIFIER (137) AMPLIFIES THE ELECTRICALSIGNAL AND ACTIVATING THE APPROPRIATE MOTOR. THE SENSITIVITY OF THE CIRCUIT IS ADJUSTED BY THE VARIABLE RESISTOR WHICH IS MOUNTED ON THE SECOND COMPONENT BOARD(130D).

FIG 6.

SHOWS THE UNDERSIDE OF A TYPICAL 'COMPONENT BOARD'(130E) REVEALING THE CIRCUIT CONNECTIONS AND THE ELECTRICAL INSULATING SPACER(300) FIG 7 SHOWS THE UNDERSIDE OF A 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' (100A) WITH EXTRA CONNECTIONS MADE SO THAT A COMPUTER RIBBON CABLE CAN BE CONNNECTED AT THE CONNECTION POINTS (245) USING STANDARD CONNECTING METHODS.

THE LINES (240) EG ETCHED COPPER TRACKS, INDICATE THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS THAT LINK THE CLUSTERS TO THE COMPUTER RIBBON CABLE.

THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE RAILS (180) ARE ILLUSTRATED.

FIG 8 A PLAN VIEW OF A SMALLER VARIATION OF THE MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD (100B)- CROSS REFERENCE CAN BE MADE WITH FIG 1 ALSO SHOWN ARE THE CLUSTERS (110) CONSISTING OF INDIVIDUAL 'ELECTRICAL CONNECTING POINTS' (SOCKETS) (120). THE CLUSTERS (110) ARE LOCATED IN A PARTICULAR GRID PATTERN ON THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD'(100B). THE BOARD MAY ALSO CONTAIN A PLURALITY OF 'HOLES' (190).

POWER RAILS (180) (+ AND - RAILS).

A 'LARGER HOLE' (200) FOR A PEN OR A VARIABLE RESISTOR TO PASS THROUGH MAY BE PROVIDED.

FIG 9 ILLUSTRATES A CRANE ASSEMBLED FROM A COMMON (MECHANICAL) CONSTRUCTION KIT(220) ON 'THE MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' (100).

FIG 9A SHOWS A 'PLAN VIEW' OF THE CRANE. THE -COMMON (MECHANICAL) CONSTRUCTION KIT (220) PARTS ARE ATTATCHED TO THE 'MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD' (100) WITH BOLTS (310). THE COMPONENT BOARD(130F) ' HAS A 'SINGLE POLE SINGLE THROW SWITCH' (133) MOUNTED ON IT. CONNECTING WIRES (140) JOIN THE MOTOR AND SWITCH TO THE POWER RAILS(180) FIG9B SHOWS A SIDE ELEVATION OF THE CRANE.

PARTS LIST ********** 100 MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD 110 CLUSTERS 120 ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING POINTS (SOCKETS) 130 COMPONENT BOARD 131 MINI CIRCUIT BOARD 135 ASSOCIATED LEGEND 136 TIMER CHIP 140 CONNECTING WIRE 150 STANDARD ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS 180 POWER RAILS 190 HOLES 200 LARGER HOLE 210 SLOTTED HOLES 228 ELECTRIC MOTORS 245 300 CONNECTION POINTS 310 BOLTS

Claims

CLAIMS 1 AN ELECTRICALLY INSULATING BOARD USEFUL AS A CIRCUIT BOARD IN AN ELECTRICS/ELECTRONICS CONSTRUCTION KIT AND IN OR ON WHICH BOARD ARE INCORPORATED IN PREDTERMINED POSITIONS CLUSTERS OF ELECTRICAL CONNECTING POINTS.
2 AN ELECTRICALLY INSULATING AS IN CLAIM 1 IN WHICH THE CLUSTERS OF ELECTRICAL CONNECTING POINTS DO NOT SIGNIFICANTLY PROTUDE ABOVE THE SURFACES OF THE BOARD.
3 AN ELECTRICALLY INSULATING AS IN CLAIM 1 AND 2 IN WHICH THE BOARD ALSO INCORPORATES A PATTERN OF HOLES TO ENABLE CONSTRUCTION KITS TO BE MOUNTED THERON.
4 AN ELECTRICALLY INSULATING AS IN ANY PRECEDING CLAIM IN WHICH POWER RAILS ARE INCORPORATED
5 AN ELECTRICALLY INSULATING AS IN CLAIM 4 IN WHICH THE POWER RAILS ARE MOUNTED TOWARDS THE OUTER EXTREMITIES OF THE BOARD.
6 AN ELECTRICALLY INSULATING AS IN ANY PRECEEDING CLAIM IN WHICH THE CLUSTERS AND HOLES ARE IN A REGULAR GRID PATTERN.
7 AN ELECTRICALLY INSULATING AS IN CLAIM 6 IN WHICH THE HOLES AND CLUSTERS ARE IN A SPATIAL RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER.
8 CLUSTERS FOR USE IN ELECTRIC/ELECTRONIC CONSTRUCTION KITS WHICH COMPRISE TWO OR MORE ELECTRICAL POINTS CONNECTING TOGETHER AND ADAPTED TO RECIEVE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION POINTS FROM THE SAME DIRECTION.
9 CLUSTERS AS IN CLAIM 8 IN WHICH THE CONNECTING POINTS ARE IN PHYSICAL CONTACT
10 CLUSTERS AS IN CLAIM 8 IN WHICH THE CONNECTING POINTS ARE PHYSICALLY SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER.
11 CLUSTERS AS IN CLAIM 9 AND 10 IN WHICH THE CONNECTING POINTS ARE ENCLOSED IN A BODY.
12 CLUSTERS AS IN CLAIM 11 IN WHICH THE ENCLOSING BODY IS ELECTRICALLY INSULATING.
13 CLUSTERS AS IN CLAIM 8 TO 11 WHERE THE CLUSTERS COMPRISE NOT MORE THAN FIVE ELECTRICAL CONNECTING POINTS.
14 A BOARD AS IN CLIAMS 1 TO 6 CONTAINING NOT LESS THAN 4 CLUSTERS.
15 A BOARD AS IN CLAIMS 1 TO 6 CONTAINING NOT LESS THAN 5 X 4 CLUSTERS.
16 A BOARD AS IN CLAIMS 1 TO 6 CONTAINING NOT LESS THAN 5 X 8 CLUSTERS.
17 A BOARD AS IN CLAIMS 1 TO 6 CONTAINING NOT LESS THAN 8 X 7 CLUSTERS.
18 AS IN ANY OF THE CLAIMS 1-7,14-18 IN WHICH THE CLUSTERS ARE ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TOGETHER.
19 AS IN ANY CLAIMS 1-7,14-20 IN WHICH THE CLUSTERS ARE ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TOGETHER TO AN EXTERNAL SYSTEM.
20 A BOARD AS IN CLAIMS 1 TO 6, 14 TO 19 IN WHICH CERTAIN ADDITIONAL HOLES ARE USED TO ENABLE COMPONENTS TO BE MOUNTED THROUGH THE BOARD.
21 A BOARD AS IN CLAIMS 1 TO 6, 14 TO 20 IN WHICH THE CLUSTERS AND OR RAILS ARE INDICATED BY A COLOUR SIGNAL.
22 AN ELECTRICAL INSULATING BOARD ACCORDING TO CLAIMS 1 TO 6, 14 TO 21 IN WHICH THE CLUSTERS OF ELECTRICAL CONNECTING POINTS ARE AS CLAIMED IN.8
23 AN ELECTRICAL INSULATING BOARD ACCORDING TO CLAIMS 1 TO 6, 14 TO 21 IN WHICH THE CLUSTERS OF ELECTRICAL CONNECTING POINTS ARE AS CLAIMED IN 9.
24 AN ELECTRICAL INSULATING BOARD ACCORDING TO CLAIMS 1 TO 6, 14 TO 21 IN WHICH THE CLUSTERS OF ELECTRICAL CONNECTING POINTS ARE AS CLAIMED IN 10
25 AN ELECTRICAL INSULATING BOARD ACCORDING TO CLAIMS 1 TO 6, 14 TO 21 IN WHICH THE CLUSTERS OF ELECTRICAL CONNECTING POINTS ARE AS CLAIMED IN 11
26 AN ELECTRICAL INSULATING BOARD ACCORDING TO CLAIMS 1 TO 6, 14 TO 21 IN WHICH THE CLUSTERS OF ELECTRICAL CONNECTING POINTS ARE AS CLAIMED IN 12.
27 AN ELECTRICAL INSULATING BOARD ACCORDING TO CLAIMS 1 TO 6, 14 TO 21 IN WHICH THE CLUSTERS OF ELECTRICAL CONNECTING POINTS ARE AS CLAIMED IN 13.
28 COMPONENT BOARDS FOR USE IN ELECTRIC/ELECTRONIC CONSTRUCTION KITS ON WHICH BOARD THE COMPONENT IS MOUNTED AND THE THEORETICAL SYMBOL OF THE COMPONENT IS ILLUSTRATED.
29 COMPONENT BOARD AS IN CLAIM 28 IN WHICH THE CONNECTING POINTS OF THE COMPONENT BOARD ARE SPACED ACCORDING TO THE SPACING OF THE CLUSTERS OF THE ELECTRIC CONNECTING POINTS ON THE MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD ON WHICH THE COMPONENT BOARD IS TO BE USED.
30 COMPONENT BOARD AS IN CLAIMS 28 AND 29 WHICH HAVE ELECTRICAL INSULATING SPACING MEANS ON THE UNDERSIDE.
31 IN COMBINATION A CIRCUIT BOARD AS IN CLAIMS 1 TO 6, 14 TO 21 AND ONE OR MORE COMPONENT BOARDS AS 28 TO 30.
32 A COMBINATION AS IN CLAIM 31 WHERIN THE BOARDS ARE SEPARATED BY MNEANS OF ELECTRICALY INSULATING MEANS.
33 A COMBINATION AS IN CLAIM 32 IN WHICH THE INSULATING MEANS ARE PADS PLACED/MOUNTED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE COMPONENT BOARDS.
34 A COMBINATION ACCORDING TO CLAIMS 31 TO 33 IN WHICH THE MAIN BOARD AND THE COMPONENT BOARD(S) ARE JOINED TOGETHER BY ELECTRICALLY INSULATING 'CLICK' RIVETS.
35 A COMBINATION ACCORDING TO CLAIMS 31 TO 33 IN WHICH THE MAIN BOARD AND THE COMPONENT BOARD(S) ARE JOINED TOGETHER BY INSULATING BOLTS.
36 A MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH COMPONENT BOARD WHEREIN EITHER OF THE BOARDS IS ADAPTED TO RECIEVE THE INPUT OR OUTPUTS CONNECTIONS TO A COMPUTER.
37 A MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH COMPONENT BOARD WHEREIN EITHER OF THE BOARDS IS ADAPTED TO RECIEVE THE INPUT OR OUTPUTS CONNECTIONS TO EXTERNAL ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT.
38 A METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING ELECTRIC/ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS FROM THEORETICAL CIRCUITS WHICH TYPICALLY COMPRISES :- A MAIN CIRCUIT- BOARD, A COMPONENT BOARD, ELECTRCAL COMPONENTS, CONNECTING WIRES, ELECTRIC BATTERY.
39 A METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING ELECTRIC/ELECTRONIC CONTROL CIRCUITS ON THE MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD(S) FROM THEORETICAL CIRCUITS WHICH TYPICALLY COMPRISES :- A MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD, A COMPONENT BOARD, ELECTRCAL COMPONENTS, CONNECTING WIRES, ELECTRIC BATTERY AND MECHANICAL DEVICES POWERED BY AN ELECTRIC MOTOR.
40 A METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING ELECTRIC/ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS ON THE MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD(S) FROM THEORETICAL CIRCUITS DIAGRAMS WHEREBY A PAPER OR PLASTIC COPY OF THE CIRCUIT DIAGRAM IS LAID ONTOP OF THE MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD. INDIVIDUAL WIRES AND OR COMPONENT WIRES ARE THEN PUSHED THOUGH THE COPY JOINING WITH THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTING POINTS ON THE MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD.