DE4317829C1 - Magnetic play kit - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a kit of magnetic building elements before mainly as toys, but also as teaching aids and / or to illustrate Planning in the field of building and design can be used.

Due to the magnetic force, the individual components of the kit can easily linked together, but with sufficient external force effect can simply be separated again. The kit is therefore a simple, flexible and universal toy in the field of construction with high pedagogical Play value that is also a lot of fun.

Magnetic toys already exist in which a permanent magnetic stone and / or magnetic foil and / or metal plate is attached as a separate part to a carrier material (e.g. wood or plastic). The permanent magnet stones are usually axially magnetized (possibly with an iron yoke plate), while the magnetic foils are normally shown to be magnetized on one side with stripes, with magnetic north and south pole stripes alternating (see FIG. 4).

The building game elements of the currently known magnetic building blocks have, in Ver same as the well-known mechanical toy building sets (e.g. LEGO, Fischer Technik), only a very limited link flexibility.

This is due to (a) the shape of the components, (b) the magnetic material used lien, (c) the number, geometry and arrangement of the magnetically effective ver nodes and (d) the type of magnetization of the nodes. she are therefore particularly unsuitable for houses and buildings as well as machines, plants, To reproduce animals and humans in an essentially realistic way (reduced in size). In detail, the well-known magnetic building game forms are based too little the shapes suitable for versatile construction (e.g. DIN dimensions). Permanent magnetic stones and magnetic foils are disadvantageous in terms of weight, geometry, Manufacturing as well as with mechanical or thermal stress (cf. P 43 06 573.2 and G 93 04 198.5 of the applicant / inventor of this document). In addition, the known building game elements with permanent magnetic stones usually just a magnetic link on a surface. You can hardly or not at all "build" because a large part of the surface che is magnetically ineffective.  

In order to make the entire surface magnetically effective, it is customary to use magnetic film with strip magnetization (cf. FIG. 4). This allows a "staggered" construction, but no longitudinal cross-connection of the building stones.

The decisive factor for the variety of links is the geometric design and Magnetization of the connection points (or surfaces).

The axial or stripe magnetization normally used in building game elements offer far fewer connectivity options than those below described, inventive new type of magnetization of the tie points.

DE 27 04 204 A1 describes a "building toy for erecting buildings in one Grid system assembled, pluggable construction elements "presented. However, it is a plug-in system without magnets. Similar to LEGO, DUPLO and Fischertechnik are the links there purely mecha nisch, while in the present patent the magnetic force is the linkages causes. This results in (in part) different building block and game properties.

DE-GM 80 23 609 describes a magnetic game module that "minde least has a permanent magnet "and in which the permanent magnet and / or magneti sizable elements in the surface of the plastic block body (partially or completely). The arrangement of the permanent magnets is characterized in that the permanent magnets "in the end regions of the building are arranged in one body and inserted in a plug-on body in the form of a cap sets ", which is illustrated in a picture.

Nothing is said there with regard to an axisymmetric arrangement the permanent magnet or via its magnetization. In particular there is - neither in Word or picture - a reference to an (n × m) matrix arrangement (where n, m natural Liche numbers greater than 1) of the magnetic tie points, what "offset Building "is important.

In DE-OS 19 42 333 a "module insert for model construction purposes" is presented, the u. a. is characterized in that "at least part of the building blocks in plastic embedded permanent magnet material contains ". Further there can" the permanent magnet material rial in fine-grained form in the base material and in a uniform direction magnetized ".  

Similar to DE-GM 80 23 609 there is nothing about an axis symmetry trical arrangement of the permanent magnets or the permanent magnet material or via the more precise magnetization is given. An "offset building" with positive locking is with the The modules described there are also not possible.

As far as the magnetization with inner and outer circle is concerned, something similar is already in DE-GM 17 37 900 and DE-GM 17 83 302 for non-toy, industrial Haftma gnet systems described.

Some differences are, however, that in DE-GM 17 37 900 the polar regions partially overlap and in DE-GM 17 83 302 the case r ₂ <r _{1 is} not included.

In US-PS 3 196 579 magnetic components are presented, which consist of four parts are built up: (1) a hollow cuboid plastic body, the underside has a 4 × 2 lattice structure and the top of which is completely open at (2) Sheet with 4 × 2 lattice punching, which is a mechanical fit to the Underside causes. The third part is a magnetic plate, which is on the 4 × 2- Plastic grid rests on the underside and the fourth part is a thin metal plate Chen, which is attached to the back of the magnetic plate.

Because of the mechanical 4 × 2 grid structure, this magnetic construction Build elements offset with positive locking.

A significant difference to the new invention lies in the fact that in US Pat 196 579 the magnetic material is evenly distributed over the bottom of the block and the 4 × 2 matrix structure only through the mechanical lattice structure of the sheet and the bottom of the plastic body is reached. Without this mechanical fixation A positive, staggered construction would not be possible there either. Against it in the new invention, the magnetic material itself as a 4 × 2 matrix (conc triert) arranged, which is why the building blocks alone because of the magnetic force can be arranged positively and offset and therefore no mechanical fixation Need help.

Another difference is that in US Pat. No. 3,196,579 there is a liability of magnet Metal is present, but in the new invention directly from magnet to magnet. Outside In addition, magnetization and pole arrangements are different.

The invention has set itself the task of eliminating the aforementioned disadvantages and to make it possible to easily reduce the size of buildings from imagination and Reality can be built.

This object is achieved by the features of claim 1.

In order to be aesthetically appealing and realistic, an appropriate one is Coloring important, for example, sandstone-colored building blocks in a Palatinate Winery.

As far as the shape is concerned, the proportions of the proven DIN dimensions are ver turns. For the basic building block you then have a cuboid with the proportions Län ge L: width W: height H = L: W: H = 3: 1.5: 1.

By division and / or multiplication it is easy to obtain other building blocks ( FIG. 2). For example, in order to design windows, doors, roofs or facades from different styles (e.g. classic, Romanesque, Art Nouveau), other shapes are required. In terms of material, one must differentiate between carrier or filler material on the one hand and the magnetic material on the other.

Common plastic (e.g. with paint) is a suitable carrier material, while a magnetic / magnetizable mixture of materials is recommended as a magnetic material
(a) plastic and
(b) magnetic or magnetizable material and
(c) any other additives (e.g. color).

An example of this are the so-called "magnetizable thermoplastics", which are to be referred to here as "plastic magnet material" or "plastic magnet". As already described in G 93 04 198.5, several possibilities are conceivable with regard to the arrangement of the plastic magnet material. The use of "plastic magnets" means that the shape is much freer than that of conventional magnetic materials. This is important for the design of the magnetic connection points and for the mechanical and thermal robustness of the building game elements. The number, arrangement and geometry of the magnetic connection points are particularly important for the variety of connections. In order to enable both longitudinal / longitudinal and longitudinal / transverse connections, axially and rotationally symmetrical connection points such as squares or circular surfaces are recommended. To "stagger" and build regularly, you need several, axially symmetrical arranged on the surface linking points that are evenly distributed on the upper surface ( Fig. 3 and Fig. 5).

The greater the number of tie points, the more "finely offset" you can build s, the type of magnetization being important.

Since poles of the same name repel each other and attract opposite poles, the NS pole distribution (N = north pole, S = south pole) cannot be chosen arbitrarily. FIG. 6 shows possible north-south pole arrangements for the connection points according to FIG. 5. It can be seen that with these types of magnetization the connection diversity is already much higher than with the previously known magnetic toys, since in particular longitudinal / transverse connections are also possible.

When building, you always have to make sure that you get the building blocks right turns around. In addition, links are only (again) with the next but one Row of dots "possible because the" next row of dots "is always repulsive.

On the other hand, a block would be ideal in which all points of two block surfaces to be linked would attract each other. Then you would no longer have to pay attention to the NS pole distribution when building. The solution to this is shown in FIG. 1, using the example of nested square or circular areas. The inner and outer surfaces are magnetized differently. The connection points of two pages to be linked are magnetized in opposite directions.

If only the top and bottom sides of the basic building block according to FIG. 1 are magnetized, one has the same connection possibilities as with the mechanical LEGO building blocks. If the sides (all six) of the cuboid are additionally magnetized in this way, the linkage diversity is even greater than with LEGO bricks. Lateral connection points are useful, for example, if you want to attach special, stylish facade blocks to the side of the basic building blocks.

In order to achieve the greatest possible adhesive force, the magnetic field line density should be maximum on the block surface.

Depending on the desired adhesive force, the parameters d ₁ , d ₂ , d ₃ or r ₁ , r ₂ , r ₃ and h from FIG. 1 are adapted. Here r _{1 is} the radius of the inner circle, r ₂ the inner radius of the outer circle and r ₃ the outer radius of the outer circle and d ₁ , d ₂ , d ₃ correspondingly for the square shape. The parameter h denotes the height of a magnetic connection point. For the special case d ₃ = d ₂ = d ₁ <0 and r ₃ = r ₂ = r ₁ <0 one has only a square or a circle as a magnetically active link point (see. Fig. 3 and Fig. 5) . In principle, all known magnetic materials could be used for this purpose, which permit such an arrangement and magnetization, that is to say not only magnetizable thermoplastics.

The drawings FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 illustrate exemplary embodiments of this invention.

It show in detail

Fig. 1 axis-symmetrical arrangement of the magnetic tie points
(a) square or
(b) circular north-south pole pairs
with the essential geometry parameters d ₁ , d ₂ , d ₃ or r ₁ , r ₂ , r ₃ and h.

Fig. 2 basic block (a) with divider (b) and multiples (c).

Fig. 3 (a) all sides with magnetic tie points, (b) only top and bottom with magnetic tie points.

Fig. 4 strip magnetization with (a) transverse strips and (b) longitudinal strips; N = North Pole, S = South Pole.

Fig. 5 surface at (a) square and (b) circular magnetic connection points.

Fig. 6 Two useful NS-arrays for square or circular link points in FIG. 5.

An embodiment of the invention is a magnetic play kit with various NEN, interconnectable building game elements, so that simply houses in can be reproduced in a much smaller, realistic manner. In addition to simple Chen single-family houses or terraced houses (with / without garden) are pri vate and public buildings with cultural-historical significance are particularly interesting such as B. Trifels Castle, Hambacher Castle, Villa Ludwigshöhe, Arc de Triumphe, Alhambra etc.  

The basic building block for this is a cuboid with the proportions L: W: H = 3: 1.5: 1 with, for example, 30 × 15 × 10 mm (cf. FIG. 2). The edges of the blocks can of course also be chamfered, rounded or otherwise machined to who to special effects, for. B. shadow gap.

Ordinary plastic (e.g. ABS with paint) is selected as the carrier material a magnetizable thermoplastic as magnetic material.

Eight circular magnetic connection points with inner and outer circle are to be axially symmetrically arranged on its top and bottom. On the top side, the inner circles as south poles and the outer circles as north poles are to be magnetized on one side; reverse on the underside (see Fig. 1).

To replicate the facades as realistically as possible, you can either use one Design the outside of the basic building block accordingly (i.e. surface structure and Color) or additionally on an outside of the basic building blocks magnetic ver Attach tie points in such a way that specially designed facade modules can be attached to them can (magnetically) attach. The last variant has the advantage that you can do the same ben "Shell" easily and quickly try out different facade styles can.

Of course, divisors and multiples of the basic building block (e.g. as a door beam) are necessary and other shapes (e.g. cylinders as pillars, window and door building elements).

Such a magnetic play building block can gradually become a whole "magnetic game world" be expanded.

It promotes creativity, constructive and artistic understanding, especially for Architecture and art history, and can, also because of the magnetic effect, bring a lot of joy to play.

Claims (2)

1. Magnetic building block whose shape is a cuboid with the proportions L: W: H 3: 1.5: 1 or 3: 1: 1 or 4: 2: 1 or 4: 2: 2 is made of ordinary plastic (e.g. polyamide, ABS) has one or more on its block surface magnetic connection points axisymmetric, for example as 2 times 4 Matrix, which are embedded, made of a plastic-bonded magnetic material (e.g. magnetizable thermoplastic) or made of a permanent magnetic material exist, the magnetically effective geometric surface of a link starting point from two concentrically arranged, opposite magne tized axis or rotationally symmetrical zones and each on the on the opposite side of the building block designed but magnetized with reverse polarity, except on the top and Underside on at least one other side surface of the building brick Linking points can be arranged in order to connect a facade play module fasten, which is surface structured, to facades, from the building stone composite buildings, to be able to design realistically. 2. Magnetic building block according to claim 1, characterized in that the axially or rotationally symmetrical zones of the junction are formed as squares or circles, with the fact that
with square shape d ₃ d ₂ d ₁ <0 and
circular shape r ₃ r ₂ r ₁ <0.