Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
  • A63H33/00—Other toys
  • A63H33/04—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts
  • A63H33/046—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts comprising magnetic interaction means, e.g. holding together by magnetic attraction
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
  • A63H33/00—Other toys
  • A63H33/04—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts
  • A63H33/06—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements
  • A63H33/067—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements with rotation or translation, e.g. of keyhole or bayonet type
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
  • A63H33/00—Other toys
  • A63H33/04—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts
  • A63H33/10—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled by means of additional non-adhesive elements
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
  • A63H33/00—Other toys
  • A63H33/26—Magnetic or electric toys
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09B—EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS
  • G09B1/00—Manually or mechanically operated educational appliances using elements forming, or bearing, symbols, signs, pictures, or the like which are arranged or adapted to be arranged in one or more particular ways
  • G09B1/32—Manually or mechanically operated educational appliances using elements forming, or bearing, symbols, signs, pictures, or the like which are arranged or adapted to be arranged in one or more particular ways comprising elements to be used without a special support
  • G09B1/38—Manually or mechanically operated educational appliances using elements forming, or bearing, symbols, signs, pictures, or the like which are arranged or adapted to be arranged in one or more particular ways comprising elements to be used without a special support the elements being connectible magnetically
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01F—MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
  • H01F7/00—Magnets
  • H01F7/02—Permanent magnets [PM]

Definitions

• the present invention relates, in general, to polyhedral block-type magnetic toys and, more particularly, to a polyhedral block-type magnetic toy, which includes a unit block having various polyhedral shapes, a magnet moving space provided across each surface of the unit block such that it does not protrude outwards from the surface and is partitioned into a plurality of small moving spaces, and magnets movably inserted into the small moving spaces.
• a magnet of one unit block rotates in an associated small moving space, due to repulsive force between the magnets of the two unit blocks.
• the Lego products a plurality of components having various shapes can be assembled into various structures, depending on the individual tastes and ideas of children.
• the Lego products are considered to improve children's imaginative power and creativity, and as well, are formed to be different in number and size of components according to age, while the size ratio of the components remains consistent, whereby children may play with the Lego products until becoming teenagers.
• each component of the Lego products comprises a three-dimensional shape based on a cuboid or cube.
• the total assembly components thereof occupy a large storage space.
• a prolonged period to assemble a specific structure is further required.
• magnetic toys have been developed, which serve to increase the creativity of children by allowing them to plan new geometric designs and build them, without relying on basic designs concerning specific themes.
• the magnetic toy is composed of magnetic rods each covered with a synthetic resin covering and each having a metal bar and a permanent magnet placed at each end of the metal bar, and metal balls.
• a plurality of magnetic rods is continuously connected by means of the metal balls, thereby assembling desired models or structures.
• FIGS. 1 and 2A and 2B A representative magnetic toy is schematically shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A and 2B.
• FlG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional magnetic toy when being practically used. Also, FTGS. 2A and 2B are sectional views to show a magnetic rod constituting the magnetic toy of FlG. 1 and a basic assembly structure thereof, respectively.
• the conventional magnetic toy includes a plurality of magnetic rods 1 and a plurality of metal balls 2, in which each magnetic rod 1 is composed of a metal bar 12, a disc-shaped permanent magnet 11 placed at each end of the metal bar 12, and a covering 13 made of a synthetic resin to cover the metal bar 12, and an outer surface and an edge of an external end S of the permanent magnet 11.
• a plurality of the magnetic rods 1 is connected.
• the disc-shaped permanent magnet 11 is placed at each end of the metal bar 12, whereby the magnetic rod 1 can function as a cylindrical magnet having a circular section, thus representing N-polarity at one end of the magnetic rod 1 and S- polarity at the other end thereof.
• Each end of the magnetic rod 1 is attached to the metal ball 2 by magnetic force.
• a connected structure is basically represented by a triangular shape. Based on such a shape, larger and more complicated structures may be assembled.
• the magnetic end disc 11 which acts to decrease size and weight of final magnetic products by retaining high performance magnetic properties, is formed with rare earth- based neodymium (Nd) having superior mechanical strength and corrosion resistance.
• the end disc 11 is attached to each end of the metal bar 12 to induce dense lines of magnetic force, resulting in magnetic force enhancement of about 1000 G.
• magnetic force enhancement of about 1000 G.
• the conventional magnetic toy comprising the metal balls and the magnetic rods can afford various geometrical models.
• the conventional magnetic toy may form a three-dimensional shape, that is, a polyhedral shape, but it does not have faces, so that it is unsuitable for education.
• educational toys comprising a plurality of blocks having shapes of various polyhedrons have been proposed so that children may play with the toys, in addition to educating children about shapes and characteristics of various polyhedrons, including a tetrahedron, a hexahedron, and a polygonal prism.
• the conventional polyhedral blocks are problematic in that they are made of wood or synthetic resin, so that the blocks are apt to be damaged even by small external force, when the blocks are stacked up.
• the attracting unit includes a housing, a cover, and one spherical magnet.
• the housing has the shape of a hexahedron which has a space therein and is open at an upper portion thereof.
• the magnet is rotatably disposed in the internal space of the housing. Since the magnet is rotatable in the housing, it is possible to connect a plurality of hexahedron-shaped attracting units to each other, as desired, regardless of the polarities of the magnets. Further, it is possible to stably connect polyhedral blocks to each other by magnetic force, by arranging the attracting units at regular intervals such that they do not protrude from each surface of each polyhedral block.
• each attracting unit has one magnet, so that only a one-to-one coupling between the surface of one attracting unit and the surface of another attracting unit is possible. That is, it is impossible to simultaneously attach two surfaces of two attracting units to one surface of one attracting unit, thus providing an invariable coupling structure.
• the polyhedral block having the attracting unit may be attached only to a part having another attracting unit. Thus, it is impossible to change the contact area as desired, while keeping the coupled state.
• Korean Patent No. 457305 discloses a joining apparatus with a rotatable magnet therein and a built-up type toy with the same.
• a magnet is inserted into each of a plurality of slots which are provided on faces of a polyhedron, and a cap is mounted to each slot to prevent undesirable removal of the magnet.
• the magnet is rotatable while moving to some extent in an associated slot.
• this invention has effects and disadvantages which are similar to the above-mentioned Japanese Laid-Open publication.
• an object of the present invention is to provide a polyhedral block-type magnetic toy, in which a plurality of magnets is coupled to each surface of a polyhedron such that the magnets are not fixed but are movable, thus allowing a contact area to be adjusted as desired while the surface of a polyhedral block contacts the surface of another polyhedral bock, therefore allowing blocks to be coupled in various shapes.
• the present invention provides magnet moving spaces which are formed across each surface of a polyhedron.
• the polyhedral block-type magnetic toy of this invention is characterized in that it includes a plurality of polyhedral unit blocks, and a plurality of magnets movably provided to each surface of each unit block, and a magnet moving space formed across each surface of each unit block such that the magnets are movably provided to each unit block.
• the magnet moving space has the shape of a straight line which extends from one end of each surface of each unit block to an opposite end of the surface.
• the magnet moving space is partitioned into two or more small moving spaces by partition walls or the like. One magnet is put into each of the small moving spaces. Thereby, the magnet is rotatable while freely moving across each surface of each unit block, that is, along the longitudinal direction of each small moving space.
• Each magnet may have any shape, as long as it is freely movable or rotatable in each small moving space. Most preferably, the magnet has the shape of a sphere or cylinder.
• each magnet moving space is as follows. That is, in the case of a wood block, the magnet moving space having a rectangular cross- section is made by grooving a portion from an end of each surface to an opposite end thereof. After the magnet is put into the magnet moving space, open opposite side ends and an open upper end of the magnet moving space are closed so as to prevent the magnet from being removed from the magnet moving space. Meanwhile, in the case of a synthetic resin block, an injection molding process is carried out in the form of the block having a groove, so that the magnet moving space is made. In addition to these methods, the magnet moving space may be formed in each surface of the polyhedron through various methods.
• each magnet moving space into three compartments
• a pair of partition walls is prepared. After one magnet moving space is partitioned into three small moving spaces which are arranged in a row, magnets are put into only two small moving spaces other than a central small moving space.
• the small moving spaces may be provided on opposite sides of a straight line-shaped part which is provided across each surface of each unit block, excluding a central portion of the straight line-shaped part.
• Such a construction prevents magnets, put into the small moving spaces which are separately provided on opposite sides, from interfering with each other, thus allowing the magnets to be freely movable, like the structure where the magnet moving space is partitioned into small moving spaces by thick partition walls.
• the magnets inserted into the straight line-shaped small moving spaces which are formed across a surface, are movable linearly while being rotatable by repulsive force or attractive force between the magnets.
• the magnets inserted into the small moving spaces of two polyhedrons which are in surface contact with each other by magnetic force, are movable together in the small moving spaces in the longitudinal direction of the small moving spaces. Thereby, even when two polyhedrons are coupled to each other, the polyhedrons may move in the longitudinal direction of the small moving spaces.
• two polyhedrons may be coupled to each other such that the longitudinal directions of the small moving spaces provided on contact surfaces of the polyhedrons are parallel to each other, or are perpendicular to each other.
• the magnets of two polyhedrons may move together in the longitudinal direction of the small moving spaces.
• the small moving spaces of the two polyhedrons are perpendicular to each other, only magnets provided on one polyhedron may move in the longitudinal direction of the small moving spaces.
• the magnetic toy of this invention having the magnet moving space on each surface of a polyhedron may be realized regardless of the number of surfaces of the polyhedron.
• a polyhedron having at least a pair of parallel surfaces such as a hexahedron or a polygonal prism, is selected, and a magnet moving space is provided on each of the surfaces which are coupled at opposite ends thereof to the parallel surfaces, such that the magnet moving space is perpendicular to the parallel surfaces.
• the magnet moving spaces may be formed on all surfaces of the hexahedron.
• the magnet moving spaces may be formed on three surfaces, other than two parallel surfaces, such that the magnet moving spaces are perpendicular to the two parallel surfaces.
• the magnet moving spaces may be formed on the two parallel surfaces.
• the magnet moving spaces provided on the two parallel surfaces may interfere with the magnet moving spaces which are provided on the three surfaces because opposite ends of each magnet moving space are located at the two parallel surfaces.
• the magnet moving spaces of the two parallel surfaces it is preferable that the magnet moving spaces of the two parallel surfaces not be formed completely across the surfaces, but be positioned away from edges of the surfaces.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view to show the assembled state of a conventional magnetic toy
• FIGS. 2A and 2B show the conventional magnetic toy, in which FIG. 2A is a sectional view of a magnetic rod constituting the magnetic toy, and FIG. 2B is a sectional view to show the assembled state of the magnetic toy;
• FIGS. 3 A and 3B show a polyhedral block-type magnetic toy, according to the first embodiment of this invention, in which FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a unit block having the shape of a hexahedron, and FIG. 3B is a perspective view of a unit block having the shape of a triangular prism;
• FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a cap coupled to a magnet moving space of the block, according to a modification of the first embodiment
• FlG. 7 is a sectional view of a magnet moving space formed in the unit block, according to another modification of the first embodiment
• FlG. 8 is a perspective view of a block-type magnetic toy, according to the second embodiment of the present invention
• FlG. 9 is a perspective view of a block-type magnetic toy, according to the third embodiment of the present invention
• FlG. 10 is a partially exploded perspective view of a block-type magnetic toy, according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention
• FIGS. 12A to 12C show a block-type magnetic toy, according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention, in which FlG. 12A is a perspective view of a unit block having the shape of a hexahedron (or a square prism), FlG. 12B is a perspective view of a unit block having the shape of a triangular prism, and FlG. 12C is a perspective view of a unit block having the shape of a cylinder; [47] FIGS. 13A and 13B show a block-type magnetic toy, according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention, in which FlG.
• FIGS. 14A to 14C show a block-type magnetic toy, according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention, in which FlG. 14A is a perspective view of a unit block having the shape of a quarter cylinder, FlG. 14B is a perspective view of a unit block having the shape of a half cylinder, and FlG. 14C is a perspective view of a unit block having the shape of one sixth of a cylinder; and [49] FlG. 15 is a perspective view of a block-type magnetic toy having a printed plate, according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention.
• FIGS. 3 A and 3B are perspective views of a polyhedral block-type magnetic toy, according to the first embodiment of the present invention
• FIGS. 4A to 4C are sectional views to show the operational states of the polyhedral block-type magnetic toy, according to the first embodiment of this invention
• FIG. 5 is a partially exploded perspective view of the polyhedral block-type magnetic toy, according to the first embodiment of this invention.
• the polyhedral magnetic toy of this invention includes a plurality of unit blocks 31, a plurality of magnets 32, and caps 33.
• Each unit block 31 has the form of a polyhedron, and is provided with magnet moving spaces R each having the shape of a straight groove.
• Each magnet moving space R is formed across each surface of each unit block 31 , and is partitioned into a plurality of small moving spaces R by a plurality of partition walls W that face each other.
• Each magnet 32 is movably inserted into each small moving space R provided on each surface of each unit block 31.
• Each cap 33 includes an upper cover part 33A and side cover parts 33B.
• the upper cover part 33 A has the shape of a strip, and is mounted to an open end of each magnet moving space R to isolate the magnet moving space R from the exterior.
• the side cover parts 33B are mounted to opposite open ends of each magnet moving space R to isolate the magnet moving space R from the exterior.
• compartments of the magnet moving space R may be changed as desired.
• the magnet moving space R is partitioned into three small moving spaces R which are aligned in a row, by the two partition walls W, and the magnets 32 are put into only the small moving spaces R provided on opposite sides, excluding the small moving space R which is provided at a central position.
• the magnets when the magnets are put into only the small moving spaces R provided on opposite sides, and two unit blocks meet each other such that the magnet moving spaces R provided on contact surfaces of the polyhedrons are perpendicular to each other, the two polyhedrons cannot be in contact with and coupled to each other, because a magnet is not present in the small moving space R provided at a central position of each magnet moving space R.
• the magnet may be inserted into the central small moving space R .
• each partition wall W serving to partition the magnet moving space R, is required to be appropriately adjusted such that the attractive force acting between the magnets of the two contacting polyhedrons is stronger than the attractive force acting between the magnets provided in neighboring small moving spaces R of one of the polyhedrons.
• each partition wall is set to be larger than the distance between the magnets of the two polyhedrons, so that the attractive force between the neighboring magnets of one polyhedron is weaker than the attractive force between the magnets of the two polyhedrons.
• each partition wall W partitioning each magnet moving space R may be integrally provided on a lower surface of each cap 33 that is mounted to the magnet moving space R to prevent the magnet from being removed from the magnet moving space R.
• the upper cover part 33 A and the side cover parts 33B of each cap 33 may be integrated to form the shape of an U which is open at the bottom thereof.
• straight line-shaped through holes H be provided along a central line of the upper cover part 33 A covering the small moving spaces R in which the magnets 32 are put. The through holes H allow the magnets 32 of the two polyhedrons to contact each other.
• a through hole (not shown) may be formed on each of the side cover parts
• each magnet moving space R may be completely isolated from the exterior, or may be partially opened via the through holes.
• each cap 33 not be easily separated from an associated magnet moving space R due to external force or impacts.
• the sectional shape of each magnet moving space R, the shape of each side cover part 33B, and the shape of each partition wall W be set as shown in FIG. 7. That is, the width w' of a lower end of the magnet moving space must be larger than the width w of an upper end of the magnet moving space, and the cap 33 must be inserted in a direction from an end to an opposite end of the magnet moving space R.
• Such a structure that is, the structure having the magnet moving space R on each surface of the polyhedral unit block may be manufactured through various methods.
• a grooved magnet moving space may be formed from an end to an opposite end across a surface of the polyhedron, prior to coupling the cap 33 to the magnet moving space.
• a block plate 3 IA having the shape of a rectangular plate may be manufactured through injection molding or the like.
• a magnet moving space R having a through hole H is provided on a lower surface of the block plate 31A in such a way as to extend from one end to an opposite end of the block plate 3 IA.
• six block plates 31 A are combined with each other, thus providing a hexahedral block.
• a plurality of partition walls W may be made or inserted in each magnet moving space R, thus partitioning the magnet moving space R into a plurality of small moving spaces R .
• one partition wall which is thick enough to block magnetic force, may be inserted into a central portion in the magnet moving space R, so that the magnet moving space R is partitioned into only two small moving spaces R
• each magnet moving space R may not be partitioned into two or more small moving spaces R .
• one magnet is put into the magnet moving space R so that the magnet freely moves from one end to an opposite end of the magnet moving space R.
• each magnet moving space R is formed as one space, only one magnet is present on each surface of the block. Thus, it is impossible to attach two blocks to one surface of one block. Therefore, each magnet moving space R may be or not be partitioned, as desired.
• a magnet moving space R may be formed just underneath the reference surface by boring one or more holes from a surface meeting the reference surface to the opposite surface.
• a straight line-shaped through hole H may be formed in such a way as to extend from an inner circumferential surface of each magnet moving space R to the reference surface just above the magnet moving space R.
• small moving spaces R may be formed on opposite ends of a straight line which crosses each surface.
• an untooled portion provided between the two small moving spaces R functions as a thick partition wall W.
• a cap 33 mounted to each small moving space R may have an 'L' shape.
• Each partition wall W partitioning the magnet moving space R which is formed to have the shape of a groove crossing each surface of a polyhedron, or is formed by boring a portion just underneath the surface, and a cover unit, such as the cap 33, mounted to open ends of the magnet moving space R so as to prevent the magnet from being removed from the magnet moving space, may have various structures.
• the present invention is not limited to a specific method or structure. That is, according to this invention, the magnet moving space R may be provided on each surface of the polyhedron or in a portion provided just underneath the surface.
• magnet moving spaces R may comprise two small moving spaces R which have respective magnets and are separately provided on opposite ends of a straight line crossing each surface of a polyhedron. Further, the magnet moving space may be partitioned into three small moving spaces R which are aligned in a row, by the partition walls W. In this case, magnets 32 are put only into the small moving spaces R provided on opposite sides, excluding the central small moving space R .
• the unit blocks constituting this invention are not limited to a specific material, such as wood or synthetic resin. Wood is the most preferable as a means for educating children.
• the magnetic toy of this invention constructed as described above is not limited to a specific polyhedral shape.
• a polyhedron having at least one pair of parallel surfaces such as a hexahedron, a cylinder, or a polygonal prism, is preferable to a polyhedron having no parallel surfaces, such as a tetrahedron.
• the magnet moving space R provided on each surface of the polyhedron is formed to be perpendicular to two parallel surfaces, as shown in FlG. 11.
• the magnet moving spaces R do not cross the corresponding parallel surfaces but are positioned away from edges of the parallel surfaces.
• magnet moving spaces R may be variously formed on each surface of a polyhedron, as necessary. As shown in FTG. 12B, two to four magnet moving spaces R may be provided on each surface of a polyhedron in such a way as to be parallel to each other. As shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, each magnet moving space R may have the shape of a closed loop which surrounds the polyhedron starting from a predetermined surface. In this case, magnet moving spaces of parallel surfaces may be provided across the surfaces.
• the closed loop-shaped magnet moving space R is partitioned into a plurality of small moving spaces R , thin partition walls are provided such that the number of small moving spaces R is even. Afterwards, magnets are alternately put into the small moving spaces R , thus preventing neighboring magnets from being attracted to each other.
• the partition walls may be thick. In this case, magnets are put into all of the small moving spaces R .
• each magnet moving space R has a closed loop shape
• one magnet 32 may be put into each of the magnet moving spaces R so that the magnet moves around the magnet moving space R of the polyhedron, without partitioning each magnet moving space R into small moving spaces R .
• a magnet moving space R may be formed around an outer circumferential surface of the block.
• the magnetic toy of this invention comprises a plurality of polyhedral unit blocks.
• a printed plate D which has a printed figure, letter, pattern, or the like and has the same plane shape as each surface of a unit block so as to correspond to the surface thereof, is detachably mounted to each surface of the unit block, thus arousing the child's interest in figures or various patterns.
• the present invention provides a polyhedral block-type magnetic toy, which is capable of variously changing contact areas between polyhedrons, when a three-dimensional structure is assembled using a plurality of polyhedrons, thus accomplishing structures having various shapes, therefore enhancing the child's creativity.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
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• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
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• Educational Technology (AREA)
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• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Toys (AREA)

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• 2005
  • 2005-06-10 KR KR1020050049876A patent/KR100629306B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2005-09-27 WO PCT/KR2005/003202 patent/WO2006132458A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2005-11-16 JP JP2005330977A patent/JP2006341065A/ja active Pending
  • 2005-11-21 US US11/284,721 patent/US20070037469A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2005-11-25 CN CNA2005101280871A patent/CN1876208A/zh active Pending
  • 2005-12-09 DE DE102005058992A patent/DE102005058992A1/de not_active Ceased

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