US20180056204A1

US20180056204A1 - Magnet Building Block Assembly

Info

Publication number: US20180056204A1
Application number: US15/252,470
Authority: US
Inventors: Gary Knudsen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-08-31
Filing date: 2016-08-31
Publication date: 2018-03-01

Abstract

A magnetic building block assembly provides rotating self-aligning magnetic discs in a plurality of blocks to facilitate coupling blocks together. Each block comprises a container having a removable top wall providing an opening into an interior space. A center piece is positioned in the interior space. Each of a plurality of discs is positioned in the interior space adjacent to an exterior of the center piece and adjacent to a respective one of the planar faces to rotate freely within the interior space adjacent to the respective one of the planar faces. Each of a plurality of magnetic pole zones is arranged around each disc. Each disc is free to rotate whereby adjacently positioned blocks are magnetically coupled together by the discs. Each of a plurality of spacers extends along a respective interior edge of the container to center the discs relative to the respective one of the planar faces.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Field of the Disclosure

The disclosure relates to building block devices and more particularly pertains to a new building block device for providing rotating self-aligning magnetic discs in a plurality of blocks to facilitate coupling blocks together.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a plurality of blocks. Each block comprises a container having a bottom wall, a top wall, and a perimeter wall defining a plurality of planar faces. The top wall is removable providing an opening into an interior space. A center piece is positioned in the interior space. Each of a plurality of discs is positioned in the interior space adjacent to an exterior of the center piece and adjacent to a respective one of the planar faces to rotate freely within the interior space adjacent to the respective one of the planar faces. Each of a plurality of magnetic pole zones is arranged around each disc. Each disc is free to rotate whereby adjacently positioned blocks are magnetically coupled together by the discs. Each of a plurality of spacers extends along a respective interior edge of the container to center the discs relative to the respective one of the planar faces.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top front side perspective view of a magnetic building block assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an exploded top front perspective view of a block of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a block of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is an exploded front bottom side perspective partial view of the disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new building block device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.
As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the magnetic building block assembly 10 generally comprises a plurality of blocks 12. Each block 12 is a cube but may be provided in other geometric shapes consistent with the structure as described below. Each block 12 includes a container 14 having a bottom wall 16, a top wall 18, and a perimeter wall 20 defining a plurality of planar faces 22. The perimeter wall 20 extends between the bottom wall 16 and the top wall 18 defining an interior space 24 of the container 14. Each of the perimeter wall 20, bottom wall 16, and top wall 18 has an equivalent thickness such that the interior space 24 is also cubic. An outermost edge 26 of the top wall 18 is flush with a peripheral edge 28 of the perimeter wall 20. Each container 14 is constructed of a plastic material.
In each block 12, a center piece 30 is positioned in the interior space 24 of the container 14. The center piece 30 of each block 14 is constructed of a light weight foam material. Each center piece 30 is cubic, semi-compressible, and solid. Each of a plurality of discs 32 is positioned in the interior space 24 of the container 14 adjacent to an exterior 34 of the center piece 30. Each disc 32 is positioned adjacent to a respective one of the planar faces 22 of the container 14 such that each disc 32 rotates freely within the interior space 24 adjacent to the respective one of the planar faces 22 with the center piece 30 acting as a backing for each disc 32. The dimensions of the interior space 24 are such that the center piece 30 is positioned substantially in a center of the interior space 24 when six of the discs 32 are distributed adjacent to each of the planar faces 22. The center piece 30 is semi-compressible and sized such that the center piece exerts force on each disc 32 to hold each disc 32 against the respective one of the planar faces 22 while still allowing each disc 32 to rotate freely particularly when another block 12 is positioned adjacently. Thus, the center piece 30 prevents movement of the discs 32 other than rotation such that each block 12 feels solid and movement of the discs 32 within each block 12 is not easily felt when each block 12 is handled and used.
Each of a plurality of magnetic pole zones 36 is arranged around each disc 32 such that each disc 32 is free to rotate to a position complimentary to an adjacently positioned disc 32 adjacent to an adjacently positioned planar face 22 of another block 12. Thus, adjacently positioned blocks 12 are magnetically coupled together by adjacently positioning any of the planar faces 22 of the adjacently positioned blocks 12. Each disc 32 is magnetic wherein each magnetic zone 36 is integral to the disc 32. Disc indicia 40 is positioned on an exposed surface 42 of each disc 32 corresponding to each magnetic zone 36 of the disc 32. The container 14 may be clear or sufficiently translucent to allow viewing of the exposed surface 42 allowing a user to observe rotation of the discs 32 as the magnetic zones 36 self align when positioned sufficiently close to allow the magnetic attraction to take effect. Alternatively, the container 14 may be opaque obscuring view of each disc 32 within the interior space 24.
In each block 12, each of a plurality of spacers 46 extends along a respective interior edge 48 of the container 14 wherein the spacers 46 center each of the discs 32 relative to the respective one of the planar faces 22. Each of the spacers 46 has a pair of outer portions 70 extending from a medial portion 72 such that a cross-sectional shape of each spacer 46 perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the spacer 46 is L-shaped. A peripheral edge 52 of each disc 32 is inwardly spaced from a perimeter edge 74 of the respective one of the planar faces 22 of the container 14. Thus, the diameter of each disc 32 is less than a length of each edge 50 of the center piece 30. A length the outer portion 70 of each spacer 46 extending away from the medial portion 72 of the spacer 46 is equal to a thickness of each disc 32. This spaces the discs 32 from each other to prevent magnetic interference and inhibition of free rotation of each disc 32. The peripheral edge 52 abuts each adjacently positioned one of the spacers 46 wherein the spacers 46 inhibit sliding of the discs 32 within the interior space 24. A thickness of each spacer 46 is approximately equal to a thickness of each disc 32 such that the discs 32 remain free to rotate but remain in a parallel relationship to the adjacently positioned planar face 22 of each respective disc 32.
The top wall 18 is removable or separate from the perimeter wall 20 providing an opening into the interior space 24 to allow for assembly of each block 12. Top spacers 68 are coupled to the top wall 18 and not the perimeter wall 20. Top spacers 68 combine with interior spacers 78 coupled to the perimeter wall 20 to form the spacers 46 in the fully constructed block 12. Each of a plurality of connection sockets 60 extends into an exposed face 62 of an associated one of the spacers 46 adjacent to the opening into the interior space 24. Each of a plurality of tapered hexagonal posts 64 extends from an inward surface 66 of the top wall 18. The posts 64 align with the connection sockets 60. The posts 64 are insertable into the connection sockets 60 such that the posts 64 frictionally engage the connection sockets 60 to secure the top wall 18 to form the container 14. The top wall 18 may be fixed to the perimeter wall 20 using an adhesive or the like such that top wall 18 becomes affixed to the perimeter wall 20 enclosing the interior space 24 when each block 12 is fully assembled.
In use, the blocks 12 can be positioned adjacent to each other allowing adjacently positioned discs 32 to rotate and align to magnetically couple the blocks 12 together. The capability of the discs 32 to independently align allows for greater flexibility to couple the blocks 12 together to build various shapes and structures.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

Claims

1. A magnetic building block assembly comprising:

a plurality of blocks, each said block comprising

a container having a bottom wall, a top wall, and a perimeter wall defining a plurality of planar faces, said perimeter wall extending between said bottom wall and said top wall defining an interior space of said container, said top wall being removable from said perimeter wall providing an opening into said interior space,

a center piece, said centerpiece comprising a plurality of planar faces and conjoined straight edges, said center piece being positioned in said interior space of said container,

a plurality of discs, each disc being positioned in said interior space of said container adjacent to an exterior of said center piece, each said disc being positioned adjacent to a respective one of said planar faces of said container such that each said disc rotates freely within said interior space adjacent to said respective one of said planar faces,

a plurality of magnetic pole zones arranged around each said disc, wherein each said disc is free to rotate to a position complimentary to an adjacently positioned said disc adjacent to an adjacently positioned planar face whereby adjacently positioned blocks are magnetically coupled together, and

a plurality of spacers, each said spacer extending along a respective interior edge of said container wherein said spacers center each of said discs relative to said respective one of said planar faces.

2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising each said block being a cube.

3. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising each of said spacers having a pair of outer portions extending from a medial portion such that a cross-sectional shape of each said spacer perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said spacer is L-shaped.

4. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising an outermost edge of said top wall being flush with a peripheral edge of said perimeter wall.

5. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising each of said discs having a peripheral edge abutting each adjacently positioned one of said spacers wherein said spacers inhibit sliding of said discs within said interior space.

6. The assembly of claim 5, further comprising each of said spacers having a pair of outer portions extending from a medial portion such that a cross-sectional shape of each said spacer perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said spacer is L-shaped wherein said peripheral edge of each said disc is inwardly spaced from a perimeter edge of said respective one of said planar faces of said container.

7. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising each said disc being magnetic wherein each said magnetic zone is integral to said disc.

8. The assembly of claim 7, further comprising disc indicia positioned on an exposed surface of each said disc corresponding to each magnetic zone of said disc.

9. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising said centerpiece of each said block being constructed of a foam material.

10. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising each said container being constructed of a plastic material.

11. (canceled)

12. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of connection sockets, each said connection socket extending into an exposed face of an associated one of said spacers adjacent to said opening into said interior space;

a plurality of posts, each post extending from an inward surface of said top wall, said posts aligning with said connection sockets, said posts being insertable into said connection sockets such that said posts frictionally engage said connection sockets to secure said top wall to said container.

13. A magnetic building block assembly comprising:

a plurality of blocks, each said block being a cube, each said block comprising

a container having a bottom wall, a top wall, and a perimeter wall defining a plurality of planar faces, said perimeter wall extending between said bottom wall and said top wall defining an interior space of said container, said top wall being removable from said perimeter wall providing an opening into said interior space, an outermost edge of said top wall being flush with a peripheral edge of said perimeter wall, each said container being constructed of a plastic material,

a center piece, said center piece being positioned in said interior space of said container, said centerpiece comprising a plurality of planar faces and conjoined straight edges, said centerpiece of each said block being constructed of a foam material,

a plurality of magnetic pole zones arranged around each said disc, wherein each said disc is free to rotate to a position complimentary to an adjacently positioned said disc adjacent to an adjacently positioned planar face whereby adjacently positioned blocks are magnetically coupled together, each said disc being magnetic wherein each said magnetic zone is integral to said disc,

disc indicia positioned on an exposed surface of each said disc corresponding to each magnetic zone of said disc,

a plurality of spacers, each said spacer extending along a respective interior edge of said container wherein said spacers center each of said discs relative to said respective one of said planar faces, each of said discs having a peripheral edge abutting each adjacently positioned one of said spacers wherein said spacers inhibit sliding of said discs within said interior space, a thickness of each said spacer being equal to a thickness of each said disc, each of said spacers having a pair of outer portions extending from a medial portion such that a cross-sectional shape of each said spacer perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said spacer is L-shaped wherein said peripheral edge of each said disc is inwardly spaced from a perimeter edge of said respective one of said planar faces of said container,

a plurality of connection sockets, each said connection socket extending into an exposed face of an associated one of said spacers adjacent to said opening into said interior space, and