Including Permanent Magnet Or Suction Cup To Secure Elements Patents (Class 446/92)
  • Patent number: 11904254
    Abstract: A system and method for magnetic building block toys that provide free rotation in any direction creating a higher freedom of movement and design whereby when assembled, the building blocks create effects only typically seen in digital environments such as computer aided designs or video game, whereby due to utilizing magnets for these connections, the base play area is no longer restricted to a flat horizontal playing area such as the table or the ground and instead a piece of ferromagnetic material including an iron plate may be utilized as a design area allowing for greater flexibility for creativity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Inventor: Aaron August Hart
  • Patent number: 11901119
    Abstract: An on-off switchable magnet assembly is disclosed which has first and second magnets. The poles of the first magnet are aligned to first and second ferrous members. The second magnets move to align its poles to the first and second ferrous members so that flux from the same or different pole flows through the first and second members to switch the assembly on or off as a magnet assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Inventor: Julius Kelly
  • Patent number: 11766622
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a magnetic suction building block, including a building block main body, which is formed by a plurality of side walls in mutual connection, a crossed corner is formed at a joint between every adjacent side walls, a compartment is disposed at the crossed corner, and a magnet is disposed inside the compartment; and the magnet may rotate in the compartment, and the magnet is provided with a N pole and a S pole. Compared with the existing technology that the magnetic suction building blocks can only be stacked on the same axis, the building mode and playing method of the magnetic suction building block are greatly enriched, so as to help children built more modelings, and greatly improve the children's interest in building and modeling and help develop the children's imagination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Inventor: Peixia Chen
  • Patent number: 11642604
    Abstract: A magnetic attraction toy includes a base, a cover body, a magnetic, attraction member and a mounting frame. The magnetic attraction member is connected with the mounting frame. The base and/or the cover body is provided with a limiting gap for accommodating the magnetic attraction member. The base is also provided with locating pillars. The mounting frame is provided with locating holes. When the locating holes sleeve the locating pillars, the cover body is covered on the base. The magnetic attraction member includes a hollow iron tube and a magnet; the magnet is located in the iron tube. The first clamping end of the mounting frame is plugged to the first opening, and the second clamping end of the mounting frame is plugged to the second opening, so that the first and second clamping pieces clamp the iron tube, and the magnetic attraction member and the mounting frame are connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Inventor: Penghui Xie
  • Patent number: 11505283
    Abstract: A field configurable autonomous vehicle includes modular elements and attachable components. The vehicle can be assembled from these modular elements and components to meet desired mission and performance characteristics without the need to purchase specially designed vehicles for each mission. The vehicle can include a mechanisms that magnetically attach and release configurable elements from the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Eric Seeley
  • Patent number: 11458410
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a magnetic building block for connecting with other magnetic building block. The magnetic building block includes a base, a cover, at least one horizontal magnet and at least one vertical magnet. The base includes at least two vertical accommodating grooves and at least one horizontal accommodating groove. The cover is configured to connect with the base and cover the at least two vertical accommodating grooves and the at least one horizontal accommodate groove. The at least one horizontal magnet is located at the at least one horizontal accommodating groove. The at least two vertical magnets are located at the at least two vertical accommodating grooves respectively. Magnetic pole directions of two adjacent vertical magnets of the at least two vertical magnets are opposite to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Inventor: Huiyang Xu
  • Patent number: 11406909
    Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetic building block, including: a bearing body, magnetic bodies, and a retaining body, the bearing body including a sealing member and a bearing member which forms first cavities with the retaining body, the magnetic bodies being located in the first cavities and attracting adjacent external products, to form different shapes; the retaining body is in contact with the magnetic bodies to secure the same. The bearing body, the magnetic bodies, and the retaining body match for use, and the magnetic bodies are relatively fixed in an accommodation cavity through the retaining body and can be magnetically connected to the external products, such that when stacking multiple magnetic building block, different magnetic building blocks can be spliced in different surfaces and further be spliced in a suspension manner, thereby reducing a process of stacking multiple building blocks, providing convenience, and further realizing diversified splicing and meeting users' requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Inventor: Shungui Zhang
  • Patent number: 11103801
    Abstract: A magnetic toy block and a kit suitable for the composition of toy assemblies. The magnetic block comprises a hollow body consisting of a first and a second shell member, identically configured with peripheral contact surfaces to contact with peripheral surfaces of other magnetic blocks of an assembly; each shell member is provided with male and female junction elements, which may be press-fitted into the female junction elements respectively into the male junction elements of another shell member in an assembled condition of the block. The junction elements extend inside the hollow body of the block in a direction parallel to a reference axis, at magnetic contact zones of the peripheral contact surface of the block; permanent magnets or ferromagnetic connection elements are housed in the female junction elements of one or both shell members of the toy block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Inventor: Claudio Vicentelli
  • Patent number: 10918964
    Abstract: A geometric art toy (10) comprises a plurality of first toy members (312A) and a plurality of second toy members (312B). Each first toy member (312A) includes a plurality of first magnets (314A) that are oriented to exhibit a first polarity. Each second toy member (312B) includes a plurality of second magnets (314B) that are oriented to exhibit a second polarity that is substantially opposite to the first polarity. Each first toy member (312A) is movably coupled to another first toy member (312A) and one of the plurality of second toy members (312B). Each of the first toy members (312A) and the second toy members (312B) are formed in a shape of a tetrahedron. The first magnets (314A) and the second magnets (314B) enable the geometric art toy (10) to be alternatively and stably positioned in a first configuration and a second configuration that is different than the first configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Inventor: Andreas Hoenigschmid
  • Patent number: 10881976
    Abstract: The invention relates to fastening elements of a toy construction kit and can be used for creating toy construction kit elements which are connected by means of connecting elements. A connecting element of a toy construction kit consists of two parts, a receiving part and a removable part, which, when brought together, fasten together under the effect of magnetic forces such as to be disconnectable and rotatable about the coupling point by 360°. The receiving part consists of a disc, a collar, and a neodymium magnet in the form of a truncated cone-shaped collar, which have different diameters and are fastened to one another. The removable part consists of a disc with a through opening, a collar, and a neodymium magnet, which have different diameters, and a metal rod, which are fastened to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Inventor: Aleksandr Borisovich Bobrikov
  • Patent number: 10857670
    Abstract: A modular robotic system that includes a plurality of self-configuring robots. Each self-configuring robot includes a frame structure having a plurality of cylindrical bonding magnets positioned along the edges of the frame structure. The frame structure includes magnetic, non-gendered, hinges on any of the edges of the frame. The hinges provide enough force to maintain a pivot axis through various motions. The cylindrical bonding magnets are free to rotate allowing for multiple self-configurations with other like self-configuring robots. A movement generator is positioned within the frame structure that pivots to generate multi-axis movement allowing both robust self-reconfiguration with the other self-configuring robots and independent locomotion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Daniela Rus, John W. Romanishin, Kyle W. Gilpin
  • Patent number: 10717019
    Abstract: A construction unit may have a main body formed from a flexible material. The main body may have a first side and a second side. The construction unit may have a plurality of magnetic connectors attached to the main body. A kit for construction of a structure may have a plurality of construction units, at least one flexible link, at least one active unit, and at least one control unit. A method of making a structure includes a first step of providing a plurality of construction units. There is second step of connecting at least one of the magnetic connectors of a first one of the construction units with at least one of another one of the magnetic connectors of the first one of the construction units, and at least one of the magnetic connectors of a second one of the construction units, whereby the structure is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Toyish Labs Inc.
    Inventors: Assaf Eshet, Yaron Barlev
  • Patent number: 10711467
    Abstract: Various embodiments of flooring and other tiles are described that comprise one or more magnets and/or routed edges to connect adjacent tiles to one another. Some tiles may comprise a set of magnets or magnetized portions to connect with an adjacent tile having a set of magnets of opposite polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Inventors: Jeremy Britton, Jacob Olsson, Domanic Chu
  • Patent number: 10586476
    Abstract: A system for attaching a plurality of folding cartons having images printed thereon is disclosed. An anchor folding carton may be secured to a wall and all other adjacent folding cartons may be secured to the anchor folding carton. In particular, the folding cartons may be attached to each other with magnets. Also, the top and bottom flaps and side panels may have angled reliefs that allow the adjacent folding cartons to lay flat on the wall regardless of deformations (e.g. curvature) of the paper used to make the folding carton.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Inventor: Carlo Vescovi
  • Patent number: 10569185
    Abstract: A geometric art toy (10) comprises a plurality of first toy members (312A) and a plurality of second toy members (312B). Each first toy member (312A) includes a plurality of first magnets (314A) that are oriented to exhibit a first polarity. Each second toy member (312B) includes a plurality of second magnets (314B) that are oriented to exhibit a second polarity that is substantially opposite to the first polarity. Each first toy member (312A) is movably coupled to another first toy member (312A) and one of the plurality of second toy members (312B). Each of the first toy members (312A) and the second toy members (312B) are formed in a shape of a tetrahedron. The first magnets (314A) and the second magnets (314B) enable the geometric art toy (10) to be alternatively and stably positioned in a first configuration and a second configuration that is different than the first configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Inventor: Andreas Hoenigschmid
  • Patent number: 10330134
    Abstract: Panels and structures having magnetic hinges. Systems using magnetic hinges providing hinged connections that are flexible or pilotable and that are rigid. The system and hinges enable the construction of simple to highly complex structures with movable components, such as doors and folding shelves, from a small selection of different shapes and sizes of starting components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Inventor: Peter Joseph Danko
  • Patent number: 10173143
    Abstract: A magnetic construction system comprised of plural multi-shaped structural bodies each containing one or more captured magnets, wherein each magnet is free to rotate within its respective retaining pocket to align in magnetic polarity with rotatable magnets in adjacent structural bodies. Surface geometry around each magnet may include a radial detent feature which provides lateral and rotational stability between magnetically coupled structural bodies, or a radial recess which allows free rotation of respective structural bodies about the polar axis of magnetic coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Inventor: Joshua Willard Ferguson
  • Patent number: 9873062
    Abstract: A modular system has two or more modules, wherein each module is delimited by one or more side surfaces and has at least one magnet chamber with a magnet body provided in the magnet chamber, wherein the magnet body is provided rotatably in the magnet chamber, and wherein the magnet body has a shell surface in the shape of a rotary body or cylinder, wherein the magnet body has a greater dimension along the rotary body axis than perpendicular to the rotary body axis, such that the magnet body has an elongate form, and in that the magnet body has two poles of different magnetic polarity, said poles extending adjacent to one another along the rotary body axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Inventor: Sven Purns
  • Patent number: 9814998
    Abstract: A magnetically connected block, including an electrically conductive connector, the electrically conductive connector defining therein a cavity and a magnet being arranged in the cavity, the electrically conductive connector being provided with a contact surface and a conductive device being provided on the contact surface. In this way, the electrically conductive connector achieves the electrical conduction between blocks by way of the conductive device and achieves the connection between two blocks by way of the magnet to ensure the connection by attraction and the electrical connection between blocks. Owing to the arrangement of the magnet, blocks can be attracted onto a magnetic attraction board surface to facilitate teaching use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SHENZHENSHI HANTONG TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhengpeng Wei
  • Patent number: 9782687
    Abstract: A magnetic block set of magnetically connectable magnetic block units. The magnetic block units have a block body with a plurality of geometrically or ornamentally shaped connection faces, a plurality of magnetic element chambers, a plurality of magnetic elements rotatably retained in respective magnetic element chambers, and a plurality of connection face receivers for each connection face, the connection face receivers being uniformly positioned and oriented radially from a magnetic element chamber center, uniformly dimensioned and shaped radially with respect to the magnetic element chamber center, and uniformly distributed tangentially with respect to the magnetic element chamber center of the respective magnetic element chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Gracewood Management, Inc.
    Inventor: Jim Matthews Bagley
  • Patent number: 9589535
    Abstract: Disclosed is a social dress up game that may be a fun mobile app that may be played collaboratively with friends, using the photo capability of a mobile phone or smart mobile device. One player will separately take a picture of a friend, and then invite two friends to join. Each player will dress up one part or component of the whole body of the photo—head, body or legs. In the end, the three different parts will be merged into an interesting and unique image of their friend that they can also share with the game players. Since each game player would have worked on only that player's component, the resulting merged image will be a surprise to all players.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: PAYPAL, INC.
    Inventors: Amy Poon, Margaret Szeto, Konstantin Orlov, Varghese Mathai
  • Patent number: 9485721
    Abstract: A method of wirelessly accessing services of a server computer by a mobile communication device. The method comprises receiving a short-range radio beacon signal associated with a server computer, sending a request for information about services provided by the server computer associated with the beacon to a service registry via a long-range wireless communication link. The method further comprises, in response to receiving information about the services provided by the server computer, connecting to the server computer, accessing a service provided by the server computer. The method further comprises receiving a second beacon signal, determining that the second beacon's identity is not identified in the white list, and, in response to determining that the second beacon identity is not white listed, not attempting to access a second server computer associated with the second beacon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Lyle T. Bertz, Anurag S. Dani, Lucy Khogolo, Melanie Luna, Ameya Madhusudan Parab, Ashish Pinninti, Mohana Saketh Pulipaka, Joao “Tex” Teixeira, Vivek Vijayan, Alexander Wine
  • Patent number: 9314707
    Abstract: A building system includes a plurality of building tiles and/or connecters that are magnetically and releasably connectable to one another. The magnetic building tiles are comprised of a tile frame and a tile panel. The tile frame, by one approach, is comprised of two connectable frame portions or elements having magnets embedded therein. The first frame element and the second frame element are connectable to one another through a snap, clip, or another similar connection mechanism. The first and second frame elements are connectable around or into the tile panel, which is removable from the magnetic building tile. The tile panel or the tile frame has a channel into which the other of the tile panel or tile frame extends to secure the two pieces together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Box Tiles LLC
    Inventors: Noah J. Ornstein, Joseph M. Kelley
  • Patent number: 9277813
    Abstract: A modular furniture assembly comprising a base and a transverse member has a convenient magnetic coupling assembly. A miniature display kit can be used in advertising or in a retail setting to display the benefits and optional positions of modular furniture. The display kit can have the same or essentially the same features as the modular furniture assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Sac Acquisition LLC
    Inventors: Shawn D. Nelson, David M. Underwood
  • Patent number: 9266032
    Abstract: Toy blocks with internally disposed magnets, and methods of making same. Pockets for the magnets are machined into a non-extrudable material such as wood. Strong permanent magnets are disposed in the pockets to cause the faces of the block to exhibit a desired polarity magnetic field. The pockets are then sealed to permanently retain the magnets. The exterior shape of the block may be formed either prior to or subsequent to machining and sealing of the pockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Clipper Investment Holdings Ltd.
    Inventors: Christopher Harwood Haughey, William Harcourt Haughey, William Joseph Delisle
  • Patent number: 9227147
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of toys, and more specifically, to a magnet-mounted part for mounting a magnet and a magnet toy. Particularly, the present invention provides a magnet-mounted part comprising: a magnet mounting unit on which a magnet is mounted, and which has a saw-toothed wheel engaged with the magnet-mounted part on which an external magnet is mounted, an accommodation unit which accommodates the magnet-mounted unit therein, and has an opening portion such that the saw-toothed wheel of the magnet-mounted unit can be exposed; and a One rotation angle-adjusting unit which is provided to rotate in engagement with the magnet-mounted unit and the accommodation unit, and is formed such that the unit rotation intervals thereof are smaller than the toothed intervals of the saw-toothed wheel of the magnet-mounted unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignees: Synthia Japan Co., Ltd., Kajin Group Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 9199030
    Abstract: A delivery device includes first and second housing portions that selectively engage and disengage. A reservoir on one housing portion operatively engages a drive device and/or a needle inserting device on the other housing portion. Upon proper engagement of the housing portions, the reservoir operatively couples to the drive device and/or the needle inserting device. A first magnet on the first housing portion and a second magnet (or a magnetically-attractive material) on the second housing portion are positioned to magnetically interact with each other, upon operative engagement of the housing portions. A third magnet on the second housing portion may be opposed to the first magnet to help align the housing portions for connection. A magnet-responsive device may be on one or both housing portions to detect alignment and/or connection of the housing portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic MiniMed, Inc.
    Inventors: R. Paul Mounce, Melissa D. Norton, Paul F. Bente, IV, Ian B. Hanson, Sheldon B. Moberg, Paul H. Kovelman
  • Patent number: 9022829
    Abstract: A toy construction kit has a plurality of magnetic modules, each with a housing having a plurality of sides, each side having an internal hollow. A magnet is contained within each of the hollows at a given polar orientation relative to the housing and the hollow. The hollow has dimensions that permit the magnet to move within the hollow, but substantially constrains the magnet to the given polar orientation relative to the housing. When a side of a module is placed near a side of another module, they are bound by magnetic attraction by the respective aligned magnets, either because the polar orientations are opposite when they are initially juxtaposed or due to shifting of one or both magnets in their respective hollows to achieve relative polar opposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: LaRose Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Lawrence Rosen, Parviz Daftari
  • Publication number: 20150079870
    Abstract: All-shape building blocks may be shaped as platonic solids. All-Shape building blocks may be modified to include a flange on each tetrahedron edge, where each flange and each tetrahedron vertex may include magnetic materials (e.g., magnets, ferromagnetic metals). All-Shape building blocks may be combined to form or provide an optical appearance of various geometric structures, and the included magnetic materials may be used to retain the formed geometric structure shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventor: T. Dashon Howard
  • Publication number: 20150079871
    Abstract: All-shape building blocks may be shaped as platonic solids. All-Shape building blocks include a flange on each tetrahedron edge, where each flange and each tetrahedron vertex may include magnetic materials (e.g., magnets, ferromagnetic metals). All-Shape building block flanges may be used to capture kinetic energy from a fluid. Multiple All-Shape building blocks may be combined to form larger structures, and the included magnetic materials may be used to retain the formed geometric structure shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventor: T. Dashon Howard
  • Publication number: 20150079872
    Abstract: Enhanced building blocks may be shaped as platonic solids. The building blocks include a flange on one or more edges, where each flange and each compressed tetrahedral vertex may include magnetic materials (e.g., magnets, ferromagnetic metals). The building block flanges may be used to capture kinetic energy from a fluid. Multiple building blocks may be combined to form larger structures, and the included magnetic materials may be used to retain the formed geometric structure shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventor: T. Dashon Howard
  • Publication number: 20150072587
    Abstract: A building system includes a plurality of building tiles and/or connecters that are magnetically and releasably connectable to one another. The magnetic building tiles are comprised of a tile frame and a tile panel. The tile frame, by one approach, is comprised of two connectable frame portions or elements having magnets embedded therein. The first frame element and the second frame element are connectable to one another through a snap, clip, or another similar connection mechanism. The first and second frame elements are connectable around or into the tile panel, which is removable from the magnetic building tile. The tile panel or the tile frame has a channel into which the other of the tile panel or tile frame extends to secure the two pieces together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Noah J. Ornstein, Joseph M. Kelley
  • Publication number: 20150065007
    Abstract: Provided is a magnetic building block, in the form of a 3D polygon of non-magnetic material having at least four faces. The faces meet in sets of at least three to define at least four vertices and a generally enclosed structure, each face having an outer surface. At least one internal holder is adjacent to at least one vertex, each holder structured and arranged to receive a magnetic ball and permit free rotation of the magnetic ball. The holder positions the magnetic ball so as to be generally in about equal distance to the outer surface of at least three faces. A magnetic ball is disposed in each internal holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: CubeCraft, LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy B. Klepper, Manuel Sepulveda
  • Publication number: 20150004869
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of toys, and more specifically, to a magnet-mounted part for mounting a magnet and a magnet toy. Particularly, the present invention provides a magnet-mounted part comprising: a magnet mounting unit on which a magnet is mounted, and which has a saw-toothed wheel engaged with the magnet-mounted part on which an external magnet is mounted, an accommodation unit which accommodates the magnet-mounted unit therein, and has an opening portion such that the saw-toothed wheel of the magnet-mounted unit can be exposed; and a One rotation angle-adjusting unit which is provided to rotate in engagement with the magnet-mounted unit and the accommodation unit, and is formed such that the unit rotation intervals thereof are smaller than the toothed intervals of the saw-toothed wheel of the magnet-mounted unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventor: Sang Hoon Kim
  • Publication number: 20150004870
    Abstract: Toy blocks with internally disposed magnets, and methods of making same. Pockets for the magnets are machined into a non-extrudable material such as wood. Strong permanent magnets are disposed in the pockets to cause the faces of the block to exhibit a desired polarity magnetic field. The pockets are then sealed to permanently retain the magnets. The exterior shape of the block may be formed either prior to or subsequent to machining and sealing of the pockets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher Harwood Haughey, William Harcourt Haughey, William Joseph Delisle
  • Patent number: 8911276
    Abstract: Provided is a toy building block which uses magnets, and which is a combination building block toy and teaching instrument with embedded magnets, wherein on each of the four edges of an upper frame (2) and lower frame (3), an inward-facing insertion aperture (6) is formed to connect internally to a central hollow portion (7), a magnetic ball (8) is inserted in the respective central hollow portions (7), and a projecting protrusion on the top and bottom of four pillars are inserted in the respective insertion apertures; and inward-facing projecting protrusions (21, 22, 23, 24), (25, 26, 27, 28) on an upper frame (20), lower frame (30), and pillars (40, 41, 42, 43), are respectively inserted in insertion grooves (23?, 24?, 27?, 28?) and (23a, 23b, 28a, 18b) on respective rails (9, 9?) (11, 11?), (9a, 9b, 11a, 11b) to assemble blocks (1) (1?) (1?) (1??), which are interconnected and used as a building block toy, or a random number of blocks (1) (10) (50) are stacked and assembled for observing the movement of a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Valution Inc.
    Inventors: Deok Yeon Kim, Sung Tae Kwon
  • Publication number: 20140357151
    Abstract: A geometric building block assembly creates three-dimensional geometric structures based on the particular orientation and location of individual building blocks. The assembly includes a plurality of building blocks. Each of the building blocks is geometrically shaped and has a plurality of planar faces. A plurality of magnets is provided. Each of the magnets is coupled to an associated one of the planar faces. Each of the magnets has an associated magnetic orientation such that the magnets on each of the building blocks are magnetically couplable to the magnets on an adjacently positioned building block only when the building blocks are properly oriented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventor: Ronald A. Worley
  • Publication number: 20140349545
    Abstract: A toy includes a building element apparatus having coupling mechanisms on at least two exterior surfaces of a housing containing a vibration speaker that includes a permanent magnet that is moveable relative to a base; a coil positioned near the permanent magnet, moveable relative to the permanent magnet, and configured to receive the electromagnetic signal from a control system such that both the coil and the permanent magnet vibrate at the same time in manners that are based on the electromagnetic signal frequencies; and a sound producer including a diaphragm that is mechanically linked to the coil to move with the coil. The simultaneous vibration of the diaphragm and the permanent magnet causes the simultaneous vibration of the at least two exterior surfaces of the building element apparatus, movement of a toy component mechanically linked to the permanent magnet, and the production of audible sound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Paul N. Paulson, Richard J. Maddocks, Winston Kim Wa Lee, Richard Kwok-wah Laung, Ka Fat Wong
  • Patent number: 8894459
    Abstract: A first device may be paired to a second device, with the first and second devices including inductive elements, the devices may be paired by aligning a first magnetic element of a first device and a second magnetic element of a second device. At least one additional magnetic element is used to redirect magnetic fields generated by the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element away from the inductive elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Activision Publishing, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Leyland, John Reine
  • Patent number: 8864546
    Abstract: A building block set comprises a plurality of transparent blocks each having a hollow internal cavity with a light source fitted within each cavity and first and second electrically conductive connectors extending through each block and into the internal cavity with a circuit within the cavity for illuminating the light in response to an electronic input to either connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Inventor: Jon P. Capriola
  • Publication number: 20140302741
    Abstract: A magnetic panel system for the construction of structures includes sets of polygonal panel bodies, preferably constructed using plastic or other suitable material, that have corners, edges, and endpoints of rods that are substantially rounded to conform to the accommodation of a plurality of hollow spherical sockets around the perimeter of the polygonal bodies, containing spherical magnets. Although spherical magnets are localized with a clearance in said hollow spherical sockets, they are free to rotate within due to external magnetic fields produced by magnets in other similarly constructed bodies. Free rotation of spherical magnets assures alignment of magnet fields and universal mutual attraction of adjacent bodies in a multitude of configurations including face-to-face, edge-to-edge, and corner-to-corner combinations. Equal spacing of sockets in bodies assures magnets are in consistent proximity to other magnets in adjacent bodies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventor: Jeffrey Blane Whittaker
  • Patent number: 8850683
    Abstract: A method of making blocks with internally disposed magnets. Pockets for the magnets are machined into a non-extrudable material such as wood. Strong permanent magnets are disposed in the pockets to cause the faces of the block to exhibit a desired polarity magnetic field. The pockets are then sealed to permanently retain the magnets. The exterior shape of the block may be formed either prior to or subsequent to machining and sealing of the pockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Tegu
    Inventors: Christopher Harwood Haughey, William Harcourt Haughey, William Joseph Delisle
  • Publication number: 20140227935
    Abstract: A magnetic block toy, more specifically, a magnetic block toy which secures mating spots of magnets at the planes of blocks to be combined by extending a travel segment of a magnet to the plane of a block with increased magnetic Gauss level by exposing part of a casing that covers outer surface of the magnet, and provides audible effects during play. For this purpose, the present disclosure incorporates a partially exposed cylindrical magnet with a longitudinal open groove in the casing and a guide pin formed at both right and left sides of the casing. Sound is produced by the inserted guide pin of the casing in a first guide groove and a second guide groove of a plane block or a cube block when it contacts the first guide groove and the second guide groove upon the movement of the magnet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Inventor: Jeong-Seok YOON
  • Publication number: 20140227934
    Abstract: A magnetic tile construction set is disclosed that may be used to construct extended 3-dimensional structures. In one embodiment, plastic magnets are attached to multiple edges of a lightweight core. The magnets have a width and length comparable to the thickness of the core and a length that is an order of magnitude longer than the thickness of the core. Tiles may be attached to one another at the tile edges through magnetic forces that do not vary by more than a factor of two over the range of angles from 45 degrees to 180 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: Apex Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Rudisill
  • Publication number: 20140213139
    Abstract: A magnetic construction system comprised of plural multi-shaped structural bodies each containing one or more captured magnets, wherein each magnet is free to rotate within its respective retaining pocket to align in magnetic polarity with rotatable magnets in adjacent structural bodies. Surface geometry around each magnet may include a radial detent feature which provides lateral and rotational stability between magnetically coupled structural bodies, or a radial recess which allows free rotation of respective structural bodies about the polar axis of magnetic coupling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Inventor: Joshua Willard Ferguson
  • Publication number: 20140179194
    Abstract: A magnetic toy apparatus and method, an embodiment including a plurality of bodies, at least one of which is rod-shaped, the bodies each having voids adjacent to its corners or ends, a plurality of magnets each disposed in one of the voids so as to be freely rotatable to facilitate connecting the bodies to each other by magnetic force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: GUIDECRAFT, INC.
    Inventors: Jason L. Fein, Gary L. Bilezikian
  • Publication number: 20140113521
    Abstract: The specific orientation of magnets within an object that allows for a series of objects to be engaged by the connection of positive magnetic poles to corresponding negative magnetic poles such that one object in the series may be rotated one hundred and eighty degrees about its vertical axis and still engage with the objects in the series.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Inventor: John W. Davolt
  • Publication number: 20140094083
    Abstract: Construction toy, characterised in that it primarily consists of a set of construction elements of rods (1) with magnetic ends, balls (2) and one or more preformed attachments (15) that can be suitably affixed to the rods (1), and which to this end have a fastening clip (18) with arms (19) of an elastic material that have at least one rib on each of the sides facing one another, whereby the rods have a primarily octagonal cross-section with diagonally opposite sides (8) that are linked together by other diametrically opposite sides (9) that each have a groove (10) in which the aforementioned ribs (21) can snap in place.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Inventor: Rolf Vandoren
  • Patent number: 8684783
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a mannequin having one or more articulated joints capable of exhibiting a full range of motion and of supporting substantial weight. In particular, this invention relates to an apparatus for movably joining two parts of a mannequin. The apparatus includes a first element having an arcuate surface and a second element having a convex surface and a magnetic portion. The second element is movably engageable with the first element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Inventor: Anna Ehrsam
  • Patent number: 8568188
    Abstract: A series of spaced apart track segments provide a path for the rolling of a marble from beginning to end. The track segments have a magnetic strip attached to one outer surface so that they can be mounted on a ferromagnetic wall such as a door or sidewalls or refrigerator. This provides for a user the ability to configure a wide variety of pathways for a rolling marble and to include on that pathway certain gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Inventors: Victor Horowitz, Judith Horowitz