Abstract: Magnetically connected socket joint components comprise one or more paired components so as to form socket joint structures which can form various different articles, such as, for example, articles of jewelry, toys, educational implements, games or amusement devices, instructional aids, eyeglass frames, robotic arms, prosthetic devices, human replacement joints, and the like. The socket joint structures comprise convexly configured male and concavely configured female socket components which may be fabricated from suitable magnetic materials, or alternatively, the convexly configured male socket components may be fabricated from suitable magnetic materials while the concavely configured female socket components may be fabricated from suitable ferromagnetic materials, or vice versa.

Abstract: A new and improved magnetic structure comprises a linear form or array of a plurality of magnetic components that facilitates the relative disposition of such magnetic components with respect to each other whereby the plurality of magnetic components can be utilized to form any one of various different jewelry items, toys, amusement devices, educational implements, and instructional aids. The magnetic components are connected to each other along point-to-point contact loci, and spherically curved surface-to-surface contact loci, and a plurality of auxiliary or secondary ferromagnetic components may be magnetically connected to the magnetic components so as to define annular ring-like arrays around the point contact loci. The magnetic components can be identical in size, or alternatively, two alternating sets of magnetic components can have different diametrical dimensions.