Magnetic construction set

Abstract

A geometric construction set for building a stable cubic structure, comprising a plurality of like-dimensioned connecting members, spherical magnetically sensitive bodies and anchoring members. Each connecting member has radial symmetry along its axis of elongation and includes permanent magnets at its first and second ends. The anchoring members have three mutually perpendicular and substantially semi-cylindrical arms, a partial spherical cavity at the intersection of the three arms, and a cavity within each of the arms created by its semi-cylindrical shape. The partial spherical cavity is adapted to receive the spherical magnetically sensitive bodies. The cavities in the arms are adapted to securely receive either the first end or the second end of the connecting members. After securely received in the arms, the first or second ends of the connecting member with the permanent magnets are magnetically coupled with the spherical magnetically sensitive bodies.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPPLICATION

None

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL

Portions of the disclosure of this patent document contain material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates in general to construction sets for building geometrical structures, and more particularly to a construction set that employs connecting members, magnets, and magnetizable bodies for building a cubical shaped structure.

Construction sets-are used for both play and educational purposes. Typically, such sets include several components that can be secured together to build two-dimensional or three-dimensional structures. The components can be secured together by using different means, for example, by maintaining suitable tolerances between connectable portions of the components and/or by using magnets and magnetizable members associated with the components.

Several construction sets have been developed in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,846,809 to Majewski discloses a construction, which mainly includes hollow spherical connecting elements and thin rods having suction cups secured to their ends. The suction cups are used to secure the rods on the outer surface of the spherical connecting elements. Several structures can be constructed by using different lengths of the rods. The method of securing the rods to the spherical connecting elements using the suction cups is prone to failure as the suction cups degrade over time.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,323 to Justice discloses interlocking components for the construction of structures defining various geometric configurations. The components of the present invention include a first component having an elongated trunk portion. The first component carries a protruding member extending from a first end of the trunk portion, and a coaxial first receptor at a second end of the trunk portion for releasably receiving the protruding members of other first components. A plurality of further receptors are radially spaced proximate its second end portion for releasably receiving the protruding members of other first components. The invention also includes a second component having an elongated trunk portion with protruding members on its both ends, which also releasably receive the receptors of the first components.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,727 to Balanchi discloses a geometric construction set for building cubic and square profiles. The construction set consists of a multiplicity of like dimensioned magnetizable bodies and interconnecting members. The interconnecting members have an axis of elongation and magnetic ends, which magnetize and couple with a respective magnetizable body along a mutually perpendicular axis of the magnetizable body. The magnetic ends of the interconnecting members are tapered for insertion into cylindrical recesses, which extend axially into the outer surface of the magnetizable body to permit stable magnetic coupling. Although the connecting members are similar to the present invention, the magnetizable body of this construction set is encased in a body with receptacles resulting in substantial instability in completed structures.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,846,216 to Balanchi discloses an improved geometric construction set for building geometrical sculptures. The construction set consists of a multiplicity of magnetizable bodies and a multiplicity of construction members. The construction members have a plurality of connecting arms that have a first cantilevered end and a second portion that is integral with a hub portion and a permanent magnet in the first end for magnetically coupling with a magnetizable body. The hub portion has a geometrical center and the connecting arms have an axis of symmetry that passes through the geometrical center. However, the hub portion, which is the main structural component, is different from the components of the present invention, namely the connecting member and the anchoring member.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic construction set that includes more rigid structural elements, namely anchoring members, in addition to the magnetic and magnetically sensitive means for constructing three dimensional geometric structures. Other objects of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the appended Summary, Description, and Claims.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates in general to construction sets for building geometrical structures, and more particularly to a magnetic construction set for building semi-rigid geometrical structures. The magnetic construction set includes a plurality of connecting members, spherical magnetically sensitive bodies and anchoring members. The connecting members are elongated and radially symmetric, with a first and second end. Permanent magnets are fixed in both the first and second ends of the connecting members. Anchoring members accommodate either end of the connecting members, in turn, and facilitate achieving a stable geometric structure. The anchoring member is a unitary piece and comprises three mutually perpendicular arms and a partial spherical cavity. Each arm is substantially semi-cylindrical in shape, which results in a cavity that is adapted to securely receive either the first end or the second end of the connecting member. The partial spherical cavity is adapted to receive the spherical magnetically sensitive bodies.

In order to build a rigid structure, the ends of the connecting members are securely fixed in the arms of the anchoring members. The ends of the connecting members are also magnetically coupled with the spherical magnetically sensitive bodies when a magnetically sensitive body is received in the partial spherical cavity of an anchoring member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the fully assembled magnetic construction set, using the connecting members, spherical magnetically sensitive bodies and anchoring members in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the magnetic construction set, without the spherical magnetically sensitive bodies.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the connecting member that includes magnets inserted into each of its ends.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the anchoring member.

FIG. 5 is a back perspective view of the anchoring member.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the three connecting members secured in the three mutually perpendicular arms of the anchoring member.

FIGURES—REFERENCE NUMERALS

• 10 . . . Magnetic Construction Set
• 11 . . . Connecting Member
• 12 . . . Spherical Magnetically Sensitive Body
• 13 . . . Anchoring Member
• 14 . . . First End of the Connecting Member
• 15 . . . Second End of the Connecting Member
• 16 . . . Permanent Magnet
• 17 . . . Arm
• 18 . . . Partial Spherical Cavity
• 19 . . . Cavity in the Arm

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of a magnetic construction set is illustrated and generally indicated as 10 in FIGS. 1 through 6. The magnetic construction set 10 comprises a plurality of connecting members 11, spherical magnetically sensitive bodies 12, and anchoring members 13, which can be assembled to form a stable cubical geometrical structure as seen in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 3, each connecting member 11 exhibits radial symmetric along its axis of elongation. A permanent magnet 16 is fixed in both the first 14 and second ends 15 of each connecting member. The permanent magnets 16 help in magnetically coupling the ends of the connecting member 11 with the spherical magnetically sensitive body 12, and the inner surfaces of the first 14 and second ends 15 are tapered in order to achieve a gapless interface with the spherical magnetically sensitive body 12.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, an anchoring member 13 facilitates achieving a stable cubical geometric structure. Although amorphous and malleable three dimensional shapes may be constructed with the connecting members 11 and magnetically sensitive spheres 12 alone, without the anchoring member 13 no rigid cubical shapes can be constructed. The anchoring member 13 includes three mutually perpendicular arms 17 and a partial spherical cavity 18 at the intersection of the three arms 17. The anchoring member 13 is a unitary piece, forming a continuous contour surface with its three arms 17 and partial spherical cavity 18. The arms 17 are substantially semi-cylindrical in shape. This semi-cylindrical shape of the arms 17 results in a cavity 19 that is suitably dimensioned to securely receive either the first end 14 or the second end 15 of the connecting member 11.

Stable cubical geometrical structures, as shown by example in FIG. 1, can be built using connecting members 11 and anchoring members 13. For single cubical structures and small scale cubical structures, the magnetically sensitive spheres 12 are not needed. However, the magnetically sensitive spheres 12 are needed in order to build larger scale cubical structures as well as structures with cubical extrusions.

A single anchoring member 13 can securely receive the first ends 14 of the three connecting members 11 in any, some, or all of its three arms 17, as seen in FIG. 6. Other anchoring members are then made to securely receive any, some, or all of the free second ends 15 of the connecting members 11. In this way, the connecting members and anchoring members may be assembled as shown in FIG. 2. The ends of the connecting members 11 with the permanent magnets 16 are also made to magnetically couple with the spherical magnetically sensitive bodies 12. The spherical magnetically sensitive bodies 12 are received in the partial spherical cavities 18 of the anchoring members 13, abutting each of the arms.

The connecting members 11 and the anchoring members 13 can be made of plastic or any hard resilient material. The spherical magnetically sensitive body 12 comprises any material that is magnetically sensitive, or has a magnetically sensitive portion such as a coated iron sphere. The connecting members 11 comprise a shape which is circular in cross-section with radial symmetry about its axis of elongation. Accordingly, the arms 17 of the anchoring member 13 are suitably dimensioned to securely receive the first or second ends of the connecting member 11.

All features disclosed in this specification, including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings, may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function, or “step for” performing a specific function, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6. In particular, the use of “step of” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation.

Claims

1. A geometric constructing set, comprising;

(a) a plurality of connecting members having a first end, a second end, and an axis of elongation, the connecting members being of circular cross-section and having radial symmetry along the axis of elongation, wherein permanent magnets are fixed adjacent to the first and second ends of the connecting member;

(b) a plurality of spherical magnetically sensitive bodies; and

(c) an anchoring member having three mutually perpendicular and substantially semi-cylindrical arms, a partial spherical cavity at the intersection of the three arms, and a cavity within each of the arms, wherein the partial spherical cavity is adapted to receive the spherical magnetically sensitive bodies, the cavities in the arms are adapted to securely receive either the first end or the second end of the connecting members; and the first or second ends of the connecting members with the permanent magnets are adapted to magnetically couple with the spherical magnetically sensitive bodies after being securely received in the arms of the anchoring members.

2. The geometric construction set of claim 1, wherein the anchoring member is a unitary piece and is made of plastic or other suitable material that is lightweight, strong and resilient.

3. The geometric construction set of claim 2, wherein the anchoring member with the three arms and the partial spherical member forms a continuous contour surface.

4. The geometric construction set of claim 1, wherein the arms of the anchoring members are of a dimension suitable to securely receive the first or second ends of the connecting members.

5. The geometric construction set of claim 1, wherein inner surfaces of the first and second ends of the connecting members are tapered to form a gapless interface with the spherical magnetically sensitive bodies.

6. The geometric construction set of claim 1, wherein the connecting members are made of plastic or other lightweight material that is strong and resilient.

7. The geometric construction set of claim 1, wherein the connecting member comprises different shapes being circular in cross-section and have radial symmetry about their axis of elongation, and the arms of the anchoring member are suitably dimensioned to securely receive the first or second ends of the connecting member.

8. The geometric construction set of claim 1, wherein all or a portion of the spherical magnetically sensitive bodies are constructed of magnetic materials, such as a plastic or nickel coated iron sphere.