MEGA Brands International S.A.R.L., Luxembourg, Zug Branch
대리인 / 주소
Plumsea Law Group, LLC
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
13인용 특허 :
54
초록▼
Construction kit with two- and/or three-dimensional construction elements (1, 9) with magnetic elements (4) in the corners and/or sides and ferromagnetic spheres (11), which can be placed between the magnetic elements (4) of adjacent construction elements (1, 9) to connect the construction elements
Construction kit with two- and/or three-dimensional construction elements (1, 9) with magnetic elements (4) in the corners and/or sides and ferromagnetic spheres (11), which can be placed between the magnetic elements (4) of adjacent construction elements (1, 9) to connect the construction elements (1, 9) together using a magnetic bond so that they can be detached.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A toy construction element comprising: a body made of nonmagnetic material extending in substantially one plane; a first magnet disposed in the body, the first magnet having an outer surface that is symmetrical about a first magnetic axis and at least one planar face that is
What is claimed is: 1. A toy construction element comprising: a body made of nonmagnetic material extending in substantially one plane; a first magnet disposed in the body, the first magnet having an outer surface that is symmetrical about a first magnetic axis and at least one planar face that is perpendicular to the first magnetic axis, the first magnetic axis aligned with a center of the body, the at least one planar face of the first magnet disposed adjacent to a first edge of the body, and the first magnetic axis generally perpendicular to the first edge of the body, the first edge having a first planar edge face at least partially defining a plane perpendicular to the first magnetic axis; a second magnet disposed in the body, the second magnet having an outer surface that is symmetrical about a second magnetic axis and at least one planar face that is perpendicular to the second magnetic axis, the second magnetic axis aligned with the center of the body, the at least one planar face of the second magnet disposed adjacent to a second edge of the body, and the second magnetic axis generally perpendicular to the second edge of the body, the second edge having a second planar edge face at least partially defining a plane perpendicular to the second magnetic axis; a third magnet disposed in the body, the third magnet having an outer surface that is symmetrical about a third magnetic axis and at least one planar face that is perpendicular to the third axis, the third magnetic axis aligned with the center of the body, the at least one planar surface of the third magnet disposed adjacent to a third edge of the body, and the third magnetic axis generally perpendicular to the third edge of the body, the third edge having a third planar edge face at least partially defining a plane perpendicular to the third magnetic axis; and a ferromagnetic ball releasably and magnetically coupled to the body by the first magnet, the body having a first face and a second face opposite to the first face, the body having a polygonal shape with a beveled corner when viewed in a direction facing the first face, the beveled corner comprising the first edge of the body, the first magnetic axis bisecting the beveled corner when viewed in a direction facing the first face, and the first face and the second face being parallel to the first magnetic axis, the second magnetic axis, and the third magnetic axis, the body defining a recess directly over the at least one planar face of each of the first, second, and third magnets such that the at least one planar face of the each of the first, second, and third magnets is uncovered and is surrounded by nonmagnetic material so as to provide a pocket for receiving a portion of the ferromagnetic ball, and the recess shaped to contact the ferromagnetic ball along a circumferential line so as to align the center of the ferromagnetic ball with the respective magnetic axis of the respective magnet such that the ferromagnetic ball is adjacent one pole of the respective magnet and spaced from the opposite pole of the respective magnet. 2. The toy construction element of claim 1, the first, second, and third magnetic axes radially spaced equally around the center of the body. 3. The toy construction element of claim 1, the at least one planar surface of the first magnet parallel with the first edge of the body, the at least one planar surface of the second magnet parallel with the second edge of the body, and the at least one planar surface of the third magnet parallel with the third edge of the body. 4. The toy construction element of claim 1, the body exposing the at least one planar surfaces of the first, second, and third magnets, and the first, second, and third magnets being fixed in place within the body. 5. The toy construction element of claim 1, further comprising a fourth magnet disposed in the body, the fourth magnet having an outer surface that is symmetrical about a fourth magnetic axis and at least one planar face that is perpendicular to the fourth magnetic axis, the fourth magnetic axis aligned with the center of the body, the at least one planar surface of the fourth magnet disposed adjacent to a fourth edge of the body, and the fourth magnetic axis generally perpendicular to the fourth edge of the body, and the fourth edge having a fourth planar edge face at least partially defining a plane perpendicular to the fourth magnetic axis. 6. The toy construction element of claim 5, the body comprising a quadrilateral polygon, and the first, second, third, and fourth magnetic axes radially spaced equally around the center of the body. 7. The toy construction element of claim 6, the first face and the second face being parallel to the first magnetic axis, the second magnetic axis, the third magnetic axis, and the fourth magnetic axis. 8. The toy construction element of claim 1, the first, second, and third magnetic axes lying in the same plane. 9. The toy construction element of claim 1, the body having a perimeter face disposed transversely between the first face and the second face around the construction element, and the construction element having a first bevel between the first face and the perimeter face and a second bevel between the second face and the perimeter face. 10. The toy construction element of claim 1, the body comprising one of wood, plastic, and metal. 11. The toy construction element of claim 1, the first magnet being cylindrical. 12. A toy construction kit comprising: a panel element comprising a body made of nonmagnetic material, the body extending substantially in one plane and having a first perimeter face transverse to the plane, a second perimeter face transverse to the plane, and a third perimeter face transverse to the plane, a first magnet disposed in the body, the first magnet having an outer surface that is symmetrical about a first magnetic axis and at least one planar face that is perpendicular to the first magnetic axis, the first magnetic axis aligned with a center of the body, the at least one planar face of the first magnet disposed adjacent to the first perimeter face of the body, and the first magnetic axis generally perpendicular to the first perimeter face of the body, the first perimeter face having a first planar edge surface at least partially defining a plane perpendicular to the first magnetic axis; a second magnet disposed in the body, the second magnet having an outer surface that is symmetrical about a second magnetic axis and at least one planar face that is perpendicular to the second magnetic axis, the second magnetic axis aligned with the center of the body, the at least one planar face of the second magnet disposed adjacent to a second perimeter face of the body, and the second magnetic axis generally perpendicular to the second perimeter face of the body, the second perimeter face having a second planar edge surface at least partially defining a plane perpendicular to the second magnetic axis; and a third magnet disposed in the body, the third magnet having an outer surface that is symmetrical about a third magnetic axis and at least one planar face that is perpendicular to the third magnetic axis, the third magnetic axis aligned with the center of the body, the at least one planar surface of the third magnet disposed adjacent to a third perimeter face of the body, and the third magnetic axis generally perpendicular to the third perimeter face of the body, the third perimeter face having a third planar edge surface at least partially defining a plane perpendicular to the third magnetic axis; and a ferromagnetic ball releasably and magnetically held against the first perimeter face of the body by the first magnet, and the first magnetic axis, the second magnetic axis, and the third magnetic axis lying in the same plane, the body defining a recess directly over the at least one planar face of each of the first, second, and third magnets such that the at least one planar face of the each of the first, second, and third magnets is uncovered and is surrounded by nonmagnetic material so as to provide a pocket for receiving a portion of the ferromagnetic ball, and the recess shaped to contact the ferromagnetic ball along a circumferential line so as to align the center of the ferromagnetic ball with the respective magnetic axis of the respective magnet such that the ferromagnetic ball is adjacent one pole of the respective magnet and spaced from the opposite pole of the respective magnet. 13. The toy construction kit of claim 12, the panel element having a polygonal shape with a beveled corner when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the plane, the first perimeter face disposed at the beveled corner, and the first magnetic axis bisecting the beveled corner when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the plane, and the first magnet being fixed in place within the body. 14. The toy construction kit of claim 13, the panel element having curved sides when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the plane. 15. The toy construction kit of claim 12, the panel element further comprising a fourth perimeter face transverse to the plane, and a fourth magnet disposed in the body, the fourth magnet having an outer surface that is symmetrical about a fourth magnetic axis and at least one planar face that is perpendicular to the fourth magnetic axis, the fourth magnetic axis aligned with the center of the body, the at least one planar surface of the fourth magnet disposed adjacent to a fourth perimeter face of the body, and the fourth magnetic axis generally perpendicular to the fourth perimeter face of the body, the fourth perimeter face having a fourth planar edge surface at least partially defining a plane perpendicular to the fourth magnetic axis, the first, second, third, and fourth magnetic axes radially spaced equally around the center of the body. 16. A toy construction element comprising: a body made of nonmagnetic material and extending substantially in one plane, the body having a first face parallel to the plane, a second face opposite to the first face and parallel to the plane, a first edge between the first face and the second face, a second edge between the first face and the second face, a third edge between the first face and the second face and opposite to the first edge, a fourth edge between the first face and the second face and opposite to the second edge, a first planar edge face between the first edge and the second edge when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the plane, a second planar edge face between the second edge and the third edge when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the plane, a third planar edge face between the third edge and the fourth edge and opposite to the first planar edge face, when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the plane, a fourth planar edge face between the fourth edge and the first edge and opposite to the second planar edge face, when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the plane, the first planar edge face perpendicular to the second planar edge face, the second planar edge face perpendicular to the third planar edge face, the third planar edge face perpendicular to the fourth planar edge face, and the fourth planar edge face perpendicular to the first planar edge face, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the plane; a first magnet fixedly disposed in the body, the first magnet having an outer surface that is symmetrical about a first magnetic axis and at least one planar face that is perpendicular to the first magnetic axis, the first magnetic axis aligned with a center of the body, the at least one planar face of the first magnet disposed adjacent to and parallel to the first planar edge face of the body, and the first magnetic axis generally perpendicular to the first planar edge face of the body; a second magnet fixedly disposed in the body, the second magnet having an outer surface that is symmetrical about a second magnetic axis and at least one planar face that is perpendicular to the second magnetic axis, the second magnetic axis aligned with the center of the body, the at least one planar face of the second magnet disposed adjacent to and parallel to the second planar edge face of the body, and the second magnetic axis generally perpendicular to the second planar edge face of the body; a third magnet fixedly disposed in the body, the third magnet having an outer surface that is symmetrical about a third magnetic axis and at least one planar face that is perpendicular to the third magnetic axis, the third magnetic axis aligned with the center of the body, the at least one planar face of the third magnet disposed adjacent to and parallel to the third planar edge face of the body, and the third magnetic axis generally perpendicular to the third planar edge face of the body; a fourth magnet fixedly disposed in the body, the fourth magnet having an outer surface that is symmetrical about a fourth magnetic axis and at least one planar face that is perpendicular to the fourth magnetic axis, the fourth magnetic axis aligned with the center of the body, the at least one planar face of the fourth magnet disposed adjacent to and parallel to the fourth planar edge face of the body, and the fourth magnetic axis generally perpendicular to the fourth planar edge face of the body; and a ferromagnetic ball releasably and magnetically held against the first planar edge face by the first magnet, the ferromagnetic ball having a geometric center, the first and third magnetic axes being coincident, the second and fourth magnetic axes being coincident, and the first and second magnetic axes being perpendicular, when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the plane, and the first magnetic axis, the second magnetic axis, the third magnetic axis, and the fourth magnetic axis being coplanar and parallel to the plane of the body. 17. The toy construction element of claim 16, the first, second, third, and fourth edges being curved when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the plane. 18. The toy construction element of claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic ball has a geometrical center that lies along the first magnetic axis. 19. The toy construction element of claim 1, wherein a longest side of the first face of the body comprises a width of the body, wherein a distance between the first face and the second face comprises a thickness of the body, and wherein the width is at least eight times greater than the thickness. 20. The toy construction element of claim 12, wherein a longest side of the body measured along the one plane is at least eight times greater than the thickness of the body measured transverse to the one plane. 21. The toy construction element of claim 12, wherein the width of the planar face of the first magnet is at least 80% of the thickness of the body measured transverse to the one plane. 22. The toy construction element of claim 12, wherein the radius of the ferromagnetic ball is greater than the thickness of the body measured transverse to the one plane. 23. The toy construction element of claim 12, wherein the diameter of the ferromagnetic ball is at least three times greater than the width of the planar face of the first magnet. 24. The toy construction element of claim 12, the body further having: a first curved perimeter face disposed between the first perimeter face and the second perimeter face, and a second curved perimeter face disposed between the second perimeter face and the third perimeter face, wherein the first curved perimeter face and the second curved perimeter face are curved when viewed in a direction facing the plane. 25. The toy construction element of claim 1, wherein each of the first planar edge face, the second planar edge face, and the third planar edge face has a generally rectangular perimeter. 26. The toy construction element of claim 9, wherein each of the first planar edge face, the second planar edge face, and the third planar edge face has a generally hexagonal perimeter. 27. The toy construction element of claim 1, wherein the construction element is a first construction element, and the first planar edge face of the first construction element is configured to allow the magnetic attachment of a second construction element as claimed in claim 1 along a first planar edge face of the second construction element such that the first construction element and the second construction element are held together by magnetic force and in abutment along planar surfaces. 28. The toy construction element of claim 16, the body defining a recess directly over the at least one planar face of each of the first, second, third, and fourth magnets such that the at least one planar face of the each of the first, second, third, and fourth magnets is uncovered and is surrounded by nonmagnetic material so as to provide a pocket for receiving a portion of the ferromagnetic ball, and the recess shaped to contact the ferromagnetic ball along a circumferential line so as to align the center of the ferromagnetic ball with the respective magnetic axis of the respective magnet such that the ferromagnetic ball is adjacent one pole of the respective magnet and spaced from the opposite pole of the respective magnet.
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