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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

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.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of forming a toy block comprising: providing first and second separate solid block parts, each having at least one interior face, wherein said interior faces will face inwardly toward one another when said first and second parts are assembled into a block;forming on said first part at le

1. A method of forming a toy block comprising: providing first and second separate solid block parts, each having at least one interior face, wherein said interior faces will face inwardly toward one another when said first and second parts are assembled into a block;forming on said first part at least three external side faces and a bottom external face opposite said interior face;forming in said first block part, either before or after forming said external faces on said first part, at least one slot extending from said interior face into said first block part towards said bottom face, and passing internally alongside of and proximate to at least one said external side face of said first block part;forming on said second block part external side faces which align with said external side faces on said first part when said first and second block parts are coupled, and a top external face, opposite said interior face of said second block part;forming in said second block part, either before or after forming said external side faces on said second block part, a slot corresponding to and oriented to mate with each said slot in said first block part when said first and second block parts are coupled;each said second part slot extending from said second part interior face into said second block part proximate and parallel to an external side face;said slots in said first block part having a depth accommodating only a portion of the diameter of said magnetic disc, leaving said disc partially exposed;disposing a permanent disc shaped magnet in each said first block slot to direct a single polarity of magnetic field through said at least one external side face; and coupling said second part of said block to said first part of said block with said interior facing surfaces facing inwardly toward one another, the corresponding slot in said second part seating over said exposed portion of said magnetic disc when said second part is coupled to said first part; forming a central bore extending from said interior face of said first solid block part downwardly towards said bottom external face, said central bore terminating internally proximate to and parallel to said bottom external face; disposing a disc shaped magnet in at the terminus of said bore, parallel to said bottom external face;forming a bore in said second block part, positioned to align with said central bore in said first block part when said first and second block parts are coupled;said bore in said second block part extending from said interior face towards said top external face, said bore terminating internally proximate to and parallel to said top external face;disposing a disc shaped magnet at the terminus of said bore, parallel to said top external face. 2. The method of claim 1, in which an even number of said side faces are formed; inserting said permanent disc magnets into said slots in a polarity orientation such that an aggregate number of north poles internally proximate to their corresponding external side faces is equal to and opposite to an aggregate number of south poles internally proximate to their corresponding external side faces after the coupling; said disc magnets located in said bores in said first and second block parts being oriented so as to project opposite polarities through said top and bottom faces. 3. A method of making toy blocks having at least three sides, a bottom and a top comprising: providing first and second separate sheets of solid material, said first sheet being sufficiently large that a plurality of first block parts can be cut from it, each defining at least a portion of said three exterior sides; said first sheet having an upper surface defining an interior face of the blocks to be formed of said first and second block parts when said first and second sheets are coupled together, and an opposite surface which will form an interior face of a plurality of blocks when said first and second sheets are assembled together;said second sheet being sufficiently large that a plurality of second block parts can be cut from it, each defining at least a portion of exterior sides which will correspond to said exterior sides on said first block parts; said second sheet having a top face defining a top external surface of the blocks to be formed, and an opposite surface which will form an interior face of a plurality of blocks when said first and second sheets are assembled together;forming in said first sheet a plurality of spaced slots extending downwardly from said interior face, into said first sheet; at least one slot being formed for each first block part to be cut from said first sheet;forming in said second sheet a plurality of spaced slots extending upwardly from said interior face, into said second sheet; at least one slot being formed for each second block part to be cut from said second sheet;each said slot being formed in close proximity to, but spaced inwardly from, the location at which one of said exterior side faces is to be cut, and being located to mate with a corresponding slot in said first sheet, when said first and second sheets are coupled;forming a plurality of bores in said first sheet, one for each block to be cut from said first and second sheets when coupled together, each said bore extending downwardly into said sheet from said upper interior face forming surface and terminating in close proximity to but spaced from said bottom surface of said first sheet;forming a plurality of bores in said second sheet, at least one for each block to be cut from said first and second sheets when coupled together, each said bore extending from said interior face forming surface of said second sheet, and terminating in close proximity to but spaced from said top surface of said second sheet;said bores in said first sheet being located to align with said bores in said second sheet when said first and second sheets are coupled together;disposing a magnet at the terminus of each of said bores in said first and second sheets, with its north or south face oriented so that its north or south magnetic field projects outwardly through its respective bottom surface or top surface, prior to coupling said first and second sheets together;disposing a disk magnet in each of said slots in said first sheet, and coupling said second sheet to said first sheet with said interior face forming surfaces facing inwardly toward one another, said disk magnets being sufficiently large that they occupy both said aligning slots in said first and second sheets when said first and second sheets are coupled together;cutting said combined first and second sheets into a plurality of blocks, each having at least said three exterior facing side faces, thereby forming a plurality of blocks with totally enclosed and concealed magnets. 4. A method of forming a toy block comprising: providing first and second separate solid block parts, each having at least one interior face, wherein said interior faces will face inwardly toward one another when said first and second parts are assembled into a block, said first block part having a bottom face opposite its interior face and said second block part having a top face opposite its interior face;forming on each said first and second parts at least three external side faces which will align when said first and second block parts are assembled together;forming in each said first and second block parts, either before or after forming said external faces thereon, at least one slot, oriented to mate with each other when said first and second block parts are coupled, each said slot extending from said interior face of its respective first or second block part, into said block part proximate and parallel to an external side face of said block part, each said slot having a depth accommodating only a portion of the diameter of a disc magnet to be located therein;forming a central bore in each said first and second block part, either before or after forming said external faces thereon, extending from its said interior face towards, and terminating internally proximate to and parallel to, its opposite bottom external face or top external face, respectively, said bores being located so as to align with one another when said first and second block parts are coupled together;disposing a disc shaped magnet in each said central bore of said first and second block parts, at the terminus of each said bore, parallel to its said bottom or top external face, respectively;disposing a permanent disc magnet in each slot in said first block part, leaving said disc magnet partially exposed, the corresponding slot in said second part seating over said exposed portion of said disc magnet when said second block part is coupled to said first block part;coupling said first and second block parts together with said interior facing surfaces facing inwardly toward one another, and said corresponding external side faces of said block parts aligned, such that said disc magnet located adjacent said external side is directing a single polarity of magnetic field through said corresponding aligned external side faces. 5. A method of forming a toy block comprising: providing bottom, middle and top separate solid block parts, for assembly with said middle block part positioned between said bottom and top block parts, said top and bottom parts each having an interior face and an opposite top and bottom exterior face, respectively, and said middle part having opposite interior faces, wherein said interior faces will face inwardly toward one another when said bottom, middle and top parts are assembled into a block;forming on each said bottom, middle and top parts at least three external side faces which will align when said first, second and third block parts are assembled together;forming in said middle block part, either before or after forming said external faces, at least one slot extending from one of said interior faces into said first second part towards the opposite interior face, and passing internally alongside of and proximate to at least one said external side face of said second block part;forming a central bore in each said bottom and top block part, either before or after forming said external faces thereon, extending from its said interior face towards, and terminating internally proximate to and parallel to, its opposite bottom external face or top external face, respectively;disposing a disc shaped magnet in each said central bore of said first and second block parts, at the terminus of each said bore, parallel to its said bottom or top external face, respectively;disposing a permanent magnet in each slot in said middle block part to direct a single polarity of magnetic field through its adjacent external side face;coupling said bottom, middle and top block parts together, with said middle part between said top and bottom parts, and with their respective interior faces facing towards one another. 6. A method of making toy blocks having at least three sides, a bottom and a top comprising: providing three separate sheets of solid material for assembly together as a top and bottom sheet, with a middle sheet sandwiched there between; each said top, bottom and middle sheet being sufficiently large that a plurality of top, bottom and middle block parts can be cut from each, respectively; said top sheet having a top face and an opposite interior face; said bottom sheet having a bottom face and an opposite interior face; said middle sheet having opposed upper and lower interior faces for mating respectively with the interior faces of said upper and lower sheets;forming in said middle sheet a plurality of spaced slots extending downwardly from its top interior face, into said middle sheet; at least one slot being formed for each middle block part to be cut from said first sheet; each said slot being formed in close proximity to, but spaced inwardly from, the location at which one of said exterior side faces is to be cut;forming a plurality of bores in said bottom sheet and in said top sheet, one for each block to be cut from said first, second and third sheets when coupled together; each said bore extending from said interior face forming surface of said bottom or top sheet, respectively, and terminating in close proximity to but spaced from said top surface of said top sheet and said bottom surface of said bottom sheet, respectively;placing a magnet at the bottom of each said bore with its north or south face oriented so that its north or south magnetic field projects outwardly through said top face or said bottom face, respectively, prior to coupling said first, second and third sheets together;placing a magnet in each of said slots in said middle sheet;coupling said top, bottom and middle sheets, with said interior face forming surfaces facing inwardly toward one another;cutting said combined top, bottom and middle sheets into a plurality of blocks, each having at least said three exterior facing side faces, thereby forming blocks with totally enclosed and concealed magnets.