Magnetic member and magnetic toy using the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a magnet member and a magnetic toy using the same, and more particularly to a magnet member and a magnetic toy using the same, in which the magnet attached to a block that is attached and detached by magnetic force is formed with multiple poles such as 4, 6, 8, etc., to reduce the rotation angle and make it easy to attach, reduce noise, and easily replace if the magnet is damaged by external force. To achieve the above object, the present invention comprises a block having an installation groove formed on its surface, a magnet member housed inside the installation groove and installed in the installation groove, the block being coupled to an adjacent block by magnetic force, the magnet member comprising a case installed in the installation groove and a magnet rotatably housed inside the case, and the magnet being a multi-pole magnet having two or more north and south poles.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a magnet member and a magnetic toy using the same, and more particularly to a magnet member and a magnetic toy using the same, in which the magnet attached to a block that is attached and detached by magnetic force is formed with multiple poles such as 4, 6, 8, etc., to reduce the rotation angle and make it easy to attach, reduce noise, and easily replace if the magnet is damaged by external force. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, block toys are widely used to develop intelligence and creativity while having fun assembling blocks made of wood or plastic to create various structures such as buildings, vehicles, and robots.

[0003] While block toys, like the familiar "Lego," involve fitting blocks together to create structures, magnetic toys have recently been developed and are gaining popularity due to their simple shapes and minimal sharp edges, making them easy and safe for children to use. These magnetic toys are made by embedding magnets into blocks cut to a specific size and shape.

[0004] Meanwhile, magnets are composed of north and south poles, and since they have the property of pushing out other magnets when they have the same pole and attracting them when they have different poles, if magnets are uniformly embedded or attached and fixed, there is a possibility that magnets will be arranged with the same polarity and push out each other during the process of assembling the blocks. Therefore, a structure was developed in which, as the magnets rotate, adjacent blocks will naturally come into contact with each other with their opposite polarities and attach to each other.

[0005] As mentioned above, with the continuous development of technology for magnetic toys, various magnet mounting structures have been proposed. However, there is an increasing need for a magnet mounting structure for magnetic toys that can be easily manufactured yet achieves a reliable magnet mounting effect by improving the magnet mounting structures that have been used recently, taking into account the material characteristics of the blocks.

[0006] An example of such a magnetic toy is the technology described in Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0954429, as shown in Figures 1 to 3. The technical features of this magnetic toy are that a block 10 is formed with an accommodating groove 12 for accommodating a magnet 30, and a cap 20 is placed over the block 10 to attach the magnet 30. The cap 20 has a locking protrusion 24 on its outer surface, and a protruding groove 14 is formed on the wall of the accommodating groove 12. The locking protrusion 24 is configured to engage with the protruding groove 14 to prevent the cap 20 from coming off. The locking protrusion 24 has a height that increases on the upper and lower sides from a vertical plane, forming a > shape, so that the upper surface that engages with the protruding groove 14 is formed to be inclined downward toward the outside, and the upper surface of the locking protrusion 24 is closer to a horizontal plane than the lower surface, and a number of fine protrusions are additionally formed thereon, thereby preventing slippage even when the protruding groove 14 and the upper surface of the locking protrusion 24 are inclined.

[0007] Meanwhile, the technology described in Korean Patent No. 10-0954429 has the advantage of being easy to manufacture and install by taking into account the material characteristics of the block and improving the magnet mounting structure, while also achieving a solid magnet mounting effect. However, because the magnet is divided into two poles, it must rotate 180 degrees when the block is joined. This results in a large rotation angle, a long rotation time, and a large contact impact, as well as a considerable noise being generated when it collides with the cap.

[0008] In addition, since the magnet cannot be separated once it is installed, if the magnet is damaged by an external impact, the polarity will change, which will cause problems such as the block not being able to stably connect with other toys. In such cases, the magnet cannot be replaced, which makes the block unusable. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] The present invention has been devised to solve the above problems, and the object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic toy in which the magnets provided inside the magnetic members of the blocks are formed with multiple poles, such as 4, 6, or 8 poles, in the circumferential direction, thereby minimizing the rotation angle, thereby shortening the rotation time and quickly joining the blocks, and also reducing the friction gap between the magnets and the case in which they are housed, thereby reducing noise generation.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic toy in which a locking protrusion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of an installation groove formed in a block, an insertion groove and a support groove into which the locking protrusion is inserted are formed on one side of the case of a magnet member inserted into the installation groove, and the locking protrusion is supported by a locking jaw formed in the support groove so that it does not separate arbitrarily even when an external force is applied, and the magnetic member can be separated by applying pressure to the magnetic member and rotating it, thereby allowing the magnetic member to be easily replaced if damaged. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To solve such problems, the present invention has the following features.

[0012] That is, the magnet member of the present invention comprises a case and a magnet rotatably housed inside the case, and the magnet is a multi-pole magnet having two or more north and south poles formed along the circumferential direction.

[0013] Here, a rotation shaft is formed in the vertical direction inside the case, and a rotation hole into which the rotation shaft is inserted is formed in the center of the magnet.

[0014] In this case, a support jaw is formed on the outer side of the lower portion of the rotation hole, and a support member for supporting the support jaw is formed on the outer side of the lower end of the rotation shaft.

[0015] The case may have a vertically extending rotation shaft formed inside it, and a rotation groove into which the rotation shaft is inserted may be formed in the center of the magnet.

[0016] Meanwhile, the magnetic toy equipped with the above-mentioned magnetic member comprises a block having an installation groove formed on its surface, and a magnetic member having a magnet housed inside and installed in the installation groove, and the block is connected to an adjacent block by magnetic force.

[0017] Here, a locking protrusion is formed on the lower part of the inner surface of the installation groove so as to protrude inward, an insertion groove into which the locking protrusion is inserted is formed on the lower part of the case, a support groove is formed at the upper end of the insertion groove so as to be bent sideways, and a locking jaw is formed at the end of the support groove to prevent the locking protrusion from coming off.

[0018] In this case, a support plate is provided at the inner lower part of the installation groove so as to be positioned below the locking protrusion, and a spring is provided at the lower part of the support plate to elastically support the support plate upward.

[0019] The height of the case is lower than the depth of the installation groove, and a rotation control groove is formed on the upper surface of the case. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the present invention having the above configuration, the magnet provided inside the magnet member provided in the block is formed with a number of poles, such as 4, 6, or 8, in the circumferential direction, and the rotation angle is minimized, thereby shortening the rotation time and quickly connecting the block, and reducing the friction gap between the magnet and the case in which it is housed, thereby reducing noise generation.

[0021] In addition, in the present invention, a locking protrusion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the installation groove formed in the block, and an insertion groove and a support groove into which the locking protrusion is inserted are formed on one side of the case of the magnet member inserted into the installation groove, and the locking protrusion is elastically supported from below to above by a spring.This means that the locking protrusion is supported by the locking jaw formed in the support groove, and not only does it prevent arbitrary separation even when an external force is applied, but the magnet member can also be separated by applying pressure and rotating it, which has the effect of making it easy to replace the magnet member if it is damaged. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional magnetic toy.

[0023] [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional magnetic toy.

[0024] [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing the rotating state of a magnet in a conventional magnetic toy.

[0025] [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view of a magnetic toy according to the present invention;

[0026] [Figure 5] 1 is an exploded perspective view of a magnet member of a magnetic toy according to the present invention;

[0027] [Figure 6] 1 is a diagram illustrating a multi-pole magnet of a magnetic toy according to the present invention;

[0028] [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a magnet member of a magnetic toy according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a magnet member of a magnetic toy according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the magnet according to the embodiment of FIG. 8.

[0031] [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a magnet member of a magnetic toy according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the magnet according to the embodiment of FIG.

[0033] [Figure 12] 10 is a cross-sectional view of a magnetic toy according to still another embodiment of the present invention, in which a magnet member is coupled to an installation groove.

[0034] [Figure 13] 13 is an exemplary view showing the relationship between the locking protrusion and the insertion groove according to the embodiment of FIG. 12. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals will be used to refer to the same components in the drawings, and duplicated descriptions of the same components will be omitted. It should be understood that the present invention can be realized in many different forms and is not limited to the described embodiments.

[0036] The present invention relates to a magnetic toy, and as shown in Figures 4 to 6, it is composed of a block 100 which can be formed into various shapes including a hexahedron, and a magnet member 200 attached to the block 100. An installation groove 110 is formed on the surface of the block 100, and the magnet member 200 containing a magnet 220 is attached inside the installation groove 110.

[0037] Here, the block 100 is formed in various shapes such as a hexahedron, an octahedron, etc., and one or more mounting grooves 110 are formed on each surface, and the magnet members 100 are mounted in each mounting groove 110.

[0038] Therefore, when the blocks 100 are joined, if the magnet members 200 of adjacent blocks 100 are brought into contact with each other, the magnets 220 housed inside the magnet members 200 are joined by magnetic force, and the adjacent blocks 100 are joined to each other, making it easy to join or separate the blocks 100.

[0039] The magnet member 200 includes a case 210 inserted into an installation groove 110 formed in the block 100, and a magnet 220 rotatably installed inside the case 210. The magnet 220 can be selected from NdFeB sintered magnets, samarium cobalt magnets, NdBonded magnets, and ferrite magnets depending on the size and weight of the block 100.

[0040] Here, the case 210 comprises an upper body 212 having a receiving portion formed therein for receiving the magnet 220, and a cover 214 for covering the open lower portion of the upper body 212, and the cover 214 is attached by various methods including adhesive, double-sided tape, etc.

[0041] At this time, the magnet 220 accommodated inside the case 210 is a multi-pole magnet including 4-pole, 6-pole, or 8-pole magnets in which the N poles and S poles are alternately positioned along the circumferential direction as shown in FIG. 6, and two or more N poles and two or more S poles are formed along the circumferential direction.

[0042] Therefore, when the magnet members 200 of adjacent blocks 100 abut against each other, if the polarities of the magnets 220 housed inside each magnet member 200 are in the same position, the magnets 220 on both sides rotate in opposite directions so that the opposite polarities are adjacent, and are coupled to each other by magnetic force.

[0043] However, in the past, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, there was only one north pole and one south pole, so adjacent magnets 30 had to rotate a maximum of 180 degrees in order to couple together. This increased the rotation angle, which resulted in a correspondingly larger impact when the magnets 30 and cap 20 came into contact, a larger angle of friction, and louder noise.

[0044] On the other hand, in the present invention, by forming at least two north poles and two south poles that make up the magnet 220, the maximum rotation angle is 90°, which is half the rotation angle of the conventional method, and in the case of eight poles, it only needs to rotate 45°, which is only one-fourth the rotation angle of the conventional method.

[0045] Therefore, the angle of rotation is reduced, the resulting contact shock is reduced, and noise is reduced, allowing for a more comfortable assembly environment when joining the blocks 100.

[0046] Meanwhile, in another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 7, a magnet member 200 is installed in an installation groove 110 formed in the block 100, and a rotation axis 215 is formed in the vertical direction inside a case 210 constituting the magnet member 200.

[0047] That is, a rotation shaft 215 is formed so as to protrude downward from the inner upper surface of an upper body 212 constituting the case 210 .

[0048] Here, a rotation hole 222 is formed in the center of the magnet 220 housed inside the case 210 so as to penetrate vertically, and the rotation shaft 215 is inserted into the rotation hole 222, so that the magnet 220 rotates at an accurate angle without shaking, and rotation becomes smoother.

[0049] As another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, a rotation shaft 215 is formed in the vertical direction inside the case 210 constituting the magnet member 200, and a rotation hole 222 is formed in the center of the magnet 220, through which the rotation shaft 215 is inserted so as to penetrate vertically.

[0050] A support jaw 225 is formed on the outer lower portion of the rotation hole 222, and a support member 216 for supporting the support jaw 225 is formed on the outer lower portion of the rotation shaft 215.

[0051] In this case, the rotating shaft 215 may be connected to the inner upper surface of the upper body 212 constituting the case 210 by adhesive or other methods, and as shown in the figure, a connecting protrusion (not shown) formed to protrude downward from the inner upper surface of the upper body 212 is inserted into a connecting groove (not shown) formed on the upper part of the rotating shaft 215, and the connecting is performed by a fastening method or by forming a female thread and a male thread and screwing the connecting protrusion, thereby preventing the magnet 220 from coming off the case 210 even if there is no cover 214 at the bottom.

[0052] Therefore, when the upper body 212 is inserted into the installation groove 110 of the block 100, the open portion is installed toward the outside, so that when the adjacent blocks 100 are combined, the magnet 220 comes into contact with the open portion, increasing the combining force.

[0053] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, a rotation shaft 215 is formed in the vertical direction inside the case 210 that constitutes the magnet member 200, and a rotation groove 224 into which the rotation shaft 215 is inserted is formed on the upper surface of the magnet 220 housed inside the case 210.

[0054] Therefore, as described above, the magnets 220 rotate based on the rotation axis 215, so that they rotate at a precise angle without wobbling, and accordingly, the polarities of the magnets 220 housed inside the contacted magnet members 200 can be coupled to each other at precise positions, so that they can be more firmly coupled.

[0055] Here, the magnets 220 in the above-described embodiments are all formed with at least four poles, so that the rotation angle during coupling can be reduced, allowing for quicker coupling and reducing noise.

[0056] In still another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the magnet member 200 is detachably installed in an installation groove 110 formed in the block 100.

[0057] Here, a locking protrusion 112 is formed on the lower inner circumferential surface of the installation groove 110 so as to protrude inward, and an insertion groove 217 into which the locking protrusion 112 is inserted is formed on the lower portion of the case 210.

[0058] At this time, a support groove 218 is formed at the upper end of the insertion groove 217 so as to be bent laterally, and a locking jaw 219 is formed at the end of the support groove 218 to prevent the locking protrusion 112 from coming off.

[0059] Meanwhile, a support plate 120 is provided at the inner lower portion of the installation groove 110, and the support plate 120 is provided to be positioned below the locking protrusion 112, and a spring 122 is provided at the lower portion of the support plate 120 to elastically support the support plate 120 upward.

[0060] Here, the locking protrusion 112 can be installed on the inner circumferential surface of the installation groove 110 by a method such as adhesion after the support plate 120 is positioned at the bottom.

[0061] Therefore, when inserting the case 210 into the installation groove 110, the locking protrusion 112 is inserted along the insertion groove 217, and then the case 210 is rotated to one side, whereby the locking protrusion 112 is inserted into the support groove 218, and the support plate 120, which is elastically supported upward by the spring 122, moves the case 210 upward, and the locking protrusion 112 is supported by the locking jaw 219, thereby preventing the case 210 from rotating arbitrarily.

[0062] 12, the height h of the case 210 is formed to be lower than the depth H of the installation groove 110, so that the case 210 does not protrude above the installation groove 110.

[0063] At this time, a rotation control groove 211 is formed on the upper surface of the case 210. The rotation control groove 211 may be formed in a line shape as shown in the drawing, or in various shapes such as a cross shape or a hexagonal shape, and allows a screwdriver, wrench, etc. to be inserted to easily rotate the case 210.

[0064] Here, when rotating the case 210, the case 210 is pressed downward with a force sufficient to cancel out the elastic force of the spring 122, thereby allowing the locking protrusion 112 to be released from the locking jaw 219.

[0065] Therefore, the magnet member 200 can be easily installed in the installation groove 110 of the block 100 and can also be easily separated.

[0066] That is, if the magnet installed inside the magnet member 200 is broken due to an external impact, the polarity of the magnet 220 changes and the adjacent block 100 cannot be connected. In such a case, the magnet member 200 is separated and the magnet 220 is replaced, so that the block 100 can be used continuously.

[0067] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the scope of the present invention extends to those that are substantially equivalent to the embodiments of the present invention, and various modifications can be made by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, within the scope that does not deviate from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. Case and a magnet rotatably accommodated inside the case, The magnet member is characterized in that the magnet is a multi-pole magnet having two or more north poles and two or more south poles formed along the circumferential direction.

2. A vertical rotation axis is formed inside the case, 2. The magnet assembly according to claim 1, wherein a rotation hole into which the rotation shaft is inserted is formed at the center of the magnet.

3. A support jaw is formed on the outer side of the lower portion of the rotation hole.

3. The magnet assembly according to claim 2, wherein a support member for supporting the support jaw is formed on the outer side of the lower end of the rotary shaft.

4. A vertical rotation axis is formed inside the case, 2. The magnet assembly according to claim 1, wherein a rotation groove into which the rotation shaft is inserted is formed in the center of the magnet.

5. In a magnetic toy provided with a magnet member, a block having an installation groove formed on its surface; a magnet member having a magnet housed therein and disposed in the installation groove; The magnetic toy according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the blocks are coupled to adjacent blocks by magnetic force.

6. A locking protrusion is formed on the lower part of the inner circumferential surface of the installation groove so as to protrude inward, An insertion groove into which the locking protrusion is inserted is formed in the lower part of the case, A support groove is formed at the upper end of the insertion groove so as to be bent laterally.

6. The magnetic toy according to claim 5, wherein a locking jaw is formed at an end of the support groove to prevent the locking protrusion from coming off.

7. A support plate is provided at the inner lower portion of the installation groove so as to be positioned below the locking protrusion, The magnetic toy according to claim 6, wherein a spring is provided at a lower portion of the support plate for elastically supporting the support plate upward.

8. The height of the case is formed lower than the depth of the installation groove, The magnetic toy according to claim 7, wherein a rotation control groove is formed on the top surface of the case.

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