Magnetic Building Block With Movable Magnet For Flexible Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing magnetic building blocks are limited in orientation and require a horizontal surface for support, and are often costly due to the need for multiple magnets or a single large magnet, which also makes them heavier.
Innovation Solution
A building block with a freely movable magnet that can be oriented 360 degrees on a magnetically attractable surface, allowing for flexible positioning and connection with non-magnetic blocks without the need for a horizontal surface, using a polyhedral body with cavities for the magnet and non-magnetic connection elements like snapfit elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If multiple magnets or a single large magnet are used in each block, then magnetic connection strength is improved, but manufacturing cost and block weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The magnet is made movable within the block rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically reposition itself to provide magnetic connection strength in multiple orientations. This single dynamic magnet replaces what would traditionally require multiple fixed magnets, reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining connection strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The single magnet serves multiple functions by being able to provide magnetic attraction in various orientations (0°, 90°, 180°, 270°) as the block rotates. This multi-functional capability eliminates the need for separate magnets for different connection faces, reducing both cost and weight.
2Ease of manufacture
If fixed magnetic connection elements are used in blocks, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but orientation flexibility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The magnet transitions from a fixed position to a movable one within the block cavity. This dynamic positioning capability allows the block to achieve magnetic connection in multiple orientations (0°, 90°, 180°, 270°) while still using a single magnet, thus maintaining manufacturing simplicity while gaining orientation flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The position parameter of the magnet changes as it moves within the cavity to different locations corresponding to different block orientations. This parameter change enables the same physical magnet to provide effective magnetic connection across multiple orientations that would otherwise require different fixed magnet positions.
3Ease of manufacture
If snapfit connections are used without magnetic support, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but structural support and stability are limited to horizontal surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the magnetic connection mechanism with the snapfit structural support system. The movable magnet provides magnetic attraction force that supplements the mechanical snapfit connection, enabling stable support on vertical and inclined surfaces in addition to horizontal surfaces, while still using cost-effective snapfit elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The block combines magnetic material (the movable magnet) with non-magnetic snapfit connection elements in a composite structure. This composite design leverages both magnetic attraction for stability on various surfaces and mechanical interlocking for structural support, achieving enhanced performance without prohibitive cost.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables flexible orientation and positioning of structures on any magnetically attractable surface, reducing costs by allowing multiple magnetic connections with a single magnet and maintaining structural integrity without horizontal surface constraints.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetically charged portion of one block with a magnetically charged portion of another block
Implementation Method 2
U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2010/0120322, 2012/0309259 and 2012/0270465 allow each magnet to rotate to align the appropriate pole
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a polyhedral block with a plurality of intermittently magnetic sides. The magnetic intermittency is caused by a freely movable magnet that resides in and traverses in an inner cavity, exerting its pull-force through the side of the block to which it is nearest. The cavity is shaped to facilitate magnet movement in response to encountering an external magnetically attractable surface. As a user rotates the block on a magnetically attractable surface, the contained magnet is caused to move within its cavity, ultimately resting in a user-selected position on the magnetically attractable surface. The block contains one or more non-magnetic connection elements on its sides. These non-magnetic connection elements serve to connect the block with compatible, non-magnetic blocks and other objects.