Magnetic building blocks

Abstract

Provided is a magnetic building block, in the form of a 3D polygon of non-magnetic material having at least four faces. The faces meet in sets of at least three to define at least four vertices and a generally enclosed structure, each face having an outer surface. At least one internal holder is adjacent to at least one vertex, each holder structured and arranged to receive a magnetic ball and permit free rotation of the magnetic ball. The holder positions the magnetic ball so as to be generally in about equal distance to the outer surface of at least three faces. A magnetic ball is disposed in each internal holder.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A magnetic building block, comprising:
 a 3D polygon of non-magnetic material having at least four faces, the faces meeting in sets of at least three to define at least four vertices and a generally enclosed structure, each face having an outer surface;   at least one internal holder adjacent to at least one vertex, each holder structured and arranged to receive a magnetic ball and permit free rotation of the magnetic ball, the holder positioning the magnetic ball so as to be generally in about equal distance to the outer surface of at least three faces; and   a magnetic ball disposed in each internal holder.   
     
     
         2 . The magnetic building block of  claim 1 , wherein the 3D polygon is a hexahedron having six faces, meeting in sets of three to define eight vertices and a generally enclosed structure with eight internal holders, each directly adjacent to a vertex. 
     
     
         3 . The magnetic building block of  claim 2 , wherein the hexahedron is a cube. 
     
     
         4 . The magnetic building block of  claim 2 , wherein the hexahedron is a cuboid. 
     
     
         5 . The magnetic building block of  claim 2 , wherein the 3D polygon has at least one length of about 1.905 centimeters, each magnetic ball having a diameter of about 5 millimeters. 
     
     
         6 . The magnetic building block of  claim 1 , wherein the holder is a pocket. 
     
     
         7 . The magnetic building block of  claim 1 , wherein the 3D polygon is provided by:
 two congruent square faces joined transversely along a common edge, each square face having an area provided by four equal sized third squares;   two rectilinear concave polygon sides each having an area provided by three of the third squares, the rectilinear concave polygon sides joined to the square faces to define a stair profile; and   four rectangular faces each having an area provided by two of the third squares, the four rectangular faces enclosing the stair profile to provide a generally enclosed structure having twelve vertices and six substantially similar internal cube volumes, each volume having an internal holder structured and arranged to receive a magnetic ball and permit free rotation of the magnetic ball; and   a magnetic ball disposed in each internal holder.   
     
     
         8 . The magnetic building block of  claim 1 , wherein the 3D polygon is provided by:
 two congruent square faces in parallel vertical alignment as a top and a bottom face, each square face having an area provided by four equal sized third squares;   four rectangular faces each having an area provided by two of the third squares, the four rectangular faces attached as side faces between the top and bottom faces to provide a generally enclosed structure having eight vertices and four substantially similar internal cube volumes, each volume having an internal holder structured and arranged to receive a magnetic ball and permit free rotation of the magnetic ball; and   a magnetic ball disposed in each internal holder.   
     
     
         9 . The magnetic building block of  claim 1 , wherein the 3D polygon is a tetrahedron having four triangular faces, meeting in sets of three to define four vertices and a generally enclosed structure with four internal holders, each directly adjacent to a vertex. 
     
     
         10 . The magnetic building block of  claim 1 , wherein the faces are congruent. 
     
     
         11 . The magnetic building block of  claim 1 , wherein the 3D polygon is selected from the group consisting of: a tetrahedron, a hexahedron, an octahedron, a dodecahedron, and an icosahedron. 
     
     
         12 . The magnetic building block of  claim 1 , wherein at least one face has a central aperture opening to the generally enclosed space within the 3D polygon. 
     
     
         13 . The magnetic building block of  claim 1 , wherein the 3D polygon is a rectilinear 3D polygon. 
     
     
         14 . The magnetic building block of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic balls are non-coplanar, at least a first set of the magnetic balls disposed within a first plane and a second set of magnetic balls disposed within a second plane, the second plane intersecting the first plane. 
     
     
         15 . The magnetic building block of  claim 14 , wherein the second plane is normal to the first plane. 
     
     
         16 . The magnetic building block of  claim 1 , wherein the block has a side length of about 1.905 centimeters, each magnetic ball having a diameter of about 5 millimeters. 
     
     
         17 . A plurality of magnetic building blocks as in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality are selected from a group of 3D polygon configurations consisting of: a cube, a cuboid, and a stair block. 
     
     
         18 . A magnetic building block, comprising:
 a cube shaped block of non-magnetic material having six square faces, the faces meeting in sets of three to define eight vertices and a generally enclosed structure;   eight internal holders, each directly adjacent to a vertex, each holder structured and arranged to receive a magnetic ball and permit free rotation of the magnetic ball; and   a magnetic ball disposed in each internal holder.   
     
     
         19 . The magnetic building block of  claim 18 , wherein at least one face has a central aperture opening to the generally enclosed space within the block. 
     
     
         20 . The magnetic building block of  claim 18 , wherein the magnetic balls are non-coplanar, a first set of the magnetic balls disposed within a first plane and a second set of magnetic balls disposed within a second plane, the second plane intersecting the first plane. 
     
     
         21 . The magnetic building block of  claim 18 , wherein the holders are pockets. 
     
     
         22 . The magnetic building block of  claim 18 , wherein the cube is provided by an outer box of material providing the faces and an inner matrix structure providing an internal holder for each magnetic ball adjacent to each vertex of the cube. 
     
     
         23 . The magnetic building block of  claim 18 , wherein the cube has a side length of about 1.905 centimeters, each magnetic ball having a diameter of about 5 millimeters. 
     
     
         24 . A magnetic building block, comprising:
 two congruent square faces joined transversely along a common edge, each square face having an area provided by four equal sized third squares;   two rectilinear concave polygon sides, each having an area provided by three of the third squares, the rectilinear concave polygon sides joined to the square faces to define a stair profile; and   four rectangular faces, each having an area provided by two of the third squares, the four rectangular faces enclosing the stair profile to provide a generally enclosed structure having twelve vertices and six substantially similar internal cube volumes, each volume having an internal holder structured and arranged to receive a magnetic ball and permit free rotation of the magnetic ball; and   a magnetic ball disposed in each internal holder.   
     
     
         25 . The magnetic building block of  claim 24 , wherein at least one face has a central aperture opening to the generally enclosed space within the block. 
     
     
         26 . The magnetic building block of  claim 24 , wherein the block is provided by an outer box of material providing the faces and six external vertices defined at least in part by one or both congruent square faces an inner matrix structure providing an internal holder for each magnetic ball adjacent an external vertex of the block. 
     
     
         27 . The magnetic building block of  claim 24 , wherein each square face has a side length of about 1.905 centimeters, each magnetic ball having a diameter of about 5 millimeters. 
     
     
         28 . The magnetic building block of  claim 24 , wherein the magnetic balls are non-coplanar, a first set of the magnetic balls disposed within a first plane and a second set of magnetic balls disposed within a second plane, the second plane intersecting the first plane. 
     
     
         29 . A set of magnetic building blocks, comprising:
 at least two blocks selected from the group consisting of a cube, a cuboid and a stair block, wherein;   the cube is provided by;
 a cube shaped block of non-magnetic material having six square faces, the faces meeting in sets of three to define eight vertices and a generally enclosed structure; 
 eight internal holders, each directly adjacent to a vertex, each holder structured and arranged to receive a magnetic ball and permit free rotation of the magnetic ball; 
 a magnetic ball disposed in each internal holder; 
   the stair block is provided by;
 a stair shaped block of non-magnetic material having two congruent square faces joined transversely along a common edge, each square face having an area provided by four equal sized third squares; 
 two rectilinear concave polygon sides each having an area provided by three of the third squares, the rectilinear concave polygon sides joined to the square faces to define a stair profile; and 
 four rectangular faces each having an area provided by two of the third squares, the four rectangular faces enclosing the stair profile to provide a generally enclosed structure having twelve vertices and six substantially similar internal cube volumes, each volume having an internal holder structured and arranged to receive a magnetic ball and permit free rotation of the magnetic ball; 
 a magnetic ball disposed in each internal holder; and 
   the cuboid is provided by;
 a cuboid shaped block of non-magnetic material having two congruent square faces in parallel vertical alignment as a top and a bottom face, each square face having an area provided by four equal sized third squares; 
 four rectangular faces each having an area provided by two of the third squares, the four rectangular faces attached as side faces between the top and bottom faces to provide a generally enclosed structure having eight vertices and four substantially similar internal cube volumes, each volume having an internal holder structured and arranged to receive a magnetic ball and permit free rotation of the magnetic ball; and 
 a magnetic ball disposed in each internal holder. 
   
     
     
         30 . The magnetic building block of  claim 29 , wherein at least one block has at least one face having a central aperture opening to the generally enclosed space within the block. 
     
     
         31 . The magnetic building block of  claim 29 , wherein for at least one block the magnetic balls are non-coplanar, a first set of the magnetic balls disposed within a first plane and a second set of magnetic balls disposed within a second plane, the second plane intersecting the first plane. 
     
     
         32 . The magnetic building block of  claim 29 , wherein each cube has at least one side length of about 1.905 centimeters, each magnetic ball having a diameter of about 5 millimeters.