Rolling Magnetic Toy

Abstract

A toy that has a pair of wheel-like members mounted on a central axle. The central axle is a ferrous metal rod with a pair of small permanent or other magnets attached to each end of the rod. The two magnets are positioned so that like poles face each other in opposition and face the center of the rod. A non-ferrous support plate such as a flat piece of wood with a metal strip on its edges forms a track. The magnets associated with the axle causes the toy to achieve the effect of clinging to the metal strip portions of the track. When the device is placed on the track, it will roll along the track under the force of gravity while magnetically clinging to the track in any horizontal or vertical position of the track.

1 . A method of suspending a rolling toy on a track comprising:
 passing a ferrous metal central axle through two side members centrally separated from each other to expose a portion of the axle;   attaching a pair of permanent magnets, one to each end of the axle, the permanent magnets positioned so that like poles of the permanent magnets face each other causing an opposing magnetic field in the axle;   positioning a continuous flat ferrous metal strip connected end-to-end attached on an edge of a flat non-ferrous plate, the width of the metal strip being slightly narrower than the portion of the axle exposed;   placing the exposed portion of the axle on the metal strip in a manner where the exposed portion of the axle contacts one flat surface of the metal strip, wherein the axle rolls with approximately constant speed along the strip without support in any vertical or horizontal position under gravitational force and a clinging magnetic force existing between the axle and the track.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the two side members are round wheel-like members. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the axle has a diameter of approximately ⅛ inch. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the flat strip has a width of approximately ¼ inch. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a portion of the flat strip is not continuous, but contains a gap of non-ferrous material inserted between ends of the ferrous strip, wherein, the axle accelerates as it crosses the gap. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising a wheel stop for one of the wheel members at said gap, wherein, the axle turns at an abrupt angle as it passes over the gap. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the side members are square. 
     
     
         8 . The magnetic roller toy device of  claim 1  wherein the side members are triangles. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the side members have decorated covers. 
     
     
         10 . A method for a magnetic roller toy comprising:
 passing a ferrous metal axle through two non-ferrous wheels separated from each other to expose a central portion of the axle;   placing a pair of permanent magnets on the axle, one attached to each end of the axle, the permanent magnets positioned so that like permanent magnetic poles face each other;   cutting a flat non-ferrous support plate having jigsaw puzzle-like curved edges cut to an arbitrary design;   attaching a thin, flat ferrous metal strip to the edges of the flat non-ferrous support plate connected end-to-end, the width of the ferrous metal strip being slightly narrower than the central exposed portion of the axle, wherein a portion of the ferrous metal strip is not continuous, but contains a gap of non-ferrous material attached between ends of the ferrous metal strip.   placing the toy on the ferrous metal track in a manner where the exposed central portion of the axle contacts the metal track, wherein the toy rolls along the strip at approximately constant speed with the track in any vertical or horizontal position under gravitational force and a clinging magnetic force existing between the axle and the track, except that when the toy crosses the gap of non-ferrous material, it accelerates.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the axle has a diameter of approximately ⅛ inch. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the strip is a thin metal strip with a width of approximately ¼ inch. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising placing a wheel stop for one of the wheels at said gap, whereby the roller toy turns at an abrupt angle as it passes over the gap. 
     
     
         14 . A method for a roller toy that exhibits yo-yo motion as it rolls along a descending and ascending track comprising:
 placing a non-ferrous support plate constructed to be used in a vertical configuration with at least part of an upper edge smoothly cut to a shape of a descending and ascending roller-coaster curve;   attaching a thin ferrous metal strip to the upper edge along the descending and ascending curve;   placing a roller device with a pair of wheels attached to a cylindrical ferrous metal axle extending between the wheels with a portion of the axle exposed that is slightly wider than the ferrous metal strip;   attaching a pair of permanent magnets on the axle, each having a permanent north and south pole, wherein one of the permanent magnets is attached to each end of the cylindrical metal axle with their permanent magnetic poles in opposition to each other so that if the north pole of one permanent magnet is attached to the axle at a first end, the north pole of the other permanent magnet is attached to the axle at a second end, or if the south pole of one permanent magnet is attached to the axle at the first end, the south pole of the other permanent magnet is attached to the axle at the second end;   placing the exposed portion of the axle in contact with the metal strip causing the roller device to descend and ascend the roller-coaster curve at approximately constant speed.   
     
     
         15 . The method  14  wherein there is a gap of non-ferrous material for a predetermined distance in the ferrous metal strip in a region where the wheels also contact a flat surface so that the roller device accelerates as it passes over the gap.