Magnetic connectors and coupled track segments for rolling balls down a vertical surface

Abstract

An assembly includes a track segment having a channel for holding a rolling object. A first 3D-printed connector is attachable to a first end of the track segment. The first 3D-printed connector is slidable onto the first end of the track segment. The first 3D-printed connector incudes a first magnet embedded therein that enables the first 3D-printed connector to be attachable to a ferromagnetic surface. A second 3D-printed connector is attachable to a second end of the track segment. The second 3D-printed connector is slidable onto the second end of the track segment. The second 3D-printed connector includes a second magnet embedded therein that enables the second 3D-printed connector to be attached to the ferromagnetic surface. Each of the first 3D-printed connector and the second 3D-printed connector is a single piece.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An assembly comprising:
 a track segment including a channel for holding a rolling object;   a first 3D-printed connector attachable to a first end of the track segment, wherein the first 3D-printed connector is slidable onto the first end of the track segment, and wherein the first 3D-printed connector comprises a first magnet embedded therein that enables the first 3D-printed connector to be attachable to a ferromagnetic surface; and   a second 3D-printed connector attachable to a second end of the track segment, wherein the second 3D-printed connector is slidable onto the second end of the track segment, and wherein the second 3D-printed connector comprises a second magnet embedded therein that enables the second 3D-printed connector to be attached to the ferromagnetic surface, wherein each of the first 3D-printed connector and the second 3D-printed connector is a single piece.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the track segment comprises a first half of a locking mechanism and the first 3D-printed connector comprises a second half of the locking mechanism that mates with the first half of the locking mechanism to lock the first 3D-printed connector to the track segment. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first half of the locking mechanism is a lock depression and the second half of the locking mechanism is a lock protrusion that fits at least partially inside of and is biased against the lock depression. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a front face of the first 3D-printed connector comprises a female registry feature and a front face of the second 3D-printed connector comprises a male registry feature that fits inside of the female registry feature. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first magnet that is embedded in the first 3D-printed connector has an opposite polarity to the second magnet that is embedded in the second 3D-printed connector, such that the second connector is attracted to another first 3D-printed connector, which is attached to a second track segment. 
     
     
         6 . A method comprising:
 three-dimensionally (3D) printing a first connector that is attachable to a first end of a track segment, the track segment including a channel for holding a rolling object, wherein the first connector is a single piece that is slidable onto the first end of the track segment;   pausing the 3D printing of the first connector part-way through the 3D printing of the first connector;   inserting a first magnet into the first connector while the 3D printing is paused, the first magnet to enable the first connector to be attachable to a ferromagnetic surface;   three-dimensionally (3D) printing a second connector that is attachable to a second end of the track segment, wherein the second connector is a single piece that is slidable onto the second end of the track segment;   pausing the 3D printing of the second connector part-way through the 3D printing of the second connector; and   inserting a second magnet into the second connector while the 3D printing is paused, the second magnet to enable the second connector to be attachable to the ferromagnetic surface.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first end of the track segment comprises a first half of a locking mechanism and wherein 3D printing the first connector causes the first connector to comprise a second half of the locking mechanism that mates with the first half of the locking mechanism to lock the first connector to the track segment. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first half of the locking mechanism is a lock depression and the second half of the locking mechanism is a lock protrusion that fits at least partially inside of and is biased against the lock depression. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the second end of the track segment comprises a first half of a locking mechanism and 3D printing the second connector causes the second connector to comprise a second half of the locking mechanism that mates with the first half of the locking mechanism to lock the second connector to the track segment. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the 3D printing of the first connector causes a front face of the first connector to comprise a female registry feature and the 3D printing of the second connector causes a front face of the second connector to comprise a male registry feature that fits inside of the female registry feature. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first magnet that is inserted in the first connector has an opposite polarity to the second magnet that is inserted in the second connector, such that the second connector is attracted to another first connector, which is attached to a second track segment. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising 3D printing the track segment as a single piece comprising two or more sub-segments, wherein a first sub-segment has a female portion of a hinge and a second sub-segment has a male portion of a hinge, the male portion of the hinge rotatably attached to the female portion of the hinge. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising 3D printing the track segment to be a funnel, the funnel being cone-shaped with a larger circumference near a surface of the track segment and a smaller circumference below the surface of the track segment. 
     
     
         14 . An assembly comprising:
 a track segment including a channel for holding a rolling object, the channel comprising two sidewalls and a middle wall, wherein a bottom surface of the middle wall comprises a lock depression; and   a 3D-printed connector comprising: 
 an interior with a locking surface and two sidewalls that extend from the locking surface, the locking surface comprising a lock protrusion that fits within the lock depression of the middle wall of the track segment; and 
 a front face formed at an end of the two sidewalls and the locking surface, wherein the front face comprises a female registry feature shaped to receive a male registry feature of another of the 3D-printed connector. 
   
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising a magnet embedded within a first outer sidewall of the 3D-printed connector, the first outer sidewall to be attached to a vertical ferromagnetic surface. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 15 , further comprising a second magnet embedded within a second outer sidewall of the 3D-printed connector opposite from the first outer sidewall, the second outer sidewall to be attached to a first outer sidewall of another of the 3D-printed connector. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 15 , further comprising a second magnet embedded within an end of the 3D-printed connector behind the front surface, the second magnet to be attracted to a corresponding second magnet of another of the 3D-printed connector. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein a length of the 3D-printed connector is no more than twenty percent a length of the track segment. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the lock protrusion comprises a set of ridges and the lock depression comprises a set of channels sized to receive the set of ridges. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein each of the two sidewalls of the 3D-printed connector includes a protrusion extending to the interior thereof, each protrusion to grip a top of respective sidewalls of the track segment.