US 12,337,251 B2
Magnetic block toy, and travel course design drawing
Makoto Irie, Chiba (JP)
Assigned to SUNSMILE CORPORATION
Appl. No. 17/596,230
Filed by SUNSMILE CORPORATION, Chiba (JP)
PCT Filed Jan. 4, 2021, PCT No. PCT/JP2021/001139
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 6, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/137303, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 8, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-240233 (JP), filed on Dec. 30, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0314135 A1, Oct. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. A63H 18/02 (2006.01); A63H 18/12 (2006.01); A63H 18/16 (2006.01); A63H 33/04 (2006.01)
CPC A63H 18/02 (2013.01) [A63H 18/12 (2013.01); A63H 18/16 (2013.01); A63H 33/046 (2013.01); A63H 2018/165 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A magnetic block toy having a plurality of block-shaped elements, wherein a block-shaped element comprises at least one pair of projecting and recessed parts shaped so that a plurality of block-shaped elements are joinable and rotatable around a joining direction defined as a direction to join a block-shaped element to another block-shaped element, wherein the projecting part is provided on at least one surface of the block-shaped element and the recessed part is provided on a surface opposite to the at least one surface, a magnetic element for attracting to a magnet is provided on a surface of the block-shaped element on which the projecting and recessed parts are not provided, and when a plurality of the block-shaped elements are joined together by the projecting and recessed parts a plurality of the magnetic elements become continuous,
wherein the projecting part comprises an outer peripheral wall, and the recessed part comprises an inner peripheral wall that faces the projecting part of another block-shaped element when a pair of the block-shaped elements is joined,
wherein a mating groove extending along the joining direction of the block-shaped elements is formed in the outer peripheral wall of the projecting part, and a mating projection that mates with the mating groove is formed on the inner peripheral wall of the recessed part, and the mating groove and the mating projection are configured such that when a pair of the block-shaped elements are pressed toward the joining direction, they are joined by the mating projection surmounting a front end of the mating groove that is formed as a ridge, when the joined block-shaped elements are pulled in an unlocking direction in an opposite direction from the joining direction, the mating projection latches onto the front end of the mating groove thereby preventing disconnection, and when the joined block-shaped elements are rotated, the mating projection is dislodged from the mating groove and runs onto the outer peripheral wall of the projecting part while being guided diagonally in a direction of release by an engagement of a protruded guide that is provided on the inner peripheral wall of the recessed part with a triangular apex facing to the joining direction of the block-shaped elements and a groove-shaped guide provided on the outer peripheral wall of the protruding part that fits with some play into the protruding guide, thereby enabling disconnection by preventing the mating projection from latching onto the front end of the mating groove.