Rolling Magnetic Toy
AssigneeBig Monster Toys, LLC
InventorsJ. Vincente G. Antolin, Robert Annis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims19
A magnetic roller toy device comprising:
- a ferrous metal central axle passing through two side members centrally separated from each other to expose a portion of the axle;
- a pair of magnets, one attached to each end of the central axle, the magnets positioned so that like poles face each other;
- a ferrous metal track attached to an edge of a flat non-ferrous support, the width of the metal track being slightly narrower than the portion of the axle exposed;
- the toy adapted to be placed on the metal track in a manner where the exposed portion of the axle contacts the metal track, whereby the toy rolls slowly along the track with the track in any vertical or horizontal position under gravitational force and a clinging magnetic force existing between the axle and the track.
A magnetic roller toy comprising:
- a ferrous metal axle passing through two non-ferrous wheels separated from each other to expose a central portion of the axle;
- a pair of magnets, one attached to each end of the axle, the magnets positioned so that like magnetic poles face each other;
- a flat non-ferrous support plate having jigsaw puzzle-like curved edges cut to an arbitrary design;
- a thin, flat ferrous metal track attached to an edges of the flat non-ferrous support plate, the width of the ferrous metal track being slightly narrower than the central portion of the axle exposed;
- the toy adapted to be placed on the ferrous metal track in a manner where the exposed central portion of the axle contacts the metal track, whereby the toy rolls slowly along the track with the track in any vertical or horizontal position under gravitational force and a clinging magnetic force existing between the axle and the track.
A method of providing a magnetic roller toy device comprising:
- providing a ferrous metal central axle passing through two side members centrally separated from each other to expose a portion of the axle;
- providing a pair of magnets, one attached to each end of the central axle, the magnets positioned so that like poles face each other;
- providing a ferrous metal track attached to an edge of a flat non-ferrous support, the width of the metal track being slightly narrower than the portion of the axle exposed, whereby the toy is adapted to be placed on the metal track in a manner where the exposed portion of the axle contacts the metal track, and the toy rolls slowly along the track with the track in any vertical or horizontal position under gravitational force and a clinging magnetic force existing between the axle and the track.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.