Portable magnetic toy construction kit

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention provides portable magnetic toy construction system having a base plate upon which to build magnetic toy constructions, the base plate configured to accept and hold in position ferromagnetic or magnetic base elements, such as ferromagnetic balls. The base plate comprises at least one flexible membrane that stretches around a base element and holds the base element in position. The membrane exerts a force that holds the base element in position resisting lateral movement, although the elasticity of the flexible membrane still allows a user to manipulate the base element through the membrane to move the base element laterally. In one configuration, the base plate forms part of a travel case that can additionally include compartments to store magnetic building components. Further embodiments provide a magnetic toy construction, and a method for building the construction, that incorporate the base plate.

1 . A portable magnetic toy construction system comprising:
 a base plate comprising
 a first layer comprising a flexible membrane and 
 a second layer disposed under the first layer; 
   a base element disposed between the first layer and the second layer; and   a building component magnetically coupled to the base element with the first layer in between the base element and the building component,   wherein the base plate is configured to hold in position the base element between the first layer and the second layer, and   wherein a dimension of the base element exceeds a distance between the first layer and the second layer such that the first layer stretches around a contour of the base element to hold the base element in position to resist lateral movement of the base element between the first layer and the second layer.   
   
   
       2 . The portable magnetic toy construction system of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer is configured to allow external manipulation of the base element to laterally move the base element between the first layer and the second layer. 
   
   
       3 . The portable magnetic toy construction system of  claim 1 , wherein the base element comprises a ferromagnetic ball. 
   
   
       4 . The portable magnetic toy construction system of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer comprises a rigid substrate. 
   
   
       5 . The portable magnetic toy construction system of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer defines retaining structures that hold the base element in place. 
   
   
       6 . The portable magnetic toy construction system of  claim 5 , wherein the retaining structures comprise one of holes, rings, and recesses. 
   
   
       7 . The portable magnetic toy construction system of  claim 5 , wherein the retaining structures are uniformly spaced apart in an array. 
   
   
       8 . The portable magnetic toy construction system of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer comprises a second flexible membrane, and wherein the second layer stretches around a second contour of the base element. 
   
   
       9 . The portable magnetic toy construction system of  claim 1 , wherein the building component comprises a rod having a recessed magnet. 
   
   
       10 . The portable magnetic toy construction system of  claim 9 , wherein the first layer is pinched between the rod and the base element such that lateral movement of the base element and the rod is restricted. 
   
   
       11 . The portable magnetic toy construction system of  claim 9 , wherein the first layer is pinched between the rod and the base element such that the rod is prevented from moving relative to the base element;
 wherein upon application of a force to the rod, the rod moves by virtue of the stretching first layer, while the rod and the base element remain magnetically coupled and positionally fixed with respect to each other, and   wherein upon removal of the force, the first layer retracts to restore the rod to its initial position.   
   
   
       12 . The portable magnetic toy construction system of  claim 9 , wherein the rod defines a recess directly over the recessed magnet, and wherein the first layer conforms to a contour of the base element within the recess. 
   
   
       13 . The portable magnetic toy construction system of  claim 12 , wherein the recess is about 10-50 mils in depth and the first layer is about 0.2-10.0 mils in thickness. 
   
   
       14 . The portable magnetic toy construction system of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer is held on a frame and wherein the frame is removably attached to the second layer. 
   
   
       15 . The portable magnetic toy construction system of  claim 8 , wherein the first layer is held on a first frame, wherein the second layer is held on a second frame, and wherein the first frame is removably attached to the second frame. 
   
   
       16 . The portable magnetic toy construction system of  claim 15 , wherein the first frame is hingedly attached to the second frame. 
   
   
       17 . The portable magnetic toy construction system of  claim 1 , further comprising a travel case to which the base plate is affixed, the travel case comprising one or more compartments configured to store the base element, the building component, and other components of the toy construction system. 
   
   
       18 . The portable magnetic toy construction system of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer and the second layer are sealed together and are not separable without a destructive force, and wherein the portable magnetic toy construction system further comprises a plurality of base elements disposed between the first layer and the second layer. 
   
   
       19 . A portable magnetic toy construction system comprising:
 a plurality of components including one or more ferromagnetic spheres;   a travel case defining a substrate; and   a flexible membrane affixed to the travel case and disposed over the substrate of the travel case,   wherein a ferromagnetic sphere of the one or more ferromagnetic spheres is disposed between the substrate and the flexible membrane,   wherein a dimension of the ferromagnetic sphere exceeds a distance between the first layer and second layer such that the flexible membrane conforms to a portion of a surface of the ferromagnetic sphere, thereby exerting a mechanical force upon the ferromagnetic sphere to hold the ferromagnetic sphere in position resisting lateral movement, and   wherein the flexible membrane is configured to allow external manipulation of the ferromagnetic sphere to laterally move the ferromagnetic sphere between the substrate and the flexible membrane.   
   
   
       20 . The portable magnetic toy construction system of  claim 19 , wherein the travel case defines a plurality of compartments configured to store the plurality of components of the magnetic toy construction system. 
   
   
       21 . The portable magnetic toy construction system of  claim 19 , wherein a component of the plurality of components comprises a magnetic rod comprising an insulating portion and a recessed magnet, the rod magnetically coupling to the ferromagnetic sphere with the first layer sandwiched in between the ferromagnetic ball and the rod. 
   
   
       22 . A method for building a magnetic toy construction comprising:
 providing a flexible layer over a substrate;   inserting base elements between the flexible layer and the substrate such that the flexible layer stretches over the base elements and holds them in place;   manipulating the base elements through the flexible layer to position the base elements at desired locations; and   magnetically coupling toy construction components to the base elements with the flexible layer in between the components and the base elements.