Magnetic Playset

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63/723,309, filed on Nov. 21, 2024, the disclosure of which is included herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The current invention pertains to toys and more specifically to a magnetic playset utilizing a magnetic play base with magnetic blocks having removable magnetic artistic panels.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Traditional playsets are known and are often collections of toys grouped around a specific theme, designed to encourage imaginative play and storytelling. These sets typically include figures, accessories, and sometimes larger components like buildings, vehicles, or landscapes, all intended to interact with one another. Playsets allow users to interact within scenes, engage in role-playing, and explore different scenarios based on the theme of the set. They cater to a variety of interests, age groups, and developmental stages. Most playsets are often built around a central theme and contain interactive elements to engage users. They can be as simple as a collection of building blocks or can be designed as an elaborate setup with many pieces and multiple environments. Some examples of playsets include playhouses and dollhouses, action figure playsets, outdoor playsets, imaginative and role-playing playsets, fantasy and science fiction playsets, and educational playsets.

Playsets offer many developmental benefits such as enhancing social skills, refining motor skills, and encouraging problem solving and decision making. Playing with others using playsets can encourage teamwork and cooperation. Some playsets are also designed as a game and may offer a level of competition depending on the type and theme. These types of playsets often require many figures or models and can become quite costly to purchase depending on the game. Some turn-based strategy games featuring a playset may require a hefty investment just to get started and further progression may require even more expensive models or figures to remain competitive. Most of these types of games require a landscape or backdrop for gameplay. The lack of customizability to pre-manufactured sets and the cost associated can be limiting for someone interested in playing or hosting a game. Even playsets designed as educational tools may be extremely cost prohibitive and may require multiple sets as there are a myriad of subjects or concepts to learn about.

What is needed is a playset that offers customizability where a single playset may allow for various themes, genres, educational aids, or even just simple play. What is also needed is a magnetic playset having a play base, character totems, and blocks having removable magnetic panels that may be changed to suit any specific theme or scenario.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

The present invention is directed towards a customizable, single magnetic playset allowing for games of various themes, genres, educational aids, or simple play. The magnetic playset may be a play set toy that given any set of rules or unique customizations may become any type of game or educational aid for a user. There may be any number of set instructions that pair with any style of game.

The magnetic playset may comprise a plurality of blocks comprising at least a first block and a second block. There may be a play base that is configured to magnetically retain said blocks in a predetermined position. There may be a plurality of artistic panels, wherein said artistic panels are configured to magnetically secure to each of said plurality of blocks. There may be one or more totem stands further comprising a vertical member and a base.

The plurality of blocks may be cuboidal having a square cross-section and one or more faces. The plurality of blocks may further comprise a quadrilateral recess on at least a first face of said first block and at least a first face of said second block. Each quadrilateral recess of said plurality of blocks may further comprise a magnetic sheet disposed within the recess. At least a first face of the first block and at least a first face of the second block may be disposed magnetically face to face forming a polycube. The polycube may be disposed of any number of blocks and may take any shape.

The first block and the second block may be magnetically disposed and horizontally adjacent. The first block and the second block may be magnetically disposed and vertically adjacent. Any number of said plurality of blocks may be horizontally adjacent and vertically adjacent.

The plurality of blocks may be placed in more than one predetermined position of the play base. The play base may comprise one or more quadrilateral recess. The quadrilateral recess may further comprise a magnetic sheet disposed withing the recess. The plurality of artistic panels may further comprise a quadrilateral recess. The quadrilateral recess of the artistic panels may further comprise a magnetic sheet disposed within the recess.

The artistic panels may be magnetically secured to one or more blocks. The artistic panels may be secured to at least a second face of the first block and at least to a second face of the second block. The artistic panels may be magnetically secured to one or more predetermined positions of the play base. The magnetic sheets may have magnetic attraction to other like magnetic sheets from an opposition in polarity.

The totem stands may further comprise a base and a rectangular vertical member wherein the area of said base is greater than the area of said vertical member. The totem stands may be disposed vertically on any artistic panels.

The magnetic playset may also comprise one or more sheets disposed adjacent to the play base. The sheet may further comprise an instruction aid for game play and one or more removable stickers. The stickers may be removably secured to the artistic panels and to any of the faces of the totem stand.

The primary object of the invention is to offer customizability to a new type of game play utilizing a magnetic playset having a play base, character totems, and blocks having removable magnetic panels. Having removable magnetic panels that may be changed to suit any specific theme, scenario, or landscape allows users to play a myriad of different games while still simply using one playset.

Still other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description wherein there is shown and described the embodiments of this invention, simply by way of illustration of the best modes suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious aspects all without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the drawing and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various exemplary embodiments of this invention will be described in detail, wherein like reference numerals refer to identical or similar components, with reference to the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the magnetic playset in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the play base;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the play base;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the play base;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the play base with artistic panels;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a block with artistic panels;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the magnetic playset;

FIG. 8 is another perspective view of the magnetic playset; and

FIG. 9 is another exploded perspective view of the magnetic playset.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The claimed subject matter is now described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the claimed subject matter. It may be evident, however, that the claimed subject matter may be practiced with or without any combination of these specific details, without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention and the claims.

Referring to FIGS. 1-6 is a magnetic playset 100 comprising a magnetic play base 120, a plurality of blocks 110, a plurality of artistic panels 130, and one or more than one totem stand 150. The play base 120 may be any size, shape or thickness. The play base 120 may be made of any material or a combination of different materials. The play base 120 may have one or more than one equally distributed quadratic recess 122 at any depth within the play base 120. The quadratic recess 122 may be any size or shape. A magnetic sheet 140 may be permanently or removably inserted in any or all of the quadratic recesses 122 of the play base 120. The magnetic sheets 140 may be any size or shape. The magnetic sheets 140 may be magnetized and made from flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC), any other plastic, rubber, or any other material. The magnetic sheets 140 may be secured in the quadratic recesses 122 with contact adhesive or any other known means of adhesion. In the preferred embodiment the quadratic recesses 122 are equally distributed along the play base 120 and are substantially square.

There may be any number of blocks 110 in any size or shape. The blocks 110 may be made from plastic or any other material or combination of materials. The blocks 110 may be shaped as a cube and may be cuboidal having a square cross-section. One or more than one face of the blocks 110 may have a quadratic recess 122. The quadratic recesses 122 may be on any location of any of the faces of the blocks 110. The quadratic recess 122 of the blocks 110 may be square shaped or any other shape and may be of any depth within the faces of the blocks 110. A magnetic sheet 140 may be permanently or removably inserted in any or all of the quadratic recesses 122 of the blocks 110. The magnetic sheets 140 may be secured in the quadratic recesses 122 with contact adhesive or any other known means of adhesion. Any of the magnetic sheets 140 of any faces of any of the blocks 110 may be removably secured to any of the magnetic sheets 140 of the play base 120. The magnetic sheets 140 of the blocks 110 and the play base 120 may have magnetic attraction from an opposition in polarity.

There may be any number of artistic panels 130 in any size or shape. The artistic panels 130 may be beveled at any angle along the perimeter. The artistic panels 130 may be made from plastic or any other material or combination of materials. In the preferred embodiment the artistic panels 130 are substantially square. The outer surface of the artistic panels 130 may be beveled along any or all of the edges at any angle. The artistic panels 130 may be designed to mimic terrain having any texture. The inner surface of the artistic panels 130 may have a quadratic recess 122 in any shape and in any location. The quadratic recess 122 may be of any depth within the inner surface of the artistic panels 130. A magnetic sheet 140 may be permanently or removably inserted in the quadratic recess 122 of any or all of the artistic panels 130. The magnetic sheets 140 may be secured with contact adhesive or any other known means of adhesion. In the preferred embodiment the quadratic recess 122 is substantially square to accept a substantially square magnetic sheet 140.

The magnetic sheets 140 of the artistic panels 130 and the magnetic sheets 140 of the blocks 110 may have magnetic attraction from opposition in polarity. The magnetic sheets 140 of the artistic panels 130 and the play base 120 may have magnetic attraction from an opposition in polarity. The artistic panels 130 may have any image printed to the outer surface of any or all of the artistic panels 130 by screen printing, laser printing, hot stamping, inkjet printing, heat transfer, image transfer, pad printing, flexographic printing, UV lithographic printing or any other known method. There may be stickers printed by an inkjet printer, laser printer, or any other printer that may be removably secured to any or all of the artistic panels 130. The stickers may have any image. The artistic panels 130 may be removably secured magnetically to any of the faces of the blocks 110. In the preferred embodiment the magnetic playset 100 is a playset toy and may be customized for any variations of games, educational aids, tabletop war gaming terrains, or simple play by stacking and unstacking.

There may be any number of totem stands 150 in any size or shape. The totem stands 150 may be made from plastic or any other material or combination of materials. The totem stands 150 may comprise a rectangular vertical member attached to a pedestal. The top and base portion of the pedestal may have an area greater than the top and base portions of the vertical member of the totem stand 150. The totem stands 150 may be a single piece or a combination of connected pieces. The pedestal of the totem stand 150 may be magnetic and removably secured to the play base 120. The pedestal of the totem stand 150 may be removably secured vertically to the top face of any of the blocks 112. The totem stand 150 may have an image on any or all of the sides of the vertical member. The totem stands 150 may have any image printed to the outer surface of any or all of its sides by screen printing, laser printing, hot stamping, inkjet printing, heat transfer, image transfer, pad printing, flexographic printing, UV lithographic printing or any other known method. There may be stickers printed by an inkjet printer, laser printer, or any other printer that may be removably secured to any or all of the sides of the totem stands 150.

Referring to FIGS. 7-9, in the preferred embodiment the magnetic playset 100 comprises a plurality of cuboidal blocks 110 comprising at least a first block and a second block; a play base 120 for retaining said blocks 110; wherein said play base 120 has an array of magnetic features for holding said blocks 110 in an equally distributed, predetermined location. The blocks 110 may be placed in any of the predetermined locations of the play base 120 depending on any number of game rules. The first block may be magnetically secured to the play base 120 in any horizontal, adjacent position relative to the second block. The second block may be magnetically secured to the play base 120 in any horizontal, adjacent position relative to the first block. The first block may also be magnetically secured to the play base 120 and the lower face of the second block may be magnetically secured to the top face of the first block vertically. The plurality of blocks 110 may be positioned in any horizontally adjacent position or vertically adjacent position relative to any number of said plurality of blocks 110. The magnetic sheets 140 of any of the faces of the first block may have magnetic attraction from an opposition of polarity to the magnetic sheets 140 of any of the faces of the second block.

When a plurality of cuboidal blocks 110 are placed adjacent in any equally distributed locations of the play base 120, at least one of said blocks is disposed adjacent to at least one other block and at least one of said other blocks is disposed adjacent to at least one of said blocks. The adjacent placement of one or more than additional blocks 110 to said first block may form a polycube 160; wherein said blocks 110 may form an abutting surface at any of the faces of any number of the blocks 110. The polycube 160 may be any size or shape and may comprise any number of blocks 110. The polycube 160 may be chiral or achiral. The magnetic playset 100 may have any number of polycubes 160 in any of the equally distributed locations on the play base 120.

The polycube 160 may be expanded horizontally on the x-axis and/or stacked vertically on the y-axis. The polycube 160 may have a plurality of blocks 110 on both the x-axis and the y-axis. Any number of blocks 110 may be magnetically secured horizontally to any number of vertically stacked blocks 110, for example to form a cross-shaped polycube 160. The blocks 110 may be removably secured to any number of any other blocks 110 magnetically by magnetic sheets 140. The artistic panels 130 of any of the blocks 110 may share an abutting surface with any artistic panels 130 of any other blocks 110.

The magnetic playset 100 may be used in any manner. A user may attach an artistic panel 130 to any of the side faces of any of the blocks 110. The artistic panels 130 may feature an image that in combination with other artistic panels 140 forms a larger image or the artistic panels 130 may have a standalone image. The blocks 110 may be magnetically secured to any of the equally distributed, predetermined locations on the play base 120. A user may also magnetically secure blocks 110 vertically on other blocks 110. A user may magnetically secure an artistic panel 130 on any of the locations on the play base 120 that are not occupying a block 110. A user may also place an artistic panel 130 on any of the upper faces of the most vertical blocks 110. In the preferred embodiment the magnetic playset 100 landscape may be considered complete when there are no magnetic sheets 140 visible on the play base 120 and/or blocks 110. All of the magnetic sheets 140 of all the faces of a block 110 may be magnetically secured to other magnetic sheets 140 of other blocks 110, the play base 120, or artistic panels 130. A user may place a plurality of totem stands 150 on any locations of the play base 120, blocks 110, or artistic panels 130. The totem stands 150 may feature images of any character or play thing. The totem stands 150 may be pieces that are integral to the functionality of game play determined by the rules of any number of said games.

For games requiring additional play space, the play base 120 of the magnetic playset 100 may be removably attached to additional like play bases 120. The additional play bases 120 may be removably attached by a male to female lock connection, hinge assembly, magnetic sheet, tape, or any other means. Any number of play bases 120 may be removably attached to like play bases 120. In other embodiments multiple magnetic playsets 100 may be necessary for multiple users to compete in any version of any game. In still other embodiments the competing users may not be locally present and the game may be played remote to a user's location. Some play bases 120 may be communicatively connected through any wireless means, such as Wi-Fi, local area network, Bluetooth, NFC, or any other wireless method. The play base 120 may be communicatively reporting to software that shows movements of blocks 110 or totem stands 150 when a user moves to any equally distributed location on the play base 120. There may be magnetic detectors or sensors on or under any of the magnetic sheets 140 of the play base 120, blocks 110, or artistic panels 130 that communicate to software on a tablet, computer, or mobile phone. In another embodiment, a user may be required to answer questions as an educational aid in order to move a totem stand 150 or block 110 to a new location on the play base 120.

In some embodiments the magnetic playset 100 may comprise a sheet that may be removably disposed adjacent to the play base 120. The sheet may be any size or shape and in any configuration. The sheet is optimally used as an instructional guide. The sheet may be different from any number of magnetic playsets 100. The magnetic playset 100 may also further comprise a sticker set. The sticker set may be disposed on the rear side of said sheet. The sticker set may be different for any number of any of the magnetic playsets 100. The sticker set may comprise images that coincide the game play of the guide of the sheet. The sticker sheet may contain stickers that permanently or removably attach to any number of artistic panels 130 and/or totem stands 150. The sticker sheet may have any number of any images.

In an alternative embodiment the magnetic sheets 140 may be designed with different colors. The different colors may enable a user to more easily set up a particular game by matching like colors of the magnetic sheets 140 of the blocks 110 to like colors of the magnetic sheets 140 of the artistic panels 130. This can also be done to match the blocks 110 to the play base 120 and the artistic panels 130 to the play base 120. When all of the colors correspond, the artistic panels 130 and the play base 120 of the magnetic playset 100 may have a customized landscape or playscape and be ready for a user to play.

In another alternative embodiment the play base 120 may have one or more than one lights on the play base 120. The lights may surround the quadratic recesses 122 of the play base 120. In other embodiments the lights may be contained within the body of the play base 120 and the play base 120 may be transparent or translucent to permit light to emit through the play base 120. The lights may be any color and may change color intermittently or in a predetermined pattern. In still other embodiments the play base 120 may have a plurality of sensors disposed in the quadratic recesses 122 that may cause the lights to turn on when sensors recognize blocks 110 or totem stands 150 placed in any of the equally distributed locations of the play base 120. The blocks 110 and/or artistic panels 130 may also be transparent or translucent to permit the light to pass through the blocks 110 and/or artistic panels. In this embodiment the lights may illuminate the blocks 110 and/or artistic panels 130 to enhance the images on the artistic panels 130. The totem stands 150 may also be transparent or translucent. The blocks 110 and totem stands 150 may have sensors that pair with sensors on the play base 120. If a user places a block 110 or totem stand 150 in the wrong location on the play base 120, a certain predetermined color may illuminate indicating to that the user should remove the block 110 or totem stand 150 and place it in a new location.

The magnetic playset 100 may be a toy that given any set of rules or customizations may become any type game or educational aid for a user. There may be any number of set instructions that pair with any style of game. In some embodiments there may be sticker sets disposed on the sheet with the magnetic playset 100 and there may or may not be rules. There may also be rules disposed on the sheet and no stickers. A user may be required to upload images to be printed for a customized sticker set. The magnetic playset 100 may be portable and may be expandable to be compatible with any other playsets. A user may also download any set of instructions to customize the magnetic playset 100 in any way.

What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art can recognize that many further combinations and permutations of such matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.

The preceding description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the following claims and the principles and novel features disclosed herein.