Magnetic Building Tiles

摘要

A building system includes a plurality of building tiles and/or connecters that are magnetically and releasably connectable to one another. The magnetic building tiles are comprised of a tile frame and a tile panel. The tile frame, by one approach, is comprised of two connectable frame portions or elements having magnets embedded therein. The first frame element and the second frame element are connectable to one another through a snap, clip, or another similar connection mechanism. The first and second frame elements are connectable around or into the tile panel, which is removable from the magnetic building tile. The tile panel or the tile frame has a channel into which the other of the tile panel or tile frame extends to secure the two pieces together. In another approach, the tile frame is a single element and the tile panel may snap or attach thereto, such as, for example, through fasteners or friction.

主权项

1. A building system comprising:
a plurality of frames that include magnetic elements to enable each frame to be magnetically attracted to another frame, at least one frame including an outer frame wall, a first wall, a second wall opposite the first wall, and an interior frame wall, the first and second walls connecting the outer frame wall and the interior frame wall; the frame further including a protuberance centrally disposed along the interior frame wall, the protuberance having a predetermined height and being disposed a distance from first and second walls thereby forming a first and a second shelf, the first shelf facing the first wall and defining an inset distance between the first shelf and the first wall and the second shelf facing the second wall; a plurality of interchangeable panels, each of the panels having a thickness and being capable of being releasably and stably supported in one of the frames to form a building tile, at least one panel including a panel face and a rear panel wall opposite the panel face, the rear panel wall having at least one flange with curvature angled toward an edge of the panel, the curvature configured to mate with the protuberance on the frame from either the first wall or the second wall of the frame; wherein each of the panels can be placed in a position of stable equilibrium within a frame or removed therefrom simply by manually applying pressure to the panels and frame members without disassembling or permanently deforming any part of either the frame or the panel and without the use of tools.