Spherical Magnet Assembly Structure of Cube Block

The present application is a continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/KR2025/017400, filed on Oct. 29, 2025, which is based upon and claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2025-0030127 filed on Mar. 7, 2025. The disclosures of the above-listed applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

Embodiments of the present disclosure described herein relate to a spherical magnet assembly structure of a cube block, and more particularly, relate to a spherical magnet assembly structure of a cube block, which allows a spherical magnet inside the cube block to be easily assembled in a center of each surface while stably maintaining a position of the assembled spherical magnet.

In general, a block toy is a toy for intelligent development of infants or children and is referred to as a prefabricated toy by which a predetermined modeled object may be made by assembling a plurality of blocks having various shapes.

Modeled objects having various shapes may be assembled using this prefabricated block toy according to imagination of children. After the assembled modeled object is disassembled again, since another modeled object is made, the prefabricated block toy may be repeatedly used. Thus, the prefabricated block toy is variously assembled according to the imagination of children, thereby stimulating creativity and imagination, increasing brain activity, and helping to improve intelligence.

A representative example of this prefabricated block toy is a soma cube.

1 1 FIGS.A toC The soma cube is a three-dimensional puzzle developed by Piet Hein during Werner Heinzberg's quantum mechanics lecture in 1933, includes cube blocks having a regular hexahedron as illustrated in, and makes various geometric shapes according to arrangement of the cube blocks.

This soma cube may allow a user to thick and express a new thing using limited pieces, thereby helping to develop creativity and emotion, helping to understand changes and symmetries of figures, helping the user to become familiar with geometric flat figures, and developing spatial perception and problem-solving capability. The soma cube may allow the user to use both hands, thereby helping to develop logical thinking of a left brain and artistry of a right brain, and improving ability to express an object by simplifying the object and ability to variously express an object viewed from various angles through delicate observation.

To make various shapes using the soma cube in the above, respective cubes should be fixed at a predetermined position, e.g., stacked on another cube block or fixed to a side surface thereof. In this way, examples for fixing the cube at a predetermined position may include forming a protrusion and a fitting groove in which the protrusion is fitted, on a surface on which a plurality of cubes are in contact with each other.

In this way, the cube using the protrusion and the fitting groove requires a considerable force to insert and remove the protrusion into or from the fitting groove in an assembling process, and thus it is difficult for children and infants having a weak force to assemble and disassemble this cube. Further, the protrusion should be fitted in the fitting groove at a correct position, but it is difficult for infants to fit the protrusion in the fitting groove, and thus a desired play effect may not be obtained.

2 FIG. 10 12 20 12 10 Further, as illustrated in, a cube including a housingformed in hexahedron and having a hexahedral support grooveat each of eight corners thereinside and a regular hexahedron magnetinserted into the support grooveformed at each of the eight corners inside the housingis provided as another example for coupling the cubes, and thus the cubes are coupled by a magnetic force.

However, the cube according to the related art using the regular hexahedron magnet is coupled using a magnetic force and thus is conveniently used as compared to the cube using the protrusion and the fitting groove. However, the regular hexahedron magnet is used, and thus when adjacent blocks are coupled, four magnets between the adjacent blocks are aligned in surface contact with each other and coupled to each other. Thus, it is difficult for infants to use the cube.

3 FIG. 30 31 40 30 40 2 1 31 31 31 Meanwhile, a block using a spherical magnet in addition to the regular hexahedron magnet is used. For example, as illustrated in, the block includes a block bodythrough which an assembling holepasses and a metal ballassembled to the block body. The metal ballis formed in an outer diameter Dgreater than an inner diameter Dof the assembling hole, has an outer shape in contact with the assembling hole, which is formed in an arc shape, and thus is forcibly press-fitted and assembled into the assembling hole.

However, since the assembling structure is forcibly press-fitted, the assembling is not easy. In addition, when the assembling hole is worn out due to friction during usage and the diameter thereof is increased, a magnet is separated. In this way, when children inhale the separated magnet, it causes a great risk.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a spherical magnet assembly structure of a cube block that may easily assemble a spherical magnet inside the cube block to a center of each surface and stably maintain a position of the assembled spherical magnet.

Embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a spherical magnet assembly structure of a cube block that does not change an arrangement position by an attractive force or repulsive force between the spherical magnets in a process of inserting the spherical magnet into a housing of the cube block.

According to an embodiment, a spherical magnet assembly structure of a cube block includes a first housing formed in a cylindrical hexahedron having one open surface, a second housing coupled to the first housing to form a closed hexahedron, a support member that is inserted into and disposed in the first housing and the second housing, forms a closed spherical magnet insertion groove in a center of each surface of a hexahedron together with the first housing and the second housing, and supports each surface, and a spherical magnet inserted into the spherical magnet insertion groove.

As an example of the spherical magnet assembly structure of the cube block, the first housing has a first protrusion protruding from a center of each of an inner bottom surface and four side surfaces so that an insertion groove that is open toward an open surface is formed, the support member has a second protrusion protruding from each of four side surfaces and a bottom surface of a body, the second protrusion closes an insertion groove opening of the first housing, a spherical magnet insertion groove having one open side is recessed in a planar surface of the body, and the first housing into which the support member is inserted is covered by a second housing.

As another example of the spherical magnet assembly structure of the cube block, a third protrusion having a predetermined length in a vertical direction from a center of each corner of a bottom surface is formed on four side surfaces inside the first housing, the support member has a hexahedral fourth protrusion protruding from each of the four side surfaces and the bottom surface of the body, the insertion groove having one open side, into which the spherical magnet is inserted, is formed in the fourth protrusion on the bottom surface, the spherical magnet insertion groove having an open bottom surface and open side surfaces is formed in each of the fourth protrusions on the four side surfaces, the spherical magnet insertion groove having one open side is recessed in a center of the planar surface of the body, and the first housing into which the support member is inserted is covered by the second housing.

As still another example of the spherical magnet assembly structure of the cube block, the support member has a fifth protrusion protruding from each of six surfaces of the body, the spherical magnet insertion groove having an open outer surface is formed at a center of each protrusion, and the first housing into which the support member is inserted is covered by the second housing.

A support protrusion protrudes inward from a corner of an inner circumferential surface of the first housing to reinforce strength.

In the spherical magnet assembly structure of the cube block, a steel plate is used to support a position of the spherical magnet when the spherical magnet is assembled.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4 6 8 FIGS.,, and 100 200 100 300 100 200 100 200 400 As illustrated in, a spherical magnet assembly structure of a cube block according to the present disclosure includes a first housingformed in a cylindrical hexahedron having one open surface, a second housingcoupled to the first housingto form a closed hexahedron, a support memberthat is inserted into and disposed in the first housingand the second housingand supports each surface while forming a closed spherical magnet insertion groove in a center of each surface of the hexahedron together with the first housingand the second housing, and a spherical magnetinserted into the spherical magnet insertion groove.

A specific embodiment of the spherical magnet assembly structure of the cube block according to the present disclosure having this configuration will be described below.

4 5 5 FIGS.,A toE illustrate the spherical magnet assembly structure of the cube block according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

100 200 300 400 The spherical magnet assembly structure of the cube block includes the first housing, the second housing, the support member, and the spherical magnet.

100 110 100 The first housingis formed in a hexahedron having one open surface, and a support protrusionprotrudes inward along a corner of an inner circumferential surface thereof to reinforce strength of the first housing.

130 100 120 Further, a first protrusionprotrudes from a center of each of an inner bottom surface and four side surfaces of the first housing, so that an insertion groovethat is open toward the open surface is formed.

200 100 210 110 200 200 110 210 100 200 The second housingcovers the open surface of the first housing, and a fixing protrusioncorresponding to the support protrusionprotrudes from an inner surface of the second housing, so that a position of the second housingis fixed by the support protrusionand the fixing protrusionwhen the first housingand the second housingare coupled to each other.

200 100 200 100 Meanwhile, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the second housingmay be formed in the form of a cover so that one surface of the first housingis open or closed, but the second housingmay also be formed in a cylindrical shape to form a hexahedron through coupling with the first housing.

300 100 200 100 200 Further, the support memberis inserted into and disposed in the first housingand the second housing, forms the closed spherical magnet insertion groove in the center of each surface of the hexahedron together with the first housingand the second housing, and serves to support each surface of the cube block.

300 100 320 310 320 120 100 330 310 This support memberis formed in a predetermined shape to be inserted into the first housing. In detail, a hexahedral second protrusionprotrudes from each of four side surfaces and a bottom surface of a bodyformed in a hexahedron. Thus, bottom surfaces of the second protrusionsclose openings of the insertion groovesof the first housing, and a spherical magnet insertion groovehaving one open side is recessed in a planar surface of the body.

400 120 100 300 400 330 300 200 100 According to the present disclosure as configured in this way, after the spherical magnetis inserted into each of the five insertion groovesof the first housing, the support memberis inserted, and after the spherical magnetis inserted into the one insertion grooveof the support member, the second housingis coupled to the first housing. Accordingly, the cube block is assembled.

500 510 400 120 100 In this case, a guide memberhaving guide groovesvertically open on four side surfaces thereof is further provided to easily insert the spherical magnetinto the insertion grooveinside the first housing.

500 520 The guide memberhas a handleformed at a center thereof.

520 500 400 120 100 Further, although not illustrated, a central portion at which the handleis formed may be formed through the guide member, and thus, the spherical magnetmay also be easily inserted into the insertion grooveformed at a center of a bottom surface of the first housing.

5 FIG.A 100 700 400 120 100 In the spherical magnet assembly structure of the cube block according to the present disclosure as configured above, as illustrated in, after the first housingis positioned on a steel platesuch that the open surface faces upward, the spherical magnetis positioned in the insertion groovein the bottom surface of the first housing.

500 100 400 510 500 400 120 100 500 5 FIG.B 5 FIG.C Thereafter, after the guide memberis inserted into the first housingas illustrated in, the spherical magnetis inserted into the guide grooveof the guide member, the spherical magnetis inserted into each of the insertion groovesformed in the four side surfaces of the first housing, and then the guide memberis removed as illustrated in.

700 400 120 100 700 In this case, as the steel plateis disposed on the bottom surface, the spherical magnetsare stably positioned in the insertion groovesof the first housingby an attractive force with the steel plate.

300 100 120 400 330 300 200 5 FIG.D 5 FIG.E Thereafter, after the support memberis inserted into the first housingsuch that the insertion groovefaces upward as illustrated in, the spherical magnetis inserted into the insertion grooveof the support member, and then the second housingis assembled and covered thereon as illustrated in.

100 200 In this case, the first housingand the second housingmay be coupled to each other by heat fusion, may be coupled to each other with an adhesive, or may be assembled using a pair of stopping protrusions and a pair of stopping steps.

100 200 100 200 300 120 400 300 130 100 400 Thus, the first housingand the second housingform a sealed hexahedron, the first housing, the second housing, and the support memberare organically coupled to form the sealed insertion grooveinto which the spherical magnetis inserted, and the support memberand the first protrusionof the first housingsupport each surface so that the cube block forms a solid hexahedron, and the spherical magnetis movably positioned at a center of each surface.

6 FIG. Another embodiment of the spherical magnet assembly structure of the cube block will be described with reference to, and the same contents as the first embodiment will be omitted to avoid duplicated descriptions.

140 100 100 140 100 300 A third protrusionhaving a predetermined length in a vertical direction from a center of a corner of each of four bottom surfaces inside the first housingis formed integrally with each side surface of the first housing, and the third protrusionprotrudes by a predetermined length to support a side surface of the first housingwhile guiding a position of the support member.

140 300 330 300 That is, a height of the third protrusionis formed to guide the degree of insertion of the support memberso that the insertion groovein a side surface of the support member, which will be described below, is positioned at a center of each side surface of the hexahedron.

300 340 310 100 330 400 340 310 330 340 The support memberhas a hexahedral fourth protrusionthat protrudes from the four side surfaces and the bottom surface of the hexahedral bodythat is smaller than the first housing, the insertion groovehaving one open side, into which the spherical magnetis inserted, is concentrically formed on the fourth protrusionprotruding from the bottom surface and an upper surface of the body, and the insertion grooveof the spherical magnet having an open bottom surface and open side surfaces is formed at each of the fourth protrusionsformed on four side surfaces.

100 300 200 330 300 140 100 200 The first housinginto which the support memberformed in this way is inserted is covered with the second housing, and each insertion grooveformed in the support memberis sealed by the third protrusion, the side surface of the first housing, and the second housing.

7 FIG. 300 100 400 330 300 100 100 300 200 In this case, as illustrated in, before the support memberis inserted into the first housing, the spherical magnetis inserted into each insertion groovefrom the outside, and then the support memberis inserted into the first housing. In this case, the first housingmay be covered from an upper side of the support memberand then covered by the second housing.

8 FIG. Still another example of the spherical magnet assembly structure of the cube block will be described with reference to.

100 110 The first housingis formed in a hexahedral shape having one open surface, and the support protrusionsprotrude from four corners thereinside.

300 350 310 330 350 Further, the support memberhas a hexahedral fifth protrusionprotruding from a center of each of six surfaces of the hexahedral body, and the spherical magnet insertion groovehaving an open outer surface is formed at a center of the fifth protrusion.

400 330 300 400 330 400 When the spherical magnetis inserted into each insertion grooveof the support member, the spherical magnetis not separated from the insertion grooveby an attractive force between the spherical magnetsthemselves.

300 400 100 200 Further, the cube block is assembled by inserting the support member, into which the spherical magnetis inserted, into the first housingand then covering the second housing.

In the embodiments, a plurality of protrusions forming the spherical magnet insertion groove are formed in a hexahedron, i.e., a square column, but may be formed in various shapes such as a cylindrical shape.

9 FIG. 9 FIG. In the cube block according to the present disclosure as configured above, each cube block may be used one by one or a plurality of cube blocks may be coupled and used in various shapes as illustrated in.indicates a state in which the second housing is open to indicate that the spherical magnet is installed therein.

9 FIG. 10 FIG. The cube blocks ofmay represent a state in which the plurality of cube blocks are connected to form a soma block, and the cube block may form a regular hexahedron according to an assembling state as illustrated in.

100 9 FIG. Meanwhile, when the plurality of cube blocks are coupled as described above, a side surface of the independently and completely assembled hexahedral cube block may be coupled, and from a forming process, the plurality of first housingsconstituting the cube block in a shape of the soma cube ofmay be formed in a coupled form.

300 400 100 400 When the plurality of first housings are formed in a coupled form, the support member, the spherical magnet, and the like should be assembled inside the first housing, and thus the spherical magnetis assembled such that the steel plate is positioned on the floor to minimize influence of an attractive force caused by the spherical magnet of the adjacent cube block. In this case, an attractive force between the previously assembled spherical magnet and the spherical magnet assembled by an applied attractive force with the steel plate is minimized, and thus the adjacent spherical magnets remain in original assembled positions.

When there is no steel plate, an attractive force between the adjacent spherical magnets with a side surface interposed therebetween is applied. In this way, by an attractive force amplified by the plurality of spherical magnets, the spherical magnet or the like positioned on the bottom surface moves to the plurality of spherical magnets coupled by an attractive force, and thus the assembling should be performed again.

11 FIG. 700 400 700 400 400 As illustrated in, when the steel plateis installed on the floor (see a left side), the spherical magnetis stably positioned in a center of the bottom surface, but when the steel plateis removed (see a right side), the spherical magnetis moved to an adjacent other spherical magnet.

In the present disclosure as configured above, a cube block is formed by arranging a spherical magnet on each surface of a hexahedron. Thus, when cubes are coupled, point contact between the spherical magnets may be formed so that infants may easily join and separate the cubes, and the spherical magnets may be arranged easily and accurately so that productivity may be improved.