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Three-dimensional logical puzzles

a three-dimensional, logical technology, applied in indoor games, sports equipment, etc., can solve the problem that none of the semi-regular or irregular polyhedron-based puzzles known in the art enable both rotating/shifting movemen

Inactive Publication Date: 2008-09-25
PAQUETTE MAXIME
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0019]An object of the present invention is to provide a challenging, entertaining and aesthetically pleasing semiregular or irregular polyhedron-based puzzle having elements that can be shifted (i.e. twisted or rotated) to enable a user of the puzzle to rearrange the movable elements of the puzzle to attempt to restore color patterns, or the like, displayed upon outer faces of the movable elements.
[0022]Another object of the present invention is to provide a challenging, entertaining and aesthetically-pleasing spherical puzzle.

Problems solved by technology

Despite the plethora of polydredon-based puzzles and spherical puzzles that are now known in the art, to the best of Applicant's knowledge, none of the semiregular or irregular polyhedron-based puzzles known in the art enable both rotating / shifting movement in combination with sliding movement about one specific type of face.
A spherical puzzle created by this technique would be challenging, entertaining and aesthetically-pleasing.

Method used

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Examples

Experimental program
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embodiment 1

Buckyball Puzzle

[0057]The first preferred embodiment is shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 8.

[0058]Reference is now made to FIG. 1. The guiding polyhedron used to create this three-dimensional logical puzzle is a semiregular Buckyball polyhedron having twelve pentagonal and twenty hexagonal faces. Bisecting planes such as a1-b1-c1-d1-e1 that are parallel to each pentagonal face are used to divide the polyhedron. Each hexagonal face such as aa-bb-dd-ee-ff-gg with geometrical center cc is bisected. This dividing method results in three types of elements: (i) a concealed center element, (ii) twelve rotating elements 20, (iii) thirty mobile elements 30. Each mobile element 30 is connected to the puzzle by a retaining means, i.e. a fastener, fastener subassembly, retainer or other retaining mechanism that enables elements to be interchanged from one group to another group by “shifting” (i.e. twisting or rotating) one group relative to the other groups. For the purposes of nomenclature, a “group” in...

embodiment 2

Sliding Buckyball Puzzle

[0067]FIG. 9 to FIG. 13 illustrate a second preferred embodiment of the invention, which is a three-dimensional logical puzzle also based on a Buckyball polyhedron. In addition to the rotational “shifting” movement described with regard to the first embodiment (i.e. rotation of rotating elements with their associated groups of mobile elements), this second embodiment also provides for rotational “sliding” movement (i.e. rotation of clusters of superimposed elements that slide in grooves formed in the underlying mobile elements and rotating elements of the puzzle).

[0068]Reference is now made to FIG. 9 showing a partial cross-sectional view of a rotating element 20′ that is similar to the rotating element 20 but further incorporating an arcuate groove 25 on each triangular aa-cc-gg face 202 centered on every vertex cc. In this preferred embodiment the groove is dovetail-shaped 26. It is understood that this groove could be male (protrusion) or female (cavity), ...

embodiment 3

erical Puzzle

[0088]The third preferred embodiment is shown in FIG. 18 to FIG. 21.

[0089]Reference is now made to FIG. 18. The illustrated spherical rotating element 120 is obtained with the same dividing method as previously mentioned except that the divided polyhedron is now replaced by a sphere with its radius selected to be coincident with vertex aa and gg of FIG. 3. The spherical rotating element 120 is shaped like a convex pentagon with a protrusion 121 performing the same function as the protrusion 21 of the rotating element 20 shown in FIG. 3. The protrusion 121 is provided with a holding means (not shown) for holding pivotally the rotating element 120 on a half center core element 110. This holding means is situated at the geometrical center of the protrusion 121 and is intended to be pivotally retained from within the puzzle without passing through the outer surface 1201 of the spherical rotating element 120. With suitable modification, the spherical rotating element 120 cou...

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Abstract

Semiregular or irregular polyhedron-based puzzles have at least two different types of faces. The dividing method used to create the puzzles requires that bisecting planes parallel to the faces be chosen to exclude at least one type of face. Preferably, the base polyhedron has a Buckyball (soccer ball) shape. Applying this dividing method to a Buckyball polyhedron results in (i) a center element with six axes passing through geometrical centers of pentagonal faces, (ii) twelve pentagonal rotating elements, and (iii) thirty mobile elements of tetrahedral shape. The mobile elements are exchangeable between adjacent groups. In another embodiment, sliding elements are superimposed over the mobile elements to enable sliding motion in addition to shifting / rotating motion. Different indicia patterns can be used to modulate the difficulty level of the puzzle. The same dividing method can be used on a sphere to obtain a completely spherical puzzle.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 896,511 filed on Mar. 23, 2007.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The present invention relates generally to three-dimensional logical puzzles and, in particular, to puzzles having either a spherical shape or a shape based on a semiregular or irregular polyhedron.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Since the introduction of the Rubik's Cube, numerous types of shifting-movement polyhedron-shaped three-dimensional puzzles have been disclosed. These various puzzles can be classified as regular, semiregular or irregular polyhedron-shaped puzzles, a classification based on Leonhard Euler's findings that all polyhedron patterns can be broken down into three elements: (i) two-dimensional faces; (ii) one-dimensional edges; and (iii) zero-dimensional vertices.[0004]For a polyhedron to be regular, the faces of the polyhedron must be identical and the ...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): A63F9/00A63F9/06
CPCA63F9/083A63F9/0838A63F2009/0853A63F2009/0846A63F9/0842
Inventor PAQUETTE, MAXIME
Owner PAQUETTE MAXIME
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