Three-dimensional puzzle and its manufacturing method

Abstract

Focusing on the fact that the grain of natural wood varies depending on the part of the wood, this invention provides a highly complex three-dimensional puzzle and a method for manufacturing the same by combining numerous pieces of wood. [Solution] A rectangular block of natural wood is cut into numerous small rectangular pieces. Each piece is then separated, and its grain pattern is matched to reassemble it back into the original rectangular block shape.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a three-dimensional puzzle in which natural wood is cut into a number of wood pieces and the grain patterns appearing on the wood pieces are aligned, and a method for manufacturing the same.

Background Art

[0002] As a puzzle in which natural wood is cut into a number of wood pieces and assembled three-dimensionally, the one described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2021-13711 (Patent Document 1) is known.

[0003] The puzzle described in Patent Document 1 is one in which natural wood is forcibly broken along the grain, the broken surfaces are combined to match the grain pattern, and the puzzle is completed. However, this is assembled by matching the shapes of the broken surfaces, can be easily assembled by checking the differences in shape, and has a low level of difficulty.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The present invention solves the above-described problems, focuses on the fact that the grain of natural wood varies depending on the part, and provides a three-dimensional puzzle with a high level of difficulty and a method for manufacturing the same by combining a number of wood pieces.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The three-dimensional puzzle of the present invention that solves the above-described problems is characterized in that a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped natural wood is cut into a number of small rectangular parallelepiped-shaped wood pieces, and the grain patterns appearing on each small wood piece are aligned from the state where each small wood piece is separated, and assembled into the rectangular parallelepiped shape before cutting.

[0007] Furthermore, the aforementioned three-dimensional puzzle can be manufactured by cutting a rectangular prism-shaped piece of natural wood into numerous small rectangular pieces. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The three-dimensional puzzle of the present invention, as described above, is assembled from individual small pieces of wood by matching the wood grain of each piece to return it to its original rectangular prism shape. Because it requires discerning the differences in the wood grain of each piece, it is not an easy puzzle to assemble and is therefore a challenging and intriguing one. In other words, each rectangular prism-shaped piece of wood is a hexahedron with two end faces and four edge faces, so it is a challenging puzzle because the continuity of each face must be determined to assemble it to its original rectangular prism shape.

[0009] Furthermore, the three-dimensional puzzle of the present invention can be manufactured by cutting a rectangular piece of wood into numerous small rectangular pieces. In other words, since the grain of the wood differs depending on the part of the wood, it can be easily manufactured simply by cutting it into small pieces.

[0010] Furthermore, since the three-dimensional puzzle of the present invention focuses on the fact that the grain of natural wood differs depending on the part of the wood, the puzzle uses the wood grain itself as a pattern and figure, making it easy to manufacture. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is an overall perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing a small piece of wood according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing a rectangular prism-shaped piece of natural wood used to manufacture the three-dimensional puzzle of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is an overall perspective view showing a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view showing a small piece of wood according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] A preferred embodiment of the three-dimensional puzzle and its manufacturing method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] Figure 1 is an overall perspective view showing a first embodiment of the three-dimensional puzzle of the present invention. This three-dimensional puzzle is made by cutting a rectangular prism-shaped natural wood 1, as shown in Figure 3, with the wood fibers oriented longitudinally, into numerous rectangular prism-shaped small pieces 11. Then, by matching the wood grain 2 visible on each small piece 11, the pieces are assembled back into the original rectangular prism shape as shown in Figure 1.

[0014] The aforementioned rectangular parallelepiped shape includes a cubic shape. That is, the first embodiment in Figure 1 is made by cutting a cubic piece of natural wood 1 with the wood fibers running lengthwise into numerous cubic pieces 11. In other words, a cubic piece of natural wood 1 with a side length of 75 mm is cut into 27 cubic pieces 11 with a side length of 25 mm.

[0015] Each of the 27 small wooden pieces 11 has a unique wood grain pattern on its six surfaces: the top and bottom ends and the front, back, left, and right edges. Since the grain patterns on these six surfaces are cut from natural wood, no two pieces are identical, and the grain patterns of adjacent pieces 11 are continuous. Therefore, the puzzle involves taking all the pieces apart and using the continuity of the wood grain as a guide to assemble them back into a cube with sides of 75mm. Because all six faces of the cube-shaped wooden pieces 11 are identical, the puzzle becomes challenging as it requires identifying the continuous grain patterns to find the connections.

[0016] Moreover, the second embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is a combination of a cubic natural wood 1 cut into a number of small cubic pieces 11a and small rectangular parallelepiped pieces 11b (excluding the cubic shape). That is, a cubic natural wood 1 with a side length of 75 mm is cut into small cubic pieces 11a with a side length of 25 mm and small rectangular parallelepiped pieces 11b with a side length of 25 mm and a height of 50 mm, and then combined. This is a combination of 9 small cubic pieces 11a, 9 small rectangular parallelepiped pieces 11b, and a total of 18 small pieces 11 (11a, 11b).

[0017] Note that the cubic natural wood 1 in the first and second embodiments is not limited to being cut into a number of small cubic pieces 11. Of course, other cubic natural woods can be cut into small rectangular parallelepiped pieces (including the cubic shape) of various sizes.

[0018] Next, a method for manufacturing the three-dimensional puzzle according to the present invention will be described. The three-dimensional puzzle according to the present invention can be manufactured by cutting a rectangular parallelepiped natural wood (including the cubic shape) into a number of small rectangular parallelepiped pieces (including the cubic shape).

[0019] Specifically, in the three-dimensional puzzle of the first embodiment, if a cubic natural wood 1 with a side length of 75 mm with the wood fibers shown in FIG. 3 in the vertical direction is cut vertically and horizontally into small cubic pieces 11 with a side length of 25 mm, the three-dimensional puzzle shown in FIG. 1 can be manufactured.

[0020] The three-dimensional puzzle of the second embodiment is manufactured by cutting a cubic natural wood 1 with a side length of 75 mm, which has the fibers of the wood shown in FIG. 3 in the vertical direction, into small wooden pieces 11a with a cubic shape having a side length of 25 mm and small wooden pieces 11b with a rectangular parallelepiped shape having a square shape with a side length of 25 mm and a height of 50 mm. This manufacturing process involves vertically cutting a cubic natural wood 1 with a side length of 75 mm, which has the fibers of the wood shown in FIG. 3 in the vertical direction, into rectangular wooden pieces with a square shape having a side length of 25 mm and a height of 75 mm. Then, the wooden pieces are divided vertically into a height of 25 mm and 50 mm, resulting in small wooden pieces 11a with a cubic shape having a side length of 25 mm and small wooden pieces 11b with a rectangular parallelepiped shape having a square shape with a side length of 25 mm and a height of 50 mm.

[0021] In addition, since the three-dimensional puzzle according to the present invention assembles a large number of rectangular parallelepiped-shaped small wooden pieces by identifying the continuity of the wood grain, even if it is an incorrect assembly, it will have the same shape as the cubic natural wood 1. Therefore, it is difficult to confirm whether it is correctly assembled.

[0022] Therefore, it is preferable to provide a means for verifying whether it is correctly assembled. As such a means, in a state where each small wooden piece is assembled into the cubic natural wood 1, symbols, figures, patterns, etc. are drawn on the surface portion with a transparent fluorescent paint, and the symbols, figures, patterns, etc. that emerge when irradiated with a black light are confirmed. In that case, it can be easily manufactured by drawing symbols, figures, patterns, etc. on the surface of the cubic natural wood before cutting with a transparent fluorescent paint.

[0023] The natural wood used to manufacture the three-dimensional puzzle according to the present invention is schematically represented by hinoki in the illustrated embodiment, but it is not limited to this, and of course, it may be cedar, pine, oak or other natural woods.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0024] 1 Cubic natural wood 11 Small rectangular pieces of wood 2 Wood grain

Claims

1. A three-dimensional puzzle characterized by cutting a rectangular piece of natural wood into numerous small rectangular pieces, and then assembling each piece by matching the wood grain of each piece to return to the original rectangular shape.

2. The three-dimensional puzzle according to claim 1, wherein the rectangular parallelepiped shape is a cube shape.

3. A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional puzzle, characterized by cutting a rectangular prism-shaped piece of natural wood into numerous rectangular prism-shaped small pieces.

4. The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional puzzle according to claim 3, wherein the rectangular parallelepiped shape is a cube shape.

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