Bipyramidal Puzzle Pieces for Stable 2D and 3D Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing puzzles with sphere-shaped pieces suffer from instability due to small contact areas leading to shear, limiting complex three-dimensional structure formation and stability, and offer limited stacking and rotation possibilities.
Innovation Solution
Puzzle pieces are designed with a hexagonal dihexagonal bipyramidal structure, featuring a dihexagonal bipyramidal structure with six planes of symmetry, allowing stable positioning in multiple directions and minimizing shear, combined with a puzzle board having indentations that support these pieces for both two- and three-dimensional puzzles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If puzzle pieces are made with recesses and protrusions for joining, then assembly stability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The puzzle board is segmented into multiple individual puzzle pieces, each with independent recesses and protrusions. This segmentation allows each piece to be manufactured separately using standard molding techniques, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining assembly stability through the interlocking design of each piece's recesses and protrusions.
Solution Approach 2:
The recesses and protrusions are designed to merge multiple puzzle pieces into a single stable assembly. The protrusion of one piece fits into the recess of another, creating a unified structure that maintains stability while using simple, manufacturable geometric features on each individual piece.
2Ease of operation
If puzzle pieces include images and instructions on the board, then user guidance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The puzzle board serves multiple functions: it provides the playing surface, displays instructional images, and offers magnetic attachment for metal puzzle pieces. By integrating these functions into a single component, the design improves user guidance without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Images and instructions act as intermediary elements between the puzzle pieces and the user. These visual guides mediate the assembly process by providing directional cues, allowing users to assemble the puzzle correctly without increasing the physical complexity of the puzzle pieces themselves.
3Ease of operation
If metal puzzle pieces are used with magnetic attachment, then assembly ease is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses magnetic fields (analogous to pneumatic/hydraulic systems in terms of invisible force application) to enable automatic attachment of metal puzzle pieces to the board. The magnets embedded in the board create an invisible holding force that simplifies assembly while using inexpensive magnetic materials and standard embedding techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The puzzle board uses composite construction combining non-magnetic material with embedded magnetic elements. This composite approach allows the board to provide both structural support and magnetic attachment functionality, improving assembly ease while keeping manufacturing costs reasonable through the use of common magnetic materials embedded in a standard board substrate.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a puzzle comprising single and/or multiple puzzle pieces constructed from puzzle blocks, wherein a single puzzle piece is constructed from a single puzzle block and a multiple puzzle piece is constructed from at least two puzzle blocks, wherein each puzzle block describes a bipyramidal structure, wherein each side surface of the pyramidal structures is suitable for optimally supporting the puzzle block on one or more surfaces in a puzzle board. Also, the invention relates to a puzzle board suitable for solving both two-dimensional and three-dimensional puzzles, wherein the puzzle board is provided with a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein both the top surface and the bottom surface comprise a puzzle field consisting of regular positions forming a two-dimensional field, wherein each position is provided with an indentation in the puzzle board corresponding to the shape of a puzzle block belonging to a puzzle in accordance with the invention. In a third aspect, the invention relates to a kit comprising said puzzle and said puzzle board.