WO1992003196A1 - Three-dimensional puzzle - Google Patents

Abstract

A three-dimensional puzzle consists of a plurality of puzzle components which are joined together to form two partial chains (1, 2-12, 13, 14-24) and which can be assembled to form a regular tetrahedron. All puzzle components consist of irregular pentahedra or tetrahedra on face of which forms a part of the face of the assembled tetrahedron. Two puzzle components (1, 13; 2, 14 etc.) always form a pair from which an irregular pyramid can be formed whose apices all meet at a point inside the assembled tetrahedron. All base faces therefore form the face of the tetrahedron. All puzzle components are assembled to form two chains in which the first and last components of each chain are each joined to one puzzle component and each of the other puzzle components is joined to two other puzzle components along one edge so that the two joined edges strike each other directly but the components can be folded together about the axis of the joined edges and so that one of the two components forming an irregular pyramid always belongs to one chain and the other component to the other chain.

Description

 D r e i d i m e n s i o n a l e s P u z z l e

The invention is a three-dimensional puzzle game for adults and children, which when put together results in a regular tetrahedron.

The play value of known puzzles mainly lies in solving the more or less tricky task of converting a disorder into an order. On the other hand, there is no particular attraction in disassembling or confusing.

This has the disadvantage that you lose interest in a puzzle as soon as you have figured out how to assemble or solve it correctly.

The tetrahedron puzzles known from US Pat. No. 3,565,442 and US Pat. No. 4,323,245 also have this disadvantage, as does the tetrahedron puzzle known from utility model G 88 08 167.2. In the latter case, the disadvantage is offset by the fact that it can also be used for various non-gaming purposes.

In addition, awareness of puzzles is a disadvantage and there is always a need for new puzzles.

The object of this invention was to create a three-dimensional puzzle game which surprised by its unknown scheme and aroused particular interest. The puzzle should be entertaining not only when assembling but also when it is being solved. The problem is solved by the features described in the protection claims.

The puzzle game consists of a number of differently shaped puzzle bodies, which are permanently connected to one another to form two chains of elements arranged in a row. The two element chains can be wound around each other and again result in a chain that can be folded into a filled regular tetrahedron.

The other features are explained below with reference to the drawing.

Show it:

1 is a folded puzzle, ^'

2 shows the connection of the elements using the example of two connected elements,

3 the elements of the puzzle individually as an exploded drawing,

4a, 4b and 4c three views of the two element chains wound around each other,

5 and 6, the two element chains individually capable of taking them when they are wound around each other,

7 and 8 the two individual, freely hanging element chains, 9 is a schematic drawing of the principle of division of the tetrahedron into irregular pyramids,

10 shows a schematic drawing of the principle of division of two of the irregular pyramids into four individual puzzle bodies,

11 the division of the tetrahedral surfaces into the puzzle elements,

12 another possible division of the tetrahedron surfaces into the puzzle elements,

13 shows an example of a puzzle element in which two otherwise individual elements are combined to form one.

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a collapsed puzzle, which consists of 24 elements. It is a regular tetrahedron, two surfaces of which are visible in the drawing. Surfaces of the twelve puzzle elements 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11 and 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 23 can be seen there.

Puzzle bodies 1 to 24, from which the puzzle in this exemplary embodiment is made, are shown individually in the exploded drawing in FIG. 3.

In the first step, the puzzle can be broken down into a chain structure, as shown in FIGS. 4a, 4b and 4c in three different views, each rotated by 90 degrees. There are lined up irregular pyramids of two puzzle bodies (1, 13 and 12, 24) and pairs of pyramids of four puzzle bodies (for example 2, 14, 3, 15). They are each along one of their edges with the next py- Ramamide or pair of pyramids connected, namely on edges that lie on the outside of the collapsed tetrahedron.

This chain structure consists of two individual element chains, which are wound around each other. Each pyramid and each pair of pyramids in it is composed of puzzle bodies of both element chains.

5 and 6 show the two element chains individually, with the puzzle elements 1 to 12 in one and 13 to 24 in the other chain. In this drawing, the puzzle bodies are shown in the position they assume when the chains are wound around one another, specifically from the view shown in FIG. 4b.

Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 show the two element chains, as they hang freely when the puzzle is completely solved.

All puzzle bodies in the two element chains are permanently connected to each other along one of their edges. The first and last element in each of the two chains is connected to one, each other with two other elements. The respective two connected edges meet directly along their entire length. The connection is flexible, so that the parts can be folded against one another about the axis of their connected edges. The connection can be made with hinges, bands, threads or the like. 2 shows two connected puzzle pieces 1 and 2 as an example. The edges of the two pieces are connected to one another at two points by threads 27 and 28. The threads are fastened inside the puzzle body or pulled through to the next connection point.

To further explain the characteristics of the puzzle, it is expedient to explain the principle on the basis of the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 8, according to which a tetrahedron in Puzzle body can be divided, which result in two chains, which can be wound around each other:

A tetrahedron is divided into nothing but irregular pyramids, all of which meet at a point inside the tetrahedron. In the illustrated embodiment, all pyramid tips meet at the center of the tetrahedron.

The pyramid base surfaces together form the surfaces of the tetrahedron. For this purpose, the tetrahedron surfaces are divided into triangular and possibly quadrangular segments in such a way that all segments on the tetrahedron surface can be strung together to form a band-like surface at contact edges of the same length. Fig. 9 is a schematic drawing of this division principle. The four tetrahedron surfaces are shown side by side. The four equilateral triangles adjoin one another on a tetrahedron body, as shown, moreover the triangular sides labeled 31, 32 and 33 each jointly form a tetrahedron edge.

The dashed lines divide the tetrahedron surfaces into twelve segments 34 to 45. All segments can be lined up in a sort of band in the order of their numbering along equally long sides.

In this band of irregular pyramids, two adjacent ones are always considered as a pair -.:. A prerequisite for the formation of such pairs is that the two base surfaces are triangular and their contact edges on the opened tetrahedral surfaces all have the same orientation, from top left to bottom right or from bottom left to top right. The considered in ezei ^{cr σ} th Au ührungsbei- game as a pair pyramids have in Fig. 9, the Basisflä¬ surfaces 35 and 36, 37 and 36, 39 and 40, 41 and 42, and 43 and 44. The other two pyramids rr. with the base surfaces 34 and 45 separate advice treated.

All of these pyramid pairs are divided into four puzzle bodies by a flat cut through each of the pyramids. The cuts divide all four surfaces and four edges of each pyramid. In each case, the edges of the base surfaces on which the two pyramids touch each other and the opposite edge of the divisional cut remain intact. The division of their respective contact surfaces is the same for both pyramids. 10 shows as an example the division of the two pyramids with the base surfaces 37 and 38. The base surfaces are in the drawing below. The divisional sections are shown in dashed lines. With these cuts, the puzzle bodies 16, 4, 5 and 17 are created. All four elements occupy a surface on the pyramid base surfaces on the outside of the collapsed tetrahedron, and the elements 16 and 17 cross over the elements 4 and 5 inside the folded tetrahedra across the pyramid tips in an oblique direction.

Thus, at the base surface edges of two adjacent pyramid pairs that are divided in such a way, intersecting and crossed pairs of puzzle bodies always alternate. So that the two puzzle chains wind around each other at least once, the puzzle must contain at least two pyramid pairs divided in this way.

The remaining, individual irregular pyramids (34 and 45) are each divided into two puzzle bodies, namely by a flat cut that divides the base surface lengthways in the band direction. If such a pyramid is at the beginning or end of the band, as in the example shown, the divisional cut can run through one side and a tip of the pyramid base surface. If it lies between two other pyramids, then the cut must divide two sides of the pyramid base surface. These division cuts result in the segments shown in FIG. 11 as surfaces of one of the puzzle bodies 1 to 24 on the tetrahedron surface.

The puzzle bodies 1 to 12 and 13 to 24 are each connected to one another in this order along two adjacent edges. This results in two chains, in which alternating pairs of crossing and crossed elements occur. The edges lying on the tetrahedron surface are always connected, except when two crossing elements are connected. Such pairs of elements are connected to one another along an edge which encloses the top of the pair of pyramids, which these elements each form together with two crossed elements. For example, elements 16 and 17 in FIG. 10 are joined together along their edges 46 and 47. All crossing element pairs must be connected to each other on the same aligned edges: from the point of view of the tetrahedron surfaces unfolded to the band, the respectively connected edges must always run from the pyramid tips to the same side of the band of the pyramid base surfaces.

The division of the tetrahedron surfaces in the exemplary embodiment described above provides only two pyramids (34 and 45), which are not treated as a pair in which two elements cross two others. In this example, the two pyramids are located at the beginning and end of the edge of the pyramid base surfaces. However, such elements can equally well lie in the middle, between pairs of elements crossing each other. As an example, FIG. 12 shows another possible division of the four tetrahedron surfaces into 24 pyramid base surfaces 48 to 71, which can be strung together in this order to form a band. Of them, only the pyramids with the base surfaces 49/50, 51/52, 53/54, 57/58, 59/60, 61/62, 65/66, 67/68 and 69/70 considered as pairs, each divided into four intersecting elements. The remaining pyramids with the base areas 48, 55, 56, 63, 64 and 71 are each divided lengthwise into two puzzle bodies, which, without crossing over, lie next to each other in the collapsed tetrahedron and only the connection to the next one create intersecting elements. The resulting division of the pyramid base areas into the surfaces of two puzzle bodies is shown in dashed lines in FIG.

According to the rules described, there are a number of different possibilities for dividing a tetrahedron into the individual puzzle bodies. The shape and number of puzzle bodies depend on the division selected. The principle of the chains winding around one another comes into play the better the more intersecting elements the puzzle contains.

The individual puzzle bodies can, according to claim 2 for protection, be provided with magnets to stabilize the target shape, which are recessed on the inner surfaces and hold the individual elements together. 7 and 8, a pair of magnets 29 and 30 is shown as an example on the contact surfaces of the two elements 2 and 14. The magnets can also be hidden inside the puzzle body. They can make it easier to put the puzzle together correctly.

For the same purpose, the contact surfaces of two puzzle elements can be provided depressions which approximately surfaces finding the right touch contact facilitate two puzzle bodies and the position of the be _¬ stabilize already correctly folded elements for protection claim 3 with matching protrusions and Ver¬. In the variant described in protection claim 4, two individual puzzle elements are combined to form a single puzzle body. Always two elements, which cross another pair of elements or are crossed by it, can be designed as a puzzle body. This puzzle body has the shape that the two individual elements would otherwise form together in the collapsed tetrahedron. 13 shows an example of a puzzle body 72 that combines two individual puzzle bodies. These are the individual elements shown as 4 and 5 in FIG. 10. The area that would otherwise be the contact area of the two individual elements is shown hatched in FIG. 13.

So that the two puzzle chains can be separated from one another or looped around one another, all element pairs combined in this way must be of the same type: either only crossing element pairs or only crossed element pairs.

The development according to claim 5 provides mounts, which are each attached to the first element of the two puzzle chains. 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 they are shown as a thread with a loop 25 and 26. These holding devices facilitate the handling of the game. For example, they can be chains, bands, rings or threads and can also be designed as decorative elements.

The puzzle can be made from solid materials such as metal, plastic, plexiglass, wood or cardboard. The puzzle bodies can be solid or hollow. The optical effect of the game can be enhanced by different materials, coloring or surface treatment of the individual puzzle bodies or their individual surfaces.

The special attraction of this game is that the unexpected environment Conversion of the tetrahedron into a winding chain structure and then astonished its dissolution into two individual chains. The joy of considering this transformation remains even after the first surprise, so that the puzzle always entices to play.

Putting the puzzle together correctly is difficult the first time. However, once the assembly is successful, the principle for it becomes obvious, so that one does not shy away from solving the puzzle again.

Claims

Expectations 1. Three-dimensional puzzle, consisting of several puzzle bodies that are permanently connected to each other to form two chains of pieces, which when put together result in a solid, regular tetrahedron, characterized in that all puzzle bodies are irregular five and possibly four surfaces, one surface of which forms part of the surface of the folded tetrahedron, that two puzzle bodies always form a pair, from which an irregular pyramid results, which is broken down by a cut into the two puzzle bodies, the cut always running through the pyramid base surface, that of these irregular pyramids consisting of two puzzle bodies, all the tips meet at a point in the interior of the folded tetrahedron, and all base surface together form the terraced surfaces, and all other surfaces lie in the interior of the folded tetrahedron, that there are at least four of these irregular pyramids consisting of two puzzle bodies, in which the pyramid base surface is triangular and the divisional cut runs through four edges and all four surfaces, of which at least four irregular pyramids each have two merged Tetrahedra lie next to each other, and on their contact surfaces the individual puzzle bodies forming them touch each other with identical surfaces, and their base surfaces on the outside of the folded tetrahedron are each divided into a square and a triangular surface of the individual puzzle bodies forming them so that the contact edges of the two pyramid base surfaces are each formed by one of the puzzle bodies and the other two puzzle bodies occupy the two distant triangle tips, so that inside the folded tetrahedron the latter two puzzle bodies the other two diagonally across the pyramids cross the tips, in the same direction for all such pyramid pairs, that all puzzle elements are combined into two chains by connecting the first and last element of each chain with one and all the others with two other puzzle elements along one edge in such a way that the two connected edges meet directly and the elements otherwise around the axis the connected edges can be folded against each other, that one of the two elements, which together form an irregular pyramid, always belongs to one chain and the other element to the other chain, that the respective connecting edges lie on the surface of the folded tetrahedron, except when connecting the elements pairs of elements that together cross two other elements inside the folded tetrahedron and have their connecting edge there. 2. Three-dimensional puzzle according to claim 1, characterized in that in at most two of the irregular pyramids the section runs through only one edge of the base surface and in all the rest through two edges. 3. Three-dimensional puzzle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that two of the irregular pyramids have at least one and all other at least two surfaces which form the contact surface of exactly two of these pyramids. 4. Three-dimensional puzzle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the puzzle elements are arranged in the two chains so that the two individual elements chains can be wrapped around each other to form a structure from both chains, which consists of the lined up irregular There are pyramids or pairs of pyramids, and in which the first and the last pyramid or pair of pyramids, each with one and all others with two other pairs of pyramids or pyramids, are connected along one of their edges and can be folded against one another about the axis of the connected edges, these being Edges are each formed by the adjacent edges of two puzzle bodies from the two individual element chains, which are each connecting edges to the next element in their chain. Three-dimensional puzzle according to claim 1, characterized characterized in that the puzzle elements hold together by magnet. 6. Three-dimensional puzzle according to claim 1, characterized in that the puzzle body hold together by matching depressions and bulges on their contact surfaces. 7. Three-dimensional puzzle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that of the four puzzle bodies, which together form a pair of irregular pyramids _. form in which two edge-linked puzzle bodies cross the other two together, two - otherwise edge-linked - elements are designed as a single puzzle body, of the shape that the two individual elements would otherwise form together in the collapsed tetrahedron, all of which form a puzzle body Combined element pairs are of the same type, either those element pairs that cross two other inside the folded tetrahedron or those that are crossed. 8. Three-dimensional puzzle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a chain, thread, ring or other device is attached to the first of the lined-up puzzle elements to which the puzzle chains can be held.