GB2092011A - Tangram pieces - Google Patents

Abstract

Each element of a tangram is composed of an innermost relatively thick piece of sort elastic material 1, two thin sheets 2 of transparent plastics lying respectively on the two opposite sides of said elastic- ply, and two outermost coloured layers 3. Each element of the tangram is capable of elastically holding a thin sheet of another element which has been inserted into an interstice between any two adjacent layers, thereby engaging the two elements together. The parts are held together by glueing the layers 3 to a prism 4. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tangram with improved structure The present invention relates to tangram, particularly to one with improved structure which enables each member to be engaged together, and the resulting patterns of which offers the viewer a solid sense, thereby largely enlivening this game and allowing a combination thus formed to be unscatteringly removed from one place to another.

As an ancient Chinese puzzle, the tangram, which is exclusively composed of a plurality of unit elements having the shapes of basic geometric figures with, preferably right-angled, 45-degree or 1 35-degree corners, say, typically a square, a parallelogram, and five right-angle-isolosceles triangles, which, together make up a square (see Fig. 1), although rectangles, trapezoids, or pentagons may also be involved. Notwithstanding its simple structure, its variability of forming countless figures and designs which enlighten the imagination and ingenuity of children has made it one of the most favorite game throughout the world even today. Fig. 2 exhibits three exemplary designs of the tangram arranged to describe the outline respectively representing an anchor, a duck, and a butterfly.

However, despite its innumerable variations, the figures or designs formed by the tangram are confined to a planar structure since they are simply formed by putting a few flat pieces together. Consequently, the resulting figure cannot be removed as a whole from one place to another. Though this can be achieved by gluing the unit elements in place on a board, the resulting assemblage cannot be separated easiiy and convenienty for the next use. Magnet was once applied to the backside of the elements so that they could cling onto an iron plate for the same purpose, nevertheless this greatly increases the cost of production, therefore meanwhile decreasing its popularity.

Moreover, the repellence existing between the like poles of adjacent magnets limits the disposition of the elements, thus the player find it difficult to arrange his design at his will.

Mortise-and-tenon-joint-iike, mating male and female means were also provided on the unit elements to connect them together, but were found to give poor result, since the male means tends to be fractured, and the connection is confined to definite orientations. Furthermore, the resulting figure or designs are swill restricted to planar structure which is only adapted to be observed from around its normal direction.

Accordingly, its the chief object of this invention to provide a tangram with improved structure in which the disadvantages of yet known tangrams are obviated or mitigated.

Other and important objects of this invention will be apparent from the following description, claims and accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a typical conventional tangram; Figure 2 are three examplary figures defined by the tangram's elements; Figure 3 is a perspective view of an element of the tangram according to this invention; Figure 4 is a lateral view illustrating the connection of two adjacent elements according to this invention; Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing a preferred structure of an element according to this invention.

With reference now to the drawings, particularly Fig. 3 thereof, the element according to this invention comprises five stacking layers, namely an innermost relatively thick piece fabricated by soft and elastic material such as rubber or foam plastics capable of elastically holding something (hereinafter simply referred to as "elastic-ply" designated by the reference numeral 1); two like thin sheets respectively lying on the upper the lower sides of said elastic-ply (1), fabricated by transparent yet stiff materials, preferably transparent plastic, which thin sheets are hereinafter simply referred to as "transparent-plies" designated by the reference numberal (2), and the horizontal dimension of which are slightly larger than that of elastic layer (1); and two like outermost layers, preferably formed by hued acry, which layers are later simply referred to as "displaying-plies" (3), and the horizontal dimension of which is substantially the same as that of said elastic-ply (1). As the transparentplies are rather thin, and the contacting surfaces of two adjacent layers are not adhered together, but compactly pressed together by the sandwiching force of the two displayingplies (3), so that an element can engage with another elements by insetting the transparentplies of the former into the interstices between the displaying-plies (3') and transparent-plies (2'), or the transparent-plies (2') and elasticply (1'), of the later to elastically hold it therein, and so is the way of the transparentplies (2') of the latter.The insertion of a transparent-ply reaches a degree such that the edge of the displaying-ply of an element abuts against the same of its adjacent element in a side-to-side manner. Free of the trouble of dispersion, the resulting figures or designs can be taken up as an entity. The solid structure imparts the figure a scene of stereoscopic sense, thus enhancing the amusement and realism. The reason why the comparatively broad inserting layers, i.e. the transparent-plies should be fabricated by light-pervious material is that such layers would otherwise define an unsightly outline around the resulting figures and spoil or at least diminish the visual effect. To disassemble the figure for other combinations, the elements can be disengaged with one another by pulling them apart.

It is deducible from yet known arts to make the elastic-ply (1) and transparent-plies (2) to be sandwiched between the two opposite displaying-plies (3) so that a thin sheet can be resiliently held in between two stacking layers when inserted thereinto. The exploded view of a preferred embodiment in Fig. 5 demonstrates a satisfactory device, which, however, is not restrictive per se. There is provided a hollow triangular prism (4) which passes through the bores on the two transparent-plies (2) and the elastic-ply (1) the shapes and sizes of which bores are substantially the same as the cross section of the prism (4), and to the two ends of which are the two displaying-plies (3) adhered, by, for example, glue adhesion.

The height of prism (4) is substantially equal to the sum of the thickness of an elastic-ply and two transparent-plies.

Claims (3)

1. A tangram of which each element to build up figures or designs comprises five substantial layers stacking together, namely: an innermost relatively thick piece fabricated by soft and elastic material such as rubber or foam plastics capable of resiliently holding something, which piece is hereinafter referred to as elastic-ply; two like thin sheets respectively lying on the two opposite horizontal sides of said elasticply, fabricated by transparent yet stiff materials, preferably transparent plastic, which thin sheets are hereinafter simply referred to as transparent-plies; two like outermost layers, preferably formed by hued acry which are hereinafter referred to as displaying plies, and the horizontal dimension of which layer substantially coincides with that of said elastic-ply; said elastic-ply and transparent-plies being sandwiched between the two opposite displaying-plies so that all layers are tightly bound together so as to be capable of elastically holding one of said transparent-plies inserted into the interstice between any two adjacent layers, thereby engaging two elements together.

2. The tangram according to Claim 1, wherein said two displaying-plies are respectively adhered, preferably by glue adhesion, to the two opposite ends of a connecting member which penetrates through said two transparent-plies and elastic-plies and elastic-ply, and the length of which, i.e. the distance between its two opposite member, is substantially equal to the sum of the thickness of two said transparent-plies and one said elastic ply.

3. The tangram as substantially described hereinbefore according to the disclosure in connection with the annexed drawings.