WO1998008578A1

WO1998008578A1 - Improved cube for puzzle

Info

Publication number: WO1998008578A1
Application number: PCT/ES1997/000216
Authority: WO
Inventors: Manuel Cabezas Parra
Original assignee: Manuel Cabezas Parra
Priority date: 1996-08-30
Filing date: 1997-08-27
Publication date: 1998-03-05
Also published as: ES2111501A1; ES2111501B1

Abstract

The faces of the hexahedron or cube are articulated through its medial line so that they can be pivoted and the pattern situated on the outside is also represented in the back side of the plate (3) which embodies the respective 'face'. Thereby, the arrangement possibilities to form the pattern or image represented in the sheet selected amongst twelve possible sheets existing in the puzzle game are double. Means for retaining the plates in the position which is coplanar with the cubic configuration are also provided and are embodied preferably by protuberances (4) susceptible of being nested into complementary recess (5) provided in the matching surfaces of the edges of plates (3) in squares (2) which form the rigid structure of the cube edges.

Description

PERFECTED CUBE FOR PUZZLE OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, as expressed in the statement of this specification, refers to a cube perfected for puzzles, providing significant relevant and advantageous characteristics in relation to those that currently exist for similar purposes.

The type of cubes for puzzles, which focus the improvements object of the invention, allows the user to form the drawing of one of the sheets that are included in the puzzle game, since the reason that is represented in a A certain face is an aliquot of the sheet.

The object of the invention is to increase the degree of difficulty in the formation of the drawing or motif represented in one of the sheets.

BACKGROUND PE THE INVENTION In current puzzle games, of the type mentioned, it is offered as a maximum possibility of representing figures or motifs that complement a given image, making or forming six different images, coinciding with the six faces offered by a cube or hexahedron

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In general, the perfected puzzle cube, which is the object of the invention, allows the user to make up to twelve possible combinations to form the motif represented on the sample sheet, chosen from among the twelve possible ones that exist in the game.

To do this, the six faces of the hexahedron or cube, are articulated by one of its central lines, being able to rotate 180S so that in the turn another one of the represented motifs is found on the outside, thus giving the game greater difficulty by increasing to Double the number of composition possibilities.

The hexahedron or cube has a rigid structure located on the edges. The square plates articulate in respective semi-axes that emerge from the corresponding sides and that are interlocked in the midpoints of the edges.

It is also provided that there are means for retaining said plates to stabilize the cubic shape, that is, they can occupy a stable position in both turning positions so that the cubic configuration is not deformed.

These retention means are preferably materialized by small reliefs and complementary recesses, located respectively on the contact surfaces of the edge structure and the plates.

To facilitate the understanding of the features of the invention and as an integral part of this specification, a sheet of drawings is attached in whose figures, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1.- It is a partial and perspective view of a puzzle formed by a plurality of cubes that include the improvements according to the invention. The cubes shown are attached forming part of the motif represented in the chosen sheet, not shown in the figure.

Figure 2.- It is a perspective view and on a larger scale, of one of the cubes of Figure 1, with one of its faces in an intermediate turning position. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the numbering indicated in the figures, we can see that each of the cubes involved in the puzzle game built according to the invention, is generally referenced with the number 1 and it has a rigid structure formed by squares positioned in places corresponding to the respective edges of the cube or hexahedron, each of these squares that materialize the edges being referenced with the number 2.

As can be clearly seen in Figure 2, each of the "faces" of the hexahedron or cube can be turned around so that the motif represented on its inner face is placed on the outside, since the aforementioned cube is naturally hollow.

Reference 3 designates each of the articulated plates in respective axes coinciding with one of its midlines, interchangeably. In a preferred embodiment, these articulation axes of the plates 3 are materialized by semi-openwork axes in the central point of the edges of the plate and whose emergent portion is included in the respective hole made in the midpoint of the square 2 correspondent. Schematically shown in Figure 2 are these articulation axes, by two small lines that are cut. In one embodiment, the ends of the axes can be visible from the outside of the cube, thus giving greater constructive ease, but they can also be hidden by not emerging outside the square that materializes the corresponding edge.

Reference 4 of Figure 2 designates a pair of small reliefs located in the central area of the free edge of the plates 3, which are capable of being housed in respective recesses 5 provided correspondingly in the squares 2 of the rigid structure of the cube 1. Conversely, the reliefs 4 can be located on the corresponding face of the square 2 and it is the recesses 5 that are located in the free edges of the plates 3. These retention means (4-5) that allow to stabilize the configuration cubic, can existing in both songs and similarly, they could also occupy different positions than the one mentioned, or have a different geometry.

In the intermediate turning position offered by two of the plates that materialize the "faces" of the cube or hexahedron of Figure 2, we can partially see the inside of the cube and how the reverse of the other faces have different drawings to the motifs represented in the outside, corresponding to the other six sheets included in the puzzle game.

With this embodiment, this type of puzzle is given a greater appeal, since it takes more time for the user to learn the position that corresponds to the correct placement of the puzzle. Finally, it is possible to indicate by means of some type of signal on the frame, the side of the face where it must be pressed to rotate it or mark the arrangement of the axis of rotation.

Claims

CLAIMS 1.- PERFECTED CUBE FOR PUZZLES, of the type that include in their faces different drawings that can be combined with those of other existing cubes in variable number and integrated in the game, until forming the motifs represented in the sheets provided in said game puzzle, characterized in that each of the six faces of the cube is part of two square plates (3) that can articulate in respective axes that follow the midline of the faces, anchored to a rigid structure that follows the edges of the cube, thus enabling the turning of said plates (3) to offer one or the other of the motifs represented on both surfaces thereof, giving the game a greater difficulty by increasing the number of composition possibilities to double.

2. PERFECTED CUBE FOR PUZZLE, according to claim one, characterized in that the plates (3) incorporate in at least one of their edges, retention means (4-5) to stabilize the cubic shape.

3.- PERFECTED CUBE FOR PUZZLES, according to claim two, characterized in that the retaining means (4-5) are materialized by small reliefs (4) existing in the free edges of the plate (3), which can be fitted in respective recesses (5) of the rigid edge structure, or vice versa.