FR2723853A1 - Spherical puzzle with two pivoting half=shells - Google Patents

Abstract

The puzzle has a spherical base (2) formed of two hemispherical half-shells (21,22) which clip together and can pivot around an axle with respect to each other. Panels (3) have hooks (30) on their inner surfaces which clip into holes (20) distributed around the shells. The panels define grooves along which pieces (4), marked with different signs, slide. Each piece has a lower wall which fits the base and an upper wall which fits over two adjacent panels. The shells are turned to change the grooves and modify the combination of pieces.

Description

 The present invention relates to a spherical toy puzzle which comprises a plurality of sliding pieces marked with different signs moving along grooves which intersect on two semi-spherical half-shells nested one inside the other.

We change the combination of sliding parts by turning the semi-spherical half-shells relative to each other.

 A variety of toy puzzles including triangular, square, cylindrical puzzle bases, etc. have been published and have appeared on the toy market. These toy puzzles are easy to handle and can be configured in any variety of combinations.

 There is also a spherical toy puzzle composed of a spherical base having peripheral, intersecting grooves and a plurality of sliding parts moving in these grooves. By moving the sliding pieces from one groove to another, they can be placed in any variety of combinations. This spherical toy puzzle structure has drawbacks. As the sliding pieces can only be moved one after the other, the player cannot quickly change the combination of the sliding pieces.

When the sliding pieces have been placed in a certain combination, the next player can only start with the previous combination. In addition, the structure of the spherical toy puzzle tends to slide in the palm of the hands during play.

 According to one aspect of the present invention, the spherical toy puzzle comprises a spherical shell which is composed of two semi-spherical half-shells rotating around an axis relative to each of them, a plurality of partition panels mounted around the shell spherical and defining a plurality of intersecting grooves, and a plurality of sliding parts marked with different signs which move along the intersecting grooves.

 According to another aspect of the present invention, the intersecting grooves can be moved relative to each other in order to change the combination of the sliding parts by turning the semi-spherical half-shells relative to each other.

 According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the sliding parts have raised parts on their surface which cause friction and stimulate the palms of the user's hands when the latter rotates the semi-spherical half-shells with the hands.

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which. Figure 1 is an exploded view of a toy puzzle
spherical according to the present invention. Figure 2 shows assembled the spherical base and the
partition panels of the spherical toy puzzle of the
present invention Figure 3 is a cross section of the puzzle
spherical toy of the present invention. Figure 4 is an elevational view of the toy puzzle
spherical of the present invention.

 Referring to Figures 1 to 4, a spherical toy puzzle 1 according to the present invention is generally composed of a hollow spherical base 2, a plurality of partition panels 3, and sliding pieces 4. The spherical base is composed of a first semi-spherical half-shell 21 and of a second semi-spherical half-shell 22. The first and the second semi-spherical half-shells 21 and 22 are connected so as to be able to pivot one by compared to each other. The partition panels are mounted on the outer wall of the spherical base 2, defining the intersecting grooves for the sliding of the sliding parts 4.

 The first semi-spherical half-shell 21 has a central inner sleeve 23. The sleeve 23 has an annular groove 27 around its inner wall, and a plurality of mounting cavities 20 on the periphery. The second semispherical half-shell 22 has in the central inner position a split rod corresponding to the sleeve 23.

The split rod 24 has at its end an extended coupling zone 26 which is engaged in the annular groove 27. When the split rod is compressed radially, the extended coupling zone 26 can be inserted into the sleeve 23. After the connection from the extended coupling zone 26 towards the annular groove 27, it automatically deviates (because the compressive force is released), and thus the extended coupling zone 26 is pivotally retained by the annular groove 27 at the inside the sleeve 23. The first semi-spherical half-shell 21 has on its edge an annular groove 29. The second semi-spherical shell 22 has on its edge an annular projection 28 in correspondence with the annular groove 29. Small pins 25 and small cavities 25 ′ are produced respectively on the first and second semi-spherical half-shells 21 and 22 along the annular projection 28 and the annular groove e 29. The pins 25 and the cavities 25 ′ are engaged in one another in order to keep the first and second semi-spherical half-shells 21 and 22 offset from one another by a certain angle. When the first and second semi-spherical half-shells 21 and 22 are coupled, a line of rotation 200 is defined along the edge of the contact zone between the first and the second semi-spherical half-shells 21 and 22.

 The partition panels 3 are respectively mounted on the periphery of the spherical base 2. Each partition panel 3 has a lower part 31 of reduced size, and a coupling portion 30 shaped as a hook emerging from the center of the lower part 31 and inserted in each mounting cavity 20 of the spherical base 2. According to this embodiment, there are altogether eight partition panels 3 spaced apart on the spherical base 2 and defining three intersecting annular grooves, namely the X 201 groove, the groove Y 202, and the groove Z 203 (see Figures 2 and 3).

 The sliding parts 4 are shaped to slide in the grooves 201, 202 and 203. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, each sliding part 4 has a lower wall 42 which comes to match the periphery of the spherical base, an upper wall 41 which overlaps two adjacent partition panels 3 and having a plurality of raised points 43 on its surface, and a groove 40 which connects the upper wall 41 and the lower wall 42 and moves along one of the grooves 201, 202 or 203.

 When a sliding part 4 is moved towards any zone of intersection between any two grooves, the upper wall 41 overlaps four partition panels 3, and it can thus be pivoted at right angles and moved into another groove. For example, the sliding part 4 can be moved from the groove X 201 to the groove Y 202, or from the groove Z 203 to the groove X 201. Since the first semi-spherical half-shell 21 and the second half semi-spherical shell 22 can be pivoted relative to each other along the line of rotation 200, one can exchange the groove Y 202 and the groove Z 203. The pins 25 and the cavities 25 'are arranged to correspond to the groove X 201 and the groove Y 202, allowing the first and second semi-spherical shells 21 and 22 to change their relative position in angular steps of 90 ". This is why, when the first and the second half -semi-spherical shells 21 and 22 are pivoted relative to each other by an angle of 90, the sliding parts 4 of the groove Y 202 are found aligned with the sliding parts 4 of the groove Z 203.

 As indicated, the sliding parts 4 have reliefs 43 on their respective upper wall 41. The reliefs 43 make friction on the muscles of the hand, and stimulate the acupuncture points of the palm of the hand when the first and the second semi-spherical half-shells 21 and 22 are turned one relative to the other. The upper wall 41 of the sliding parts 4 can be printed in different colors or marked with different signs so that they can be positioned in any variety of combinations.

 Although only one version of the invention has been presented and described, it will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (4)

 1. Spherical toy puzzle including:. a spherical base (2) formed by two half-shells  semi-spherical (21) and (22) having a plurality  mounting cavities (20) distributed over the  periphery, said semi-spherical half-shells  can be rotated relative to each other by a  axis; . a plurality of partition panels (3) having  respectively a hooked coupling zone  respectively connected to a mounting cavity (20),  these partition panels (3) defining a  plurality of intersecting grooves around the  periphery of said spherical base (2) a plurality of sliding parts (4) moving  in the intersecting grooves presented above; and. in which the intersecting grooves are interchanged  to change the combination of parts  sliding when the semi-spherical half-shells  are rotated relative to each other.  2. Spherical toy puzzle according to claim 1 characterized in that the semi-spherical half-shells (21) and (22) comprise a first semi-spherical half-shell (21) having a sleeve (23) in the central interior position, and a second semi-spherical half-shell (22) having a split rod (24) adapted to the sleeve (23), this sleeve having an inner annular groove (27) peripheral to the internal wall, the split rod (24) having a conical head pivotally retained by the annular groove (27).  3. Spherical toy puzzle according to claim 1 characterized in that the sliding parts (4) have reliefs on the top, which make friction with the palm of the user's hands when the latter rotates the semi-spherical half shells with the hands.  4. Toy puzzle according to claim 1 characterized in that the semi-spherical half-shells have pins (25) and cavities (25 ') engaged in each other in order to maintain the intersecting character of the grooves.