GB2183166A

GB2183166A - Puzzle cubes

Info

Publication number: GB2183166A
Application number: GB08624636A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leslie James Heaton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-10-16
Filing date: 1986-10-14
Publication date: 1987-06-03
Also published as: GB8624636D0; GB8525431D0; GB2183166B

Abstract

The puzzle includes thirteen different pieces comprising one tetromino 10, nine pentominoes 12, 14, 16, 18, 22, 26, 30, 32 and 34 each including cube elements which extend in three directions, and three pentominoes 20, 24 and 28 each including cube elements which extend in two directions only. The pieces can be assembled to form a solid cube in many different configurations. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Puzzle cubes The present invention relates to puzzle cubes which are made up of a number of separate pieces. In this specification where the word ''cube" is used, it will be appreciated that the term is meant to cover not only an item having six square sides of exactly the same size but also items having six sides of similar size or the same general size.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a cube is characterised in that it is made up of more than seven separate pieces at least some of which are of different shape.

Preferably none of the pieces are the same shape as any other piece.

There may be thirteen pieces in the cube.

The majority of the pieces may comprise pentominoes, pentominoes comprising pieces which can be divided into five substantially identical cube elements with the divisions coming at coincident faces of the elements, the cube elements extending in more than one direction.

Twelve of the pieces in the cube may comprise pentominoes, and there may be one additional piece comprising a tetromino which can be divided into four substantially identical cube elements with the divisions coming at coincident faces of the elements, the cube elements extending in more than one direction.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, more than seven separate pieces are provided at least some of which are of different shapes, the shapes being capable of being assembled into a cube.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a puzzle comprises more than seven pieces, at least some of which can be divided into cube elements extending in more than one direction with the division of the cube elements coming at coincident faces of the elements, at least one of the pieces including four cube elements and at least one of the pieces including five cube elements.

The present invention also includes any combination of the above described features and limitations.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways, but one embodiment will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one piece of the puzzle comprising a tetromino; Figures 2 to 13 are perspective views of the remaining pieces of the puzzle, each piece comprising a pentomino; Figures 14 to 26 are perspective views showing the assembly of the cube with one piece being added at a time, and Figures 27 to 29 are perspective views of the assembled cube from different angles.

The piece 10 shown in Fig. 1 is known as a tetromino and can be divided into four iden tical sized cubes 1 0a to d, the divisions being shown in chain lines.

The pieces 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32 and 34 shown in Figs. 2 to 13 are pentominoes and they can each be divided into five identical sized cubes, as shown in 12a to e in Fig. 2, with the divisions shown in chain lines. None of the shapes shown in Figs.

2 to 12 are the same, and each extends in more than one direction.

The pentominoes 12, 14, 16, 18, 22, 26, 30, 32 and 34, each include cube elements which extend in three directions and the pentomines 20, 24 and 28 each include cube elements which extend in two directions only.

Figs. 14 to 26 show one possible sequence of assembling the pieces shown in Figs. 1 to 13 into a cube, commencing in Fig. 14, with piece 10, and then adding sequentially the pieces shown in Figs. 2 to 13 until the completed cube is shown in Fig. 26. Figs 27 to 29 are perspective views taken on different corners of the cube identified by arrows 128 and 129 in Fig. 26 and arrow 127 in Fig. 29.

In practice there are many possible configurations or sequences in which the pieces may be assembled into a cube and these may be of the order of several 100, 1000 or 2000 such configurations or sequences.

1. A cube including a plurality of pentomin pieces each defined as a piece which can be theoretically divided into five substantially identical cube elements with the divisions coming at coincident faces of the elements, the cube including a first type of pentomino piece in which the extent of the piece in one direction is the width of one cube element and a second type of pentomino piece in which the extent of the piece in all directions is at least the width of two cube elements.

2. A cube as claimed in Claim 1 in which there are a plurality of the first type of pentomino piece.

3. A cube as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which there are a plurality of the second type of pentomino piece.

4. A cube as claimed in any preceding claim in which shape of each pentomino piece is different from that of other pentomino pieces.

5. A cube as claimed in any preceding claim including a tetromino piece which can be theoretically divided into four substantially identical cube elements with the divisions coming at coincident faces of the elements.

6. A cube as claimed in any preceding claim including a plurality of both the first and second types of pentomino piece.

7. A cube as claimed in any preceding claim including more than seven pentomino pieces.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Puzzle cubes The present invention relates to puzzle cubes which are made up of a number of separate pieces. In this specification where the word ''cube" is used, it will be appreciated that the term is meant to cover not only an item having six square sides of exactly the same size but also items having six sides of similar size or the same general size. According to one aspect of the present invention, a cube is characterised in that it is made up of more than seven separate pieces at least some of which are of different shape. Preferably none of the pieces are the same shape as any other piece. There may be thirteen pieces in the cube. The majority of the pieces may comprise pentominoes, pentominoes comprising pieces which can be divided into five substantially identical cube elements with the divisions coming at coincident faces of the elements, the cube elements extending in more than one direction. Twelve of the pieces in the cube may comprise pentominoes, and there may be one additional piece comprising a tetromino which can be divided into four substantially identical cube elements with the divisions coming at coincident faces of the elements, the cube elements extending in more than one direction. According to a further aspect of the present invention, more than seven separate pieces are provided at least some of which are of different shapes, the shapes being capable of being assembled into a cube. According to another aspect of the present invention, a puzzle comprises more than seven pieces, at least some of which can be divided into cube elements extending in more than one direction with the division of the cube elements coming at coincident faces of the elements, at least one of the pieces including four cube elements and at least one of the pieces including five cube elements. The present invention also includes any combination of the above described features and limitations. The invention may be carried into practice in various ways, but one embodiment will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one piece of the puzzle comprising a tetromino; Figures 2 to 13 are perspective views of the remaining pieces of the puzzle, each piece comprising a pentomino; Figures 14 to 26 are perspective views showing the assembly of the cube with one piece being added at a time, and Figures 27 to 29 are perspective views of the assembled cube from different angles. The piece 10 shown in Fig. 1 is known as a tetromino and can be divided into four iden tical sized cubes 1 0a to d, the divisions being shown in chain lines. The pieces 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32 and 34 shown in Figs. 2 to 13 are pentominoes and they can each be divided into five identical sized cubes, as shown in 12a to e in Fig. 2, with the divisions shown in chain lines. None of the shapes shown in Figs. 2 to 12 are the same, and each extends in more than one direction. The pentominoes 12, 14, 16, 18, 22, 26, 30, 32 and 34, each include cube elements which extend in three directions and the pentomines 20, 24 and 28 each include cube elements which extend in two directions only. Figs. 14 to 26 show one possible sequence of assembling the pieces shown in Figs. 1 to 13 into a cube, commencing in Fig. 14, with piece 10, and then adding sequentially the pieces shown in Figs. 2 to 13 until the completed cube is shown in Fig. 26. Figs 27 to 29 are perspective views taken on different corners of the cube identified by arrows 128 and 129 in Fig. 26 and arrow 127 in Fig. 29. In practice there are many possible configurations or sequences in which the pieces may be assembled into a cube and these may be of the order of several 100, 1000 or 2000 such configurations or sequences. CLAIMS

8. A cube as claimed in Claim 6 and 7 including three of the first type of pentomino pieces and nine of the second type of pentomino pieces.

9. A cube as claimed in any preceding claim in which the pieces can be arranged in a plurality of configurations in order to define a cube.

10. A cube as claimed in Claim 9 in which the pieces can be arranged in a great number of different configurations in order to define a cube, and possibly in the region of 1000 or 2000 such configurations.

11. A cube substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

12. A plurality of pentomino pieces each defined as a piece which can be theoretically divided into five substantially identical cube elements with the divisions coming at coincident faces of the elements, the pieces including a first type in which the extent of the piece in one direction is the width of one cube element and a second type in which the extent of the piece in all directions is at least the width of two cube elements, and a tetromino piece which can be theoretically divided into four substantially identical cube elements with the divisions coming at coincident faces of the elements, the pieces being arranged to be assembled into a cube.

13. A plurality of pieces as claimed in Claim 12 in which the pieces include any of the features defined in Claims 1 to 11.

14. A plurality of pieces arranged to be assembled into a cube substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawings.