GB2373196A

GB2373196A - A Puzzle

Info

Publication number: GB2373196A
Application number: GB0201663A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Zoran Vasilevic
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-01-26
Filing date: 2002-01-25
Publication date: 2002-09-18
Also published as: GB0201663D0; GB0102050D0

Abstract

The puzzle has a sphere (1) with three great circle tracks (2) intersecting at right angles and separating eight equal spherical triangles. Tiles (4) are captive in the tracks and each annular array of tiles can be shifted circumferentially. Contiguous triangles are mutually distinguishable, as by colour, and the tiles (4) are partitioned and finished to match the adjacent triangular when in their initial positions. Each triangle then has a uniform matching border. By randomly, shifting the annular arrays the tiles (4) are mixed up around the sphere (1), creating non-uniform borders. To solve the puzzle the user has to restore the tiles to their initial positions.

Description

A Puzzle This invention concerns puzzles of the kind where mixed up elements must be restored to a particular order or pattern.

According to the present invention there is provided a puzzle comprising a sphere with three great circle tracks intersecting at right angles, and elements captive to the tracks but slidable therealong, wherein, in an initial arrangement of said elements each of the eight spherical triangles defined by the centre lines of the three annular arrays of elements are distinguishable from the adjacent spherical triangles, the borders of the triangles provided by said elements being compatible with their respective interiors, and wherein by shifting the arrays one at a time circumferentially of the sphere the borders of the triangles become incompatible at least in part with their respective interiors, the puzzle being to restore the elements to said initial arrangement having been shifted to an incompatible one.

The distinction between spherical triangles is conveniently by colour, but it could be by pattern (for example different hatching), or it could even be by texture, for the blind. It is not necessary for all eight triangles to be different-there can be matching ones but they should not be contiguous.

Preferably the tracks are channels whose centres lie along the great circles and the elements are of part

spherical square shape and of a size that substantially fills an intersecting zone of any two channels. For convenience, these elements will mostly be referred to as tiles. Their retention in the channels is conveniently by tongue and groove engagement, the edges of the tiles being grooved and the sides of the channels having tongues or ribs. There may be loose, independent tongues bridging adjacent tiles in the arrays to give continuity to the fixed tongues along the sides of the channels across the intersecting zones.

There are six intersecting zones and so, with distinction by colour, in the initial arrangement there is a tile at each such zone, quartered in different colours.

The other tiles are halved in different colours.

To ensure correct registry of the tiles at the intersecting zones (necessary so that either array crossing at that zone can be moved circumferentially) there may be spring detents to engage the tiles. There need only be two detents: one at one intersecting zone and the other anywhere along the channel not associated with that zone.

Conveniently, each tile has a shallow part-spherical depression at the centre of its underside providing a seat for engagement by the detents, those each being a ball spring-urged radially outwardly from the sphere.

The exposed faces of the tiles may have formations, such as depressions, ribs or textured surfaces, to allow them to be pushed round the sphere more easily than smooth

tiles.

The sphere may be constructed in various ways. For example it could be composed of eight equal sectors, each with three flat sides mutually at right angles and a partspherical side bounded by rebates that form parts of the channels. The mutual attachment of the sectors is advantageously reversible to allow the user to dismantle the sphere and release the tiles. Thus, if completely defeated, he can readily restore the tiles to their proper order, thereby allowing a restart from the original position.

Alternatively, the sphere may have a spherical core, solid or hollow, to which eight equilateral triangular shells are attached, forming between them the channels.

Here also the attachment of the shells to the core could be reversible to allow the user to release the tile.

For a better understanding of the invention, one embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is an overall view of a spherical puzzle, Figure 2 is detail of part of the puzzle, developed into a flat plane, Figure 3 is a cross-section of a channel in the surface of the sphere and a tile guided thereby, with a locating device, Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the sphere in the region of an intersection of two arrays of

spheres, and Figure 5 is an overall view of similar spherical puzzle of increased difficulty.

The puzzle of Figures 1 to 4 has a sphere 1 as its base member. Three channels 2 in its surface, along great circles, intersect at right angles at six zones 3, only three of which are visible. Tiles 4 are captive in these channels and occupy them fully, so that there are three annular arrays. The tiles at the intersection zones 3 are common to two arrays.

There are eight equilateral spherical triangles defined by the great circles and each can be distinguished from the next, by colour in this example. In the initial arrangement the intersecting zones have tiles quartered in different colours, while the remaining tiles are halved in different colours, so that each triangle is of one uniform colour. However, each array can be moved circumferentially and this will alter the borders of the triangles. After several movements these borders become haphazardly variegated. The challenge then is to shift the arrays back again in the correct sequence to obtain the original appearance.

As seen in Figures 2,3 and 4, the channels 2 are shallow with inwardly projecting ribs 5 at the mid-height of their sides. The tiles have complementary grooves 6 in each edge and those of one opposed pair of edges are engaged by the ribs 5 to make them captive. The ribs 5 do

not of course extend across the intersecting zones 3 but, to provide continuity there, adjacent tiles of each array are spanned by infill strips 7 engaged in the grooves 6 of the other opposed pair.

To ease moving the tiles, their outer surfaces have shallow depressions 8 (shown only in Figures 2 and 3) for finger tips.

To position the tiles correctly after each movement, particularly those at the intersecting zones so that either of the arrays crossing there can be shifted, the sphere has locators as shown in Figure 3. A ball bearing 9 is urged radially outwardly by a spring 10 in a recess 11 to engage in a central recess 12 in the underside of whatever tile is directly above. When the ball 9 properly locates with a light snap action, that tile is correctly positioned, and so are all the other tiles in the array. If the locator is at an intersecting zone 3, then it positions two arrays correctly, and only one other locator is needed (although more may be provided) and that will co-operate with the third array. It can be at any point circumferentially of the time sphere compatible with having full tiles at the intersections.

It will be understood that there are many other different ways of locating the tiles. For example, the ribs 5 and grooves 6 could have small interchangeable projections and notches which would not seriously impede movement of the tiles, but which would enable the player to

sense that the tiles were properly registered.

Instead of relying just on colour in the spherical triangles, there might be shapes or symbols bridging at least some dividing lines between the tiles and the sphere, as shown in Figure 5. Then the player would not only have to match up the colours; he would also have to get the tiles in the correct order so that the shapes or symbols were correctly completed. For example, a half triangle opposite a semicircle would not be permissible.

These shapes or symbols could be etched into the material.

Two possible ways of constructing the sphere have been outlined above. The mutual attachment of the sectors, or the attachment of the shells to the core, may be by studs snapping into sockets, and while this could be made irreversible it will generally be preferred that the engagement should allow the parts to be prised apart.

On assembly of the sphere made up from sectors, two hemispheres may be constructed first, with tiles in the quartering channels and with the tiles around the rim of one of those hemispheres, in the rebate that forms half of one channel. The other hemisphere can then be married up and attached, completing the trapping of the tiles. To prevent their premature escape, the tiles may be taped together and to the sectors, the tape being stripped away when assembly is completed.

On assembly of the sphere with a core and shells, seven shells can be fitted and the tiles inserted in the channels. The final shell would probably need easy tolerances tiles to be taped around its periphery, and for those to be worked into place as the shell is pressed home.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A puzzle comprising a sphere with three great circle tracks intersecting at right angles, and elements captive to the tracks but slidable therealong, wherein, in an initial arrangement of said elements each of the eight spherical triangles defined by the centre lines of the three annular arrays of elements are distinguishable from the adjacent spherical triangles, the borders of the triangles provided by said elements being compatible with their respective interiors, and wherein by shifting the arrays one at a time circumferentially of the sphere the borders of the triangles become incompatible at least in part with their respective interiors, the puzzle being to restore the elements to said initial arrangement having been shifted to an incompatible one.
2. A puzzle as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the distinction between spherical triangles is by colour.
3. A puzzle as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the distinction between spherical triangles is by pattern.
4. A puzzle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the distinction between spherical triangles is by texture.
5. A puzzle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the tracks are channels whose centres lie along the great circles and the elements are of part-spherical square shape and of a size that substantially fills an intersecting zone of any two channels.
6. A puzzle as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the retention

of the elements in the channels is by tongue and groove engagement, the edges of the elements being grooved and the sides of the channels having tongues or ribs.
7. A puzzle as claimed in Claim 6, wherein there are loose, independent tongues bridging adjacent tiles in the arrays to give continuity to the fixed tongues along the sides of the channels across the intersecting zones.
8. A puzzle as claimed in Claim 5,6 or 7, wherein, elements to ensure correct registry of the elements at the intersecting zones, there are spring detents to engage the elements.
9. A puzzle as claimed in Claim 8, wherein there are two detents, one at one intersecting zone and the other anywhere along the channel not associated with that zone.
10. A puzzle as claimed in Claim 8 or 9, wherein each element has a shallow part-spherical depression at the centre of its underside providing a seat for engagement by the detents, those each being a ball spring-urged radially outwardly from the sphere.
11. A puzzle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the exposed faces of the elements have formations, to allow them to be pushed round the sphere more easily than smooth elements.
12. A puzzle as claimed in Claim 5 and any other preceding claim, wherein the sphere is composed of eight equal sectors, each with three flat sides mutually at right angles and a part-spherical side bounded by rebates that

form parts of the channels.
13. A puzzle as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the mutual attachment of the sectors is reversible to allow the user to dismantle the sphere and release the elements.
14. A puzzle as claimed in Claim 5 or any preceding claim, wherein the sphere has a spherical core to which eight equilateral triangular shells are attached, forming between them the channels.
15. A puzzle as claimed in Claim 14, wherein the attachment of the shells to the core is reversible to allow the user to release the elements.
16. A puzzle substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.