WO2016048168A1

WO2016048168A1 - Improvements in and relating to puzzles and the manufacture thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2016048168A1
Application number: PCT/NZ2015/050157
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Ross Kessell
Original assignee: Edge Ip Limited
Priority date: 2014-09-22
Filing date: 2015-09-21
Publication date: 2016-03-31

Abstract

A spatial logic puzzle core piece which includes at least one aperture passing through said piece wherein the aperture is located on an outer face of said piece; at least one protrusion adjacent an edge, or a portion of an edge, of said aperture, and wherein the protrusions extend outwardly from said outer face; wherein said puzzle core piece is substantially hollow.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO PUZZLES AND THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to puzzles and the manufacture thereof. In particular, the present invention relates to moulded puzzle pieces and the manufacture thereof via injection moulding. The present invention also provides a new type of coloured spatial logic puzzle and pieces therefor.

BACKGROUND ART

For ease of reference only the present invention will now be discussed in relation to coloured spatial logic puzzles such as RUBIKS™ cube and the like. It will be understood that the present invention may also have application to other types of puzzle which utilize pieces made via injection moulding.

Conventional spatial puzzles such as RUBIKS™ cube described in US 4,378,116 (herein now referred to simply as a Puzzle Cube) have a series of plastic puzzle blocks which are held together via a mutually orthogonal tri-axis cruciform fastener with centre blocks at the distal end of each axis.

The segments or blocks of a Puzzle Cube have a fixed shape which is formed by the injection moulding process. The puzzles are created by applying coloured stickers or tiles to the outer surface of each of the Puzzle Cube, One colour for each face of the cube formed from the blocks.

However, one of the manufacturing drawbacks with a conventional Puzzle Cube relates to the application of stickers or tiles to the outer surface of the blocks and/ or additional surface walls so blocks do not look hollow when twisted, which can:

- be labour intensive;

- be time consuming;

- require precision which can lead to added expense if mistakes are made in application of the stickers or tiles.

A further issue with existing Puzzle Cubes is that should a user get frustrated solving the puzzle and want to start again it is difficult to reset the puzzle.

It would also be useful if a Puzzle Cube had a more ergonomic look and feel. It would also be useful if a Puzzle Cube could have an interchangeable surface.

It would also be useful if a Puzzle Cube could use coloured plastic or other materials to create the puzzle pieces themselves and forgo the need for stickers or tiles.

Furthermore, a Puzzle Cube which could be modified to allow one to change the shape and configuration of the surface would be useful.

It would also be useful if there could be provided a Puzzle Cube which can have a complex surface shape.

It would also be useful if there could be provided a two part injection moulding solution to manufacture complex shaped parts for a puzzle.

It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country.

Throughout this specification, the word "comprise", or variations thereof such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new coloured spatial logic puzzle, a new method of two part injection moulding to form protrusions located away from an edge of a moulded part, new puzzle pieces and a new puzzle assembly along with other inventive aspects which will become apparent from the ensuing description.

The term 'pattern' as used herein refers to any form or design capable of being used to differentiate one 2-D or 3-D area from an adjacent 2-D or 3-D area. The term pattern as used herein therefore includes a repeated form or design and may include: the use of one or more shapes or symbols; the use of embossing or other differences in surface contours or representations thereon.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a coloured spatial logic puzzle which is spatially divided into 6 different independently rotatable faces which can rotate about one of 3 mutually orthogonal axes, wherein each face has four edges, comprising 3 edge segments, wherein the edges bound a centre segment and wherein the edge segments each include a coloured or patterned outer surface which corresponds to one of two to four, colours or patterns, depicted on an outer surface of the centre segment, in quadrants or regions, of the centre segment corresponding to an adjacent edge of the face.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a coloured spatial logic puzzle substantially as described above wherein the coloured or patterned outer surface is provided by surface pieces, which connect to the edge segments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figures 1a-d show an intermediary core piece according to one preferred embodiment of an aspect of the present invention. In particular, Figure 1a is a perspective view, Figure 1 b is a side view, Figure 1 c is a front view and Figure 1 d is a bottom view;

Figures 2a-d show a corner core piece according to one preferred embodiment of a further aspect of the present invention. In particular, Figure 2a is a front perspective view, Figure 2b is a semi-perspective side view, Figure 2c is a front view and Figure 2d is a bottom view;

Figures 3a-e show a surface piece which connects in use to the intermediary core piece of

Figure 1. In particular, Figure 3a is a perspective view, Figure 3b is a front view, Figure 3c is a bottom perspective view, Figure is a bottom view, and Figure 3e is a top view;

Figures 4a-d shows a surface piece which connects in use to the corner core piece of Figure

2. In particular, Figure 4 is a top view, Figure 4b is a top perspective view, Figure 4c is a bottom perspective view looking from direction A, and Figure 4d is a bottom perspective view looking from direction B; Figure 5 shows an alternate intermediary core piece to that of Figure 1 according a further preferred embodiment of the present invention (this drawing has a core piece having apertures which receive a protrusion on a surface piece);

Figure 6 shows a cross sectional view of a schematic detailing a two piece mould for injection moulding of a core piece similar to shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 7 shows a cross sectional view of a schematic mould piece produced via the mould of Figure 7;

Figures 8a-b show a prior art cruciform fastener into which the intermediary and corner core pieces of Figures 1 and 2 (or alternately Figure 5) fit(s);

Figure 9a-c shows a spatial puzzle assembly according to the present invention which includes the core pieces shown in Figures 1a - d and 2a -d to which surface pieces such as depicted in Figures 3a-e and 4a-d can be fitted thereto. In particular, Figure12a shows a perspective view, Figure 12b shows a shaded perspective view and Figure 12c shows a top plan view;

Figure 10 shows a spatial puzzle assembly as shown in Figure 9 which includes surfaces pieces located thereon;

Figure 11 shows a spatial puzzle utilising the assembly shown in Figure 10 which includes a coloured puzzle thereon which is depicted on the surface pieces and centre segments in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention;

Figure 12a-c shows a spatial puzzle assembly according to the present invention which

includes the core pieces similar to that shown in Figure 5;

Figure 13 shows another form of coloured spatial puzzle according to another aspect of the present invention;

Figure 14 there is shown an alternate outer face centre cap according to a further aspect of the present invention;

Figure 15 there is shown an alternate embodiment of the centre cap; and

Figure 16 shows an underside perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a surface piece to that shown in in Figure 3.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Figures 1a - d illustrate an intermediary core piece 1 from a number of different perspectives. The intermediary core piece 1 has an outer surface 2 and an aperture 3 which passes through said outer surface. Adjacent a bottom edge 4 of said aperture 3 is a protrusion 5 which extends outwardly from the outer face 2. The core piece 1 also has locking tabs 6 and 7 which under engage, in use, the mating surface of adjacent central core blocks located on the ends of each arm of a cruciform fastener as shown in Figure 8b. The core piece 1 also has a mating surface 8.

Figures 2a - d depict a corner core piece 10 from a variety of different views. The corner core piece 10 has an outer surface 11 and apertures 12 and 13 which pass through said outer surface. Adjacent the bottom edges of said apertures 12 and 13 are protrusions 14 and 15 which extend outwardly from the outer face 11. The outer face 11 also has a protrusion 16 thereon situated above and between protrusions 14 and 15. The core piece 10 also has locking tabs 18, and 19 which engage, in use, with the mating surface of adjacent central core blocks located on the ends of each arm of a cruciform fastener as shown in Figure 8b and the mating surface 8 of adjacent intermediary core pieces as shown in Figures 1a - 1d.

In Figures 3a - 3e there is shown a surface piece 20 from a number of different perspectives. The surface piece 20 has an outer surface 21 an inner surface 22 which has two protrusions 23 thereon. The protrusions 23 define an inner area 24 therebetween dimensioned to frictionally engage, in use, the outside of protrusion 5 on intermediary core piece 1 in Figures 1a - d.

In Figures 4a - 4d there is depicted a surface piece 30 illustrated from a few different views. The surface piece 30 has an outer surface 31 an inner surface 32 which has four protrusions 33 thereon. The protrusions 33 define a rectangular area a rectangular dimensioned to frictionally engage, in use, the outside of one of the protrusions 14, 15 or 16 on comer core piece 10 in Figures 2a - d,

Figure 5 shows an alternate embodiment intermediary core piece 40 and surface piece 41 to those shown in Figures 1a-d and Figures 2a -d. The key difference of the core pieces 40 and surface pieces 41 is that the protrusion 42 for connecting the two pieces 40 and 41 together is located on the surface piece 41 and the protrusion 42 frictionally fits into an aperture 43 on the outer surface 44 of the core piece 40. Figure 5 is therefore illustrative of how the principles of the present invention can be implemented in a different way without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Figure 6 depicts a two part mould 70 for injection moulding which has a male mould part 71 and a female mould part 72. The male mould part 71 has an outer surface 73 with a protrusion 74 thereon. The protrusion 74 is separated from the tip 75 of the male mould part 71 by a distance X. The female mould part 72 has a recess 76 receives the protrusion 74 on the male mould part 71 , The recess 76 provides a gap Y between a wall 77 of the recess 76 and the protrusion 74 into which mould material (not shown can be received). This configuration of mould parts enables a finished mould product 80 as shown in Figure 7 to be manufactured which has a protrusion 81 on its outer surface 85 which is located a distance X from the tip (point) 82 of the mould product 80. The protrusion 81 is adjacent an edge 83 of an aperture 84.

In Figures 8a and 8b there is shown a prior art cruciform assembly 100. The assembly 100 has a cruciform fastener 300 having arms 101 and 102 situated along axis A-A, and arms 103, 104 situated along axis B-B, and arms 105,106 situated on axis C-C. The respective axes A-A, B-B and C-C all being mutually orthogonal to one another. At the distal end of each of the arms are centre core pieces in the form of centre segments 107. The centre segments on the arms located on axes B-B and C-C have apertures which are dimensioned to allow them to click onto arms 103, 104 and 105,106 which have tapered snap fit ends 108 thereon. The distal end of arms 101 ,102 have a threaded aperture which receives a screw 109 which connects the centre segments 107 on the distal end of the arms located on axis A-A. The aforementioned screw 109 also retains a spring thereon (not shown) which enables the frictional force imparted by the centre segments 107 to be adjusted - in the conventional manner - to control how freely the segments of the puzzle can rotate. An outer face piece 110 is designed to click into the open end 111 of centre segments 107. The locking tabs 6, 7 and 1 , 18 and 19 on the core pieces shown in Figures 1 and 2 engage with mating surface 112 shown in Figure 8b on the centre segments 107.

In Figures 9a-c there is shown a puzzle assembly 200 which has intermediary core pieces 1 (as shown in Figures 1a-d) and corner pieces 10 (as shown in Figures 2a-e) fitted to a prior art cruciform assembly (not shown) but having centre segments 107 (as shown in Figures 8a and 8b).

In Figure 10 the core pieces 1 and 10 have surface pieces 20 and 30 attached thereto depicted previously in Figures 3 and 4.

In Figure 11 there is shown a coloured spatial puzzle 300 which has coloured surface pieces 301 and 302 on each edge of the puzzle 300. The puzzle 300 is made up of 6 faces of which only 3 can be seen in Figure 11.

The puzzle 300 also has a centre segment 303 which is divided into four colours one for each edge of the segment.

Figure 11 shows the puzzle 300 in its solved state. Rotating the different faces (of which three are shown) randomly from the solved state creates the puzzle to be solved in the same manner as occurs for RUBIKS™ cube.

In Figures 12a-c there is shown a puzzle assembly 400 which has intermediary core pieces 401 and corner pieces 402 fitted to a prior art cruciform assembly (not shown) but having centre segments 107 (as shown in Figures 8a and 8b). With respect to Figure 13 there is shown a coloured spatial puzzle 500 which has each edge (as illustrated by edges 501 and 502) having three like coloured segments and wherein the puzzle had a plain black centre segment 503. As can be seen the different edges have different colours thereon; and

With respect to Figures 14a-b there is shown an alternate outer centre cap 700 (to the centre cap used in Figure 11 ) which can form the basis of a puzzle in accordance with the present invention. The outer centre cap 700 has four patterns a -d which would also be represented on the edge segments (not shown). The outer centre cap 700 has a protruding lip 701 around the edge thereof which fnctionally firs into the centre segment as shown in Figures 8a or 12a.

In Figure 15 there is shown an exploded view alternate embodiment of centre cap generally indicated by arrow 100 (as is shown in Figure 11 ) formed from a centre cross body 101 and four side edge pieces a-d which fnctionally fit onto the cross body 101. The cross body 101 has four legs 102 which are positioned and dimensioned so as to frictionally engage the corners of the centre segment 107-as shown in Figures 8a or 12a.

In Figure 16 there is a surface piece 200 having an outer surface (not shown) and an inner surface 220 which has a sleeve 230 which frictionally engages, in use, the outside of protrusion 5 on intermediary core piece 1 in Figures 1a - d.

DETAILED DISCUSSION INCLUDING ALTERNATE WAYS TO IMPLEMENT THE PRESENT INVENTION

Puzzle Assembly Core Pieces

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a spatial logic puzzle core piece which includes:

- at least one aperture passing through said piece wherein the aperture is located on an outer face of said piece;

- at least one protrusion adjacent an edge, or a portion of an edge, of said aperture, and wherein the protrusions extend outwardly from said outer face; wherein said puzzle core piece is substantially hollow.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a spatial logic puzzle core piece substantially as described above wherein there are two apertures passing through said piece, and wherein there are three protrusions extending outwardly from said outer face.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided a spatial logic puzzle core piece substantially as described above which include locking tabs extending from the inner portion of the piece to under engage a mating surface of adjacent central core blocks located on the ends of each arm of each mutually orthogonal axes of a cruciform fastener.

The protrusion is configured in use to engage with a receiving portion on a surface piece as outlined elsewhere in this specification.

Alternate Puzzle Assembly Core Pieces

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention there is provided a spatial logic puzzle core piece which includes:

- an aperture, or

- at least two protrusions, or

- a walled recess; which define an inner area dimensioned to frictionally engage, in use, a protrusion extending outwardly from an inner face of a surface piece: so as to retain the surface piece thereon; wherein said puzzle core piece is substantially hollow.

Surface Puzzle Pieces

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention there is provided a spatial logic puzzle surface piece which includes: an outer surface; an inner surface which comprises:

- an aperture, or,

- at least two protrusions, or,

- a walled recess; which define an inner area dimensioned to frictionally engage, in use, a protrusion extending outwardly from an outer face of a core piece: so as to be retained thereon.

According to a eighth aspect of the present invention there is provided a spatial logic puzzle surface piece which includes an outer face has a surface which is at least partially concave or similarly curved to receive the tip of a person's thumb or finger, or a part thereof.

Alternate Surface Puzzle Pieces

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention there is provided a spatial logic puzzle surface piece which includes: an outer surface; and an inner surface which comprises at least one protrusion thereon.

PUZZLE Assembly ITSELF (alternate claim)

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention there is provided a coloured spatial logic puzzle assembly which includes a plurality of core pieces substantially as described above.

Mould Parts

According to a 11th aspect of the present invention there is provided a male mould part for a two piece mould which includes a protrusion on an outer surface thereof, and wherein said protrusion is positioned on said outer surface so as to be separated from and edge, or other point, bounding said male mould part by a distance X.

According to an 12th aspect of the present invention there is provided a female mould part for a two piece mould which includes a recess for receiving, in use, the protrusion on a male mould part which is located on said outer surface so as to be separated from and edge, or other point, bounding said male mould part by a distance X; said recess being dimensioned to also provide a gap between said protrusion on the male mould part, into which, mould material can be received therein, so as to form a projection on the finished moulded product.

Method Of Moulding

According to an 13th aspect of the present invention there is provided a method to produce an external protrusion on an outer surface of a substantially hollow injection moulded part via a two piece mould, the method comprising the steps of: a) manufacturing male core mould part which includes at least one protrusion on an outer surface thereof, wherein said protrusion is positioned on said outer surface so as to be separated from and edge, or other point, bounding said male mould part by a distance X; b) manufacturing a female core mould part which has a shape substantially corresponding with that of the male mould core part so that the male mould can be received therein but further dimensioned so that there Is an enclosed gap existing between said male and female parts when coupled together, and wherein said female core mould part includes at least one recess on an internal surface which is positioned to align with the protrusion(s) on the male part so that there is an enclosed gap therebetween.

Intermediate Puzzle Assembly

According to an 14th aspect of the present invention there is provided a spatial puzzle assembly which includes: a cruciform fastener comprising 3 mutually orthogonal axes which have 6 centre segments one at the distal end of each axis;

12 mid segments which comprises an outer surface which has a protrusion thereon; 8 corner segments which comprise an outer surface which has a protrusion thereon. Full Puzzle Assembly

According to an 15th aspect of the present invention there is provided a spatial puzzle assembly substantially as described above wherein the puzzle includes a surface pieces which include: an outer surface; an inner surface which comprises;

• an aperture,

• at least two protrusions, or

• a walled recess, which define an inner area dimensioned to frictionally engage, in use, said protrusion on said mid and comer segments so as to be retained thereon.

Variant Intermediate Puzzle Assembly

According to an 16th aspect of the present invention there is provided a spatial puzzle assembly which includes: a cruciform fastener comprising arms situated on 3 mutually orthogonal axes which have 6 centre segments one at the distal end of each axis;

12 mid segments and 8 corner segments which include:

- an aperture, or

- at least two protrusions, or

- a walled recess; which define an inner area dimensioned to frictionally engage, in use, a protrusion extending outwardly from an inner face of a surface piece: so as to retain the surface piece thereon; wherein said mid segments and corner segments are substantially hollow.

Variant Full Puzzle Assembly According to an 17th aspect of the present invention there is provided a spatial puzzle assembly substantially as described above wherein the puzzle includes a surface pieces which include: an outer surface;

- an inner surface which comprises at least one protrusion thereon. Coloured Puzzle

According to an 18th aspect of the present invention there is provided a spatial puzzle which includes a spatial puzzle assembly substantially as described above wherein the surface pieces on each edge of the puzzle have a coloured and/ or patterned outer surface corresponding to one of two to four, colours or patterns, depicted on the centre segment in a region

corresponding to an adjacent edge of the puzzle.

The core pieces and surfaces pieces of the present invention, along with other components where appropriate may be made from any number of materials capable of being injection moulded and which yield a moulded product having rigidity yet retaining an ability to slide without a lot of friction. Examples of suitable materials may include but should not be limited to:

Plastics;

Fluoropolymers of tetrafluoroethylene such as Teflon; Silicone;

Composite materials.

In some embodiments the surface pieces may be made via a multi-material injection method so that the surface piece can comprise two or more different colours.

According to an 19th aspect of the present invention there is provided a coloured spatial logic puzzle which is spatially divided into 6 different independently rotatable faces which can rotate about one of 3 mutually orthogonal axes, wherein each face has four edges, comprising 3 edge segments, wherein the edges each include their own colour or pattern, wherein the colour or pattern may be unique to an edge or shared with another edge provided that there is a multitude of colours or patterns on a sufficient number of different edges to create a puzzle.

It should be appreciated that the surface pieces may be made of rubber or other materials having frictional qualities in situations where adjacent surface pieces do not contact one another.

In some embodiments the core pieces and/or the surface pieces may be made of coloured materials to avoid the need for coloured stickers or tiles to be applied to all the pieces of the puzzle assembly to create a logic puzzle thereon. The invention may also be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, in any or all combinations of two or more of said parts, elements or features.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A spatial logic puzzle core piece which includes:

- at least one protrusion adjacent an edge, or a portion of an edge, of said aperture, and wherein the protrusions extend outwardly from said outer face; wherein said puzzle core piece is substantially hollow,

2. A spatial logic puzzle core piece as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are two apertures passing through said puzzle core piece, and wherein there are three protrusions extending outwardly from said outer face.

3. A spatial logic puzzle core piece as claimed in claim 1 or 2 which include locking tabs extending from the inner portion of the piece to under engage a mating surface of adjacent central core blocks located on the ends of each arm of each mutually orthogonal axes of a cruciform fastener.

4. A spatial logic puzzle core piece which includes:

- an aperture, or

- at least two protrusions, or

5. A spatial logic puzzle surface piece which includes:

- an outer surface;

- an inner surface which comprises:

- an aperture, or,

- at least two protrusions, or, a walled recess; which define an inner area dimensioned to frictionally engage, in use, a protrusion extending outwardly from an outer face of a core piece: so as to be retained thereon.

6. A spatial logic puzzle surface piece which includes an outer face has a surface which is at least partially concave or similarly curved to receive the tip of a person's thumb or finger, or a part thereof.

7. A spatial logic puzzle surface piece which includes:

- an outer surface; and

- an inner surface which comprises at least one protrusion thereon.

8. A coloured spatial logic puzzle which includes a plurality of core pieces as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3.

9. A male mould part for a two piece mould which includes a protrusion on an outer surface thereof, and wherein said protrusion is positioned on said outer surface so as to be separated from and edge, or other point, bounding said male mould part by a distance X.

10. A female mould part for a two piece mould which includes a recess for receiving, in use, the protrusion on a male mould part which is located on said outer surface so as to be separated from and edge, or other point, bounding said male mould part by a distance X; said recess being dimensioned to also provide a gap between said protrusion on the male mould part, into which, mould material can be received therein, so as to form a projection on the finished moulded product.

11. A method to produce an external protrusion on an outer surface of a substantially hollow injection moulded part via a two piece mould, the method comprising the steps of: a) manufacturing male core mould part which includes at least one protrusion on an outer surface thereof, wherein said protrusion is positioned on said outer surface so as to be separated from and edge, or other point, bounding said male mould part by a distance X; b) manufacturing a female core mould part which has a shape substantially

corresponding with that of the male mould core part so that the male mould can be received therein but further dimensioned so that there is an enclosed gap existing between said male and female parts when coupled together, and wherein said female core mould part includes at least one recess on an internal surface which is positioned to align with the protrusion(s) on the male part so that there is an enclosed gap therebetween.

12. A spatial puzzle assembly which includes:

- a cruciform fastener comprising 3 mutually orthogonal axes which have 6 centre segments one at the distal end of each axis; 12 mid segments which comprises an outer surface which has a protrusion thereon;

- 8 corner segments which comprise an outer surface which has a protrusion

thereon.

13. A spatial puzzle assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the puzzle includes a surface pieces which include:

- an outer surface;

- an inner surface which comprises:

• an aperture,

• at least two protrusions, or

• a walled recess, which define an inner area dimensioned to frictionally engage, in use, said protrusion on said mid and corner segments so as to be retained thereon.

14. A spatial puzzle assembly which includes:

- a cruciform fastener comprising arms situated on 3 mutually orthogonal axes which have 6 centre segments one at the distal end of each axis;

- 12 mid segments and 8 corner segments which include:

• an aperture, or

• at least two protrusions, or

• a walled recess; which define an inner area dimensioned to frictionally engage, in use, a protrusion extending outwardly from an inner face of a surface piece: so as to retain the surface piece thereon; wherein said mid segments and corner segments are substantially hollow.

15. A spatial puzzle assembly as claimed in claim 14 wherein the puzzle includes a surface pieces which include:

- an outer surface; an inner surface which comprises at least one protrusion thereon.

16. A spatial puzzle which includes a spatial puzzle assembly as claimed in claim 15 wherein the surface pieces on each edge of the puzzle have a coloured and/ or patterned outer surface corresponding to one of two to four, colours or patterns, depicted on the centre segment in a region corresponding to an adjacent edge of the puzzle.