Multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system
A multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system includes five types of basic sphere pieces. The basic sphere pieces comprise one three-sphere piece and four different four-sphere pieces. The three-sphere piece has a 120-angled array. The first four-sphere piece is arranged in a vaulted array, the second four-sphere piece in a first three-sphere linear array, the third four-sphere piece in a second three-sphere linear array, and the fourth sphere piece in a right-angled array. In puzzle game, the selected types and the desired amount of the sphere pieces can be assembled to form the pyramidal array with various orders.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system. Particularly, the present invention also relates to the multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system including five basic sphere pieces consisting of identical spheres. More particularly, the present invention also relates to the multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system including one three-sphere piece and four different four-sphere pieces that provides for selection in various types and a desired amount thereof to combine various pyramidal arrays.
2. Description of the Related Art
A well-known pyramid sphere-puzzle system in the art has been widely used for a challenging educational and manipulative game. Basically, the pyramid sphere-puzzle system is assembled into a pyramidal array. Many patents disclose various pyramid sphere-puzzle systems as described more fully below.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,652, issued on Sept. 24, 1974, to Kuwagaki, discloses a pyramid sphere-puzzle system including a plurality of basic sphere pieces. The basic sphere pieces include a two-sphere piece and four three-sphere pieces which consist of a line sphere piece, a 120-angled sphere piece, a right-angled sphere piece and a triangular sphere piece. In puzzle game, the selected types and the desired amount of the sphere pieces can be assembled to form a pyramidal array with various orders.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,645, issued on Mar. 13, 1976, to Roberts, discloses another pyramid sphere-puzzle system including a plurality of basic sphere pieces. The types of the basic sphere pieces include three-sphere pieces and four-sphere pieces to assemble a pyramidal array. In puzzle game, the selected types and the desired amount of the sphere pieces can be assembled to form the pyramidal array with various orders.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,247, issued on Nov. 29, 1977, to Kobres, Jr., discloses another pyramid sphere-puzzle system including three basic sphere pieces. The types of the basic sphere pieces include a six-connected sphere piece in a planar rhomboid array, a two-connected sphere piece in a linear array and a four-connected sphere piece in a linear array to assemble a pyramidal array. In puzzle game, the selected types and the desired amount of the sphere pieces can be assembled to form the pyramidal array with various orders.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,103, issued on Jan. 29, 1991, to Cheng, discloses another pyramid sphere-puzzle system including five basic five-sphere pieces. The first basic five-sphere piece is arranged in a pentagonal array, the second basic piece in a first 120-angled array, the third basic piece in a second 120-angled array, the fourth basic piece in a double-linear array and the fifth basic piece in a four-sphere linear array. In puzzle game, the selected types and the desired amount of the sphere pieces can be assembled to form the pyramidal array with various orders.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,637,745, issued on Oct. 28, 2003, to Vardanyan, discloses another pyramid sphere-puzzle system including a plurality of basic sphere pieces. The types of the basic sphere pieces include a four-connected sphere piece, a 2×3-array piece, a six-connected sphere piece, a 2×5-array array, a 3×4-array piece, a three-connected L-shaped sphere piece and four-connected L-shaped sphere piece. In puzzle game, the selected types and the desired amount of the sphere pieces can be assembled to form the square-based pyramidal array with various orders.
Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 188,925 discloses another pyramid sphere-puzzle system including two basic five-sphere pieces. The types of the basic sphere pieces include a pentagon-array sphere piece and a 120-angled sphere piece. In puzzle game, two of the pentagon-array sphere pieces and two of the 120-angled sphere pieces can be assembled to form the triangle-based pyramidal array with the fourth order.
However, in addition to the above-mentioned patents, there exist several other pyramid sphere-puzzle systems assembled to form the pyramidal array with various orders.
The present invention intends to provide a multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system including five basic sphere pieces. The types of the basic sphere pieces consist of a single three-sphere piece and four different four-sphere pieces. In puzzle game, the selected types and the desired amount of the sphere pieces can be assembled to form the pyramidal array with various orders.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe primary objective of this invention is to provide a multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system including one three-sphere piece and four different four-sphere pieces that provides for selection in various types and a desired amount thereof to combine various pyramidal arrays. Thereby, it may increase challenging difficulties in puzzle game.
The multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system in accordance with the present invention includes five types of basic sphere pieces. The basic sphere pieces comprise one three-sphere piece and four different four-sphere pieces. The three-sphere piece has a 120-angled array. The first four-sphere piece is arranged in a vaulted array, the second four-sphere piece in a first three-sphere linear array, the third four-sphere piece in a second three-sphere linear array, and the fourth sphere piece in a right-angled array. In puzzle game, the selected types and the desired amount of the sphere pieces can be assembled to form the pyramidal array with various orders.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
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Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to its presently preferred embodiment, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system, comprising:
- a plurality of three-sphere pieces each having three identical sphere units defining a single type of a three-sphere array adapted to fit for a triangle-based pyramidal array; and
- a plurality of four-sphere pieces each having four identical sphere units defining at least one type of a four-sphere array adapted to fit for the triangle-based pyramidal array;
- wherein the selected types and the desired amount of the three-sphere pieces and the four-sphere pieces can be assembled to form the triangle-based pyramidal array with various orders.
2. The multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system as defined in claim 1, wherein the three-sphere array of the three-sphere piece defines an angled array.
3. The multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system as defined in claim 2, wherein the angled array of the three-sphere piece has an included angle of 120 degrees.
4. The multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system as defined in claim 1, wherein the four-sphere arrays of the four-sphere pieces are selected from a group including a vaulted array and a first three-sphere linear array.
5. The multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system as defined in claim 4, wherein the group further includes a second three-sphere linear array and a right-angled array.
6. The multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system as defined in claim 1, wherein the fourth order of the triangle-based pyramidal array can be constructed by the four-sphere arrays of the four-sphere pieces consisting of a vaulted array, a first three-sphere linear array, a second three-sphere linear array and a right-angled array.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 13, 2004
Publication Date: Apr 13, 2006
Applicants: (Niao-Sung Hsiang), National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences (Kaohsiung)
Inventor: Jean-Hwa Chiou (Niao-Sung Hsiang)
Application Number: 10/963,448
International Classification: A63F 9/06 (20060101);