KEYED ACCESS TO HOLLOW THREE-DIMENSIONAL PUZZLES
A three-dimensional puzzle such as, for example, a spherical puzzle, has shiftable, and optionally also slidable, puzzle elements that are arranged to enclose a hollow center. The enclosed hollow center defines a secret compartment for optionally containing a prize or other object. The secret compartment can be accessed by manipulating the puzzle elements to match a predetermined (and optionally reprogrammable) pattern that unlocks the puzzle to thus provide access to the secret compartment. A set of keys and corresponding keyways on certain puzzle elements provides the requisite interlocking of elements. Only when the keys are properly aligned with respective keyways can the puzzle be opened to reveal the interior compartment. This puzzle can be a coreless-type puzzle or a puzzle having an inner center element. The puzzle can be spherical, polyhedral or odd-shaped provided there is a suitable opening path for engagement of keys and keyways.
The present invention relates generally to three-dimensional logical puzzles and, in particular, to three-dimensional logical puzzles having, or suited to have, an enclosed hollow center.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn the prior art, techniques and devices are proposed to challenge the enthusiast to attempt to open a secret enclosed compartment. The enthusiast is able to gain access to the enclosed compartment by performing or reproducing a given sequence of twists and turns, or matching a pattern disposed on a device's outer surface. When user manipulates the device into the correct pattern or combination, the device opens to reveal an interior chamber. An example of this is the Cryptex® Security Box (http://www.cryptex.org/) which was inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci's cryptex.
The challenge is associated with the complexity and magnitude of possible permutations in the sequence to be reproduced or the complexity of the surface pattern to be matched, or a combination of both.
Most of these techniques and devices are of moderate complexity with often a single solution. So once it is solved there is very little challenge left for the enthusiast. It is also known, however, to devise reprogrammable mechanisms for these devices. For example, the Cryptex® Security Box has a “mechanically changeable code feature” that enables the user to personalize the code or to reprogram it.
To the best of Applicant's knowledge, however, none of the three-dimensional shifting puzzle types (such the world famous Rubik's Cube®, and its many variants, or the spherical and Buckyball-shaped puzzles disclosed in Applicant's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/738,673 (Paquette) entitled “Three-Dimensional Logical Puzzles”, which was filed on May 2, 2007 and Applicant's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/866,713 (Paquette) entitled “Dividing Method for Three-Dimensional Logical Puzzles filed Oct. 3, 2007) have an interior compartment that is enclosed within the puzzle and which can be accessed by manipulating puzzle elements into a correct combination or pattern.
Therefore, a three-dimensional puzzle having an enclosed compartment that can only be accessed by manipulating puzzle elements into a predetermined pattern would constitute a very challenging and entertaining puzzle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn object of the present invention is to provide a three-dimensional puzzle having an enclosed secret compartment that is accessible by manipulating the puzzle elements into a predetermined pattern or arrangement so as to unlock the puzzle to thereby provide access to the secret compartment.
In one main group of embodiments, keyed access is provided to the secret compartment puzzle by virtue of appropriately selected keys and keyways integrated within some of the puzzle elements. In other words, in embodiments of the present invention, some of the elements constituting each puzzle are converted into keyed elements with the addition of keys and keyways in such a fashion that they can be put together to create a circular slideway along the opening path. Rotation around this circular slideway allows the keyed elements to be placed in a proper matching position to allow the keyed elements to slide out once the keys match up with respective keyways, thus permitting the user or puzzle enthusiast to split open the three-dimensional puzzle.
In certain embodiments, the puzzle can have more than one opening path. In other words, the secret compartment puzzle can potentially be accessed via more than one access point.
In yet other embodiments of the present invention, the keyed elements can be rearrangeable at the user's will to enable the user to reprogram the solution pattern (or “matching pattern”) displayed on the puzzle's outer surfaces that enables the enthusiast to gain access to the secret enclosed compartment.
These hollow three-dimensional puzzles with secret compartment features can be classified into two major categories. The first category encompass coreless-type puzzles, while the second category encompasses puzzles having a center element as a constituent part, either a split spherical inner center (SIC) element, or to be split by aforesaid opening path.
In one group of embodiments, the secret compartment puzzles belong to the family of spherical puzzles. These spherical puzzles are perfectly suited for this purpose due to their extremely high number of permutations and the complex range of possible patterns. However, secret compartment puzzles need not be spherical; polyhedral or odd-shaped puzzles can be designed to have an enclosed secret compartment by analogically applying any of the various techniques described herein. In other words, the present disclosure explains how this method can be applied to other shapes of three-dimensional puzzles provided that they have, or are suited to have, an enclosed hollow center and a possible opening path (which is typically the case with most of the existing three-dimensional puzzles). Provided an opening path exists, i.e. a trajectory slicing the puzzle in two parts and giving access to the enclosed hollow center, these techniques can be utilized to create a large variety of differently shaped puzzles having enclosed secret compartments.
The embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the appended drawings in which:
These drawings are not necessarily to scale, and therefore component proportions should not be inferred therefrom.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTSBy way of introduction, the present invention is a three-dimensional puzzle having a plurality of puzzle elements arranged in such a manner as to enclose a hollow interior space defining a secret compartment. The secret compartment can be accessed by manipulating the puzzle elements into one or more predetermined patterns or arrangements that unlocks or opens the puzzle to reveal the interior secret compartment. As will be elaborated below, in the preferred embodiments, this is achieved by manipulating keyed puzzle elements so that they align with corresponding keyways formed in adjoining puzzle elements. When the keys and keyways are appropriately aligned in a proper combination, pattern or arrangement, the puzzle can be unlocked or opened to provide access to the interior compartment. In one specific group of embodiments, as will be elaborated below, the key code can be reprogrammed by the user or puzzle enthusiast so that a new (different) pattern or solution is required to open (unlock) the three-dimensional puzzle.
Although spherical puzzles are described and depicted as the preferred embodiments, it is to be expressly understood that other shapes and forms of puzzles can be used to create a secret compartment puzzle, all of which lie fully within the scope of the present invention.
In addition to embodiments of the puzzles themselves, the present disclosure also describes and illustrates a number of different methods or techniques that are used to create or design an effective, challenging and enjoyable three-dimensional puzzle. The methods presented in this disclosure for creating secret compartment puzzles involve one or more of the following techniques: a path-positioning technique, a keying technique, a multi-keying technique, a multi-opening technique, and a reprogramming technique. These techniques will be elaborated below.
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The secret compartment puzzle is also particularly well suited to being used as a promotional or marketing vehicle. The secret compartment puzzle can hold a prize or other object, such as a promotional item, voucher, coupon, ticket, etc. that could confer some commercial or financial benefit or opportunity upon the enthusiast who is clever enough to solve the puzzle.
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The techniques disclosed in the prior art for arranging the display of colours, emblems, logos or other visual indicia on the outer surfaces of the puzzles to modulate the difficulty level are of lesser utility for secret compartment puzzles, since it is the keying, multi-keying and multi-opening techniques that are used to modulate the difficulty level for this type of puzzle. Once an indicia pattern is associated with the keyed elements of the puzzle, it is the key-keyway configuration that becomes important for solving the puzzle. The indicia pattern will then serve as visual indication for the enthusiast trying to match a programmed opening pattern. So it is essential for the user when he or she reprograms a puzzle to retain the exact pattern to be matched. Otherwise, he or she won't be able to solve the puzzle without trying all the various combinations and permutations. In other words, the indicia pattern doesn't modulate the difficulty level, but is essential to know for opening the secret compartment. Since it is reprogrammable no unique solution pattern can automatically be considered the puzzle solution. As mentioned, the enthusiast who reprograms his puzzle must use caution and take note of the modified indicia pattern.
Different visual indicia patterns (e.g. colours, logos, emblems, symbols, etc.) can be used for identification of the puzzles.
It should be noted that advertising, corporate logos or team logos could also be placed onto the surfaces of the puzzles to create promotional vehicles or souvenirs. However, if they are reprogrammed the puzzle will be very difficult to solve.
Optionally, slidable elements can be superimposed on shiftable puzzle elements of a secret compartment puzzle. Very careful design is required to ensure that the superimposed slidable elements do not slide off the puzzle. Once this design difficulty is overcome, the remainder of the design of the puzzle elements is analogous with the implementations of sliding features to shifting puzzle as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/738,673 (Paquette) entitled “Three-Dimensional Logical Puzzles”, and therefore need not be repeated herein.
The present method could also be applied to any polyhedron to achieve and create other interesting and challenging secret compartment puzzles. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as being illustrative, not as restrictive.
It will be noted that exact dimensions are not provided in the present description since these puzzles can be constructed in a variety of sizes.
While the puzzle elements and parts are preferably manufactured from plastic, these puzzles can also be made of wood, metal, or a combination of the aforementioned materials. These elements and parts may be solid or hollow. The motion of the puzzle mechanism can be enhanced by employing springs, bearings, semi-spherical surface knobs, grooves, indentations and recesses, as is well known in the art and are already well described in the prior art of shifting and sliding puzzles. Likewise, “stabilizing” parts can also be inserted in the mechanism to bias the moving elements to the “rest positions”, as is also well known in the art.
It is understood that the above description of the preferred embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, which is defined solely by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A three-dimensional logical puzzle comprising a plurality of shiftable puzzle elements that are interfitted together so that the puzzle elements can be shifted relative to one another into a plurality of different arrangements, the puzzle elements being arranged to enclose a hollow center defining an enclosed secret compartment, wherein at least one of the arrangements of the puzzle elements corresponds to a puzzle solution that unlocks the puzzle to provide access to the enclosed secret compartment.
2. The puzzle as claimed in claim 1 wherein a plurality of the puzzle elements have keys and keyways for selectively interlocking the puzzle elements so that the puzzle can only be unlocked when the keys and corresponding keyways are aligned.
3. The puzzle as claimed in claim 2 wherein the puzzle elements are keyed by a keying technique comprising steps of: (i) selecting matching keys and keyways and (ii) disposing the keys and keyways along an opening path of the puzzle.
4. The puzzle as claimed in claim 3 wherein the puzzle elements are further keyed by a complementary multi-keying technique comprising steps of: (i) implementing keys and keyways on all or a subset of the puzzle elements that are not situated along the opening path.
5. The puzzle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the arrangement of puzzle elements corresponding to the puzzle solution is determined by a path-positioning technique comprising steps of locating at least one opening path coincident with a shifting plan of the puzzle and passing on edges of the puzzle elements, the opening path being defined as a trajectory slicing the puzzle in two parts and providing access to the enclosed secret compartment.
6. The puzzle as claimed in claim 5 wherein the puzzle elements comprise a plurality of opening paths, wherein each opening path has its own unique key and keyway combination.
7. The puzzle as claimed in claim 5 wherein the puzzle elements comprise a plurality of opening paths, wherein some or all of the opening paths share a common key and keyway combination.
8. The puzzle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the keys and keyways are reprogrammable by the user so that the user can change the arrangement of puzzle elements corresponding to the puzzle solution that opens the puzzle and provides access to the enclosed secret compartment.
9. The puzzle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the puzzle elements are self-supporting and interlocking to define a coreless puzzle.
10. The puzzle as claimed in claim 9 wherein the puzzle elements are arranged to define a spherical puzzle and wherein all or a subset of the puzzle elements are keyed elements having keys and keyways that are positioned along at least one opening path to enable the elements to slide out relative to one another when the puzzle elements are manipulated into a solution pattern in order to provide access to the enclosed secret compartment.
11. The puzzle as claimed in claim 9 wherein the puzzle elements can be completely disassembled and reassembled to provide a further challenge.
12. The puzzle as claimed in claim 9 wherein the puzzle elements are arranged to define a spherical, polyhedral or odd-shaped puzzle.
13. The puzzle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the puzzle elements are mounted on an inner center element by retaining means that retain at least some of the puzzle elements while allowing rotation of at least some of the puzzle elements relative to the inner center element.
14. The puzzle as claimed in claim 13 wherein the inner center element is a splittable inner center element having an inner opening path.
15. The puzzle as claimed in claim 14 wherein the puzzle elements together define a spherical, polyhedral or odd-shaped puzzle.
16. The puzzle as claimed in claim 13 wherein all or a subset of the puzzle elements comprise keys and keyways on all or a subset of protrusions and guiding faces of the puzzle elements to enable the elements to be activated to release locking devices that interlock the splittable inner center element when the puzzle elements are manipulated into a solution pattern in order to provide access to the enclosed secret compartment.
17. The puzzle as claimed in claim 16 wherein keyed puzzle elements can be reprogrammed to alter the arrangement of puzzle elements corresponding to the solution pattern required to open the puzzle, the puzzle being reprogrammed by relocating locking devices of the puzzle and duplicating some of the keys and keyways.
18. The puzzle as claimed in claim 16 wherein the locking devices interlock the splittable inner center element, upon which some puzzle elements are carried, with other free keyed elements that are released when the puzzle is opened, the splittable inner center element being provided with tongues and grooves along its inner opening path for interfitting opposed inner center element tongues and grooves when both halves of the splittable inner center element are reunited, thus providing an interlocking area for firmly securing together all puzzle elements.
19. The puzzle as claimed in claim 18 wherein the interlocking area is provided with latching disk grooves suited to receive a latching disk, the latching disk grooves being engraved in adjacent opposed inner center element tongues and grooves, the locking device being constituted of a latching disk attached to a keyed pivoting element, the locking device being actuated for disengagement when its keyed pivoting element matches every key and keyway of its surrounding keyed mobile elements.
20. A method of creating a three-dimensional logical puzzle having an enclosed secret compartment, the method comprising steps of: (i) applying a path-positioning technique comprising locating one or more opening paths, the one or more opening paths each being defined by a trajectory slicing the puzzle in two parts and providing access to the enclosed secret compartment; and (ii) applying either a keying or multi-keying technique that involves selecting matching keys and keyways and disposing the keys and keyways along one or more of the opening paths of the puzzle.
21. The method as claimed in claim 20 further comprising a step of applying a reprogramming technique that involves enabling the user to rearrange the puzzle elements to customize the solution pattern that opens the puzzle.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 16, 2007
Publication Date: May 21, 2009
Inventor: MAXIME PAQUETTE (VAL-DES-MONTS)
Application Number: 11/941,223
International Classification: A63F 9/08 (20060101);