EP0042695A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Puzzle toy
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1981-06-10
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2001-06-10
Abstract
Abstract A puzzle toy comprising an equilateral tetrahedron shaped frame (50), each of the sides (a,b,c,d) of said frame (50) being divided into nine equal triangular components such that five of said components (5,6,7,8,9; 5', 6', 7', 8', 9') are located along the base of the side to form a base layer, three of said components (2,3,4; 2', 3', 4') are located above said base layer to form an intermediate layer, and the remaining triangle (1,1') is located above the intermediate layer at the apex of the side. One or more of the triangles are relatively movable about a central pivot point located at the center of the tetrahedron frame (50) in planes (x,y) intersecting the frame and defined by sides of adjacent triangles. Each side (a,b,c,d) of the frame (50), in its ordered disposition, has a different pattern, colour or ornamentation. By using any corner (61) of the tetrahedron as an apex, the base layer and middle layer can be rotated through 1/3 or 2/3 turns to provide various combinations of colour triangles.
Inventors
- 👤 Uwe Meffert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 23:19
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F9/00; A63F9/06; A63F9/12; A63F9/08; A63F9/0826; A63F9/0838
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
130 words
A puzzle toy comprising an equilateral tetrahedron shaped frame (50), each of the sides (a,b,c,d) of said frame (50) being divided into nine equal triangular components such that five of said components (5,6,7,8,9; 5',6',7',8',9') are located along the base of the side to form a base layer, three of said components (2,3,4; 2',3',4') are located above said base layer to form an intermediate layer, and the remaining triangle (1,1') is located above the intermediate layer at the apex of the side, one or more of said triangles being relatively movable about a central pivot point located at the center of the tetrahedron frame (50) in planes intersecting said frame and defined by sides of adjacent triangles, each side (a,b,c,d) of said frame (50) having a different pattern, colour or ornamentation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
130 words
A puzzle toy comprising an equilateral tetrahedron shaped frame (50), each of the sides (a,b,c,d) of said frame (50) being divided into nine equal triangular components such that five of said components (5,6,7,8,9; 5',6',7',8',9') are located along the base of the side to form a base layer, three of said components (2,3,4; 2',3',4') are located above said base layer to form an intermediate layer, and the remaining triangle (1,1') is located above the intermediate layer at the apex of the side, one or more of said triangles being relatively movable about a central pivot point located at the center of the tetrahedron frame (50) in planes intersecting said frame and defined by sides of adjacent triangles, each side (a,b,c,d) of said frame (50) having a different pattern, colour or ornamentation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
A puzzle toy according to claim 1 wherein said central pivot point is constituted by a metallic ball (30) about which are journalled those triangular components (2',3',4',6',7',8'; 2,3,4,6,7,8) which are not located at the apex of the sides, the components located at the apex of the sides (1',l; 9',5) being connected to said adjacent non-apex located components so as to permit rotation of said apex located components about their axes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
A puzzle toy according to claim 2 wherein said journalling is by means of complemental magnetic elements (31) located in said non-apex located components cooperating with the ball (30) and the connection between the apex located and adjacent non-apex located components is by means of pins (33).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
A puzzle toy according to claim 1 wherein said central pivot point is constituted by a ball (53), said ball having four pins (54) outwardly extending therefrom into the apex located components (61) through the adjacent non-apex located components (51), the remaining components (71) being mounted in the frame for rotation about the ball.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
91 words
A puzzle toy according to claim 1 comprising four regular octahedron shaped components (51) joined together such that said components form a tetrahedron shaped space (52) therebetween, a ball (53) located within said space and having four pins (54) outwardly extending therefrom, each of said pins (54) extending through one of said octahedra (51) and into an adjacent tetrahedral shaped component (61) forming an apex of said toy frame, six tetrahedral shaped auxiliary components (71) mounted in the remaining spaces (to complete the toy frame) for rotation about the ball (53).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
84 words
A puzzle toy as claimed in claim 5 wherein said six components (71) are mounted in said spaces by means of a tongue and groove connection (71a,71b) between the inner edge of said components (71) and the complemental edges of the adjacent octahedra (51), the sides of the six components which are in contact with the octahedra being additionally mounted on ball bearings (72) located in the complemental sides of the octahedra to enable pivotal movement of said components about the central ball (53).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A puzzle toy according to any one of claims 3 to 6 wherein said pins (54) are associated with resilient tensioning means (56).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.