Patent US3785651A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3785651A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Dice maze puzzle
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1972-04-17
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Granted: 1974-01-15
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Expires: 1992-04-17
Abstract
Abstract A cube having a maze contained therein through which a ball is movable. The puzzle has a transparent outer enclosure containing the maze and ball. Nontransparent intermediate walls are positioned inwardly of each transparent wall providing a space on each side of the cube in which the ball is freely movable. The nontransparent intermediate walls are provided with the holes through which the ball is passable to the maze within the intermediate walls. One hole is bisected by an inner wall thereby allowing the ball to go in one of two opposite directions. The maze extends vertically and horizontally through the cube.
Inventors
- 👤 M Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 19:46
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F9/00; A63F9/0078; A63F7/00; A63F7/04; A63F7/042
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
300 words
A puzzle comprising a ball, a six sided main body having a plurality of spaced apart parallel inner walls each having arranged thereon upstanding walls in a maze configuration, at least one of said upstanding walls of at least one of said inner walls having at least one maze opening, and a plurality of nontransparent intermediate walls positioned outwardly of and enclosing said inner walls to conceal said inner walls with each intermediate wall having at least one hole, and having said at least one hole aligned with said at least one inner wall and said at least one maze opening for said ball to pass from said at least one inner wall and through said intermediate wall, said body having a plurality of transparent outer walls spaced outwardly from and enclosing said intermediate walls forming six separate storage areas with one of said six separate storage areas located on each side of said six sided main body, said body having means mounted thereon separating said storage areas apart and preventing said ball from passing from one storage area to another storage area without first pasing through a maze configuration, said ball being rollable from a first position between one of said outer walls and one of said intermediate walls by tilting and moving said puzzle until said ball drops through said at least one hole in said one of said intermediate walls onto said at least one of said innerwalls and then through said maze configuration, then onto at least one other inner wall and through its maze configuration until it reaches said maze opening therein aligned with a hole in another one of said intermediate walls and then out to a second position between said another one of said intermediate walls and another one of said outer walls.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
300 words
A puzzle comprising a ball, a six sided main body having a plurality of spaced apart parallel inner walls each having arranged thereon upstanding walls in a maze configuration, at least one of said upstanding walls of at least one of said inner walls having at least one maze opening, and a plurality of nontransparent intermediate walls positioned outwardly of and enclosing said inner walls to conceal said inner walls with each intermediate wall having at least one hole, and having said at least one hole aligned with said at least one inner wall and said at least one maze opening for said ball to pass from said at least one inner wall and through said intermediate wall, said body having a plurality of transparent outer walls spaced outwardly from and enclosing said intermediate walls forming six separate storage areas with one of said six separate storage areas located on each side of said six sided main body, said body having means mounted thereon separating said storage areas apart and preventing said ball from passing from one storage area to another storage area without first pasing through a maze configuration, said ball being rollable from a first position between one of said outer walls and one of said intermediate walls by tilting and moving said puzzle until said ball drops through said at least one hole in said one of said intermediate walls onto said at least one of said innerwalls and then through said maze configuration, then onto at least one other inner wall and through its maze configuration until it reaches said maze opening therein aligned with a hole in another one of said intermediate walls and then out to a second position between said another one of said intermediate walls and another one of said outer walls.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The puzzle of claim 1 wherein said body is a cube with the number of holes of each of said intermediate walls is different and ranging from one to six and with the holes positioned on said body in a die arrangement.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The puzzle of claim 2 wherein one of said holes is bisected by one of said upstanding walls to divert said ball in either of two opposite directions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The puzzle of claim 3 wherein the hole bisected is the only hole on one of said intermediate walls.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
76 words
The puzzle of claim 4 wherein said means includes spacing bars extending along each end of the cube, said bars contact said outer walls and said intermediate walls forming said storage areas on each side of the cube in which said ball is freely movable, said bars separate each space from every other space with said ball being movable from one space to another space only by passing through said intermediate walls and said maze configuration.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The puzzle of claim 5 and further comprising markings on each side of the cube to indicate the number of holes on the adjacent cube sides, said markings being arranged in 24 different sets with four sets positioned on each side of said six sided main body.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The puzzle of claim 6 wherein said maze configuration includes a plurality of passages per each side which lead to other sides, and said outer walls being imperforate thereby preventing said ball from escaping said main body.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The puzzle of claim 6 wherein said markings include a number of dots marked on said bars ranging from one dot to six dots in each set.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-01-14 | 1977-07-16 | 1978-01-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-01-14 | 1981-07-16 | 1982-01-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-01-14 | 1985-07-16 | 1986-01-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |