MULTI-DIMENSIONAL PUZZLE

• US 20150290532A1
• Filed: 04/14/2015
• Published: 10/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boulding Blocks LLC
• Original Assignee: Boulding Blocks LLC
• Inventors: Boulding, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,492,734 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/1228 slidable connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/1236 with a final configuration thereof, i.e. the solution, being packed in a box or container
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/124 with a final configuration being a sphere
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/12 Three-dimensional jig-saw puzzles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/1208 Connections between puzzle elements

Abstract

The invention generally relates to multi-dimensional puzzles for teaching, entertainment, and construction. One embodiment of the invention comprises two forms, one planar and one non-planar, which comprise a plurality of protrusions and recesses. These forms may be assembled by selectively interconnecting the various protrusions and recesses to create multi-dimensional shapes such as a cube, cylinder, and sphere among many other possibilities.

Claims

1. A multi-dimensional spatial assembly, comprising:

a first planar form having a first plurality of protrusions oriented in a first direction, said first planar form having a second plurality of protrusions oriented in a second direction, wherein said first and second pluralities of protrusions lie in a common plane, and wherein said first direction is perpendicular to said second direction;

a first non-planar form having a third plurality of protrusions oriented in said first direction, said first non-planar form having a fourth plurality of protrusions oriented in said second direction, wherein said third and fourth pluralities of protrusions do not lie in a common plane; and

wherein said first plurality of protrusions of said first planar form are selectively received in recesses between protrusions of said third plurality of protrusions of said first non-planar form.

2. The multi-dimensional spatial assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a second non-planar form having a fifth plurality of protrusions oriented in said second direction, said second non-planar form having a sixth plurality of protrusions oriented in said first direction, wherein said fifth and sixth pluralities of protrusions do not lie in a common plane;

wherein some of said second plurality of protrusions of said first planar form are selectively received in recesses between protrusions of said fifth plurality of protrusions of said second non-planar form.

3. The multi-dimensional spatial assembly of claim 2, further comprising:

a third non-planar form having a seventh plurality of protrusions oriented in said second direction, said third non-planar form having an eighth plurality of protrusions oriented in said first direction, wherein said seventh and eighth pluralities of protrusions do not lie in a common plane;

wherein some of said second plurality of protrusions of said first planar form are selectively received in recesses between protrusions of said seventh plurality of protrusions of said third non-planar form.

4. The multi-dimensional spatial assembly of claim 3, further comprising:

a fourth non-planar form having a ninth plurality of protrusions oriented in said first direction, said fourth non-planar form having a tenth plurality of protrusions oriented in said second direction, wherein said ninth and tenth pluralities of protrusions do not lie in a common plane;

a second planar form having an eleventh plurality of protrusions oriented in said first direction, said second planar form having a twelfth plurality of protrusions oriented in said second direction, wherein said eleventh and twelfth pluralities of protrusions lie in a common plane;

wherein said eleventh plurality of protrusions of said second planar form are selectively received in recesses between protrusions of said ninth plurality of protrusions of said fourth non-planar form, wherein some of said twelfth plurality of protrusions of said second planar form are selectively received in recesses between protrusions of said fifth plurality of protrusions of said second non-planar form, and wherein some of said twelfth plurality of protrusions of said second planar form are selectively received in recesses between protrusions of said seventh plurality of protrusions of said third non-planar form.

5. The multi-dimensional spatial assembly of claim 1, wherein eight planar bodies and eight non-planar bodies selectively interconnect with each other to form at least one of a cube, a rectangular prism, a triangular prism, a rectangular pyramid, a triangular pyramid, a cylinder, a cone, and a sphere.

6. The multi-dimensional spatial assembly of claim 1, wherein said first plurality of protrusions is three protrusions, wherein said second plurality of protrusions is three protrusions, said third plurality of protrusions is three protrusions, and said fourth plurality of protrusions is three protrusions.

7. The multi-dimensional spatial assembly of claim 1, wherein said protrusions of said first plurality of protrusions have a length, a height, and a width.

8. The multi-dimensional spatial assembly of claim 7, wherein said height is approximately 50% of said length, said width is approximately 17% of said length.

9. The multi-dimensional spatial assembly of claim 1, wherein said first planar form comprises a first opacity, and said first non-planar form comprises a second opacity, wherein said first opacity is different than said second opacity.

10. The multi-dimensional spatial assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first planar form and said first non-planar form comprises a lumination source.

11. The multi-dimensional spatial assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first planar form and said first non-planar form comprises an audible source.

12. A method of assembling a multi-dimensional spatial assembly, comprising:

providing a first planar form having a first plurality of protrusions oriented in a first direction, said first planar form having a second plurality of protrusions oriented in a second direction, wherein said first and second pluralities of protrusions lie in a common plane, and wherein said first direction is perpendicular to said second direction;

providing a first non-planar form having a third plurality of protrusions oriented in said first direction, said first non-planar form having a fourth plurality of protrusions oriented in said second direction, wherein said third and fourth pluralities of protrusions do not lie in a common plane; and

receiving, selectively, said first plurality of protrusions of said first planar form in recesses between protrusions of said third plurality of protrusions of said first non-planar form.

13. The method of assembling a multi-dimensional spatial assembly of claim 12, further comprising:

providing a second non-planar form having a fifth plurality of protrusions oriented in said second direction, said second non-planar form having a sixth plurality of protrusions oriented in said first direction, wherein said fifth and sixth pluralities of protrusions do not lie in a common plane; and

receiving, selectively, some of said second plurality of protrusions of said first planar form in recesses between protrusions of said fifth plurality of protrusions of said second non-planar form.

14. The method of assembling a multi-dimensional spatial assembly of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a third non-planar form having a seventh plurality of protrusions oriented in said second direction, said third non-planar form having an eighth plurality of protrusions oriented in said first direction, wherein said seventh and eighth pluralities of protrusions do not lie in a common plane; and

receiving, selectively, some of said second plurality of protrusions of said first planar form in recesses between protrusions of said seventh plurality of protrusions of said third non-planar form.

15. The method of assembling a multi-dimensional spatial assembly of claim 14, further comprising:

providing a fourth non-planar form having a ninth plurality of protrusions oriented in said first direction, said fourth non-planar form having a tenth plurality of protrusions oriented in said second direction, wherein said ninth and tenth pluralities of protrusions do not lie in a common plane;

providing a second planar form having an eleventh plurality of protrusions oriented in said first direction, said second planar form having a twelfth plurality of protrusions oriented in said second direction, wherein said eleventh and twelfth pluralities of protrusions lie in a common plane;

receiving, selectively, said eleventh plurality of protrusions of said second planar form in recesses between protrusions of said ninth plurality of protrusions of said fourth non-planar form;

receiving, selectively, some of said twelfth plurality of protrusions of said second planar form in recesses between protrusions of said fifth plurality of protrusions of said second non-planar form; and

receiving, selectively, some of said twelfth plurality of protrusions of said second planar form in recesses between protrusions of said seventh plurality of protrusions of said third non-planar form.

16. The method of assembling a multi-dimensional spatial assembly of claim 12, further comprising:

interconnecting, selectively, eight planar bodies and eight non-planar bodies to form at least one of a cube, a rectangular prism, a triangular prism, a rectangular pyramid, a triangular pyramid, a cylinder, a cone, and a sphere.

17. The method of assembling a multi-dimensional spatial assembly of claim 12, wherein said first plurality of protrusions is three protrusions, wherein said second plurality of protrusions is three protrusions, said third plurality of protrusions is three protrusions, and said fourth plurality of protrusions is three protrusions.

18. The method of assembling a multi-dimensional spatial assembly of claim 12, wherein said protrusions of said first plurality of protrusions has a length, a height, and a width, and wherein said height is approximately 50% of said length, said width is approximately 17% of said length.

19. The method of assembling a multi-dimensional spatial assembly of claim 12, wherein at least one of said first planar form and said first non-planar form comprises a lumination source, and wherein at least one of said first planar form and said first non-planar form comprises an audible source.

20. A multi-dimensional spatial assembly, comprising:

a first planar form having a first plurality of protrusions oriented in a first direction, said first planar form having a second plurality of protrusions oriented in a second direction, wherein said first and second pluralities of protrusions lie in a common plane, and wherein said first direction is perpendicular to said second direction;

a first non-planar form having a third plurality of protrusions oriented in said first direction, said first non-planar form having a fourth plurality of protrusions oriented in said second direction, wherein said third and fourth pluralities of protrusions do not lie in a common plane, wherein said first plurality of protrusions of said first planar form are selectively received in recesses between protrusions of said third plurality of protrusions of said first non-planar form;

a second non-planar form having a fifth plurality of protrusions oriented in said second direction, said second non-planar form having a sixth plurality of protrusions oriented in said first direction, wherein said fifth and sixth pluralities of protrusions do not lie in a common plane, wherein some of said second plurality of protrusions of said first planar form are selectively received in recesses between protrusions of said fifth plurality of protrusions of said second non-planar form;

a third non-planar form having a seventh plurality of protrusions oriented in said second direction, said third non-planar form having an eighth plurality of protrusions oriented in said first direction, wherein said seventh and eighth pluralities of protrusions do not lie in a common plane, wherein some of said second plurality of protrusions of said first planar form are selectively received in recesses between protrusions of said seventh plurality of protrusions of said third non-planar form;

a fourth non-planar form having a ninth plurality of protrusions oriented in said first direction, said fourth non-planar form having a tenth plurality of protrusions oriented in said second direction, wherein said ninth and tenth pluralities of protrusions do not lie in a common plane;

a second planar form having an eleventh plurality of protrusions oriented in said first direction, said second planar form having a twelfth plurality of protrusions oriented in said second direction, wherein said eleventh and twelfth pluralities of protrusions lie in a common plane; and

wherein said eleventh plurality of protrusions of said second planar form are selectively received in recesses between protrusions of said ninth plurality of protrusions of said fourth non-planar form, wherein some of said twelfth plurality of protrusions of said second planar form are selectively received in recesses between protrusions of said fifth plurality of protrusions of said second non-planar form, wherein some of said twelfth plurality of protrusions of said second planar form are selectively received in recesses between protrusions of said seventh plurality of protrusions of said third non-planar form;

wherein said protrusions of said various pluralities of protrusions have a length, a height, and a width, wherein said height is approximately 50% of said length, said width is approximately 17% of said length.