Front and back grids comprising puzzle with movable squares

• US 4,863,172 A
• Filed: 02/05/1988
• Issued: 09/05/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates
• Original Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates
• Inventors: Rosenwinkel, Donald A., Zaruba, John V., Kuna, Wayne A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Application Number:
  US07/152,441
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 273/153 S, 273/153 R, 273/237, 273/238, 273/157 R
• US Class Current: 273/153.00S
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0098 Word or number games A63F3/0415, A63F3/0421, A63F3/0423 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0857 with elements slidably connected to a visible central body, e.g. beads in grooves
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32

Abstract

A puzzle in which alphabet letters or other graphics are displayed in movable squares forming a grid on a front side of the puzzle. On the back side of the puzzle is another grid of movable squares containing alphabet letters or other graphics. Each square is a part of each of two mutually transverse, continuous bands. One band comprises aligned front side and back side rows while the other transverse band comprises aligned front side and back side columns. The relationship of each square in the puzzle may be changed with respect to every other square. As squares are moved out of the front side grid, they wrap around, out of sight, and change the grid of squares on the back side while bringing an out of sight square into the front side grid. In one electronic version of the puzzle, movement of a square is effected by touching the front side square to be moved and then touching the position on the front side row or column to which the square is to be moved. Grids in a mechanical version have moveable pieces carried in transverse intersecting slots formed by parts mounted on posts and spaced from a core.

Claims

1. A puzzle comprising:

a front side;

a back side;

a total number of movable squares;

a grid on the front side of the puzzle initially formed by some of the total number of movable squares;

a grid on the back side of the puzzle initially formed by some of the total number of movable squares;

each square being part of each of two mutually transverse, continuous bands of squares;

aligned rows on the front side and on the back side formed by one of the two bands;

aligned columns on the front side and on the back side formed by the other transverse band;

means for changing the relationship of each square in either the front side grid or the back side grid with respect to every other square in the front side and back side grids;

means for distinguishing the movable squares initially forming the front side grid from the movable squares initially forming the back side grid; and

means for electronically displaying one of the grids and selectively displaying the other of the grids to the exclusion of the one grid.

2. A puzzle comprising:

a front side;

a back side;

a total number of movable squares;

a grid on the front side of the puzzle initially formed by some of the total number of movable squares;

a grid on the back side of the puzzle initially formed by some of the total number of movable squares;

each square being part of each of two mutually transverse, continuous bands of squares;

aligned rows on the front side and on the back side formed by one of the two bands;

aligned columns on the front side and on the back side formed by the other transverse band;

means for changing the relationship of each square in either the front side grid or the back side grid with respect to every other square in the front side and back side grids;

means for distinguishing the movable squares initially forming the front side grid from the movable squares initially forming the back side grid;

means for electronically displaying one of the grids, and

means for effecting movement of a square by touching the electronically displayed grid.

3. The puzzle of claim 2 including means for selectively displaying the other of the grids to the exclusion of the one grid.

4. The puzzle of claim 3 including means precluding the use of the means for effecting movement of a square during the selective display of the other of the grids.

5. A puzzle comprising:

a front side;

a back side;

a total number of movable squares;

a grid on the front side of the puzzle initially formed by some of the total number of movable squares;

a grid on the back side of the puzzle initially formed by some of the total number of movable squares;

each square being part of each of two mutually transverse, continuous bands of squares;

aligned rows on the front side and on the back side formed by one of the two bands;

aligned columns on the front side and on the back side formed by the other transverse band;

means for changing the relationship of each square in either the front side grid or the back side grid with respect to every other square in the front side and back side grids;

means for distinguishing the movable squares initially forming the front side grid from the movable squares initially forming the back side grid;

means for electronically displaying one of the grids;

means for storing solutions to the puzzle in memory; and

means for selecting a solution for display by the means for electronically displaying the one grid.

6. A puzzle comprising:

a front side;

a back side;

a total number of movable squares;

a grid on the front side of the puzzle initially formed by some of the total number of movable squares;

a grid on the back side of the puzzle initially formed by some of the total number of movable squares;

each square being part of each of two mutually transverse, continuous bands of squares;

aligned rows on the front side and on the back side formed by one of the two bands;

aligned columns on the front side and on the back side formed by the other transverse band;

means for changing the relationship of each square in either the front side grid or the back side grid with respect to every other square in the front side and back side grids;

means for distinguishing the movable squares initially forming the front side grid from the movable squares initially forming the back side grid;

a central core;

a plurality of posts extending from the central core;

a part supported on each post spaced from the core and spaced from every other part an equal distance to define a first set of spaced part, generally parallel continuous bands of slots and a second set of spaced apart, generally parallel continuous bands of slots that are generally transverse to the first set;

means for mounting each of the squares forming the grids on the front side and the back for movement along either of two mutually transverse intersecting continuous bands of slots;

curved ends between the front side and the back side;

one set of continuous bands of slots extending through each of the curved ends;

the squares having depending stems that extend through the slots;

means carried adjacent the end of the stem spaced from the square for engaging the underside of the parts; and

the underside of each square being cross vaulted.

7. A method of generating an electronic game display and controlling the play of the game on an electronic display in response to player operation comprising the steps of:

generating an electronic display of a front side grid of squares each lying in one of two mutually transverse, continuous bands;

maintaining in memory a view of a back side grid of squares lying in the same continuous bands; and

adjusting the electronic display in response to player operation to reposition the squares.

8. The method of claim 7 including the step of distinguishing the squares initially forming the front side grid from the squares initially forming the back side grid.

9. The method of claim 8 including the step of storing the puzzle solutions in memory.

10. The method of claim 8 including the step of selectively generating an electronic display of the back side grid to the exclusion of the electronic display of the front side grid.