Amusement devices: games – Puzzles – Jumping movement
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-09
2001-02-13
Pierce, William M. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Puzzles
Jumping movement
C273S15700R, C434S098000, C434S104000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186504
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
People have long been fascinated, entertained, and enlightened by logic-based puzzles. The enormous variety of such puzzles provides wondrous delight to both children and adults, and studies have confirmed that analytical thought of the type elicited by such logic-based puzzles can improve one's capacity for learning and recalling information. Though a number of factors relate to the enjoyability of a particular logic-based puzzle for a particular person, the level of complexity, the configurability of the pieces, and the presence of colors and/or sounds may all contribute.
Of the many types of logic-based puzzles, one that is known and presents a logical puzzle somewhat akin to that presented by an embodiment of the invention is a 4×4 square grid having fifteen slidable tiles numbered 1-15 occupying fifteen of the sixteen spaces within the grid. Tiles can be slid sequentially into the empty space in the grid, thereby altering the relative positions of the numbered tiles. The typical solution to such a puzzle is obtained when the tiles are numerically ordered 1-15 reading left-to-right across the columns and then down the rows.
Another well-known logic-based puzzle is the Rubik's Cube®. Although this cube-shaped puzzle having six faces each including a 3×3 grid of nine colored stickers has an appearance similar to an embodiment of the invention, it actually is very dissimilar in construction and solution logic. The stickers adhere to 26 plastic pieces emanating radially from a central core. The various perpendicular planes of eight or nine pieces are rotatable about the central core to reconfigure the cube and the arrangement of stickers thereon. The typical solution to this puzzle is obtained when all nine stickers one each face are of identical color and each of the six faces of the cube has stickers of a different color from each of the other five faces.
As many other logic-based puzzles exist using recognizable patterns of colors, letters, numbers, and the like to distinguish solution states from non-solution states, consumers desire puzzles that provide a “twist” from more conventional ones.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention there is provided a puzzle apparatus for providing a user with a challenging puzzle to solve. The apparatus includes a housing having at least one opening therein, a matrix of shaped color-producing media disposed within the housing, and a plurality of generally interengaging, slidable tiles carrying color-producing media thereon, the tiles being proximate the opening of the housing. A light source radiates light through respective ones of the shaped color-producing media of the matrix, then through respective ones of the color-producing media of the slidable tiles, and then to the eye of the user such that at least some of the light seen by the user has passed through both a color-producing medium in the matrix and a color-producing medium in one of the tiles.
The respective color-producing media interact to produce a light color other than that which would have been produced if the light had passed through only one of the color-producing media. The slidable tiles are relatively arrangeable to produce a solution to the puzzle. The solution includes a predetermined pattern of colors as viewable by the user when looking generally toward the opening of the housing. A method for solving a puzzle in accordance with the invention is also provided.
The inventive puzzle apparatus presents a challenging logic-based puzzle wherein the user attempts to arrange tiles within one or more housing openings until a particular predetermined pattern is achieved (the solution). The “twist” is that, as the tiles are arranged, they pass over and align with different portions of the underlying matrix, thereby causing the color of light emitted through the tiles to change as their respective positions within the housing openings change. This makes it very challenging to arrange the tiles to display a predetermined pattern of light colors.
An art set having many common features with the puzzle and in accordance with the invention is also provided, though, unlike with respect to the puzzle, there is no predetermined arrangement of tiles (i.e. solution) that is sought to be formed; rather the object of the art set is to facilitate the creation of visually pleasing, colorful, and artistic tile arrangements.
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Maxim John
Oltman Flynn & Kubler
Pierce William M.
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