Amusement devices: games – Puzzles – Jumping movement
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-02
2003-03-18
Wong, Steven (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Puzzles
Jumping movement
C273S113000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06533277
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a cubical maze puzzle and particularly a composite cubical maze puzzle that constitutes a plurality of transparent and intersecting partitions stacked inside a casing constructed by six pieces of detachable transparent face plates to form changeable tortuous paths for a ball to travel from an entrance to an exit.
Cubical maze puzzles are known in the art in various forms. For instance, a prior art discloses a three-dimensional labyrinth which has septa with holes formed therein. The holes are blocked by dumbell-like blockades. The cubical casing is formed by stacking and is engaged through peripheral projection and notch of the stacking cases.
The foregoing prior art has a number of disadvantages. Overall visual transparency is reduced because of the holes are blocked by the blockades. The engagement of the peripheral projection and notch is not secure and is prone to fall apart when the maze puzzle is turned and tumbled during playing. There are still rooms for improvement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an intelligence benefiting cubicle maze puzzle that has a composite and transparent cubical casing to house an inner construction made of transparent material, and to couple with apertures and annular translucent colored stickers for defining a tortuous path from an entrance point to an exit point thereby to enhance visual transparency for forming an amusing maze puzzle.
Another object of this invention is to enable users to design and setup different tortuous paths desired. The inner construction of the maze puzzle includes a plurality of transparent and intersecting vertical partitions and horizontal plane partitions stacked one upon another alternately. The partitions have respectively a plurality of preformed and removable circular plates which may be selectively removed to form round apertures in the partitions at selected locations. And annular and translucent colored stickers may be provided to adhere to around the apertures. The apertures thus formed may be arranged to form a tortuous path desired.
The maze puzzle according to this invention includes a casing which consists of six pieces of square and transparent face plates. Each face plate has four edges which have respectively a tubular latch section located thereon. Any two neighboring face plates may be hinged together by inserting a pin in the adjacent tubular latch sections thereby to form a cubical and transparent casing when all the face plates are engaged together. The maze puzzle thus formed is securely engaged and constructed without the risk of falling apart when it is turned and tumbled by users during playing. Moreover, the pins may be removed to unfold the face plates for changing or replacing the partitions or changing ball position thereby to create different tortuous paths to suit user's desire.
In one aspect, this invention has composite base frames which has wedged slots for holding the vertical partitions that already had stickers adhered to thereon to form a layer of intersecting partitions. Thereby the partitions may be constructed accurately and conveniently. The maze puzzle thus constructed has the following characteristics:
Transparency—because of the face plates and partitions are being made of transparent materials, the maze puzzle of this invention has great visual transparency and enables users having a clear view for controlling and manipulating the ball through the tortuous path.
Convenience—the maze puzzle may be disassembled and assembled easily for changing or replacing the partition arrangement or ball position to create different tortuous paths.
Versatility—by removing the circular plates from the partitions and changing the arrangement of the partitions, users may design and setup different tortuous paths desired. It thus has a greater versatility and may offer users more challenges and create more amusement effect.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2261804 (1941-11-01), Hall
patent: 4824098 (1989-04-01), Huang
patent: 4861036 (1989-08-01), Watanabe
patent: 4953502 (1990-09-01), Hoover
patent: 4953863 (1990-09-01), Zeidler et al.
patent: 5613681 (1997-03-01), Allen
Bacon & Thomas PLLC
Wong Steven
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