U.S. patent application number 12/063982 was filed with the patent office on 2008-07-03 for interconnectible building elements for intellectual challenge games.
Invention is credited to Boaz Leicht.
Application Number | 20080160875 12/063982 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37757343 |
Filed Date | 2008-07-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080160875 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Leicht; Boaz |
July 3, 2008 |
Interconnectible Building Elements For Intellectual Challenge
Games
Abstract
A construction kit with basic building elements (1) and
connecting pieces (M) and a game with variable level of
intellectual challenge in which a first player assembles the basic
building elements into different composite building elements by
using the connecting pieces, introduces connecting pieces into
receiving means (a2) on the outer faces of the composite building
elements, and assembles a final structure. A second player is
presented with the challenge of disassembling the final structure
and reassembling it from the same composite building elements with
the same connection means in the same positions that were used by
the first player.
Inventors: |
Leicht; Boaz; (Jerusalem,
IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LOWE HAUPTMAN HAM & BERNER, LLP
1700 DIAGONAL ROAD, SUITE 300
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
37757343 |
Appl. No.: |
12/063982 |
Filed: |
August 15, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
August 15, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IL05/00879 |
371 Date: |
February 15, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
446/124 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 9/12 20130101; A63F
2009/1284 20130101; A63F 2009/1228 20130101; A63H 33/107
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
446/124 |
International
Class: |
A63H 33/04 20060101
A63H033/04 |
Claims
1. A construction kit comprising a plurality of basic building
elements and a plurality of connecting pieces, the said connecting
pieces being adapted for connecting the said basic building
elements and for being received in receiving means on the faces of
the said basic building elements such that they enable assembly of
the basic building elements into composite building elements in
accordance with a large variety of different shapes and with a
large variety of different patterns of connecting pieces on the
outer faces of the said composite building elements, wherein each
of the said connecting pieces may be hindering or facilitating the
assembly of a pre defined structure from the said composite
building elements depending on the respective positions of the said
connecting pieces and the said receiving elements.
2. A construction kit according to claim 1 wherein at least one of
the basic building elements has a shape selected from the list
comprising a cube, a row of cubes, a trapezoid, a tetrahedron, a
cylinder, a cone.
3. (canceled)
4. (canceled)
5. (canceled)
6. (canceled)
7. (canceled)
8. A construction kit according to claim 1 wherein the said basic
building elements are made in different colors.
9. A construction kit according to claim 1 wherein the said
connecting pieces are made in different colors.
10. A construction kit according to claim 1 wherein the said
connecting pieces are made in different shapes.
11. A construction kit according to claim 1 wherein the said
receiving means are bored receiving means and the said connecting
pieces have threaded stems adapted to be received in the said bored
holes.
12. A construction kit according to claim 1 wherein the said
connecting pieces have flat cylindrical heads with a transverse
slot adapted to receive a screwdriver means.
13. A construction kit according to claim 1 wherein the said basic
building element is a cube with a circular depression disposed on
each of its faces and with a hole centrally disposed within each of
the said circular depressions respectively and further comprising a
plurality of connecting pieces, each of the said connecting pieces
having a stem adapted to be tightly received in one of the said
receiving means in a first basic building element and each of the
said connecting pieces further having a circular head adapted to be
tightly received in one of the said circular depressions in a
second basic building element such that the said basic building
elements may be interconnected by the said connecting pieces to
create a composite building element, and a number of connecting
pieces may be attached at selected positions on the outer faces of
the said composite building elements wherein the said stems are
tightly received in the said receiving means on the faces of the
said composite building elements and the said circular heads are
abutting from the said outer faces of the said composite building
elements in a manner that may hinder or facilitate the assembly of
the said composite building elements into a pre defined structure
whereby the said composite building elements must be arranged in a
specific manner so as to enable the assembly of the said pre
defined structure.
14. A spatial game comprising: a. selecting a plurality of basic
building elements being displayed as a cube or any other object
having a plurality of outer faces, with a depression disposed on at
least a portion of said faces and with a hole centrally disposed
within at least a portion of the said depressions respectively; b.
selecting a plurality of connecting pieces, each of the said
connecting pieces having a stem adapted to be tightly received in
one of the said receiving means in a first basic building element
and each of the said connecting pieces further having a head
adapted to be tightly received in one of the said depressions in a
second basic building element such that the said basic building
elements may be interconnected by the said connecting pieces to
create a composite building element; c. selecting a number of
connecting pieces adapted to be attached at selected positions on
the outer faces of the said composite building elements; and d.
constructing at least one predefined structure in the manner that
the said stems are tightly received in the said receiving means on
the faces of the said composite building elements and the said
heads are abutting from the said outer faces of the said composite
building elements in a manner that may hinder or facilitate the
assembly of the said composite building elements into a predefined
structure whereby the said composite building elements must be
arranged in a specific manner so as to enable the computerized
enabled assembly of the said predefined structure.
15. A spatial game according to claim 14 wherein the said basic
building element is a cube.
16. A spatial game according to claim 14 wherein the said basic
building element is a solid element designed to resemble a row of
cubes.
17. A spatial game according to claim 14 wherein the said
connecting pieces are arranged in patterns of different colors.
18. A spatial game according to claim 14 wherein the said basic
building elements are arranged in patterns of different colors.
19. A spatial game according to claim 14 wherein the said pre
defined structure is three dimensional.
20. An intellectual challenge game according to claim 14 wherein
the said pre defined structure is two dimensional.
21. An intellectual challenge game according to claim 14 wherein
the said pre defined structure is a cube.
22. An intellectual challenge game in which a first player: a)
assembles basic building elements into composite building elements
by using connecting pieces to interconnect two or more basic
building elements, b) introduces connecting pieces into a number of
receiving means on one or more of the outer faces of the composite
building elements, thereby enabling a large variety of different
composite building elements wherein the shapes of the said
composite building elements and the positions of the said
connecting pieces on the outer faces of the said composite building
elements are designed by the first player such that they are
mutually compatible in a manner that enables the player to assemble
a pre defined structure using the said composite building elements,
c) assembles the said pre defined structure from the said composite
building elements, d) optionally creates a pattern on the outer
face of the said pre defined structure by introducing connecting
pieces into the receiving means on the outer surface of the said
pre defined structure, e) presents a second player with the
challenge of disassembling the said pre defined structure into its
separate composite building elements and, without changing the
positions of the connecting pieces on the said composite building
elements, to reassemble the same structure with the same pattern
from the same composite building elements that were used by the
first player.
23. An intellectual challenge game according to claim 22 wherein
the said basic building element is a cube.
24. An intellectual challenge game according to claim 22 wherein
the said basic building element is a solid element designed to
resemble a row of cubes.
25. An intellectual challenge game according to claim 22 wherein
the said connecting pieces are arranged in patterns of different
colors.
26. An intellectual challenge game according to claim 22 wherein
the said basic building elements are arranged in patterns of
different colors.
27. An intellectual challenge game according to claim 22 wherein
the said pre defined structure is three dimensional.
28. An intellectual challenge game according to claim 22 wherein
the said pre defined structure is two dimensional.
29. An intellectual challenge game according to claim 22 wherein
the said pre defined structure is a cube.
30. A method of playing an intellectual challenge game comprising:
a. assembling a plurality of basic building elements into a
plurality of composite building elements by using a plurality of
connecting pieces each of said pieces being adapted to interconnect
two or more basic building elements; b. introducing a plurality of
connecting pieces into a plurality of receiving means on one or
more of the outer faces of the composite building elements, thereby
enabling a variety of different composite building elements;
wherein the shapes of said composite building elements and the
positions of said connecting pieces on the outer faces of said
composite building elements are designed by a first player such
that they are mutually compatible in a manner that enables the
player to assemble a pre-defined structure using the said composite
building elements; c. assembling said pre-defined structure from
said composite building elements; d. optionally creating a pattern
on the outer face of the said pre-defined structure by introducing
a plurality of connecting pieces into the receiving means on the
outer surface of said pre-defined structure; and, presenting at
least a second player with the challenge of disassembling said
pre-defined structure into its separate composite building elements
and, without changing the positions of the connecting pieces on the
said composite building elements, to reassemble the same structure
with the same pattern on the outer surface of said structure from
the same composite building elements that were used by the first
player.
31. A computerized spatial game comprising: a. selecting a
plurality of basic building elements being displayed as a cube or
any other object having a plurality of outer faces, with a
depression disposed on at least a portion of said faces and with a
hole centrally disposed within at least a portion of the said
depressions respectively; b. selecting a plurality of connecting
pieces, each of the said connecting pieces having a stem adapted to
be tightly received in one of the said receiving means in a first
basic building element and each of the said connecting pieces
further having a head adapted to be tightly received in one of the
said depressions in a second basic building element such that the
said basic building elements may be interconnected by the said
connecting pieces to create a composite building element; c.
selecting a number of connecting pieces adapted to be attached at
selected positions on the outer faces of the said composite
building elements; and d. constructing at least one predefined
structure in the manner that the said stems are tightly received in
the said receiving means on the faces of the said composite
building elements and the said heads are abutting from the said
outer faces of the said composite building elements in a manner
that may hinder or facilitate the assembly of the said composite
building elements into a predefined structure whereby the said
composite building elements must be arranged in a specific manner
so as to enable the computerized enabled assembly of the said
predefined structure.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is based on, and claims priority
from, International Application Number PCT/IL2005/000879, filed
Aug. 15, 2005, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by
reference herein in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention belongs to the large family of
constructional toys, consisting of building elements with
attachment means and games to be played with such toys.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] Many constructional toys of the prior art enable creative
assembly into diverse forms.
[0004] Thus for example GB 2384721 teaches a construction toy
comprised of brick like elements which have receiving means
extending through and mats with receiving means representing
mortar, to be joined together by plastic dowels for constructing
buildings of different designs.
[0005] Similarly, GB 2108857 comprises a building toy system with a
basic element of two components secured together into which
orthogonally arranged securing means such as rods, dowels or pegs
may be introduced, thus enabling free building of different shapes,
while GB 214821 teaches a toy building element having right angled
corners and equispaced grooves that may be connected by using
hinges, clips, bolts etc.
[0006] Finally, JP 4161186 proposes a kit with hollow elements that
may be interconnected using separate connecting members that fit
into receiving means in the elements.
[0007] All of these toys of the prior art are directed at the
creative power of the child and propose an amusing, variable
pastime as well as the development of mechanical skills.
[0008] Different kinds of constructional games pose technical and
logical problems due to certain predefined limitations of structure
that make the task of creating a construction of preset shape an
intellectual challenge. It is characteristic of these games that
the main configuration remains unchanged.
[0009] A well known example of this prior art is Rubik's cube.
Another example is UK 4605 (of 1909) consisting of a box to be
moved around inside a cube made of an inner part and an outer part
until it is released. Yet another example is a special logical toy,
described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,665 that has a total of 26
elements mounted on a spherical internal connecting element. The
toy elements, marked by colors, numbers etc., are mixed by rotation
and the objective is to return them to the original
arrangement.
[0010] There is a need for a game that combines creative freedom
and intellectual challenge by providing separate building elements
with connecting pieces that may be freely assembled into a large
variety of different composite building elements and wherein the
said different composite building elements have different
configurations and connecting pieces may be attached on the faces
of the said composite building elements in various positions such
that a nearly infinite number of final structures may be created by
assembling the said composite building elements, but only a limited
number of modes of assembly for a predefined final structure exist
when using the same composite building elements.
[0011] There is a need for a game in which a large variety of
different puzzles may be created by a first player using the same
kit of building elements and connecting pieces by assembling
different composite building elements with different arrays of
connecting pieces on their faces, and creating a final structure by
assembling the said composite elements, which final structure may
then be presented as a puzzle to a second player to disassemble and
reconstruct the said final structure using the same composite
building elements.
[0012] There is a need for a puzzle game in which the level of
intellectual challenge may be controlled according to the players'
wish or to their abilities while using the same basic building
elements and connecting pieces.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention proposes a construction kit comprising
a plurality of basic building elements and a plurality of
connecting pieces, the said connecting pieces adapted for
connecting the said basic building elements and for being received
in receiving means on the faces of the said basic building elements
such that they enable assembly of the basic building elements into
composite building elements in accordance with a large variety of
different shapes and with a large variety of different patterns of
connecting pieces on the outer faces of the said composite building
elements, wherein each of the said connecting pieces may be
hindering or facilitating the assembly of a pre defined structure
from the said composite building elements depending on the
respective positions of the said connecting pieces and the said
receiving elements.
[0014] The invention further proposes an intellectual challenge
game in which a first player: a) assembles the basic building
elements into composite building elements by using the connecting
pieces to interconnect two or more basic building elements, b)
introduces connecting pieces into a number of receiving means on
one or more of the outer faces of the composite building elements,
thereby enabling a large variety of different composite building
elements wherein the shapes of the said composite building elements
and the positions of the said connecting pieces on the outer faces
of the said composite building elements are designed by the first
player such that they are mutually compatible in a manner that
enables the player to assemble a pre defined structure using the
said composite building elements, c) assembles the said pre defined
structure from the said composite building elements, d) optionally
creates a pattern on the outer face of the said pre defined
structure by introducing connecting pieces into the receiving means
on the outer surface of the said pre defined structure, e) presents
a second player with the challenge of disassembling the said pre
defined structure into its separate composite building elements
and, without changing the positions of the connecting pieces on the
said composite building elements, to reassemble the same structure
with the same pattern from the same composite building elements
that were used by the first player.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] In order to understand the invention and to see how it may
be implemented in practice, a plurality of preferred embodiments
will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with
reference to the accompanying drawing, in which
[0016] FIG. 1 shows a basic building element and a connecting
piece;
[0017] FIG. 2 shows a structure assembled from the building
elements of the inventive construction kit;
[0018] FIG. 3 shows the composite building elements used for
constructing the structure of FIG. 1 in top view (3b) and in
perspective view (3a);
[0019] FIG. 4 shows in top view (4b) and in perspective view (4a)
the composite building elements of FIG. 3 with connecting pieces
introduced into the said composite building elements ; and,
[0020] FIG. 5 shows the structure of FIG. 2 after assembly in top
view (5b) and in perspective view (5a), with connecting pieces
introduced into the outer faces of the said structure creating a
pattern on the said outer faces of the said structure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention an
intellectual challenge construction kit to be applied in a game for
at least two players is proposed. The inventive toy comprises a
plurality of basic building elements and a plurality off connecting
means adapted to be received in receiving means provided on the
said basic building elements that enable the assembly of a huge
variety of composite building blocks of different shapes and with
different patterns of connecting means on their outer faces. Thus
an almost infinite number of different construction kits with
different composite building elements may be created using the same
basic building elements and connecting pieces. Such a construction
kit may be prepared by a first player to be used by the said first
player for assembling a pre defined structure, while overcoming
hindrances created by connecting pieces at some positions and using
to advantage the connecting pieces that facilitate attachment of
two adjacent composite building elements at other positions. The
first player may then present the pre defined pre defined structure
to a second player and challenge him to take apart the said pre
defined pre defined structure and reassemble it using the same
composite building elements with the same attachment means at the
same positions that were used by the first player.
[0022] In accordance with the variable construction kit of the
invention, the basic building elements may be made in many
different shapes such as a cube, a tetrahedron or any other
polyhedron, a prism, a trapezoid, a cylinder, a cone, etc.
[0023] The connecting pieces may also be made in different designs
such as pegs with conical heads, pointed heads of any structural
design, flat heads that may be cylindrical or prismoidal, flower
shaped heads, animal shaped heads, etc. It will be understood that
at least some of the receiving means must have a shape that enables
the said receiving means to receive the said heads if the said
connecting pieces.
[0024] The connecting pieces may also have attachment means such as
stems with bayonet pin and socket attachment means, threaded stems
etc. that enable fast attachment of the connecting pieces within
receiving means having a shape that enables the said attachment
means to be received and attached in the said receiving means.
[0025] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention,
the said basic building elements are cubes with six equivalent
faces, on each of the faces of the said basic building elements a
cylindrical depression is disposed and at the center of the said
cylindrical depression a bored hole is provided. In this preferred
embodiment the connecting pieces have threaded stems and flat
cylindrical heads such that the cylindrical heads are adapted to be
tightly received in the said cylindrical depressions and the said
threaded stems are adapted to be threaded into the said bored
holes.
[0026] In accordance with the preferred embodiment, connecting
pieces may be used to assemble a selected number of basic building
elements into a composite building element wherein the composite
building element may be a straight row of basic building elements
in the shape of a prism, or it may be assembled of five building
elements to form a branched T design, assembled of three basic
building elements creating an L shape, or it may be assembled
according to any other design including designs branched in three
dimensions, selected at will by a player.
[0027] In accordance with another embodiment the inventive
construction kit comprises integral building elements designed to
simulate the above described composite building elements. The
integral building elements have generally the same shapes and
proportions as if they were composite building elements assembled
from basic building elements and their outer surfaces are marked by
transversely disposed grooves appropriately positioned to simulate
grooves separating adjacent basic building elements.
[0028] In one embodiment of the invention the construction kit
comprises 27 basic building elements having the shape of a cube
with six faces and bevel edges, each of the basic building elements
having a centrally located cylindrical depression with a bored hole
at the center of the said cylindrical depression on each of its six
faces. The construction kit further comprises a plurality of
connecting pieces preferably shaped as screws with a head having a
cylindrical shape and a diameter that enables it to be tightly
received in the said depressions and a threaded stem that can be
screwed into the said bored holes.
[0029] The basic building elements may be assembled into 9
composite building elements each consisting of three basic building
elements. Each of the composite building elements is assembled by
screwing the threaded stem of a first connecting piece into a bored
hole in a first basic building element and introducing the head of
the said first connecting piece into a cylindrical depression in a
first face of a second building element such that the said head is
tightly received in the said cylindrical depression, then screwing
the threaded stem of a second connecting piece into a bored hole in
a second face of the second building element that is opposite and
parallel to the said first face of the second building element, and
finally introducing the head of the said first connecting piece
into a cylindrical depression in a first face of a third building
element such that the said head is tightly received in the said
cylindrical depression.
[0030] In accordance with the invention, an intelligence game may
be played using the said composite elements wherein a first player
may introduce further connecting pieces into bored holes at pre
defined positions on the outer faces of the said composite building
elements by screwing the stems of the said connecting pieces into
the said bored holes in the center of the said cylindrical
depressions. It will be understood that a connecting piece may be
driven into a bored hole until the cylindrical head of the said
connecting piece is wholly received in the said cylindrical
depression and the said cylindrical head comes to lie generally
level with the surface of the said composite element or the said
cylindrical head may be only partly received in the said
cylindrical depression such that the said cylindrical head is
protruding from the surface of the said composite element.
[0031] In accordance with another embodiment the present invention,
a computerized spatial game is provided, comprising inter alia the
following steps: (a) selecting a plurality of basic building
elements being displayed as a cube or any other object having a
plurality of outer faces, with a depression disposed on at least a
portion (e.g., one or more faces, every face etc) of the said faces
and with a hole centrally disposed within at least a portion of the
said depressions respectively; (b) selecting a plurality of
connecting pieces, each of the said connecting pieces having a stem
adapted to be tightly received in one of the said receiving means
in a first basic building element and each of the said connecting
pieces further having a head adapted to be tightly received in one
of the said depressions on a face of a second basic building
element such that the said basic building elements may be
interconnected by the said connecting pieces to create a composite
building element; (c) selecting a number of connecting pieces
adapted to be attached at selected positions on the outer faces of
the said composite building elements; and (d), constructing at
least one predefined structure in the manner that the said stems
are tightly received in the said receiving means on the faces of
the said composite building elements and the said heads are
abutting from the said outer faces of the said composite building
elements in a manner that may hinder or facilitate the assembly of
the said composite building elements into a predefined structure
whereby the said composite building elements must be arranged in a
specific manner so as to enable the computerized assembly of the
said predefined structure.
[0032] In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present
invention, a method of playing a intellectual challenge game is
provided, this method comprising inter alia (a) assembling a
plurality of basic building elements into a plurality of composite
building elements by using a plurality of connecting pieces each of
said pieces being adapted to interconnect two or more basic
building elements; (b) introducing a plurality of connecting pieces
into a plurality of receiving means on one or more of the outer
faces of the composite building elements, thereby enabling a
variety of different composite building elements; wherein the
shapes of said composite building elements and the positions of
said connecting pieces on the outer faces of said composite
building elements are designed by a first player such that they are
mutually compatible in a manner that enables the player to assemble
a pre-defined structure using the said composite building elements;
(c) assembling said pre-defined structure from said composite
building elements; (d) optionally creating a pattern on the outer
surface of the said pre-defined structure by introducing a
plurality of connecting pieces into the receiving means on the
outer surface of said pre-defined structure; and (e), presenting at
least a second player with the challenge of disassembling said
pre-defined structure into its separate composite building elements
and, without changing the positions of the connecting pieces on the
said composite building elements, to reassemble the same structure
with the same pattern on its outer surface from the same composite
building elements that were used by the first player.
[0033] It will be understood that as a result of introducing the
connecting means in the bored holes on the outer faces of the said
composite building blocks in the above described manner various
fits and misfits between the different composite building element
are created such that where a first connecting piece protruding
from a first composite building element is juxtaposed to a second
connecting piece protruding from a second composite building
element, this configuration is a misfit that hinders the coupling
of the said first and second composite building elements whereas
where a connecting piece protruding from a first composite building
element is juxtaposed to a cylindrical depression in a second
composite building element, this configuration is a fit that
facilitates the coupling of the said first and second composite
building elements.
[0034] It will be further understood that where the threaded stem
of a connecting piece is screwed into the said bored hole until its
cylindrical head is received in the said cylindrical depression
whereby it comes to lie level with the face of a composite building
element, such connecting piece will neither facilitate nor hinder
the coupling of the said first and second composite building
elements.
[0035] These composite building elements may now be used by a
player to assemble different kinds of structures such as a cube in
which the size of each of the three dimensions length, width and
depth is equal to the length of three basic building elements
assembled in a row.
[0036] It is a main advantage of the inventive construction game
that using the same basic building elements and connecting pieces
an almost unlimited number of different composite building elements
and structures may be created in accordance with the desired level
of difficulty which in turn may be suited to the abilities of the
players.
[0037] It will be further understood that the variability of the
inventive construction kit is further increased due to the fact
that many different kinds of composite building elements with
differently positioned connecting pieces may be used to assemble
the same structure.
[0038] Thus even in the simple embodiment of 9 composite building
elements of equal size and shape that are assembled into a cube
structure, the said cube structure may be assembled in accordance
with any of a large number of variations by altering the
distribution of the connecting pieces on the different faces of the
composite building elements.
[0039] It is an advantage of the inventive construction kit and
intellectual construction game that a large number of variations is
made possible by the variability of the distribution of the
connecting pieces on the faces of the composite building elements.
It will be understood that the total number of receiving means in a
composite building element that is made of three basic building
elements, each basic building element having a receiving means on
each of its faces, is 14. As a result, to each of the composite
building elements any number of connecting pieces may be added by
the first player in a range of 1-14 and a considerable number of
different modes of distributing the said connecting pieces by
introducing the said connecting pieces into receiving means at
different locations on the faces of the said composite building
element is available.
[0040] It will be further understood that more than one receiving
means for more than one type of connecting piece may be provided on
a face of a basic building element once more increasing the
variability of the game that may be played using the same basic
construction set.
[0041] In accordance with a further advantage of the intellectual
challenge game of the invention the number of limitations imposed
by the first player may be increased and the level of difficulty
elevated such as by defining a pattern of connecting pieces on the
outer surface of the cubic structure and challenging the second
player to reconstruct the said pattern while reassembling the said
cubic structure.
[0042] In accordance with yet another advantage of the inventive
construction kit the connecting pieces may be disposed such that
they are protruding from a composite building element at different
orientations, with direct angles between the said orientations of
the said connecting pieces. In this case a further obstacle is
created that raises the level of difficulty due to the fact that it
becomes compulsory to connect the said composite building element
in its predestined position prior to connecting any adjacent
composite building elements that may obstruct the placing of the
said composite building element in the said predestined position
due to the said protrusion of the said connecting pieces.
[0043] Additional ways of increasing the level of difficulty are
made possible by adding further variations in the basic elements
such as differently colored basic building elements or differently
colored connecting pieces, using connecting pieces that are
designed to fit into differently designed depressions, using
connecting pieces of varied heights, etc.
[0044] Relating now to the invention in general, the level of
difficulty depends on several variable elements of the novel
construction game: [0045] 1. The design of the basic building
elements [0046] 2. The configuration of the composite building
elements, whether cuboid or polygonal objects, T shaped, L shaped
or curved shaped etc. [0047] 3. The structure to be assembled.
[0048] 4. The design of the connecting pieces. [0049] 5. Any
configurations imposing a predefined order of assembly wherein a
second composite building element must be attached to a first
composite building element prior to a third composite building
element and the final construction cannot be achieved in any other
manner. [0050] 6. Patterns on the outer surface of the final
construction. [0051] 7. Patterns of different colors and/or designs
of the basic building elements and/or the connecting pieces. [0052]
8. The number of receiving means on a face of a basic building
element.
[0053] It is an advantage of the inventive construction kit that it
enables the creation of simple planar puzzles suitable for children
of different ages as well as complex puzzles on different levels
for adults of varied capabilities.
[0054] In accordance with yet another aspect of the inventive
construction kit, the invention may be applied as clinical or
educational a tool for testing the players' intelligence or
developmental stage.
BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0055] The invention will be described hereinbelow by way of
example only in accordance with a preferred embodiment. It will be
understood however that many other variations and modifications of
the inventive construction kit may be made that still remain within
the scope of the invention.
[0056] In the preferred embodiment the construction kit comprises a
limited number of basic building elements.
[0057] FIG. 1 shows a basic building element A having the general
form of a cube with six faces. It will be understood that FIG. 1
being a perspective view of the basic building element, only three
faces a, b and c of the basic building element are visible. The
basic building element has six bevel edges. In FIG. 1 bevel edges
1, 2 and 3 are shown. Each of the faces of the basic building
element A is made with a centrally positioned cylindrical
depression. In FIG. 1 cylindrical depressions a1, b1 and c1 in
faces a, b and c respectively of the basic building element A are
shown.
[0058] At the center of each of the cylindrical depressions a bored
hole is provided. In FIG. 1 bored holes a2, b2 and c2 at the
centers of cylindrical depressions a1, b1 and c1 respectively are
shown.
[0059] In accordance with the preferred embodiment the inventive
construction kit further comprises connecting pieces for connecting
the basic building elements. A connecting piece M is shown in FIG.
1. As seen in FIG. 1, the connecting piece M has a flat head m1
with a cylindrical shape and a groove m2 extending across the upper
surface of the flat head m1. A threaded stem m3 is downwardly
extending from the flat head m1 at a straight angle to the flat
head m1. In accordance with the invention the threaded stem m3 is
adapted for screwing into a bored hole such as a2 or b2 or c2 on
the face of a basic building element and the flat head m1 is
adapted to be tightly received in a cylindrical depression such as
a1 or b1 or c1.
[0060] Referring now to FIG. 2, a single plane pre defined
construction is shown that may be pre defined at will by a first
player. The pre defined construction has the shape of a cuboid with
a length L of four basic building elements L1, L2, L3 and L4 and a
width W of three basic building elements L1, W2 and W3. The total
number of basic building elements in the pre defined construction
of FIG. 2 is 12. As seen in FIG. 2, due to the beveled edges of the
basic construction elements a groove with a generally triangular
cross section is formed between two adjacent faces of adjacent
basic building elements. Thus for example basic building element L1
has a face L1a that is adjacent to the face W2a of the basic
building element W2 and between the two adjacent faces L1a and W2a
a groove g with a generally triangular cross section is formed.
[0061] Having pre defined the final structure of FIG. 2, the first
player proceeds to assemble a set of composite building elements
designed in a manner that enables the assembly of the said final
structure using the said set of composite building elements. The
composite building elements are assembled using the required number
of basic building elements and connecting pieces.
[0062] It will be understood that many different designs of the
composite building elements may be assembled according to the first
player's imagination or according to the level of difficulty he
wishes to create.
[0063] FIG. 3 shows one example of a set of composite building
elements that may be used in the assembly of the final structure of
FIG. 2, consisting of four composite building elements of different
designs O, P, R and S chosen at will by the first player wherein 3a
is a perspective view and 3b is a top view of the said set of
composite building elements O, P, R and S.
[0064] The assembly of the composite building elements O, P, R and
S is carried out by using connecting pieces to connect the basic
building elements.
[0065] Thus for example the composite building element O, that is
an assembly of three basic building elements O1, O2 and O3
connected in a row, is assembled by screwing the threaded stem of a
first connecting piece into a bored hole on a first face of the
basic building element O1, inserting the cylindrical head of the
said first connecting piece into a cylindrical depression on a
first face of the basic building element O2 such that it is tightly
received in the said cylindrical depression, then screwing the
threaded stem of a second connecting piece into the face of the
basic building element O2 that is opposite and parallel to the said
first face of the said basic building element O2 and inserting the
cylindrical head of the said second connecting piece into a
cylindrical depression on a first face of the basic building
element O3 such that it is tightly received in the said cylindrical
depression.
[0066] Composite building element P is a generally T shaped
structure assembled of four basic building elements using three
connecting pieces in the manner that was described above for
composite building element O, while composite building element R is
an L shaped structure assembled from three basic building elements
A using two connecting pieces and composite building element S is a
simple assembly of two basic building elements A connected by a
single connecting piece.
[0067] As seen in FIG. 3, the composite building elements O, P, R
and S are first assembled without any connecting pieces on their
outer faces.
[0068] Following assembly of the composite building elements O, P,
R and S, connecting pieces are added to the composite building
elements O, P, R and S by screwing the stems of a pre defined
number of connecting pieces M into bored holes at pre defined
locations on the outer faces of the composite building elements O,
P, R and S. An experienced player is capable of planning in advance
the location of the connecting pieces such that assembly of the
composite building elements O, P, R and S into the pre defined
final structure of FIG. 2 is facilitated. It is an advantage of the
inventive construction kit that the connecting pieces may be
relocated in the event that the player is not satisfied with the
result for any reason or in the event that the positions of the
connecting pieces or any of them are found to obstruct the assembly
of the final construction.
[0069] FIG. 4 shows one example of an arrangement of the connecting
pieces M on the composite building elements O, P, R and S that
enables the assembly of the final structure of FIG. 2.
[0070] It will be understood that the drawing on the right side of
FIG. 4, generally designated 4a, shows the set of composite
building elements O, P, R and S in perspective view while the
drawing on the left side of FIG. 4, generally designated 4b, shows
the set of composite building elements O, P, R and S in top
view.
[0071] As seen best in FIG. 4b, in the example of FIG. 4 composite
building element O has two connecting pieces M1 and M2, located in
the cylindrical depressions on a face X of the said composite
building element O. The connecting pieces M1 and M2 enable the
player to attach the composite building element O to the composite
building element P by pushing the cylindrical heads of the
connecting pieces M1 and M2 into cylindrical depressions in the
face Y of the composite building element P. At the same time the
cylindrical head of the connecting piece M3 that is abutting from
the said face Y of the composite building element P is pushed into
a cylindrical depression in the face X of the said composite
building element O.
[0072] Looking again at FIG. 4, on a face Z of the said composite
building element P a further connecting piece M4 is located that
enables the attachment of composite building elements P and R by
pushing the cylindrical head of the said connecting piece M4 into a
cylindrical depression in the face Q of the composite building
element R. It will be understood however that once the composite
building element R is attached to the composite building element P,
it will be impossible to complete the final structure of FIG. 2 due
to the position of the connecting pieces M5 and M6 on the composite
building element S. As seen in FIG. 4b, the connecting piece M5 is
disposed in an orientation that is perpendicular to the orientation
of the connecting piece M6. Each of the said connecting pieces M5
and M6 must be allowed to move freely along an adjacent composite
building element while the other connecting piece is being pushed
into the respective cylindrical depression that is designed to
receive it. Thus while the connecting piece M5 is pushed into the
cylindrical depression in the face T of the composite building
element P the connecting piece M6 must be free to move in the
direction of the said face T of the composite building element P.
This cannot be achieved in the event that the composite building
element R is already attached to the composite building element P.
In this latter case the face U of the composite building element R
will hinder the movement of the composite building element S due to
the protrusion of the connecting piece M6 from the face of the said
composite building element S.
[0073] The above is just a simple example of the obstacles and
limitations that may be presented to a second player who is invited
to take apart the final structure of FIG. 2 and rebuild it without
altering the configuration of the basic building elements O, P, R
and S, the number of connecting pieces on the said basic building
elements O, P, R and S or the mode of distribution of the said
connecting pieces M1, M2, M3, M4, M5 and M6 on the said basic
building elements O, P, R and S.
[0074] Looking now at FIG. 5a wherein drawing 5b is a top view of
drawing 5a, a pattern of connecting pieces that was added on the
outer faces of the pre defined structure of FIG. 2 by the said
first player is shown. The pattern of drawings 5a and 5b consists
of diagonal rows of connecting pieces alternating with diagonal
rows of cylindrical depressions with no connecting pieces. Thus
connecting pieces M7, M8 and M9 comprise a diagonal row of
connecting pieces, while cylindrical depressions b1, b2, and b3
comprise a diagonal row of cylindrical depressions without
connecting pieces.
[0075] It will be understood that where the final structure of
drawings 5a and 5b is presented to a second player to be
disassembled and reassembled into the same structure and using the
same composite building elements, the number of limitations and
thence the level of intellectual challenge facing the said second
player is considerably elevated.
[0076] It will be further understood that an experienced player is
capable of adding connecting pieces to the said composite building
elements O, P, R and S before assembling the final structure of
FIG. 5 in a manner that will result in the diagonal pattern of FIG.
5.
[0077] It will be understood that the invention has been described
hereinabove by way of example only in accordance with a preferred
embodiment and many modifications, variations and applications of
the invention exist that remain within the scope of the description
and the claims.
[0078] In accordance with a major advantage of the inventive
construction kit and intellectual game, a different set of
composite building elements may be devised, wherein the design of
the composite building elements or some of them is different or the
positions of the connecting pieces on the faces of the said
building elements may be altered such that assembling the same
final structure becomes a completely different task.
[0079] In accordance with yet another important advantage of the
inventive construction kit and intellectual game, differently
designed composite building elements with different positions of
connecting pieces on the faces of the said building elements may be
used to build a different structure with or without a pattern on
its outer face.
[0080] The invention enables the player to create a large variety
of puzzles using the same basic building elements and connecting
pieces. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
inventive construction kit may be made of a number of integral
composite building elements, each integral composite building
element being a solid unit having generally the same size and form
as three basic building elements put together. It will be
understood that solid units may also be made of two elements or
four elements arranged in different ways.
[0081] It will be further understood that in accordance with the
invention many different games may be played with solid units
having generally the same design by creating different arrays of
the connecting pieces on the faces of the said solid units.
[0082] Due to the huge variety of puzzles that may be created using
the same basic building elements and the same basic connecting
means, the invention has considerable applicability as a toy, an
intellectual game, a therapeutic game and a means for diagnosis or
for testing intellectual development.
[0083] In accordance with yet another important advantage of the
inventive construction it may be utilized as a spatial game, being
either a computer game, physical game or a combination thereof. The
game is comprised in a non-limiting manner of the following playing
steps (a) selecting a plurality of basic building elements being
displayed as a cube or any other object having a plurality of outer
faces, with a depression disposed on at least a portion of said
faces and with a hole centrally disposed within at least a portion
of the said depressions respectively; (b) selecting a plurality of
connecting pieces, the said connecting pieces having a stem adapted
to be tightly received in one of the said receiving means in a
first basic building element and each of the said connecting pieces
further having a head adapted to be tightly received in one of the
said depressions in a second basic building element such that the
said basic building elements may be interconnected by the said
connecting pieces to create a composite building element; (c)
selecting a number of connecting pieces adapted to be attached at
selected positions on the outer faces of the said composite
building elements; and (d) constructing at least one predefined
structure in the manner that the said stems are tightly received in
the said receiving means on the faces of the said composite
building elements and the said heads are abutting from the said
outer faces of the said composite building elements in a manner
that may hinder or facilitate the assembly of the said composite
building elements into a predefined structure whereby the said
composite building elements must be arranged in a specific manner
so as to enable the assembly of the said predefined structure.
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