US20070057456A1

US20070057456A1 - Turning puzzle ball

Info

Publication number: US20070057456A1
Application number: US11/379,244
Authority: US
Inventors: Xueliang Liu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-09-13
Filing date: 2006-04-19
Publication date: 2007-03-15
Also published as: DE602006008082D1; EP1769829B1; CN1876209A; JP3124602U; EP1769829A1

Abstract

A turning puzzle ball includes a plurality of slidable members, and a plurality of rails. The slidable members form a hollow sphere. Each of sides of each of the rails is slidably mounted between corresponding sides of two adjacent slidable members.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to magic tubes, and particularly to a turning puzzle ball.
2. Background of the Invention
A puzzle device which is highly popular is that sold under the trademark RUBIK'S CUBE in which a main cube is divided into groups of minor cubes of nine cubes disposed three by three along each face of the main cube. Each of the groups of cubes is independently rotated about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the group. The axes of the groups are orthogonally related. The faces of the minor cubes are variously colored and it is the general object of the puzzle to successively rotate the groups about their respective axes from a random arrangement of the minor cubes to a condition wherein the minor cubes achieve a predetermined arrangement, for example with the faces of the minor cubes in a group being of the same color.
Currently, there're two types of Rubik's cubes. One is cubic, and the other is spheric. Groups of the cubic type of Rubik's cubes can rotate only in two directions. Groups of the spheric type of Rubik's cubes can rotate in three directions, such as Hungarian-Globes, Magic Balls, K-Ball, and so on. However, parts of each group of the Rubik's cubes could not disassembled. Thus, it is inconvenient in using the Rubik's cube.
What is needed is to provide a turning puzzle ball which is convenient to be used.

SUMMARY

A exemplary turning puzzle ball includes a plurality of slidable members, and a plurality of rails. The slidable members form a hollow sphere. Each of sides of each of the rails is slidably mounted between corresponding sides of two adjacent slidable members.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of a group of a turning puzzle ball in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the turning puzzle ball includes a plurality of groups of slidable members, rails, shafts, and decorating slices;
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the slidable members of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the rails and the shafts of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a turning puzzle ball in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes eight triangular and cambered slidable members, twelve long and cambered rails 2, six shafts 3, and a plurality of decorating slices 4. The slidable members enclose a hollow sphere. The rails 2 are located between every two adjacent slidable members. The shafts 3 are located between corners of the slidable members. Three decorating slices 4 are mounted to each slidable member. The decorating slides 4 are colored.
Each slidable member includes an inner slidable member 12, an outer slidable member 14, and a bracket 16. The inner slidable member 12 and the outer slidable member 14 are mounted together via the bracket 6. The inner slidable member 12, the outer slidable member 14, and the mountable bracket 16 can be mounted together by screws or rivets. Each side of the inner slidable members 12 defines a slot 122 therein.
Each rail 2 has a T shape. The rail 2 includes a body 22, connecting portion 24 extending inwardly from a lengthwise center of the body 22, and a pair of hooks 222 extending downwardly from opposite lengthwise sides of the body 22. Each of the brackets 16 has three arms (not labeled) perpendicular to one another.
Each shaft 3 includes a pair of tabs 32 and 34 extending from a circumference of the shaft 3. A receiving slot 36 is defined between the tabs 32 and 34. Each decorating slice 4 includes a plurality of protrusions 42 extending inwardly therefrom for engaging with a corresponding outer slidable member 14.
In assembly, hooks 222 of the rails 2 are placed between inner slidable members 12 and the corresponding outer slidable members 14. The bracket 16 is placed to an inner surface of the inner slidable member 12. Each bracket 16, a corresponding inner slidable member 12, and a corresponding outer slidable member 14 are mounted together by screws or rivets (not shown). Edges of the rails 2 are slidably located between the inner slidable member 12 and the corresponding outer slidable members 14. The hooks 22 of the rails 22 are slidably engaged in the slots 122 of the inner slidable members 12. Ends of each of the bracket 16 are mounted to three rails 2 that are perpendicularly to one another. Each shaft 3 is located among ends of the corresponding rails 22. Thus, a hollow sphere is shaped. The decorating slices 4 can be mounted to an outer surface of the outer slidable members 14 to decorating the sphere. The turning puzzle ball can slide along three rails. The rails are perpendicular to one another. In work, edges of the inner slidable members 12 can slide through the receiving slots 36 of the shafts 3.
Furthermore, the slidable members can be connected by ribs and dents between two adjacent slidable members. Numbers of the decorating slices can be 1, 2, or 4, and so on. And different colors of decorating slices can be replaced.
It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A turning puzzle ball comprising:

a plurality of slidable members forming a hollow sphere; and

a plurality of rails, each of sides of each of the rails slidably mounted between sides of two adjacent slidable members.

2. The turning puzzle ball as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the slidable members comprises an inner slidable member, and an inner slidable member mounted to the inner slidable member, sides of the rails are slidably located between edges of the inner slidable members and the corresponding outer slidable members.

3. The turning puzzle ball as claimed in claim 2, wherein sides of each of the inner slidable members define a slot therein, respectively, each of the rails having a T shape comprises a body, a pair of hooks extends from opposite sides of the body of each of the rails for being slidably engaged in the corresponding slots of the slidable members.

4. The turning puzzle ball as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the slidable members further comprises a bracket, the inner slidable member and the outer slidable member are mounted together via the bracket.

5. The turning puzzle ball as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of the rails further comprises a connecting portion extending from the body, each of the brackets comprises three arms perpendicular to one another, ends of the arms are mounted to three corresponding rails perpendicular to one another.

6. The turning puzzle ball as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a plurality of shafts located between ends of the corresponding rails.

7. The turning puzzle ball as claimed in claim 6, wherein a pair of tabs extends from a circumference of each of the rails to form a receiving slot, edges of the inner slidable members slide through the receiving slots.

8. The turning puzzle ball as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a plurality of decorating slices, the decorating slices are mounted to the outer slidable member.