Spherical puzzle toy

A spherical puzzle toy includes a spherical shell, which consists of two semi-spherical shells turned on an axis relative to each other, a plurality of partition panels mounted around the spherical shell and defining three intersected tracks around the spherical base along the X,Y and Z axes, and a plurality of slides marked with different marks and moved in the intersected tracks, and wherein the intersected tracks are switched to one another to change the combination of the slides by turning the semi-spherical shells relative to each other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to a spherical puzzle toy which comprises a 
plurality of slides marked with different marks and moved along 
intersected tracks on two matched semi-spherical shells. When the 
semi-spherical shells are turned relative to each other, the combination 
of the slides is changed. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
A variety of puzzle toys including triangular puzzle blocks, spuare puzzle 
blocks, cylindrical puzzleblocks, etc., have been disclosed, and have 
apperaed on the toy market. These puzzle toys are commonly handy and can 
be arranged into any of a variety of combinations. 
There is also known a spherical puzzle toys comprised of a spherical base 
having intersected tracks around the periphery, and a plurality of slides 
moved in the tracks. By moving the slides from one track to another, the 
slides can be arranged into any of a variety of combinations. This 
structure of spherical puzzle toy have drawbacks. Because the slides can 
only be moved one after another, the player cannnot rapidly change the 
combination of the slides. When the slides have been arranged to a certain 
combination, a next player can only start from the set combination. 
Furthermore, this structure of spherical puzzle toy tends to slip in the 
palm during the play. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a spherical puzzle toy which comprises a 
plurality of slides marked with different marks and moved along 
intersected tracks on two matched semi-spherical shells. When the 
semi-spherical shells are turned relativve to each other, the combination 
of the slides is changed. 
According to one aspect of the present invention, the spherical puzzle toy 
comprises a spherical shell, which consists of two semi-spherical 
plurality of, partition panels mounted around the spherical shell and 
defining a plurality of intersected tracks, and a plurality of slides 
marked with different marks and moved in the intersected tracks. 
According to another aspect of the present invention, the intersected 
tracks can be switched to one aonther to change the combination of the 
slides by turning the semi-spherical shells relative to each other. 
According to still another aspect of the present invention, the slides have 
raised portions at the top, which rub and stimulate the user's palms when 
the user turns thee semi-spherical shells with the hands. 
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part 
hereinafter pointed out. 
The invention accordingly consists of features of constructions and method, 
combination of elements, arrangement of parts and steps of the method 
which will be exemplified in the constructions and method hereinafter 
disclosed, the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the 
claims following.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the 
invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the 
drawings. Specific language will be used to describe same. It will, 
nevertheless, be understood that no limitation of the scope of the 
invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications 
in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles 
of the invention as illustrated herein being contemplated as would 
normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. 
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, a spherical puzzle toy 1 in accordance 
with the present invention is generally comprised of a hollow spherical 
base 2, a plurality of partition panels 3, and slides 4. The spherical 
base 2 is comprised of a first semi-spherical shell 21 and a second 
semi-spherical shell 22. The first and second semi-spherical shells 21 and 
22 are joined in such a manner that they can be turned relative to each 
other. The partition panels 3 are mounted on the outside wall of the 
spherical base 2, defining intersected tracks for the sliding of the 
slides 4. 
The first semi-spherical shell 21 has a sleeve 23 on the inside at the 
center. The sleeve 23 has an annular groove 27 around the inside wall, and 
a plurality of mounting holes 20 through the periphery. The second 
semi-spherical shell 22 has a split rod 24 on the inside at the center 
fitted into the sleeve 23. The split rod 24 has an expanded coupling 
portion 26 at the end engaged into the annular groove 27. When the split 
rod 24 is compressed radially, the expanded coupling portion 26 can then 
be inserted into the sleeve 23. After the expanded coupling portion 26 
become revolvably retained in the annular groovve 27 inside the sleeve 23. 
The first semi-spherical shell 21 has an annular groove 28 around the 
border. The second semi-spherical shell 22 has an annular flange 29 around 
the border matched with the annular groove 28. Small raised portions 25 
and small recessed portions 25' are respectively made on the first and 
second semi-spherical shells 21 and 22 around the annular flange 29 and 
the annular groove 28. The raised portions 25 and the recessed portions 
25' are alternatively engaged to retain the first and second 
semi-spherical shells 21 and 22 at a certain angle relative to each other. 
When the first and second semi-spherical shells 21 and 22 are matched, a 
line of rotation 200 is defined along the border of the contact area 
between the first and second semi-spherical shells 21 and 22. 
The partition panels 3 are respectively mounted on the periphery of the 
spherical base 2. Each partition panel 3 has a bottom flange 31 in reduced 
size, and a hooked coupling portion 30 raised from the bottom flange 31 at 
the center and hooked in either mounting hole 20 on the spherical base 2. 
According to the present embodiment, there are total eight partition 
panels 3 spaced from one another around the spherical base 2 and defining 
three intersected annular tracks, namely, the X-track 201, the Y-track 
202, and the Z-track 203 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). 
The slides 4 are made to slide in the tracks 201, 202 and 203. As 
illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, each slide 4 comprises a bottom wall 42 
fitting over the periphery of the spherical base 2, a top wall 41 bridging 
over either two adjacent partition panels 3 and having a plurality of 
raised portions 43 at the top, and a neck 40 connected between the top 
wall 41 and the bottom wall 42 and moved along either track 201, 202 or 
203. When each slide 4 is moved to any intersected area between either two 
tracks, the top wall 41 becomes bridging over four adjacent partition 
panels 3, and therefore it can then be turned at right angle and moved 
into another track. For example, the slide 4 can be moved from the X-track 
201 to the Y-track 202, or from the Z-track 203 to the X-track 201. 
Because the first semi-spherical shell 21 and the second semi-spherical 
shell 22 can be turned relative each other along the line of rotation 200, 
the Y-track 202 and the Z-track 203 can be switched. The raised portions 
25 and the recessed portions 25' are arranged to match with the X-track 
201 and the Y-track 202, permitting the positions of first and second 
semi-spherical shells 21 and 22 to be changed relative to each other at 90 
degrees per step. Therefore, when the first and second semi-spherical 
shells 21 and 22 are turned relative to each other through 90 degrees, the 
slides 4 in the Y-track 202 become aligned with the slides 4 in the 
Z-track 203. 
As indicated, the slides 4 have raised portions 43 on the respective top 
walls 41. The raised portions 43 rub the muscles of the palm and stimulate 
the acupuncture points in the palm when the first and second 
semi-spherical shells 21 and 22 are turned relative to each other. The top 
walls 41 of the slides 4 may be printed with different colors or marked 
with different patterns so that the can be arranged into any of a variety 
of combinations. 
The invention is naturally not limited in any sense to the particular 
features specified in the foregoing or to the details of the particular 
embodiment which has been chosen in order to illustrate the invention. 
Consideration can be given to all kinds of variants of the particular 
embodiment which has been described by way of example and of its 
constituent elements without thereby departing from the scope of the 
invention. This invention accordingly includes all the means constituting 
technical equivalents of the means described as well as their 
combinations.