Abstract:
This invention generally relates to a set of parallelepipedal bodies (cubes) capable of matingly compatible engagement for interconnection with substantially similar cubes or matingly conformed rails, so as to allow up to three degrees of freedom in the sliding movement of an individual cube or grouping of cubes about a grouping of other interconnected cells from the set. Each cube is constructed from six plates or from three plate pairs. The interior physical configuration of tabs and slots lends itself to injection molding of plates or plate pairs. The exterior physical configuration of all plates and at least one of the exterior surfaces of the rails are substantially similar. When a number of cubes are assembled into a cubic array, there can be slab movement, row movement or solo cube movement.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This invention generally relates to a set of cubes, or generally parallelepipedal bodies and matingly conformed rails, capable of sliding engagement so as to allow variable single cube movement and placements within an array of substantially similar cubes and or rails. These cubes form excellent building blocks for hand puzzles and structural construction sets as well as lending themselves to adaptation for a plethora of other uses such as storage containers. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a set of unique parallelepipedal cubes, capable of a hollow core construction. Each cube has six plates, the rear faces of which matingly interlock in a synergistic design for assembly. There are only two kinds of different plates used in the assembly of each cube. The exterior faces of the two plates are substantially similar in physical configuration and are rectangular, however the interior faces differ in the arrangement and number of tabs and slots used for the assembly of the cube. Six of the two plates, (three of each type), are used for the assembly of one cube. Additionally, the two plates may be formed as a single unit, (a plate pair) three identical plate pairs which still synergistically interlock for assembly to a cube. The design of the plates allow for injection molding of the two kinds of individual plates or of the plate pairs. 
         [0003]    The rails are linear members bearing the same physical configuration as the exterior face of the plates on at least one of their surfaces. The rails may have more than five surfaces (as in the case of a triangular linear member), although the most common rail configuration has four sides and two ends (a rectangular linear member) and may or may not have sides of equal width. An “L” shapped rail is utilized for specific construction assemblies. 
         [0004]    The exterior face design is such that all exterior faces matingly interlock for sliding engagement. In this manner the cubes are free to move about each other individually or in groupings, generally with three degrees of freedom. (I.E. movement is allowed in each of the X, Y and Z axis.) Similarly, a single cube or array of cubes may slidingly engage a rail. 
         [0005]    The interlocking design on the backside of each face plate maximizes the amount of hollow interior space while providing for a rigid unibody design wherein the strength of the cell is a synergistic function of all six face plates. The ease of fabrication and plethora of applicable uses are some of this invention&#39;s stronger features. 
         [0006]    When a multitude of cubes are assembled into an array, preferably cubic, there can be slab movement, row movement or solo cell movement. 
         [0007]    Since the intended field of art for such an invention is personal gaming, this invention&#39;s design overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art in that it greatly simplifies the mass fabrication of the cubes as well as the ease of arranging a cube groupings about another cube or cube grouping. It also offers a level of difficulty and variety in hand puzzles that has heretofore not been seen. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    In accordance with the invention, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved, enclosed hollow body cube, constructed with a minimum of generally planar plates. 
         [0009]    It is another object of this invention to provide a cube for use in a portable puzzle where each of the cube&#39;s six faces can be cheaply and simply fabricated and assembled. 
         [0010]    It is a further object of this invention to provide a set of enclosed body parallelepipedal cubes that is comprised of a single cube exterior face orientation yet still allowing each cube kinematic compatibility in up to three degrees of freedom. 
         [0011]    It is still a further object of this invention to provide for a set of enclosed body parallelepipedal cubes and matingly conformed rails that allow sliding engagement for construction and commercial storage uses. 
         [0012]    It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a hollow body parallelepipedal cube with a minimal of different components. 
         [0013]    The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. However, both the organization and method of operation, together with further advantages and objects thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like elements. Other objects, features and aspects of the present invention are discussed in greater detail below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cube; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is set of arranged drawings showing the first plate&#39;s exterior face, interior face, end view, and side view; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is set of arranged drawings showing the second plate&#39;s exterior face, interior face, end view, and side view; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is set of arranged drawings showing an alternate embodiment first plate&#39;s exterior face, interior face, end view, and side view; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is set of arranged drawings showing the alternate embodiment second plate&#39;s exterior face, interior face, end view, and side view; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is an assembly view of a cube made from the interconnection of three plate pairs; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is an assembly drawing of a cube made from the interconnection of six plates; 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is an assembly view of a cube made from the interconnection of three plate pairs with the exterior faces&#39; posts removed for visual clarity; 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is an axonometric front and back view of a one face rail; 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  is an axonometric view of a two face rail; 
           [0024]      FIG. 11  is an axonometric view of a four face rail; 
           [0025]      FIG. 12  is an axonometric view of a six face rail; 
           [0026]      FIG. 13  is an axonometric view of a two face “L” rail; 
           [0027]      FIG. 14  is an axonometric view of a construction set of rails and a cube; and 
           [0028]      FIGS. 15 to 24  are a series of slab, row and solo cube moves of a 27 cube puzzle array, illustrating the applicability of the cube as a component of a hand manipulation puzzle. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0029]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
         [0030]    The above description will enable any person skilled in the art to make and use this invention. It also sets forth the best modes for carrying out this invention. There are numerous variations and modifications thereof that will also remain readily apparent to others skilled in the art, now that the general principles of the present invention have been disclosed. 
         [0031]    In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0032]    Looking at  FIGS. 1-3 , the cube  2  design and the first face plate  4  and second face plate  6  can best be seen. From an exterior view, the cube  2  has six identically configured face plates. Each face plate has one Tee post  8  and one half Tee post  10  formed upon the top side  12  of the plate  18  so as to leave an inverted Tee slot  14  between them and an inverted half Tee slot  16  adjacent the Tee post  8 . The inverted Tee slot  14  is complementary to the Tee post  8 , while the inverted half Tee slot  16  is complementary to the half Tee post  10 . This allows for sliding engagement between first face plates  4 , between second face plates  6 , and between first face plates  4  and second face plates  6  when they are oriented correctly (rotated  180  degrees with respect to each other.) The off set design face plates when matingly engaged, only slide parallel to the longitudinal axis of the Tees or Slots. The longitudinal axis of the posts and slots on any face on an assembled cube lies perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the posts and slots on any and all adjacent faces. 
         [0033]    The second face plate  6  and the first face plate  4  have substantially similar lengths and width dimensions and are rectangular, but are not square. The length of each face plate is defined as the dimension parallel to the longitudinal axis of the slots and tees thereon and is the largest single physical dimension of the face plates. The width of each face plate is defined as the dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tees and slots thereon. The width of each face plate is shorter than the length of each face plate by two times the thickness of the face plate base  18 . This allows for the cube  2  to be a regular hexahedron with each visible face having a square configuration when all face plates are assembled into a monolithic structure as the length dimension of each face plate resides adjacent to the width dimension of each adjacent face plate at all edges of the cube  2 . 
         [0034]    The substantial difference between the first face plate  4  and the second face plate  6  lies in the physical configuration of the bottom sides. The bottom side of the first face plate  20  has three substantially similar linear tabs  24  extending normally therefrom. The bottom side of the second face plate  22  has one linear tab  24  extending normally therefrom and one linear recess  26  that resides adjacent and parallel to the linear tab  24 . The second face plate  6  also has a raised upper platform  28  thereon that sits atop a smaller lower platform  30  such that three edges of the upper platform  28  are cantilevered over three edges of the lower platform  30  so as to form three linear grooves  32  between the upper platform  28 , the lower platform  30  and the second face plate  6 . The thickness of the three slots are dimensioned so as to matingly accept and frictionally engage the tabs  24  of the first face plate  4 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 4  shows the first face plate  4  with a detent  30  and nodule  32  formed thereon.  FIG. 5  shows the second face plate with a detent  30  and nodule  32  formed thereon. The nodules  32  on each face plate must both be formed on the Tees or both be formed in the Tee slots. Similarly the detents  30  on each face plate must both be formed on either the remaining Tee slots or on the remaining Tees. The detents  30  align and accept the nodules when adjacent cubes  2  are slidingly engaged, so as to lock the cubes  2  together until an additional force, beyond that required to slide the cubes  2  relative to one another, is applied. This holds an array of cubes in a aesthetic, symmetrical arrangement. 
         [0036]    Looking at  FIGS. 6 and 8  it can be seen that a cube may be assembled from three substantially similar plate pairs  34 . Each plate pair  34  has a first face plate  4  and a second face plate  6  joined along a edge so as to form an L shape wherein the tab  24  on the bottom side of the second face plate  6  contacts one of the tabs  24  on the bottom side of the first face plate  4 , also forming an L configuration of the tabs  24 . The linear tab  24  residing perpendicular to the other two linear tabs  24  on the bottom side  20  of the first face plate  4  (a length side tab) is engaged into the linear groove  32  adjacent another linear groove  32  and a linear recess  26  (a width side groove) on the bottom side  22  of the second face plate  6 . This forms the first face plate  4  and the second face plate perpendicular to one another such that the plate pair  34  has two exposed edge adjacent linear grooves  32 , three exposed edge linear tabs  24  and one linear recess  26 . The remaining exposed edge of the second face plate  6  has neither a linear tab  24  nor a linear groove  32  formed thereon. 
         [0037]    Three plate pairs  34  are joined to make a cube  2  by the engagement of their respective linear tabs  24  into the linear recesses  26  and linear grooves  32  on the adjacent plate pairs  34 . Assembly direction arrows  36  and  38  indicate the manner of assembly and how the tabs  24  matingly engage recesses  26  and grooves  32 . The assembly of three plate pairs  34  into a cube  2  is accomplished in the following manner. Note, that the designations first plate pair, second plate pair and third plate pair refer only to the order in which the plate pairs are manipulated. There are no physical differences between the three designated plate pairs. The first plate pair is joined to the second plate pair by the insertion of the two L shaped adjacent linear tabs  24  on the first plate pair into the two L shaped adjacent linear grooves  32  on the second plate pair. The third plate pair is joined to the first and second plate pairs by the insertion of the two L shaped adjacent linear tabs  24  on the third plate pair into the two L shaped adjacent linear grooves  32  on the first plate pair while at the same time sliding L shaped linear grooves  32  on the third plate pair into the L shaped linear tabs  24  on the second plate pair. 
         [0038]    Such assembly does not depend on which order the three plate pairs  34  are matingly engaged. Such assembly would be well known by one skilled in the art. It is envisioned in one version of the cube as a game the cube  2  may be shipped in an unassembled form of plate pairs  34  or equal sets of first face plates  4  and second face plates  6 . Assembly may be part of the puzzle process. 
         [0039]      FIG. 7  shows the assembly of a cube  2  form six face plates. Three of these are first face plates  4  and three are second face plates  6 . Three of the face plates are displayed so as show the bottom faces and top faces. Arced rotation arrows  40   42  and  44  flip the associated face plates so as to illustrate the orientation of the linear tabs  24 , linear recesses  26 , upper platforms  28 , lower platforms  30 , linear grooves  32 , Tee slots  14 , half Tee slots  16 , Tee posts  8  and half Tee posts  10  thereon each face plate. This assembly is accomplished by a combination of the various assembly moves discussed in the assembly of plate pairs  34  and in the assembly of plate pairs  34  into a cube  2 . Such assembly can begin with any two face plates and can add on any other plate. The order of the assembly of the first and second face plates to form a cube  2  does not matter and thus assembly can be accomplished in a number of different ordered steps. 
         [0040]    The design configuration of the first face plate  4  and the second face plate  6  is such that the plate pairs  34  may also be fabricated, most likely by extrusion, as a single plate pair unit. 
         [0041]    Looking at  FIGS. 9 to 13 , five different embodiments of rails can be see. All rails are linear members also designed for fabrication by extrusion or injection molding. Each of the rails has a face bearing the same physical configuration of Tee slots  14 , half Tee slots  16 , Tee posts  8  and half Tee posts  10  as is found on the first face plate  4  and second face plate  6 . In this manner the cubes  2  as well as the rails matingly engage for slide positioning of any cube  2  on any of the rails. A grouping of multiple cubes  2  and rails are used to form a construction or erector type set. This allows for individual cubes  2 , rails, rail arrays and/or cube arrays to be linked into arrangements to resemble architectural structures, vehicles, animals and the such. 
         [0042]      FIG. 9  shows a one face rail  48  with a single profiled face having a Tee slot  14 , half Tee slot  16 , Tee post  8  and half Tee post  10 , and on the remaining surfaces, a smooth back  50 , smooth sides  52  and smooth rectangular ends  54 .  FIG. 10  shows a two face rail  56  having two profiled faces on opposing sides of the linear member. The remaining faces (sides and ends) are smooth.  FIG. 11  shows a four face rail  58  having four profiled faces on the linear member&#39;s sides and smooth square ends  60 . The Tee slot  14 , half Tee slot  16 , Tee post  8  and half Tee post  10  arrangements on each of the six faces of the linear member are perpendicular to the arrangements on all adjacent faces.  FIG. 12  shows a six face rail  62  having six profiled faces on the linear member&#39;s sides as well as profiled square ends  64 . The Tee slot  14 , half Tee slot  16 , Tee post  8  and half Tee post  10  arrangements on each of the six faces (sides and ends) of the linear member are perpendicular to the arrangements on all adjacent faces.  FIG. 13  shows a two face “L” rail  66  with adjacent exterior profiled faces and the remaining faces smooth. The Tee slot  14 , half Tee slot  16 , Tee post  8  and half Tee post  10  arrangements on the adjacent exterior faces reside normal to each other. 
         [0043]    Through the use of the above rails and cubes  2  a plethora of structures can be made by the creative mind.  FIG. 14  best illustrates the interplay assembly between a cube  2 , two one face rails  48  and a six face rail  62 . 
         [0044]      FIGS. 15 to 24  depict an array of  27  cubes  2  as used for a gaming cube. This specific number of cubes  2  has no significance to the operation of the cubic arrays and other cubic multiples such as 8, 64, 125 or non multiple such as 14, 35, 61 may also be used, although the cube  2  as utilized as a game need not be held to a cubic arrangement of cubes  2 . 
         [0045]    The series of drawings showing the physical manipulation of the  27  cube array involves cube moves, row moves and slab moves to facilitate the movement of individual cubes to their desired locations. In a cube move, a cube  2  is slidingly urged about at least one other cube  2  or rail to a desired location within or about the array. In a row move, a linear joined set of cubes are simultaneously urged about at least one other cube  2  or rail to a desired location within or about the array. In a block move, a plane of joined cubes are urged about at least one other cube  2  or rail to a desired location within or about the array. The purpose of the cube  2  as a member of cubes in a gaming set (gaming cube) is to arrange the exposed faces of the cube in a manner so as to complete a numbered, colored or designed pattern about the gaming cube&#39;s exterior. It may also be to arrange the cubes  2  in a unitary physical configuration. 
         [0046]      FIGS. 15 to 24  show how a specific cube&#39;s location may be altered within the same overall gaming cube configuration using cube moves, row moves and slab moves.  FIG. 15  shows the upper right corner location of the X cube  70  within the gaming cube  68  assembled as a regular hexahedron. The upper plane is slid to the right (FIG.  16 —slab move as indicated by direction arrow  72 ). The upper plane&#39;s right row is slid forward (FIG.  17 —row move as indicated by direction arrow  74 ). The upper plane is slid back to its original location (FIG.  18 —slab move as indicated by direction arrow  76 ). The X cube is slid to down the gaming cube&#39;s front face to the lowest right corner (FIG.  19 —cube move as indicated by direction arrow  78 ). The right side plane is slid back along the gaming cube  68  by a distance of one cube (FIG.  20 —slab move as indicated by direction arrow  80 ). Two of the cubes on the rear face are slid up the rear face by a distance of one cube (FIG.  21 —row move as indicated by direction arrow  82 ). The entire middle and top planes of the gaming cube  68  are slid forward for a distance of one cube (FIG.  22 —slab move as indicated by direction arrow  84 ). The top row on the right side is slid forward by a distance of one cube (FIG.  23 —row move as indicated by direction arrow  86 ). Finally the bottom plane is slid back underneath the top and middle planes by a distance of one cube (FIG.  24 —slab move as indicated by direction arrow  74 ). Following this sequence of moves, the X cube has been moved from the upper right corner to the lower right corner. By utilizing numerous combinations of moves specifically designed to move a cell to a desired location, the game can be completed. 
         [0047]    The above description will enable any person skilled in the art to make and use this invention. It also sets forth the best modes for carrying out this invention. There are numerous variations and modifications thereof that will also remain readily apparent to others skilled in the art, now that the general principles of the present invention have been disclosed. 
         [0048]    With the intended use of the cube as a component of a thinking man&#39;s puzzle, there are a plethora of puzzles envisionable based on the sliding engagement of the individual cubes. These may involve the different coloring, patterning or numbering of the cubes&#39; external plates such that a game of specific arrangement of the colors, numbers or patterns is accomplished. In one such embodiment, in a cubic array of 27 cubes, the exposed exterior faces of all the cubes may be of one color while the non exposed exterior plates have the same or a different color thereon. By a manipulation of numerous slab, row and solo cube moves, the exposed exterior faces of all the cubes may changed. Similar puzzle games may be mathematically or visually oriented. 
         [0049]    It is also known that a matingly engageable dovetail formation of the T post, half T post, T slot and half T slot may be utilized as an alternate embodiment to that illustrated and described herein.