Patent Publication Number: US-2011057387-A1

Title: Cylinder cube

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The invention relates to combination puzzles and more particularly to a three-dimensional cylinder cube with improved characteristics. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     There are many different puzzles known. One type of puzzle is fifteen puzzle which is a two-dimensional puzzle. However, it is less interesting. Thus, continuing improvements in the exploitation of puzzle are constantly being sought. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a cylinder cube. 
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a first preferred embodiment of cylinder cube according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the assembled cylinder cube; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of one unit and four sliding blocks of the cylinder cube of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the assembled unit and the sliding blocks of the cylinder cube of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of cylinder cube according to the invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view of one sliding block of the cylinder cube being extended where a piece configuration of 2×2 in character is shown; 
         FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 6  where a piece configuration of 3×3 in English alphabet is shown; 
         FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIG. 6  where a piece configuration of 4×4 in number is shown; 
         FIG. 9  is a view similar to  FIG. 6  where a piece configuration of 3×3 is shown; and 
         FIG. 10  is a view similar to  FIG. 6  where a piece configuration of 4×4 is shown. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , a cylinder cube in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The cylinder cube comprises the following components as discussed in detail below. 
     A disc shaped base  1  has a threaded shank  2  extending from one surface. A plurality of cylindrical units  4  each comprises an axial bore  41  rotatably put on the shank  2 , four lengthwise sliding faces  42  equally spaced apart around an outer surface, and four lengthwise sliding grooves  43  equally spaced apart around the outer surface in which each sliding groove  43  is disposed between two adjacent ones of the sliding faces  42 . The units  4  are formed of plastic. 
     A plurality of arc shaped sliding blocks  6  are formed of plastic. The sliding block  6  comprises a lengthwise dovetail  61  on an inner surface adapted to fit into the sliding groove  43  for interlocking the sliding block  6  and the unit  4  in which the remaining portion of the inner surface of the sliding block  6  is engaged with the sliding faces  42 . 
     A cylindrical manipulation block  3  comprises an axial bore  31  adapted to rotatably put on the shank  2  after putting all of the units  4  and the sliding blocks  6  on the shank  2 . The manipulation block  3  is sized as a combination of the unit  4  and four sliding blocks  6  assembled thereon so that a substantially complete cylinder can be assembled. 
     The manipulation block  3  further comprises a lengthwise sliding groove  33  on an outer surface and two lengthwise troughs  32  on both sides of the sliding groove  33 . The sliding groove  33  and the troughs  32  together form a shape complementary to the shape of the sliding block  6  so that the sliding block  6  can be moved thereon in playing the cylinder cube. The manipulation block  3  is formed of plastic. 
     A disc shaped head  5  comprises a central threaded hole  51  on a bottom. The top of the shank  2  can be threadedly secured to the threaded hole  51  to construct a complete cylinder cube. 
     In use, a person may slidingly move the sliding block  6  onto the cutout formed by the sliding groove  33  and the troughs  32  and then remove another sliding block  6  and place same onto the vacant space left by the moved sliding block  6 . Note that each of the manipulation block  3  and the units  4  can rotate. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a cylinder cube in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The characteristics of the second preferred embodiment are detailed below. A bipod  7  is provided on either end of the cylinder cube. That is, one bipod  7  is provided at the head  5  and the other bipod  7  is provided at the base  1 . The cylinder cube is implemented as a large one so as to be mounted in a park or a playing field. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6 to 10 , each sliding block  6  can be designed in one of a plurality of different configurations after being extended. For example, in  FIG. 6 , a piece configuration of 2×2 in character is shown; in  FIG. 7 , a piece configuration of 3×3 in English alphabet is shown; in  FIG. 8 , a piece configuration of 4×4 in number is shown; in  FIG. 9 , a piece configuration of 3×3 is shown; and in  FIG. 10 , a piece configuration of 4×4 is shown respectively. 
     While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.