Patent Publication Number: US-8523182-B2

Title: Ring puzzle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to games, puzzles and other entertainment devices which involve assembly and disassembly of individual elements. 
     Numerous articles of this type have been designed, and manufactured, and are currently in use. It is believed that it is advisable to provide a new article, which essentially is a ring puzzle, which is different from the existing puzzles. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a new entertaining game article which is attractive, interesting and challenging. 
     In keeping with these objects, one feature of the present invention resides in a ring puzzle, comprising a plurality of rings, each of said rings having a through going slot through which said rings can be introduced into one another, each of said ring being provided on its inner surface with a plurality of groups at least two peripherally spaced protrusions and at least two transversely spaced grooves, such that when one of said rings is introduced in another of said rings and turned relative to the latter and said protrusions of one of said rings are engaged in said grooves of another of said rings of at least one of said groups said two rings become firmly connected with one another. 
     Another feature of the invention resides in said protrusions extend from said inner surface of each of said rings and are rounded at their ends spaced from said inner surface. 
     Another feature of the invention resides in a reinforcing rib provided on said inner surface of each of said rings and extending between said groups in a peripheral direction. 
     Still a further feature of the present invention resides in a plurality of ring-shaped labels each provided on its outer surface with elements selected from the group consisting of colors, indexes, numbers and combinations thereof and arranged with its inner surface on a an outer surface of respective one of said rings in correspondence with locations of said groups of said two protrusions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a view showing a hexagon ring assembly puzzle in a perspective view in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the hexagon ring assembly puzzle; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the hexagon ring part; 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective detailed partial view of one locking feature of the hexagon ring part on  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 4B  is a planar detailed partial view of one locking feature of the hexagon ring part on  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the hexagon ring part on  FIG. 4B ; 
         FIG. 6A  is an exploded perspective view of the two hexagon ring assemblies in process to be locked together; 
         FIG. 6B  is a perspective view of the two locked together hexagon ring assemblies on  FIG. 6A ; 
         FIG. 7  is a partial sectional view of the two locked together hexagon ring assemblies on  FIG. 6B ; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a sample of six hexagon ring assemblies locked together; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a sample of eight hexagon ring assemblies locked together; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a sample of nine hexagon ring assemblies locked together; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a sample of ten hexagon ring assemblies locked together; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a first sample of eleven hexagon ring assemblies locked together; 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a second sample of eleven hexagon ring assemblies locked together; 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a third sample of eleven hexagon ring assemblies locked together; 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a first sample of twelve hexagon ring assemblies locked together; 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a second sample of twelve hexagon ring assemblies locked together; 
         FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a third sample of twelve hexagon ring assemblies locked together; 
         FIG. 18  is a perspective view of a “bear” figure made from eleven locked together hexagon ring assemblies; 
         FIG. 19  is a perspective view of a “bug” figure made from eight locked together hexagon ring assemblies; 
         FIG. 20  is a perspective view of a “flower” figure made from seven locked together hexagon ring assemblies; 
         FIG. 21  is a perspective view of a “glasses” figure made from five locked together hexagon ring assemblies; 
         FIG. 22  is a perspective view of a “kid” figure made from nine locked together hexagon ring assemblies; 
         FIG. 23A  is a front view of a “vase” figure made from fifty six locked together hexagon ring assemblies; 
         FIG. 23B  is a right side view of a “vase” figure made from fifty six locked together hexagon ring assemblies on  FIG. 23A ; 
         FIG. 23C  is a bottom view of a “vase” figure made from fifty six locked together hexagon ring assemblies on  FIG. 23A ; 
         FIG. 24A  is a perspective view of a “sphere” figure made from thirty two locked together hexagon ring assemblies; 
         FIG. 24B  is a front view of a “sphere” figure made from thirty two locked together hexagon ring assemblies on  FIG. 24A ; 
         FIG. 24C  is a left side rotated 90 degree view of a “sphere” figure made from thirty two locked together hexagon ring assemblies on  FIG. 24B ; 
         FIG. 24D  is a bottom view of a “sphere” figure made from thirty two locked together hexagon ring assemblies on  FIG. 24B ; 
         FIG. 25A  is a front view of a “heart” figure made from fifty six locked together hexagon ring assemblies; 
         FIG. 25B  is a right side view of a “heart” figure made from fifty six locked together hexagon ring assemblies on  FIG. 25A ; 
         FIG. 25C  is a bottom view of a “heart” figure made from fifty six locked together hexagon ring assemblies on  FIG. 25A ; 
         FIG. 26A  is a view showing a pentagon ring assembly puzzle in a perspective view in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 26B  is a front view of a pentagon ring assembly puzzle in accordance with the present invention on  FIG. 26A ; 
         FIG. 27A  is a view showing a square ring assembly puzzle in a perspective view in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 27B  is a front view of a square ring assembly puzzle in accordance with the present invention on  FIG. 27A ; 
         FIG. 28A  is a view showing a rectangular shape octagon ring assembly puzzle in a perspective view in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 28B  is a front view of a rectangular shape octagon ring assembly puzzle in accordance with the present invention on  FIG. 28A ; 
         FIG. 29A  is a view showing an elliptical shape octagon ring assembly puzzle in a perspective view in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 29B  is a front view of an elliptical shape octagon ring assembly puzzle in accordance with the present invention on  FIG. 29A ; 
         FIG. 30A  is a perspective view of a “flower” figure made from six locked together pentagon ring assemblies; 
         FIG. 30B  is a front view of a “flower” figure made from six locked together pentagon ring assemblies on  FIG. 30A ; 
         FIG. 31  is a perspective view of six square ring assemblies locked together in a “cube” figure; 
         FIG. 32  is a perspective view of eight square ring assemblies locked together in a “cube” figure; 
         FIG. 33A  is a perspective view of a sample of twelve combined with different shapes ring assemblies in process to be locked together; 
         FIG. 33B  is a front view of a sample of twelve combined with different shapes ring assemblies in process to be locked together on  FIG. 33A . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The ring puzzle in accordance with the invention includes a ring puzzle assembly  1  in accordance with the present invention as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  6 A and  6 B comprising ring part  2 , and label  3 , locating on outside surface of ring part  2 , with possibility to be locked with another ring assembly  1  by means of two peripherally spaced rounded and facing toward each other protrusions  4 , located on inside surface of ring part  2  and two corresponding transversely spaced rounded grooves  5  facing toward each other and located on two opposite side surfaces of ring part  2  between rounded and facing toward each other protrusions  4 , shown on  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B,  5 ,  6 B,  7 . A plurality of groups of the protrusions  4  and the grooves  5  are provided in each ring part  2  and peripherally spaced from each other. 
     Ring part  2  has on inside surface circumferentially extending reinforcing rib  6  on both sides of protrusions  4  and flat surfaces  8  between protrusions  4 . Flat surfaces  8  are peripherally rounded, as shown on  FIGS. 5 and 7  for easy interaction and engagement with rounded protrusions  4 . Protrusions  4  have rounded ends spaced from inner surface of each ring. Ring part  2  is interrupted by cut  9 . 
     Cut  9  enhances flexibility of ring part  2  and allows access to engage it with another ring part  2 . 
     Label  3 , shown on  FIG. 2 , has on outside surface corresponding to each pair of protrusions  4  colors or indexes or numbers  10 , shown on  FIGS. 6A and 6B . 
     Reinforcing rib  6  is designed to reduce weight of ring part  2  and to make it at the same time not only flexible but also rigid. 
     Flat surfaces  8 , shown on  FIG. 7 , provided on projections on inside between rounded protrusions  4  are designed to provide two ring parts engagements strong and stable. 
     Radii  7  on both sides of rounded protrusions  4  are designed for molds adjustments to provide two ring parts  2  engagements strong and stable. Changing and moving these radii  7  up or down in molds will change flexibility of ejected with ring part  2  rounded protrusions  4  and add more or less force for engagement of two ring parts  2 . 
     Strong and stable engagement of two ring parts  2  is provided by simultaneous mating surfaces  8  on both ring parts  2  and insertion of rounded protrusions  4 , which are somewhat flexible, into grooves  5  as shown on  FIG. 7 . 
     Also as shown on  FIG. 7  strong and stable engagement of two ring parts  2  is additionally provided by equal distance between flat surface  8  and center of rounded protrusions  4  and flat surface  8  and center of two corresponding transversely spaced rounded grooves  5  facing toward each other and located on two opposite side surfaces of ring part  2  between rounded and facing toward each other protrusions  4 . 
     Shape of ring part  2  like a shape of ring puzzle assembly  1  can be any imaginable shape, for example circular as shown on  FIG. 1  for ring assembly  1 , pentagonal for ring assembly  11  shown on  FIGS. 26A and 26B , rectangular for ring assembly  12  and  13  as shown on  FIGS. 27A-28B , elliptical for ring assembly  14  as shown on  FIGS. 29A and 29B . 
     Number of groups of locking means like groups of two rounded protrusions  4  and grooves  5 , can be any, for example four locking means shown on  FIGS. 27A and 27B , five locking means shown on  FIGS. 26A and 26B , six locking means shown on  FIG. 1 , eight locking means shown on  FIGS. 28A-29B . 
     The inventive puzzle operates in the following manner. 
     The object of the puzzle is to create different shapes and structures by connecting the ring assemblies with the same or different shapes and to build structure by connecting the rings so that the colors on the rings match at the position where they are connected. 
     Two ring assemblies  1  in process of engagement are shown on  FIG. 6A . After engagement as shown in  FIGS. 6B and 7  this process to create different shapes is multiplied many times per player&#39;s choice by coupling of structures as shown in  FIGS. 8-25D ,  30 A- 33 B. 
     Structures can be not only architectural or geometrical 3D constructions as shown on  FIGS. 8-17 ,  23 A- 25 C, but also they can form animals, flowers, bugs, kids as shown on  FIGS. 18-22 . 
     Because of cut  9  each ring assembly  1 ,  11 ,  12 ,  13  and  14  is flexible and has additional resistance to keep multiple rings engaged. 
     Assembled from ring assemblies structures are flexible and resistant and can be easily locked into closed chain even if assembled structures with rings have different shapes as shown on  FIGS. 33A and 33B . 
     Player can build just about anything with a little difficulty and with rings of different or the same shapes. Depending of the shape and size of design, challenge can range from very easy to very difficult. 
     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the type described above. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a ring puzzle, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 
     Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, be applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention. 
     What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims: