Patent Publication Number: US-10765932-B1

Title: Maze capable of changing rolling paths

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a maze structure which is capable of changing rolling paths. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A conventional maze structure is plane and contains multiple horizontal partitions and vertical partitions which define a path in which a ball rolls. However, it is easy for a user to walk out of the maze structure. 
     To enhance playing difficulty, a three-dimensional maze structure is formed in a pen shape and contains a plurality of partitions separated from one another. The three-dimensional maze structure also contains plural cutouts defined on the plurality of partitions respectively so as to form a path, hence a ball rolls downwardly in the path via the plural cutouts so as to get out of the three-dimensional maze structure. Nevertheless, it is also easy for a user to walk out of the three-dimensional maze structure. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a maze in which the rotatable three-dimensional block is rotatable to guide the ball to roll and turn on the at least one path formed in any one of the T shape, the cross shape, and the arc shape on each square cube unit, wherein when the three rotary layer units of the rotatable three-dimensional block are rotated in different levels, the ball rolls in various paths so as to enhance interesting of the maze. 
     To obtain the above mentioned objective, a maze provided by a preferred embodiment of the present invention contains: a rotatable three-dimensional block formed in a six-sided cube shape and defined by twenty-six square cube units for matching with a central fixing element. 
     The rotatable three-dimensional block includes nine of the twenty-six square cube units formed in a 3 by 3 grid arranged on each of six surfaces of the rotatable three-dimensional block, and each of the twenty-six square cube units has three sets of rotary layers so as to form twelve rotary layer units. 
     The rotatable three-dimensional block includes at least one path formed on each square cube unit and having at least one visible window formed on the at least one path respectively. The at least one path is formed in any one of a T shape, a cross shape, and an arc shape on each square cube unit, and the at least one path includes a ball rolling therein and at least one channel which communicates with one another, such that the ball rolls from a path of one square cube unit to a path of another square cube unit. The at least one path is changeable by rotating each rotary layer unit so as to changeably roll the ball relative to each square cube unit and each of the at least one path. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the assembly of a maze according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the exploded components of the maze according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing the exploded components of a part of the maze according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is another perspective view showing the exploded components of a part of the maze according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is another perspective view showing the exploded components of a part of the maze according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the assembly of a part of the maze according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is another perspective view showing the assembly of a part of the maze according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of the maze according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is an amplified cross-sectional view of a portion of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view showing the operation of the maze according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is another perspective view showing the operation of the maze according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-11 , a maze capable of changing rolling paths according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises: a rotatable three-dimensional block  1  formed in a six-sided cube shape and defined by twenty-six square cube units for matching with a central fixing element  10 , wherein the rotatable three-dimensional block  1  includes nine of the twenty-six square cube units formed in a 3 by 3 grid arranged on each of six surfaces of the rotatable three-dimensional block  1 , and each of the twenty-six square cube units has three sets of rotary layers so as to form twelve rotary layer units  3 , wherein each of the three rotary layer units  3  rotates along the central fixing element  10 , thus changing a position of each square cube unit. 
     The rotatable three-dimensional block  1  includes at least one path  4  formed on each square cube unit and having at least one visible window formed on the at least one path  4  respectively, wherein the at least one path  4  is formed in any one of a T shape, a cross shape, and an arc shape on each square cube unit. The at least one path  4  includes a ball B rolling therein and at least one channel S which communicates with one another, such that the ball rolls from a path  4  of one square cube unit to a path  4  of another square cube unit, wherein the at least one path  4  is changeable by rotating each rotary layer unit  3  so as to changeably roll the ball B relative to each square cube unit and each of the at least one path  4 . 
     The central fixing element  10  includes six three-dimensional extensions  11 , wherein the six three-dimensional extensions  11  have six threaded orifices  12  defined on six central positions of six free end surfaces of the six three-dimensional extensions  11  respectively. The twenty-six square cube units include six first square cube units  20  rotatably connected with the six threaded orifices  12  of the central fixing element  10  individually, wherein the six first square cube units  20  have six first bodies  21 , six first screwing elements  22 , six first maze seats  23 , and six first caps  24  respectively, wherein the six first bodies  21  have six first connection portions  212  corresponding to the six threaded orifices  12  of the central fixing element  10  individually, the six first connection portions  212  have six receiving orifices  2121  configured to accommodate the first screwing elements  22  respectively so that the first screwing elements  22  are screwed with the six threaded orifices  12  of the central fixing element  10  via the first screwing elements  22  individually, the six first bodies  21  have six arcuate faces  211  and six first uneven ridges  213  opposite to the six arcuate faces  211  respectively and connected with multiple first protrusions  231  of the six first maze seats  23  respectively. The six first maze seats  23  have six first open segments  234  opposite to the multiple first protrusions  231  respectively, and the six first open segments  234  have six first V-shaped tracks  232  and being a part of the at least one path  4  individually, the six first V-shaped tracks  232  have multiple first openings  233  defined below the multiple first protrusions  231  and communicate with the multiple first openings  233 . The six first open segments  234  of the six first maze seats  23  have six first inner fringes  235  and connected with six first outer fringes  241  of the six first caps  24  respectively so as to close the six first open segments  234  individually, and the six first caps  24  have six first visible windows  242  corresponding to the six first V-shaped tracks  232  respectively so that the ball B is visible when being rolled on the at least one path  4 . The six first visible windows  242  have six first limiting rims  243  individually, when the ball B rolls in the six first V-shaped tracks  232 , the six first limiting rims  243  limit an upper portion of the ball B. 
     The twenty-six square cube units further include twelve second square cube units  30  arranged beside the six first square cube units  20  respectively, each of the twelve second square cube units  30  has a first rotatable member  315  relative to a first rotatable connection position of the central fixing element  10  and each of the six arcuate faces  211  of each six first square cube unit  20  so that the first rotatable member  315  is rotatably limited on the first rotatable connection position of the central fixing element  10  and each of the six arcuate faces  211  of each first square cube unit  20 , wherein each second square cube unit  30  has a second body  31 , and the second body  31  has two first maze units  311  perpendicular to each other, the two first maze units  311  have two second V-shaped tracks  314  respectively and being a part of the at least one path  4  individually, the two second V-shaped tracks  314  have two second openings  312  communicating with the multiple first openings  233  of each six first square cube unit  20 . The two first maze units  311  have two first coupling portions  313  formed beside two tops of the two first maze units  311  respectively and coupled with two second caps  32  individually, wherein the two second caps  32  have two second coupling portions  323  corresponding to the two first coupling portions  313  of the second body  31  individually so that the two second coupling portions  323  of the two second caps  32  are connected with the two first coupling portions  313  of the second body  31  respectively. The two second caps  32  have two first visible windows  321  corresponding to the two second V-shaped tracks  314  of the two first maze units  311  individually so that the ball B is visible when being rolled on the at least one path  4 . The two second visible windows  321  have two second limiting rims  322  individually, when the ball B rolls in the two second V-shaped tracks  314 , the two second limiting rims  322  limit the upper portion of the ball B. 
     The twenty-six square cube units further include eight third square cube units  40  arranged on diagonal positions of the six first square cube units  20  respectively, each of the eight third square cube units  40  has a second rotatable member  415  relative to a second rotatable connection position of the central fixing element  10  and the first rotatable member  315  of each second square cube unit  30  so that the second rotatable member  415  is rotatably limited on the second rotatable connection position of the central fixing element  10  and each second square cube unit  30 , wherein each third square cube unit  40  has a third body  41 , and the third body  41  has three third maze seats  411  perpendicular to one another, the three third maze seats  411  have three third V-shaped tracks  412  respectively and being a part of the at least one path  4  individually, the three third V-shaped tracks  412  have three third openings  413  communicating with the multiple first openings  233  of each first square cube unit  20  and the two second openings  312  of each second square cube unit  30 . The three third maze seats  411  have three second coupling portions  414  formed on three tops thereof respectively and coupled with three third caps  42  individually, wherein the three third caps  42  have three third coupling portions  423  corresponding to the three second coupling portions  414  of the second body  31  individually so that the three third coupling portions  423  of the three third caps  42  are connected with the three second coupling portions  414  of the third body  41  respectively. The three third caps  42  have three third visible windows  421  corresponding to the three third V-shaped tracks  412  of the three third maze seats  411  individually so that the ball B is visible when being rolled on the at least one path  4 . The three third visible windows  421  have three third limiting rims  422  individually, when the ball B rolls in the three third V-shaped tracks  412 , the three third limiting rims  422  limit the upper portion of the ball B. 
     Preferably, the six first uneven ridges  213  of the six first bodies  21  of the six first square cube units  20  are connected with the multiple first protrusions  231  of the six first maze seats  23  respectively in a gluing manner or in an ultrasonic welding manner, and the six first inner fringes  235  of the six first maze seats  23  are connected with the six first outer fringes  241  of the six first caps  24  respectively in the gluing manner or in the ultrasonic welding manner. 
     Preferably, the two first coupling portions  313  of the second body  31  of each second square cube unit  30  are connected with the two second coupling portions  323  of the two second caps  32  respectively in the gluing manner or in the ultrasonic welding manner. 
     Thereby, the rotatable three-dimensional block  1  is rotatable to guide the ball B to roll and turn on the at least one path  4  formed in any one of the T shape, the cross shape, and the arc shape on each square cube unit, wherein when the three rotary layer units  3  of the rotatable three-dimensional block  1  are rotated in different levels, the ball B rolls in various paths  4  so as to enhance interesting of the maze. 
     While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.