Puzzle toy
AssigneeNintendo Co., Ltd.
InventorGunpei Yokoi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A puzzle toy is provided in which a game may be played to achieve a desired combination of colors by shifting several puzzle elements arranged checkerwise in the lengthwise and the breadthwise directions. The puzzle toy includes a plurality of polarizing plates fixed to a case and individual polarizing plates fixed to the individual puzzle elements. Color indication of the puzzle elements is varied with the change of the relative relationship of the polarizing axis of the individual polarizing plates to that of the first polarizing plates, due to the transparency indication action and the polarizing color indication action which result from the principle of double refraction polarization.
Claims8
In a puzzle toy in which puzzle indication is varied by shifting a plurality of puzzle elements arranged in plural rows in lengthwise direction and lateral direction, said puzzle toy including:
- (a) a plurality of first polarizing plates fixed in a case in such a fashion that the direction of their respective polarizing axes are divided into a first group and a second group which meet at right angles with each other;
- (b) second polarizing plates fixed to respective puzzle elements alignable with individual ones of said first polarizing plates, said second polarizing plates being so oriented that the direction of their respective polarizing axes are divided into a first group and the second group, the polarizing axis of said first group being disposed in the same direction as the polarizing axis of the first group of the first polarizing plates and the polarizing axis of said second group being disposed in the same direction as the polarizing axis of the second group of the first polarizing plates;
- whereby the color indication of the puzzle elements is varied with the change of relative relation of polarizing axis of the second polarizing plates which move with each puzzle element and that of the first polarizing plate, fixed to the case, due to the transparency indicating action when polarizing axes of both polarizing plates are in parallel with each other and the polarizing color indicating action when polarizing axes of both polarizing plates are in the state of meeting at right angles with each other, on the basis of the principle of double refraction polarization between each aligned first polarizing plate and second polarizing plate.
In a puzzle toy in which puzzle indication is varied by shifting a plurality of puzzle elements arranged in plural rows in lengthwise direction and lateral direction, said puzzle toy including:
- (a) a plurality of first polarizing plates fixed in a case in such a fashion that the direction of their respective polarizing axes are divided into the first group and the second group which meet at right angles with each other;
- (b) second polarizing plates fixed to respective puzzle elements disposed under said first polarizing plates, said second polarizing plates being so oriented that the direction of their respective polarizing axes are divided into a first group and the second group, the polarizing axis of said first group being disposed in the same direction as the polarizing axis of the first group of the first polarizing plates and the polarizing axis of said second group being disposed in the same direction as the polarizing axis of the second group of the first polarizing plates;
- (c) reflecting plates disposed under said second polarizing plates;
- whereby color indication of puzzle elements is effected by polarizing color indicating action while polarizing axes of both polarizing plates are in the state of meeting at right angles with each other and by reflecting plate color indicating action while polarizing axes of both polarizing plates are in parallel with each other, on the basis of the principle of double refraction polarization between each aligned first polarizing plate and second polarizing plate.
A puzzle toy comprising means forming a plane supporting surface, a plurality of puzzle elements supported on said surface, said elements being arranged on said surface in such a manner and in such number as to form a fitted-in equal-sided square, each of said elements comprising a polarizing plate attached to and supported on a reflecting plate, a transparent plate, means forming individual polarized plates in the form of an equal-sided square on a portion of the underside of said transparent plate, there being on each side of the square one less individual polarized plate than individual puzzle elements, means mounting said transparent plate and the individual polarized plates on the underside thereof above, parallel and adjacent the individual puzzle elements in such a manner that the individual polarized plates are always aligned with a like number of individual puzzle elements, and means transversely and laterally shifting said individual puzzle elements with respect to the individual polarized plates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.