Dice having eight faces and process of producing same
AssigneeGilbert Capy
InventorsGilbert Capy, Jacques Benarrouch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Die containing eight planar hexagonal surfaces and six convex portions capable of producing random results when thrown. The convex faces are dimensioned so as to constitute areas of unstable equilibrium to favor positioning of the die on one of the hexagonal surfaces when so thrown. The die can be marked with card values and suits associated with a deck of playing cards whereby a set containing the marked dice can be utilized to play poker card games. Moreover, the card values and suits can be positioned on the dice so that marking of the dice can be performed in a two pass printing process.
Claims28
A die comprising eight planar faces and six convex faces, wherein said planar faces are substantially hexagonal having sides substantially of a length A and defining squares at their apices, said squares being occupied by said convex faces, said convex faces having apices extending past the surface of an imaginary sphere of radius 1.561(A) centered at the center of gravity of said die and passing through the apices of said squares, said convex faces further having a radius of curvature less than the radius of curvature of an imaginary sphere centered at the center of gravity of said die and passing through the apices of said convex faces, whereby said convex faces constitute unstable equilibrium zones, in a manner so as to favor the positioning of the die on one of the planar surfaces.
A die comprising eight planar surfaces and six convex faces, said planar surfaces comprising substantially hexagonal faces;
- said substantially hexagonal faces being grouped in a first block and a second block, with each of said first block and said second block containing four substantially hexagonal faces;
- each of said substantially hexagonal faces has two sides in common with two other substantially hexagonal faces in each of said first block and said second block in order to thereby define, in each of said first block and said second block, four common edges and a substantially pyramidal shaped having a base including a third side of each of said substantially hexagonal faces;
- said first block and said second block being positioned relative to one another so that the base defined by said first block is coextensive bases form four common edges;
- sides of each of said substantially hexagonal faces that are not in common with sides of the other substantially hexagonal faces forming six zones;
- said six convex faces being positioned so that each of said six zones includes one of said six convex faces;
- and each of said six convex faces being dimensioned so as to constitute areas of unstable equilibrium to favor positioning of the die on one of said substantially hexagonal faces, wherein each side of each of said substantially hexagonal faces has a length substantially A, and said convex faces are a portion of a sphere having a radius of approximately said length A.
A die comprising eight planar surfaces and six convex faces, said planar surfaces comprising substantially hexagonal faces;
- said substantially hexagonal faces being grouped in a first block and a second block, with each of said first block and said second block containing four substantially hexagonal faces;
- each of said substantially hexagonal faces has two sides in common with two other substantially hexagonal faces in each of said first block and said second block in order to thereby define, in each of said first block and said second block, four common edges and a substantially pyramidal shape having a base including a third side of each of said substantially hexagonal faces;
- said first block and said second block being positioned relative to one another so that the base defined by said first block is coextensive with the base defined by said second block, and the third sides or each of said substantially hexagonal faces in the two coextensive bases form four common edges;
- sides of each of said substantially hexagonal faces that are not in common with sides of the other substantially hexagonal faces forming six zones;
- said six convex faces being positioned so that each of said six zones includes one of said six convex faces;
- and each of said six convex faces being dimensioned so as to constitute areas of unstable equilibrium to favor positioning of the die on one of said substantially hexagonal faces, wherein said convex faces have surfaces that are substantially tangent to each of said common edges, further wherein each side of each of said hexagonal faces has a length substantially A, and said convex faces are a portion of a sphere having a radius of approximately said length A.
A die comprising eight planar surfaces and six convex faces, said planar surfaces comprising substantially hexagonal faces;
- said substantially hexagonal faces being grouped in a first block and a second block, with each of said first block and said second block containing four substantially hexagonal faces;
- each of said substantially hexagonal faces has two sides in common with two other substantially hexagonal faces in each of said first block and said second block in order to thereby define, in each of said first block and said second block, four common edges and a substantially pyramidal shape having a base including a third side of each of said substantially hexagonal faces;
- said first block and said second block being positioned relative to one another so that the base defined by said first block is coextensive with the base defined by said second block, and the third sides of each of said substantially hexagonal faces in the two coextensive bases form four common edges;
- sides of each other of said substantially hexagonal faces that are not in common with sides of the other substantially hexagonal faces forming six zones;
- said six convex faces being positioned so that each of said six zones includes one of said six convex faces;
- and each of said six convex faces being dimensioned so as to constitute areas of unstable equilibrium to favor positioning of the die on one of said substantially hexagonal faces, wherein apices are defined by end portions of said common edges, and said convex faces extend past an imaginary sphere that has as its center a center of symmetry O of the die and a surface that passes through said apices.
A set of die comprising a plurality of dice, with each die of the set comprising eight planar faces and six convex faces, said planar surfaces comprising substantially hexagonal faces;
- said substantially hexagonal faces being grouped in a first block and a second block, with each of said first block and said second block containing four substantially hexagonal faces;
- each of said substantially hexagonal faces has two sides in common with two other substantially hexagonal faces in each of said first block and second block in order to thereby define, in each of said first block and said second block, four common edges and a substantially pyramidal shape having a base including a third side of each of said substantially hexagonal faces;
- said first block and said second block being positioned relative to one another so that the base defined by said first block is coextensive with the base defined by said second block, and the third sides of each of said substantially hexagonal faces in the two coextensive bases form four common edges;
- sides of each of said substantially hexagonal faces that are not in common with sides of the other substantially hexagonal faces forming six zones;
- said six convex faces being positioned so that each of said six zones includes one of said six convex faces;
- and each of said six convex faces being dimensioned so as to constitute areas of unstable equilibrium to favor positioning of the die on one of said substantially hexagonal faces, wherein each side of each of said substantially hexagonal faces has a length substantially A, and said convex faces are a portion of a sphere having a radius of approximately said length A.
A set of dice comprising a plurality of dice, with each die of the set comprising eight planar faces and six convex faces, said planar surfaces comprising substantially hexagonal faces;
- said substantially hexagonal faces being grouped in a first block and a second block, with each of said first block and said second block containing four substantially hexagonal faces;
- each of said substantially hexagonal faces has two sides in common with two other substantially hexagonal faces in each of said first block and second block in order to thereby define, in each of said first block and said second block, four common edges and a substantially pyramidal shape having a base including a third side of each of said substantially hexagonal faces;
- said first block and said second block being positioned relative to one another so that the base defined by said first block is coextensive with the base defined by said second block, and the third sides of each of said substantially hexagonal faces in the two coextensive bases form four common edges;
- sides of each of said substantially hexagonal faces that are not in common with sides of the other substantially hexagonal faces forming six zones;
- said six convex faces being positioned so that each of said six zones includes one of said six convex faces;
- and each of said six convex faces being dimensioned so as to constitute areas of unstable equilibrium to favor positioning of the die on one of said substantially hexagonal faces, wherein each die includes markings, further wherein apices are defined by end portions of said common edges, and said convex faces extend past an imaginary sphere that has as its center a center of symmetry O of the die and passes through said apices.
A process for producing a die having eight planar faces having sides of substantially a length A and six convex faces comprising providing a sphere having a center of symmetry O;
- machining a first set of substantially parallel planar surfaces on both sides of the center of symmetry;
- machining a second set of substantially planar surfaces, on both sides of the center of symmetry, at an angle to the first set of substantially parallel planar surfaces forming two intersecting edges;
- rotating the sphere substantially 90.degree. around an axis that passes substantially through the center of symmetry and is substantially perpendicular to a plane passing through said two intersecting edges;
- machining a third set of substantially parallel planar surfaces on both sides of the center of symmetry;
- and machining a fourth set of substantially planar surfaces, on both sides of the center of symmetry, at an angle to the third set of substantially parallel planar surfaces;
- and forming six convex faces at apices formed between the four sets of planar surfaces to thereby obtain a die having eight planar faces and six convex faces;
- and said convex faces being dimensioned so as to constitute areas of unstable equilibrium to favor positioning of the die on one of the planar faces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.