Puzzle

#The present invention relates to puzzles.

#A wide variety of puzzles and puzzle devices are available, including both mechanical and electronic puzzles. In such puzzles, the user manipulates the puzzle to achieve a desired result or to solve a problem. The well-known Rubik's Cube is an example of such a puzzle, wherein the user is required to rotate portions of a cube that are each made up of smaller cubes having differently colored sides. The objective of Rubik's Cube is to manipulate the cube in a matter that results in a desired design of colors, the simplest being a single color on each side of the cube. The present invention is a unique and innovative puzzle from this field of the art.

#The invention comprises a puzzle including elements arranged in at least one row and at least one column. Each of the elements is rotatable about a first axis and a second axis. The first axis of each element is parallel and co-planar to the first axes of every other element. Similarly, the second axis of each element is parallel and co-planar to the second axes of every other element. The first and second axes of each element are preferably perpendicular to each other. The puzzle also includes a case that restrains non-rotational movement of each element and a linkage that forces rotation of all other elements in any one row to rotate about their respective first axes when any one of the elements in that row is rotated about its first axis. The linkage also forces rotation of all elements a column to rotate about their respective second axes when any one of the elements in that column is rotated about its second axis.

#The following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purposes of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It is understood, however, the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings:

#FIG. 1 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of a puzzle according to the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is a top view of the puzzle shown in FIG. 1 wherein the balls have been removed.

#The present invention is a puzzle that can be implemented in a wide variety of structures and formats. The essence of the invention is a puzzle having a plurality of puzzle elements, each puzzle element having a different design or color on each of six faces. Each puzzle element can be rotated in either two or three orthogonal axis, but is preferably restrained against non-rotational movement. In the case of a two-dimensional puzzle, each puzzle element is preferably rotatable about X and Y axes. In the case of a three-dimensional puzzle, each puzzle element will be rotatable about X, Y and Z axes. In addition, the puzzle elements are linked so that when a particular puzzle element is rotated, all other puzzle elements that are located in a plane that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation and passes through are forced to rotate in the same direction. The objective of the puzzle is to manipulate the puzzle elements so that a desired design is shown on the front of the puzzle, such as a single color.

#The principles and operation of the puzzle according to the present invention are better understood with reference to the drawings and the accompanying description. In order to aid in understanding of the invention, reference numerals that are referred to in the specification with respect to one or more figures may appear in additional figures without a specific reference to such additional figure in the specification.

#Referring now to FIG. 1, reference 10 generally refers to a puzzle in accordance with the present invention. The puzzle 10 shown in FIG. 1 is a two-dimensional embodiment of the present invention having four puzzle elements 36, 38, 40, 42 that are each secured to a portion of a frame 13 by any convenient means. The puzzle elements in this embodiment are shown as spheres or balls. In order to aid in describing the invention, the elements (or spheres) are identified herein as follows: lower left sphere 36, upper left sphere 38, upper right sphere 40 and lower right sphere 42. Although spheres provide for the simplest operation of the puzzle 10, other shapes could be substituted for the puzzle elements 36, 38, 40, 42, such as a cube or a hexahedron, for example.