US20080108274A1

US20080108274A1 - Assembled spherical building blocks

Info

Publication number: US20080108274A1
Application number: US12/003,868
Authority: US
Inventors: Ming-Hsien Cheng
Original assignee: LonPos Braintelligent Co Ltd
Current assignee: LonPos Braintelligent Co Ltd
Priority date: 2006-02-13
Filing date: 2008-01-03
Publication date: 2008-05-08

Abstract

A set of blocks assembled to form a pyramid with a square base, three sets assembled to form a pyramid with triangle base, each of the pyramids are formed at different angle respectively, to transform the square base to the triangle base pyramids challenges spatial temporal reasoning of the players. Players facing challenges from the pyramids improve their imagination with fun. Each of 12 building blocks composed of 3˜5 spheres, totally a set of blocks aggregated 55 spheres on the base to form a pyramid with square base, each of four sides of the base having 5 location pits, totally 25 location pits formed on the base. 3 sets of blocks aggregated 165 spheres assembled on the base to form a pyramid with triangle base, each of three sides of the base having 9 location pits respectively, totally 45 location pits formed on the base.

Description

The present invention is a C-I-P of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/352,226 filed on Feb. 13, 2006, now is abandoned.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to the configuration of building blocks of spheres, especially about a set of 12 building blocks totally 55 spheres arrayed as a pyramid with a square base, while three sets of 36 building blocks totally 165 spheres arrayed as a pyramid with a triangle base.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The conventional “jigsaw puzzle” or “tangram” has various “piece together” or “snap together” techniques to challenge the players' IQ and EQ restricted to two-dimensional scope. Sets of building blocks to stimulate and satisfy the three-dimensional construction reasoning is to be on the way for more fun, more interesting games discovered by the players. As a result, the inventor provided sets of building blocks of spheres assembled in two-dimensional or three-dimensional ways, which has been approved in many countries' patent issuances. Such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,919 entitled “An assembled building block for forming various geometrical shapes with corners having angles 60 degrees, 90 degrees and 120 degrees” issued to the inventor of the present invention on 24 Apr. 2001.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,919, 19 building blocks assembled on a base to form one level, more levels, or pyramid with a square base etc., of three-dimensional configurations. However, a pyramid with a triangle base has never been configured by the same prior art. Although a pyramid with triangle base and a pyramid with square base are constructed with equal sides and angles all around; but their angles are different from each other. Different sets, and quantities of building blocks are demanded for three dimensional configurations pyramids (with square or triangle bases), which incite new thinking of players with different spatial-temporal reasoning. Players face the challenges with more building blocks to construct a pyramid with triangle base rather than a pyramid with square base. Based on one set of 12 building blocks 55 spheres assembled to form a pyramid with square base, players know how three sets of 36 building blocks 165 spheres assembled to form a pyramid with triangle base is provided by this invention. This trend is not anticipated in the prior arts, such as in GB-A-2,396,569 entitled “building blocks for a constructional toy or puzzle” published on Jun. 30, 2004 to Ming-Hsien Cheng, it disclosed: twelve building blocks (1-12) are assembled to form in one embodiment a one-level triangle based on a base totally fifty five pits, each side having ten location pits, and in a second embodiment a four-faced pyramid, wherein each of four sides of the base level of the pyramid has five spheres. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,919: each of nineteen unit assemblies consists of 1 unit or 3-6 units conform to different seats to form single layer, stacked double layers, stacked three layers, or pyramids with three to five layers. Such as twelve unit assemblies totally 55 units arranged on a rectangular seat with 55 round holes, or a triangular seat with 55 round holes, or a rectangular seat with 56 round holes. Rectangular seats with 9, 16, 25 round holes stacked three, four, five layers of pyramids, each of which are four, seven, and twelve unit assemblies each comprises 14, 30, and 55 units.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, to improve the assemblage of sets of conventional building blocks, the present invention provides assembled building blocks of spheres characterized in that each of 12 building blocks assembled in different type, each building block consists of 3˜5 spheres, a set of 12 building blocks consist totally of 55 spheres to construct a pyramid with square base, wherein each of the four sides of the base consists of 5 spheres, totally 25 spheres of a base level.
While 3 sets of 12 different shaped building blocks consist of 36 building blocks to construct a pyramid with triangle base being composed of 165 spheres; each of three sides of the base consists of 9 spheres, totally 45 spheres of a base level.
Aforesaid 12 building blocks, only 7 blocks of them such as the building blocks A, B, C, F, I, J and K are assembled to form a pyramid with square base, in which each of four sides of the base consists of 4 spheres, totally 16 spheres of a base level.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the 12 different shaped building blocks of spheres of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a first type of the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a second type of the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a first type of the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a second type of the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a first type of the third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a second type of the third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a first type of the fifth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a second type of the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The description is described in detail according to the appended drawings hereinafter.
As shown in FIG. 1, the 12 different shaped building blocks of spheres are denominated in a sequence of Characters in order as following: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, and L, each of them is in different shape. These 12 building blocks are totally aggregated to 55 spheres, but each building block is composed of 3˜5 spheres.
Different shapes of the 12 building blocks can be described as following:
Building block A is composed of 4 spheres in the shape of an “L”, a first sphere to a third sphere are connected in alignment with one by one in sequence, and lined up from right to left, while a fourth sphere and a third sphere are in vertical alignment with each other at a right angle.
Building block B is composed of 5 spheres in the shape of a “P”, the first sphere to the third sphere are connected in alignment with one by one in order, and lined up from right to left, a fourth sphere and a fifth sphere are in alignment with each other, and lined up from right to left, each of first and second spheres are in vertical alignment with each of fourth and fifth spheres at a right angle respectively.
Building block C is composed of 5 spheres in the shape of an “L”, a first sphere to a fourth sphere are in alignment with one by one in sequence, and lined up from right to left, while a fifth sphere is in vertical alignment with a fourth sphere at a right angle.
Building block D is composed of 5 spheres in the shape of an inversed “T”, a first to a fourth spheres are in alignment one by one in sequence, and lined up from right to left, while a third and a fifth spheres are in vertical alignment at a right angle.
Building block E is composed of 5 spheres, in which a first to a third spheres are in alignment with one by one in order, and lined up from right to left, while a fourth sphere is in alignment with a fifth sphere in order, and lined up from left to right.
Building block F is composed of 3 spheres in the shape of a mapped inversed “L”, a first sphere is in alignment with a second sphere in order, and lined up from right to left, while a third sphere is in vertical alignment with a second sphere at a right angle.
Building block G is composed of 5 spheres in the shape of a mapped inversed “L”, a first to a third spheres are in alignment with one by one in sequence, and lined up from right to left, while a fourth sphere is in vertical alignment with a third sphere at a right angle; further, a fifth sphere and a fourth sphere are connected with each other vertically in an up and down relationship. In other words, a third to a fifth spheres are in alignment with one by one, but lined up from “up” to “down”. The first to the third spheres is perpendicular to the third to the fifth spheres.
Building block H is composed of 5 spheres in the shape of “W”, a first sphere is in vertical alignment with a second sphere in an up and down relationship, a second sphere is in alignment with a third sphere, and lined up from right to left, a third sphere is in vertical alignment with a fourth sphere in an up and down relationship, a fourth sphere is in alignment with a fifth sphere, and lined up from right to left.
Building block I is composed of 5 spheres in the shape of an inversed “U”, a first to a third spheres are in alignment one by one in order, and lined up from right to left, a fourth sphere is in vertical alignment with the third sphere, a fifth sphere is in vertical alignment with a first sphere.
Building block J is composed of 4 spheres in the shape of a transverse “I”, a first to the fourth spheres are in alignment with one by one in sequence, and lined up from right to left.
Building block K is composed of 4 spheres in the shape of a rectangular “O”, a first sphere is in alignment with a second sphere, and lined up from right to left, a third sphere is in alignment with a fourth sphere, and lined up from right to left, while each of a first and a second spheres are in vertical alignment with each of a third and a fourth spheres respectively.
Building block L is composed of 5 spheres in the shape of a cross-type as an upright “X”, a first to a third spheres are in alignment with one by one in sequence, and lined up from right to left; a fourth sphere is in vertical alignment with (placed above) a second sphere in an up and down relationship, a fifth sphere is in vertical alignment with (placed below) a second sphere in an up and down relationship.
As mentioned above, each of the 12 building blocks is composed of 3˜5 spheres respectively, the way to combine the spheres can be selected from one of the steps as following: the spheres (10) are connected among one another by a tenon (12) embedded into a mortise (11), or the spheres (10) are connected among one another by adhesives (for example, by heating, welding, or gluing), or the spheres (10) are connected among one another as a whole integrally by injection molding.
12 different shaped building blocks as mentioned above can be assembled on the bases, according to the different shapes of the bases to construct significant embodiments such as three-dimensional pyramid by three sets of blocks. While 7 building blocks selected from a set of blocks can be assembled in two-dimensional or three-dimensional assemblages. The embodiments can be exemplified as following:

First Embodiment

As shown in FIG. 2, a set of 12 building blocks can be assembled on the base (20) to form a pyramid with square base, the base (20) having four sides, each side has 5 location pits (21), 25 location pits (21) are formed on the base (20) to shape a square. Location pit (21), when looking down, is better formed circular in shape; while taking a side view or cross section view, the location pit (21) is preferably shown as a smaller crater, looks like small birds' nest.
As shown in FIG. 3, a set of blocks assembled on the base (20) to form one level in rectangular shape, 11 location pits (22) in longitudinal direction, 5 location pits (22) in transversal direction, totally 55 location pits (22) are aggregated on the base (20) to shape a rectangle. When looking down, the location pit (22) is better formed circular in shape. While taking a side view or a cross section view, the location pit (22) is preferably shown as a small crater, looks like small birds' nest.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a set of blocks assembled on the same rectangular base (20). An upper lid (23) is pivotally connected to a lower base (24) to form a base (20). In which location pits (21,22) are formed on the surface of the upper lid (23) and the lower base (24) respectively. The user can assemble a pyramid with square base on the upper lid and one level of a rectangle on the lower base (24) respectively.

Second Embodiment

As shown in FIG. 4, a set of 12 building blocks of 55 spheres are assembled on the base (30) to form a pyramid with square base. Each of the four sides of base (30) has 5 location pits (31) respectively, totally 25 location pits (31) are formed on the base (30) to shape a square. Location pit (31) is formed circular in shape as a small crater, looks like a small birds' nest.
As shown in FIG. 5, a set of 12 building blocks of 55 spheres are assembled on the base (30) to form a triangle. Each of the three sides of base (30) has 10 location pits (32) respectively. Location pit (32) is formed circular in shape as a small crater, looks like small birds' nest.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a set of blocks are assembled on the same half-circular base (30). An upper lid (33) is pivotally connected to the lower base (34) to form a base (30). In which location pits (31) are formed on the upper lid (33), location pits (32) are formed on the lower base (34). The users can assemble a set of blocks on the upper lid (33) to construct a pyramid with square base, or on the lower base (34) to form one level of a triangle.

Third Embodiment

As shown in FIG. 6, a set of 12 building blocks assembled on the base (40) to form a pyramid with square base. Each of four sides of base (40) has 5 location pits (41) respectively, totally 25 location pits (41) are formed on the base (40) arrayed to shape a square. Location pit (41) is formed circular in shape as a smaller crater, looks like small birds' nest.
As shown in FIG. 7, said set of 12 building blocks are assembled on the base (40) to form a one-level “baseball home plate” or “baseball home base”. Totally 55 location pits (42) are formed on the base (40) with a column (43) in it. Said column (43) can be formed with the base (40) integrally as a whole by injection modeling. Or a prefabricated column (43) can be inserted into a hole (not shown) on the base (40) and then fixed to the base (40).
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, different assemblages can be practiced on the same base (40), such as the location pits (41) formed on an upper surface (or front side) of the base (40) for a set of 12 building blocks assembled to form a pyramid with square base. Totally 55 location pits (42) are also formed on a back (or reverse side) of the base (40) with a column (43), a set of 12 building blocks assembled to form a “baseball home plate” or “baseball home base”.

Fourth Embodiment

Based on said set of 12 building blocks assembled to form different three-dimensional assemblages. As shown in FIG. 8, 3 sets of 12 building blocks from A to L as depicted in FIG. 1, totally 36 building blocks consist of 165 spheres are assembled to form a pyramid with triangle base. Each of the three sides of the base is composed of 9 spheres. A base level of total 45 spheres are aggregated on the base.
Said 36 building blocks can be adapted to the base (50) with 45 location pits (51). Each of the three sides of the base (50) is composed of 9 location pits. Totally 45 location pits on the base is shaped as a triangle.

Fifth Embodiment

As shown in FIG. 9, a first type of the fifth embodiment is illustrated. The 7 building blocks denominated by Characters in sequence as following: A, B, C, F, I, J, and K of a set of 12 building blocks depicted in the FIG. 1, totally 30 spheres (10) are aggregated to form a pyramid with square base. Each of four sides of the base (60) is composed of 4 location pits (61), totally 16 location pits (61) are formed on the base to shape a square.
As shown in FIG. 10, a second type of the fifth embodiment is illustrated. Said 7 building blocks denominated as A, B, C, F, I, J, and K assembled on the base (60) to shape a one-level rectangle. The base (60) has 6 location pits (62) in longitudinal direction and 5 location pits (62) in transversal direction so as to shape a one-level rectangle.
As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, different assemblages can be practiced on the same base (60). Such as the location pits (61) formed on an upper surface (or front side) of the base (60) for said 7 building blocks A, B, C, F, I, J, and K assembled to form a four levels pyramid of square base. Totally 30 location pits (62) are formed on a back (or reverse side) of the base (60) to shape a rectangle.
As discussed above, the description is described according to the appended drawings, various substitutions and modifications will be practiced by those of ordinary skill in the art. All such substitutions and modifications are confined within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Advantages of Embodiments of the Present Invention

Accordingly, 12 different shaped building blocks of spheres assembled on three kinds of bases to form as one level in the shape of square, one level in the shape of rectangle, or one level in the shape of triangle. Other than those one levels; the 12 building blocks of spheres can be also assembled to form a pyramid with square base. Such a two dimensional configuration transformed into a three dimensional configuration may offer more paths of spatial-temporal reasoning with heuristic values selected by the players, and the inventor devoted his whole career life to furnish a prototype mode for them.
Rather, 3 sets of 12 building blocks of spheres, each set has 12 different shaped building blocks of spheres as mentioned above can be assembled on the base to form a pyramid with triangle base, not only the angles of pyramids are different, but also the quantities of building blocks as required are different. Three-dimensional macroscopic assemblages designed for the users are expected to challenge the availability of building blocks to its utmost.
Besides, 7 building blocks of one set of 12 different shaped building blocks can be assembled to form one pyramid of square base or one level rectangle. As a result, sets of building blocks are provided with more options, more imaginative power coherently for the users.

Claims

1. A set of assembled building blocks of spheres comprising the 12 building blocks of spheres that are denominated in sequence of characters as A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, and L, each of the 12 building blocks of spheres is in different shape, these 12 building blocks are totally aggregated to 55 spheres, each building block is composed of 3˜5 spheres; wherein the different shapes of the 12 building blocks can be described as following:

building block A is composed of 4 spheres in the shape of an “L”, a first sphere to a third sphere are in alignment with one by one in sequence, and lined up from right to left, while a fourth sphere and a third sphere are in vertical alignment with each other at a right angle;

building block B is composed of 5 spheres in the shape of a “P”, the first sphere to the third sphere are in alignment with one by one in order, and lined up from right to left, a fourth sphere and a fifth sphere are in alignment with each other, and lined up from right to left, each of first and second spheres are in vertical alignment with each of fourth and fifth spheres at a right angle respectively;

building block C is composed of 5 spheres in the shape of an “L”, a first sphere to a fourth sphere are in alignment with one by one in sequence, and lined up from right to left, while a fifth sphere is in vertical alignment with a fourth sphere at a right angle;

building block D is composed of 5 spheres in the shape of an inversed “T”, a first to a fourth spheres are in alignment with one by one in sequence, and lined up from right to left, while a third and a fifth spheres are in vertical alignment at a right angle;

building block E is composed of 5 spheres, in which a first to a third spheres are in alignment with one by one in order, and lined up from right to left, while a fourth sphere is in alignment with a fifth sphere in order, and lined up from left to right;

building block F is composed of 3 spheres in the shape of a mapped inversed “L”, a first sphere is in alignment with a second sphere in order, and lined up from right to left, while a third sphere is in vertical alignment with a second sphere at a right angle;

building block G is composed of 5 spheres in the shape of a mapped inversed “L”, a first to a third spheres are in alignment with one by one in sequence, and lined up from right to left, while a fourth sphere is in vertical alignment with a third sphere at a right angle; a fifth sphere and a fourth sphere are connected with each other vertically in an up and down relationship;

building block H is composed of 5 spheres in the shape of “W”, a first sphere is in vertical alignment with a second sphere in an up and down relationship, a second sphere is in alignment with a third sphere, and lined up from right to left, a third sphere is in vertical alignment with a fourth sphere in an up and down relationship, a fourth sphere is in alignment with a fifth sphere, and lined up from right to left;

building block I is composed of 5 spheres in the shape of an inversed “U”, a first to the third spheres are in alignment with one by one in order, and lined up from right to left, a fourth sphere is in vertical alignment with a third sphere, a fifth sphere is in vertical alignment with a first sphere;

building block J is composed of 4 spheres in the shape of a transverse “I”, a first to the fourth spheres are in alignment with one by one in sequence, and lined up from right to left;

building block K is composed of 4 spheres in the shape of a rectangular “O”, a first sphere is in alignment with a second sphere, and lined up from right to left, a third sphere is in alignment with a fourth sphere, and lined up from right to left, while each of a first and a second spheres are in vertical alignment with each of a third and a fourth spheres respectively;

building block L is composed of 5 spheres in the shape of a cross-type as an upright “X”, a first to a third spheres are in alignment with one by one in sequence, and lined up from right to left; a fourth sphere is in vertical alignment with and placed above a second sphere in an up and down relationship, a fifth sphere is in vertical alignment with but placed below a second sphere in an up and down relationship;

characterized in that the 12 building blocks are assembled to form a baseball home plate based on a base (40), which has 55 location pits (42) and a column (43).

2. The set of assembled building blocks of spheres according to claim 1, wherein each of 12 building blocks of spheres is composed of 3˜5 spheres respectively, the way to combine the spheres can be selected from one of the steps as following: the spheres (10) are connected among one another by a tenon (12) embedded into a mortise (11); the spheres (10) are connected among one another by adhesives; the spheres (10) are connected among one another as a whole integrally by injection molding.

3. A part of the set of assembled building blocks of spheres as described in the preamble of claim 1, characterized in that the 7 building blocks of spheres that are denominated in sequence of characters as A, B, C, F, I, J and K, totally composed of 30 spheres, are assembled to form a pyramid with square base, each of four sides of the base level of the pyramid has 4 spheres, totally 16 spheres of the base level.

4. A part of the set of assembled building blocks of spheres according to claim 3, wherein the 7 building blocks of spheres are assembled to form a pyramid based on a square base (60) totally having 16 location pits (61), each of four sides of the base has 4 location pits.

5. A part of the set of assembled building blocks of spheres as described in the preamble of claim 1, characterized in that the 7 building blocks of spheres that are denominated in sequence of characters as A, B, C, F, I, J, and K, totally composed of 30 location pits (62), the base has 6 location pits in longitudinal direction, 5 location pits in transversal direction.

6. Three sets of assembled building blocks of spheres as described in the preamble of claim 1, characterized in that the 36 building blocks of spheres, totally composed of 165 spheres, are assembled to form a pyramid with triangle base, each of the three sides of a base level of the pyramid has 9 spheres, totally 45 spheres of the base level

7. Three sets of assembled building blocks of spheres according to claim 6, wherein the 36 building blocks of spheres are assembled to form a pyramid based on a triangle base (50) having totally 45 location pits (51), each of the three sides of the base having 9 location pits.