Method of creating a 3D assembly puzzle

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to methods for creating three-dimensional prefabricated manual puzzles, namely, to methods for creating puzzles that require disassembling the original three-dimensional figure into individual component parts and reassembling them from the individual components into the original three-dimensional figure.

There are many known ways of creating puzzles that require disassembly and reassembly.

There are known flat puzzles with component parts that have cutouts in their outline in the form of the capital letter of the Greek alphabet “omega” (Q) (the so-called “puzzles”). The presence of these cutouts in the outlines of the puzzle parts ensures that the parts are connected to each other when assembled (FIG. 1).

There are known three-dimensional puzzles (SU No. 1470312 from 20 Apr. 1987), with component parts in the form of parallelepipeds (bars), initially connected into a central unit;

There are known three-dimensional puzzles (No. 2503477 from 21 May 2012), having figured cutouts in the outline of the component parts in the form of the capital letter of the Greek alphabet “omega” (Q).

Also known are three-dimensional puzzles (No. 2295993 from 29 Jun. 2009), in the contour of the component parts of which there are rectangular cutouts for fastening the parts together in assembled form.

As an analogue closest to the claimed invention (prototype), the patent GB No. 1242942 from 18.08.1971 by Joseph Watson Lomas was chosen.

This invention—prototype describes a three-dimensional puzzle, the component parts of which are formed by cutting the original figure—a parallelepiped into several parts, and in the configuration of the cuts there is an element resembling the contour of the capital Greek letter “omega” (Q) (FIG. 1). The use of elements in the shape of the letter “omega” in the contour of the cuts ensures the fastening of the puzzle parts together in assembled form.

The following factors can be attributed to the disadvantages of the puzzle—prototype.

• • 1) The initial volumetric figure of the puzzle—a parallelepiped—is determined by the specifics of manufacturing the parts and cannot vary widely;
  • 2) All the parts of the puzzle are small, relative to the overall size of the puzzle, identical fragments of a relatively simple shape—short pieces that do not represent independent interest from an aesthetic and artistic point of view.
  • 3) Limited possibilities for changing the degree of complexity of assembling different versions of the puzzle. Changing the number of component elements of the puzzle does not lead to a fundamental change in the degree of complexity of its assembly due to the uniformity of the operations for connecting the parts of the puzzle to each other, which, in turn, limits the release of different versions of the puzzle complexity for different categories of consumers.

These factors reduce the general interest in puzzles of this type and narrow the area of their potential consumers.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The method for creating volumetric puzzles described in this application allows eliminating the above-mentioned shortcomings, namely:

• • 1) The claimed method allows selecting virtually any volumetric figures as the initial puzzle figure, both from a number of typical primitives (parallelepiped, sphere, cylinder, etc.), and any arbitrary volumetric shape;
  • 2) by using secant surfaces that have special curves as guides, described further in the description of the invention, it is possible to give puzzle parts original shapes that significantly increase the independent interest in the parts from an aesthetic and artistic point of view;
  • 3) by varying the number of secant surfaces, changing the configuration of the guide curves used in constructing secant surfaces, it is possible to change the degree of complexity of assembling and disassembling puzzles over a wide range from the simplest to unlimitedly high.

The listed advantages of the claimed method of constructing three-dimensional puzzles make it possible to significantly increase interest in puzzles of the claimed type and expand the circle of their potential consumers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

Drawing Explanation Number

• • 1 Shaped cutouts in puzzle prototype that ensure the connection of parts to each other
  • 2 The contour of the guide curve is the basis for constructing a cutting surface
  • 3 A cutting surface constructed based on the contour of a guide curve
  • 4 One part of the basic contour element in the form of the letter “S”
  • 5 Two parts of the basic contour element in the form of the letter “S” and a mirror image of “S”
  • 6 Forming a basic outline element by connecting two parts with a smooth line curved downwards
  • 7 Designation of the direction of a basic contour element as a line connecting the extreme points of the contour
  • 8 An example of a guide line consisting of several (three) basic contour elements
  • 9 An example of a guide line consisting of several basic contour elements of different sizes
  • 10 An example of a constructed cutting surface based on a guide line consisting of several basic contour elements
  • 11 Different contour options for cutting surfaces
  • 12 One group consisting of three cutting surfaces created on the basis of three contour lines oriented in the same direction
  • 13 Two groups of cutting surfaces oriented relative to each other at 90 degrees
  • 14 Two groups of cutting surfaces prepared for cutting the original puzzle figure—a parallelepiped
  • 15 The puzzle figure is a parallelepiped cut into pieces by secant surfaces
  • 16 Individual pieces of the created puzzle
  • 17 An example of cutting another puzzle figure—a sphere—with secant surfaces

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The claimed method for producing three-dimensional assembly puzzles is based on the principle of obtaining the component parts of the puzzle by cutting the original volumetric puzzle figure into separate parts with several cutting surfaces.

In this case, the essential factors determining the original properties of the puzzle according to the claimed method are:

• • 1) the shape of the contours of the curves that define the type of cutting surfaces;
  • 2) the number of cutting surfaces;
  • 3) combining cutting surfaces into groups, orientation of the groups of cutting surfaces relative to each other and orientation of the groups of cutting surfaces relative to the original volumetric figure;

The formation of these factors according to the claimed method is described below.

1. Construction of the Shape of Secant Surfaces

The shape of each secant surface is defined by:

• • 1) constructing a guide curve contour on the plane (FIG. 2);
  • 2) forming a surface by moving a generatrix—a straight line perpendicular to the plane in which the constructed guide curve lies, along this guide curve (FIG. 3).

Below in this section, the stages of constructing guide curves and secant surfaces are described.

1.1. Construction of a Guide Curve on a Plane

The contour of each guide curve used in constructing cutting surfaces is formed by arranging in a certain order on the plane a chain of one or more so-called basic contour elements.

1.1.1. Description of the Basic Contour Element

Basic contour element—a curve that serves as a component in constructing guide curves and has a number of distinctive graphic features.

Construction of one basic contour element on a plane can be represented as a sequence of the following steps.

• • 1) We draw a curve “with two zigzags”, resembling a capital letter ‘S’ in shape (FIG. 4.);
  • 2) We depict horizontally next to the curve constructed in step a), a similar second curve “with two zigzags”, only in the form of a symmetrical display of the first figure relative to the vertical axis. The horizontal distance between the two figures can vary within the range from a fraction to several values of the width of these curves (FIG. 5);
  • 3) The parameters of the constructed “left and right” curves—the radii of rounding, the lengths of individual sections, the angles of line rotation—can be set randomly for each curve during the construction process and independently of the values for the other “half” of the curve, that is, the overall figure of the basic contour element can be asymmetrical relative to the vertical axis between the left and right curves;
  • 4) The upper vertices of the constructed curves are connected by a smooth curve with a downward bend (FIG. 6). It is important that the connection of the smooth curve is performed for the vertices of the upper zigzags with an “outward” bend, and the connection is not performed for the vertices associated with “inward” bends, i.e. the lower zigzags;
  • 5) The final figure of the basic contour element obtained in this way can be either symmetrical or asymmetrical and look, for example, as shown in FIG. 7.

The direction of the basic contour element is considered to be the direction of the straight line passing through the two extreme points of the contour (the initial and final vertex) of this element (FIG. 7).

The parameters for constructing basic contour elements from one instance of a contour element to another may either be repeated or different (for example, set randomly), while the mandatory features characterizing any basic contour element remain the presence of two lines in the contour—“zigzags with two waves” in the form of the letter “S” and its image symmetrical relative to the vertical axis, whose upper vertices are connected by a smooth curve that bends downwards. The direction on the plane and in space of contour elements may be different.

1.1.2. Constructing Guide Curves

Each guide curve is a set of one or more basic contour elements, united into one continuous line and arranged on a plane along one direction.

The general direction of the curve is determined by a straight line drawn through its start and end points.

In this case, the configuration and sizes of individual basic contour elements included in one guide curve can be either the same or different.

An example of a guide curve containing three identical basic contour elements is shown in FIG. 8, with the contour of the middle contour element rotated 180 degrees relative to the horizontal line.

An example of a guide curve containing three basic contour elements with different configuration parameters is shown in FIG. 9.

1.1.3. Construction of Secant Surfaces Based on Guide Curves

Secant surfaces constructed on the basis of guide curves are formed by moving the generatrix—a straight line perpendicular to the plane in which the guide curve lies, along the contour of this guide curve (FIG. 10).

2. Number and Orientation of Cutting Surfaces Relative to Each Other.

• • 2.1. The cutting surfaces used to cut the original three-dimensional puzzle figure into individual pieces are combined into two groups. The number of cutting surfaces in each group may be equal to one or more and may not coincide with the number of cutting surfaces in the other group.
  • 2.2. For surfaces belonging to the same group, the guiding curves lie in the same plane, have the same directions, and these curves are spaced from each other so that the curves themselves and the surfaces formed by them do not intersect with other curves and surfaces of this group (FIG. 11, 12).
  • 2.3. Two groups of surfaces are oriented relative to each other in such a way that the guide curves of both groups have the same direction, and the planes of the guide curves are rotated relative to each other by 90 degrees (FIG. 13).

3. The Orientation of the Secant Surfaces Relative to the Original Three-Dimensional Puzzle Figure.

The orientation of the cutting surfaces relative to the original volumetric puzzle figure is not regulated by general principles and is determined by the specific geometry of a particular puzzle figure and the required user properties of the puzzle.

An example of the orientation of the cutting surfaces relative to the original volumetric figure—a parallelepiped—is shown in FIG. 14. Here, the orientation of the cutting planes is done in such a way that the planes with the guide curves of two groups of cutting surfaces are parallel to the corresponding faces of the parallelepiped.

The result of cutting the original figure—a parallelepiped—by the cutting surfaces is shown in FIG. 15. The appearance of individual parts obtained as a result of cutting is shown in FIG. 16.

An example of the orientation of the cutting surfaces relative to the original figure—a sphere—is shown in FIG. 17.

Features of assembled puzzles obtained by the claimed method

Due to the above-described method of obtaining parts of assembled puzzles, volumetric puzzles made according to the claimed method have the following properties:

• • 1) as the initial volumetric figure of the puzzle, you can choose almost any three-dimensional body, both typical primitives (parallelepiped, sphere, cylinder, etc.), and any other arbitrary shape;
  • 2) due to the above-described method of obtaining the parts of the assembled puzzles, each part of the puzzle has the appearance of a unique branch with a unique shape, which is of independent interest from an artistic and aesthetic point of view;
  • 3) by varying the number of cutting surfaces, changing the parameters of the basic contour elements and guide curves used in constructing cutting surfaces, it is possible to change the degree of complexity of assembling puzzles within wide limits, from the simplest to an unlimitedly high level, which allows for the maximum expansion of the age range of the potential consumer audience.

These factors lead to a significant increase in interest in puzzles of this type in general, in the processes of their disassembly and assembly, and to the expansion of their consumer audience.