SIMULATED SPACE STATION PUZZLE GAME

JEU DE CASSE-TETE SIMULANT UNE STATION SPATIALE

English Abstract

A skill challenging puzzle game shaped like an space station
comprises of three spherical members rotatably mounted on a
circular disc-shaped main body. Each spherical member is rotatably
mounted on a horizontal axis located at the periphery of the main
body and consists of eight equal size sectors. The disc-shaped main
body consists of an inverted upper saucer and a lower saucer
mounted together and rotatable horizontally relative to each other
about a central axis such that the upper portion of the spherical
members may be scrambled from or matched with selected lower
portion of the spherical members. The matched spherical members may
be additionally rotatable relative to their horizontal axes to
obtain various challenging combinations of colours or patterns
provided on the spherical members.

French Abstract

Un jeu casse-tête faisant appel à l'habileté, en forme de station spatiale, comprend trois éléments sphériques montés de façon à pouvoir tourner sur un corps principal circulaire en forme de disque. Chaque élément sphérique est monté de façon à pouvoir tourner sur un axe horizontal situé en périphérie du corps principal et est constitué de huit secteurs de même grosseur. Le corps principal en forme de disque est constitué d'une soucoupe supérieure renversée et d'une soucoupe inférieure montées ensemble et pouvant tourner horizontalement l'une par rapport à l'autre autour d'un axe central de telle façon que la partie supérieure des éléments sphériques peut être tirée de la partie inférieure ou être appareillée avec une partie inférieure choisie des éléments sphériques. On peut faire tourner les éléments sphériques davantage sur leur axe horizontal pour obtenir des combinaisons hardies de couleurs et de motifs qui se trouvent sur les éléments sphériques.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A puzzle game comprising
an upper inverted saucer and a lower saucer rotatably mounted
together with respect to a central axis,
at least two semi-circular bays formed in even intervals in
the periphery of said upper inverted saucer and lower saucer, said
bays having a front opening distal from the centre of said upper
inverted saucer and lower saucer,
a shaft member disposed at the diameter of each of said
semi-circular bays and positioned across said front opening of each of
said bays,
spherical members rotatably mounted on said linear shaft
member in said semi-circular bays, said spherical members having
eight equal sectors with four upper sectors located in said upper
inverted saucer, and four lower sectors located in said lower
saucer, said upper inverted saucer and said lower saucer being
rotatable to align selective four upper sectors with selective four
lower sectors to form said spherical members, and said spherical
members being rotatable to move a selective first pair of upper
sectors in said four upper sectors into said lower saucer while a
second pair of lower sectors in said lower saucer located
diametrically opposite to said first pair of upper sectors is being
moved into said upper inverted saucer.
2. A puzzle game according to Claim 1 wherein said shaft member
11

comprises an upper semi-cylindrical portion disposed in said upper
inverted saucer, and a lower semi-cylindrical portion disposed in
said lower saucer, said upper semi-cylindrical portion having a
flat under-surface, and said lower semi-cylindrical portion having
a flat top surface.
3. A puzzle game according to Claim 2 wherein said shaft includes
a first opening formed in a first portion therein located adjacent
to one side of said bay, a second opening formed in a second
portion therein located adjacent to a second side of said bay, and
a third opening located at a centre portion therein.
4. A puzzle game according to Claim 3 wherein said first portion,
second portion and centre portion of said shaft member have a
larger diameter than remaining portions of said shaft member.
5. A puzzle game according to Claim 4 including a first sleeve
member located at said first portion, a second sleeve member
located at said second portion, and a third sleeve member located
at said centre portion of said shaft member, said first sleeve
member having and end portion therein disposed in a spaced manner
from a portion of said remaining portion of said shaft member and
forming a first annular gap therein, said second sleeving member
having end portions therein disposed in a spaced manner from
portions of said remaining portion of said shaft member and forming
a second annular gap and a third annular gap respectively therein,
and said third sleeve member having an end portion therein disposed
in a spaced manner from a portion of said remaining portions of
12

said shaft member and forming a fourth annular gap therein.
6. A puzzle game according to Claim 5 wherein each of said first
sleeve member, second sleeve member and third sleeve member
includes a first semi-cylindrical cover member mounted on said
upper semi-cylindrical portion of said shaft member, and a second
semi-cylindrical cover member mounted on said lower
semi-cylindrical portion of said shaft member.
7. A puzzle game according to Claim 6 wherein said first annular
gap includes a first upper arcuate gap disposed in said upper
inverted saucer and a second arcuate gap disposed in said lower
saucer, said second annular gap and third annular gap include a
third arcuate gap and fourth arcuate gap respectively disposed in
said upper inverted saucer and a fifth arcuate gap and sixth
arcuate gap respectively disposed in said lower saucer, and said
third annular gap includes a seventh arcuate gap disposed in said
upper inverted saucer and an eighth arcuate gap disposed in said
lower saucer.
8. A puzzle game according to Claim 7 each sector of said
spherical members including a base portion having an arcuate plate
therein, a first pair of said sectors being movably mounted on said
shaft member with their arcuate plate therein slidably engaging
with said first arcuate gap and third arcuate gap in said upper
inverted saucer, a second pair of said sectors being movably
mounted on said shaft member with their arcuate plate therein
slidably engaging with said fourth arcuate gap and sixth arcuate
13

gap in said upper inverted saucer, a third pair of said sectors
being movably mounted on said shaft member with their arcuate plate
therein slidably engaging with said second arcuate gap and fourth
arcuate gap in said lower saucer, and a fourth pair of said sectors
being movably mounted on said shaft member with their arcuate plate
therein slidably engaging with said fifth arcuate gap and seventh
arcuate gap in said lower saucer.
9. A puzzle game according to Claim 8 wherein each of said first
semi-cylindrical cover member, second semi-cylindrical cover member
and third semi-cylindrical cover member includes two longitudinal
grooves formed on a top surface therein, said sectors include a
projection disposed in a spaced manner above said arcuate plate
therein, said projection being engageable with a selected one of
said two longitudinal grooves to retain said sectors in a selected
position when a spherical member is rotated relative to a
respective shaft member.
10. A puzzle game according to Claim 9 including detent
projections formed in said upper inverted saucer and associated
detent depressions formed in said lower saucer, said detent
projections and associated detent depressions being engageable with
one another when said upper inverted saucer and lower saucer are
rotated with respect of each other for temporarily retaining said
upper inverted saucer and lower saucer in selected positions in
which selected bays in said upper inverted saucer are aligned with
selected bays in said lower saucer.
14

11. A puzzle game according to Claim 10 wherein said spherical
members have different colours.
12. A puzzle game according to Claim 11 wherein said spherical
members have different patterns provided on the surface of the
sectors therein.
13. A puzzle game comprising,
an upper inverted saucer and a lower saucer rotatably mounted
together with respect to a central axis mounted at the centre of
said upper inverted saucer and said lower saucer,
three semi-circular bays formed in even intervals in the
periphery of each of said upper inverted saucer and additional
three semi-circular bays also formed in even intervals in the said
lower saucer, said semi-circular bays and additional semi-circular
bays being equal in dimension to one another and having a front
opening facing outwards from said periphery,
a semi-cylindrical shaft member disposed at the diameter of
each of said semi-circular bays and extending across said front
opening in said upper inverted saucer, and an associated
semi-cylindrical shaft member disposed at the diameter of each of said
semi-circular bays and extending across said front opening in said
lower saucer, said semi-cylindrical shaft member having a curve
upper surface and a substantially flat bottom surface, said
associated semi-cylindrical shaft member having a curved lower
surface and a substantially flat upper surface,
three semi-spherical members located in said three

semi-circular bays in said upper inverted saucer wherein each
semi-spherical member comprises four equal sectors rotatably mounted to
said semi-cylindrical shaft member in said semi-circular bays in
said upper inverted saucer,
three additional semi-spherical members located in said three
semi-circular bays in said lower saucer wherein each additional
semi-spherical member is equal in dimension to said semi-spherical
members in said upper inverted saucer and comprises four equal
sectors rotatably mounted to said associated semi-cylindrical shaft
member in said lower saucer,
said upper inverted saucer being rotatable relative to said
lower saucer for aligning said semi-spherical members in said upper
inverted saucer and said additional semi-spherical members in said
lower saucer for forming three spheres, each one of said spheres
being rotatable with respect to the combination of said
semi-cylindrical shaft member and associated semi-cylindrical shaft
member for moving a first pair of said sectors in a semi-spherical
member from said upper inverted saucer to said lower saucer while
a second pair of said sectors in an additional semi-spherical
member in said lower saucer and located diametrically opposite to
said first pair of said sectors is being moved from said lower
saucer to said upper inverted saucer.
14. A puzzle game according to Claim 13 wherein each
semi-cylindrical shaft member in said upper inverted saucer has a curved
upper surface and a flat lower surface, and each additional
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semi-cylindrical shaft member has a curved bottom surface and a flat
upper surface.
15. A puzzle game according to Claim 14 wherein each
semi-cylindrical shaft member includes a left section, a centre section
and a right section having a larger diameter than remaining
sections therein, and each associated semi-cylindrical shaft member
also includes a left section, a centre section, and a right section
having a larger diameter than remaining sections therein.
16. A puzzle game according to Claim 15 including a first
semi-annular cover member mounted over said left section of said
semi-cylindrical shaft member, a second semi-annular cover member
mounted over said centre section of said semi-cylindrical shaft
member, a third semi-annular cover member mounted over said right
section of said semi-cylindrical shaft member in said upper
inverted saucer, a fourth semi-annular cover member mounted over
said left section of said associated semi-cylindrical shaft member,
a fifth semi-annular cover member mounted over said centre section
of said associated semi-cylindrical shaft member, and a sixth
semi-annular cover member mounted over said right section of said
associated semi-cylindrical shaft member in said lower saucer.
17. A puzzle game according to Claim 16 including a first annular
gap formed between an end portion of said first semi-annular cover
member and said semi-cylindrical shaft member, a second annular gap
formed between one end portion of said second semi-annular cover
member and said semi-cylindrical shaft member, a third annular gap
17

formed between a second end portion of said second semi-annular
cover member and said semi-cylindrical shaft member, a fourth
annular gap formed between an end portion of said third
semi-annular cover member and said semi-cylindrical shaft member,
each one of said sectors in said semi-spherical member having an
arcuate plate member located at a convergent portion therein, one
pair of said sectors being rotatably mounted on said
semi-cylindrical shaft member by slidably engaging said arcuate plate
member therein with said first annular gap and said second annular
gap, a second pair of said sectors being rotatably mounted on said
semi-cylindrical shaft member by slidably engaging said arcuate
plate member therein with said third annular gap and fourth annular
gap.
18. A puzzle game according to Claim 17 including a fifth annular
gap formed between an end portion of said fourth semi-annular cover
member and said associated semi-cylindrical shaft member, a sixth
annular gap formed between one end portion of said fifth
semi-annular cover member and said associated semi-cylindrical shaft
member, a seventh annular gap formed between a second end portion
of said fifth semi-annular cover member and said associated
semi-cylindrical shaft member, and an eighth annular gap formed between
an end portion of said sixth semi-annular cover member and said
associated semi-cylindrical shaft member, each one of said sectors
in said additional semi-spherical member having an arcuate plate
member located at a convergent portion therein, one pair of said
18

sectors of said additional semi-spherical member being rotatably
mounted on said associated semi-cylindrical shaft member by
slidably engaging said arcuate plate member therein with said fifth
annular gap and said sixth annular gap, a second pair of said
sectors in said additional semi-spherical member being rotatably
mounted on said associated semi-cylindrical shaft member by
slidably engaging said arcuate plate member therein with said
seventh annular gap and said eighth annular gap.
19. A puzzle game according to Claim 18 wherein said three
semi-spherical members in said upper inverted saucer are of three
different colours, and said three additional semi-spherical member
in said lower saucer are of the same three different colours.
20. A puzzle game according to Claim 19 including two longitudinal
detent grooves formed on said second semi-annular cover member, and
two additional detent grooves formed on said fifth semi-annular
cover member, a projection disposed in a spaced manner above said
arcuate plate member in said sectors of said semi-spherical members
and said additional semi-spherical members, said projection in said
sectors of said semi-spherical members being operative to engage
with a selected one of said two longitudinal detent grooves to
temporarily maintaining said semi-spherical members at a selected
rotatable position, and said projection in said sectors of said
additional semi-spherical members being operative to engage with a
selected one of said two additional detent grooves to temporarily
maintaining said additional semi-spherical member at a selected
19

rotatable position.

Description

2~741 1~3
This invention relates to a puzzle game object which provides
a high degree of test and challenge to a player's skill and
patience. The object has an attractive space station overall
artistic appearance and structure so as to captivate the player's
interest and to provide a great amount of entertainment.
Heretofore, there have been a large number of puzzle game
objects which require the player to scramble and to match various
pieces therein to obtain various desired combinations of colours
and/or patterns. The well known Rubic cube is one example of such
puzzle games. Another puzzle game comprises of a plurality of
square pieces slidably mounted within a rectangular frame. The
square pieces have various colours and/or patterns thereon such
that the square pieces may be slidably scrambled or arranged within
the frame to obtain various chosen combinations of colours and/or
patterns. Some of such prior art puzzle games such as the Rubic
cube provide a high degree of test to the player's patience and
skill and they have a multitude of combinations of movements;
however, they are unattractive in appearance and are unable to
sustain the player's interest. Moreover, these puzzle games are far
too complex in construction such that they are expensive and
difficulty to fabricate, while others are too simple in
construction and have a limited amount of movements such that they
offer little challenge to the player and do not render too much
entertainment value so that the player would quickly lose interest
in the game.

21 7 4 1 78
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide
a puzzle game object which provides a high degree of challenge to
the player's skill.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a
puzzle game object which has an attractive and artistic appearance
that can sustain the player's interest as well as to provide an
entertaining object or toy.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide
a puzzle game object having few component parts and is simple to
fabricate and assemble.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide
a puzzle game object wherein the components afford a large number
of variations of movements.
The puzzle game object of the present invention comprises a
disc-shaped main body simulating a space station. The main body
comprises an upper inverted saucer and a lower saucer mounted
together on a central axis, and the upper and lower saucers are
rotatably horizontally relative to one another on this central
axis. A plurality of spherical members are rotatably mounted on
horizontal axes disposed at the diameter if a plurality of semi-
circular bays evenly located at the periphery of the main body.
Each spherical member has eight equal sectors; and the spherical
member is rotatable relative to its axis such that one group of
four sectors therein may be located at the upper saucer of the main
body while the other group of the other four sectors are located at

2 l 7 4 1 -/ 8
the lower saucer of the main body. The upper saucer and lower
saucer may be rotated to match selected groups of four sectors at
the upper saucer with the other selected groups of four sectors at
the lower saucer, and the spherical members thus matched may
additionally be rotated to change the position of the lower and
upper groups.
Other ob~ects and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiments thereof in connection with the accompanying
drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a perspective overall elevation view of the puzzle
game according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a top elevation view of thereof.
Figure 3 is a perspective side elevation view thereof.
Figure 4 is a exploded perspective elevation view of the
puzzle game of the present invention showing the component parts
therein.
Figure 5 is an isolated cross section side elevation view of
the upper lower saucers of the main body of the puzzle game.
Figure 6 shows an isolated side elevation view of a sector of
the spherical member slidably engaged with upper half of the
coaxial sleeve mounted on the upper half of the axis for mounting
the spherical member with the view taken from a plane transverse to
the axis.
Figure 7 is another isolated side elevation view of a sector

2 1 7 ~i 1 7 8
of the spherical member taken from a plane parallel to the axis and
showing the slidable engagement between the sector and the coaxial
sleeve mounted on the upper half of the axis.
With reference to the drawings wherein like reference numerals
designate corresponding parts in the various views, the puzzle game
10 of the present invention has a disc-shaped main body 11 which
consists of an upper inverted saucer 12 and a lower saucer 13
having a mirror image of each other and are rotatably mounted
together on a rotary axis 14 such that the upper inverted saucer 12
and the lower saucer 13 are rotatable relative to each other about
the rotary axis 14. The rotary axis 14 as best shown in Figure 4
has an upper shaft portion 15, a lower shaft portion 16 and a
support plate 17. The upper shaft portion 15 is slidably and
rotatably engageable with a central opening 18 formed at a hub
portion 19 in the upper inverted saucer 12. The lower shaft portion
16 is similarly slidably and rotatably engageable with a central
opening 20 formed at a hub portion 21 in the lower saucer 13. The
upper inverted saucer 12 is maintained in the mounted position by
a slip ring 22 engaging with an annular groove 23 formed on the
upper shaft portion 15, while the lower saucer 13 is maintained in
the mounted position by a second slip ring 24 engaging with an
annular groove 25 formed on the lower shaft portion 16 of the
rotary axis 14. The support plate 17 cooperates with the slip rings
22 and 24 to prevent the upper inverted saucer 12 and lower saucer
13 from sliding up and down the rotary axis 14 so that the upper

21 741 78
inverted saucer 12 and lower saucer 13 are abutting each other in
the mounted position. A cap 26 is mounted to the hub portion 19 of
the upper inverted saucer 12 to cover the upper shaft 15 in the
mounted position. The cap 26 has a plurality of L-shaped spring
tabs 27 engageable in a snap action with openings 28 formed in the
hub portion 19 of the upper inverted saucer 12. Similarly, the
lower shaft 25 in the mounted position is covered by a second cap
29 having a plurality of L-shaped spring tabs 30 engageable in a
snap action with openings 31 formed in the hub portion 21 of the
lower saucer 13.
At least two and preferably three semi-circular bays 32, 33
and 34 are formed in even intervals around the peripheral portion
of the upper inverted saucer 12, and similarly semi-circular bays
35, 36 and 37 are formed around the peripheral portion of the lower
saucer 13. The upper inverted saucer 12 and lower saucer 13 may be
rotated to align the semi-circular bays 32, 33, and 34 with the
semi-circular bays 35, 36, and 37. A mounting shaft 38 is located
at the diameter of each of the semi-circular bays 32, 33, and 34 in
the upper inverted saucer 12. As best shown in Figures 4 and 6,
each mounting shaft 38 has semi-circular upper surface 39 and a
flat bottom surface 40. Similarly, a mounting shaft 41 is located
at the diameter of the semi-circular bays 35, 36, and 37 in the
lower saucer 13. The mounting shaft 41 in each semi-circular bays
35, 36, and 37 has a semi-circular lower surface 42 and a flat
upper surface 43. When the semi-circular bays in the upper inverted

21 741 78
saucer are aligned with the semi-circular bays in the lower saucer,
the mounting shafts 38 would cooperate with the mounting shafts 41
to form a cylindrical mounting shaft in each semi-circular bays in
the main body 11 by the mating saucers. Three openings 43, 44, and
45 are formed in the mounting shaft 38 in all the bays of the upper
inverted saucer 12. The opening 43 and 45 are respectively located
adjacent to the sides of the bay. The opening is located opening 44
is located at the centre of the shaft 38. The portions of the shaft
38 adjacent to the openings 43, 44 and 45 have a larger diameter
than the remain portion of the shaft 38. Similarly, openings 46, 47
and 48 are formed in the mounting shaft 41 in all the bays in the
lower saucer 13. The openings 46 and 48 are located respectively
adjacent to the two sides of the bay, and the opening 47 is located
at the centre of the mounting shaft 41. Also, the portions of the
mounting shaft 41 around the openings 46, 47, and 48 have a large
diameter than the remaining portion of the mounting shaft 41.
Three semi-circular covers 49, 50 and 51 are mounted over the
larger diameter portions of the mounting shaft 38. Each one of the
covers 49, 50 and 51 has two L-shaped tabs 52 and 53 engaging
respectively with the openings 43, 44, and 45 to secure the semi-
circular covers 49, 50 and 51 in the mounting positions. The inner
diameter of the semi-circular covers 49, 50 and 51 is equal to the
diameter of the larger portions of the mounting shaft 38 while they
are longer in length than these larger portions so that arcuate
gaps 54 is formed between the end portions of the semi-circular

21 7 4 1 78
covers 49 and 51 extending beyond the larger portions around the
side openings 43 and 45 in the upper inverted saucer 12. Also,
similar arcuate gaps 55 and 56 are formed between the end portions
of the semi-circular cover 50 extending beyond the larger portion
around the centre opening 44 of the mounting shaft 38. Three semi-
circular covers 57, 58, and 59 are mounted on the larger portions
of the mounting shaft 41 in each one of the bays 35, 36 and 37 in
the lower saucer 13 in the same manner.
Three semi-spheres 60, 61 and 62 are located in the bays 32,
33 and 34 respectively in the upper inverted saucer 12. Each semi-
spheres 60, 61 and 62 consists of four quarter spherical pieces 63
mounted to the mounting shaft 38 as best shown in Figures 6 and 7.
An arcuate plate 64 is provided at the narrow base end of each
quarter spherical piece 63 such that a quarter spherical piece may
be mounted onto the mounting shaft 38 such as by slidably engaging
the arcuate plate 64 with the gaps 54 and 55. All four quarter
spherical pieces 63 may thus be slidably mounted to the mounting
shaft 38. A small downwardly extending projection 65 is provided in
a spaced manner above the arcuate plate 64, which is engageable
with either one of two longitudinal grooves 66 and 67 formed on the
upper surface of the semi-circular cover 50 and 58 to provide
detent stops in the sliding movement of the quarter spherical
pieces over the mounting shafts 38. In the same manner, three semi-
spheres 68, 69, and 70 each consisting of four quarter spherical
pieces identical to the quarter spherical piece 63 aré mounted onto

2174178
the mounting shaft 41 in each of the three bays 35, 36 and 37 in
the lower saucer 13.
Depressions 71 are formed on the upper surface of arcuate
ridges 72 provided in the lower saucer 13 and complementary
projections are formed on the lower surface similar downward
extending arcuate ridges provided in the upper inverted saucer 12
such that the projections in the upper inverted saucer 12 are
engageable with the depressions 71 when the upper inverted saucer
12 and lower saucer 13 are rotated relative to each other to
provide detent stops of in each of the four positions at which the
semi-spheres in the upper inverted saucer 12 are aligned with the
semi-spheres in the lower saucer 13. Also, since the semi-spheres
in the upper inverted saucer 12 and the semi-spheres in the lower
saucer are identical in construction, whenever they are aligned to
form three complete spheres, each sphere may be rotated relative to
the mated mounting shafts 38 and 41 such that a pair of the quarter
spherical pieces 63 in the upper inverted saucer 12 is moved into
the lower saucer 13 while a diametrically opposite pair in the
lower saucer 13 is moved into the upper inverted saucer 12. Thus,
by rotating the spheres in one direction or in the opposite
direction, a pair of quarter spherical pieces and the diametrically
opposite pair of quarter spherical pieces would move from one
saucer into the other saucer.
The quarter spherical pieces in each sphere may have a
different colour or may have selected patterns provided on their

21741 78
outer surface. For example, the quarter spherical pieces in one
sphere may be red, the second sphere may be green and the third one
may be blue. The colour of the spheres may be scrambled by rotating
the upper inverted saucer 12 relative to the lower saucer 13 such
that different colour semi-spheres in one saucer align with those
in the other saucer. The colour may be further scrambled by then
rotating the spheres to move pairs of quarter spherical pieces from
one saucer into the other. An exemplary game in testing the
player's patience is to re-arrange such scrambled colour spheres
back to the spheres of the same colour in each bay. In order to
reach such goal the player must be capable of manipulating the game
by rotating the upper and lower saucer and the various spheres in
a logically manner. Similarly, when designed patterns are provided
on the surface of the sphere, the player must be capable of re-
arranging the scrambled patterned back to the original pattern.
The surface of the main body 11 may be provided with an
artistic appearance simulating the surface appearance of a space
craft or station such that the game may serve as a display object
or toy of a simulated space craft or station.
While the present invention has been shown and described in
the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be apparent that various
modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit
or essential attributes thereof, and it is desired therefore that
only such limitations be placed thereon as are imposed by the
appended claims.

Representative Drawing