SHAPES STACK UP GAME

Abstract

A compact mechanical toy is provided. The toy is a base coupled to several stacks including multiple story and a plurality of movable disks. The toy includes a first part including one stack having different shaped stories that go from largest to smallest starting from the bottom which fits any one of the disks at one time. The toy further includes a second part movable disks coupled to the first part, the second part including complex embodied cavity shaped to fit each of the plurality of movable disks that matches all multiple stories attributes in a certain order. The object of the game is to move each of the plurality of disks from a first stack to the opposite stack.

Description

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The game called the Towers of Hanoi was invented by the French mathematician Edouard Lucas in 1883 and since then it has been both a popular puzzle and a well-known mathematical problem that is an excellent illustration of the general concept of recursion. This puzzle is known by most mathematicians and a very large number of people who like either puzzles or elementary mathematical problems.

The original Towers of Hanoi puzzle is illustrated in FIG. 5. The Towers of Hanoi consists of seven disks 110A-110G of different sizes which during the solution of the puzzle are arranged in three stacks 120, 130, 140. When the game starts, all of the disks 110A-110G are in a single stack 120 arranged by size, so that largest disk 110G is at the bottom of the stack 120. The goal of the puzzle is to move all of the disks 110A-110G to the third stack 140. This must be achieved by observing the following rules:

• • (1) One move consists of taking the topmost disk from a stack and putting it on another stack—either starting a new stack or placing it on top of other disks on the second stack.
  • (2) The move described in (1) can be performed only if all of the disks in the second stack are larger than the disk being moved—i.e. a larger disk can never be placed on top of a smaller disk.

The actual realization of the puzzle usually consists of a base 150, three pegs 120, 130, 140, and disks 110A-110G that can be put on the pegs 120, 130, 140. Puzzles constructed this way are available in some toy stores.

Unlike other mechanical puzzles, like Rubik's cube, or Lloyd's 15, this puzzle requires the player to observe some rules, which are not guaranteed by the mechanics of the puzzle. It is possible to cheat or make mistakes and get to the solution in an easier way, without destroying or taking apart the mechanical structure of the puzzle. This is a disadvantage, since some of the potential players, e.g. children do not like to memorize and observe rules. Some of the attraction of mechanical puzzles is the mechanical structure that forces the rules on the player. This is missing in the prior art implementations of this game.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a mechanical game that inherently follows rules of the game.

It is an object of this invention to provide a game that is self-contained.

It is an object of this invention to provide a game that has no loose parts.

The game comprises a body having a stacks of a plurality of stories. There is a plurality of disks disposed on the body. When the game starts, all of the disks 6-10 are in a single stack 21 arranged by size, so that largest disk 10 is at the bottom of the stack 21. The goal of the puzzle is to move all of the disks 6-10 to the third stack 23. The game automatically implements rules of a Tower of Hanoi game because while the Tower of Hanoi problem has rules that must be remembered in our minds while we play, this puzzle has rules that are already encoded into the tactile design. The combination of flexibility and constraints gives learners rich opportunities for both exploration and discovery. Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the Shapes Stack Up Game according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top elevational view of the Shapes Stack Up Game according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of disks according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a top elevational view of disks for Shapes Stack Up Game according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a prior art Towers of Hanoi game according to the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is an other embodiment of the game according to the present invention, with textured disks

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A Shapes Stack Up Game is described. The game includes several stacks including multiple story shapes matching the attributes of the plurality of movable disks cavity. When the game starts, all of the disks 6-10 are in a single stack 21 arranged by size, so that largest disk 10 is at the bottom of the stack 21. The goal of the puzzle is to move all of the disks 6-10 to the third stack 23. The rules of the Shapes Stack Up Game—i.e. that only one disk may be moved at one time, and that no larger disk may be placed on a smaller disk-are inherently embodied in the game itself. Therefore, no knowledge of these rules is needed to play the game.

The goal of this invention is to present the Towers of Hanoi puzzle in a form where the shortcomings of the original game are eliminated. Thus, the puzzle is a single mechanical structure and the player has to know only the goal of the puzzle and does not have to remember any rules. This mechanical structure can be used for different variants of the original Towers of Hanoi game.

FIG. 1-5 illustrates the present invention. FIG. 2 illustrates a elevational top side view of the Shapes Stack Up Game, with five moveable disks and five stories. These disks, correspond to the disks of the original Towers of Hanoi game.

The game 1 has base 24 coupled to the several stacks. The stacks 21, 22, 23, are split between five stories, a lower story 11, story 12, story 13, story 14 and upper story 15. The stories 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 of each stack 21, 22, 23, has a substantially identical configuration. For one embodiment, each story has shape so a disk of the same cavity shape attributes makes it easier to remember the starting and ending positions for the disks.

The lower story 11 includes a shape 16, where only the cavity 2 of disk 6 is shaped to fit. Story 12 includes a shape 17, where only the cavity 2 of disk 7 is shaped to fit. Story 13 includes a shape 18, where only the cavity 2 of disk 8 is shaped to fit. Story 14 includes a shape 19, where only the cavity 2 of disk 9 is shaped to fit. Story 15 includes a shape 20, where only the cavity 2 of disk 10 is shaped to fit. Generally, the Shapes Stack Up Game includes more than five disks, however, for simplicity, only five disks are illustrated here. For one embodiment, the game includes five disks of graduated sizes. These disks are referred to ask going from “largest to smallest.” For another embodiment, the game includes five shapes of graduated different shaped cavities. These shapes are referred to ask going from “largest to smallest.” For another embodiment, the game includes five disks of different textures. However, in some embodiments, the relative textures of the disks do not reflect this. The numbers on the disks, as in FIG. 3, may be used in such configurations to indicate what the largest and smallest disks are.

The disks 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 may all be placed into any one of the stacks 21, 22, 23 in order of decreasing size, with the largest disk at the bottom, and the smallest on top. For one embodiment different shapes may be used, alternatively different shape disks and cavities may be used. For one embodiment different size shapes may be used, alternatively different size disks and cavities may be used. However, the limitation that no larger disk may be placed on a smaller disk is implemented regardless of disk size or shape. When placed into a single tower 21, the disks nest stacking on one another. For one embodiment, the top of each disk 6-10 are at the different levels, and the bottom of each disk are at different level.

For one embodiment, the game is implemented in plastic, or wood with bright primary colors designed to appeal to children. For one embodiment, each of the disks color have a corresponding colored story shape to match colors. For one embodiment, the disks are the colors of the rainbow. Thus, for example, the colors of the disks in order are from smallest to largest are: red, orange, yellow, green, blue.

FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment a top view of the disks 6-10 and the disks cavity 2 of the game. FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment a side view of the disks of the game as discussed above, in a typical game there are five disks. Thus, the tower 21 includes five disks 6-10. The stacks 21, 22, 22 includes identical stories 11-15. The lower story 11 of towers 21, 22, 23 includes a coupled base 24 for structural support. Each of the disks nests on top the shape of the direct coupled lower story, with the largest disk 6 resting against the top of the base 24. Each of the disks, excluding for one embodiment the smallest disk 10. Each of the disks 6-10 have the same width. The shapes 11-15 all have the same width as the disks.

If the smallest disk 10 is included, the top of the entire nested set of disks 6-10 is level, with a step-like top. Note that the disks 6-10 always rests in its own story, whether or not there are other disks in the tower.

FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the game according to the present invention, textured rings. The present game may be played with a different textures embossed on sides of rings. The tactile constraints and affordances of the puzzle could be accessible to blind and visually impaired user. For instance, when the tower is empty, the user can place any shape on it and find the fit. However, once the tower contains at least one disk, the user will only be able to easily find a fit if the pre-existing shape is below the current shapes shape's match. If not, the user will need to feel below the pre-existing disk to discover the match and reset their board.

In the foregoing Specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The Specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive Sense.

Claims

1. A game including plurality of multiple story towers and moveable disks comprising:

2. The game of claim 1, comprising a several identical stacks.

3. The stacks of claim 2, wherein said stacks are comprising multiple stories.

4. The stories of claim 3, wherein said stories each having different shapes.

5. The shapes of claim 4, wherein said shapes having graduated sizes.

6. The sizes of claim 5, wherein said size determine order such that a biggest shape at the bottom and the smallest shape is at the top.

7. The game of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of movable disks with embodied cavity.

8. The embodied cavity of claim 7, comprising a matching stories attributes.

9. The plurality of movable disks of claim 7, wherein each disks is a different texture.

10. The disk of claim 7, wherein each disks having graduated sizes.

11. The embodied cavity of claim 7, further comprises the cavity shapes are in order such that the biggest shape is in the biggest disk and a smallest shape is in the smallest disk.

12. The stacks of claim 2, wherein said stacks are coupled to base.

13. The stories of claim 3, wherein said stories fit all disks on the single stack.

14. The multiple stories of claim 6, further comprises each of the disks nests on top of the direct coupled lower story.

15. The game of claim 1, wherein said game is painted in primary colors.

16. The game of claim 1, wherein said game is made of wood.

17. The game of claim 1, wherein said game is made of plastic.

18. A mechanical implementation of a Tower of Hanoi game, comprising a goal to move a stack of multiple disks from one tower to another tower, wherein no larger disk may be placed on smaller disk.

19. The game of claim 1, wherein said each story has shape so a disk of the same cavity shape attributes makes it easier to remember the starting and ending positions for the disks.

20. The multiple stories of claim 6, further comprising disks always rests in its own story, whether or not there are other disks in the tower.