US20150367229A1 - Sliding block puzzle game with laser beam - Google Patents
Sliding block puzzle game with laser beam Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20150367229A1 US20150367229A1 US14/745,691 US201514745691A US2015367229A1 US 20150367229 A1 US20150367229 A1 US 20150367229A1 US 201514745691 A US201514745691 A US 201514745691A US 2015367229 A1 US2015367229 A1 US 2015367229A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- blocks
- refracting
- translucent
- game
- inch
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
- A63F3/00643—Electric board games; Electric features of board games
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F11/00—Game accessories of general use, e.g. score counters, boxes
- A63F11/0074—Game concepts, rules or strategies
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
- A63F3/04—Geographical or like games ; Educational games
- A63F3/0457—Geographical or like games ; Educational games concerning science or technology, e.g. geology, chemistry, statistics, computer flow charts, radio, telephone
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F9/00—Games not otherwise provided for
- A63F9/06—Patience; Other games for self-amusement
- A63F9/0613—Puzzles or games based on the use of optical filters or elements, e.g. coloured filters, polaroid filters, transparent sheets with opaque parts
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F9/00—Games not otherwise provided for
- A63F9/06—Patience; Other games for self-amusement
- A63F9/08—Puzzles provided with elements movable in relation, i.e. movably connected, to each other
- A63F9/0803—Two-dimensional puzzles with slideable or rotatable elements or groups of elements, the main configuration remaining unchanged
- A63F9/0807—Two-dimensional puzzles with slideable or rotatable elements or groups of elements, the main configuration remaining unchanged requiring vacant positions or gap migration, e.g. two-dimensional sliding puzzles
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
- A63F3/00643—Electric board games; Electric features of board games
- A63F2003/00646—Electric board games; Electric features of board games with illumination of playing field or playing piece
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
- A63F3/04—Geographical or like games ; Educational games
- A63F3/0457—Geographical or like games ; Educational games concerning science or technology, e.g. geology, chemistry, statistics, computer flow charts, radio, telephone
- A63F2003/0471—Physics
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F9/00—Games not otherwise provided for
- A63F9/06—Patience; Other games for self-amusement
- A63F9/0613—Puzzles or games based on the use of optical filters or elements, e.g. coloured filters, polaroid filters, transparent sheets with opaque parts
- A63F2009/0623—Puzzles or games based on the use of optical filters or elements, e.g. coloured filters, polaroid filters, transparent sheets with opaque parts with mirrors
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F9/00—Games not otherwise provided for
- A63F9/06—Patience; Other games for self-amusement
- A63F9/08—Puzzles provided with elements movable in relation, i.e. movably connected, to each other
- A63F2009/0884—Puzzles provided with elements movable in relation, i.e. movably connected, to each other with means for immobilising or stabilising a configuration, e.g. the solution
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F11/00—Game accessories of general use, e.g. score counters, boxes
- A63F11/0074—Game concepts, rules or strategies
- A63F2011/0076—Game concepts, rules or strategies with means for changing the level of difficulty
Abstract
A square game box with an open top and mirrored interior walls, a laser, a beam entry point, and a beam exit point comprises a sliding block puzzle game with a laser beam. The entry and exit points, and the angle of incidence of the laser beam are optionally configurable to adjust the challenge level and refresh the game. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of transparent and translucent refracting blocks of various shapes and sizes. Players may slide the blocks laterally, but may not rotate them or lift them vertically. The goal of the game is to direct the beam out of the exit point, using the reflecting and refracting properties of the blocks and the reflecting property of the interior walls, while avoiding the possibility of total internal reflection.
Description
- This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/015,487, filed Jun. 22, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
- Not Applicable
- Not Applicable
- Not Applicable
- The invention relates generally to teaching toys and games, and in particular to a sliding block puzzle game with a laser beam. Klotski™ is a family of sliding block puzzle games wherein the aim is to move a specific block to some predefined location. The blocks are provided in an open-topped box, and the players may only slide the blocks in two dimensions; lifting blocks vertically is not permitted. The games teach spatial relationships. However, players can be elevated to a higher level by introducing a light beam, and challenging the players to make the light beam escape the box. The science of optics, including reflection and refraction of light, would govern such a teaching game and physics instructors would welcome the development of such a game. A sliding block puzzle game with a laser beam, using transparent blocks and reflective surfaces to redirect the laser beam to an exit point, would satisfy this demand.
- Accordingly, the invention is directed to a sliding block puzzle game with a laser beam. The game apparatus comprises a square game box with an open top and mirrored interior walls, a laser, a beam entry point, and a beam exit point. The entry and exit points, and the angle of incidence of the laser beam are optionally configurable to adjust the challenge level and refresh the game. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of transparent and translucent refracting blocks of various shapes and sizes. Players may slide the blocks laterally, but may not rotate them or lift them vertically. The goal of the game is to direct the beam out of the exit point, using the reflecting and refracting properties of the blocks and the reflecting property of the interior walls, while avoiding the possibility of total internal reflection.
- Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention.
- The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification. They illustrate one embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
-
FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the first exemplary embodiment, displaying thegame box 10, thegrid 10A, theinterior walls 11, theentry point 12, theexit point 13, thelaser 14, thetranslucent blocks 15, and thetransparent blocks 16. -
FIG. 2 is a top view of the game box component of the first exemplary embodiment, displaying thegame box 10, thegrid 10A, and thelaser 14. - Referring now to the invention in more detail, the invention is directed to a sliding block puzzle game with a laser beam. The game apparatus comprises a
square game box 10 with an open top and mirroredinterior walls 11, alaser 14, abeam entry point 12, and abeam exit point 13. Theentry point 12, theexit point 13, and the angle of incidence of the laser beam are optionally configurable to adjust the challenge level and refresh the game. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of transparent and translucent refracting blocks of various shapes and sizes. Players may slide the blocks laterally, but may not rotate them or lift them vertically. The goal of the game is to direct the beam out of the exit point, using the reflecting and refracting properties of the blocks and the reflecting property of the interior walls, while avoiding the possibility of total internal reflection, which comprises a beam-loss condition. - The first exemplary embodiment provides a
game box 10, with an open top. Preferably, the interior dimensions of thegame box 10 are 3 inches long, 3 inches wide, and 1 inch tall. Agrid 10A of 1-inch squares is provided on the interior surface of the bottom of thegame box 10. Alternate embodiments, providinggame boxes 10 with different interior dimensions, are contemplated. - The first exemplary embodiment further provides three
translucent blocks 15 and fourtransparent blocks 16. Preferably, all of the blocks are 1 inch long and 1 inch wide, thetransparent blocks 16 are 1 inch tall, and thetranslucent blocks 15 are 0.5 inch tall. Alternate embodiments, providing different quantities and different sizes oftranslucent blocks 15 and fourtransparent blocks 16, are also contemplated. Some of thetransparent blocks 16 provide one or more reflective side surfaces. - To use the first exemplary embodiment, the user slides the
transparent blocks 16 and thetranslucent blocks 15 to direct the laser beam out of thegame box 10 through theexit point 13. The player uses theinterior walls 11 and the reflective sides of thetransparent blocks 16 to reflect the laser beam as necessary. Blocks may not be rotated and each block must occupy a square on thegrid 10A. The user may also change the angle of incidence using refraction through thetransparent blocks 16. Each time the player slides a block from one square to another, it counts as a turn. Directing the laser beam through theexit point 13 in fewer turns provides a greater number of points. The laser beam should be directed through theexit point 13 in a minimum number of steps for maximum points. - The
game box 10 is preferably manufactured from a rigid, durable material such as wood, plastic, or fiberglass. Theinterior walls 11, and the reflective surfaces of thetransparent blocks 16, are preferably manufactured from a rigid, durable material which is reflective. Thelaser 14 is preferably manufactured from rigid, durable materials such as steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, and brass. Thetranslucent blocks 15 and thetransparent blocks 16 are preferably manufactured from a rigid, durable material which is transparent, such as acrylic polymer. Components, component sizes, and materials listed above are preferable, but artisans will recognize that alternate components and materials could be selected without altering the scope of the invention. - While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is presently considered to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should, therefore, not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention.
Claims (18)
1. An apparatus for playing a sliding block puzzle game comprising:
(a) a square game box;
(b) said square game box having an open top and reflective interior walls;
(c) a laser;
(d) said square game box further comprising a beam entry point;
(e) said beam entry point being a hole in said reflective interior walls;
(f) said square game box further comprising a beam exit point;
(g) said beam exit point being a hole in said reflective interior walls;
(h) a plurality of transparent refracting blocks; and
(i) a plurality of translucent refracting blocks.
2. The apparatus for playing a sliding block puzzle game of claim 1 wherein said square game box has dimensions of three inches by three inches.
3. The apparatus for playing a sliding block puzzle game of claim 2 further comprising a grid; said grid being located on the bottom of said square game box.
4. The apparatus for playing a sliding block puzzle game of claim 1 further comprising a grid; said grid being located on the bottom of said square game box.
5. The apparatus for playing a sliding block puzzle game of claim 1 wherein said plurality of transparent refracting blocks is three in number; said transparent refracting blocks having dimensions of one inch by one inch by one inch.
6. The apparatus for playing a sliding block puzzle game of claim 1 wherein said plurality of translucent refracting blocks is four in number; said translucent refracting blocks having dimensions of one inch by one inch by one half inch.
7. The apparatus for playing a sliding block puzzle game of claim 1 wherein a plurality of said plurality of translucent refracting blocks have one or more reflective side surfaces.
8. A method of playing a sliding block puzzle game comprising:
(a) a square game box;
(b) said square game box having an open top and reflective interior walls;
(c) a laser;
(d) said square game box further comprising a beam entry point;
(e) said beam entry point being a hole in said reflective interior walls;
(f) said square game box further comprising a beam exit point;
(g) said beam exit point being a hole in said reflective interior walls;
(h) a plurality of transparent refracting blocks; and
(i) a plurality of translucent refracting blocks;
and a method comprising:
(j) a player placing said transparent refracting blocks and said translucent refracting blocks in said square game box;
(k) said player turning on said laser
(l) said laser projecting a laser beam through said beam entry point into said square game box;
(m) said player sliding said plurality of transparent refracting blocks and said plurality of translucent refracting blocks to direct said laser out of said beam exit point;
(n) said player using said reflective interior walls, said translucent refracting blocks, and said transparent refracting blocks to reflect and redirect said laser beam;
(o) said player counting a turn for each moving of said transparent refracting blocks or said translucent refracting blocks;
(p) said player directing said laser beam through said beam exit point in the least number of turns winning said game.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein said square game box has dimensions of three inches by three inches.
10. The method of claim 9 further comprising a grid; said grid being located on the bottom of said square game box.
11. The method of claim 8 further comprising a grid; said grid being located on the bottom of said square game box.
12. The method of claim 8 wherein said plurality of transparent refracting blocks is three in number; said transparent refracting blocks having dimensions of one inch by one inch by one inch.
13. The method of claim 8 wherein said plurality of translucent refracting blocks is four in number; said translucent refracting blocks having dimensions of one inch by one inch by one half inch.
14. The method of claim 8 wherein a plurality of said plurality of translucent refracting blocks have one or more reflective side surfaces.
15. The method of claim 8 wherein said translucent refracting blocks and said transparent refracting blocks may only be slid and may not be rotated.
16. The method of claim 11 wherein said translucent refracting blocks and said transparent refracting blocks must occupy a square in said grid.
17. The apparatus for playing a sliding block puzzle game of claim 1 wherein said beam exit point further comprises a light detection device; said light detection device being configured to measure the amount of light present at said beam exit point; said light detection device being configured to make noise when said amount of light present exceeds a specified threshold.
18. The method of claim 8 wherein said beam exit point further comprises a light detection device; said light detection device being configured to measure the amount of light present at said beam exit point; said light detection device being configured to make noise when said amount of light present exceeds a specified threshold.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US14/745,691 US20150367229A1 (en) | 2014-06-22 | 2015-06-22 | Sliding block puzzle game with laser beam |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US201462015487P | 2014-06-22 | 2014-06-22 | |
US14/745,691 US20150367229A1 (en) | 2014-06-22 | 2015-06-22 | Sliding block puzzle game with laser beam |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20150367229A1 true US20150367229A1 (en) | 2015-12-24 |
Family
ID=54868770
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US14/745,691 Abandoned US20150367229A1 (en) | 2014-06-22 | 2015-06-22 | Sliding block puzzle game with laser beam |
Country Status (1)
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US (1) | US20150367229A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN114001254A (en) * | 2021-11-15 | 2022-02-01 | 盐城工学院 | Test concentration contrast display device for potential step method and display method thereof |
Citations (16)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US1693711A (en) * | 1927-07-18 | 1928-12-04 | Fritz Emil Friederich Lewis | Puzzle |
US3208753A (en) * | 1963-10-07 | 1965-09-28 | Sherley E Stotts | Shiftable block puzzle game |
US3516671A (en) * | 1967-06-15 | 1970-06-23 | Gerald Estrin | Board game apparatus with path forming pieces |
US3778063A (en) * | 1972-03-13 | 1973-12-11 | J Strand | Tick-tack-toe-like light game with color changeable squares |
US4175750A (en) * | 1978-01-09 | 1979-11-27 | Chestnut Scott R | Holographic puzzle |
US4586714A (en) * | 1984-12-13 | 1986-05-06 | Stry-Lenkoff Co. | Puzzle game |
US4605231A (en) * | 1984-09-19 | 1986-08-12 | Richman Lawrence D | Light transmission puzzle game |
US4898560A (en) * | 1989-02-09 | 1990-02-06 | Ivan Moscovich | Mirror pattern forming amusement device |
US5145182A (en) * | 1990-11-15 | 1992-09-08 | Entercon Technologies, Inc. | Board game with laser beam paths |
US5642884A (en) * | 1996-03-27 | 1997-07-01 | Polaroid Corporation | Holographic image reconstruction puzzle |
US20040080107A1 (en) * | 2002-10-29 | 2004-04-29 | Triplette B. Keith | Laser light projection assembly |
US6923444B2 (en) * | 1998-06-05 | 2005-08-02 | Jose R. Matos | Encoded image puzzle/decoder |
US7264242B2 (en) * | 2005-02-14 | 2007-09-04 | Innovention Toys, L.L.C. | Light-reflecting board game |
US20080054563A1 (en) * | 2006-07-13 | 2008-03-06 | Ami Shapiro | Laser strategy game board |
US20120268924A1 (en) * | 2011-04-22 | 2012-10-25 | Lattice Energy Technology Corporation | Light guide unit and optical devices using the same |
US20140017971A1 (en) * | 2012-07-16 | 2014-01-16 | Lattice Energy Technology Corporation | Optical Toy |
-
2015
- 2015-06-22 US US14/745,691 patent/US20150367229A1/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (16)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US1693711A (en) * | 1927-07-18 | 1928-12-04 | Fritz Emil Friederich Lewis | Puzzle |
US3208753A (en) * | 1963-10-07 | 1965-09-28 | Sherley E Stotts | Shiftable block puzzle game |
US3516671A (en) * | 1967-06-15 | 1970-06-23 | Gerald Estrin | Board game apparatus with path forming pieces |
US3778063A (en) * | 1972-03-13 | 1973-12-11 | J Strand | Tick-tack-toe-like light game with color changeable squares |
US4175750A (en) * | 1978-01-09 | 1979-11-27 | Chestnut Scott R | Holographic puzzle |
US4605231A (en) * | 1984-09-19 | 1986-08-12 | Richman Lawrence D | Light transmission puzzle game |
US4586714A (en) * | 1984-12-13 | 1986-05-06 | Stry-Lenkoff Co. | Puzzle game |
US4898560A (en) * | 1989-02-09 | 1990-02-06 | Ivan Moscovich | Mirror pattern forming amusement device |
US5145182A (en) * | 1990-11-15 | 1992-09-08 | Entercon Technologies, Inc. | Board game with laser beam paths |
US5642884A (en) * | 1996-03-27 | 1997-07-01 | Polaroid Corporation | Holographic image reconstruction puzzle |
US6923444B2 (en) * | 1998-06-05 | 2005-08-02 | Jose R. Matos | Encoded image puzzle/decoder |
US20040080107A1 (en) * | 2002-10-29 | 2004-04-29 | Triplette B. Keith | Laser light projection assembly |
US7264242B2 (en) * | 2005-02-14 | 2007-09-04 | Innovention Toys, L.L.C. | Light-reflecting board game |
US20080054563A1 (en) * | 2006-07-13 | 2008-03-06 | Ami Shapiro | Laser strategy game board |
US20120268924A1 (en) * | 2011-04-22 | 2012-10-25 | Lattice Energy Technology Corporation | Light guide unit and optical devices using the same |
US20140017971A1 (en) * | 2012-07-16 | 2014-01-16 | Lattice Energy Technology Corporation | Optical Toy |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN114001254A (en) * | 2021-11-15 | 2022-02-01 | 盐城工学院 | Test concentration contrast display device for potential step method and display method thereof |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |