초록 ▼

A puzzle toy that includes a plurality of push buttons that normally project from the surface of a cubic or spherical body. As the buttons are pushed in one at a time a latching mechanism residing within the body holds the buttons in a pushed-inwardly state, given a correct sequence of a subset of t

A puzzle toy that includes a plurality of push buttons that normally project from the surface of a cubic or spherical body. As the buttons are pushed in one at a time a latching mechanism residing within the body holds the buttons in a pushed-inwardly state, given a correct sequence of a subset of the buttons was pushed, deduced by logic and memory and including a chance mechanism. However if an incorrect sequence of the selected subset of button pushing is employed the user is unable to continue until all the buttons so far pushed are reset, either manually or automatically, forcing the player to start all over. The puzzle is solved when all buttons are pushed in flush with the body of the toy.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A puzzle solution method, comprising: presenting to a user a plurality of push buttons arrayed on the outer surface of a toy;providing a latching mechanism within said toy that latches each of said plurality of push buttons in a pushed-in position provided each of a selected subset of said plural

1. A puzzle solution method, comprising: presenting to a user a plurality of push buttons arrayed on the outer surface of a toy;providing a latching mechanism within said toy that latches each of said plurality of push buttons in a pushed-in position provided each of a selected subset of said plurality of push buttons is pushed by the user in a predetermined order, said selected subset corresponding to a degree of difficulty selected by the user;providing a reset mechanism for unlatching any latched push buttons when one of said selected subset of push buttons is pushed-in out of said predetermined order; andproviding a chance mechanism that unlatches any latched push buttons upon the occurrence of an event unknown to the user, said event relating to user orientation of said toy. 2. The puzzle method of claim 1, wherein said reset mechanism operates automatically when one of said selected subset of push buttons is pushed-in out of said predetermined order, and wherein at least one button is equipped with a gravity dependent shielding device. 3. The puzzle method of claim 1, wherein the event unknown to the user is user orientation of the toy in a particular direction, and wherein the outer surface of said toy is shaped substantially symmetrically with respect to a spatial center of said toy. 4. The puzzle method of claim 3, wherein said latching mechanism is implemented using a rotor at the spatial center of said toy, the rotor having magnets of one polarity in the direction of each push button, there being a magnet of the opposite polarity on the inner side of each said button. 5. The puzzle method of claim 3, wherein said latching mechanism is implemented using a rotor at the spatial center of said toy, the inner side of each button having a latching arm conformable to a receiving and locking portion located on said rotor in the direction of said each button. 6. The puzzle method of claim 4, wherein user pushing in of a button out of the predetermined order causes the rotor to rotate about an axis, thereby resetting any latched buttons. 7. The puzzle method of claim 6, wherein said chance mechanism is implemented by a weight which operates to reset any latched buttons if a particular one of said push buttons is pushed in when the weight is not aligned in the direction of gravity. 8. The puzzle method of claim 7, wherein the outer surface of the toy is a cube and each of six push buttons is located on a different face of said cube, there being in addition a reset button located on one of said faces, said reset button operable to unlatch any latched push buttons without changing said predetermined order. 9. The puzzle method of claim 8, wherein the two push buttons at either end of said axis are not within said selected subset of push buttons. 10. The puzzle method of claim 7, wherein the outer surface of the toy is a sphere and each of six push buttons is symmetrically spaced on the surface of the sphere, there being in addition a reset button located on the surface of the sphere. 11. A puzzle apparatus, comprising: a plurality of push buttons arrayed on the outer surface of a toy;a latching mechanism within said toy that latches each of said plurality of push buttons in a pushed-in position provided each of a selected subset of said plurality of push buttons is pushed by a user in a predetermined order;a reset mechanism for unlatching any latched push buttons when one of said selected subset of said plurality of push buttons is pushed-in out of said predetermined order, said selected subset corresponding to a degree of difficulty selected by the user; anda chance mechanism that unlatches any latched push buttons upon the occurrence of an event unknown to the user, said event relating to user orientation of said toy. 12. The puzzle apparatus of claim 11, wherein said reset mechanism operates automatically when one of said selected subset of push buttons is pushed-in out of said predetermined order, and wherein at least one button is equipped with a gravity dependent shielding device. 13. The puzzle apparatus of claim 1, wherein the event unknown to the user is user orientation of the toy in a particular direction, and wherein the outer surface of said toy is shaped substantially symmetrically with respect to a spatial center of said toy. 14. The puzzle apparatus of claim 13, wherein said latching mechanism is implemented using a rotor at the spatial center of said toy, the rotor having magnets of one polarity in the direction of each push button, there being a magnet of the opposite polarity on the inner side of each said button. 15. The puzzle apparatus of claim 13, wherein said latching mechanism is implemented using a rotor at the spatial center of said toy, the inner side of each button having a latching arm conformable to a receiving and locking portion located on said rotor in the direction of said each button. 16. The puzzle apparatus of claim 14, wherein user pushing in of a button out of the predetermined order causes the rotor to rotate about an axis, thereby resetting any latched buttons. 17. The puzzle apparatus of claim 16, wherein said chance mechanism is implemented by a weight which operates to reset any latched buttons if a particular one of said push buttons is pushed in when the weight is not aligned in the direction of gravity. 18. The puzzle apparatus of claim 17, wherein the outer surface of the toy is a cube and each of six push buttons is located on a different face of said cube, there being in addition a reset button located on one of said faces, said reset button operable to unlatch any latched push buttons without changing said predetermined order. 19. The puzzle apparatus of claim 18, wherein the two push buttons at either end of said axis are not within said selected subset of push buttons. 20. The puzzle apparatus of claim 17, wherein the outer surface of the toy is a sphere and each of six push buttons is symmetrically spaced on the surface of the sphere, there being in addition a reset button located on the surface of the sphere.