Toroidal manipulative puzzle

Abstract

A toroidal manipulative puzzle. At least three sets of puzzle pieces are provided, a base set comprising at least five fixed puzzle pieces, an upper set of puzzle pieces corresponding one-to-one with said base set, and a migratory set of puzzle pieces. The base set of puzzle pieces define a base layer of the puzzle and the upper set defines an upper layer of the puzzle. An upper track member associated with the upper layer defines a ring-like horizontally disposed travel path around an open center of the puzzle. The travel path provides, under a condition in which the migratory puzzle pieces are in horizontal states of alignment with the base and upper layers, for relative rotations of the layers. Under a condition in which the puzzle pieces of the base and upper sets are in vertical states of alignment with each other, the migratory puzzle pieces are permitted to circulate about the travel path and thereby move between the layers.

1 . A toroidal manipulative puzzle, comprising:
 at least three sets of puzzle pieces, a base set comprising at least five fixed puzzle pieces, an upper set of puzzle pieces corresponding one-to-one with said base set, and a migratory set of puzzle pieces, the base set of puzzle pieces defining a base layer of the puzzle, and the upper set of puzzle pieces defining an upper layer of the puzzle, wherein said base and upper layers are in a vertically stacked relationship;   an upper track member associated with said upper layer and defining a ring-like horizontally disposed first travel path around an open center of the puzzle, said first travel path providing, under a first condition in which the puzzle pieces of said migratory set are in horizontal states of alignment with said base and upper layers, for relative rotations of said upper and base layers, and wherein, under a second condition in which the puzzle pieces of said base and upper sets are in vertical states of alignment with each other, the puzzle pieces of said migratory set are permitted to circulate about said first travel path in rotational planes substantially perpendicular thereto and thereby move between said layers.   
   
   
       2 . The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein under said second condition a first vertically associated subset of the migratory puzzle pieces are permitted to circulate about said first travel path in a first rotational plane, and a second vertically associated subset of the migratory puzzle pieces that are in a state of horizontal adjacency to those of the first vertically associated subset are independently permitted to circulate about said first travel path in a second rotational plane. 
   
   
       3 . The puzzle of  claim 2 , wherein the migratory puzzle pieces of the first vertically associated subset and the migratory puzzle pieces of the second vertically associated subset have complementary mating features for retaining the migratory puzzle pieces of the first and second vertically associated subsets in said state of horizontal adjacency. 
   
   
       4 . The puzzle of  claim 2 , wherein, in said horizontal states of alignment between the puzzle pieces of said migratory set and said layers, said upper track member is adapted to circulate relative to said base layer and to carry a first horizontally associated subset of said migratory puzzle pieces in said upper layer along said first travel path, the migratory puzzle pieces of said first horizontally associated subset being separable from a vertically adjacent second subset of said migratory puzzle pieces that are horizontally associated with said base layer and therefore do not translate in concert therewith. 
   
   
       5 . The puzzle of  claim 2 , wherein said upper track member is fixed relative to said base set of puzzle pieces, and wherein, in said horizontal states of alignment between the puzzle pieces of said migratory set and said layers, a first horizontally associated subset of said migratory puzzle pieces is adapted to slide relative to said track member along said first travel path. 
   
   
       6 . The puzzle of  claim 1  wherein, in said horizontal states of alignment between the puzzle pieces of said migratory set and said layers, said upper track member is adapted to circulate relative to said base layer and to carry a first horizontally associated subset of said migratory puzzle pieces in said upper layer along said first travel path, the migratory puzzle pieces of said first horizontally associated subset being separable from a vertically adjacent second subset of said migratory puzzle pieces that are horizontally associated with said base layer and therefore do not translate in concert therewith. 
   
   
       7 . The puzzle of  claim 1  wherein said upper track member is fixed relative to said base set of puzzle pieces, and wherein, in said horizontal states of alignment between the puzzle pieces of said migratory set and said layers, a first horizontally associated subset of said migratory puzzle pieces is adapted to slide relative to said track member along said first travel path. 
   
   
       8 . The puzzle of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a lower set of puzzle pieces corresponding one-to-one with said base set, the lower set of puzzle pieces defining a lower layer of the puzzle, said base layer disposed between said upper and lower layers, said lower, base, and upper layers being in a vertically stacked relationship;   a lower track member associated with said lower layer and defining a ring-like horizontally disposed second travel path around said open center of the puzzle vertically spaced from said first travel path, said second travel path providing, under a third condition in which the puzzle pieces of said migratory set are in horizontal states of alignment with said upper, base, and lower layers, for relative rotations of said lower and base layers, and wherein, under a fourth condition in which the puzzle pieces of said upper, base, and lower sets are in vertical states of alignment with each other, the puzzle pieces of said migratory set are permitted to circulate about said first and second travel paths in rotational planes substantially perpendicular thereto and thereby move between said layers.   
   
   
       9 . The puzzle of  claim 8 , wherein under said second condition a first vertically associated subset of the migratory puzzle pieces are permitted to circulate about said first travel path in a first rotational plane, and a second vertically associated subset of the migratory puzzle pieces that are in a state of horizontal adjacency to those of the first vertically associated subset are independently permitted to circulate about said first travel path in a second rotational plane. 
   
   
       10 . The puzzle of  claim 9 , wherein the migratory puzzle pieces of the first vertically associated subset and the migratory puzzle pieces of the second vertically associated subset have complementary mating features for retaining the migratory puzzle pieces of the first and second vertically associated subsets in said state of horizontal adjacency. 
   
   
       11 . The puzzle of  claim 9 , wherein, in said horizontal states of alignment between the puzzle pieces of said migratory set and said layers, said upper track member is adapted to circulate relative to said base layer and to carry a first horizontally associated subset of said migratory puzzle pieces in said upper layer along said first travel path, the migratory puzzle pieces of said first horizontally associated subset being separable from a vertically adjacent second subset of said migratory puzzle pieces that are horizontally associated with said base layer and therefore do not translate in concert therewith. 
   
   
       12 . The puzzle of  claim 9 , wherein said upper track member is fixed relative to said base set of puzzle pieces, and wherein, in said horizontal states of alignment between the puzzle pieces of said migratory set and said layers, a first horizontally associated subset of said migratory puzzle pieces is adapted to slide relative to said track member along said first travel path. 
   
   
       13 . The puzzle of  claim 8 , wherein, in said horizontal states of alignment between the puzzle pieces of said migratory set and said layers, said upper track member is adapted to circulate relative to said base layer and to carry a first horizontally associated subset of said migratory puzzle pieces in said upper layer along said first travel path, the migratory puzzle pieces of said first horizontally associated subset being separable from a vertically adjacent second subset of said migratory puzzle pieces that are horizontally associated with said base layer and therefore do not translate in concert therewith. 
   
   
       14 . The puzzle of  claim 8 , wherein said upper track member is fixed relative to said base set of puzzle pieces, and wherein, in said horizontal states of alignment between the puzzle pieces of said migratory set and said layers, a first horizontally associated subset of said migratory puzzle pieces is adapted to slide relative to said track member along said first travel path. 
   
   
       15 . The puzzle of  claim 8 , wherein under said second condition a first vertically associated subset of the migratory puzzle pieces are permitted to circulate about said first and second travel paths in a first rotational plane, and a second vertically associated subset of the migratory puzzle pieces that are in a state of horizontal adjacency to those of the first vertically associated subset are independently permitted to circulate about said first and second travel paths in a second rotational plane. 
   
   
       16 . The puzzle of  claim 15 , wherein the migratory puzzle pieces of the first vertically associated subset and the migratory puzzle pieces of the second vertically associated subset have complementary mating features for retaining the migratory puzzle pieces of the first and second vertically associated subsets in said state of horizontal adjacency. 
   
   
       17 . The puzzle of  claim 15 , wherein, in said horizontal states of alignment between the puzzle pieces of said migratory set and said layers, said upper track member is adapted to circulate relative to said base layer and to carry a first horizontally associated subset of said migratory puzzle pieces in said upper layer along said first travel path, and said lower track is adapted to circulate relative to said base layer and to carry a third horizontally associated subset of said migratory puzzle pieces in said lower layer along said second travel path, the migratory puzzle pieces of said first horizontally associated subset being separable from a vertically adjacent second subset of said migratory puzzle pieces that are horizontally associated with said base layer and therefore do not translate in concert therewith, and the migratory puzzle pieces of said third horizontally associated subset being separable from said vertically adjacent second subset. 
   
   
       18 . The puzzle of  claim 15 , wherein said upper and lower track members are fixed relative to said base set of puzzle pieces, and wherein, in said horizontal states of alignment between the puzzle pieces of said migratory set and said layers, a first horizontally associated subset of said migratory puzzle pieces is adapted to slide relative to said first track member along said first travel path and a second horizontally associated subset of said migratory puzzle pieces is adapted to slide relative to said second track member along said second travel path. 
   
   
       19 . The puzzle of  claim 8 , wherein, in said horizontal states of alignment between the puzzle pieces of said migratory set and said layers, said upper track member is adapted to circulate relative to said base layer and to carry a first horizontally associated subset of said migratory puzzle pieces in said upper layer along said first travel path, and said lower track is adapted to circulate relative to said base layer and to carry a third horizontally associated subset of said migratory puzzle pieces in said lower layer along said second travel path, the migratory puzzle pieces of said first horizontally associated subset being separable from a vertically adjacent second subset of said migratory puzzle pieces that are horizontally associated with said base layer and therefore do not translate in concert therewith, and the migratory puzzle pieces of said third horizontally associated subset being separable from said vertically adjacent second subset. 
   
   
       20 . The puzzle of  claim 8 , wherein said upper and lower track members are fixed relative to said base set of puzzle pieces, and wherein, in said horizontal states of alignment between the puzzle pieces of said migratory set and said layers, a first horizontally associated subset of said migratory puzzle pieces is adapted to slide relative to said first track member along said first travel path and a second horizontally associated subset of said migratory puzzle pieces is adapted to slide relative to said second track member along said second travel path.