Puzzle cube

Abstract

A puzzle cube includes a core having a plurality of center cubies movably associated thereto, a plurality of edge cubies, and a plurality of corner cubies, each of the center, edge and corner cubies having respectively one, two and three facelets in view. The core includes a plurality of turrets, to which the center cubies are rotatably engaged, and each edge cubie is rotatably draggable with one of the two center cubies, the facelet of which is coplanar with one of the two facelets of the edge cubie. Each corner cubie is rotatably draggable with one of the three center cubies, the facelet of which is coplanar with one of the three facelets of the corner cubie, and each of the facelets of the edge cubies and of the corner cubies can change from an inactive condition to an active condition when coplanar to a facelet of a predetermined center cubie, with which it is associated. The active and inactive conditions of the facelets are distinguishable, and in the inactive condition the facelets are indistinguishable from each other.

1 . A puzzle cube comprising:
 a core; and   a plurality of center cubies, a plurality of edge cubies and a plurality of corner cubies movably associated to the core;   wherein each of the center cubies comprises a facelet in view;   wherein each of the edge cubies comprises two facelets in view;   wherein each of the corner cubies comprises three facelets in view;   wherein the core comprises a plurality of turrets, to which the center cubies are rotatably engaged,   wherein each of the edge cubies is selectively and rotatably draggable with one of the plurality of center cubies, whose facelet is coplanar to one of the two facelets of the edge cubie,   wherein each corner cubie is selectively draggable in rotation with one of the plurality of center cubies, whose facelet is coplanar with one of the three facelets of the corner cubie,   wherein each facelet of the edge cubies and of the corner cubies is enabled to switch from an inactive condition to an active condition when coplanar with the facelet of a predetermined center cubie associated thereto,   wherein the active condition and the inactive condition of the facelets of the edge and corner cubies is distinguishable, and   wherein the inactive condition is the same for each of the facelets of the edge and corner cubies, so that in the inactive condition the facelets of the edge and corner cubies are indistinguishable from each other.   
     
     
         2 . The puzzle cube according to  claim 1 , wherein all facelets of an edge cubie or of a corner cubie are enabled to switch simultaneously from the inactive condition to the active condition when each facelet of the edge cubie or of the corner cubie is coplanar to the facelet of the predetermined center cubie with which it is associated. 
     
     
         3 . The puzzle cube according to  claim 1 , further comprising a battery and a voltage regulator placed in the core, wherein each facelet of at least the edge cubie and the corner cubie comprises at least one light source, wherein in the active condition each facelet of the edge cubie and of the corner cubie is enlightened by the at least one light source, and wherein the voltage regulator is configured to draw voltage from the battery and to electrically power the at least one light source of each facelet of the edge cubie and of the corner cubie. 
     
     
         4 . The puzzle cube according to  claim 3 , wherein each center cubie is configured to be oriented, by rotation, in four positions relative to a respective turret, and wherein in at least one position of the four positions, the center cubie is electrically disconnected from the voltage regulator. 
     
     
         5 . The puzzle cube according to  claim 3 , wherein the core has a hole configured to accommodate a pin of a charger, and wherein the pin is configured to electrically disconnect the battery from the voltage regulator and to recharge the battery. 
     
     
         6 . The puzzle cube according to  claim 3 , wherein the core has a hole configured to accommodate a pin of a charger, and wherein the pin is configured to provide electrical power to the voltage regulator so as to electrically power the at least one light source with the charger. 
     
     
         7 . The puzzle cube according to  claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of pairs of electrical connectors comprising:
 first pairs of electrical connectors comprising first contacts arranged on each turret and respective second contacts arranged on the center cubies engaged on the respective turret;   second pairs of electrical connectors comprising first contacts arranged on the center cubies and respective second contacts arranged on the edge cubies; and   third pairs of electrical connectors comprising first contacts arranged on the edge cubies and respective second contacts arranged on the corner cubies.   
     
     
         8 . The puzzle cube according to  claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of pairs of electrical connectors, each pair of electrical connectors comprising contacts having a pinout configured to transmit electrical power from the voltage regulator to the at least one light source of each facelet of an edge cubie or of a corner cubie only when a facelet of an edge cubie or of a corner cubie is coplanar to the facelet of the predetermined center cubie with which it is associated. 
     
     
         9 . The puzzle cube according to  claim 3 , further comprising, for each turret, orientation detection means for each center cubie configured to generate a signal indicative of an angular position of each center cubie with respect to the respective turret, and further comprising a processing and control unit configured to receive and process all signals indicative of the angular position of each center cubie and to electrically power the at least one light source of each facelet based on the processed signal. 
     
     
         10 . The puzzle cube according to  claim 1 , wherein each center cubie is configured to generate a signal, each edge cubie and each corner cubie comprising a recognition unit, each recognition unit being configured to recognize the signal from the center cubie and to enable, based on the signal, each of the facelets of the edge cubies and of the corner cubies to switch from the inactive condition to the active condition. 
     
     
         11 . The puzzle cube according to  claim 10 , wherein each center cubie is configured to transmit the signal to the edge cubies adjacent thereto, each of the edge cubies being configured to further retransmit the signal to the corner cubie adjacent thereto. 
     
     
         12 . The puzzle cube according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least two functioning configurations selectable by a user, wherein a configuration is selected by a 360° rotation of a master face of the puzzle cube. 
     
     
         13 . The puzzle cube according to  claim 12 , wherein the 360° rotation of the master face is to be completed in a predetermined maximum time period of less than 2 seconds in order to allow a selection of a different functioning configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The puzzle cube according to  claim 1 , further comprising position identification means configured to recognize whether a facelet of an edge cubie or a corner cubie is coplanar to the facelet of a predetermined center cubie with which the facelet is associated, so as to enable a switching of each of the facelets of the edge cubies and of the corner cubies from the inactive condition to the active condition. 
     
     
         15 . The puzzle cube according to  claim 1 , wherein each facelet of at least the edge cubie and the corner cubie is enlightened, in the active condition, by at least one light source. 
     
     
         16 . The puzzle cube according to  claim 15 , wherein the at least one light source enlightening, in the active condition, the facelet of at least the edge cubie and the corner cubie is positioned inside a respective center cubie. 
     
     
         17 . The puzzle cube according to  claim 15 , wherein the at least one light source enlightening, in the active condition, the facelet of at least the edge cubie and the corner cubie is positioned inside the core.