Toy system of hexagonal tiles, which may be interlocking or may be joined by magnets or other means, with path patterns on the tiles that can be made into continuous paths on joined tiles; the paths mav have grooves or rails, so a propelled vehicle may follow the paths

Abstract

This application discloses a new toy track system based on hexagonal tiles. This unique system allows for pleasing and complex track layouts in a small area. The layout activity itself can be viewed as a puzzle or game. The track tiles may be joined to one another by puzzle tabs or by magnets along their edges. The track, whether slot or other construction, follows arcs on the hexagons joining midpoints of the hexagon edges. The tile designs are chosen from the unique set of tile designs having such arcs that cross at most once on a single tile.

Claims

1. hexagonal tiles, with markings or grooves or rails or other construct designating a path, such that the paths may be made continuous from tile to tile when the tiles are placed next to one another, connecting with puzzle tabs.

2. hexagonal tiles, with markings or grooves or rails or other construct designating a path, such that the paths may be made continuous from tile to tile when the tiles are placed next to one another, connecting with magnets along the edges of the tiles

3. hexagonal tiles, with markings or grooves or rails or other construct designating a path, such that the paths may be made continuous from tile to tile when the tiles are placed next to one another, together with tiles of other shapes which serve as connectors for the hexagonal tiles, connecting with puzzle tabs.

4. hexagonal tiles, with markings or grooves or rails or other construct designating a path, such that the paths may be made continuous from tile to tile when the tiles are placed next to one another, such that a vehicle may be guided along the path.

5. the set of hexagonal tiles, with markings or grooves or rails or other construct designating a path on each tile, with paths intersecting the edges of the hexagons at the center of the edges perpendicularly, where the paths are either straight line segments or segments of circles, each tile having zero, one, two, or three paths, where the paths on each tile cross other paths on that tile at most once.

6. a subset of the tiles in claim 5.

7. the set of hexagonal tiles, with markings or grooves or rails or other construct designating a path on each tile, with paths intersecting the edges of the hexagons at the center of the edges perpendicularly, each tile having one, two, or three paths, where the paths on each tile cross other paths on that tile at most once.

8. a subset of the tiles in claim 7.

9. A system of tiles satisfying claims 1 and 4.

10. A system of tiles satisfying claims 2 and 4.

11. A system of tiles satisfying claims 3 and 4.

12. A system of tiles satisfying claims 1, 4, 5.

13. A system of tiles satisfying claims 2, 4, 5.

14. A system of tiles satisfying claims 3, 4, 5.

12. A system of tiles satisfying claims 1, 4, 6.

13. A system of tiles satisfying claims 2, 4, 6.

14. A system of tiles satisfying claims 3, 4, 6.

15. A system of tiles satisfying claims 1, 4, 7.

16. A system of tiles satisfying claims 2, 4, 7.

17. A system of tiles satisfying claims 3, 4, 7.

18. A system of tiles satisfying claims 1, 4, 8.

19. A system of tiles satisfying claims 2, 4, 8.

20. A system of tiles satisfying claims 3, 4, 8.

Description

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FIGURES

[0012] FIG. I. Puzzle tab tile with rotational symmetry by 60 degrees, a male(s) and female(s) connection on each side of the hexagon. On the tile is a slot track, which here is a section of a circle, connecting the midpoints of two sides of the hexagon.

[0013] The deeper central slot of the circle path is the functional slot, the two shallower slots to either side of it are merely decorative, and are not necessary. This is also the case in the other figures.

[0014] FIG. 2. Puzzle tab tile with rotational symmetry by 120 degrees, each side having either two male or two female shapes. On the tile are two slot paths, each one a section of circle. The paths cross.

[0015] FIG. 3. Puzzle tile with rotational symmetry by 60 degrees, where the tile has a female shape at each vertex. The tiles are then connected by another shape, depicted in FIG. 4. On the tile is a slot track, which here is a section of a circle, connecting the midpoints of two sides of the hexagon.

[0016] FIG. 4. Connecting shape for tiles depicted in FIG. 3. The shape has a threefold symmetry, with three male shapes for the up to three hexagons which meet at a vertex.

[0017] FIG. 5. This hexagonal tile has straight hexagonal edges, and is connected to other tiles by magnets which are embedded along the edges and arranged so that the tiles are attracted to one another and the tiles align edge to edge. On the tile are three slot paths, each one a section of circle.

[0018] FIG. 6. This is the set of possible path designs, where the paths connect the centers of edges, each path component is a section of circle (other simple curves could be used) or a straight line segment, and at most one crossing per tile is allowed.