Ring puzzle games

Abstract

Novel ring puzzles containing a plurality of rings supported on at least one elongated loop are provided, where at least one ring of the plurality of rings is connected to more than one adjacent ring in its front, at least one of the plurality of the rings has a diameter different than that of the other of the plurality of rings, or the elongated loop includes at least two elongated loops arranged in parallel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ring puzzle game comprising:
 a plurality of circular rings,   a plurality of posts, each having an eyelet on its upper end to encircle a ring of the plurality of rings and a lower end connected to a blocking element,   at least one elongated closed loop,   a base member having a plurality of holes, each passed by one of the plurality of posts at its lower end, the size of the holes is smaller than the blocking element;   wherein each of the plurality of rings is held in place by being enclosed within the eyelet of a corresponding post of the plurality of posts, wherein each of the plurality of rings, except the frontmost ring, is connected to at least one adjacent ring through a post holding the at least one adjacent ring, and wherein the at least one elongated loop being insertable and removable from an interlocking position with the rings and pots by a series of prescribed manipulations of the rings, posts, and the at least one elongated loop; and wherein at least one of the following conditions is true:   (a) at least one ring of the plurality of rings is connected to more than one adjacent ring in its front;   (b) at least one of the plurality of the rings has a diameter different than that of the other of the plurality of rings;   (c) the at least one elongated loop includes at least two elongated loops arranged in parallel.   
     
     
         2 . The ring puzzle game of  claim 1 , wherein some of the plurality of rings are each connected to a group of two adjacent rings of the plurality of rings in its immediate front. 
     
     
         3 . The ring puzzle game of  claim 1 , wherein some of the plurality of rings are each connected to a group of three adjacent rings of the plurality of rings in its immediate front. 
     
     
         4 . The ring puzzle game of  claim 1 , wherein a first of the plurality of rings is connected to a group of two adjacent rings in its immediate front, and wherein a second of the plurality of rings is connected to a group of three adjacent rings in its immediate front. 
     
     
         5 . The ring puzzle game of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one elongated loop includes at least two elongated loops arranged in parallel and a vertically stacked configuration, and one or more of the plurality of rings are supported by both of the two elongated loops, while one or more of the plurality of rings are supported only one of the elongated rings. 
     
     
         6 . The ring puzzle game of any of  claims 2 - 5 , wherein at least one of the plurality of the rings has a diameter smaller than each of the remainder of the plurality of rings. 
     
     
         7 . The ring puzzle game of  claim 6 , wherein each of the remainder of the plurality of rings has a same diameter. 
     
     
         8 . The ring puzzle game of  claim 6 , wherein the ring having a smaller diameter is one of a group of two or more adjacent rings to which a rear ring is connected.