Geometric puzzle

Abstract

A geometric art toy (10) comprises a plurality of first toy members (312A) and a plurality of second toy members (312B). Each first toy member (312A) includes a plurality of first magnets (314A) that are oriented to exhibit a first polarity. Each second toy member (312B) includes a plurality of second magnets (314B) that are oriented to exhibit a second polarity that is substantially opposite to the first polarity. Each first toy member (312A) is movably coupled to another first toy member (312A) and one of the plurality of second toy members (312B). Each of the first toy members (312A) and the second toy members (312B) are formed in a shape of a tetrahedron. The first magnets (314A) and the second magnets (314B) enable the geometric art toy (10) to be alternatively and stably positioned in a first configuration and a second configuration that is different than the first configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A geometric art toy comprising:
 a plurality of first toy members, each first toy member including a plurality of first magnets that are oriented to exhibit a first polarity; and   a plurality of second toy members, each second toy member including a plurality of second magnets that are oriented to exhibit a second polarity that is substantially opposite to the first polarity;   wherein each first toy member is movably coupled to another first toy member and one of the plurality of second toy members.   
     
     
         2 . The geometric art toy of  claim 1  wherein each second toy member is movably coupled to another second toy member and one of the plurality of first toy members. 
     
     
         3 . The geometric art toy of  claim 1  wherein each of the first toy members is formed in a shape of a first tetrahedron, and wherein each of the second toy members is formed in a shape of a second tetrahedron. 
     
     
         4 . The geometric art toy of  claim 3  wherein the shape of the first tetrahedron is substantially identical to the shape of the second tetrahedron. 
     
     
         5 . The geometric art toy of  claim 3  wherein the first tetrahedron has six edges, and wherein the relative lengths of the six edges are such that a first edge has a first length of one unit, a second edge has a second length of one unit, a third edge has a third length of the square root of two (√2) units, a fourth edge has a fourth length of one-half the square root of three (√3/2) units, a fifth edge has a fifth length of one-half the square root of three (√3/2) units, and a sixth edge has a sixth length of one-half the square root of three (√3/2) units. 
     
     
         6 . The geometric art toy of  claim 1  wherein the geometric art toy can be selectively and alternatively positioned in a first configuration and a second configuration that is different than the first configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The geometric art toy of  claim 6  wherein the plurality of first magnets interact with the plurality of second magnets such that the geometric art toy can be stably maintained in each of the first configuration and the second configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The geometric art toy of  claim 1  wherein each of the first toy members is a tetrahedron including four surfaces, and wherein the first toy member includes three first magnets, with one of the first magnets being coupled to the interior of each of three of the four surfaces. 
     
     
         9 . The geometric art toy of  claim 1  wherein the geometric art toy includes six first toy members and six second toy members. 
     
     
         10 . The geometric art toy of  claim 1  further comprising a display support that supports the first toy members and the second toy members relative to a surface. 
     
     
         11 . A toy assembly comprising a plurality of geometric art toys of  claim 1  that are selectively, magnetically coupled to one another. 
     
     
         12 . A geometric art toy comprising:
 a plurality of first toy members, each first toy member being formed in the shape of a first tetrahedron; and   a plurality of second toy members that are movably coupled to the plurality of first toy members, each second toy member being formed in the shape of a second tetrahedron;   wherein the shape of the first tetrahedron is substantially identical to the shape of the second tetrahedron, each of the first tetrahedrons and each of the second tetrahedrons has six edges, and the relative lengths of the six edges of each of the first tetrahedrons and the second tetrahedrons are such that a first edge has a first length of one unit, a second edge has a second length of one unit, a third edge has a third length of the square root of two (√2) units, a fourth edge has a fourth length of one-half the square root of three (√3/2) units, a fifth edge has a fifth length of one-half the square root of three (√3/2) units, and a sixth edge has a sixth length of one-half the square root of three (√3/2) units.   
     
     
         13 . The geometric art toy of  claim 12  wherein each first toy member is movably coupled to another first toy member and one of the plurality of second toy members, and each second toy member is movably coupled to another second toy member and one of the plurality of first toy members. 
     
     
         14 . The geometric art toy of  claim 12  wherein the geometric art toy can be selectively and alternatively positioned in a first configuration and a second configuration that is different than the first configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The geometric art toy of  claim 14  wherein each first toy member includes a plurality of first magnets that are oriented to exhibit a first polarity, and each second toy member includes a plurality of second magnets that are oriented to exhibit a second polarity that is substantially opposite to the first polarity. 
     
     
         16 . The geometric art toy of  claim 15  wherein the plurality of first magnets interact with the plurality of second magnets such that the geometric art toy can be stably maintained in each of the first configuration and the second configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The geometric art toy of  claim 15  wherein each first toy member includes four surfaces and three first magnets, with one of the first magnets being coupled to the interior of each of three of the four surfaces. 
     
     
         18 . The geometric art toy of  claim 15  wherein the geometric art toy includes six first toy members and six second toy members, each first toy member is movably coupled to another first toy member and one of the plurality of second toy members, and each second toy member is movably coupled to another second toy member and one of the plurality of first toy members. 
     
     
         19 . A toy assembly comprising a plurality of geometric art toys of  claim 12  that are selectively magnetically coupled to one another. 
     
     
         20 . A geometric art toy comprising:
 a plurality of first toy members, each first toy member being formed in the shape of a first tetrahedron, each first toy member including three first magnets that are oriented to exhibit a first polarity, each first toy member including four surfaces, with one of the first magnets being coupled to the interior of each of three of the four surfaces; and   a plurality of second toy members that are movably coupled to the plurality of first toy members, each second toy member being formed in the shape of a second tetrahedron, each second toy member including three second magnets that are oriented to exhibit a second polarity that is substantially opposite to the first polarity, each second toy member including four surfaces, with one of the second magnets being coupled to the interior of each of three of the four surfaces;   wherein the shape of the first tetrahedron is substantially identical to the shape of the second tetrahedron, each of the first tetrahedrons and each of the second tetrahedrons has six edges, and the relative lengths of the six edges of each of the first tetrahedrons and the second tetrahedrons are such that a first edge has a first length of one unit, a second edge has a second length of one unit, a third edge has a third length of the square root of two (√2) units, a fourth edge has a fourth length of one-half the square root of three (√3/2) units, a fifth edge has a fifth length of one-half the square root of three (√3/2) units, and a sixth edge has a sixth length of one-half the square root of three (√3/2) units; and   wherein each first toy member is movably coupled to another first toy member and one of the plurality of second toy members, and each second toy member is movably coupled to another second toy member and one of the plurality of first toy members.