Transformation tiles

This invention relates generally to tile-based games and particularly to creative and amusing games that comprise interchangeable pieces used for the generation of images.

Tiles form the basis of numerous games in which players re-arrange lettered, numbered, or patterned tiles to form words, matched sets, or images. Examples of such tile-based games include anagrams, dominoes, and mahjong. Dissection or transformation puzzles utilize tiles that can be separated and assembled in different ways to produce distinct geometric shapes, often as a game to solve a mathematical challenge or conundrum. The tangram is a popular dissection puzzle comprising seven flat polygon-shaped tiles, which are pieced together in a manner to form a predefined shape. Alternatively, the tangram tiles can be assembled to create shapes and images for purely aesthetic purposes. Other educational or artistic games have been devised consisting of polygon-shaped tiles or tiles printed with a variety of solid patterns that may be arranged randomly or purposefully to generate a diversity of images.

There are no tile-based games that feature simple tiles overlayed with straight line segments, such as horizontal and oblique stripes. Such tiles could be employed in games for creative purposes to form original designs and images.

The present invention comprises a creative game based on the planar arrangement in a cooperative manner of a plurality of square tiles surfaced with an assortment of single line segments that create pleasing two-dimensional designs and images, which can then be transformed into other designs or images by applying the same method.

Broadly, the game according to the present invention comprises a plurality of unique square tiles, each having a different single straight stripe (line segment) printed on its face. The striped tiles are arranged by the player on a flat surface such that the tiles align with the edges of other tiles, fully or partially, or in any other way or combination that collectively generates an image. All tiles within a set are interchangeable and can pair or group with any other tile on any of the four sides of each tile. One of the attributes of the game of this invention is that the stripes appearing on the tiles by themselves have limited aesthetic appeal, but when juxtaposed with other tiles, they transform into a myriad of possible pleasing images. There are no rules per se for the game, but there is an emphasis on arranging every tile in the set in an imaginative and unique fashion. Thus, the game is a creative tool for the artistic expression of the player.

1 FIG. 11 12 13 14 15 With reference to, there is shown the preferred embodiment of the present invention in which square tiles,,,,have a printed single solid linear stripe of various lengths and angles spanning one face of each said tile. The stripes have a uniform width and are black in color, and the faces of the tiles are white in color. The height of the tiles is uniform and relatively thin for steadiness and ease of manual manipulation. The complete set of tiles comprises two of each of the five unique tiles. The ten tiles may be combined on a flat surface in a variety of ways to form original designs and images.

1 FIG. 21 11 In the preferred embodiment,, a single stripeextends from the center of the left side to the center of the right side of one tile. The resultant stripe forms a 0-degree angle relative to said tile (horizontal line tile).

1 FIG. 22 12 In the preferred embodiment,, a single stripeextends from the bottom left corner to the center of the right side of one tile. The resultant stripe forms an ascending 27-degree angle relative to the said tile (acute line 1 tile).

1 FIG. 23 13 22 12 In the preferred embodiment,, a single stripeextends from the center of the left side to the bottom right corner of one tile. The resultant stripe forms a descending 63-degree angle relative to the said tile (acute line 2 tile) and is the mirror image of stripeof acute line 1 tile.

1 FIG. 24 14 In the preferred embodiment,, a single stripeextends from the center of the bottom side to the center of the right side of one tile. The resultant stripe forms a 45-degree angle relative to the said tile (short diagonal line tile).

1 FIG. 25 15 In the preferred embodiment,, a single stripeextends from the bottom left corner to the top right corner of one tile. The resultant stripe forms a 45-degree angle relative to the said tile (long diagonal line tile).

11 12 13 14 15 31 2 FIG. The tiles,,,,are amenable to being placed on a flat surface and manipulated into a multitude of different arrangements. Exemplary arrangementis illustrated in. The tiles can be arranged to form numerous designs or patterns, limited only by the stripe printed on each tile and a player's imagination.

11 12 13 14 15 The tiles are preferably packaged and sold in bundles of ten tiles containing two tiles of each uniquely designed striped tile,,,,.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to a certain preferred embodiment thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiment contained therein.