POLYHEDRON

A tetrahedral kite having a sail formed by a pair of sheets of rhombus shape that lie facewise against one another and are joined together along their edges. The middle of the rhombus-shaped sail is folded about an edge of the tetrahedral kite frame so that the sail portions one either side of the middle...     

A modular element for constructing furniture or artistic sculptures comprising a flat member having three equilaterally arranged legs and three equilaterally arranged, arc-shaped sides having equal radii of curvature, each of the legs having a slot extending through its thickness and arranged equilaterally...     

An artificial land structure framework minimizing the destruction of nature such as hills and plants. The framework has a plurality of beam members connected with each other to form a number of laterally disposed rectangular three-dimensional spaces, and artificial lands are stepwise provided along the...     

The module is a geometric toy block that is designed to imitate the icosahedron's unique ability for three-dimensional intersection with another icosahedron so that a pentangular co-planar line segment that defines the convex pentangular co-planar edge on each icosahedron is shared by both along with...     

Homohedral construction is a building and truss system based on the regular icosahedron. It is analogous to the standard building or truss system based on the cube, which is characterized by 90.degree. corners and edges on its struts and planar surfaces.

The modular building system of this invention relates generally, but not exclusively, to habitations. The system comprises at least two individual room or space modules which are individually secured to their foundations and at least one additional individual room or space module which structurally spans...     

A type of building structure comprising a plurality of space modules each having a truncated tetrahedral shape.

A container for liquids which takes the form of a spatial polygon having side planes of identical congruent triangles. The container consists of six triangular planes three of which have their bases against the bases of the other three and the top angle of each three meet at a point opposite to the point...     

A spatial network, in particular a climbing device for children. The climbing device is composed of a three-dimensional inner net of tensile members and a three-dimensional outer net which serves to hold the inner net. The three-dimensional outer net consists of tensile members forming polyhedral and...     

A portable display device is disclosed for use at trade shows and exhibitions which comprises a light-weight collapsible frame and a plurality of visual display panels which may be attached to the frame. The display stand provides a visually-appealing graphic display, which may be broken down, folded,...     

Space enclosures fabricated of relatively inflexible material, critically formed into a three dimensional shape which approximates to some degree the dome construction of common architectural form. Each of the enclosures representing the several embodiments of invention is comprised of a plurality of...     

A separably connective flexible toy comprising a plurality of generally flat geometric flexible toy members each of which has a plurality of edges, each of the edges having resiliently flexible interhooking rib and groove separable fastener means therealong, the fastener means being complementary along...     

A floatable ball, a plurality of which floatable balls are for providing a gapless floating ball blanket, wherein the floatable ball includes a modified spheroid constructed of a floatable material and which modified spheroid is provided with a plurality of flat surfaces around the equator which flat...     

A structural element for the assembly of structures of furniture is described having a regular hexagonal flat bottom and flat walls installed along the circumference of this bottom and positioned at a right angle thereto, which walls, at the angular points of the bottom, have their side edges adjoining....     

Structural cores are quasi-isotropic load-carrying constructional elements n the form of parallel rows of polyhedrons disposed in alternating sequence. These have been made from interwoven fibrous filaments, coated with plastic. Such structural cores are made herein from a continuous ribbon.

Tetrahedron blocks are used to assemble structures of various shapes and sizes. The blocks have side walls joined along ridges which converge at four corners of the block. Each wall has an opening shaped to receive a corner of an adjoining block making up a structural unit.

An inflatable tent is in the shape of a non-planar tetrahedron. The tent is formed from a single rectangular, planar sheet joined with itself along three linear seams.

A collapsible building element of sheet material comprising four prismatic sides hingedly connected to each other, each side comprising two faces in V-shaped relationship and interconnected by a hinge structure, two adjacent sides having an outwardly extending V-shape, but other adjacent sides having...     

A plurality of identical panels shaped as equilateral triangles with peripheral framing whereby the panels are adapted to be bolted together to form a space enclosing structure whose outer surface will be 15/20th of an icosahedron. The five roof panels have extensions on one side to form overhangs.

An assemblable, multi-component, spherical toy is disclosed which comprises an inner supporting structure consisting of a plurality of quadrilateral elements connected to one another by H-shaped couplers, and a plurality of convex quadrilateral cover plates covering the supporting structure.

The genus extender is a toy block designed to be used with a plurality of homohedral modules, either by itself or with other genus extenders, in constructing geometric models with a topological genus of two or more.

The module, following the geometry of joined truncated icosahedra, is designed to provide, when a plurality of them are joined to form a space vehicle, at least a subsistence environment for terrestrial life, including a centrifugally induced artificial gravitational field, as well as an in-orbit base...     

A changeable-configuration geometric device including four right tetrahedrons hinged together with an equilateral tetrahedron in such a manner that the various tetrahedrons may be swung relative to one another to form an infinite number of different overall configurations for the device. One configuration...     

A structural module is provided having at least three triangular prismatic elements arranged such that a similar quadrangular sidewall of each prismatic element forms a common quadrangular wall of the entire module.

A corner reflector and method of making the same by molding individual pas with a plurality of corner reflectors formed in each panel, joining the panels in a desired shape and filling the central portion of the target reflector formed thereby with a buoyant material.

A playground climber comprises one or more equally sized dodecahedron-shaped modules, two or more of which of equal size are joined together along a face of each. The modules are each made up of pieces of pipe of equal length attached together at their ends using a connector, each module having twelve...     

A separably connective flexible toy assembly comprises a plurality of generally flat elongated geometric flexible toy members each of which has at its opposite ends complementary fastener means, at least one of the members having a slit intermediate its length through which another of the members may...     

Two three-dimensional shapes are described. The shapes may be used together both for the working of space-relational puzzles and for the working of many and various tile-like designs.

A building module is formed of a first plurality of isosceles triangular members forming a roof and a second plurality of isosceles triangular members forming walls which support the roof. In one embodiment, some of the triangular members are right triangles and each of the remaining triangular members...     

A solar heater in which a water storage tank is positioned within a pyramidal enclosure of which approximately one-half of the side area is light transmissive, and the other side and base area have a reflective inner surface, whereby solar radiation passing through the light transmissive side area in...     

Foldable and portable shelter structure constructed from a rigid or semi-rigid, thin material such as cardboard, plastic, and the like, formed of a pair of hexagons, placed face-to-face and secured to each other, as by taping, along two or three of the contiguous outer edges of the hexagons. According...     

A game which can be played by two or more players wherein each player receives an individual game set having a storage box containing three groups of building blocks, the blocks of each group being of the same configuration. The cover of the storage box serves as the gameboard for that player, and includes...     

A freestanding space heating stove, presenting heat radiating flat faces of essentially equal surface, the faces being alike pentagonal plates of steel joined edge to edge forming a dodecahedron shaped hollow body wherein one of the plates provides a bottom and supporting legs extend downwardly and outwardly...     

A speaker structure comprising a tetrahedronal shell having an upper end and an equilateral triangular base with equisized triangular walls and with the margins of the adjacent walls and base being secured together and wherein one of the walls includes a pattern of port openings and these openings are...     

A shock absorbing mobile adapter is provided with four members in spaced apart relationship and six shock absorbing arms connecting each member to the other three members and forming an irregular tetrahedron.

A folding dome-like modular building structure composed of 48 flexibly interconnected equal right isosceles triangles. Each building structure is formed from a series of four flexibly connected modules of 12 triangles each. The modules are connected in alternating right and left-handed mirror image sequence....     

A greenhouse structure composed of at least five intersected ring members providing a dome-shaped configuration over which a flexible cover is fitted. A particular manner of ring member intersection is employed to make the structure self-supporting. The flexible cover is provided with an arcuate closeable...     

Disclosed is a modular structural member comprised of a plurality of modular elements. Fully assembled, the modular structural member is particularly suitable for furniture, toys, or the like. Each modular structural member has two rods. Disposed on each rod may be hollow wooden beads. The beads may...     

A solar energy collection device, the present invention provides a transparent housing formed in the shape of a pyramid, a fluid being directed through the interior of the pyramid for absorption of heat energy concentrated within the interior of said pyramid by the walls thereof.

Apparatus for use as a toy, consisting of an endless band formed of wire triangles alternately arranged and hingedly connected.

An acoustical reproducing apparatus is disclosed for high fidelity sound reproduction comprising a speaker unit in combination with a cabinet enclosure acting as a resonating chamber. The resonating chamber has a rhombic dodecahedron configuration having speaker-mounting openings located on two or more...     

A joint unit which provides a cluster of up to six ball-and-socket joints. The balls of the ball-and-socket joints are arranged as, or as part of, a substantially close-packed cluster, and a binder supports the balls in position and provides a socket for each ball. The joint unit provides multiple ball-and-socket...     

Sets of blocks, each set being a plurality of similarly shaped polyhedrons having faces of at least two different polygonal shapes. A set may consist of truncated octahedrons, of pentagonal prisms or of dodecahedrons. Magnetic or other means are provided in the faces so that matching faces may be joined...     

Structural cores in the form of open-ended polyhedrons joined together al common edges or sides are generating high industrial interest because of the great strengths they possess relative to their weights. A structural core medium of interwoven fibrous filaments coated with plastic is highly satisfactory,...     

A play building block toy set has flat plate elements of semi-elastic plastic material that interlock with pressure inserted ball socket joints. The flat plates may have various geometric shapes such as triangles, squares, etc. with each side the same length and having identical mating ball and joint...     

Apparatus for use in performance of a game or puzzle comprises a base and a set of playpieces in the form of cubes or pieces notionally composed of cubes. The base defines a number of recesses each of which is arranged to seat playpieces such that an internal diagonal of each cube is vertical. The base...     

A space enclosing structure, the underlying shape of which is a portion of a polyhedron comprised of a regular arrangement of regular pentagons, equilateral triangles, right angled parallelograms and rhombi. The structure permits the use of square or rectangular standardized prefabricated square or rectangular...     

Lightweight half-lengths of columns for truss structures that are adapted for nestable storage and transport to facilitate fabrication of large area truss structures at a remote site and particularly adaptable for space applications.

A connector for interconnecting joists which define triangular panel roof areas of a geodesic dome and comprised of a metal sleeve having a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings extending therethrough and a plurality of metal tongues secured to the adjacent ends of the joists at their junction...     

A primary geodesic type building, comprising five sub-assembly units, including an uppermost regular octagonal roof unit supported on alternate edges by four identical regular hexagonal units in quadripod fashion to form a generally hemispherical space capturing structure, spaces between the hexagonal...     

A framework for a building or other hollow object utilizing a plurality of basic building elements which are interconnected together in which each of the elements is constructed of a sheet of bendable resilient material which has a substantially flat permanent set, and each sheet is provided with three...     

A rectangular building block with surface indentations corresponding to a geometrical arrangement of rhombic dodecahedral elements. The indentations are designed to interlock closely with those of the adjoining blocks in order to provide a mortarless bond.

The aquarium is formed such that the upper extremity of the structure is positioned above its access opening. The access opening is configured such that air may not enter the upper extremity of the aquarium directly and, consequently, atmospheric pressure acting upon the liquid through the access opening...     

A modular building panel is disclosed which is suitable for arrangement with other identical panels to form the side walls for an enclosed structure. The panel includes a wall having a uniform thickness such that the wall extends from a first end having a circle quadrant configuration to a second end...     

A kit for assembling a geodesic structure is disclosed as including a plurality of polygonal panels (12) preferably of triangular shapes so as to be assembled to define a sphere (10). Each panel is of a unitary construction molded from plastic and includes a first set of male lugs (20) and a second set...     

Complementary geometric construction modules, each derived from a rectangular prism, with end faces formed obliquely to each other and to the longitudinal axis of the prism, with the two oblique faces touching each other at a point on the longitudinal edge of the prism, each module forming a hexahedron,...     

A versatile collapsible ornamental solid having a fully enclosed hollow interior is disclosed. The collapsible ornamental solid is cut from a single sheet of paper or similar material, folded and bonded, and encircled by an elastic band. Additionally, other collapsible ornamental solids having hollow...     

A solar concentrator having an open framework formed as a geodesic dome. A rotatable support axle extends substantially diametrically across the dome and has the opposite ends thereof supported on the framework. The support axle defines a first rotational axis which is oriented to extend substantially...     

A system and method of interlocking objects by the use of locking and blocking pins that longitudinally move through channels when an external directional force field is longitudinally aligned with and applied to the channels inside of which the pins are located. The channels are self-contained within...     

A flask or like device is provided which can be hung around the user's neck in a convenient manner. A bottom portion of the flask encloses a volume for containing liquid and has a neck with a screw-on cap extending upwardly from it. A top portion of the flask covers the neck and cap, and can snap into...     

Structures including buildings, furniture items or room partitions are formed by assembling panels and releasably connecting the panels together with a support system comprising collars on the corners of the panels and elastic members interconnecting these collars so as to hold the structure together...     

A puzzle comprising a set of triangular, quadrilateral, and pentagonal tiles. Apical angles are in multiples of 36 degrees, and sides are proportional to integral powers of the golden section. Regular pentagons and other patterns are assembled from the tiles.

A sonic reflector comprising three mutually perpendicular walls of sound reflective material each of a generally right triangular shape. Plural arrays of such reflectors provide acoustical panels useful in assisting performers in monitoring their own performance on stage and in delivering enhanced sound...     

Architectural structures made up of a set of trapezoids arranged in pleated relationship, interfitted with another interfitting, transverse set of polygons also arranged in pleated relationship.

A space enclosing structure, the underlying shape of which is a portion of a polyhedron comprised of a regular arrangement of regular pentagons, equilateral triangles, rhombi, right angled parallelograms and rhomboids. The structure permits the use of square and/or rectangular standardized prefabricated...     

A tension model device is disclosed which has: Three struts which cross each other at or near the center portion of each strut; and a plurality of corresponding tension strands. The strands are joined from each end of all the struts to each end of the other struts. To facilitate assembly, a removable...     

An aerodynamic toy adapted to be thrown through the air having a dish shaped body which is substantially hemispherical in shape and which has a rim integral with the body that provides balance and stability when the toy is thrown. The rim has upper and lower parallel surfaces that are substantially perpendicular...     

A substantially rectangular-shaped building block, particularly well adapted for use in a set of identical toy building blocks, having a length, to width, to thickness ratio in the nature of 3 to 2 to 1, and having each of the four corner portions identical in cross-sectional size and shape to an indentation...     

A building system formed from a plurality of building panels of triangular shape which are continuously attached on all sides to the earth or other triangular panels thereby defining a rigid panel structure of regular geometric form. Preferably, each panel is formed from two panel sections wherein each...     

Systems and methods for the disposal of industrial and municipal wastes which include placing the wastes in confining containers at a prepared, permanent storage location for potential subsequent re-utilization by industry. The system employed includes a disposal site having a liquid impermeable supporting...     

The invention comprises means of constructing insulated enclosures and structures for housing, storage, emergency shelter and vacation homes. The structural materials required comprise principally only two components, panels of plastic insulating foam and extruded plastic connectors. The panels are shaped...     

A three-dimensional, tetrahedral truss and its method of construction are provided. The truss comprises a three-dimensionally periodic skeletal array of an interconnected plurality of skeletal-tetrahedric units, the array being in the pattern of the crystallographic structure known as "cubic-diamond"...     

A three dimensional woven composite is constructed of strands of graphite composite forming a basic geometric structure comprising a combination of regular octahedron and tetrahedron prisms alternately and regularly spaced. The framework of the geometric structure has one central intersection made up...     

A composite static structure formed of interdependent subcomponents, referred to as simple tetrahypars, combined to achieve an independent structural component or tetrahypar. Each simple tetrahypar has two rigid struts spaced along and extending perpendicular to a common axis of twist and lying in planes...     

A hexagonal housing unit is erected with flat roof and side wall panels of different shapes, formed of selected desired building materials, and manufactured by production procedures. Certain of the panels may be formed of two pieces or sections. There are several sizes of certain panels to accommodate...     

An antenna apparatus for use in space which is foldable into a small package for storage in a space vehicle. The antenna apparatus utilizes a plurality of hinged members and diagonal tapes forming parallelogram frames, two opposite sides of which are hinged at the center to fold the frames in a given...     

A construction kit for forming a variety of curvilinear faced polyhedrons all surfaces of which are arcuate and clusters of such polyhedrons from one or more of a variety of planar foldable polygonal components derived from arcuate lobed equilateral triangles, squares, rhombuses, pentagons and hexagons.

A hand-manipulatable three-dimensional puzzle includes a body in the shape of an octahedron and constituted of a plurality of elements interconnected together to permit rotation of one-half of the body with respect to the other half along each of three orthogonal planes symmetrically passing through...     

A family of modular construction units, formed from a plurality of curved surfaces, which may be interconnected with others of like shape to form a structure defining a volume of space.

A construction block having a base, at least one top surface which slopes toward and intersects the base and at least two sides characterized by: at least one right angle corner of finite thickness defined by the intersection of the two sides; two diametrically opposite corners of equal height each of...     

A solar ray collection apparatus includes a capsule and a solar ray collector housed in the capsule. The solar ray collector is controlled to chase the sun in response to an output of a photodetector which may be located inside or outside the capsule. The capsule comprises a number of interconnected...     

A dome structure wherein all of the junctures of surface struts or plates follow a design based on a modified helix formula.

An effective headache-curing medical device is provided so that the patient need not ingest chemicals contained in headache pills. The medical device has pivotable jaws with a triangular head and a curved seat. In order to cure the patient's headache, the triangular head is pressed against the back of...     

This invention relates to a tridimensional structural element which can be composed with similar elements or with other components to obtain constructions, and particularly coverings having low weight and high resistance. In order to obtain the highest possible static resistance, the best working conditions...     

The invention relates to a tetrahedral beam that can be compactly stowed, sequentially deployed, and widely manipulated to provide a structurally sound yet highly maneuverable truss structure. The present beam is comprised of a plurality of repeating units comprised of tandem tetrahedra sharing common...     

Modular constructions and connector assemblies therefore. The modular construction comprises a plurality of spode units with elongated key members extending between the spode units and interconnected to form a modular framework. Adapter collars and retaining collars are employed to connect the key members...     

A flat keyway joint member having a multiplicity of sides, each side having a keyway slot for receiving an arcuately disposed elongated key. A predetermined number of joint members and key members are connected together for the assembly of a particularly designed member resulting in a structure completely...     

An amusement device comprises a solid cube which may be disassembled into a plurality of blocks of differing geometric shapes wherein each of the geometric shapes is formed from one or more modular units. Each modular unit comprises an isosceles right triangular prism having a triangular face formed...     

A connector plate for erecting structures of varied configurations. The plate comprises a main body having connections formed thereon by which the ends of six different struts can be connected together in a particular manner to form a cluster, with the number of strut ends of a cluster depending upon...     

A movable block geometrical puzzle having eight core pieces and having rotatable pyramid pieces connected to plane surfaces formed by surfaces of at least two of the core pieces. The block puzzle employs the 2.times.2.times.2 configuration for the core blocks and exhibits the same movements of the 2.times.2.times.2...     

A reinforcing triangular container for a box enclosure. The container comprises a four sided hollow triangular enclosure formed of rigid material and defining six straight edges and four side walls. Securable opening means is provided for access to the interior of the triangular enclosure of positioning...     

A star dome structure having a rib vault formed from prefabricated panels. The structure includes a base, a four-sided star dome, four pentatives, and four column panels. One of four heptagonal panels formed from prefabricated triangular panels is disposed in each space formed by the dome, pentatives,...     

Self-Assemble revolving globe using paper board materials in the making.

A plurality of modules (66) are connected together to define a multi-story annular building (10) of honeycomb cells (C). The cells (C) of the building are hexagonal in cross section and taper horizontally as they extend radially inwardly. A turntable/elevator (36) is located in a shaft opening at or...     

An underwater storage structure comprising an internally segmented tetrahedron and/or hexahedron, said self supporting structure having a fluid impermeable covering and an internally segmented skeleton. The structure can be subdivided internally by fluid impermeable coverings allowing ballast, such as...     

An educational toy and method for demonstrating characteristics of a latticework of spacepoints including demonstrating (a) the commonality of latticework between tetrahedron configuration latticework and octahedron configuration latticework, (b) that octahedron latticework merges with tetrahedron latticework,...     

A plurality of beams or triangular plates members and beam members form a tetrahedral unit. These units are coupled at their common planes to adjacent facing units to form a foldable, extendible truss beam. Some of the beams are extendible or bendable. By extending or bending, each beam or plate member...     

A building structure is formed using four by eight foot plywood panels as raw material because of their ready availability. Hexagonal pyramids are formed by first cutting a panel diagonally to form two right triangles. These two right triangles are joined to form a triangular section having a height...     

Integral, elongated panels have sets of flanges arranged on lines which define folded, transversely triangular elements. These elements extend laterally across the panel, and are dimensioned such that a pair of adjacent parallel side edges of two corresponding panels can mate. The flanges preferably...     

High quality single or multiple channel sound dispersal is obtained through the arrangement of a plurality of similar speakers divergently mounted in an airtight frame with integral horns formed therein such that the central axis of each speaker is coaxial with a line normal to and projected from the...