Hungarian Globe and Equator Ball, made circa 1982.
(metal covered plastic, 3 inches)


IQ Ball, circa 2000.
(plastic, 3 inches)

Three rings of 12 squares each (going around each of the three dimensions) can be rotated. The goal is to mix up the puzzle and then restore the original pattern, or in the case of the IQ Ball, the directions that were sold with it give different challenges. A number of 1980's and 1990's patents describe mechanisms for this puzzle, including the patent of R. Destics which describes a generalized mechanism (used by the Mozaika Puzzle) that can also twist along the equator, and the Magic Sphere puzzle allows faces to rotate. Jaap's Page presents a solution.

Further Reading
Jaap's Page, from: http://www.jaapsch.net/puzzles/equator.htm
Molnar GB Patent, from: www.epo.org - patent no. GB2088728
Green Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 4,452,454
Green Second Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 5,074,562
Liu Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 5,114,148
Destics Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 5,566,941
Maxim Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 6,186,504