A link with three components
This diagram represents a three component knot, that has the same "shadow" of the Borromean rings. Indeed, it is a very different knot: each circumpherence can be untied from the other two, so it is a trivial three components link. In this poster of the exhibition matemilano you can find similar examples. See also the interactive animation Borromean and non-Borromean rings to better realize the difference.
The image has been realized with the program KnotPlot.
© matematita
The image belongs to the sections...:
Images from the topology section (From the exhibitions of matematita)
Three or more components knots (Topology)
Further information:
http://www.pims.math.ca/knotplot/