WO1996032994A1

WO1996032994A1 - Puzzle

Info

Publication number: WO1996032994A1
Application number: PCT/GB1996/000932
Authority: WO
Inventors: Arthur Douglas Syrett; Arthur Charles Syrett
Original assignee: Arthur Douglas Syrett; Arthur Charles Syrett
Priority date: 1995-04-18
Filing date: 1996-04-18
Publication date: 1996-10-24

Abstract

A puzzle of the kind in which a plurality of pieces assembles to form a panel which overlies a back board with means - for example, magnetic means - provided to cause the pieces to stick to the cooperating surface of the back board; characterised by the features firstly that the cooperating surface of the back board bears a pictorial display and secondly that the panel, when completed and when correctly positioned in its intended relative overlying relationship with the back board periphery deliberately obliterates at least a portion of that pictorial display.

Description

PUZZLE

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to games, particularly though not exclusively, to educational puzzles.

Prior Art Known to the Applicant

Of the wealth of board games and puzzles that currently fill the shelves of toy shops around the world, many are educational games or puzzles.

The educational toy market is generally considered to be quite lucrative as most parents perceive that their offspring will be at an educational advantage if they are encouraged to play with such toys. Many such games exist and are sold under very famous trade names around the world, for example, CHESS, SCRABBLE and TRIVIAL PURSUIT to name but a few. In terms of puzzles and puzzle type games, the specific educational market in this area is far smaller. Nevertheless, educational puzzle type games do exist one example of which that is sold under the trade name TANGRAMS concerns one's ability to replicate images made up from seven alternately shaped tiles given the tiles and only the completed image.

Many of these games and puzzles are specifically targeted at certain age groups and one often sees on the outside of the box containing the game or puzzle, the words "not suitable for children under the age of " or alternatively "suitable from the age of..... to adult". This is usually because many of the educational games or puzzles are deemed to be conceptually too difficult to understand, let alone master for certain age groups. The decision to exclude certain age groups is not arbitrary. It has long been recognised that a child's cognitive development goes through a number of predetermined stages. The child psychologist Piaget, although probably not the first person to recognise this phenomenon was however, the first to look at these stages in a scientific manner. Although his work has largely been superseded by others, most notably Donaldson, the concept of recognised stages in a child's cognitive development is now well established and one of the reasons for these apparently arbitrary age ranges appearing on the boxes of educational games and puzzles, especially those relating to spatial awareness.

This problem of certain types of educational game or puzzle being beyond the grasp of certain age ranges is recognised but is extremely difficult to overcome. For example, in order to make the game of chess more accessible and more readily understood by younger children, a simplified version of the game would need to be developed. If this were to happen, it would no longer be the game of chess.

However, this type of problem is more readily alleviated if the educational toy is a puzzle. This is because it is a relatively simple task to make a puzzle more accessible and more readily understood by a younger age range by simply ensuring that alternative versions of the puzzle are more easily put together by, for example, the use of a smaller number of overall pieces. Although the number of pieces have been reduced it is ostensibly, the same puzzle.

However, this creates its own problem insofar as, once a child has seen how to "do it once" the puzzle itself is no longer a "puzzle" and the child will rapidly lose interest with this form of educational toy.

Furthermore, very few educational puzzles have been developed for partially sighted or blind children. Puzzles themselves are usually solved through the use of sight rather than through the use of any of our other senses. As such, this has been a particularly neglected area as far as educational puzzles are concerned.

Moreover, very few educational puzzles have been designed to meet the needs of colour blind children as a large number of educational type puzzles revolve around colour matching of puzzle pieces.

In addition, many educational puzzles comprise a plurality of very small pieces that need to be fitted together in one particular configuration and as such require a great deal of manual dexterity. Few puzzles of this type can be used by mentally or physically handicapped children at all.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an educational puzzle that tends to alleviate the problems associated with such educational puzzles as just described hereinabove.

Summary of the Invention

According to the invention in its broadest aspect, there is provided a puzzle, of the kind in which a plurality of pieces assemble to form a panel which overlies a back board with means - for example, magnetic means - provided to cause the pieces to stick to the cooperating surface of the back board; characterised by the features firstly that the cooperating surface of the back board bears a pictorial display and secondly that the panel, when completed and when correctly positioned in its intended relative overlying relationship with the back board periphery deliberately obliterates at least a portion of that pictorial display.

Preferably the means to cause the pieces to stick to the display are ferromagnetic means.

Alternatively, the means to cause the pieces to stick to the display are chemical adhesive means.

More preferably still, the means to cause the pieces to stick to the display are "one-shot" (ie, non-reusable) means.

Preferably, the means to cause the pieces to stick to the display comprise complementary cooperating touch-and-close fastening means of the VELCRO ™ kind - wherein the term VELCRO ™ is a registered trade mark denoting one type of touch-and-close fastening means.

More preferably still, the cooperating surface of the back board exhibits a border which, when the pieces are assembled, bounds the edges of the panel.

More preferably still, the border edges are bevelled.

Optionally, the panel, when assembled, exhibits its own pictorial display.

Preferably, the puzzle when completed is essentially two-dimensional.

The invention also includes within its scope a puzzle substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in any appropriate selection or combination of Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention viewed from the top and illustrates a completed panel fitted to a back board incorporating a border.

Figure 2 illustrates the back board and border as illustrated in Figure 1 without the pieces fitted on the back board.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the back board as illustrated in Figure 2.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Throughout this specification, the use of the word "integral" is intended to cover not only something which is formed from the outset as one single-entity component but also anything which, whilst being assembled from a plurality of initially disparately-produced integers, ends up as one overall and normally non-dismantable structure.

Throughout this specification the use of the word "panel" is intended to cover not only a single continuous appropriately sized and shaped sheet of material assembled from pieces but also any apertured appropriately sized and shaped sheet of material assembled from pieces.

Throughout this specification the use of the words "pictorial display" is intended to cover a word or words, pictures, designs, logo's, or indeed any form of two-dimensional artistic work as defined by the United Kingdom

Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and the definition of pictorial display also covers any appropriate selection or combination of the defined terms described hereinabove. Furthermore, the phrase "pictorial display" is intended to mean something other than solely a guide showing how the pieces assemble.

The present embodiments described herein represent currently the best ways known to the applicant of putting the invention into practice. They are not the only ways in which this could be achieved, and are described by way of example only.

Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the current invention generally referenced 10. There is shown a back board 12 with four border sections integral with the back board 12 and joined at the corners 11 to form a substantially continuous peripheral border 14 for the back board 12. Figure 1 also illustrates a plurality of pieces generally referenced 13 that are assembled to form a panel generally referenced 16 that overlies the back board 12.

The back board 12 is of laminate integral construction, there being a metallic plate susceptible to ferromagnetic attraction sandwiched between two sheets of plastics material. In this particular embodiment, each respective sheet of plastics material (that acts as the cooperating surface for receiving the pieces generally referenced 13) incorporates a pictorial display 17, one of which is seen more clearly in Figure 2 which shows the back board 12 without the pieces generally referenced 13.

The border 14 is also formed from plastics material. The plastics material used to form the border 14 may or may not be the same as the plastics material that forms part of the laminate construction of the back board 12. The border 14 in this particular embodiment comprises four separate continuous border sections that are substantially "C shaped when viewed in cross section through one plane and each respective border section is so sized and shaped as to mate/slot with/over each respective edge of the back board

12 in a sliding friction fit type arrangement. To maintain the border 14 in place with the back board 12 permanently, in this particular embodiment, the use of an adhesive that will bond the plastics material of the border 14 to the plastics material of the back board 12 is used. The edges 11 of each respective border section are so shaped that when each of these respective border sections is fitted onto the back board 12 to form the integral border 14, each respective edge 11 of each respective border section is in substantially contiguous relationship with one other edge 11 from a different border section to form a substantially continuous integral border 14 that substantially surrounds the back board 12. In this particular embodiment, the glass transition temperature of the plastics material used to form the border 14 is lower than the glass transition temperature of the plastics material used to form part of the laminate that is the back board 12. This is because, the pictorial display on the back board, needs to be scratch and marr resistant and as such, a suitable plastics material needs to be used in the fabrication of the laminate construction of the back board 12. The plastics materials from which these marr resistant surfaces can be constructed can be selected without further inventive thought by the intended skilled addressee of this specification. The methods of manufacturing these marr resistant surfaces will similarly present no problem to the skilled addressee and need not be discussed here.

The plurality of pieces generally referenced 13 that when assembled correctly to form the completed panel 16 each comprise, in this particular embodiment, irregularly shaped triangles and quadrilaterals, as can clearly be seen in Figure 1. The panel 16 prior to being cut to form the pieces generally referenced 13 is also of laminate construction and comprises a continuous magnetic sheet that is bonded to a similar sized and shaped sheet of plastics material to form an integral panel 16 of laminate construction. The panel is then cut to form pieces generally referenced 13 and the object of the puzzle is to reform the panel 16 from the pieces generally referenced 13 on the back board 12 and within the confines of the border 14. The panel when completed and correctly positioned in its intended relative overlying relationship with the back board 12 periphery, deliberately obliterates at least a portion of the pictorial display 17 that is to be found on the back board 12. In this particular embodiment, and as can clearly be seen in Figures 1 and 2, the pictorial display 17 is completely obliterated by the reformed panel 16. In this particular embodiment, the panel 16 when reformed from the pieces generally referenced 13, is substantially the same size and shape as the internal area of the back board 12 defined by the inner edges of the border 14 and as such the reformed panel 16 substantially bounds the edges of the border 14.

Furthermore, Figure 3 clearly illustrates the fact that each respective internal edge 15 of each respective border section that makes up the border 14 is raised and substantially orthogonal to the plane of the back board 12. In this particular embodiment, the thickness of each respective piece generally referenced 13 is substantially constant and as a result, the reformed panel 16 is substantially flat, in other words it is "two dimensional". Additionally, in this particular embodiment, the thickness of the reformed panel 16 is relatively thicker than the internal edge 15 thickness of the border and as such, the plane of the assembled panel 16 on the back board 12 is not flush with the plane of the border 14.

In alternative embodiments (not illustrated), the back board 12 could still comprise a laminate construction of the type described hereinabove but in this alternative embodiment, the metallic sheet could comprise a ferromagnetic sheet. In this particular alternative embodiment, the pieces generally referenced 13 instead of having a surface that comprises a ferromagnetic material, could simply be a sheet of metallic material that will be "attracted" by the magnet that forms part of the laminate construction of the back board 12.

In yet a further alternative embodiment (not illustrated) the means to cause the pieces generally referenced 13 to stick to the pictorial display 17 of the back board 12 need not necessarily be ferromagnetic means. One could envisage for example, chemical adhesive means. In other words, the back board could be adapted to receive the pieces generally referenced 13 if one surface of each respective playing piece was coated with a chemical adhesive designed to cooperate and adhere to the surface of the back board.

In yet a further alternative embodiment (not illustrated) it is envisaged that either at least one surface of the pieces generally referenced 13, or at least one surface of the back board 12, is provided with a chemical adhesive that is "one shot" (ie, non-reusable). In other words, once a piece generally referenced 13 has been placed onto the back board 12, it either cannot be ordinarily removed from the back board 12, or if it can be removed, it corrupts the adhesive surface of the back board 12, that accommodated that particular piece generally referenced 13 to such an extent, that that particular area of the back board 12 can no longer be used to "stick" other pieces generally referenced 13 to it.

In yet another alternative embodiment (not illustrated), the means to cause the pieces generally referenced 13 to stick to the back board 12 could be complimentary cooperating touch-and-close fastening means of the VELCRO ™ kind (VELCRO ™ being a registered trade mark for one type of touch-and-close fastening means).

In yet a further alternative embodiment (not illustrated) the means to cause the pieces generally referenced 13 to stick to the back board 12 need not necessarily comprise, for example, ferromagnetic means that cover the entirety of one surface of for example, the playing pieces generally referenced 13. It may be cheaper in alternative embodiments to produce playing pieces generally referenced 13 with for example ferromagnetic means that do not entirely cover one surface of each respective playing piece (generally referenced 13). Obviously, this partial coverage of either the playing pieces or the back board 12 of the means required to cause one to stick to the other can apply to all of the embodiments as just described hereinabove. Furthermore, in yet other alternative embodiments (not illustrated), combinations of ferromagnetic chemical adhesive and touch-and- close fastening means could be used.

The embodiment illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 essentially show a "two dimensional" back board 12. In alternative embodiments (not illustrated), the back board 12 could be three dimensional, for example, the back board

12 could be cuboid, a trapezium, an octagon, a truncated pyramid, or a pyramid. In these alternative embodiments not illustrated, each face of the back board 12 would incorporate a border 14 as well. The means of incorporating a border 14 are known to the person skilled in the art and will not be discussed further in this specification.

In further alternative embodiments (not illustrated), no border 14 need be present.

Moreover, further alternative embodiments (not illustrated), need not necessarily have a continuous border 14. Furthermore, alternative embodiments (not illustrated) could incorporate a bevelled border 14. This would be particularly advantageous if the completed panel was similar in size and shape to the exposed area of the back board given the confines of the internal area mapped out by the border 14. Such a bevelled surface would aid the assembly of pieces generally referenced 13 to the back board 12 to form the completed panel 16.

The embodiment illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 show a substantially square, two dimensional arrangement for the puzzle 10. Obviously in alternative embodiments (not illustrated), the puzzle 10 in its "two dimensional" form could be any particular shape and need not necessarily be restricted to straight edged shapes such as squares, triangles and oblongs. It could quite easily be envisaged that this substantially two dimensional form of the puzzle 10 could be circular, oval or combinations of both straight edges and curves.

In an alternative embodiment (not illustrated) the pictorial display 17 could occur on both sides of the back board 12 as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, furthermore an alternative pictorial display 17, that need not necessarily be the same pictorial display that occurs on the back board 12, could appear on the pieces generally referenced 13 that when completed to form the panel 16 make up a recognised pictorial display.

For the avoidance of doubt, in alternative embodiments (not illustrated), the completed panel 16 could be apertured to show a portion of the pictorial display that was present on the back board 12.

In yet a further alternative embodiment (not illustrated), the plane of the assembled panel 16 once in place on the back board 12, is substantially flush with the plane of the border 14. Additionally, in yet another alternative embodiment (not illustrated) the assembled panel 16 need not necessarily be "two dimensional". It is envisaged that the assembled panel could in fact be

"three dimensional", for example, the assembled panel could comprise a stepped structure or a curved structure or combinations of both. Of the embodiments thus far described, each respective piece generally referenced 13 has a flat edge profile, in other words, the plane that comprises the thickness of each respective piece is orthogonal to the plane of the back board 12 that the piece generally referenced 13 is stuck to. In alternative embodiments (not illustrated) it is envisaged that the thickness of the pieces generally referenced 13 could be profiled to form complementary male and female connectable pieces leading to a completed panel 16. This would add a further level of complexity to the puzzle. In yet further alternative embodiments (not illustrated) the pieces generally referenced 13 comprise at least one lug or socket so that they can be fitted together in a manner similar to a conventional jigsaw.

Claims

1. A puzzle of the kind in which a plurality of pieces assemble to form a panel which overlies a back board with means - for example, magnetic means - provided to cause the pieces to stick to the cooperating surface of the back board; characterised by the features firstly that the cooperating surface of the back board bears a pictorial display and secondly that the panel, when completed and when correctly positioned in its intended relative overlying relationship with the back board periphery deliberately obliterates at least a portion of that pictorial display.

2. A puzzle as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the means to cause the pieces to stick to the display are ferromagnetic means.

3. A puzzle as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the means to cause the pieces to stick to the display are chemical adhesive means.

4. A puzzle as claimed in claim 3 characterised in that the means to cause the pieces to stick to the display are "one-shot" (ie, non- reusable) means.

5. A puzzle as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the means to cause the pieces to stick to the display comprise complementary cooperating touch-and-close fastening means of the VELCRO ^ kind - wherein the term VELCRO *^ is a registered trade mark denoting one type of touch-and-close fastening means.

6. A puzzle as claimed in any of the preceding claims characterised in that the cooperating surface of the back board exhibits a border which, when the pieces are assembled bounds the edges of the panel.

7. A puzzle as claimed in any of the preceding claims characterised in that the border edges are bevelled.

8. A puzzle as claimed in any of the preceding claims characterised in that the panel when assembled, exhibits its own pictorial display.

9. A puzzle as claimed in any of the preceding claims characterised in that the puzzle, when completed is essential two dimensional.

10. A puzzle substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the appropriate selection or combination of Figures 1 to 3.