Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • A63F9/00—Games not otherwise provided for
  • A63F9/06—Patience; Other games for self-amusement
  • A63F9/10—Two-dimensional [2D] jig-saw puzzles

Definitions

• the conventional jig-saw puzzle consists of a picture borne on one flat surface of a sheet material such as card ⁇ board which has been cut, usually with a die in commercial "jig-saw” puzzles, into numerous differently shaped pieces which can only be fitted together in one way to reproduce the picture.
• the person or persons working the puzzle that is, trying to- reconstruct the original picture from the separated pieces, use shape, color, etc. "clues" to determine correct fit.
• the present invention takes the jig-saw puzzle in a different direction by providing a picture on a sheet of material such as cardboard, which is cut into a plurality of identically sized and shaped interlocking jig-saw elements. This results in an increase in difficulty and greater chal ⁇ lenge to those who work it as many pieces can fit in different arrays. Consequently, an equally difficult jig-saw puzzle
• a second feature of the present invention would include having the individual pieces be complex edge outline tessel- ation pieces in the shape of definite animals or characters and bear indicia thereof so that they could, when turned that side up, be used in the manner of a ShmuzzlesTM tessel- ation toy.
• a third feature of the invention would be to have the picture include picture sub-units that could be translated and "correctly" assembled in different positions in the field of the picture. For example, a picture of a, room having a picture sub-unit of a chair or window which could be placed in different field positions. This yields a jig-saw puzzle with a number of different solutions.
• Figure 1 is a plan view of a partially worked jig-saw puzzle made in accordance with the principles of the present invention
• Figure 2 is a plan view of another jig-saw puzzle made in accordance with the principles of the present inven ⁇ tion and constituting a second embodiment of the invention
• Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, of the same embodiment of the invention, but with sub-units of the picture and puzzle elements in different positions;
• Figures 4, 5, and 6 are each plan views of a third embodiment in a worked configuration, wherein different solutions of the same puzzle are illustrated;
• Figures 7 and 8 are plan views of a third and fourth puzzle constructed in accordance with the present invention.
• Figure 9 is a plan view of the idfferent puzzles of Figures 7 and 8 united together in a single puzzle and - illustrating a feature of the present invention. Detailed Description of the Invention
• the puzzle 10 is constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and comprises a plurality of identi ⁇ cally sized and shaped flat puzzle elements designated 12A, 12B, etc. On one side of these puzzle elements 12A, 12B, etc. are printed portions of a picture, 14, in this case a portrait of an individual. Each of these elements 12A, etc., are complex edge outline tesselation elements which interlock with one another in an array. The aforementioned Savage application may be consulted for a general method for deriving such shapes. In this particular embodiment of Figure 1, the field of the picture 14 is within the outline of the tesselation array of only 18 elements for ease of illustration.
• the top border 16 and side borders 18 and 20 are. on the surfaces of the elements.
• any number of elements may be used and the elements may them ⁇ selves form the border by having the picture printed over their entire surface. This would be especially desirable in a puzzle wherein a larger number of elements is employed.
• the opposite side of the elements 12 of Figure 1 are imprinted with indicia conforming to their lizard shape as illustrated by the inverted elements 12G, 12H, and 121 which are illustrated interlocking together. This allows this jig ⁇ saw puzzle to be used as either a jig-saw puzzle or as a tesselation toy in the manner explained in the aforementioned Savage application.
• a second embodiment of the invention a jig-saw puzzle 10A, is illustrated with more elements of pieces 12.
• the picture 114 (which is for ease of illustration simplified) includes a number of picture sub-units 14A, 14B, I4C, 14D, 14E, and 14F which because of the unique "single shape" element construction may be translated to other portions of the picture field and yet a complete worked puzzle still results.
• a second working of the puzzle 114 of Figure 2 is illustrated wherein the picture sub-units 14B and 14D have been translated as well as the picture sub-units 14A and 14F. That is, the elements 12 bearing the picture sub- units have been removed from the position in the array as shown in Figure 2 and replaced in other positions as shown in Figure 3.
• FIG. 4 a third embodiment of the puzzle designated 214 is there illustrated wherein the marginal pieces or elements 12 are cut off to form a border 24 and also to yield a number of small, more conven ⁇ tionally shaped jig-saw puzzle pieces.
• Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate that despite this change in construction, picture sub-units such as 14D and 14B can be moved or trans ⁇ lated ( Figure 4 to Figure 5) . Note that flower pot picture sub-unit 14B is not simply replacing the chair sub-unit
• FIG. 7 there is depicted another puzzle designated 314 which is made up of a plurality of identically shaped and sized tesselation elements such as 12.
• the puzzle 314 is shown "worked,” that is with a scene or picture 300 correctly made out of the puzzle elements 12.
• a puzzle 414 similar in size and made up of the same sized and shaped elements 12' as those used in Figure 7 is shown. This puzzle is also shown worked, with a different scene or picture 302.
• a puzzle 714 is there shown which is made up of the two puzzles 313 and 404 joined together to form a composite mural 602. That is, the scene 300 of the Figure 7 puzzle and the scene 302 of the Figure 8 puzzle are scenes of the mural 602.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Toys (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=21804890

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Families Citing this family (10)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 1980
  • 1980-03-17 JP JP50072080A patent/JPS56500124A/ja active Pending
  • 1980-03-17 WO PCT/US1980/000294 patent/WO1980001990A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 1980-03-17 CA CA000347815A patent/CA1142193A/fr not_active Expired
  • 1980-03-19 AU AU56599/80A patent/AU5659980A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1980-10-08 EP EP19800900630 patent/EP0025453A4/fr not_active Withdrawn

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