Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
  • A63H33/00—Other toys
  • A63H33/04—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts
  • A63H33/044—Buildings
• • 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
  • A63F9/12—Three-dimensional [3D] jig-saw puzzles
• • 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
  • A63F9/12—Three-dimensional [3D] jig-saw puzzles
  • A63F2009/1244—Three-dimensional [3D] jig-saw puzzles with foldable pieces, e.g. pieces having folds or hinges
• • 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
  • A63F9/12—Three-dimensional [3D] jig-saw puzzles
  • A63F2009/1248—Three-dimensional [3D] jig-saw puzzles with a final configuration representing a house or other building
• • 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
  • A63F2250/00—Miscellaneous game characteristics
  • A63F2250/18—Use of resilient or deformable elements
  • A63F2250/183—Foam
• • 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
  • A63F2250/00—Miscellaneous game characteristics
  • A63F2250/28—Miscellaneous game characteristics with a two-dimensional real image
  • A63F2250/285—Photographs
• • 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
  • A63F2250/00—Miscellaneous game characteristics
  • A63F2250/50—Construction set or kit
  • A63F2250/505—Construction set or kit made from a blank
• • 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
  • A63F9/08—Puzzles provided with elements movable in relation, i.e. movably connected, to each other
  • A63F9/088—Puzzles with elements that are connected by straps, strings or hinges, e.g. Rubik's Magic
• • 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 present invention relates to amusement devices, more particularly to a puzzle game consisting of a multitude of irregularly shaped pieces that are fitted together to form a three-dimensional pictorial representation of a building-like structure.
• a puzzle game is a well-known amusement device that tests the ingenuity and patience of the player.
• the player is required to correctly fit together a collection of small planar pieces. Each piece has an image-bearing surface constituting an individual pictorial entity. When the various pieces of the puzzle are correctly combined, the pictorial entities visually unite to form a large complete image.
• These types of puzzle games have a bi-dimensional character because all the pieces are interlocked in a coplanar relationship and the resulting assemblage is flat.
• puzzle games providing a three-dimensional pictorial representation of a building-like structure.
• Such puzzle games include wall pieces that are interlocked in a planar configuration through dovetail joints to form the walls of the building.
• the walls are joined to one another at the corners of the building by straight tenon and mortise joints that allow the wall pieces on either side of a corner to be united at right angle.
• the building walls are erected and stand on a horizontal base that is assembled from a plurality of interlocked base pieces.
• the pieces of three-dimensional puzzle games are usually manufactured from polymeric foam backing having the density and thickness dimension required for bearing the weight of the building-like structure.
• the foam backing is laminated with lithographic film providing each puzzle piece with an image-bearing surface.
• a critical element of a three-dimensional puzzle game is the ability of the planar pieces to unite at in a non-planar configuration to form corners.
• Prior art designs rely on the frictional engagement between a straight tenon and a conforming mortise to interlock the pieces into a corner configuration and prevent unwanted separation that may cause the erected puzzle structure to collapse.
• the puzzle pieces are fresh the dimensional tolerances are close to nominal values which makes possible to attain a comparatively tight fit at the corner joints. Accordingly, the level of frictional engagement tenon/mortise is high enough to prevent unintended corner joints separation.
• the fit tenon/mortise may loosen as a result of successive assembly/disassembly of the puzzle parts, or changes in the polymeric foam due to aging. Consequently, the puzzle structure is no longer structurally sound and may partially or totally collapse when subjected a small accidental impact.
• EP-A-0 531 662 relates to a three-dimensional puzzle game assembled from puzzle pieces which are flat planar blocks, wherein, for interlocking puzzle walls that are transverse to one another, complementary tenon and mortise joints are provided edgewisely of the corner blocks for frictional interlocking.
• US-A-4824112 reveals a three-dimensional puzzle game with corner members each constituted by two corner pieces each comprising a backing and an image-bearing layer.
• the two corner pieces are assembled in a non planar angular relationship by adhesive such that the image-bearing layers of the two pieces are contiguous at the corner edge.
• An object of the present invention is a new corner element for use in a three-dimensional puzzle game.
• Another object of the invention is an improved puzzle game utilizing the aforementioned corner element.
• corner means the region of the angle formed between two non co-planar surfaces that may be at right angle or at any other non-planar angular relationship
• element of a puzzle that constitutes a three-dimensional pictorial representation of a building-like(for the purpose of this specification "building” is intended to encompass the constructed edifice as well as the immediate surroundings such as the garden, fences and monuments, among others) structure
• said corner element comprising:
• the peripheral edges of the corner element are provided with one or more joint members capable of interlocking engagement with complementary joint members of the wall pieces of the puzzle in order to unite the corner element to the planar walls of the building-like structure.
• the joint members have a male/female configuration.
• the corner element preclude the first and second backing members from acquiring their original planar relationship.
• the invention as claimed also provides a blank(for the purpose of this specification "blank” means a semifinished product that the user must alter in order to provide a functional corner element)of a corner element for use in a puzzle that constitutes a three-dimensional pictorial representation of a building structure, said blank comprising:
• the blank is manufactured by laminating a sheet of backing material, such as polymeric foam to a layer of lithographic film providing the image-bearing surface of the corner element.
• the backing material is die-cut at controlled depth to form the first and second backing members in a spaced apart relationship, with a waste strip therebetween.
• the die-cutting operation is performed without affecting the integrity of the lithographic film.
• the user Prior to assembling the puzzle pieces, the user is required to peel off the waste strip in order to form the hinge area between the first and second backing members, so the corner element can be folded.
• the invention also provides a puzzle game for assembly into a three-dimensional building-like structure including:
• the invention as claimed also provides a puzzle game for assembly into a three-dimensional building- like structure including:
• the present invention provides a corner element for use in a puzzle game that is a three-dimensional pictorial representation of a building-like structure.
• a puzzle game that is a three-dimensional pictorial representation of a building-like structure.
• An example of such puzzle game is shown in Figure 1. When fully assembled the puzzle game presents the three-dimensional image of a house.
• the puzzle game 10 includes two main parts, namely a constructed edifice 12 (shown in the partially assembled condition) and a horizontal base 14 supporting the edifice.
• the base 14 is made up of a plurality of base pieces 14a, 14b, 14c etc., capable of interlocking in a plane.
• the interlocking engagement is achieved by fitting the base pieces together by a dovetail-type joints that feature a flaring tenon fitting into a conforming mortise.
• the edifice construction 12 is made from a plurality of wall pieces 12a, 12b, 12c, etc., fitted together with dovetail-type joints to form walls.
• the present invention provides a corner element 16 suitable as a transition piece between adjacent vertical walls of the edifice construction 12.
• the corner element 16 includes a plurality of panels that assume a non-planar angular relationship and interlock with wall pieces forming adjacent perpendicular walls of the edifice construction 12. More particularly, the corner element 16 comprises a set of discrete backing members 18, 20, 22 and 24 in the form of planar blocks of relatively rigid polymeric foam-like material that is approximately 6 millimetre (about 1 ⁇ 4 of an inch) thick.
• the polymeric foam should possess a sufficient rigidity and density in order to adequately bear the weight of the constructed edifice 12.
• the backing members 18, 20, 22 and 24 are bonded in a face-to-face relationship to a lithographic film 26 constituting an image-bearing surface of the corner element 16.
• the image bearing surface is a pictorial entity that cooperates visually with the image bearing surfaces of adjoining puzzle pieces to construct the image of the external surface of the house 12 or any other building-like structure represented by the puzzle game.
• the lithographic film bears the image of a brick wall.
• the lithographic film 26 also provides a hinge function by locally bending when the backing members 18, 20, 22 and 24 move angularly one relative to the other.
• the flexibility characteristics of such material become an important factor so that the lithographic film 26 can adequately perform the function of a hinge without prematurely cracking or tearing.
• the peripheral edge portions 28 and 30 of the backing elements 18 and 20 are in a spaced apart relationship defining therebetween a linear hinge area.
• the hinge area enables the backing elements 18 and 20 to pivot about an axis 32(shown with dashed lines) as a result of a folding movement of the lithographic film 26 at the hinge area, in order to assume a corner configuration.
• the contours of the peripheral edge portions 28 and 30 define a series of complementary straight tenon and mortise joint members 32 and 34. When the backing members 18 and 20 gradually pivot about hinge line 32, the tenon and mortise joint members 30 and 32 progressively interpenetrate one another until full engagement which is achieved when the backing members 18 and 20 are orthogonal.
• the backing elements 22 and 24 have a special function. They serve the purpose of locking the corner element 16 in the folded condition and preclude the main backing elements 18 and 20 from acquiring their original planar relationship.
• the backing elements 22 and 24 are vertically spaced from backing elements 18 and 20 to provide sufficient clearance allowing the backing elements 22 and 24 to pivot about a horizontal hinge line 36 by folding movement of the lithographic film 26.
• Peripheral edge interlocking between the main backing members 18 and 20, and the backing members 22 and 24 is achieved by a set of straight tenon and mortise joint members 38 and 40, similar to joint members 32 and 34.
• the backing members 22 and 24 are capable of interlocking engagement in a co-planar relationship by virtue of a flared tenon 42 and a conforming mortise 44.
• the process for assembling the corner element 16 consists of pivoting the main backing members 18 and 20 about hinge line 32 in order to bring the mating edges of the backing elements 22 and 24 in adjacency.
• the flared tenon 42 is then inserted in the tapered mortise 44.
• the backing members 22 and 24 are in a co-planar engagement.
• the backing members are orthogonal to one another with the tenon and mortise joint members 32 and 43 fully engaged.
• the backing members 22 and 24 lay at right angle to main backing members 18 and 20 and the tenon and mortise joint members 38 and 40 are interlocked.
• the periphery of the backing members 18 and 20 are provided with the appropriate number of male and/or female joint members 46. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the exact number of joint members 46 for fitting wall pieces to the corner element 16, their precise location as well as their gender (tenon or mortise) is dictated by the specific application.
• the corner element 16 is placed in the upright position with the backing members 22 and 24 forming the base. Wall pieces are then connected to the periphery of the backing members 18 and 20 to build-up two perpendicular walls.
• the images printed or otherwise impressed on the lithographic films of the corner element 16 and on the various wall pieces are related in such a way as to provide image continuity over the wall surface. Hence, an observer will perceive a continuous image, a brick wall for instance, by looking at the exposed surface of the construction edifice 12.
• the method for manufacturing the puzzle game in accordance with the invention consists of designing the laminated film 26 to provide a bi-dimensional image of the outer surface of the building-like structure.
• the lithographic film is then adhesively bonded to a sheet of foam backing.
• the resulting lamination is die-cut to form in a single operation all the pieces of the puzzle game.
• the die-cutting of the corner elements 16 involves the step of making cutting lines in the backing material to form the internal peripheral edges of the backing members 18, 20, 22 and 24, contoured to provide the straight tenon and mortise joint members 32/34 and 38/40. This cutting operation is performed at a controlled depth in order to completely sever the backing material without, however affecting the integrity of the lithographic film 26 within the boundaries of the corner element 16.
• the resulting corner element 16 is only a semifinished piece because the crossing strips of backing material (not shown in the drawings) between the backing members 18, 20, 22 and 24 (extending along the hinge lines 32 and 36) preclude any hinge function. To render the corner element 16 fully functional, those strips must be peeled-off from the lithographic film 26 to provide the necessary clearance along the hinge lines. In order to allow the removal of those waste strips, the adhesive used to bond the backing material and the lithographic film should have the appropriate release properties. It should be pointed out that after the removal of the waste strip the adhesive remaining on the lithographic film can to some degree bond with the peripheral edge of the backing member that occupies the place of the waste strip when the corner element 16 is folded. This feature is best shown in Figure 6.
• peripheral edge 50 of the backing member 18 engages the portion 52 of the lithographic film that previously was bonded to the waste strip.
• the adhesive bond between the peripheral edge 50 and the lithographic film portion 52 albeit weak, contributes to retain the backing members 18 and 20 in the corner configuration.
• a visual queue such as a contrasting colour applied uniformly or as a pattern, or indicia in the form of combination of letters forming an intelligible message of the type "PEEL HERE", for instance.
• the visual queue is applied by printing, silk screening or any other appropriate process.
• a variant of the corner element 16 is shown in Figure 7.
• the difference with the previous embodiment resides in the absence of interlocking engagement between the backing members.
• the vertical hinge line 46 and the horizontal hinge line (not shown in the drawings) are provided by forming between the backing members parallel walled channels 48 having a width A that is equal or exceeds the thickness of the backing material.
• the backing members can be brought to the corner configuration by bending the lithographic film along either one of two possible fold lines A and B shown in the drawings.
• a visual queue 54 is printed on the lithographic film in the hinge area 46. Such visual queue is in the form of arrows pointing toward the correct fold line (line B in the example shown).
• the visual queue 54 is normally hidden by the waste strip and becomes visible only when the latter is removed from the lithographic film 26.
• This variant is manufactured as described earlier in connection with the corner element 16 except that the pattern for cutting the inner peripheral edges of the backing members is changed.
• the backing members 22 and 24 provided for retaining the main backing members 18 and 20 in the folded condition may be dispensed with.
• the interlocking engagement with adjoining wall pieces maintains the corner element in the folded condition.
• the corner element is designed to form a multi-corner structure when assembled.
• a two-corner unit is provided by laminating the lithographic film with three backing members in a spaced apart relationship forming therebetween two hinge areas.
• This embodiment is particularly suitable for elevated tower structures in the puzzle game.
• a complete section of the tower structure which is say square in cross-section, thus having four walls joined at right angles could be made from a single piece having five (5) horizontally aligned backing members forming between them four vertical hinges that materialize the corners of the tower section.
• the three intermediate backing members have a width corresponding to the transverse dimension of a tower wall.
• the backing members forming the ends of the tower section are designed to interlock by means of a male/female joint members in order to close the ends of tower section.
• the tower of the puzzle game is erected by stacking several assembled tower sections one on top of the other. The stacked sections interlock by complementary male/female joints.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Transition And Organic Metals Composition Catalysts For Addition Polymerization (AREA)
• Steroid Compounds (AREA)
• Toys (AREA)
• Finishing Walls (AREA)
• Mirrors, Picture Frames, Photograph Stands, And Related Fastening Devices (AREA)
• Package Specialized In Special Use (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=4153665

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Families Citing this family (4)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 1994
  • 1994-05-25 CA CA002124243A patent/CA2124243C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1995
  • 1995-05-24 EP EP95918493A patent/EP0760705B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1995-05-24 AT AT95918493T patent/ATE191358T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1995-05-24 DE DE69516137T patent/DE69516137T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1995-05-24 DK DK95918493T patent/DK0760705T3/da active
  • 1995-05-24 PT PT95918493T patent/PT760705E/pt unknown
  • 1995-05-24 ES ES95918493T patent/ES2144610T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1995-05-24 WO PCT/CA1995/000305 patent/WO1995032037A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1995-05-24 AU AU24429/95A patent/AU2442995A/en not_active Abandoned

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