EP0828540B1 - Three-dimensional puzzle with magnetic and mechanical attachment, particularly for use by people with impaired vision - Google Patents

Abstract

PCT No. PCT/FR96/00625 Sec. 371 Date Oct. 3, 1997 Sec. 102(e) Date Oct. 3, 1997 PCT Filed Apr. 24, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO96/33785 PCT Pub. Date Oct. 31, 1996A puzzle includes pieces of different and random shapes and/or sizes, which can occupy only one position in the puzzle and which can be assembled by magnetic forces as well as by co-operating positioning projections and hollows, on the surface of the pieces. Each of the projections and recesses has a unique shape and/or size, so that the invention is particularly suitable for educational and cultural applications, more particularly for use by people with impaired vision.

Description

The present invention relates to a puzzle three-dimensional.

Three-dimensional puzzles are games of well-known patience, which may have a function educational, in particular a role of awakening to sculpture and artistic awareness when they reproduce famous or original works of art, such as museum pieces.

Among the simplest puzzles, we can cite the combination set disclosed by EP-A-0 051 576, which is formed of parallelepipedic elements which each contain at least one permanent magnet, so that the cohesion of all the juxtaposed and superimposed elements of the puzzle is provided by magnetic attraction forces. The downside to this type of puzzles is that they lack cohesion since their constituent parts are likely to slide relative to each other. In besides, the shape of the individual elements of this known puzzle is particularly limited.

Other known three-dimensional puzzles are assembled by mechanical means. For example, the request for a French utility certificate FR-A-2 340 110 teaches an unsupported puzzle made up of elements complementary three-dimensional, occupying a single position in said puzzle, assembled along surfaces arbitrary supports to form grooved junctions and tongues or dovetail bosses and cells. The fragments may have a low bowl shape thickness, so that the resulting puzzle is hollow, or take the form of rods, corners and / or cones. Of For its part, patent application EP-A-0 054 577 discloses a three-dimensional puzzle formed by two hemispheres each made up of an agglomeration of parts three-dimensional having a flat surface at the junction of the two hemispheres. The pieces of the puzzle are connected between them by a pair of spaced parallel rods which penetrate bores in the puzzle. Of them other rods perpendicular to the junction surface of the hemispheres allow to connect the two hemispheres one to the other.

Still other puzzles, such as the one disclosed in US-A-4,865,324, consist of parts associated with the both by mechanical and magnetic means. Rooms, geometric in shape, are precisely magnetized and provided with protuberances and matched cavities, arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the parts.

The main disadvantage of these known puzzles is that they are not suitable for containing parts having each with a distinct shape and / or dimensions and arbitrary, so they are not appropriate to the reproduction of works of art in the form of puzzles.

The invention, on the contrary, proposes a puzzle three-dimensional comprising fragments of shapes and / or distinct and arbitrary dimensions that cannot occupy that a unique position within said puzzle, at least two said fragments each comprising at least one element magnetic oriented so that said fragments attract when properly positioned.

Document FR-A-2 517 979 discloses a puzzle three-dimensional of the aforementioned type, the different constituent fragments are kept assembled by magnetization and can be cubic or not, identical or different. However, the cohesion of the puzzle is insufficient and it does not provide the sensations required for application in activities educational or cultural activities for children, or in games for the blind. The same is true of the puzzle three-dimensional disclosed in US-A-3,779,558, which is made up of assembled parts either by means mechanical, either by magnetic means, and whose mutually contacting surfaces are not fully matched to each other, the different pieces of this known puzzle not having, moreover, a form and a totally arbitrary thickness.

The invention solves this double problem tactile and cohesive in the sense that the surface of each of the puzzle fragments according to the invention is provided with at least one relief and / or a hollow of positioning likely to be matched with respectively a recess and / or a positioning relief provided on an adjacent fragment, so that said fragments are assembled both by means mechanical and magnetic. In addition, the fragments, which have distinct and arbitrary shapes and / or dimensions, are closely matched to each other along their mutually adjacent surfaces. The cohesion of the whole is therefore reinforced. Reliefs and positioning troughs each have a shape and / or one size (s), what makes the invention particularly suitable for the aforementioned applications. We understands that a fragment can cooperate by one of its faces with one or more other fragments or with one or several parts of other fragments.

We also understand that the configuration particularity of the puzzle according to the invention makes it well suitable for reproducing any three-dimensional shape or sculpture, and in particular the reproduction of works such as museum pieces, which gives it remarkable cultural and educational applications that do not allow known puzzles.

According to one embodiment of the invention, at least one of said fragments represents an individual object such as an artistic plastic form, figurative or not, taking up or not the main theme of the puzzle.

According to another embodiment of the invention, at least one of the puzzle fragments represents an object individualized and the other fragments are arranged around said object. In this case, variations in the surface exterior of the individualized object can constitute a set of reliefs and positioning hollows which cooperate respectively with hollows and reliefs of positioning of at least some of said others fragments. Thus, we can for example provide that the object will take the form of a known sculpture, which may be inserted in another known or original sculpture or in a pyramid, for example, made up of fragments at least part of which has a surface matched to a portion of the surface of said object and forms a first layer around it and possibly another part forms one or more layers around this first layer. In this way, the object inserted in the three-dimensional puzzle could possibly be a original as is, which does not contain element (s) magnetic and the cohesion of the whole puzzle will be, in this case, ensured by the fragments arranged around this one, at least two of which contain at least one element magnetic.

As a variant, it can be foreseen that the object is opaque and that at least some of the other fragments are translucent. In this case, if you want the magnetic elements are not visible, only the two fragments forming the top and the base of the pyramid will be opaque and contain one or more elements magnetic ensuring the cohesion of the whole, the others fragments being translucent.

• sont adaptés à former, une fois assemblés les uns aux autres, indépendamment desdits fragments primaires, un puzzle tridimensionnel, dit "puzzle secondaire", représentant un objet individualisé, et
• sont susceptibles d'être dispersés et intégrés parmi lesdits fragments primaires pour former ledit puzzle global.

According to yet another embodiment, the puzzle according to the invention, known as a "global puzzle", may include primary and secondary fragments, which secondary fragments:

• are adapted to form, once assembled with each other, independently of said primary fragments, a three-dimensional puzzle, called "secondary puzzle", representing an individualized object, and
• are likely to be dispersed and integrated among said primary fragments to form said overall puzzle.

In the above cases where one or more of fragments of the puzzle, taken individually or in combination, represent an individual object, the other fragments could possibly be such that the omission of said object or its constituent fragments does not affect the cohesion nor the external configuration of the puzzle. The global puzzle will be broken down into a so-called puzzle "primary" having exactly the same external shape as the global puzzle, but which will present one or more spaces interior voids, and either an individual object or a secondary puzzle.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the reconstructed puzzle consists of two parts substantially symmetrical about a median plane and one of said fragments constitutes substantially one of said parts. This a particular fragment can therefore serve as a support for others fragments of the puzzle and model to piece together the puzzle.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the puzzle further comprises a support formed of at least one substantially flat continuous surface comprising at least one magnetic element and provided with reliefs and / or depressions positioning, which are adapted to cooperate respectively with at least some of the hollows and / or reliefs of positioning of said fragments, so that said fragments form at least one layer on said surface. The puzzle stand can be attached to a wall or on the floor or suspended from the ceiling. So the puzzle can for example take the form of a wall sculpture to be reconstructed, which can possibly be formed of several layers of superimposed fragments each of which can evoke a theme, a school of sculpture, etc. This mode of embodiment of the invention is particularly suited to use as a group game, for use by children and blind or sighted adolescents, in areas of games or cultural spaces.

The reliefs provided on the different fragments are formed by any cylindrical projecting form, pyramidal, parallelepiped, etc. such as a boss, a tip, etc. and the corresponding troughs can have the shape of a hole, a groove, a notch, a parallelepiped recess, etc. According to a form preferred execution, at least one of said fragments may be covered with an embossed inscription constituting minus part of the fragment positioning reliefs on which it is worn, which inscription can be made up of any signs or symbols, such as numbers, letters isolated or assembled in words or sentences, in any alphabet and any language, Braille inscriptions, hieroglyphs, ideograms, etc. Thus, we can predict that two fragments which must be joined together will bear inscriptions so that the puzzle can be reconstituted more easily. For example, we could plan that fragments intended to be assembled according to a given order will bear a number or letter such as logical sequence will be formed as the assembly of said fragments. We therefore understand that, in if the said letter belongs to the Braille alphabet, the puzzle according to the invention can be used as a tool teaching assistant for blind children in learning the Braille alphabet, planning by example that the series of letters obtained once the puzzle completed constitutes a word identifying the object achieved. In variant, the inscriptions may also indicate the date of work, origin, title, name of sound author, etc. or constitute a text which retraces the history of the object.

The materials constituting the different fragments of the puzzle can be any material 'likely to be cut, shaped, chiseled, molded, cast, formed, etc., by example of plaster, resin, etc. These materials can be worked either manually or industrially, to make the puzzle fragments according to the invention. In general, the prototype will be produced manually, by plaster example, and the fragments obtained will then be molded for scale reproduction industrial.

The magnetic element consists of at least one of the following: a permanent magnet, a material magnetic, a mixture of magnetic materials, a mixture of one or more magnetic materials with one or more several non-magnetic materials, etc. Mixtures can be made by heating, sintering or melting materials in the form of powders or aggregates. Their bet in form can then be carried out by methods classic industrialists. The different fragments of the same puzzle can consist of the same elements magnetic, different magnetic elements or some may be non-magnetic, but held in place by surrounding magnetic elements.

Of course, care should be taken to ensure that the different magnetic elements are suitably arranged relative to each other so that the field magnetic result ensures the cohesion of the whole puzzle. To this end, it is possible to envisage manufacturing the different pieces of the puzzle in magnetic elements not magnetized, some parts being however possibly non-magnetic and then submit the puzzle reconstructed to an intense magnetic field giving magnetic elements with properties similar to those of a permanent magnet.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique en perspective d'un puzzle selon une première forme d'exécution de l'invention, à l'état reconstitué, qui représente une pomme ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe du puzzle illustré à la figure 1, prise selon le plan horizontal H et observée dans la direction des flèches II-II ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe du puzzle illustré à la figure 1, prise selon le plan vertical V et observée dans la direction des flèches III-III ;
• la figure 4 est une vue du dessus du puzzle de la figure 1 à l'état partiellement reconstitué ;
• la figure 4a est une vue, à plus grande échelle, de détails de la figure 4, observés sous un autre angle ;
• la figure 5 est une vue de face d'un puzzle selon une seconde forme d'exécution de l'invention, à l'état partiellement reconstitué, qui - à l'état totalement reconstitué - représentera une chouette ;
• la figure 6 est une vue de face, fortement agrandie, d'une pièce du puzzle complémentaire à l'ensemble illustré à la figure 5 ;
• les figures 7a et 7b sont deux vues de côté opposées d'un puzzle selon une troisième forme d'exécution de l'invention, qui représente un ours ;
• la figure 8 est une vue de face d'un puzzle selon une quatrième forme d'exécution de l'invention, à l'état totalement reconstitué ;
• la figure 8a est une vue en perspective, fortement agrandie, de deux pièces du puzzle illustré à la figure 8 ;
• la figure 9 est une vue en perspective d'un puzzle selon une cinquième forme d'exécution de l'invention, à l'état totalement reconstitué ;
• la figure 9a est une vue en élévation du dessous d'un premier fragment du puzzle illustré à la figure 9 ;
• la figure 9b est une vue en perspective d'un second fragment du puzzle illustré à la figure 9 ;
• la figure 10 est une vue en élévation du dessus d'un puzzle selon une sixième forme d'exécution de l'invention, à l'état partiellement achevé, intégrant la pièce illustré à la figure 9b ;
• la figure 11 est une vue en élévation du dessus du puzzle illustré à la figure 10, à un stade ultérieur de construction ;
• la figure 12 est une vue en élévation du dessous d'une pièce de puzzle complémentaire à l'ensemble illustré à la figure 11 ; et
• la figure 13 illustre, en perspective, le puzzle de la figure 10 à l'état entièrement reconstitué.

The invention will be better understood in the light of the following description, taken in combination with the appended drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a puzzle according to a first embodiment of the invention, in the reconstructed state, which represents an apple;
• Figure 2 is a sectional view of the puzzle illustrated in Figure 1, taken along the horizontal plane H and observed in the direction of the arrows II-II;
• Figure 3 is a sectional view of the puzzle illustrated in Figure 1, taken along the vertical plane V and observed in the direction of the arrows III-III;
• Figure 4 is a top view of the puzzle of Figure 1 in the partially reconstructed state;
• Figure 4a is a view, on a larger scale, of details of Figure 4, viewed from another angle;
• FIG. 5 is a front view of a puzzle according to a second embodiment of the invention, in the partially reconstituted state, which - in the completely reconstituted state - will represent an owl;
• Figure 6 is a front view, greatly enlarged, of a piece of the puzzle complementary to the assembly illustrated in Figure 5;
• Figures 7a and 7b are two opposite side views of a puzzle according to a third embodiment of the invention, which represents a bear;
• Figure 8 is a front view of a puzzle according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, in the fully reconstructed state;
• Figure 8a is a greatly enlarged perspective view of two pieces of the puzzle illustrated in Figure 8;
• Figure 9 is a perspective view of a puzzle according to a fifth embodiment of the invention, in the fully reconstructed state;
• Figure 9a is an elevational view from below of a first fragment of the puzzle illustrated in Figure 9;
• Figure 9b is a perspective view of a second fragment of the puzzle illustrated in Figure 9;
• Figure 10 is an elevational view from above of a puzzle according to a sixth embodiment of the invention, in the partially completed state, incorporating the part illustrated in Figure 9b;
• Figure 11 is an elevational view from above of the puzzle illustrated in Figure 10, at a later stage of construction;
• Figure 12 is an elevational view from below of a puzzle piece complementary to the assembly illustrated in Figure 11; and
• Figure 13 illustrates, in perspective, the puzzle of Figure 10 in the fully reconstructed state.

If we refer first to Figure 1, which is an example of a self-supporting three-dimensional puzzle according to a first embodiment of the invention, we see a reconstructed puzzle that represents an Apple. Apple 1 is made up of forty-two three-dimensional fragments, only some of which are visible in Figure 1, such as 2, 3, 4, 5 which each different dimensions and shapes, so that each fragment is unique and occupies a unique position at within puzzle 1. Note that fragments 3, 4 and 5 each represents a slice of the apple, cut horizontally from it.

Figures 2 and 3 are sectional views, respectively horizontal and vertical, which show better the irregular contours of the different fragments, and this in the three dimensions. In these figures, each fragment, such as 2a-c, 3 etc. contains at least one magnet rectangular in shape such as 62a-c, 63a-c, etc. which are oriented in such a way, as indicated by the arrows shown in Figure 3, that their polarities are reversed. It follows that the magnets 63c, 63a and 63b of the fragment 3, for example, are attracted to magnets 62c, 62a and 62b of fragments 2c, 2a and 2b, and vice versa, which contributes to bringing said fragments together.

Figure 4 illustrates more precisely the structure different fragments of the apple shown in previous figures. In this figure, the puzzle of Figures 1 to 3 is shown partially reconstituted; it is made of an unfinished apple 7 surrounded of eight 8a-h fragments to place on it. Each of the fragments 8a-h is provided with hollows and / or reliefs. So, fragment 8a is provided with ten depressions, such as 9, substantially hemispherical, of two projections, such as 10, substantially pyramidal and a recess 11 having a trapezoid section. These reliefs are adapted to cooperate respectively with ten hemispherical projections, such as 9 ', two pyramidal cuts, such as 10', and a protruding part 11 ', from another fragment 8'a of the apple unfinished, which will be adjacent to fragment 8a once the puzzle will be fully reconstructed. The 8'a fragment is, for clarity, delimited by a thicker line at the figure 4. The enlarged detail of figure 4a shows the 8 h fragment intended to cooperate with the 8 h fragment. We finds, on the fragment 8h, hollows appreciably hemispherical 9 projecting onto the surface of a platform 109 with a serrated edge, a projection substantially hemispherical 209 and substantially hollow 110 pyramids. These shapes respectively cooperate with paired shapes 9 ', 109', 209 ', 110' provided in the 8 hr fragment. Note that, on one of the fragments, figure in 309 an indication of date. It is clear from Figures 4 and 4a that the cooperation of the hollows and the reliefs described positioning guarantees both that the different fragments will be correctly arranged one compared to others and that they will be effectively held in position. The number and / or the size and / or the forms reliefs and / or hollows positioning vary from fragment to fragment.

Figure 5 illustrates another puzzle according to the invention which, when fully reconstituted, represents an owl in twenty-eight fragments. On this figure, the puzzle is partially reconstructed and the different fragments have the same characteristics as those of FIGS. 1 to 4. However, in the variant illustrated, some of the fragments take the form particularity of a well individualized object. It's like that of the fragment 12 ′ illustrated in FIG. 6 which represents a stylized owl head, whose eyes are formed by hollows 14a and 14b substantially hemispherical and whose contour is delimited by a circular recess 15. These hollows 14a, 14b are adapted to cooperate with reliefs paired 14'a, 14'b provided on fragment 12 of the figure 5. The fragment 13 of FIG. 5 also offers a surface on which an owl is drawn, hollowed out and it is adapted to cooperate with a fragment whose surface represents the same paired raised owl (not represented). Fragments 12 and 13 are, for more than clarity, delimited by a thicker line in Figure 5.

Figures 7a and 7b show another form execution of the puzzle according to the invention which represents here, in a reconstructed state, a bear in twenty-two fragments of which only some are visible in these figures. In this variant, the reconstructed puzzle is approximately symmetrical about the longitudinal median plane of the animal represented. One of the side faces is monobloc, that is to say that it is formed of a single fragment 16, while the other 17 consists of several three-dimensional fragments such as 18. The role of the first monobloc face 16 is to serve both support for fragments of the three-dimensional puzzle and model to reconstruct the other side.

Another type of partially supported puzzle is illustrated in Figures 8 and 8a. Figure 8 shows a puzzle according to the invention, in which a fragment of large dimensions (not visible in this figure) serves as wall mount to other puzzle pieces, such as 21 and 22, illustrated on a larger scale in FIG. 8a, which form a single layer on it. It is well understood, however, that the support fragment could be covered with several successive layers of the others fragments.

Figures 9 and 9a-b illustrate a puzzle according to yet another embodiment of the invention. The reconstructed puzzle 101, shown in Figure 9, reproduces an Egyptian goddess bust. Each of the fragments 23 to 26 of the puzzle 101 has, on at least one of its opposite surfaces, reliefs or depressions comprising a letter of the Braille alphabet and intended to cooperate, respectively, with the depressions or the reliefs provided on an adjacent fragment. Thus, the fragment 24 illustrated in FIG. 9a presents, on its lower surface 24I, two circular reliefs 24a and 24b representing the letter c in the Braille alphabet, as well as a rectangular relief 124 which serves to define the direction of reading of the braille sign. highlighting it. The reliefs 24a and 24b are respectively paired with depressions 25a and 25b formed in the upper surface 25S of the fragment 25, as seen in FIG. 9b. We therefore understand that the letters appearing on the different fragments 23-26 of the puzzle can be used to facilitate their assembly by a blind person, a logical series of letters or a word being for example formed as the fragments are assembled each other. In addition, by analogy with the embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6, it will be noted that the fragment 24 can itself be considered as an individualized object within the puzzle to which it belongs.

Figure 13 illustrates a large puzzle 201, called "global puzzle", whose external shape is that of a pyramid and which is made up of fragments, so-called "primary fragments", among which were dispersed and integrated other fragments, called "fragments As shown in Figures 10 to 13, the fragments of the puzzle 101 represented in FIG. 9, which will be designated in the following by "secondary puzzle", constitute said secondary fragments. Figure 10 shows the global puzzle 201 in partially completed state, which includes in particular, as a secondary fragment, the fragment 25 illustrated in FIG. 9b. Although it does is not visible in this figure, the global puzzle 201 also includes, in already formed layers, as other secondary fragments, fragments 23, 24 and 26 illustrated in Figure 9, which are arranged in locations spaced from each other. Figure 11 represents the same global puzzle 201 at a later stage of construction, in which the primary fragments 27 to 30, illustrated in figure 10, were assembled to the puzzle overall 201 partially reconstructed. Finally, Figure 12 represents the complementary puzzle part to that illustrated in Figure 11. It is clear from these figures that the omission of the secondary fragment 25 in the global puzzle 201 does not affect the configuration anymore exterior of this puzzle as its magnetic cohesion. This form of execution therefore achieves a sort of pull-out assembly where secondary fragments can either be embedded within the overall puzzle, either be omitted from it and joined together to form, on the one hand, the puzzle primary which, in this case, will have exactly the same external shape than the global puzzle but will present internal empty spaces and, on the other hand, said puzzle secondary.

It appears from the above description that the invention proposes a three-dimensional puzzle, reproducing for example a known sculpture, formed of fragments distinct and arbitrary configuration, which are assembled by magnetic forces and by means mechanical, the latter being constituted by a set reliefs and hollows including the number, size, layout and shape are variable, making the invention particularly well suited to the realization educational games appealing to the sense of touch of users, and therefore particularly suitable for non seers.

Claims (12)

1. Three-dimensional puzzle comprising fragments (2a-c, 3, 4, 5; 8a-h, 8'a, 8'h; 12, 12', 13; 16, 18; 21, 22; 23-30) which can occupy only a single position within the said puzzle, at least two of the said fragments (2a-c, 3, 4, 5; 8a-h, 8'a, 8'h; 12, 12', 13; 16, 18; 21, 22; 23-30) each comprising at least one magnetic element (62a-c, 63a-c) oriented in such a manner that the said fragments are attracted when they are suitably positioned,
      characterized in that the surface of each of the said fragments (2a-c, 3, 4, 5; 8a-h, 8'a, 8'h; 12, 12', 13; 16, 18; 21, 22; 23-30) is also provided with at least one positioning protrusion (9', 10, 11', 109, 110', 209; 14'a-b; 24a-b) and/or hollow (9, 10', 11, 109', 110, 209'; 14a-b, 15; 25a-b) capable of being paired with a positioning hollow (9, 10', 11, 109', 110, 209'; 14a-b, 15; 25a-b) and/or a protrusion (9', 10, 11', 109, 110', 209; 14'a-b; 24a-b), respectively, provided on an adjacent fragment (2a-c, 3, 4, 5; 8a-h, 8'a, 8'h; 12, 12', 13; 16, 18; 21, 22; 23-30), the said positioning protrusions (9', 10, 11', 109, 110', 209; 14'a-b; 24a-b) and hollows (9, 10', 11, 109', 110, 209'; 14a-b, 15; 25a-b) each having a single form and/or size so that the said fragments (2a-c, 3, 4, 5; 8a-h, 8'a, 8'h; 12, 12', 13; 16, 18; 21, 22; 23-30) are assembled both by mechanical and magnetic means,
      and in that the said fragments have distinct and arbitrary shapes and/or dimensions and are closely paired with one another along their mutually adjacent surfaces.
2. Three-dimensional puzzle according to Claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the said fragments (24, 25) bears a raised (309; 24a-b) or hollow (25a-b) inscription which constitutes at least a part of the positioning protrusions or hollows, respectively, of the said fragment.
3. Three-dimensional puzzle according to Claim 2, characterized in that the said inscription (24a-b, 25a-b) consists of one or more letters and/or one or more is symbols from the Braille alphabet.
4. Three-dimensional puzzle according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one of the said fragments (12' ; 24) represents an individualized object.
5. Three-dimensional puzzle according to Claim 4, characterized in that the other fragments are arranged around the said object (12'; 24).
6. Three-dimensional puzzle according to Claim 5, characterized in that the said object is opaque and at least some of the said other fragments are translucent.
7. Three-dimensional puzzle according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, designated as the "global puzzle" (201), characterized in that it comprises primary (27-30) and secondary (23-26) fragments, which secondary fragments (23-26) :

   are adapted to form, once assembled together, independently of the said primary fragments (27-30), a three-dimensional puzzle, designated as the "secondary puzzle" (101), representing an individualized object, and

   are capable of being dispersed and integrated amongst the said primary fragments (27-30) to form the said global puzzle (201).
8. Three-dimensional puzzle according to any one of Claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the external configuration and the holding together of the said global puzzle (201) are independent of the presence of the said object or of the said secondary fragments (23-26).
9. Three-dimensional puzzle according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the reconstituted puzzle is formed from two parts (16, 17) which are substantially symmetrical with respect to a median plane and one of the said fragments (16) constitutes substantially one of the said parts.
10. Three-dimensional puzzle according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it also comprises a support formed from at least one substantially planar continuous surface comprising at least one magnetic element and provided with positioning protrusions and/or hollows which are adapted to interact with at least some of the positioning hollows and/or protrusions, respectively, of the said fragments (21, 22) so that the said fragments (21, 22) form at least one layer on the said surface.
11. Three-dimensional puzzle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in the reconstituted state, it reproduces a work of art.
12. Application of the three-dimensional puzzle according to any one of Claims 3 to 11 to the learning of the Braille alphabet.

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