EP0997321A1

EP0997321A1 - Concepts for fixing mosaic tesserae and retrieving the position by a indexing system

Info

Publication number: EP0997321A1
Application number: EP98811076A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alain Orcel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-10-27
Filing date: 1998-10-27
Publication date: 2000-05-03

Abstract

The picture making set consists of a series of coloured cubes, e.g. of wood, which are inserted between the filaments of a mesh panel similar to a tennis racket. The mesh panel, measuring e.g. 42 by 42 cm stretched over a wooden base, is designed so that the cubes can be introduced easily, are held reliably in position, and can be withdrawn and re-used to make other pictures. The cubes measure e.g. 9 x 9 x 15mm and can have surfaces treated in various ways to give different aspects and colours.

Description

Preamble

Ce nouveau concept est conçu pour fixer des cubes de mosaïque (ou parallélépipèdes) et créer des motifs inspirés des modèles de point de croix ou non. Un nouveau système approprié à ce concept permet de retrouver la position d'un cube ou module par rapport à un modèle référencé.This new concept is designed to fix mosaic cubes (or parallelepipeds) and create patterns inspired by cross stitch patterns or no. A new system suitable for this concept allows to find the position of a cube or module compared to a referenced model.

Ces innovations se caractérisent par les nouveautés suivantes:These innovations are characterized by the following innovations:

Les cubes sont enfilés entre les mailles d'un filet et retenus par celles-ci. Un système alphanumérique coloré inscrit d'une part au dos des cubes ou modules et d'autre part en surimpression sur le modèle permet de positionner chaque cube ou module précisément.The cubes are threaded between the meshes of a net and retained by them. A colored alphanumeric system written on the one hand on the back of the cubes or modules and on the other hand superimposed on the model allows to position each cube or module precisely.

S'il est construit en bois et en ficelle ce système de fixation des cubes de mosaïque permet la fabrication de jeux, unité par unité, et n'implique pas obligatoirement la fabrication de moules. Ce nouveau produit qui n'existe pas sur le marché est commercialisable sous différentes formes dans le domaine du jeu (éducatif ou non), la décoration, l'art etc.If it is made of wood and string, this system of fixing the mosaic cubes allows the production of games, unit by unit, and does not necessarily imply the manufacture of molds. This new product which does not exist on the market is marketable in different forms in the field of play (educational or no), decoration, art etc.

Claims

The cubes are threaded between the meshs stretched with a net (of the tennis racket type or different) and retained by them.
The size of the cubes must be adapted to the mesh of the net so that these cubes can be easily introduced and retained once the pattern has been made. The space between the cubes which is occupied by the string ultimately corresponds to that of the mosaic joint. The length of the cube included under the net relative to that located above the net can also be adapted so that the cube remains in a horizontal position if the decor is vertical. The cube can be installed and removed multiple times and the decor or pattern changed at will. On this basis all cube and support dimensions are possible. The rope forming the net can be fixed in multiple ways and on multiple supports. The cubes could also be retained by different fixed or temporary systems so that they no longer come out freely. The net cubes, and the support can be made in multiple materials or colors. The surface of the cubes can be treated in many ways to have different aspects and different colors.

This new method for holding the cubes in place and set out in claim 1 is particularly well suited for making a mosaic game for children. We have built for example a wooden support of about 42 cm X 42 cm supporting a rope of about 1.2 mm and forming a net whose mesh is about 9 mm X 9 mm. The cubes are approximately 9X9X15mm. The net can therefore receive 40 cubes X 40 cubes or 1600 cubes (see Figure 1) colored or not, which allows for pretty patterns. If the surface of the cubes is painted on the two opposite faces of 9mm X 9mm, this gives the possibility of having 3600 painted sides and therefore a better palette of colors to achieve all kinds of patterns. A real cube whose sides would be equal could be painted on the 6 faces which would give 9600 possibilities of color. The bottom of the support on which the net is installed can be painted. This option improves the appearance of the part where there may not be a built-in cube. The color chosen for the background adapts to that of the net. When the pattern is made, it is possible to straighten the support and hang it on the wall like a painting. The cubes stay in place.
It is thus possible to make all cross stitch patterns, a cross stitch is simply replaced by a cube. It is therefore possible to draw inspiration from the many patterns already available on the market or to create your own pattern. Several supports can be juxtaposed to represent large patterns. It is possible to make a pattern by following a pattern placed next to the support. It is also possible to make a model by following a model placed under the net. It is also possible to make a model by seeing the model through the support of the net if this support is transparent. Another unprecedented possibility for reconstructing a pattern is presented in claim 3.

It is also possible to find the location of each cube or module of a model if, each of these cubes or modules is referenced on the back of the exposed face and the same reference is contained on the model. A simple example consists of a motif serving as a printed model and arbitrarily divided into 4 identical parts. In each of these parts are written for reference, overprinted, the letters A, B, C, D. If on the back of each of the squares or modules, corresponding to each of these 4 parts, are written the same references A, B, C, or D indicating their position, it is possible to simply find their location on the model located under the support transparent or printed in the support itself. These letters can be replaced or supplemented by numbers 1, 2, 3 or 4 and by colors.
For the mosaics comprising many and small cubes or modules, we have developed an alphanumeric reference system in columns and colors allowing to easily find their place in X and Y. For the X it is necessary to print on the back of the modules in top lines of numbers in numerical order or lines of letters in alphabetical order. (see figure 2) This information precisely indicates the position of the tile or module on the vertical since this information is also superimposed on the model (see figure 3). In addition the alphanumeric order considerably facilitates this search for position.
In Y, to facilitate the positioning of the cube or module on the horizontal axis, the alphanumeric reference is sectioned in the form of vertical columns of different colors. These colors are the same on the back of the module and superimposed on the model (see Figure 2 and 3). Technically to form these columns of colors it suffices to print, within the limit of each column, the numbers or letters in different colors.
This reference system can also be used for prefabricated mosaics for example and whose modules are not only simple squares but also modules with complex shape. In this case, the shape of the module and the color of the pattern make it possible to find, in the end, its position very precisely. The result is illustrated technically by the back of the modules which are visibly in a good position in FIG. 4. The artistic result is illustrated by the face of these same modules in FIG. 5 which represents the desired and reconstituted pattern.