EP2062624A1

EP2062624A1 - Display apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP2062624A1
Application number: EP08253471A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kwok Choi Tsang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-11-20
Filing date: 2008-10-24
Publication date: 2009-05-27
Also published as: CN101161477A

Abstract

The present invention provides a three-dimensional display apparatus, comprising a plurality of interconnectable parts (10,20) arranged to couple with one another for construction of a three-dimensional structure, at least one display element (50) for displaying an image thereon, and a means for retaining (41) the at least one display element to at least one of the plurality of interconnectable parts (10,20).

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a three-dimensional display apparatus comprising a plurality of interconnectable parts, wherein adjacent parts are arranged to engage with each other to enable construction of a three-dimensional structure. Display elements can be connected to the structure to provide a display apparatus.

Background of the Invention

Spherical puzzles are known and generally consist of a plurality of connecting parts, with two adjacent parts connected by a clamping or other connecting means to build a complete hollow sphere. These spheres are mostly used for intelligence games such as puzzles. For example, a three-dimensional (3-D) puzzle of a built-up hollow sphere is disclosed in the Chinese Patent publication CN2801238 . The basic structure of this 3-D puzzle is built by a plurality of parts that connect to form a hollow sphere. The parts are interlocked by corresponding interlocking portions and engaged with each other to build a sphere. In order to create this interlocking structure 12 3-D parts which have a regular pentagonal outer surface and 20 3-D parts which have a regular hexagonal outer surface are used. Each part has tenon or tongue-and-groove portions on their periphery such that the tenon and/or tongue-and-groove on adjacent parts match with each other. Each of the five sides of each pentagonal part engages with a side of 5 hexagonal parts. All six sides of each hexagonal part interlocks with both a pentagonal part and other hexagonal parts..
Chinese Patent publication CN2817932 discloses a sphere similar to that described above with respect to CN2801238 . However, both of these structures described suffer from the problem that after being used for a period of time they willbe thrown away as rubbish because of their limited functionality.

Summary of the Invention

An objective of the present invention is to at least partly overcome the above-mentioned problem.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide an intelligence game, such as a puzzle, which is also a spherical puzzle having collection value, that is the functionality to hold a collection of items on the puzzle and thereby display those items.
The present invention utilises similar designs of existing assembled jigsaw balls and in addition includes a retaining area on the surface of the ball for embedding a pattern such as a picture produced on an element such as a plastic sheet; the plastic sheet is nudged, or placed, into a retaining area, to therefore structure a spherical display apparatus. Selection of different plastic sheets, for example plastic sheets with personal images on, allows for a personalised spherical gift to be created. Each fan could assemble a unique spherical decoration according to his or her preference.
According to the present invention there is provided a three-dimensional display apparatus, comprising: a plurality of interconnectable parts arranged to couple with one another for construction of a three-dimensional structure; at least one display element for displaying an image thereon; and a means for retaining the at least one display element on at least one of the plurality of interconnectable parts. Providing such a retaining area has the advantage that the display elements can be held in a specific location.
At least one of the interconnectable parts may have a retaining area on which the at least one display element is retained. By the retaining area being recessed this provides improved positioning of display elements and further acts to hold the display elements in that position.
The retaining area may comprise a recess for locating the display element. Such a connection portion is integrated into the part, this is simple to manufacture and allows for simple connection between parts.
The means for retaining may comprise a connection portion on at least one of the interconnectable parts. The lateral groove provides an area of contact around the whole of display element, which means that the display element is securely held in place. Furthermore, such a groove can be easy to manufacture.
The connection portion may comprise a lateral protrusion, extending over a portion of the retaining area to hold the display element in place between the lateral protrusion and the retaining area. The lateral protrusion can be simply manufactured and provides a strong hold over the display element without requiring large portions of the display element to be covered.
The interconnectable parts may interconnect via a snap-fit arrangement. Use of a snap-fit arrangement makes it easy to engage and disengage the interconnectable parts.
The snap-fit arrangement may comprise at least one pin located on a first part of the interconnectable parts, and at least one hole located on a second part of the interconnectable parts, the pin and hole arranged to snap-fit with respect to one another and therefore secure the first part to the second part.
The three-dimensional structure may be arranged to form a sphere.
The interconnectable parts may have a curved surface such that when connected together they form a sphere.
The display element has a curvature to match the curved surface of the interconnectable parts.
A technical solution of the present invention is: to design a spherical collectable, or display apparatus, comprising a first part, which forms a first basic unit of structure. And a second part, which forms a second basic unit, the adjacent first and second parts engage with each other by a snapping structure to build a hollow sphere, on a surface of the first part and/or second part, a recessed retaining area is provided for embedding a plastic sheet containing text, pattern or a combination thereof, and a groove is disposed on a periphery of the retaining area.
The plastic sheet may have a curvature the same as that of the retaining area and is disposed on the retaining area, and a periphery of the plastic sheet is embedded in the groove of the retaining area.
The snapping structure may be a pin and hole structure in which a pin is arranged on one part and a hole on another part for connecting both parts by snapping the pin into the hole.
The first part may be pentagonal and the second part is hexagonal.
The number of the pentagonal first parts may be 12 and the number of the hexagonal second parts may be 20.
The first part may be circular and the second part may be Y-shaped.
The number of the circular first parts may be 12 and the number of the Y-shaped second parts may be 20.
The first part may be five-point star shaped and the second part may be rhombus.
The number of the five-point star shaped first parts may be 12 and the number of the rhombus second parts may be 30.
The present invention may allow individuals to assemble a unique display apparatus, such as a spherical decoration, according to his or her preference. Further the present invention has advantages of being an intelligence game, such as a puzzle, which is also a spherical display apparatus with certain display functionalities.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic drawing for partially assembling the structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a schematic drawing of a side view of the parts shown in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a schematic drawing of side view of the parts shown in Figure 1 from another view;
Figure 4 is a schematic drawing of a complete structure assembled by the parts shown in Figure 1;
Figure 5 is a schematic drawing of a sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 4;
Figure 6 is a schematic drawing illustrating the structure according to the second embodiment of present invention;
Figure 7 is a schematic drawing of a side view of the parts shown in Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a schematic drawing of a side view of the parts shown in Figure 6 from another view;
Figure 9 is a schematic drawing of a complete structure assembled by the parts shown in Figure 6;
Figure 10 is a plan view of a plastic display sheet used in the embodiment shown in Figure 9; and
Figure 11 is a schematic drawing of a completely assembled structure according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawings, and the corresponding portions of the description, like reference numerals refer to like parts.

Detailed Description

Reference is firstly made to Figures 1, 2 and 3. Figure 1 is a schematic drawing for partially assembling the structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic drawing of a side view of the parts shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic drawing of a side view of the parts shown in Figure 1 from another view or angle.
In Figures 1 to 3, only a pair of the interconnectable parts, which form the basic units of the apparatus, is shown in order to simplify the explanation of their interaction. From Figures 1 to 3, the units comprise a first part 10 and a second part 20. The first part 10 is a five-point star shape and the second part 20 is a rhombus. The two parts are arranged such that they interlock with one another. The adjacent five-point star shaped first part 10 and the rhombus second part 20 are engaged with each other by corresponding interlocking portions 30 which are arranged to allow the parts 10, 20 to engage and therefore enable a hollow sphere to be built.
The interlocking portions are in the form of a snapping structure, that is a pin-and-hole structure wherein one part has a pin that is arranged to connect to a hole of another part. The interlocking portions or snapping structure 30 is also known as a pin-and-hole structure. A pin 31 is disposed on the first part 10 and a hole 32 is disposed on the second part 20. The pin 31 is snapped into the hole 32 to connect the two parts. Hence, the external characteristics of features of the pin and the internal characteristics or features of the hole are such that upon the pin passing through the hole, the pin-and-hole engage or lock with respect to each other, to thereby secure the parts, to which the pin-and-hole are respectively connected, to one another,
In the present embodiment, both the first part 10 and second part 20 are made of harden PVC by injection moulding. However, it shall be understood that other materials such as wood, cardboard, metal or any other material capable of performing the required functionality could be utilised.
Reference is now made to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 is a schematic drawing of a complete structure assembled by the parts shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a schematic drawing of a sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 4.
Figure 4 is a complete spherical display apparatus or "spherical collectable" built by 12 pieces of five-point star shaped first basic unit 10 interlockably engaged with 30 pieces of rhombus second basic unit 20. On the surface of the sphere, a recessed retaining area 40 is provided for embedding a display element, such as a plastic sheet, containing text, pattern and a combination thereof. The display element, could be made of any suitable material and may also be capable of displaying hologram images or acting as an electronic display medium. The retaining area 40 in the present embodiment is provided on the five-point star shaped first part 10 and the area is also in a shape of five-point star. Obviously, the recessed retaining area may be provided on the second part 20 for embedding a plastic display sheet 50 containing text, pattern or a combination thereof (Refer to Figure 10). However, it is not necessarily suitable to leave a pattern on such a small retaining area, or display surface area, as is provided by the first part 10 in the present embodiment.. The retaining area on the first part 10 and second part 20 may be provided respectively on the first part 10 or the second part 20, or together on both the first part 10 and second part 20. At least one retaining member or retaining means 41 is disposed on the periphery of the retaining area 40 (Refer to Figure 5).
While, in this embodiment the display sheet is embedded in a recess of the retaining area, it will be appreciated that a recess is not required and therefore the display sheet could be provided on a flat retaining area.
In this embodiment of the present invention the retaining member comprises a groove or the like. That is, a protrusion extending out from the edges of the recessed retaining area, the protrusion preferably angled from the point at which the protrusions adjoins the edge of the retaining area to a top edge of the protrusion such that the display sheet is held in place between the angled protrusion and the retaining area. In alternative embodiments, the protrusion need not be angled so long as its relationship with the retaining area allows for display sheets to be held therebetween. Furthermore, the retaining member need not be a groove surrounding the whole of the retaining area and could be one or more protrusions that act to hold the display sheet in place on the retaining area, between the protrusion and retaining area. If a plurality of such protrusions are provided, they may be positioned around the retaining area so that the display sheet is secured in position.
Reference is now made to Figures 6 to 8. Figure 6 is a schematic drawing for partially assembling the structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 is a schematic drawing of a side view of the parts shown in Figure 6; Figure 8 is a schematic drawing of a side view of the parts in Figure 6 from another view. In both the embodiments shown in Figures 6 to 8 and the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 3, their general structures are the same. The difference between these embodiments is the shape of the first part 10 and the second part 20. In the embodiment shown in 6 to 8, the first part 10 is circular and the second part is Y-shaped. Both parts are connected by the connecting portions 30, the connecting portions in the form of a snapping structure, as previously discussed.
The Y-shaped second part 20 is shaped in a triangular form, such that it can be placed between three circular first parts 10. The Y-shaped second part is in the form of an equilateral triangle with curved sides, the curvature arranged to match the curvature of the circular first parts 10 with which the second parts 20 engage.
The first and second parts are arranged such that one circular first part 10, engages with five Y-shaped second parts 20. The connection portions comprise two connection members, positioned with a separating distance between them to thereby provide a stable and secure connection between the first and second parts. In this embodiment, as illustrated by Figures 6 to 8 the first parts 10 comprise connection members in the form of pins, while the second parts comprise connection elements in the form of holes. However, it will be appreciated that the pins and holes could be arranged in any way between the first and second parts, and alternative connection means could be provided.
Referring to Figure 9, which is a schematic drawing of a complete structure assembled by the parts shown in Figure 6. It is made by 12 pieces of circular first parts10 interlockably engaged with 20 pieces of Y-shaped second parts 20 to build a hollow sphere. A circular retaining area 40 is left on the circular first basic unit 10. A caulking groove (not shown) or the like is disposed on the periphery of the retaining area 40 for embedding a plastic sheet 50 containing text, pattern and a combination thereof (Refer to Figure 10).
Referring to Figure 10, which is a plan view of a plastic display sheet used in the embodiment shown in Figure 9. The figure shows a plan view of an image which shows a soccer player running with a ball. When being mass produced, this plastic sheet 50 is shaped by thermoplastic pressing to produce a plastic sheet having a curvature the same as that of the retaining area 40 in the spherical display apparatus. In this embodiment the pressing takes place after the pre-designed pattern and/or text is printed on the plastic sheet 50. However, if desired the printing could take place after the shaping of the part.
It will be understood that the pattern and/or text on the plastic sheet 50 could be tailor-made for a special memorial purpose, for example, the image, patterns or text introduction of sport stars in the 2008 Olympic Games, 2010 World Cup, or the 2012 London Olympic Games. The plastic sheet 50 can be easily embedded into the caulking groove 41 and is held in place so that it is not released from the groove except when desired. This design could allow individual fan to assemble a unique spherical decoration according to his or her preference.
Referring to Figure 11, which is a schematic drawing of a completely assembled structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention. As compared with the two aforesaid embodiments, the general structure of the embodiment shown in Figure 11 is substantially the same. The main difference is that the first part 10 is pentagonal and the second part 20 is hexagonal. The complete spherical display apparatus is built up by 12 pieces of pentagonal first parts 10 and 20 pieces of hexagonal second parts 20. A retaining area 40 is disposed on both the first part 10 and second part 20. A caulking groove (not shown) is arranged on the periphery of the retaining area 40 for embedding a plastic sheet 50 containing text, pattern or a combination thereof (Refer to Figure 10).
It will be appreciated that the above specific description only describes certain embodiments of the present invention. The structure of the present invention may also be provided as a non-spherical three-dimensional structure, such as a cuboid, pyramid, or any other polyhedral shape. Furthermore, the interconnectable parts of the present invention could each be of the same size, rather than differing sizes as described above. It will be understood that the parts could be magnetic and the display elements made of a magnetic material, or vice versa. The display elements need not directly match with just one part. They could be made to fit over 2 or more parts, or be completely separate to the parts that make up the basic construction, with the display elements construction being based solely on the positioning of other display elements around them.
It is appreciated that various features of the invention which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination.
Whilst embodiments of the invention have been described by way of example only, modifications and equivalents will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by appended claims.

Claims

A three-dimensional display apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of interconnectable parts arranged to couple with one another for construction of a three-dimensional structure;

at least one display element for displaying an image thereon; and

a means for retaining the at least one display element on at least one of the plurality of interconnectable parts.
The three-dimensional display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the interconnectable parts has a retaining area on which the at least one display element is retained.
The three-dimensional display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the retaining area comprises a recess for locating the display element.
The three-dimensional display apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the means for retaining comprises a connection portion on at least one of the interconnectable parts.
The three-dimensional display apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:
the connection portion is a lateral groove around the perimeter of the recessed retaining area arranged such that the display element is held in place within the groove.
The three-dimensional display apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:
the connection portion comprises a lateral protrusion, extending over a portion of the retaining area to hold the display element in place between the lateral protrusion and the retaining area.
The three-dimensional display apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the interconnectable parts interconnect via a snap-fit arrangement.
The three-dimensional display apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the snap-fit arrangement comprises at least one pin located on a first part of the interconnectable parts, and at least one hole located on a second part of the interconnectable parts, the pin and hole arranged to snap-fit with respect to one another and therefore secure the first part to the second part.
The three-dimensional display apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the three-dimensional structure is arranged to form a sphere.
The three-dimensional display apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the interconnectable parts have a curved surface such that when connected together they form a sphere.
The three-dimensional display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the display element has a curvature to match the curved surface of the interconnectable parts.