GB2216022A

GB2216022A - Jigsaw holder

Info

Publication number: GB2216022A
Application number: GB8901562A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Daniel Shillito; Denis Thomas Parkinson
Original assignee: Parker Hilton Ltd
Current assignee: Parker Hilton Ltd
Priority date: 1988-02-26
Filing date: 1989-01-25
Publication date: 1989-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 2009-01-25
Also published as: GB2216022B; AU3219689A; EP0401290A1; WO1989007969A1; GB8901562D0; GB8804514D0

Abstract

A jigsaw holder (10) comprises a support member (11) on which the jigsaw (13) can be assembled, a cover means (15) pivoted or hinged to the support member so as to be able to overlie the latter, the surface of the cover means adapted to lie adjacent the support member being of a compressible non-slip nature, to lock assembled jigsaw pieces in position, and means for releasably securing the cover means in overlying relationship to the support member. The support member is also of a non-slip compressible nature. A retaining sheet (21) is provided to trap non-assembled jigsaw pieces between same and the cover means.

Description

A HOLDER FOR JIGSAWS This invention relates to a holder on which jigsaw puzzles (hereinafter and in the claims referred to simply as jigsaws") can be assembled and which permits incomplete jigsaws to be "frozen" in the incomplete or unfinished state and stored away for future use and completion.

The holder may also be used as a packaging for the jigsaw for marketing purposes.

According to the present invention the holder comprises a support member on which the jigsaw can be assembled, a cover means pivoted or hinged to the support member so as to be able to overlie the latter, the surface of the cover means adapted to lie adjacent the support member being of a compressible non-slip nature, to lock assembled jigsaw pieces in position and means for releasably securing the cover means in overlying relationship to the support member.

Preferably, the cover means comprises a cover member hinged or pivoted to each of two opposed sides of the support member, the combined area of the cover members being equal to the area of the support member.

Preferably, the surfaces of the cover members adapted to lie adjacent the support member are covered with compressible, non-slip plastics foam material, or flock material.

The releasable securing means may be a VELCRO (Registered Trade Mark) fastening, a stud or hook fastening or any other convenient form of releasable fastener.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a jigsaw holder according to the present invention in the part open position; and Fig. 2 is a top end view of the jigsaw holder.

The holder 10 comprises a support member 11 formed with a playing surface 12 formed of, or covered with, for example, flock vinyl on which a jigsaw 13 can be assembled. The playing surface 12 may be made or covered with any other non-slip, preferably compressible, material.

The support member 11 has hinged or pivoted as indicated at 14 to each of two opposed sides a cover member 15 which on one face is covered with a layer 16 of compressible, non-slip plastics foam material, for example flock vinyl.

The support member 11 and the cover members 15 are of the same construction with the cover members 15 being thicker than the support member 11. Each member 11 or 15 is formed of four layers, namely an outer smooth plastics layer such as vinyl, a layer of cardboard or similar in contact with the outer layer, a layer which has compressible characteristics, for example compressible plastics foam or other spongy material, in contact with the cardboard layer, and an inner, non-slip layer of flock vinyl or similar. the four layers are heat welded together around their outer peripheral edges.

The cover members 15 are pivotal in the direction of arrows A to overlie the support member 11 (see left hand side of Fig. 1) whereby the vinyl flock surfaces 12, 16 will contact and secure in position a partially-assembled jigsaw 17 thus allowing it to be stored away for later use.

The outer surface of each cover member 15 is provided with a layer 18 of VELCRO (Trade Mark) adjacent each of two opposed edges, and the support member 11 is provided with four hinged securing tabs 19, one for each layer 18, and each with an area 20 of VELCRO fitted thereto. The tabs 19 form fasteners to secure the cover members 15 in closed position (see left hand side of Fig. 1).

A flexible retaining sheet 21 is provided, preferably for each cover member 15 but only one may be provided if required. This retaining sheet 21 is formed of or covered with flock vinyl on each of its surfaces. It can be used to support non-assembled jigsaw pieces 22 during play although they may be directly supported on a cover member 15 but its primary purpose is to overlie a cover member 15 to trap unassembled jigsaw pieces 22 therebetween when closing the holder 10 after play. As a result the holder 10 contains the partially assembled jigsaw 13 between the support surface 11 and a retaining sheet 21 and non-assembled jigsaw pieces 22 between the retaining sheet 21 and its respective cover member 15, the cover members 15 being secured in positon against movement by the fastening tabs 19.

There may be only one cover member 15 hinged or pivoted to one side of the support member 11, the two members 11 and 15 being coterminous in area.

The holder 10 may be provided with a handle.

Claims

1. A holder for a jigsaw comprising a support member on which the jigsaw can be assembled, a cover means pivoted or hinged to the support member so as to be able to overlie the latter, the surface of the cover means adapted to lie adjacent the support member being of a compressible non-slip nature, to lock assembled jigsaw pieces in position and means for releasably securing the cover means in overlying relationship to the support member.

2. A holder as claimed in claim 1 in which the support member has a non-slip playing surface.

3. A holder as claimed in claim 2 in which the playing surface is compressible.

4. A holder as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 in which the cover means comprises a cover member hinged or pivoted to each of two opposed sides of the support member, the combined area of the cover members being equal to the area of the support member.

5. A holder as claimed in claim 4 in which the surfaces of the cover members adapted to lie adjacent the support member are covered with compressible, non-slip plastics foam material, or flock material.

6. A holder as claimed in claim 4 or 5 comprising a flexible retaining sheet adapted to overlie at least one of the cover members and to be sandwiched between the support member and its respective cover member when the holder is closed and serving to retain unassembled jigsaw pieces between same and the cover member.

7. A holder as claimed in claim 6, in which the flexible retaining sheet has non-slip surfaces.

8. A holder as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 in which the securing means comprises VELCRO fasteners.

9. A holder as claimed in claim 8 comprising at two opposed sides of the support member a pair of VELCRO securing tabs adapted to engage respective areas of VELCRO material on the cover members.

10. A holder for a jigsaw, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.