GB2222371A

GB2222371A - A plaything; puzzle

Info

Publication number: GB2222371A
Application number: GB8820630A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alfred Roy Bates
Original assignee: Ladybird Books Ltd
Current assignee: Ladybird Books Ltd
Priority date: 1988-09-01
Filing date: 1988-09-01
Publication date: 1990-03-07
Anticipated expiration: 2008-09-01
Also published as: GB8820630D0; GB2222371B

Abstract

A plaything 10 comprising a support member 12 having at least first and second edges 14, 18. The plaything also comprises a first series (16) of flaps hinged to the first edge, and a second series (20) of flaps hinged to the second edge. Each flap 17, 21 is provided with desired markings 22, 24. The first and second series of flaps are hingeable about the first and second edges respectively between a superposed position in which the flaps of the first series are superposed with the flaps of the second series, and a non-superposed position in which the flaps of the first series are not superposed with the flaps of the second series. The flaps of each series can be hinged about the respective edges to the superposed position so that the flaps of the first series may be superposed in a plurality of arrangements with the flaps of the second series, at least one of said arrangements being such as to display a desired pattern from the markings. In the example shown, clouds 24 may be covered by suns 22. The support member 12 may be hexagonal or octagonal instead of square. The plaything may be reversible by providing markings on the opposite sides of the flaps. <IMAGE>

Description

A PLAYTHING This invention relates to a plaything.

Playthings, such as puzzies which involve moving certain parts of the puzzle to create a pattern from markings on those parts, are well known. An example of such a puzzle is sold under the trade mark RE'BII;'S CUBE.

This puzzle consists of a cube having on each face sixteen facets. The faces are all rotatable relative to each other so that 5y an appropriate arrangement of the facets a desired pattern can be created.

It is an object of this invention te provide an improved plaything which is relatively easy to produce.

According to this invention there is provided a plaything comprising a support member having at least first and second edges, a first series of flaps hinged to the first edge, and a second series of flaps hinged to the second edge, each flap being provided with desired markings, and the first and second series of flaps being hingeable about the first and second edges respectively between a superposed position in which the flaps of the first series are superposed with the flaps of the second series, and a non-superposed position in which the flaps cf the first series are not superposed with the flaps of the second series whereby te flaps of each series can be hinged about the respective edge to the superposed position so that the flaps of the first series may be superposed in a plurality of arrangements with the flaps of the second series at least one of said arrangements being such as to display a desired pattern from the markings.

Desirably, the flaps of each series are integrally hinged to the respective edge.

The first and second edges may be equal in length and the length of each flap is preferably substantially ;Irlual ; he length of said first or sezonti edge.

In the preferred embodiment, the support member is of a substantially square configuration, having the first edge disposed adjacent the second edge, and the number of flaps of the first series being equal to the number of flaps in the second series.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a view of a plaything according to the invention showing a first and second series of flaps in a non-superposed position; Figure 2 is a view of a plaything according to the invention showing a first and second series of flaps being moved to a superposed position; and Figure 3 is a view of a plaything according to the invention showing a first and second series of flaps in a superposed position.

Referring to the drawings, a plaything 10 is shown which comprises a support member 12. In the embodiment shown, the support member 12 is of a square configuration, although it will be appreciated that the support member 12 can be of any other suitable configuration, for example hexagonal or octagonal.

As shown in Figure 1, the support member 12 has a first edge 14 to which is hinged a first series 16 of flaps. The support member 12 also has a second edge 18 to which is hinged a second series 20 of flaps. The first edge 14 is disposed adjacent to the second edge 18.

The first series 16 comprises three flaps 17, and the second series 20 comprises three flaps 21. Although the embodiment shown has three flaps 17, 21 hinged to the edges 14, 18, it will be appreciated that any other desired number of flaps 17, 21 could be hinged to the edges 14, 18. The flaps 17, 21 are shown to be of the same length as the length of the edges 14, 18 of the support member 12. However, it will be appreciated that the flaps may be of any other suitable length.

Each flap 17, 21 can be hinged about its respective edge 14 or 18 between a non-superposed position, as shown in Figure 1, in which the flaps 17, 21 are not superposed and a superposed position, as shown in figure 3, in which the flaps 17 of the first series 16 are superposed with the flaps 21 of the second series 20.

By hinging the flaps 17, 21 about their respective edges, a desired pattern can be displayed by an appropriate arrangement of the flaps, 17, 21 when the flaps 17, 21 are in the superposed position. As shown in the drawings, the markings of this embodiment are in the form of representations of suns 22 and clouds 24. It will be appreciated that any other markings may be used.

In Figure 2 the flaps 17, 21 are shown being hinged about their respective edges 14, 18 to the superposed position in directions shown by the arrows A. The flaps 17, 21 are being hinged in a desired order to display the pattern shown in Figure 3 whereby all the clouds 24 are covered by the suns 22.

Any other desired pattern could be displayed by varying the order of hinging the flaps 17, 21 about their respective edges 14, 18. Obviously, by using other markings on the flaps 17, 21 instead of the suns 22 and the clouds 24, any other desired pattern could be displayed when the flaps 17, 21 are in the superposed position.

Although this embodiment of the invention has been described for markings only on one side of the flaps 17, 21 to create a pattern on only one side of the support member 12, it will be appreciated that any other desired marking could be provided on the other side of the flaps 17, 21. Thus, by hinging the flaps 17, 21 in the direction opposite to that of the arrows A, another desired pattern could be displayed on the other side of the support member 12.

The plaything 10 can be manufactured from cardboard or a plastics material or any other suitable material.

Claims

1. .A plaything comprising a support member having at least first and second edges, a first series of flaps hinged to the first edge, and a second series of flaps hinged to the second edge, each flap being provided with desired markings, and the first and second series of flaps being hingeable about the first and second edges respecti-ely between a superposed position in which the flaps of the first series are superposed with the flaps of the second series, and a non-superposed position in which the flaps of the first series are not superposed wIth the flaps of the second series whereby the flaps of each series can be hinged about the respective edges to the superposed position so that the flaps of the first series may be superposed in a plurality of arrangements with the flaps of the second series at least one of said arrangements being such as to display a desired pattern from the markings.

2. A plaything according to Claim 1 wherein the flaps of each series are integrally hinged to the respective edge.

3. A plaything according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the first and second edges are equal in length and the length of each flap is equal to the length of said first or second edge.

4. A plaything according to Claim 1, 2 or herein the support member is of a square configuration, having the first edge disposed adjacent to the second edge, and the number of flaps in the first series being equal to the number of flaps in the second series.

A plaything substantially as herein decribed with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.