GB2359259A

GB2359259A - Cylindrical jigsaw puzzle

Info

Publication number: GB2359259A
Application number: GB0000505A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Michael Collins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-01-12
Filing date: 2000-01-12
Publication date: 2001-08-22
Also published as: GB0000505D0

Abstract

A cylindrical jigsaw puzzle created by cutting an interlocking pattern 4,5 on two opposite edges of the puzzle. Preferably the puzzle shows photographs giving a panoramic 360{ view. Optionally the photographs may be shown on the outside or inside surface of the cylinder and the cylinder may lie in either a horizontal or vertical plane.

Description

k 1 t- 2359259 PATENT APPLICATION: JIGSAW PUZZLE

PATENT SPECIFICATION

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to a jigsaw puzzle Jigsaw puzzles normally consist of a picture of any shape divided into a number of smaller interlocking pieces and then broken up to enable the challenge of reassembling the picture. Sometimes these are double sided to increase the degree of difficulty. Puzzles are also made to fit the surface of a three dimensional object such as a sphere. In most cases jigsaw puzzles have defined smooth outer edges as would be seen with a polygon such as a rectangle, a square, a triangle or a curved outer edge such as a circle or an ellipse.

According to the present invention an 'endless'jigsaw is formed through the use of two novel features:

a) Using a picture or image which is in the form of a continuous loop (such as would be created when viewing a landscape through the full 360 degrees) and therefore does not have any left or right hand outer edges. This continuous loop image can be better visualised if it is imagined to be on the inside surface of a circular drum. By definition this image is in three dimensional space and can not be laid flat unless for practical purposes this image is cut at any point in its length to allow it to be laid flat. This is necessary for jigsaw manufacturing purposes (see figure A, which is a fictional, 360 degree, landscape, panoramic photograph laid flat showing 4 different factories one of these being at the join and split in two). The flat image so created has the unique feature of continuity between the left and right hand edges (figure A 1 and 2).

When the cut referred to above is an irregular line (as used in jigsaws) instead of a straight line, interlocking ends are created. Turning the flat picture on its side and joining the loose ends would recreate the circular band with the image on either the inside or outside face (see figure B in which the picture is on the inside of the drum).

b) The pieces in the jigsaw are cut in such a way that during manufacture from a flat rectangular picture the left hand side of the flat image is cut with an interlocking shape which will fit into the interlocking shape cut into the right hand side (see figure B).

Other features are: c) To achieve a seamless join in the features of the picture it is necessary to repeat part of the image and create a small overlap (see figure B 4 and 5).

The novelty of this invention is that the jigsaw puzzle can be.assembled with its centre at any point in the picture which the puzzler chooses. More accurately, there is a finite number of ways the puzzle can be assembled, corresponding to the number of vertical cuts created when the puzzle is cut. If the pattern consists of 25 pieces across by 20 pieces high then the endless puzzle described could be made in. any one of 25 different ways. Because of this the puzzler has the opportunity of creating, in this example, 25 different pictures.

1 PATENT APPLICATION: JIGSAW PUZZLE The jigsaw so created is more difficult to assemble because the puzzler does not have a straight outer edge to work with at either the left or right hand side.

The same principles can be applied to any graphical image which can be created on the inside or on the outside of a drum. Examples of an image on the outside of a drum would be overlapping, stitched photographs taken on the perimeter of a circle looking inwards towards a fixed object, this is similar to the well known Mercator projection of the earth's surface as seen on any flat map of the Earth (see figure D).

Similarly, the longer axis of the image does not have to be in a horizontal plane but can be in any other such as a vertical one.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure A shows a jigsaw picture which is a continuous landscape photograph of four fictional factories in which the left hand edge 1 is a continuation of edge 2 and vice versa, the picture having been cut through the middle of one of the factory images.

Figure B shows how the jigsaw edge 1 will fit (interlock) into edge 2 as shown at 3 the necessary overlap 4 and 5 having been created using either manual or computer controlled cut and paste techniques.

The creation of an actual endless 360 degree or continuous loop picture is made easier through the use of computer software which stitches together a number of overlapping photographs taken on a 360 degree panoramic tripod and then using the same technique stitches the two opposing ends to form a virtual continuous strip or loop. The same software allows the loop or continuous picture to be viewed on a computer screen by scrolling from left to right.

The long narrow picture so created is in digital format and can be printed out on paper for the creation of the jigsaw (see figure A).

The pieces in the jigsaw are then cut in such a way that during manufacture from this flat rectangular picture the left hand side of the flat image is cut with an interlocking shape which will fit into the interlocking shape cut into the right hand side (see figure B).

A second example is as follows:

Figure C shows a jigsaw in a drum configuration in which the pictures would be taken about a vertical plane and the join would be at the top and bottom outer edges. This could show the ceiling, walls and floors of a stately home.

A third example is as follows:

Figure D shows a jigsaw image in which the graphical images would be created looking inwards to a central figure such as the Earth as shown in a Mercator projection of the surface.

t PATENT APPLICATION: JIGSAW PU77L

Claims

B CLAIMS

A jigsaw puzzle made from any closed continuous loop picture (figure A) as on the inside or outside of a cylindrical drum and created by cutting a matching interlock pattern to create the shorter outer edges instead of a straight line (3 in figure B). The drum can be in any plane in space.
2 A jigsaw puzzle as claimed in claim 1 created by stitching a number of overlapping photographs from a 360 degrees panoramic view looking outwards in any vertical plane(see figure C).
3 A jigsaw puzzle as claimed in claim 1 created by stitching a number of overlapping photographs from a 360 degrees view looking inwards to a fixed object in any vertical plane (see figure D).
A continuous or endless jigsaw as claimed in claim 1 created by cutting a matching interlock pattern at both the top and bottom outer edges instead of a straight line.
A jigsaw puzzle as claimed in claim 1 which does not have finite left or right hand outer edges.
6 A jigsaw puzzle as claimed in claim 1 which does not have finite top or bottom outer edges.

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