GB2370001A

GB2370001A - An educational jigsaw

Info

Publication number: GB2370001A
Application number: GB0028423A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Andrew Endersby
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-11-22
Filing date: 2000-11-22
Publication date: 2002-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 2020-11-22
Also published as: GB2370001B; GB0028423D0

Abstract

A jigsaw puzzle for use as an educational aid comprises a plurality of main puzzle pieces 10, which are identically shaped tessellating pieces, which have interlock features for interlocking (111,121,131,141 figure 1) with like neighbouring puzzle pieces 10,20,30,40, where the main puzzle pieces 10 have characteristics such as colours or textures to enable construction of finished pictures in different patterns. Boarder pieces comprise of corner pieces (20 figure 2) with interlock features of a first formation (231, figure 2) on one side and the interlock feature of a second formation (241) on the second side. The pieces 30 and 40 which interlock with the main puzzle pieces 10 have different arrangements of interlock features. Edge piece (30 figure 3) has interlock features of the first formation (321 and 331 figure 3) on two sides and one of the second formation (341 figure 3) on one side. Edge piece (40 figure 4) has interlock features of the first formation (421 figure 4) on one side and interlock features of the second formation (431 and 441 figure 4) on two sides.

Description

Educational Aid

The invention relates to an educational aid, in particular, the invention relates to such an aid in the form of a jigsaw puzzle.

Conventional jigsaws consists of a number of differently sized and shaped pieces each having a different representation thereon which, when assembled in the correct order, combine to make a completed and predetermined picture.

Such conventional types of jigsaws while proving to be amusing puzzles, do not provide any artistic stimulation to the puzzler or help to improve spatial awareness skills.

It is an aim of preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide an educational aid in the form of a jigsaw puzzle where the puzzler is able to decide what the finished pattern of the jigsaw puzzle should be.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an educational aid comprising a plurality of main puzzle pieces being identically shaped tesselating jigsaw pieces, each of said main puzzle pieces including means for interlocking with like neighbouring main puzzle pieces, wherein said plurality of main puzzle pieces are available with different characteristics to enable the construction of finished pictures in different patterns.

Preferably, the differing characteristics comprise colours or textures.

Preferably, said plurality of main puzzle pieces are provided in a plurality of characteristics groups, each characteristics group having pieces of an identical single characteristic.

Preferably, each main puzzle piece is arranged to

interlock with"n"neighbouring pieces.

Preferably, each main puzzle piece includes"n"interlock features to enable the piece to interlock with its"n" neighbours.

Preferably, n/2 of said n interlock features have a first formation and the other n/2 of said interlock features have a second formation different to said first formation.

Preferably, interlock features of first formation and second formation of a piece are arranged to interlock with interlock features of second formation and first formation respectively of neighbouring pieces.

Preferably, each main puzzle piece has"n"sides, with each side further including one of said interlock features.

Preferably, the educational aid comprises a plurality of said main puzzle pieces and a plurality of border pieces, said border pieces each having at least one straight side with no interlock features and at least two sides having interlock features, said interlock features providing means for interlocking the border pieces with one another and with the main puzzle pieces.

Preferably, said border pieces comprise corner pieces and edge pieces. Preferably, each corner piece has two straight sides with no interlock features on said straight sides, and include a further two sides, a first of said further two sides including an interlock feature of first formation, and a second of said further two sides including an interlock feature of second formation.

Preferably, each edge piece comprises a piece having one straight unbroken side, and three sides including interlock features.

A first of said three sides of an edge piece may have interlock features of first formation, and second and third sides of said three sides include interlock features of second formation. Alternatively/additionally, the first of said three sides may have interlock features of second formation, and second and third or said three sides may have interlock features of first formation.

Preferably, two types of edge pieces are provided, a first of which has one side with an interlock feature of the first type and two sides with interlock features of the second type, and a second of which has one side with an interlock feature of the second type and two sides with interlock features of the first type.

Preferably, interlock features of said first formation comprise protrusions and interlock features of second formation comprise indentations.

Preferably, said educational aid is supplied as a kit of parts comprising a plurality of main puzzle pieces of identical size and formation and in various characteristics groups, together with a plurality of border pieces.

Said kit of parts may further comprise a plurality of sample pictures.

Preferably, said kit of parts further comprises a plurality of planning grids to enable planning of a picture.

Preferably, said planning grids comprise a blank grid-like formation on which an image may be drawn by a user and subsequently resolved into individual squares of different colours such that the user may then plan configurations of the various pieces to match the image configuration drawn on the planning grid.

Preferably, the kit of parts is further supplied with a plurality of coloured pens, said coloured pens enabling the filling in of individual squares of a planning grid in desired colours to enable the user to better perform planning of the finished picture.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a main puzzle piece;

Figure 2 shows a corner piece for a border ; Figure 3 shows a first type of edge piece for a border ; Figure 4 shows a second type of edge piece for a border; Figure 5 shows a simple design which can be created using main puzzle pieces and border pieces; Figure 6 is a sample picture arranged on a grid system which may be copied by a user using the puzzle pieces; and Figure 7 shows a blank grid on which a user may draw their own pictures for colouring in and later copying.

Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown a main puzzle piece of the educational aid. Each main puzzle piece 1 is identical to every other main puzzle piece, except in coloration or texture. The puzzle pieces 1 have four sides 10,11, 12,13. Sides 10 and 11 include interlock features 101,111 of a first formation, whilst sides 12, 13 include interlock features 121,131 of a second formation. The first formation comprises a protrusion extending from an otherwise straight edge, and the interlock features of the second formation comprise an indentation into an otherwise straight edge. Interlock features of the first formation are arranged to interlock with features of the second formation to join one main puzzle piece to a plurality of neighbouring pieces, which may be other main puzzle pieces or border pieces (to be described below).

Figure 2 shows a border piece which is a corner piece 20 including first and second straight sides 21, 22, a side 23 having an interlock feature 231 of the first formation, and a side 24 having an interlock feature 241 of the second formation (indentation).

Figure 3 shows another border piece which is an edge piece 30 of a first type. This first type of edge piece comprises one straight and unbroken side 31, two sides 32, 33 at right angles to one another and including interlock features of the first formation (protrusion) and a fourth side 34 having an interlock feature 341 of the second formation (indentation).

Figure 4 shows a border piece which is a second type of edge piece 40. This edge piece has a first straight side 41, second and third sides 42,43 having interlock features of second formation type (indentations) and a fourth side 44 with an interlock feature of the first formation (protrusion).

Referring now to Figure 5, there is shown a finished picture comprising a simple design of a draughts board comprising plurality of identically shaped main puzzle pieces 10 in black and white, and a border comprising four corner pieces 20 and a plurality of edge pieces 30,40.

As can be seen from the Figure, the main puzzle pieces are supplied in different characteristics, specifically colour and texture (represented by different shades of grey in the Figure) and, because they are all of identical shape, with interlocking features, a wide variety of different pictures may be formed by varying the pattern of the

pieces. The simple design shown is only used here for illustrative purposes, due to the fact that colour reproduction in patent specification is not possible. It will be appreciated that colourful designs however are the most appealing and a huge number of pictures can be created-limited only by the child's imagination. Once a picture has been completed with the main puzzle pieces 10, then the various border pieces 20,30, 40 can be used to provide a frame to the picture.

It will be appreciated, that since the main puzzle pieces are supplied in different textures as well as colours, the educational aid may be of considerable use to blind or partially sighted people.

Typically, this particular educational aid is used for children and may be supplied with a number of sample pictures with a numbered grid formation as shown in Figure 6 so that the child can copy one of a selection of pictures of a varying degree of difficulty. This helps to improve the child's hand to eye coordination, spatial awareness and counting skills.

Once a child has completed such copying exercises, they can then move on to compose their own pictures and, for this, a numbered grid such as that shown in Figure 6 may be provided. The child can draw their desired picture on the grid and then colour in appropriate squares with the desired colour and, afterwards, copy the pattern from that coloured grid using the puzzle pieces.

The educational aid may be provided in a kit form with a number of pieces of different colours and textures, a

number of border pieces, a number of pre-printed picture illustrations to use as models, a number of blank grids and a number of coloured pens.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s). The invention extend to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. An educational aid comprising a plurality of main puzzle pieces being identically shaped tessellating jigsaw pieces, each of said main puzzle pieces including means for interlocking with like neighbouring main puzzle pieces, wherein said plurality of main puzzle pieces are available with different characteristics to enable the construction of finished pictures in different patterns.

2. An aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the differing characteristics comprise colours or textures.

3. An aid as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said plurality of main puzzle pieces are provided in a plurality of characteristics groups, each characteristics group having pieces of an identical single characteristic.

4. An aid as claimed in any one of the above claims, wherein each main puzzle piece is arranged to interlock with"n"neighbouring pieces.

5. An aid as claimed in claim 4, wherein each main puzzle

piece includes"n"interlock features to enable the piece to interlock with its"n"neighbours.

6. An aid as claimed in claim 5, wherein n/2 of said n interlock features have a second formation different to said first formation.

7. An aid as claimed in claim 6, wherein interlock features of first formation and second formation of a piece are arranged to interlock with interlock features of

second formation and first formation respectively of neighbouring pieces.

8. An aid as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein each main puzzle has"n"sides, with each side further including one of said interlock features.

9. An aid as claimed in any one of the above claims, wherein the educational aid comprises a plurality of said main puzzle pieces and a plurality of border pieces, said border pieces each having at least one straight side with no interlock features and at least two sides having interlock features, said interlock features providing means for interlocking the border pieces with one another and with the main puzzle pieces.

10. An aid as claimed in claim 9, wherein said border pieces comprise corner pieces and edge pieces.

11. An aid as claimed in claim 10, wherein each corner piece has two straight sides with no interlock features on said straight sides, and include a further two sides, a first of said further two sides including an interlock feature of first formation, and a second of said further two sides including an interlock feature of second formation.

12. An aid as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein each edge piece comprises a piece having one straight unbroken side, and three sides including interlock features.

13. An aid as claimed in claim 12, wherein a first of said three sides of an edge piece may have interlock features

of first formation and second and third sides of said three sides include interlock features of second formation.

14. An aid as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein the first of said three sides may have interlock features of second formation, and second and third or said three sides may have interlock features of first formation.

15. An aid as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein two types of edge pieces are provided, a first of which has one side with interlock features of the second type, and a second of which has one side with an interlock feature of the second type and two sides with interlock features of the first type.

16. An aid as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein interlock features of said first formation comprise protrusions and interlock features of second formation comprise indentations.

17. An aid as claimed in any one of the above claims, wherein said educational aid is supplied as a kit of parts comprising a plurality of main puzzle pieces of identical size and formation and in various characteristics groups, together with a plurality of border pieces.

18. An aid as claimed in claim 17, wherein said kit of parts may further comprise a plurality of sample pictures.

19. An aid as claimed in claim 17 or 18, wherein said kit of parts further comprises a plurality of planning grids to enable planning of a picture.

20. An aid as claimed in claim 19, wherein said planning grids comprise a blank grid-like formation on which an image may be drawn by a user and subsequently resolved into individual squares of different colours such that the user may then plan configuration of the various pieces to match the image configuration drawn on the planning grid.

21. An aid as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 21, wherein the kit of parts is further supplied with a plurality of coloured pens, said coloured pens enabling the filling in of individual squares of a planning grid in desired colours to enable the user to better perform planning of the finished picture.

22. An educational aid substantially as described herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings.