WO1991004084A1

WO1991004084A1 - Puzzles

Info

Publication number: WO1991004084A1
Application number: PCT/EP1990/001579
Authority: WO
Inventors: Achim Gronau
Original assignee: Achim Gronau
Priority date: 1989-09-18
Filing date: 1990-09-18
Publication date: 1991-04-04
Also published as: AU6512390A; DE3931125A1

Abstract

The invention relates to puzzles in a wide range of embodiments. The components of the puzzles consist of a plurality of interlocking projections and recesses and can preferably be assembled to form figures, such as animals. The projections of a puzzle occupy approximately half the surface of the puzzle. The selective omission of almost all orientation aids and the reduced dimensions of the components make it possible to obtain very small, robust puzzles which present a high degree of difficulty and enjoyment, even with few components. The puzzles can be made from a variety of materials with different properties by various processes, for example using saws or lasers. The puzzles can be used as games for entertainment, educational or therapeutic purposes, as demonstration or advertising aids, test devices, etc.

Description

PUZ ZLES

DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to puzzles, according to claim 1, consisting of building blocks, which are preferably assembled flat to form figures.

These puzzles can include Game or object of entertainment, as an educational or meditative game, as an advertising medium or as a psychological test device.

Today, a puzzle is a combination game that requires patience, concentration, combinability and skill.

Puzzle games of various types are known. Most of the time, it is important to assemble the individual components, usually with the help of a true-to-scale solution template, according to a single, correct system in order to obtain an image as a solution that is composed of partial images.

A puzzle of this type is known from DE-OS 3303882. It is a combination of colorable and color printed puzzles. Printed numbers and lines create fields that are painted with the color to be assigned according to the number in the individual field. The possibility to paint the puzzle yourself is a game enrichment.

However, the aforementioned puzzle can be put together relatively easily and quickly. It is not difficult because the player can orientate himself on the rectangular shape and on the print or the different colors. In addition, the sides of the puzzle pieces are approximately parallel to the sides of the puzzle, thus revealing the directions of rotation in which the blocks can be inserted into the puzzle. This limits the turning possibilities of a stone for insertion to four directions.

The individual building blocks consist of rectangles and usually only have three to four connection points, and the printing or the like makes it easy for the player to distinguish the front from the back.

The many orientation aids that conventional jigsaw puzzles offer make assembly considerably easier for the player. In order to achieve greater difficulty in playing, the number of building blocks must be very large. Such a puzzle, for example with 5000 pieces, has the disadvantages that it is complex to manufacture, that the puzzle takes up a lot of space, and that the puzzle is very large when assembled and is therefore very difficult to move or store. Since most puzzles are mainly made of cardboard, they are particularly sensitive to moisture and mechanical stress.

The object of the present invention is to make the puzzles more interesting, more versatile and more difficult, in particular to make higher demands on the player's ability to observe and combine, and to make the puzzles themselves smaller, more compact and more robust.

This object is achieved in that, according to the invention, the puzzle body is divided into the individual building blocks in such a way that the area occupied by the projections on the building blocks of the puzzle makes up at least half of the remaining total area of the building blocks.

In contrast to conventional puzzles, whose puzzle pieces mostly consist of a square basic shape with four projections or recesses on the sides, the individual puzzle pieces are designed so that they have no basic shape that would allow orientation, and only consist of related front - and there are setbacks. As a result, much smaller puzzle pieces with a larger number of connecting elements are possible.

The dividing lines of the various building blocks run consistently while avoiding repetitive directional orientations, which means that it is usually not possible to identify the rotational position of a building block in which it can be used for the puzzle.

Since the dividing lines also run essentially avoiding the crossing of dividing lines, it is no longer possible to use a building block to determine the dimensions of the feasible stone that should be sought. In contrast to this, if there are dividing line crossings, the dimensions of the sides of both building blocks to be assembled are the same, which simplifies the search considerably.

The projections and recesses, which can be designed in the most varied of shapes and combinations, even within a puzzle, extend in arbitrarily chosen directions while avoiding preferred orientations. This makes the individual component more interesting and the correct assignment more difficult.

The recesses, which receive the associated projections, are formed from two or more building blocks, if possible. As a result, the desired return cannot be found before the building blocks that form it are put together. This significantly increases the level of difficulty.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET The dividing line meeting points are preferably on a projection and not between two projections. The puzzle division is, if possible, designed in such a way that the dividing line meeting points cannot be recognized on the building blocks.

The vertical dividing line height of the blocks, which are preferably made of transparent material, has almost the same size as the diameter of the projections and recesses. This creates the more spatial than flat character of the puzzles, and for transparent puzzles the special difficulty due to the special visual appearance. It also makes building blocks and puzzles easier to handle.

All blocks have different sizes and configurations. Each building block can preferably only be assigned a single correct place in the game. The mostly very different outline shapes avoid the monotony. Usually they are

Make puzzles so that the front is the same as the back. As a result, the player cannot recognize which side of a puzzle piece belongs upwards, so that it can be inserted into the other pieces. The possible combinations are doubled, which makes the game much more interesting, and it is already possible. if the level of difficulty remains the same, halve the number of building blocks. This is an essential feature that allows difficult puzzles to be made very small.

The puzzles can be very difficult if the puzzle division is exactly or approximately symmetrical, or otherwise designed in such a way that protrusions or building blocks are so similar to other protrusions or building blocks that the player is confused, or by appropriate but incorrect connections to mistakes who are only recognizable as such later in the game will be seduced.

A peculiarity of the puzzle arises when, for example, a line-shaped separating tool is slanted towards the top of the puzzle during production. The blocks can no longer be assembled perpendicular to the top of the puzzle, but only diagonally from top to bottom. This creates a special difficulty. The projections and recesses can also be conical, in particular only so little conical that the building blocks can only be assembled from one side, but the player can hardly see a difference in shape between the front and back. In a puzzle or on a building block, there can also be protrusions that are conical in different directions (to the top or bottom). When manufacturing the puzzles, the basic body of the puzzle is

Pouring, sawing. To carve. Milling. Laser cutting or the like. Made in the desired shape. The disassembly into the individual building blocks is carried out by sawing, punching, cutting, lasering or the like.

Depending on the desired design, a corresponding combination of the features resulting from the claims, the descriptions and the

Drawings emerge, are taken into account.

Material sheets of various thicknesses are preferably used for production, but relief-like or three-dimensional figures or the like can also be puzzled in the manner described.

Basically, the puzzles can be made of any material that is suitable for being cut up accordingly. They are preferably made of transparent materials such as e.g. the plastic acrylic glass. In this version, the background and the dividing lines on both sides, as well as the dividing surfaces within the puzzle, can be seen through the puzzle. This property, especially when the puzzle is thicker, creates a special effect. The puzzle looks more spatial, and because at a glance there are far more dividing lines and separating surfaces than with opaque puzzles, the assembly is much more difficult, original and fun, also through optical illusions.

If the dividing line surfaces in the optical effect of those of

The top and bottom of the puzzle are similar and / or reflective and / or have a high-gloss effect. In addition to the previously described effect, reflections and reflections within the puzzle result in an unexpected improvement of the puzzle.

The dividing lines and areas are reflected several times in the puzzle, which also confuses the player.

With all transparent variants, the spatial vision and the spatial imagination are trained when assembling.

Therefore, the puzzle is not only suitable for cleaning. but also for educational and therapeutic purposes.

Of course, a puzzle can also be made of translucent or colored materials such as colored or milky plastics. Materials that shimmer through or are colored only in layers can also be produced by gluing two transparent plates with adhesives of different colors or containing color particles. Of course, photos, printed foils,

pressed parts of plants or the like on one or between several

Plates are glued, fused or the like.

It may be advantageous to manufacture and offer the individual puzzles combined with, for example, a printed underlay or template. The puzzles preferably form figures with outer contours. which are adapted to the type of figures shown. So figures can do the animals. Countries, fantasy figures, objects of art or everyday use or the like are modeled, manufactured or afterwards are puzzled on. The representation of different figures makes the puzzle more interesting, more versatile, and at the same time more difficult, since an uneven puzzle edge offers less or no orientation options.

Due to the many possible shapes, new and interesting puzzles can be continuously produced, also for special customer groups or customer requests.

The puzzles can also have recesses and / or inserts and / or incisions, e.g. to improve the image or game effect. In particular, features that are important for the recognizability of the figure can be illustrated not only by the outline shapes but also within the outer contours. The projections can also be designed so that they give a visual effect.

The outline shape of the puzzles can be made to be the same as or similar to the outline shape of the building blocks. or that edge blocks are not recognizable as such or only with difficulty. If the edge is designed as e.g. After mixing the building blocks, a wavy line can hardly be recognized as such. As a result, the edge as a possible orientation is completely eliminated. If the edges are provided with protrusions and recesses, the test options for assembling are considerably increased.

Several puzzles can also be designed so that they can be combined to form a large puzzle or puzzle picture. For example, a large puzzle consist of several building blocks of the conventional form, each of these building blocks in turn being broken down into many smaller components according to the invention, so that each conventional building block is a small puzzle.

It should be noted that the individual features of the claims are of independent importance for increasing the purpose of the puzzle.

When assembling the puzzle, the player can only orientate himself by the shape of the jumps and jumps, which is also made more difficult by the split back and by spatial and reflecting effects. By eliminating almost all orientation aids. that conventional puzzles offer, and due to the small, interesting shape of the individual parts, a small puzzle consisting of a large number of parts can be produced, which is characterized by an increased incentive to play and level of difficulty. The small size of such a puzzle brings great advantages in production. Processing as well as sales and material consumption. Above all, the small and compact shape makes it possible to paint, pack, store, display and sell the puzzles when assembled.

A puzzle can also be made from different materials, e.g. by connecting several material plates side by side and / or one above the other and only then dividing them. In this way, any number of identical or different materials can be joined together.

Of course, the plates of the individual layers or the basic puzzle bodies or fully divided puzzles or individual building blocks can be completely or partially printed, colored, sprayed, painted, engraved or the like. Using templates, e.g. Fonts, contours, eyes or the like are sprayed onto the puzzles. Painting with permanent or removable colors, also by the player himself, brings interesting possibilities.

Combined with e.g. imprint, the puzzles can also be used very well as advertising material.

Also a surface treatment e.g. by brushing or the like or other processing e.g. by drilling, milling or the like can contribute to improving the puzzle.

Individual or several blocks can have different colors and processing features. The blocks can e.g. be colored so that each block has a different color. or the one

Block is multicolored.

Individual or multiple building blocks can be colorless and / or reflective. A double-sided mirror effect is achieved by using two reflective plates e.g. made of acrylic glass on the back and then cut apart. The colorless and the reflective design is of a very special playful and aesthetic appeal. The reflective version in particular has a very special effect.

Of course, a puzzle body can be broken up from different directions by repeated cutting processes. For example, a cube can not only be divided vertically but also horizontally, which significantly increases the level of difficulty, since the dividing lines and dividing line surfaces merge into one another due to the two-sided division. In a puzzle consisting of blocks of different thicknesses, the player has the difficulty that the dividing lines run on different levels.

A special puzzle is created when the puzzle body is divided into two or more uneven or mutually interlocking layers, and the individual layers, the same or different, are divided into the individual building blocks. The puzzle is then put together on several levels. Depending on the design, it is necessary to put the individual levels together in the correct order. Of course, the individual layers can also consist of different materials, or be placed in a kind of container during or after the puzzle.

In this way, small, very difficult, spatial

Create puzzles that place the highest demands on the player.

Of course, everyone can claim. Descriptions and embodiments specified features can be combined with each other and further developed.

Depending on the requirement, desired puzzle designs can be created using different combinations of features, including limited ones

Selection of features to be made. So that you get puzzles that are not too difficult for children, for example, but lose nothing in their playful and educational effect.

According to the invention, very small, compact, original. easy to handle puzzles with few parts, but with a high level of difficulty, which open up further application possibilities compared to previous puzzles. This makes the puzzle overall much more interesting and versatile, not only for children, but especially for adults.

Further features, details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of some preferred embodiments of the invention and from the drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 / 1a a heart-shaped transparent puzzle.

Fig. 2 is a puzzle with the outer contours of the Italian

Boots.

Fig. 3 a shimmering composite puzzle.

Fig. 4 a puzzle reflecting on both sides.

Fig. 5 a multiply divided three-dimensional cube-shaped

Puzzle.

6 shows a puzzle made from a composite of different materials.

Fig. 7/9 two puzzles, the outline of which is similar to that of the building blocks.

Fig. 8 is a puzzle that consists of several smaller puzzles.

Lo is a puzzle that represents an elephant due to its shape and species-specific features within the outline shape,

11 is a circular wooden puzzle.

Fig. 12 is a cube-shaped puzzle from several levels

consists.

13 is a puzzle in which the building blocks can only be assembled at an angle,

Fig. 14 a puzzle in the form of a car.

Fig. 15 is a puzzle that is divided approximately symmetrically.

The drawings are limited in part to the representation of the special features to be clarified which are the basis of the particular embodiment. In this way, the special features, in relation to their characteristic principle, are sometimes demonstrated using just a few building blocks.

REPLACEMENT LEAF Fig. 1 of the drawing shows a puzzle with a heart-shaped outer contour (14), which is made of 8 mm thick transparent, colorless, unbreakable, and waterproof acrylic glass. It consists of 15 parts, parts 1 to 12 forming the edge and parts 13 to 15 being center pieces. The puzzle is divided according to the invention so that the area that the protrusions of the building blocks take up makes up at least half of the total area of the puzzle, as can be clearly seen, for example, in part (6). The dividing lines run without avoiding dividing lines and repetitive directional orientations. The dividing lines are distributed as evenly as possible over the whole puzzle so that no larger open spaces remain. The returns are formed from two or more building blocks if possible (16). Each block has a different size and configuration.

The drawing is limited to a reproduction of the dividing lines that can be seen on the surface. However, with this transparent design, the dividing lines of the front and back as well as the dividing line areas of the puzzle can be seen through the puzzle, as shown in part (6a). This effect makes assembly much more demanding.

Fig. 2 shows a puzzle in the outline shape (14) of the Italian boot according to claim 12.

In this puzzle, the foot pieces (15) are too narrow to be completely puzzled. But they are important for the representation of the figure.

Fig. 3 shows a puzzle body which is made of a composite material. A colored, shimmering plastic plate is placed between two colorless transparent plastic plates (16). The three plates are then firmly connected to one another by gluing, melting or the like. Then the puzzle body is made from the resulting composite panel, e.g. sawn out and divided into the individual building blocks. Of course, inclusions of any kind, such as printed material, photos or the like, can also be included in the material composite.

Fig. 4 shows a puzzle consisting of two plastic mirrors, which are connected to each other on the backs that it is reflective on both sides. The plastic mirrors consist of two colorless plates (16), each with a mirror coating (18) on the back.

Of course, the mirrors can also be colored or tinted. A puzzle can also be only partially reflective. Fig. 5 shows a puzzle. in which a cube is cut by sawing or laser cutting, rotated by 90 °, and cut again. As far as is expedient, puzzle bodies can be divided from a wide variety of directions in arbitrarily repeated dividing processes.

6 shows, like composite materials, also in different ways. e.g. next to each other, can be connected. Here four different, also differently colored, plates are connected and cut together in different ways (straight or oblique joint). Because each of the four plates has a different color and the building blocks extend over at least two different plates, each building container is at least two-colored.

The puzzle shows one of the countless shaping options when the puzzle is divided according to the invention.

Fig. 7/9 show special design options. In both, the outline shapes of the puzzles are designed in the same way as the outline shapes of the puzzle building blocks. After mixing these puzzles, it is not possible to recognize edge pieces as such. Several puzzles of this type can also be manufactured in such a way that they can be connected to one another like a puzzle.

Fig. 8 shows a puzzle in the conventional form consisting of four puzzle pieces, which in turn are broken down into a plurality of small building blocks according to the invention. During production, large plates can first be divided into conventional puzzle pieces, after which individual or several conventional puzzle pieces can then be further cut in a simple manner. The division of larger panels is particularly advantageous when sawing.

Conventional puzzles have dividing lines (19). but not puzzles according to the invention.

Fig. 10 shows a puzzle in the shape of an elephant. The elephant is not only represented by the outline shape, but also by incisions. Imprints or the like. According to claim 13, the ear and tusk are emphasized by incisions (21), the leg lines (22) by imprint, the foot lines by painting (23) and baking (24). The eye (25) is engraved and traced in color. The eye can also be represented by a corresponding recess or by an insert or by an insert (26) connected to a module. Projections can also be designed to give a visual effect. Fig. 11 shows a circular puzzle made from one

Veneer panel. Different wood veneers (27) are preferably glued crosswise to one another in order to achieve a higher breaking strength and a good appearance of the veneer panel. The circular puzzle body (28) is pronounced and cut up from the plate. The individual building blocks are structured individually or together, e.g. by brushing, carving or the like. and colored or painted so that one or more building blocks have different colors or processing features.

Fig. 12 shows a cube-shaped puzzle in which the puzzle body is e.g. Saying or laser cutting is divided into several levels (29).

The individual levels are preferably shaped so that they are uneven or interlocking. The individual puzzle levels are divided, individually or together, into the individual building blocks.

Especially if the individual levels are divided in different ways. Particularly difficult puzzles arise because the individual building blocks and levels have to be put together in the correct order.

FIG. 13 shows a puzzle in which the individual building blocks cannot be connected to the other building blocks perpendicularly to the top of the puzzle, but only by an oblique movement from top to bottom. This puzzle is divided by approx. 45 ° (30) to the puzzle surface into the individual building blocks, whereby the inclination remains in the same direction to the puzzle, in contrast to the version in which the projections are conical. Of course, different slopes result in different difficulties.

14 shows a puzzle in the form of a car, in which the three-dimensional puzzle body is divided in such a way that it can stand even though it has no continuous base. Combined with additional divisions from other directions, large spatial puzzle structures can be produced.

Fig. 15 shows a puzzle in which the division is approximately symmetrical. With an exact division, part (31) turned upside down gives a suitable but incorrect connection with part (33) instead of the correct connection between part (32) and (33).

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Puzzle consisting of building blocks which consist of a large number of irregularly arranged projections and recesses which interlock with one another at their dividing lines. which are preferably composed flat to form figures, characterized in that

that the area occupied by the protrusions on the building blocks of the puzzle makes up at least half of the remaining total area of the building blocks.

2. Puzzle according to claim 1, characterized in

that the dividing lines of the various building blocks run consistently while avoiding repetitive directional orientations.

3. Puzzle according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the dividing lines run substantially while avoiding dividing line crossings and the dividing lines are distributed in a harmonious manner as evenly as possible over the whole puzzle

are.

4. Puzzle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the projections and recesses extend in arbitrary directions while avoiding preferred orientations.

5. Puzzle according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the recesses, which receive the associated projections, are formed as far as possible from two or more building blocks.

6. Puzzle according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the dividing line meeting points are preferably on a projection, and not between two projections, and the puzzle is designed so that the dividing line meeting points can not be recognized on the building blocks as possible.

7. Puzzle according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the vertical dividing line height of the blocks consisting of preferably transparent material has almost the same size as the diameter of the projections and recesses.

8. Puzzle according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that all building blocks have different outline shapes. and / or there is no readily recognizable difference between the front and back of the modules.

9. Puzzle according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the puzzle division is exactly or approximately symmetrical, or in another way, designed so that projections or building blocks are so similar to other projections or building blocks that the player to mix up, or by appropriate but not correct connections to errors that are only recognizable as such later in the game.

10. Puzzle according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the blocks cannot be assembled perpendicular to the puzzle surface, but obliquely from top to bottom, or that the projections and recesses of the blocks are conical, in particular only so little conical, that the building blocks can only be assembled from one side, but the player can hardly see a difference in shape between the front and back.

11. Puzzle according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the building blocks made of transparent or shimmering

Material exist and the dividing line surfaces in the optical effect of the top and bottom of the puzzle are similar and / or are reflective and / or have a high-gloss effect.

12. Puzzle according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it forms figures with outer contours, the type of the figures shown e.g. Animals, plants, lands, fantasy figures, art or everyday objects or the like are adapted.

13. Puzzle according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it has recesses and / or inserts and / or incisions, or that the projections are such that they give a visual effect.

14. Puzzle according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized. that the outline shape of the puzzle is the same or similar to the outline shape of the building blocks, and / or edge building blocks are not or only with difficulty recognizable as such.

REPLACEMENT LEAF

15. Puzzle according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the outer contours are such that two or more puzzles of this type can be connected to form a larger puzzle or puzzle picture.

16. Puzzle according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that one or more building blocks consist of different materials, or have different colors and / or processing features.

17. Puzzle according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that one or more blocks are wholly or partly reflective and / or colorless and / or printed and / or colored and / or engraved and / or painted or the like.

18. Puzzle according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the puzzle body. is broken up into the individual building blocks by repeated dividing processes from different directions or a puzzle has building blocks of different thicknesses.

19. Puzzle according to one of claims 1 to 18. characterized. that the puzzle body is divided into two or more uneven or mutually interlocking layers, and the individual layers, the same or different, are divided into the individual building blocks.