WO2006101721A1

WO2006101721A1 - Puzzle system

Info

Publication number: WO2006101721A1
Application number: PCT/US2006/008087
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Eriksson; Ake Kassman
Original assignee: Allinova Inc.
Priority date: 2005-03-15
Filing date: 2006-03-07
Publication date: 2006-09-28
Also published as: WO2006101721B1

Abstract

The puzzle system has a first puzzle piece (10) that has a first leg (12), a second leg (14) and a third leg (16) connected together at a mid-point (18). The first leg has an arrow-shaped outer end (20), the second leg has an arrow-shaped outer end (40) and the third leg has an arrow-shaped outer end (60). The first leg and the second leg have a cavity (80) defined therebetween. A second puzzle piece (86) is identical to the first puzzle piece (10). The second puzzle piece has an arrow-shaped outer end (98). The outer end (98) is disposed in the cavity (80) so that an end surface (100) of the outer end (98) bears against an inner surface (36) of the outer end (20) and an opposite outer end (106) bears against an inner surface (50) of the outer end (40).

Description

RF 481.1137PRO 3/7/06 - 1

PUZZLE SYSTEM

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a puzzle system.

Background of Invention

There are many types of puzzles available on the market. Many of them represent a picture, such as a landscape, when fully assembled so that user knows how to assemble the various puzzle pieces. The puzzle pieces are often cut out with special saw equipment so that the shape of each puzzle piece is unique and so that it can only be fitted into one place in the puzzle system.

The conventional types of puzzles with uniquely shaped puzzle pieces may not be sufficiently challenging for many users. Also, since each piece is uniquely shaped, the shape in combination with the picture on the piece helps the user know where the piece fits in the puzzle system. This means both the shape of the piece and the picture on it provide a clue as to where it should be placed. There is a need for a more challenging puzzle that does not provide the same clues as conventional puzzle systems.

Summary of Invention

The puzzle system of the present invention provides a solution to the above-outlined problem. The puzzle system has a plurality of identically shaped pieces that can be fit together in an almost indefinite number of ways. However, there is only one combination that will correctly depict the picture on the upper surface of each piece. More particularly, the puzzle system has a first puzzle piece that has a first leg, a second leg and a third leg connected together at a mid-point. The first leg has an arrow-shaped outer end, the second leg has an arrow-shaped outer end and the third leg has an arrow-shaped outer end. The first leg and the second leg have a cavity defined therebetween. A RF 481.1137PRO 3/7/06 - 2 second puzzle piece has an identical shape compared to the first puzzle piece but the picture portion is different. The second puzzle piece has an arrow-shaped outer end. The outer end of the second puzzle piece is disposed in the cavity so that an end surface of the outer end of the second piece bears against an inner surface of the outer end of the first piece and an opposite outer end of the second piece bears against an inner surface of the second piece. The pieces may carry portions of a first picture on an upper side and a slightly different picture on a bottom side. The entire system has a plurality of pieces that are identical to the first and the second piece and the pieces can be connected in almost an indefinite number of ways.

Brief Description of Drawing

Fig. 1 is a top view of a first puzzle piece of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of a second puzzle piece of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a top view of two assembled puzzle pieces;

Fig. 4a is a top view of three assembled puzzle pieces;

Fig. 4b is a top view of three disassembled puzzle pieces; and Fig. 5 is a top view of a plurality of assembled puzzle pieces to depict a complete picture.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 is a top view of a puzzle piece 10 of the present invention. The piece 10 has a first leg 12, a second leg 14 and a third leg 16 that are all connected at a midpoint 18. The legs 12, 14, 16 protrude outwardly from the mid-point 18 so that an angle alpha of 120 degrees is formed between each leg to give the piece a somewhat star-shaped configuration. RF 481.1137PRO 3/7/06 - 3

The leg 12 has an arrow-shaped outer end 20 with a left wing 22 and a right wing 24 meeting at an outer point 26. The left wing 22 has an outer surface 28, an inner surface 30 and an end surface 32. Similarly, the right wing 24 has an outer surface 34, an inner surface 36 and an end surface 38.

The leg 14 has also an arrow-shaped outer end 40 with a left wing 42 and a right wing 44 meeting at an outer point 46. The left wing 42 has an outer surface 48, an inner surface 50 and an end surface 52. Similarly, the right wing 44 has an outer surface 54, an inner surface 56 and an end surface 58.

The leg 16 is identical to the leg 12 and the leg 14 and has an arrow-shaped outer end 60 with a left wing 62 and a right wing 64 meeting at an outer point 66. The left wing 62 has an outer surface 68, an inner, surface 70 and an end surface 72. Similarly, the right wing 64 has an outer surface 74, an inner surface 76 and an end surface 78.

An important feature of the puzzle piece 10 of the present invention is that it is symmetrical and that the legs 12, 14, 16 including the arrow-shaped outer ends 20, 40, 60 are identically shaped. The piece 10 has a first arrow- receiving cavity 80 defined therein between the first leg 12 and the second leg 14. Similarly the second leg 14 and the third leg 16 have a second cavity 82 defined therebetween and the third leg 16 and the first leg 12 have a third cavity 84 defined therebetween. All three cavities have an identical shape .

The piece 10 has an upper surface 83 onto which a portion of a first picture may be adhered. The piece 10 may also have an identical bottom surface 85 onto which a portion of a second picture may be adhered. The other pieces of the puzzle system have other portions of the first picture shown on the upper surface and other portions of the second picture shown on the bottom surface so that each piece is unique in that it shows a unique portion of the first and second RF 481.1137PRO 3/7 /06 - 4 pictures thereon.

Fig. 2 shows a top view of a second puzzle piece 86 has a shape that is identical to the first piece 10. The only difference is that the piece 86 has a different portion of the first picture depicted on an upper surface 87 compared to the picture portion that is depicted on the upper surface 83 of the first piece 10. The piece 10 can be connected to the second identical piece 86 by fitting one of the arrow-shaped outer ends 20, 40, 60 into one of the cavities 88, 90, 92 of the second piece 86. This is possible since all the outer ends and the cavities of each puzzle piece are identically shaped. Of course, one of the arrow-shaped outer ends 94, 96, 98 of the second piece 86 could be fitted into one of the cavities 80, 82, 84 of the puzzle piece 10 or any other piece of the puzzle of the present invention since all the pieces are identically shaped. The interconnection between the piece 10 and the piece 86 is only used as an illustrative example to show how the pieces are connected to one another.

As mentioned above, the piece 86 has the upper surface 87 onto which a portion of a first picture may be adhered. The piece 86 may also have an identical bottom surface 89 onto which a portion of a second different picture may be adhered. The second picture may also be identical to the first picture but slightly shifted or turned relative to the first picture so that the user must turn the piece right side up in order to successfully complete the puzzle.

Fig. 3 shows the second piece 86 fitted into the first piece 10. The arrow-shaped outer portion 98 of the second piece 86 is fitted into the cavity 80 of the first piece 10 so that the first piece 10 and the second piece 86 are hooked or interconnected to one another and cannot be separated without first lifting the outer portion 98 out of the cavity 80. The size of the portion 98 fits exactly into the cavity 80 so that the length of an end surface 100 of a right wing 102 is the same as the length of the inner surface RF 481.1137PRO 3/7/06 - 5

36 of the right wing 24. An outer surface 104 has a length that is the same as the length of the leg 12 and an outer surface 109 of a left wing 108 has a length that is the same as the length of the leg 14. Finally, the length of an end surface 110 of the left wing 108 is the same as a length of the inner surface 50 of the left wing 42 of the leg 14.

If the outer portion 98 of the second piece 86 is intended to be fitted into the cavity 80 of the first piece 10, correctly depict the first picture, then a portion of the first picture that is on the legs 12, 14 and the right wing 24 and the left wing 42 match the first picture portrayed on surface 87 of the outer portion 98 of the second piece 86. If the first picture on the surfaces 83 and 87 do not match or should not be next to another then the user must turn the pieces relative to one another until the combination of the surfaces 83, 87 shows the correct picture of find another piece and turn that other piece until the surfaces 83, 87 correctly show the intended portion of the first picture.

Fig. 4a shows the first piece 10, the second piece 86 and a third piece 112 fitted together as described above. Fig. 4b shows the pieces 10, 86 and 112 slightly separated.

Fig. 5 shows the pieces 10, 86 and 112 fitted together with a plurality of identical pieces to that the entire first or second picture is depicted by the upper or lower surfaces of each puzzle piece. It is important to note that although the pieces may fit together in an almost indefinite number of ways there is only one way that will depict the complete and correct view of the first picture when the top surface is used and the second picture when the bottom surface is used. To make it particularly difficult to correctly assemble all the piece to show the complete picture, the first picture could be quite similar to the second picture. As mentioned above, the second picture could, for example, be almost identical or identical to the first picture except that second picture is shifted or turned slightly RF 481. 1137PRO 3/7/06 - 6 compared to the first picture. In this way, the user must consider both the upper and bottom surfaces of each piece instead of just one side. Of course, the puzzle could be made easier but making the first picture very different from the second picture and make the puzzle more suitable for children and other novice users.

While the present invention has been described in accordance with preferred compositions and embodiments, it is to be understood that certain substitutions and alterations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Claims

RF 481. 1137PRO 3/7/06 - 7Claims :

1. A puzzle system, comprising: a first puzzle piece (10) having a first leg (12), a second leg (14) and a third leg (16) connected together at a midpoint (18), the first leg having an arrow-shaped outer end (20), the second leg having an arrow-shaped outer end (40) and the third leg having an arrow-shaped outer end (60), the first leg and the second leg having a cavity (80) defined therebetween; and a second puzzle piece (86) having an identical shape compared to a shape of the first puzzle piece (10), the second puzzle piece having an arrow-shaped outer end (98), the outer end (98) being disposed in the cavity (80) so that an end surface (100) of the outer end (98) bears against an inner surface (36) of the outer end (20) and an opposite outer end (106) bears against an inner surface (50) of the outer end (40) .

2. The puzzle system according to claim 1 wherein the first piece (10) has a portion of a first picture on an upper surface (83) .

3. The puzzle system according to claim 1 wherein the second piece (86) has a portion of the first picture of an upper surface (87) .

4. The puzzle system according to claim 2 wherein the first piece (10) has a portion of a second picture on a bottom surface (85) .

5. The puzzle system according to claim 4 wherein the second picture is different from the first picture.

6. The puzzle system according to claim 1 wherein the first RF 481. 1137PRO 3/7 /06 - 8 leg, the second leg and the third leg protrude outwardly from the mid-point (18) at an angle of 120 degrees relative to one another .

7. The puzzle system according to claim 1 wherein the outer portion (98) has an outer surface (104) that has a length that is identical to a length of the first leg (12) .

8. The puzzle system according to claim 7 wherein the outer portion (98) has an outer surface (109) that has a length that is identical to a length of the second leg (14) .

9. The puzzle system according to claim 1 wherein the third leg (16) has an arrow-shaped outer portion (60).

10. The puzzle system according to claim 1 wherein the third leg (16) and the second leg (14) have a cavity (82) defined therein.