WO2010039052A1

WO2010039052A1 - A 3d puzzle with releasable latch mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO2010039052A1
Application number: PCT/NZ2009/000213
Authority: WO
Inventors: Warwick Mcarthur Harvey
Original assignee: Warwick Mcarthur Harvey
Priority date: 2008-10-02
Filing date: 2009-10-02
Publication date: 2010-04-08
Also published as: WO2010039052A4

Abstract

The present invention relates to a puzzle including covering pieces which, when attached to a base in a particular arrangement, forms a three dimensional object. Known puzzles have the disadvantage that the method of attachment of the covering pieces with the base is not easily achieved and repeated engagement and disengagement can result in the covering pieces becoming permanently deformed and loosely fitting to the base and consequently fall out. The puzzle of the present invention comprises a base including first connecting portions; covering pieces, each covering piece including an outer surface; and a second connecting portion for realisably connecting to one of the first connecting portions wherein the first connecting portion is connected to the second connecting portion via a push latch mechanism.

Description

A 3D PUZZLE WITH RELEASABLE LATCH MECHANISM

STATEMENT OF CORRESPONDING APPLICATIONS

This application is based on the Provisional specification filed in relation to New Zealand Patent Application Number 567153, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a puzzle. In particular the present invention relates to a puzzle comprising covering pieces which, when attached to a base in a particular arrangement, forms a three dimensional object

BACKGROUND ART

In the previous art there are three dimensional puzzles which can be formed by assembly of a number of covering pieces in particular arrangements on a base. The method of attachment of the covering pieces to the base commonly involves male and female portions which are adapted to reversibly deform and engage one another when pressed together (EP0164861 , EP0295787 and WO9833158).

The disadvantage with such methods of attachment is that engagement or disengagement of the covering pieces with the base is not easily achieved. In addition, repeated engagement and disengagement of the male and female portions can result in the covering pieces becoming permanently deformed and loosely fitting to the base or not be held securely on the base and consequently fall out. A further disadvantage is that known three dimensional puzzles which appeal only to the visual sense of the user can become boring when the particular arrangement of the covering pieces on the base to assemble the puzzle becomes familiar to the user. Consequently the puzzle may then be discarded by the user.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a puzzle to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinence of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country.

Throughout this specification, the word "comprise", or variations thereof such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a puzzle comprising:

• a base comprising:

o first connecting portions;

• covering pieces, each covering piece comprising:

o an outer surface; and

o a second connecting portion for releasably connecting to one of the first connecting portions

wherein

• a three dimensional surface is formed by the outer surfaces when the covering pieces are attached to the base; and

• the first connecting portion is releasably connected to the second connecting portion via a push latch mechanism.

Preferably, the push latch mechanism comprises:

• a compression spring attached to the first connecting portion and adapted to be compressed when the second connecting portion is connected to the first connecting portion; the compression spring exerting a separating force on the second connecting portion when the second connecting portion is released; and

• a gear, the gear adapted to engage and disengage the second connecting portion. More preferably, the push latch mechanism also comprises a rotating head attached to the second connecting portion and adapted to rotate under pressure of the compression spring when the second connecting portion is contacted with the first connecting portion and engage with a lip of the first connecting portion to hold the second connecting portion in the first connecting portion.

Preferably, the outer surface of the covering pieces has a convex curvature.

Preferably, the outer surface of each of the covering pieces is bounded by a substantially polygonal edge.

More preferably, the substantially polygonal edge is pentagonal and/or hexagonal.

More preferably, the puzzle comprises 20 hexagonal covering pieces and 12 pentagonal covering pieces.

More preferably, the covering pieces are arranged on the base such that each pentagonal piece is surrounded by 5 hexagonal pieces to form a substantially continuous sphere.

Preferably, the three dimensional surface has a substantially continuous outer surface when all the covering pieces are attached on the base.

Preferably, the outer surface of the covering pieces has an indicium selected from the group consisting of: picture; photograph; colour or carving.

More preferably, the indicium is a picture.

More preferably, the picture or photograph is a world map. More preferably, the markings form a three-dimensional pattern when the covering pieces are attached on the base.

Preferably, the puzzle comprises a timer which emits an audible signal after all the covering pieces are attached to the base.

Preferably, the covering pieces include an illumination device which illuminates when the second connecting portion of the covering piece is electrically connected to the first connecting portion.

More preferably, the illumination device is a light emitting diode (LED).

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of forming a puzzle, the method comprising the steps:

• connecting a first connecting portion of a base to a second connecting portion of a covering piece; and

• connecting subsequent covering pieces to the base to form a three dimensional surface when all of the covering pieces are attached to the base

wherein

• the first connecting portion is connected to the second connecting portion via a push latch mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a puzzle of the present invention without external markings; Figure 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the puzzle shown in Figure 1 with external markings in the form a world map;

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a base of the puzzle shown in Figure 1 without covering pieces attached;

Figure 4A shows a cross-sectional view of a hexagonal covering piece and an attachment surface of the preferred embodiment of the puzzle shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 4B shows a cross-sectional view of a pentagonal covering piece and an attachment surface of the preferred embodiment of the puzzle shown in Figure 1 ;

Figures 5A-5Eshows a cross-sectional series of views illustrating the mechanism of attachment of the pentagonal covering piece to an attachment surface of the preferred embodiment of the puzzle shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the puzzle shown in Figure 1 with two covering pieces attached; and

Figure 7 shows a schematic exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the puzzle shown in Figure 1 with base and covering pieces attached.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The invention is now described in relation to one preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to Figures 1 to 7.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, a puzzle is generally indicated by arrow 1. The puzzle 1 comprises twenty hexagonal shaped covering pieces 2 and twelve pentagonal shaped covering pieces 3, which when assembled on a base (not shown), forms a three dimensional pattern, in the form of a world map, formed by the substantially convex curvature of the outer surfaces of the covering pieces 2, 3 which when assembled on the base 4 forms a substantially continuous outer surface to the puzzle 1. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the number and shape of the covering pieces 2, 3 may be varied without departing from the scope of the present invention. In addition, the outer surfaces of the covering pieces 2, 3 may have a different pattern, ornamentation, shape and/or configuration to form either a repeated indicium or a pre-determined three dimensional pattern.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the puzzle 1 shown in Figure 1 with external markings on the covering pieces 2,3. The covering pieces 2, 3 may have markings in the form of fragments of a world map 5 on their outer surfaces, so that when the covering pieces 2, 3 are assembled on the base 4, a globe 6 is formed.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the base 4 of the puzzle 1 shown in Figure 1 without covering pieces 2, 3 attached. The base 4 has a number of first connecting portions 7 for attachment of a covering piece 2, 3 to each first connecting portion 7. Each first connecting portion 7 comprises a lip 9 substantially around the circumference of the upper edge of the first connecting portion 7, a rod 10 attached to a compression spring 10A and a gear 11 able to rotate relative to the first connecting portion 7 when the rod 10 and compression spring 10A are compressed. Figure 4A shows a cross-sectional view of a pentagonal covering piece 3 whereas Figure 4B shows a cross-sectional view of a hexagonal covering piece 2 and corresponding first connecting portion 7 of the puzzle 1. Each covering piece 2, 3 comprises an outer surface 12 and a second connecting portion (in the form of a projection 13), adapted to be inserted into the first connecting portion (in the form of a cavity 7), and comprising a rotating head 14, which is attached to the distal end of the second connecting portion 13 by a pin 15. The rotating head 14 comprises a cut-out 14A which is adapted to contact a collar 8 of the first connecting portion 7. Further the rotating head 14 has linear edges which can project out from the second connecting portion 13 in certain orientations of the rotating head 14 relative to the second connecting portion 13 and abut the lip 9 of the first connecting portion 7 to retain the second connecting portion 13 of the covering pieces 2,3 in the first connecting portion 7 of the base 4.

Figure 5A-E shows a series of cross-sectional views illustrating a method of connection and dis-connection of a pentagonal covering piece 3 to the base 4 of the puzzle 1 which a user of the puzzle 1 would follow on assembly and disassembly of the puzzle 1. The same method of connection and dis-connection is used for attachment of a hexagonal covering piece 4 to the base 4 of the puzzle 1.

The puzzle 1 operates on the principle of a push latch mechanism (or "push-push mechanism"), whereby a first push on a covering piece 3 causes locking on the base 4, and a second push on the same covering piece 2, 3 causes unlocking of the covering piece 3 from the base 4. Figure 5A shows the pentagonal covering piece 3 not inserted into the first connecting portion 7. When pressure is applied to the covering piece 3 (Figure 5B)₁ on insertion of the covering piece 3 into the first connecting portion 7, the pin 15 of the second connecting portion 13 contacts the spring tensioned rod 10 of the first connecting portion 7 and causes the rod 10 to be fully depressed which results in rotation of the gear 11 relative to the base 4, which in turn causes rotation of the head 14 via pin 15. Thus the degree of rotation of the rotating head 14 of the second connecting portion 13 is determined by the degree of rotation of the gear 11 of the first connecting portion 7. Release of pressure on the same covering piece 3 causes the spring tensioned rod 10 to be depressed and exert upward pressure on the covering piece 3. The head 14 in the rotated position engages with the lip 9 of the first connecting portion 7 and causes the covering piece 3 to be retained in the base 4 (Figure 5C).

The attached covering piece 3 is released from the base 4 by a reversal of the procedure detailed above shown in Figures 5A-C. Pressure applied to the top of the covering piece 3 causes the spring tensioned rod 10 to be fully depressed, which results in rotation of the gear 11 relative to the first connecting portion 7, which in turn causes rotation of the head 14 to a position which causes disengagement of the head 14 from the lip 9 (as shown in Figure 5D). Release of pressure of the covering piece 3 causes the spring tensioned rod 10 to be depressed and exert upward pressure on the covering piece 3, resulting in release of the covering piece 3 from the base 4 (Figure 5E).

Each covering piece 2, 3 contains an electrical illumination device in the form of a light emitting diode (LED) 16 which illuminates when the pin 15 of covering piece 2, 3 is connected to the pin 10 of the first connecting portion 7 to form an electrical connection via electronic circuitry (not shown) and a power source in the form of a battery 17 in the base 4 (as shown in Figure 6). One application of the puzzle is send to sponsors of a child which when assembled can be used to identify the country in which the sponsored child lives in by illumination of the LED 16. A timer (not shown) within an internal space 18 of the base 4 can be used to time a predetermined time period and emit an audible signal when that predetermined time period has finished. In this way, the timer (not shown) can add excitement to the puzzle 1 for a user to complete the puzzle before an audible signal is heard.

Figure 7 shows a schematic exploded view of the puzzle with pentagonal covering pieces 3 and hexagonal covering pieces 2 attached to the first connecting portion 7 of the base 4 via the pieces 2,3 second connecting portion 13.

The base 4 and covering pieces 2, 3 are made from a rigid material such as plastic. The dimensions of the puzzle 1 are suited to be easily held in a user's hand.

Thus, preferred embodiments of the present invention may have a number of advantages over the prior art which can include:

• an exciting multimedia puzzle which enables a three dimensional pattern to be formed when the pieces are assembled; and

• a puzzle where external covering pieces are easily and reliably attached and detached from an internal base.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A puzzle comprising:

• a base comprising:

o first connecting portions;

• covering pieces, each covering piece comprising:

o an outer surface; and

wherein

2. A puzzle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the push latch mechanism comprises:

• a compression spring attached to the first connecting portion and adapted to be compressed when the second connecting portion is connected to the first connecting portion; the compression spring exerting a separating force on the second connecting portion when the second connecting portion is released; and • a gear, the gear adapted to engage and disengage the second connecting portion.

3. A puzzle as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the push latch mechanism also comprises a rotating head attached to the second connecting portion and adapted to rotate under pressure of the compression spring when the second connecting portion is contacted with the first connecting portion and engage with a lip of the first connecting portion to hold the second connecting portion in the first connecting portion.

4. A puzzle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the outer surface of the covering pieces has a convex curvature.

5. A puzzle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the outer surface of each of the covering pieces is bounded by a substantially polygonal edge.

6. A puzzle as claimed in claim 5 wherein the substantially polygonal edge is pentagonal and/or hexagonal.

7. A puzzle as claimed in claim 6 wherein the puzzle comprises 20 hexagonal covering pieces and 12 pentagonal covering pieces.

8. A puzzle as claimed in claim 7 wherein the covering pieces are arranged on the base such that each pentagonal piece is surrounded by 5 hexagonal pieces to form a substantially continuous sphere.

9. A puzzle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the three dimensional surface has a substantially continuous outer surface when all the covering pieces are attached on the base.

10. A puzzle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the outer surface of the covering pieces has an indicium selected from the group consisting of: picture; photograph; colour or carving.

11. A puzzle as claimed in claim 10 wherein the indicium is a picture.

12. A puzzle as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11 wherein the picture or photograph is a world map.

13. A puzzle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein the puzzle comprises a timer which emits an audible signal after all the covering pieces are attached to the base.

14. A puzzle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein the covering pieces include an illumination device which illuminates when the second connecting portion of the covering piece is electrically connected to the first connecting portion.

15. A puzzle as claimed in claim 14 wherein the illumination device is a light emitting diode (LED).

16. A method of forming a puzzle, the method comprising the steps:

wherein the first connecting portion is connected to the second connecting portion via a push latch mechanism.