JIG-SAW PUZZLE WITH IDENTICALLY SHAPED AND SIZED INTERLOCKING JIGSAW ELEMENTS

Abstract: A jig-saw puzzle in several embodiments which employs identically shaped and sized interlocking jig-saw elements (12). Since shape and size do not provide clues to position, the puzzle's working is increased in difficulty. In a first embodiment, the tesselate elements are shaped into the outline of a lizard. They bear portions of a picture (e.g. a portrait) (14) on one side and have lizard markings (12G, 12H, 121) on the other side to allow it to be used as either a tesselation toy (lizard) or jig-saw puzzle (portrait side). In a second embodiment, the picture includes picture sub-units (14A, 14B, etc) (such as a chair in a room picture) which may be inserted in different positions in the picture field formed by the puzzle. This results in a jig-saw puzzle with a number of different solutions. A third embodiment is similar to the second but employs a straight line border (24). Not all pieces of the puzzle are identically sized and shaped although a great number are, and even many of the edge pieces can be inserted in a number of positions along the edge. This third embodiment may also employ moveable picture sub-units in the picture field. In a fourth embodiment, one or more separate sub-puzzles (313, 404) may be interlocked to form a larger puzzle (602), as in a mural.

Description: Description Jig-Saw Puzzle With Identically Shaped and Sized Interlocking Jig-Saw Elements Background of the invention The conventional jig-saw puzzle consists of a picture borne on one flat surface of a sheet material such as card¬ board which has been cut, usually with a die in commercial "jig-saw" puzzles, into numerous differently shaped pieces which can only be fitted together in one way to reproduce the picture. The person or persons working the puzzle, that is, trying to- reconstruct the original picture from the separated pieces, use shape, color, etc. "clues" to determine correct fit. Variations have been made on the basic jig-saw puzzle. It has been known to provide pictures on both sides of the sheet, even similar pictures, to increase the difficulty and thus the challenge of the puzzle. A commericially available jig-saw puzzle has been made which had only a uniform color instead of a picture. The present applicant has, in the commercially available Shmuzzle™ toys, provided an interlocking tesselation toy wherein individual elements shaped, e.g., in the shape of a lizard, may be assembled in numerous arrays. Reference may be had to pending United States Patent Application Serial Number 785,934 filed in the name of Sam L. Savage, the present inventor, for a more detailed description. Summary of the Invention The present invention takes the jig-saw puzzle in a different direction by providing a picture on a sheet of material such as cardboard, which is cut into a plurality of identically sized and shaped interlocking jig-saw elements. This results in an increase in difficulty and greater chal¬ lenge to those who work it as many pieces can fit in different arrays. Consequently, an equally difficult jig-saw puzzle OMPI / * ,. IPO can be made with fewer pieces. A second feature of the present invention would include having the individual pieces be complex edge outline tessel- ation pieces in the shape of definite animals or characters and bear indicia thereof so that they could, when turned that side up, be used in the manner of a Shmuzzles™ tessel- ation toy. A third feature of the invention would be to have the picture include picture sub-units that could be translated and "correctly" assembled in different positions in the field of the picture. For example, a picture of a, room having a picture sub-unit of a chair or window which could be placed in different field positions. This yields a jig-saw puzzle with a number of different solutions. " Brief Description of Drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a partially worked jig-saw puzzle made in accordance with the principles of the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of another jig-saw puzzle made in accordance with the principles of the present inven¬ tion and constituting a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, of the same embodiment of the invention, but with sub-units of the picture and puzzle elements in different positions; Figures 4, 5, and 6 are each plan views of a third embodiment in a worked configuration, wherein different solutions of the same puzzle are illustrated; Figures 7 and 8 are plan views of a third and fourth puzzle constructed in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 9 is a plan view of the idfferent puzzles of Figures 7 and 8 united together in a single puzzle and - illustrating a feature of the present invention. Detailed Description of the Invention Referring to Figure 1, there is depicted a jig-saw puzzle generally designated by the number 10. The puzzle 10 is constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and comprises a plurality of identi¬ cally sized and shaped flat puzzle elements designated 12A, 12B, etc. On one side of these puzzle elements 12A, 12B, etc. are printed portions of a picture, 14, in this case a portrait of an individual. Each of these elements 12A, etc., are complex edge outline tesselation elements which interlock with one another in an array. The aforementioned Savage application may be consulted for a general method for deriving such shapes. In this particular embodiment of Figure 1, the field of the picture 14 is within the outline of the tesselation array of only 18 elements for ease of illustration. That is, the top border 16 and side borders 18 and 20 are. on the surfaces of the elements. In general, however, any number of elements may be used and the elements may them¬ selves form the border by having the picture printed over their entire surface. This would be especially desirable in a puzzle wherein a larger number of elements is employed. In accordance with one feature of the invention, the opposite side of the elements 12 of Figure 1 are imprinted with indicia conforming to their lizard shape as illustrated by the inverted elements 12G, 12H, and 121 which are illustrated interlocking together. This allows this jig¬ saw puzzle to be used as either a jig-saw puzzle or as a tesselation toy in the manner explained in the aforementioned Savage application. In Figure 2, a second embodiment of the invention, a jig-saw puzzle 10A, is illustrated with more elements of pieces 12. In this case, in accordance with another feature and advantage of the invention, the picture 114 (which is for ease of illustration simplified) includes a number of picture sub-units 14A, 14B, I4C, 14D, 14E, and 14F which because of the unique "single shape" element construction may be translated to other portions of the picture field and yet a complete worked puzzle still results. Referring to Figure 3, a second working of the puzzle 114 of Figure 2 is illustrated wherein the picture sub-units 14B and 14D have been translated as well as the picture sub-units 14A and 14F. That is, the elements 12 bearing the picture sub- units have been removed from the position in the array as shown in Figure 2 and replaced in other positions as shown in Figure 3. Referring now to Figure 4, 5, and 6, a third embodiment of the puzzle designated 214 is there illustrated wherein the marginal pieces or elements 12 are cut off to form a border 24 and also to yield a number of small, more conven¬ tionally shaped jig-saw puzzle pieces. These Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate that despite this change in construction, picture sub-units such as 14D and 14B can be moved or trans¬ lated (Figure 4 to Figure 5) . Note that flower pot picture sub-unit 14B is not simply replacing the chair sub-unit 14D but has been placed in another position and the chair's position filled by other units. In Figure 5, the sub-units 14E, 14F, and 14A have all been translated. This points up the fact that the puzzle .204 has a number of correct solutions and can go together in many ways. It is believed that the puzzles of the type of those illustrated in Figures 2 through 6 would be of use in psychological testing and would be especially useful in determining spatial disorientation. However, the main utility is believed to be in providing a jig-saw puzzle which is fun and challenging to work. Referring now to Figure 7, there is depicted another puzzle designated 314 which is made up of a plurality of identically shaped and sized tesselation elements such as 12. O (For convenience in representation the internal boundary lines are omitted in Figure 7.) The puzzle 314 is shown "worked," that is with a scene or picture 300 correctly made out of the puzzle elements 12. In Figure 8, a puzzle 414 similar in size and made up of the same sized and shaped elements 12' as those used in Figure 7 is shown. This puzzle is also shown worked, with a different scene or picture 302. Referring now to Figure 9, a puzzle 714 is there shown which is made up of the two puzzles 313 and 404 joined together to form a composite mural 602. That is, the scene 300 of the Figure 7 puzzle and the scene 302 of the Figure 8 puzzle are scenes of the mural 602. By using such scenes, larger and more complicated puzzles such as 714 can be made of smaller puzzles such as 314 and 414. There is, of course, no reason why one should stop at two puzzles since many mural-like scenes or pictures lend themselves to a large number of sub-units, each of which could be a true puzzle in and of itself. The capacity to make these sub-units intercouple with other sub-units into a larger picture is an advantage of the present invention. While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. OMPI WIPO

Claims: Claims 1. A jig-saw puzzle comprising a plurality of flat puzzle elements which are sized and shaped identically to one another, each of which bears a portions of a picture on one side thereof and which may be assembled into an inter¬ locking flat array with the picture-bearing portions on the same side to produce a picture. 2. The puzzle of Claim 1 wherein the puzzle elements are in the outline shape of a recognizable figure, such as a lizard. 3. The puzzle of Claim 2 wherein the puzzle elements have printing on the opposite flat side from said picture portion bearing side, corresponding to the figure. 4. The puzzle of Claim 1, wherein the puzzle elements are in the* outline shapes of a complex tesselation element. 5. The puzzle of Claim 1 wherein all of the flat puzzle elements that bear portions of the picture are identically shaped and sized. 6. The puzzle of Claim 1 wherein all of the flat puzzle elements that bear portions of the picture are identically shaped and sized except those at the margin of the picture which are truncated to conform with the margin. 7. The puzzle of Claim 1 wherein the picture has picture sub-units which are borne by one or more adjacent puzzle elements and which elements may be translated with other elements in the field of the picture to have the picture sub-unit appear at different positions in a complete picture field to yield a number of different correct solutions to the puzzle. OM ,. WWIIPP 8. The puzzle of Claim 1 wherein the picture is one scene of a larger mural, and that additional puzzles made up of identically sized and shaped puzzle elements and containing adjacent scenes of the mural may be edge-inter- coupled with the picture to form the mural. 9. The puzzle of Claim 1 wherein the picture is divided into a number of contiguous sub-units each of which can form a separate scene puzzle in its own right but which may be edge-interlocked with at least one other sub-unit.

Inventors: SAVAGE S
Applicants: SAVAGE S
Application year: 1980
Main classification: A63F9
IPC codes: A63F9