Patent Publication Number: US-7585216-B2

Title: Sound generating puzzle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to puzzles. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a puzzle that generates sounds when one or more designated areas on the puzzle is depressed by a user. 
   Puzzles are generally known in the art. Puzzles are relatively simple for young users to enjoy and play with, yet the relatively uncomplicated puzzle pieces at times require thought to assemble into a completed image. 
   A puzzle having various features designed to enhance the play value of the toy may offer additional incentives and rewards to the user. Thus, puzzle designers continually seek additional ways to add features. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In one aspect, a puzzle comprises a base having a receiving area, a plurality of puzzle pieces sized for placement on the receiving area and cooperating to form an assembled image, a sound generator mounted to the base and arranged for connection to a power source, and a first substrate and a second substrate arranged for placement beneath the receiving area. The first substrate includes a conductive pattern operatively coupled to the sound generator, and the second substrate includes a conductive dot facing the conductive pattern and spaced away from the conductive pattern. The conductive dot and at least a portion of the conductive pattern may be disposed beneath a selected portion of the assembled image. The conductive dot and the conductive pattern are relatively displaceable to thereby permit contact between the conductive pattern and the conductive dot upon pressing the selected portion of the image such that the first and second substrates cooperate to form an electrical circuit thereby activating the sound generator. 
   In further accordance with a preferred example, each of the first and second substrates comprises a paperboard panel, with the conductive pattern and the conductive dot formed of a conductive ink. Further, the first substrate and the second substrate may be separated by third substrate having an aperture disposed adjacent the conductive pattern and the conductive dot. The first, second, and third substrates may be formed from a single paperboard blank, and preferably from the same paperboard blank, which may be die cut. 
   The first substrate may be separated from the third substrate by a first fold line, and the second substrate may be separated from the third substrate by a second fold line, with the fold lines permitting the first and second substrates to shift between unfolded positions and folded positions, with the third substrate disposed between the first and second substrates when the first and second substrates are in the folded position. In such an example, the first and second substrates may permit the conductive ink to be applied in a single printing operation. The conductive pattern may include a first portion and a second portion, and the conductive dot is arranged to connect the first portion and the second portion upon pressing the selected portion of the image. A plurality of conductive patterns and a plurality of conductive dots may be provided, and the assembled image may includes a plurality of selected portions such that the sound generator generates a distinct sound in response to pressing each of the plurality of selected portions. A plurality of tab-in-slot connections may be provided to help retain the substrates in the base. 
   In another aspect, a puzzle comprises a base having a receiving area, a plurality of puzzle pieces sized for placement on the receiving area and adapted to form an assembled image, a sound generator mounted to the base and arranged for connection to a power source, and an electrical circuit disposed beneath the receiving area and formed by a first substrate and a second substrate. Each of the substrates has formed thereon conductive patterns, the conductive pattern of at least one of the substrates operatively coupled to the sound generator, the conductive patterns on each of the substrates arranged for contact with each other upon depressing a selected portion of the receiving area to thereby activate the sound generator. 
   In a further aspect, a puzzle comprises a base having a receiving area, a plurality of puzzle pieces sized for placement on the receiving area and adapted to form an assembled image having a plurality of selected areas, a sound generator mounted to the base and arranged for connection to a power source, an electrical circuit disposed beneath the receiving area and formed by a first substrate and a second substrate, the first substrate having a plurality of conductive ink patterns, the second substrate having a plurality of conductive ink dots. The patterns of the first substrate are operatively coupled to the sound generator, and each dot is aligned with a corresponding one of the selected images and with a corresponding one of the patterns, with each dot cooperating with a corresponding one of the patterns to permit activation of the sound generator upon depressing one of the selected areas. A third substrate is positioned to maintain the dots and the patterns in spaced relation until the selected area is depressed. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a sound generating puzzle assembled in accordance with the teachings of the disclosed example of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view in perspective thereof; 
       FIG. 3  is a plan view of the substrate assembly illustrated in an unfolded state; 
       FIG. 4  is a plan view similar to  FIG. 3  but illustrating the substrate assembly in one partially folded state; 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view similar to  FIGS. 3 and 4  but illustrating the substrate assembly and a fully folded state; 
       FIG. 6  is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 7  is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 1  and illustrating a user pressing a designated area on the assembled image in order to activate the sound generator; 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating an exemplary connection between the sound generator and one of the substrates of the substrate assembly; and 
       FIG. 9  is an enlarged fragmentary plan view illustrating an exemplary conductive pattern on one of the substrates in the area of the connection between the substrate and the sound generator. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings, a puzzle assembled in accordance with the teachings of the disclosed example of the present invention is shown and is generally referred to by the reference  10 . The puzzle  10  includes a base  12  having a receiving area  14  which is generally surrounded by a plurality of sides  16 ,  18 ,  20  and  22 . And assembled image  24  is constructed of a plurality of individual puzzle pieces  26 - 1  through  26 - 15 . It will of course be appreciated that the exact number of individual puzzle pieces, as well as the exact nature of the assembled image  24 , may very substantially in accordance with designer objectives. Further, it will be appreciated that the puzzle pieces and the assembled image  24  are sized to generally correspond to the size of the receiving area  14 , such that the assembled image  24  may be generally surrounded by or bounded by the sides  16 ,  18 ,  20  and  22 . 
   A sound generator  28  is mounted to the base  12  and, in the disclosed example is generally disposed within a housing  30  molded or otherwise formed in the base  12 . Preferably, the sound generator  28  will include a speaker  32  and a re-set or activating button  34 , and will be suitably equipped in a known a manner for attachment to a power source such as, for example, one or more batteries (not shown). The sound generator  28  is preferably a sound generating chip or Integrated Circuit (IC) of the type commonly found in the art and which is readily available from a variety of commercial sources. As would be known, the IC includes a memory and permits a desired sound recording or a plurality of sound recordings to be recorded and stored for later playback as desired. 
   The activating button  34  enables the sound generator  28  to be turned on or re-set as would be known (e.g., to be connected to or disconnected from the batteries, or to be re-set from a sleep mode as would be known). In the disclosed example, it will be appreciated that the assembled image includes one or more designated areas, indicated on  FIG. 1  with the indicia A through H. It will be understood that the indicia A through H may take a variety of forms, as will be explained in greater detail below. It will also be noted that the receiving area  14  is generally defined on the base  12  so as to be recessed slightly relative to the surrounding edges  16 ,  18 ,  20  and  22 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the base at  12  is preferably separable into a pair of individual parts  12   a  and  12   b,  which may be secured using attachment screws, clips, taps, adhesives, or any other suitable mechanism. A substrate assembly  36  is sized to be disposed in the receiving area  14 , with the substrate assembly  36  preferably disposed immediately beneath the puzzle pieces of the assembled image  24 . The substrate assembly  36  includes a first panel or substrate  36 a, a second panel or substrate  36 b, and a third panel or substrate  36 c. When the substrate assembly of  36  is situated as shown in  FIG. 2 , it will be appreciated that the assembled image  24  may be placed directly on a surface  38  of the substrate assembly  36 . The substrate assembly  36  forms an electrical circuit  40  (only partially visible in  FIG. 2 ), with the electrical circuit  40  being arranged for connection to the sounds generator  28  at a junction  41  as will be discussed in greater detail below. Preferably, the substrate assembly  36  is provided with a plurality of tabs  42  which may be sized to engage with a corresponding notch or recess  58  defined in the base  12  so as to help retain the substrate assembly  36  in the base  12 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 , the substrate assembly  36  in accordance with the disclosed example and as outlined above is preferably formed of the three individual substrates  36   a ,  36   b  and  36   c.  The substrate  36   a  is separated from the substrate  36   b  by a fold line  44 , while the substrate and  36   a  is separated from the substrate  36   c  by a fold line  46 . The fold lines  44  and  46  may be formed by scoring, creasing, perforating, or by any other suitable methods. Alternatively, it will be understood that the substrates may be formed of individual and separate panels. 
   The substrate  36   a  includes a conductive pattern  48  which, in the disclosed example, is formed of a conductive ink. A suitable conductive ink is readily available from a variety of commercial sources. Preferably, in accordance with the disclosed example, the conductive pattern  48  on the substrate  36   a  includes a plurality of paired patterns  50 . More specifically, the conductive pattern  48  includes a pair  50   a - 1  and  50   a - 2 ,  50   b - 1  and  50   b - 2 ,  50   c - 1  and  50   c - 2 ,  50   d - 1  and  50   d - 2 ,  50   e - 1  and  50   e - 2 ,  50   f - 1  and  50   f - 2 , and  50   h - 1  and  50   h - 2 . 
   It will be noted that, in the disclosed example, each half ( 50   a - 1 ,  50   b - 2 , etc.) of each paired pattern is separated from its corresponding other half ( 50   a - 2 ,  50   b - 2 , etc.) by a small gap  52 . It will be noted that, in the disclosed example, each half may form part of another half. For example, it can be seen in  FIG. 3  that the half  50   e - 2  is defined by the same strip of conductive ink that forms the half  50   g - 2 . The substrate  36   b  includes a plurality of conductive dots  54   a ,  54   b ,  54   c ,  54   d ,  54   e ,  54   f ,  54   g ,  54   h.  Like the conductive pattern  48 , the conductive dots  54   a - h  are formed of a conductive ink. It will be noted that the number of conductive dots  54   a - h  corresponds to the number of pairs in the conductive pattern  48 . The substrate  36   c  includes a plurality of apertures  56   a ,  56   b ,  56   c ,  56   d ,  56   e,    56   f ,  56   g  and  56   h , with the number of apertures also corresponding to the number of conductive dots and the number of pairs in the conductive pattern  48 . It will be appreciated that the pattern  48  and the conductive dots cooperate to form the electrical circuit when the dots are brought into contact with appropriate areas of the conductive pattern  48  as will be explained in greater detail below. Also, it will be appreciated that the conductive pattern and the conductive dots may be formed from any suitable conductive ink, such as a carbon-based ink which is readily available from a variety of commercial sources. Further, the pattern and dots may be applied to the substrate assembly using known printing methods or other suitable means. 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , when the substrate  36   c  is folded as shown along the fold line  46 , each of the individual apertures is disposed over the gap  52  of a corresponding pair of the electrical patterns  48 . Consequently, and referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 5 , when the substrate  36   b  is folded along the fold line  44 , each of the conductive dots becomes aligned with a corresponding one of apertures and with the gap  52  of the corresponding one called the conductive pair is in the conductive pattern  48 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the electrical circuit  40  is operatively coupled to the sound generator  28  at the junction  41 . Thus, the sound generator  28  is preferably provided with one or more connectors or leads  60 , each of which makes contact with a corresponding portion of the conductive pattern  48 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the substrate assembly  36  is shown in position in the assembled base  12 . It will be noted that a designated portion of the assembled image, in this case the designated portion indicated by the indicia G as shown in  FIG. 1 , is disposed over the downwardly facing conductive dot  54   g , the aperture  56   g , and the gap  52  of the conductive pair  50   g - 1  and  50   g - 2 . Thus, upon the application of a downward force supplied by a user and as indicated by the reference arrow P, the conductive dot  54   g  is displaced through the corresponding aperture  56   g  sufficiently to make contact with the appropriate portion of the conductive pattern  48 . Thus, the electrical circuit  40  is closed and the sound generator  28  is activated. Thus, it will be appreciated that the conductive dots  54 A-H and their corresponding pairs of patterns  50   a - 1 / 50   a - 2  through  50   a - h / 50   h - 2  function together as electrical switches. 
   It will be appreciated that, in accordance with the disclosed example, the sound generator  28  can generate a number of distinct sounds. For example, each of the sounds generated by the sound generator  28  may correspond in some way to the indicia A through H on the face of the assembled image  24 . For example, the indicia A may represent a cow, and the sound generated upon activating that designated area may be the sound of a cow mooing. Another possible example would be generating a sound of a cat to correspond to the image of a cat, or generating the sound of a bird to correspond to the image of a bird. Of course the possibilities are not limited to animals, as other sounds chosen to correspond or otherwise be suggestive of other desired images may be used. 
   Numerous additional modifications and alternative embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. This description is to be construed as illustrative only, and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode of carrying out the invention. The details of the structure and method may be varied substantially without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the exclusive use of all modifications which come within the scope of the appended claims is reserved.