Abstract:
An educational toy/game having a box and having blocks with raised shapes thereon that fit into correspondingly shaped openings in the box. Aids in developing shape and color recognition in young children as well as improving dexterity in both children and adults.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    The present invention is a continuation of Disclosure Document Number 482,088 filed on Nov. 6, 2000.  
         FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to educational toys and games for children. More specifically, the present invention relates generally to educational toys and games for children that teach color and shape recognition.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    It is common practice to provide children with learning tools in the form of toys and games designed to amuse them while providing valuable educational lessons. Given the short attention span of children, there is a constant need to provide new and interesting toys and games to simultaneously amuse and educate them. The invention described herein fulfills this need.  
           [0004]    In addition, there are adult individuals who have trouble with dexterity either as a result of age or illness. Adults also get bored doing the same things repeatedly. Consequently, there is constant need to provide new learning tools that will enable adults to increase their dexterity. The invention herein described fulfills this need.  
           [0005]    Further, many of the toys and games that are in existence for the above stated purposes have game pieces that are small and cannot be easily handled. Consequently, the need exists for an educational toy/game with pieces that are easier to manipulate and handle. The invention herein described fulfills this need.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention, the educational toy/game, is an educational toy that is helpful in building motor, memory and dexterity skills through the identification and placement of blocks with various shapes, letters, numbers or similar items thereupon. The preferred embodiment of the invention is a hexagonal box with a hinged door at one end and cut-out shapes, letters and/or numbers along each side. Blocks with raised shapes, letters and/or numbers are stored within the box. The game is played by matching and fitting the raised shape, letter and/or number with the identical cut-out shape, letter and/or number. In one embodiment each side of the box is colored a different color and each side of a block is colored a corresponding color to aid in education related to color recognition. Still other embodiments of the present invention include a collapsible educational toy/game, a carrying strap, or a screw off lid and/or a timer.  
           [0007]    It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a toy/game that is educational, fun and stimulating.  
           [0008]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide an educational toy/game that enhances dexterity.  
           [0009]    It is also an object of the present invention to provide an educational toy/game that teaches shape, number, letter and/or color recognition.  
           [0010]    It is also an object of the present invention to provide an educational toy/game that is self contained and portable. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the educational toy/game.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a box side.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a block.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a side view of the educational toy/game.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the collapsible embodiment of the educational toy/game. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]    The preferred embodiment of the educational toy/game  10 , as shown in FIG. 1, has a hexagonally shaped box  20 . One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the box  20  could be any number of different shapes, including, but not limited to a rectangle, heptagon, triangle, etc. In a preferred embodiment, the box  20  has six rectangular sides: box side “A”  21 , box side “B”  22 , box side “C”  23 , box side “D”  24 , box side “E”  25  and box side “F”  26 . In the preferred embodiment, each box side  21 - 26 , is colored a color different from any of the other box sides.  
         [0018]    The preferred embodiment also has two end panels  28  on the box  20 , each colored a color that can be the same or different than any of the six box sides  21 - 26 . In the preferred embodiment, the end panels  28  serve, among other purposes, to hold the box  20  together. Each box side  21 - 26  is fastened to each of the end panels  28  via a pair of screws. It is preferred that the end panels  28  of the box  20  are hexagonal in shape and are fastened to the vertical edges  29  of the box sides  21 - 26  such that a hollow hexagonal box is formed. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the shape of the end panels  28  need not be hexagonal, but should be shaped appropriately for the shape of box  20  being used. One of ordinary skill in the art would further recognize that the box sides  21 - 26  could be attached to one another, and/or attached to the end panels  28 , in a number of different ways, including, but not limited to with adhesive, nails or staples.  
         [0019]    As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the preferred embodiment, each box side  21 - 26  has the outline of six different characters, shapes, number, letters, designs, etc. cut-out of that side. For example, box side “A”  21  has cut-outs of shapes a triangle  30 , square  31 , circle  32 , rectangle  33 , hexagon  34  and star  35 . Box side “B”  22  has cut-outs of numbers one through six “ 1 - 6 ”. Box side “C”  23  has cut-outs of letters “A”-“F” and so on for box sides “D”  24 , “E”  25  and “F”  26 . One of ordinary skill would readily recognize that side “A”  21  need not have cut-outs of shapes, but could have characters, numbers, letters, etc. The same applies to the remaining sides. Any pattern or combination is acceptable. Each cut-out is distinct from all of the other cut-outs in the box. Although it is preferred that each box side  21 - 26  has six cut-outs, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that any given side could have as little as no cut-outs or as many cut-outs as will fit without altering the use and function of the present invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 depicts block  40 . In the preferred embodiment, there are six blocks  40  and each block  40  has six sides. For example, the first block has: block side “A”  41 , block side “B”  42 , block side “C”  43 , block side “D” (not shown), block side “E” (not shown) and block side “F” (not shown). In the preferred embodiment, each block side has a raised shape thereupon. Block side “A”  41  has the raised shape of a triangle  70 , block side “B”  42  has the raised shape of the number one  71 , block side “C”  43  has the raised shape of the letter “A”  72 , etc. Each block preferably has only one raised shape that corresponds with a cut-out on box side “A”  21 , only one raised shape that corresponds with a cut-out on box side “B”  22 , etc. Consequently, all six blocks are needed to fill one box side. In the preferred embodiment, each raised shape corresponds with and fits into one and only one cut-out. It is preferred that the color of the block side “A”  41  with the raised shape of a triangle  70  that fits into the cut-out of a triangle  30 , is the same color as box side “A”  21  that houses the cut-out of a triangle  30 . For example, in the preferred embodiment, if box side “A”  21  is blue, the user finds the blue side of all six blocks  40 . The user then only has six different raised shapes to match with six different cut-outs. This narrows the shapes to choose from as well as teaching color recognition. Blocks with raised shapes upon them rather than blocks that are cut into the shape of the cut-outs are preferred because they are easier to grab onto and manipulate for those lacking in dexterity. The raised shapes can be obtained in a number of different ways, including but not limited to, carving the shapes out of the blocks  40  and or adhering the shapes to the blocks  40 .  
         [0021]    As can be seen in FIG. 4, in the preferred embodiment, the end panels  28  of the box  20  are hexagonal in shape and are adhesively attached to the vertical edges  29  of the box sides  21 - 26 . One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the shape of the end panels  28  need not be hexagonal, but should be shaped appropriately for the shape of box  20  being used. In the preferred embodiment, a door  50  is attached to one end panel  28  with a pair of hinges  52  that allows the door  50  to be opened and closed so that the blocks  40  can be stored within the box  20 . One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize, however, that the door  50  could be attached to the end panel  28  by a number of different means, including but not limited to snaps, ties, etc. It is preferred that a turn latch  54  is attached to the end panel  28  allowing the door  50  to be locked so that the blocks  40  do not fall out. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the door  50  could be held closed by a number of different means, including, but not limited too an eye and hook latch, etc. Also in the preferred embodiment, the door  50  has a finger hole  56  to allow easier opening of the door  50 . One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize, however, that the door  50  need not have a finger hole  56  and could have a handle or string, etc. attached to it instead to aid in opening the door  50 .  
         [0022]    It is preferred that the box sides  21 - 26 , end panels  28 , door  50  and blocks  40  are constructed from either wood or plastic. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that a number of different materials could be used to make the educational toy/game  10 , including, but not limited to, rubber or foam.  
         [0023]    In another embodiment of the educational toy/game  10 , one end panel  28  is removably attached to the box  20 . In this embodiment it is preferred that one end panel  28  has threads (not shown) corresponding with the threads (not shown) on the box  20  that allow the end panel to be screwed on and off of the box  20 . In this embodiment it is preferred that a tether strap attach the end panel  28  to the box  20  to prevent the end panel  28  from becoming misplaced and/or lost.  
         [0024]    In yet another embodiment of the educational toy/game  10 , shown in FIG. 5, all of the box sides  21 - 26  are connected together on each longitudinal edge  27  with double acting hinges  80 , except for two. Box side “C”  23 , for example, is only connected to box side “D”  24  with a double acting hinge  80  and box side “B”  22  is only connected to box side “A”  21  with a double acting hinge  80 . Box side “C”  23  is releasably attached to box side “B”  22 , via a fastener  60  such as velcro, snaps, etc. Further, the end panels  28  of this embodiment are connected to only one box side, box side “A”  21  for example, with a double acting hinge  80 . This allows the user to collapse the educational toy/game  10  and store it flat in a bag with the blocks for easier portability.  
         [0025]    Still another embodiment of the educational toy/game  10  has an adjustable carrying strap (not shown) attached to the educational toy/game with a fastener such as velcro, snaps, etc. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the carrying strap need not be adjustable and can be attached to the educational toy/game  10  by a number of different means, including, but not limited to, velcro.  
         [0026]    Further, in another embodiment the educational toy/game is used with a timing device (not shown) that is stored with the blocks  40 . This allows user to “test” one&#39;s self against the clock or compete against other users for the fastest time.  
         [0027]    Although this invention has certain preferred embodiments, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention, and all such changes and modifications are intended to fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.