Abstract:
An improved jigsaw puzzle includes puzzle pieces that each have a drawing surface such as high quality drawing paper surface. The puzzle pieces are held within a casing, which has a cover lid pivoted at one end of the casing for opening and closing a space within the casing. The space is wide enough to hold the puzzle pieces whether they are assembled or disassembled, and a puzzle frame for holding the puzzle pieces assembled therein. A resilient spacer such as a sponge like material is interposed between the puzzle pieces and the casing. The resilient material compresses when the puzzle pieces are arranged in the case in a jumbled manner, overlapping one another, and the cover lid is closed. The puzzle can therefore be drawn on, disassembled and assembled within the casing without losing any pieces and while displaying the drawing.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to a jigsaw puzzle and more particularly to a jigsaw puzzle with a blank drawing surface where the purchaser or other user may draw pictures, characters, massages and abstract images, and where a special packaging is provided for the puzzle.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    There are several different types of jigsaw puzzles on the market. One of the most popular type of jigsaw puzzles includes a large number of small irregularly cut pieces that are to be fitted together to form a picture. The whole picture is printed on individual ones of the pieces with the conventional printing technique. For the purchaser of the jigsaw puzzle, it is fun assembling the jumbled jigsaw pieces into a complete picture. Other types of jigsaw puzzles are printed with a monotonous pattern, a single color, or a graded color to make the puzzles more difficult to put together. Those types of puzzles are produced in large quantity on a commercial basis and are not therefore individualized for the needs of particular persons.  
           [0003]    One type of personalized jigsaw puzzle is suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,220, entitled “Jigsaw Message Pads,” which shows a blank puzzle surface of plain white or other color paper, or a paper bearing unobtrusive decorative elements, for writing a message like a greeting card. However, the prior jigsaw puzzle has only a simple writing surface for writing messages, so that the purchaser may not draw a picture or a combined message and picture or a complicated picture. Moreover, this jigsaw message pad uses a cardboard folder fitted with an open sleeve. However, this open sleeve casing is not convenient for the purchasers of the jigsaw puzzle. The jigsaw sheet is inserted into the open sleeve together with a separate backing sheet. Because the sleeve is open, the puzzle can slip out if the folder is held upside down or when the folder is being sent. In addition, the puzzle and its backing sheet are two separate items, so when the purchasers want to play with it, they must both be withdrawn very carefully and later replaced very carefully into the narrow opening of the sleeve. It would be difficult to keep these puzzle pieces from coming apart. Moreover, there is no provision for accommodating the pieces when they are disassembled and jumbled up.  
           [0004]    Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved jigsaw puzzle and packaging that addresses the above and other issues.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved jigsaw puzzle with drawing surface.  
           [0006]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a jigsaw puzzle with a blank drawing surface where the purchaser or other user may draw pictures, characters, massages and abstract images.  
           [0007]    It is still another object of the present invention to provide a jigsaw puzzle with a blank drawing surface that may be accommodated into an easy-to-use and easy-to-assemble casing.  
           [0008]    According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an improved jigsaw puzzle which comprises puzzle pieces each having a drawing surface such as high quality drawing paper surface, a casing with a cover lid pivoted at one end of the casing for opening and closing a space within the casing, said space being wide enough to hold the puzzle pieces whether assembled or disassembled, a puzzle frame for holding the puzzle pieces assembled therein, and a resilient spacer interposed between the puzzle pieces and the casing.  
           [0009]    The above and further objects and novel features of the present invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a jigsaw puzzle according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the jigsaw puzzle shown in FIG. 1 when a cover lid is open;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the jigsaw puzzle shown in FIG. 1 when the cover lid is half closed;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the jigsaw puzzle shown in FIG. 1 when the cover lid is fully closed; and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 shows samples of drawings on the jigsaw puzzle shown in FIG. 1.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]    Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a jigsaw puzzle according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention. The jigsaw puzzle illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a number of puzzle pieces  11  of cardboard or other suitable material, each having a blank drawing paper surface  12  instead of a printed surface. The puzzle pieces are initially assembled so that they form a drawing surface. The purchaser or other user of the jigsaw puzzle may enjoy drawing a picture, doing calligraphy or making an abstract image on the blank drawing paper puzzle surface  12 , just like painting on a blank paper sheet or canvas. Upon completion of the drawing, the puzzle pieces  12  may be disassembled and then can be played with and reassembled like a conventional jigsaw puzzle.  
         [0016]    The cardboard puzzle surface  12  of the jigsaw puzzle is covered with select high-quality drawing paper, which is produced by a paper mill specifically for expressing images, such as watercolor paper, cotton bristle drawing paper, charcoal papers, rice paper, canvas-textured paper, or various other kinds of papers suitable for various drawing tools. The purchaser of the jigsaw puzzle may use their favorite drawing tools, such as colored pencils, crayons, pastel, felt markers, pen and ink, airbrush, watercolor and brushes, airbrush, oil or acrylic paint, and so on.  
         [0017]    The high-quality drawing paper surface  12  gives a wider range of use for the purchaser of the jigsaw puzzle to create his or her own unique picture puzzle rather than merely writing a message on it like a simple greeting card. Other appropriate surfaces specifically suited to various particular drawing instruments may also be used for the jigsaw puzzle of the present invention.  
         [0018]    The jigsaw puzzle of small sizes (like the size of compact disc or CD plastic casings or jewel boxes) according to the present invention can be given as a gift, used as a novelty or promotional piece for an individual or a company, or other possible applications. It can be used by anyone who has an idea or image to be communicated, or just for the fun of it. In addition, the jigsaw puzzle can have a relatively small size and relatively small number of pieces so that it is appropriate for children as educational material as well as to encourage their artistic sense while they have fun making and exchanging picture jigsaw puzzles that they created.  
         [0019]    On the other hand, the jigsaw puzzle can have a relatively large size with larger numbers of puzzle pieces for use by professional artists or amateurs. These could be for fun or for more serious expressions of their images. This benefit could serve as a new art medium for them.  
         [0020]    Returning to FIG. 1, there is also illustrated a clear plastic casing  13  of a rectangular shape with four side walls  14  and a bottom wall  15 . Note that the term “rectangular” as used herein is meant to include a square shape. Moreover, the casing need not be rectangular but may have other shapes as can practically be made including a circular shape or a multi-sided shape with more than four sides. The casing  13  includes a clear plastic lid  16  that is hinged on one side and has a simple safety lock (not shown) similar to the conventional CD casing. However, the casing can have any size as desired to fit the puzzle size.  
         [0021]    This clear plastic casing  13  solves problems with the prior art jigsaw puzzle with the open sleeve as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,220. The jigsaw puzzle of the present invention is not similar to the existing jigsaw puzzles, which are packaged as a group of jumbled pieces in a cardboard box, or the jigsaw puzzle as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,220 which uses a cardboard folder with an open sleeve.  
         [0022]    The jigsaw puzzle of the present invention is presented as a whole, with the assembled puzzle pieces exactly fitted into a matching cardboard frame  17 . The cardboard frame  17  is adhered to a backing sheet  18 . The unit of the cardboard frame  17  and the backing sheet  18  provides support to the assembled puzzle pieces  11 . The entire item is packaged in the clear plastic casing  13 , similar to the conventional CD casings in one possible embodiment. On opening the lid  16 , the drawing or painting can be applied immediately to the puzzle surface without disturbing the overall arrangement of the puzzle pieces  11  and the frame  17 . When the lid  16  is closed, the arrangement is maintained, even in the middle of preparing the drawing. The lid  16  also serves to protect the drawing when closed, e.g., to allow paint or other inks to dry. Since the lid  16  is clear and transparent, the current state of the drawing can be seen and further development of it can be considered without even opening it. The casing  13  is easy to store, easy to assemble, easy to carry and easy to send.  
         [0023]    On completion of the drawing, the puzzle pieces  11  can be disassembled, jumbled and placed back in the plastic casing  13 . Positioned underneath the cardboard frame  17  and the backing sheet  18  is a layer of resilient material  19 , for example, soft sponge material, which makes the puzzle fill the box when it is assembled, but compresses to provide extra space when the puzzle pieces  11  are disassembled, jumbled and inserted in the plastic casing  13 . That is, when the puzzle is assembled, the height of the puzzle is less than the height of jumbled puzzle pieces that are placed in the casing in a manner such that some of the pieces are positioned on top of one another, partially or fully. The resilient material  19  thus compresses to accommodate the additional height of the jumbled pieces. Thus the casing can be closed even in the middle of solving the puzzle and can be stored safely whether the puzzle is complete or incomplete.  
         [0024]    Thus, all operations in regard to the jigsaw puzzle of the present invention can be performed without removing the puzzle pieces  11  from the plastic casing  13 . This provides added convenience for the user and prevents the loss of puzzle pieces. On the other hand, if the purchaser or other use wishes to put the assembled picture in a special frame for the wall or desktop, the construction of the cardboard frame  17  and the backing sheet  18  will allow the whole of the jigsaw puzzle to maintain its shape safely.  
         [0025]    The manufacture of the jigsaw puzzle according to the present invention can be achieved as follows: Special fine art drawing paper or other mediums are applied to the drawing surface of the jigsaw puzzle pieces instead of a printed image. The cardboard frame  17  is die-cut in one piece with the puzzle pieces  11 , and then the cardboard frame  17  is adhered to the backing sheet  18 , while the puzzle pieces  11  are kept separate from and on top of the backing sheet  18  but nevertheless remain a unit within the cardboard frame  17 .  
         [0026]    The assembled puzzle pieces  11  and the cardboard frame  17  together with the backing sheet  18  is then placed and packaged on top of the resilient sponge layer  19 , with the plastic lid  16  parallel with the bottom wall  15  of the clear plastic casing  13 . Other materials for the resilient layer  19  may be rubber or plastic rubber. Moreover, the resilient layer may use low tension springs, such as circular compression springs, resilient metal strips and the like, which are suitably secured as needed to the bottom wall  15  of the clear plastic casing  13  and/or the underside of the backing sheet  18  using glue or other appropriate means.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 2 shows a jigsaw puzzle according to the present invention when the puzzle pieces  11  are assembled and the cover lid  16  remains open. Under this condition the resilient sheet  19  remains relax and uncompressed. FIG. 3 shows the jigsaw puzzle when the cover lid  16  is half closed. The resilient sheet  19  remains relaxed and uncompressed. FIG. 4 shows the jigsaw puzzle when the cover lid  16  is completed closed, so that all of the disassembled puzzle pieces  11  are accommodated in the internal space in the plastic casing  13 . In this situation, the resilient sheet  19  is compressed. Under this condition, all of the disassembled puzzle pieces  11  are pushed upward by the compressed resilient sheet  19 , with no risk of the puzzle pieces slipping or sliding out of the casing  13 .  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 5 illustrates a wide variety of pictures or messages that may be drawn on the writing surface  12  of the jigsaw puzzle pieces  11 .  
         [0029]    Accordingly, it can be seen that the present invention provides an improved jigsaw puzzle that can be drawn on, disassembled and assembled within a casing without losing any pieces and while displaying the drawing. Moreover, the puzzle pieces can be stored securely in the casing even when disassembled due to the compression of a resilient layer in the casing. When the puzzle pieces are assembled the casing serves to hold the puzzle while also allowing viewing of the puzzle through the clear cover lid.  
         [0030]    While the invention has been described and illustrated in connection with preferred embodiments, many variations and modifications as will be evident to those skilled in this art may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and the invention is thus not to be limited to the precise details of methodology or construction set forth above as such variations and modification are intended to be included within the scope of the invention.