Abstract:
A puzzle apparatus comprising a first plurality of puzzle pieces that form a picture when combined together that includes a representation of at least one cartoon character, a magnet associated with at least one of the puzzle pieces, a platform on which the puzzle pieces can be arranged, a detector for sensing the magnet and sound generating apparatus for producing audible sounds corresponding to the character shown on the puzzle pieces.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates in general to a puzzle apparatus that includes a number of puzzles that can each be arranged, one-at-a-time, on a platform of a housing and more specifically involves the use of sound producing means associated with the platform for producing audible sounds representative of characters shown on each of the puzzles. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   A variety of different types of puzzles are known in the prior art which serve to provide an intellectually challenging test of a user&#39;s skill in being able to arrange puzzle pieces together to form a completed picture. As an improvement over such prior art devices, the present invention provides a means for producing a variety of sayings that are associated with characters shown in puzzles such as well-known cartoon characters. Thus, once the puzzle pieces of a puzzle have been properly arranged on the platform, the user can select and activate a sound producing assembly that will provide an audible saying associated with one of the characters shown on the puzzle. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a puzzle apparatus having at least a first plurality of puzzle pieces that form a picture that includes a representation of at least a first audible sound producing means, detectible means associated with at least one of the puzzle pieces, a platform on which the puzzle pieces can be arranged, detection means associated with the platform for sensing the detectible means and a sound means for producing audible sounds that are related to the various sound producing representations that may be shown in the puzzle picture. 
   In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a housing having a top surface that included the platform on which the puzzle pieces can be arranged and the sound means includes a plurality of actuators that can be engaged as desired by a user to produce a variety of audible sounds that are associated with representations of characters or other types of sound producing means that are shown on the picture produced by the puzzle pieces. Preferably, each picture formed by the puzzle pieces includes a plurality of representations of characters or other audible sound producing means and the sound means is designed to allow a user to select the playing of audible sounds that form a story or other material that is expressed in the voices of the characters depicted. 
   The apparatus is designed to include a variety of different puzzle pieces to form multiple pictures, each with different representations of characters on them. The puzzle pieces for each picture include detectible means that differ from picture-to-picture to differentiate one picture from the other and the housing platform includes a detection means that is able to sense the detectible means on each picture and provide an output representative of the particular picture that is arranged on the platform. The housing further includes a plurality of actuators that are each associated with one of the characters shown in the picture. Thus, when one of the actuators is engaged by a user, the apparatus will provide an audible saying of the actuator&#39;s associated character shown on the particular picture then located on the platform. 
   The foregoing and other advantages of the present invention will appear from the following description. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which there is shown by illustration and not of limitation a specific form in which the invention may be embodied. Such embodiment does not represent the full scope of the invention, but rather the invention may be employed in a variety of other embodiments and reference is made to the claims herein for interpreting the breadth of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the puzzle apparatus of the present invention that includes a plurality of puzzle pieces that form a picture; 
       FIG. 2  is a plan view similar to that of  FIG. 1 , but with the puzzle pieces removed therefrom; 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the electronic circuitry useable in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 4  is a side perspective view similar to that of  FIG. 2 ; and 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of a the preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1  that includes a second plurality of puzzle pieces. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The following description is provided with reference to the drawings beginning first with  FIG. 1  in which a preferred embodiment of a puzzle apparatus of the present invention is shown generally at  10  and is designed to provide not only an enjoyable and challenging experience for young children, but also serves as an entertainment device for them. The apparatus  10  is designed to include a plurality of puzzles such as a puzzle  12  as shown that is formed from a plurality of puzzle pieces  14   a–i.    
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4 , the apparatus  10  includes a relatively thin rectangularly shaped housing  18  having a top surface  20  with a recessed platform portion  22  in which the puzzle pieces  14   a–i  are to be arranged to form a picture  24 , serving as a visual representation. Except for the particular section of the picture  24  they each contain, the puzzle pieces  14   c–i  are essentially the same. However, the puzzle pieces  14   a  and  b  differ from the remainder of the puzzle pieces  14   c–i  in that they each include preferably an embedded magnetic strip  26  that serves as a detectible element by detecting means of the housing  18 . As can be seen in  FIG. 5 , the apparatus  10  may include a second plurality of puzzle pieces  15   a–i  arranged to form a second picture  25 . 
   The detecting means is formed of preferably, a plurality of magnetic sensors  32  shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4  that are located in the platform portion  22  and are included as part of an electronic circuit  34 , as shown in  FIG. 3  that is contained within the housing  18 . Thus, when the puzzle pieces  14   a–i  are arranged together on the platform portion  22 , the magnetic sensors  32  detect the magnetic strips  26  in the puzzle pieces  14   a  and  b  and provide output signals in response to such detection to a printed circuit  36  that preferably includes a central processing unit  38  (not shown). 
   Upon sensing of the magnetic strips  26  in the puzzle pieces  14   a  and  b  by the sensors  32 , the CPU  38  is programmed to recognize that the puzzle  12  is arranged on the platform portion  22 . Similarly, other puzzles that are used with the apparatus  10  will have puzzle pieces in which the magnetic strips  26  are contained in, but the magnetic strips in such puzzles will be located in different puzzle pieces than those of the puzzle  12 . In this way, the apparatus  10  is able to discern the particular type of puzzle that is arranged in the platform portion  22 . However, it should be recognized by those skilled in the art that there are other methods that could be used for differentiating between the puzzles rather than through the use of the magnetic strips  26 . For example, a bar code and a bar code reader could be utilized. 
   Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the picture  24  includes a representation of four audible sound producing means in the form of the cartoon characters, Goofy, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck. Directly beneath the platform portion  22  are six longitudinally aligned actuator buttons  40   a–f  that are preferably pressure or touch sensitive and contain a depiction of the head of a cartoon character, with the buttons  40   b–e  having the heads of the cartoon characters shown in the picture  24 . 
   The electronic circuit  34  is preferably powered by battery power supply  42  as shown in  FIG. 3  and is designed so that when one of the actuator buttons  40   b–e  is pressed by a user, a voice chip  44  (not shown) in the printed circuit  36  will produce electronic signals representative of a saying by the cartoon character depicted on the button pressed, which signals are provided to a speaker  48  that audibly reproduces such signals. Preferably, the saying that is rendered will be related to the activity of the characters that is shown in the picture  24  and may well consist of a story. Thus, pressing of the actuator buttons  40   b–e  one-at-a-time produces a saying by each one of the cartoon characters shown in the picture  24 . Alternatively, rather than having the characters depicted on the buttons  40   a–f  provide a narration, the housing  18  includes a triangular shaped master button  50  that, when pushed provides a complete narration of the material that would otherwise be rendered. 
   Because the cartoon characters depicted on the buttons  40   a  and  f  are not included in the picture  24 , preferably such characters will not have a saying associated with them for the picture  24 . However, it is envisioned that other puzzles to be used with the apparatus  10  will include a different selection of the cartoon characters depicted on the actuator buttons  40   a–f , and will show the cartoon characters involved in different activities so that the voice chip  44  will produce different sayings from those produced for the puzzle  12 . Furthermore, the use of cartoon characters is not critical to the present invention as any audible sound producing means may be depicted on the puzzle  12  such as animals or musical instruments, etc. Additionally, the apparatus  10  can be adapted to include other sets of characters and associated puzzles simply through the use of covers that can be placed on the actuator buttons  40   a–f . Such covers would include the depiction of the puzzle characters rather than the buttons  40   a–f . Also the CPU  38  would have to be programmed to recognize two or more different sets of puzzles with different characters or the apparatus could employ replaceable cartridges that would be used for the various puzzle sets. 
   Thus, the present invention provides a novel and unique means for supplying a user with the challenge of having to properly put a puzzle together and then supplies an entertaining version of a description of the activity involved on a picture contained on a puzzle. Although the puzzle apparatus of the present invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment, it should be understood that such embodiment may be altered without avoiding the true spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, a wide variety of electronic circuitry can be substituted for the circuitry  34  and the puzzles employed with the apparatus  10  may contain a large plurality of different types of characters, musical instruments, machines or other types of audible sound producing means.