Patent Application
20070262523
The present invention is directed to a learning puzzle capable of enhancing a user's knowledge of color relationships. Oftentimes, individuals have a difficult time visualizing the color that would result from the combination of other colors. By employing the present invention, the relationship between colors is taught.
It has long been recognized that puzzles, particularly those directed toward children, can teach valuable information while, at the same time, making such learning fun as matching and joining puzzle pieces is carried out. Most people enjoy putting puzzles together while achieving a degree of satisfaction inherent in finding pieces to match to create the final assembled image.
There are certainly puzzles which have little or no learning component. Many times, puzzles are, for example, of a landscape or have images of animals or urban architecture. However, as noted previously, puzzles can have a learning component making them particularly applicable to children.
As applied to this particular instance, it has further been recognized that it is oftentimes difficult to teach both children and adults the relationship between colors and, particularly, how the combination of two or more colors can produce a derived color that is predictable from its component parts. Usually, color mixing has been learned by simple memorization. For example, if one was to suggest to a student that when red and purple are mixed that magenta is produced, this relationship would simply be presented on a cue card for memorization. Unfortunately, not only is this form of learning boring and tedious, but those familiar with such a process recognize that the information being memorized is short lived and that students do not oftentimes maintain these memorized relationships for very long, particularly if they are not engaged in color mixing and matching as an ongoing activity.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a puzzle which combines the entertainment aspect of puzzle assembly with the learning component of color mixing and derivation to make memorization less tedious than would otherwise be the case.
These and further objects will be more readily appreciated when considering the following disclosure and appended claims.
The present invention is directed to a learning puzzle for enhancing a user's knowledge of color relationships. The learning puzzle comprises a frame and a set of shaped puzzle pieces, each puzzle piece of said set of shaped puzzle pieces having a face of a unique color wherein each puzzle piece is related to other puzzle pieces within said set of puzzle pieces such that when said puzzle pieces are properly configured to complete said learning puzzle within said frame, adjacent puzzle pieces form an illusion of overlapping puzzle pieces illustrating colors that would be formed by mixing colors of said adjacent pieces.
The sole FIGURE is a top plan view of the puzzle completed as constituting the present invention.
Turning to the FIGURE, puzzle 10 is shown as including frame 11 having a template area 12 which defines relief regions in which various puzzle pieces 13, 14, 15, etc. are placed.
In that puzzle 10 is intended to act as a learning puzzle for enhancing a user's knowledge of color relationships, frame 11 is intended to support the illustrated set of shaped puzzle pieces, each having a face of a unique color. As an illustration, reference is made to puzzle pieces 13, 14 and 15. In this instance, puzzle piece 13 bears the color red while puzzle piece 14 bears the color purple. It is known that when red and purple are combined, what results is magenta. Puzzle piece 15 bears the magenta color. In addition to the colors themselves being displayed, the words “red”, “purple” and “magenta” can be scribed to the surfaces of puzzle pieces 13, 14 and 15, respectively, in order to further teach the color names in association with the colors themselves. Thus, when puzzle pieces are properly configured to complete the learning puzzle 10 within frame 11, adjacent puzzle pieces form an illusion of overlapping puzzle pieces illustrating colors that would be formed by mixing colors of the adjacent pieces.
Although the previous paragraph discussed how one visualizes deriving magenta from the mixture of red and purple, the present invention is much more complex than merely the illustration of the mixing of two colors. As noted by reference to puzzle 10, when properly completed, there is shown the illusion of the overlap of multiple colors beyond the mere two made part of the subject illustration. For example, it is shown that magenta, when combined with periwinkle produces orchid and when combined with rust as the combination of red and orange, fuchsia is produced.
The foregoing description is for the purposes of illustration only and is not intended to limit the scope of protection according to this invention. The scope of protection is to be measured by the following claims, which should be interpreted as broadly as the invention contribution permits.
