Patent Application
20210077899
Certain puzzles for children and toddlers come with pegs which stick outward to enable a child to place a correspondingly shaped block over the peg. The puzzle may be such that the child has to find and use the correct block for a given peg. The puzzles may be configured to teach the child shapes, such as find the triangular-shaped block for the triangular shaped peg. Some puzzles have sets of pegs sticking outward, in which case the child has to find the block with the appropriate number of holes to fit over a given set of pegs. In any case, the pegs sticking outward can pose a danger to the child.
A safe puzzle that is configured with deep cutouts inside a base block is implemented to provide a cavity inside which the pegs are shielded. The base block may have multiple cutouts and inside each one is a peg that serves as the puzzle for the child. For example, the cutouts can have a square peg, triangular peg, circular peg, and ovular peg that extend vertically from a floor of each cutout. A gap between the peg and the cutout's walls surrounds the pegs so that the child and a parent have sufficient space for their hand to manipulate the blocks, such as place the blocks over the pegs and remove the blocks from the pegs.
The safe puzzle may utilize shaped pegs inside each cutout or other learning mechanisms. For example, the safe puzzle may put sets of same-shaped pegs inside each cutout which work with blocks that have a corresponding number of holes. Lettered or numbered pegs may stick outward as well, in which a corresponding lettered or numbered block that somehow mates with the peg can be used.
The pegs may stick upward inside the cutouts but, in typical implementations, may not extend beyond base block's surface. The pegs may be the same height as the base block's surface or be below the base block's surface. By keeping the pegs at an equal or lower level than the block's surface, the pegs are shielded inside the base and cannot cause accidental injury to a child. This makes the safe puzzle age-appropriate, in terms of safety, for virtually any age.
While certain toddlers and babies may not be able to intellectually use the puzzle until a certain age, the safe puzzle is a safe purchase at virtually any age for a child, even when the baby is only a few days old. The parent does not need to worry about the child tripping and falling into the puzzle's pegs since they are shielded inside the base. Even older toddlers are prone to tripping and falling, in which case the safe puzzle disclosed herein can reduce worry for the parent that their child may slip and fall on a peg.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in any part of this disclosure. It will be appreciated that the above-described subject matter may be implemented as a computer-controlled apparatus, a computer process, a computing system, or as an article of manufacture such as one or more computer-readable storage media. These and various other features will be apparent from a reading of the following Detailed Description and a review of the associated drawings.
Like reference numerals indicate like elements in the drawings. Elements are not drawn to scale unless otherwise indicated.
The pegs 110 can come in various shapes and sizes or can provide a different challenge. For example, multiple shapes 150, 155 can be placed in a cutout 125 to, for example, replicate a real-life object like a plug or outlet. In other examples, a switch 130 may be placed inside a cutout. The switch, or other activity, may be placed on a distinct block 115 that functions as a pedestal to raise the activity nearer to the base block's top surface 140. Some press-fit or other mechanisms may be placed under opposing ends of the switch, so that the switch moves responsive to user pressure on each respective end.
If the pegs 110 extend above the top surface's height 315, then it may be a small amount to make sure that the pegs do not stick out too far and cause injury. By relying on the base block's deep cutouts 125, the pegs are largely shielded by the base block's top surface 140 and surrounding body, which can thereby prevent a child or toddler from accidentally falling onto the pegs and being injured. The safe puzzle 105 can provide various types of puzzles to challenge a child's ingenuity or knowledge, but do so in a safer environment.
In some embodiments, the base block 120 may be configured with a one or more cavities 120 and then one or more generic-type cavities that can fit a flat puzzle piece. This way, a single base block can be used for playing with pegs and blocks and then letters, numbers, symbols, or flatter shapes.
In some embodiments, the base block 120 can be configured with a drawer that can pull out from one of its sides. For example, relying on the larger height of the base block, a draw can be put into the block to accommodate, for example, puzzle pieces. The base block can be extended beyond the cavities so that a draw of sufficient size can be created. Alternatively, when smaller cutouts are used for flatter puzzle pieces, numbers, letters, or symbols (whether combined with the cavities and pegs or not), the draw can be positioned below the smaller cutouts since it's space would otherwise not be used.
Implemented are various examples of the safe puzzle. One example includes a safe puzzle, comprising: a base block having a top surface and a bottom surface; a cutout in the top surface, the cutout having a bottom and surrounding walls; a peg extending from the bottom of the cutout and in a direction toward the top surface of the base block; and a gap surrounding the peg, wherein the gap extends between the peg and the surrounding walls of the cutout.
In another example, the peg has a height that is equal with the top surface's plane. As another example, the peg has a height that is below the top surface's plane. As another example, the peg is formed as a geometric shape, letter, or number. In another example, the geometric shape is a circle, triangle, square, oval, rectangle, rhombus, trapezoid, or circle. As another example, the safe puzzle further includes multiple cutouts with multiple pegs, in which each peg is a different geometric shape, letter, or number. In that example, the cutout and gap are sized to accommodate a user's hand and fingers. In another example, the safe puzzle further includes a block, wherein the block includes a hole that that is shaped to fit a corresponding peg. As another example, when the block is positioned over the corresponding peg, the block's height is even to or below the top surface's plane, such that a heights of the peg and the block are each either even with or below the height of the top surface's plane. In another example, the safe puzzle further includes a cutout having a mechanical mechanism that moves responsive to user manipulation. As another example, the peg is part of a set of pegs within the cutout, and a block includes multiple holes that are positioned and oriented to fit around the set of pegs. As another example, the block is comprised of wood. As another example, the peg is formed as a geometric shape, letter, or number.
Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.
