PUZZLE PAD AND PICTURE FRAME

Abstract

A device for accommodating a puzzle including a flexible, particularly rollable surface element serving to store the puzzle, the device further comprising at least one, preferably a plurality of reinforcing elements which can be assembled together with the surface element so that the device is converted from a disassembled state with the surface element flexibly deformable to a plate-like stabilised state of the surface element, the reinforcing elements serving to stabilise the surface element in a plane, flat shape. A picture frame can present the puzzle.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a device for accommodating a puzzle including a flexible, particularly rollable surface element serving to store and particularly to temporarily store the puzzle. Furthermore, the invention relates to a picture frame for presenting a puzzle.

Prior Art

Puzzles have been known for a long time and are highly popular. Many people enjoy assembling a puzzle having a motif from a large number of puzzle pieces. This can be done in different ways. For example, a mere table on which the puzzle pieces are appropriately placed can be used for doing a puzzle. However, this is impractical if the table is to be used for other purposes in between. As a solution, there are rollable puzzle mats or solid puzzle tables. In some cases, these are provided with a rim so that the puzzle can abut or does not slide on the pad. Alternatively, only a cardboard or wooden plate can be used as a temporary pad for the puzzle. However, there are also puzzle pads composed of small plates which can be assembled.

The problem with the known puzzle pads is that puzzle mats do not form a stable pad and that, therefore, problems in placing the puzzle pieces may occur when the puzzle is done and the already placed puzzle pieces are not stably supported, while plates and tables require a lot of space. They are bulky products which are inconvenient to transport and store. Precisely for this reason, puzzle mats have established themselves because they are foldable and rollable, the roll around which the puzzle mat including the partly or fully completed puzzle can be rolled being either inflatable or formed of connectable smaller rolls.

For completed puzzles, there is also the option to frame them and to hang them on the wall as a picture. To this end, there is a vast variety of possibilities. However, it is often disadvantageous that the commercially available frames are frequently intended for thinner pictures or art prints and that therefore a puzzle which is usually made of a thicker material does not fit into the frame.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Object of the Invention

It is therefore the object the invention to overcome the problems of prior art and to provide for a possibility to do a puzzle on a puzzle pad and to at least temporarily store it, whereat the puzzle pad should have small dimensions and be storable in a space-saving way at least while it is not in use. In addition, a corresponding device for accommodating a puzzle should be simply structured and easy to manufacture.

Technical Solution

This object is solved by a device having the features of claim 1 as well as a picture frame having the features of claim 17. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

The invention proposes a device for accommodating a puzzle, a so-called puzzle pad including a flexible, particularly rollable surface element serving to store the puzzle as known from puzzle mats. However, the invention is not limited thereto, but provides for at least one, preferably a plurality of reinforcing elements which can be assembled together with the surface element so that the device is converted from a disassembled state with the surface element flexibly deformable to a plate-like stabilised state of the surface element, the reinforcing elements serving to stabilise the surface element in a plane, flat shape. Accordingly, the invention combines the advantages of a puzzle mat and a stable pad in the form of a plate, the device according to the invention being foldable to a small size and thus easy to transport and store at least while not in use, i.e. while no puzzle is laid or stored.

At least part of the reinforcing elements may be fixedly arranged on the surface element since the stiffening of the surface element is only accomplished after the arrangement and/or the assembly of the reinforcing elements, and the surface element remains rollable and/or foldable even in case of a fixed arrangement of part of the reinforcing elements.

Alternatively or in addition, part of the reinforcing elements may be placed in accommodation elements of the surface element, the connection between the reinforcing elements and the surface element required for stiffening the surface element being ensured by the accommodation elements.

A reinforcing element may be positively and/or non-positively connectable to one or more other reinforcing elements, and/or two ends of a reinforcing element may be positively and/or non-positively connectable. By connecting the reinforcing elements, an interconnection can be established by which the stiffening of the surface element is improved.

The device may further comprise reinforcing elements which are neither fixedly arranged on the surface element nor arranged in accommodation elements of the surface element, but can only be attached to one or more adjacent reinforcing elements.

The reinforcing elements may all be identical in design, or a plurality of identical, but also different reinforcing elements may be provided, or all reinforcing elements are different from each other.

The device may also be reversibly dismountable from a plate-like stabilised state to a disassembled state with the surface element flexibly deformable, and that not only after the completion of a puzzle or generally after discontinuation of use, but also during the assembly of a puzzle to render a temporary storage of the partly completed puzzle possible like with puzzle mats. To this end, the reinforcing elements can be at least partly removed, and the surface element can be rolled onto a roll together with the at least partly completed puzzle. Accordingly, the device may also include a roll.

The device may further be configured so that it is only stabilised in a plate-like state when the reinforcing elements and particularly all reinforcing elements are positively and/or non-positively connected to each other.

The surface element which has a much smaller thickness as compared to its length or width or its diameter may be made of any suitable material such as, for example, of planar-shaped textile structures of natural and synthetic fibres and metals, fabric, knitted fabric, crocheted fabric, braids, stitch-bonded fabric, non-woven fabric, felts, meshes, sheets of metal and plastic as well as paper.

Preferably, the surface element is elastically stretchable so that the surface element can be elastically biased which benefits stiffening.

The accommodation element of the surface element may be formed by a wide variety of components which are only required to render an arrangement and a connection of the reinforcing element on and to the surface element possible. Accordingly, eyes, flaps, tubes, push buttons, rivets, hooks, buttons, slits, orifices, button holes and the like come into consideration.

The reinforcing elements may also be configured in a wide variety of ways, for example as rods, telescopic rods, rods having threaded ends and/or threaded holes, sleeves, threaded sleeves, blocks, cuboidal members having complementary protrusions and recesses, strips and the like.

The reinforcing elements may be made of any suitable material, particularly plastic, fibre reinforced plastic, metals, etc.

Preferably, the reinforcing elements may be circumferentially arranged on the edge of the surface element to form a stiff rim and to elastically tension the surface element.

For mutual connection, the reinforcing elements may have positive engagement and/or force-fitting elements, particularly hooks, eyes, clamping members, clip members, protrusions, recesses, undercuts, pins, lugs, blind holes, sleeves, combinations thereof, and the like.

According to one embodiment, spaced-apart cuboidal or strip-shaped or angularly configured reinforcing elements having protrusions protruding along the circumferential direction may be attached to one side of the surface element, and the device may further include complementary cuboidal or strip-shaped reinforcing elements having recesses oriented in the circumferential direction which are insertable in the gaps between the reinforcing elements attached to the surface element so that the surface element is flexibly rollable or foldable without the reinforcing elements inserted in the gaps and in the plate-like stabilised state with the reinforcing elements inserted. Evidently, a reverse arrangement of the protrusions and recesses is also possible.

Furthermore, the device may include at least one, preferably a plurality of frame elements which are connectable to the surface element and/or the reinforcing elements and cover the edge of the surface element so that the device may also serve for permanently keeping and presenting the puzzle.

To this end, the frame elements may be configured so that they can be clipped onto the reinforcing elements in a clamping manner. Other types of attachment of the frame elements to the surface element and/or the reinforcing elements are also conceivable.

Accordingly, a picture frame for a puzzle which uses a puzzle pad which is designed for laying the puzzle and which is further configured so that the puzzle pad is connectable to a frame so that the puzzle pad becomes part of the frame and is used to permanently keep and present the puzzle is proposed independent of and in combination with the device for accommodating a puzzle. This is also possible with puzzle pads which, unlike the device for accommodating a puzzle described above, include no reinforcing elements or are not flexible.

For the presentation of a puzzle accommodated in the picture frame, the frame or the puzzle pad may a include suspension members to hang it on the wall or a stand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In the appended drawings, the following is shown in a purely schematic form.

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of an assembled puzzle pad according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the surface element of the puzzle pad of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows an illustration of a reinforcement rod as can be used for the puzzle pad of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows an illustration of another reinforcement rod as can be used for the puzzle pad of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of another embodiment an assembled puzzle pad according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the surface element according to an embodiment of a puzzle pad according to the invention in the disassembled state;

FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the puzzle pad of FIG. 6 in the assembled state;

FIG. 8 shows a plan view of two reinforcement blocks as can be used for the puzzle pad of FIGS. 6 and 7;

FIG. 9 shows a side view of the reinforcement blocks of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 shows a plan view of two reinforcement blocks as can be used for the puzzle pad of FIGS. 6 and 7;

FIG. 11 shows a side view of the reinforcement blocks of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 shows a plan view of an assembled puzzle pad as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 including an illustration of a frame arranged thereon.

EMBODIMENTS

Further advantages, characteristics and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments. However, the invention is not limited to these embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a first embodiment of a puzzle pad 1 according to the invention in the assembled state. The puzzle pad 1 according to the embodiment of FIG. 1 includes a surface element in the form of a sheet 2 provided with accommodation elements in the form of tubes 8, 9, 10, 11 into which reinforcement rods 3, 4, 5, 6 are inserted at its edge at the end and longitudinal sides. The reinforcement rods 3, 4, 5, 6 are connected to each other at their ends, for example by plug-in connections including bushings 12 and pins 18 as can be seen in FIGS. 2 to 4.

The sheet 2 which may be a plastic sheet is elastically stretchable, and the reinforcement rods 3, 4, 5, 6 which may be formed of a stiff material such as, likewise, plastic or metal are dimensioned so that the sheet 2 is stretched by the tubes 8, 9, 10, 11 both in a direction parallel to the longitudinal sides and in a direction parallel to the end sides so that the puzzle section 7 defined between the tubes 8, 9, 10, 11 is elastically tensioned and thus stabilised when their ends are inserted into each other.

In the state shown in FIG. 1, the puzzle pad 1 has a stiff and stable rim formed by the reinforcement rods 3, 4, 5, 6 as well as a puzzle section 7 disposed therebetween and formed of an elastically tensioned sheet which, accordingly, provides for the required stability of the puzzle pad 1. A user may therefore assemble or place the puzzle pieces of a puzzle on the puzzle section 7, and the partly or fully completed puzzle can be transported on the puzzle pad 1 in a simple manner, for example from a table on which the puzzle is done to a shelf where the puzzle can be temporarily stored together with the puzzle pad 1. The puzzle section 7 may preferably be dimensioned so that it is adapted to the size of the puzzle so that the puzzle abuts on the rim of the puzzle pad 1 including the reinforcement rods 3, 4, 5, 6 or tubes 8, 9, 10, 11. In this way, doing the puzzle is facilitated for the user since the dimension of the puzzle is predetermined.

FIGS. 2 to 4 show components of the puzzle pad 1 in detail.

In FIG. 2, a cross-sectional view of the surface element in the form of the sheet 2 is shown in which the puzzle section 7 and the surrounding tubes 8 and 9, 11 for accommodating the reinforcement rods 3, 4, 6 can be seen.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a reinforcement rod 3 composed of a plurality of rod segments 13, 14, 15. The rod segments 13, 14, 15 are tubular, an elastic string 17 being disposed within the interior of the rod segments 13, 14, 15, the length of the elastic string 17 being selected so that it is stretched when the rod segments 13, 14, 15 are assembled. In this way, a biasing force is generated by the elastic string 17 which keeps the assembled rod segments 13, 14, 15 together. For fitting the rod segments 13, 14, 15 into each other, a sleeve 16 allowing for the accommodation of respectively one end of the rod segment 14 is disposed on the rod segments 13 and 15 on one end of the respective rod segment 13, 15, respectively. On the ends of the assembled reinforcement rod 3 or on respectively one end of the rod segments 13 and 15, a bushing 12 is provided the bushing hole of which is rotated by 90° relative to the longitudinal extension of the reinforcement rod 3 or the rod segments 13, 14, 15, respectively, to accommodate the pins 18 of the reinforcement rods 4 and 6 arranged transverse to the reinforcement rod 3.

Accordingly, FIG. 4 shows an example of the reinforcement rod 4, whereat the reinforcement rod 6 may be configured in the same way. The illustrated reinforcement rod 4 is a single-part reinforcement rod provided with corresponding pins 18 fitting into the bushings 12 of the adjacent reinforcement rods 3, 5 on its ends. Owing to the elastic tensioning of the sheet 2, the pins 18 are securely held in the bushings 12.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of a device according to the invention for accommodating a puzzle in the form of a puzzle pad 20. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, it can be seen that the puzzle pad 20 has no rectangular shape like the above puzzle pad 1, but is formed as a circular plate-like element. This illustrates that the present invention can be implemented in a wide variety of shapes, whereat not only rectangular or round plate-like puzzle pads can be formed, but also puzzle pads having other shapes.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the puzzle pad 20 includes a fabric 21 as a surface element which includes a circular circumferential tube 23 defining the puzzle section 22 of the puzzle pad 20 at its edge. In the tube 23, a reinforcing element in the form of a reinforcement ring 24 is disposed the two ends of which are connected to each other by a catch 25, for example again a bushing-pin connection. The reinforcement ring 24 may be formed of, for example, fibreglass, glass fibre reinforced plastic which can be elastically deformed into a ring so that the ring applies a tensioning force directed radially outward to the fabric 21 and thus tensions it. In this way, in turn, it can be achieved that the circular puzzle pad 20 provides for a stable plate-like puzzle pad 20 for doing a puzzle in the assembled state when the reinforcement ring 24 is inserted in the tube 23 and the catch 25 is closed.

FIGS. 6 and 7 as well as 12 show another embodiment of a puzzle pad 30 according to the invention, a plan view of the surface element in the form of a sheet 31 being shown in FIG. 6. On the sheet 31, spaced-apart reinforcement blocks 33, 34 are circumferentially arranged at the edge, the reinforcement blocks 33, 34 being fixedly arranged on the sheet 31, for example by a material connection such as adhesion or the like. The reinforcement blocks 33, 34 as such are made of a stiff material such as, for example, plastic, and per se not flexible themselves. However, since gaps 36 exist between the reinforcement blocks 33, 34, the flexible sheet 31 can be rolled or folded since, apart from the stiff reinforcement blocks 33, 34, it is not dimensionally stable but flexible.

On the sheet 31, various reinforcement blocks 33, 34 are arranged, the reinforcement blocks being inherently different from each other depending on whether they are arranged along a side, i.e. a longitudinal side or the end side, or in the corner portion of the sheet 31. As can be seen in FIG. 6, different reinforcement blocks among which only the reinforcement block on the top right in the image is designated are provided in the corner portions, respectively. The reinforcement blocks may thus be formed differently as required.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the flexible sheet 31 can be stiffened by inserting further reinforcement blocks 37 into the gaps 36 between the reinforcement blocks 33, 34 fixedly arranged on the sheet 31 since, by inserting the reinforcement blocks 37, the entire circumferential edge of the sheet 31 is occupied by reinforcement blocks 33, 34, 37 which form a solid stiff interconnection due to their positive connection to each other. In addition, the gaps 36 between the reinforcement blocks 33, 34 fixedly arranged on the sheet 31 may have slightly smaller dimensions than the reinforcement blocks 37 to be inserted so that the sheet 31 is elastically deformed by inserting the reinforcement blocks and the reinforcement blocks are pressed against each other in directions parallel to the plane of the sheet 31 by the elastic restoring force of the sheet 31 to thereby stabilise and tighten the interconnection. Furthermore, the sheet 31 is biased. Accordingly, a plate-like, stabilised puzzle pad 30 can also be provided in this way.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show the reinforcement blocks 34 and 37 in a plan view (FIG. 8) and in a side view (FIG. 9) to illustrate the principle of the connection of the reinforcement blocks 34 and 37. In the plan view of FIG. 8, it can be seen that the reinforcement block 34 includes two protrusions 35 at its end sides while the reinforcement block 37 has complementary recesses 38 at its end sides. When the reinforcement block 37 is inserted into a gap 36 the protrusion 35 of an adjacent reinforcement block 34 engages in the recess 38 so that a positive connection is obtained. In addition, the recess 38 may, for example, have slightly smaller dimensions than the protrusion 35 in a direction parallel to the end side so that the protrusion 35 is accommodated in the recess 38 in a clamping manner.

FIG. 9 also shows, in a side view, another possibility of fixedly arranging the reinforcement bridge 34 on the sheet 31 by corresponding mounting clamps 39 which are pressed into the reinforcement block 34 through the sheet 31 or attached thereto in another way.

In the embodiment of the reinforcement blocks 34, 37 of FIG. 8, the protrusions 35 and recesses 38 on the respective end sides are continuously arranged over the entire thickness of the reinforcement blocks 34, 37 as can be seen, for example, in FIG. 9.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show further embodiments of reinforcement blocks 40, 41 as can be used, for example, for a puzzle pad 30 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. In the reinforcement blocks 40, 41, again protrusions 42 and recesses 43 which are complementary to each other are provided on the end sides. However, the protrusions 42 and recesses 43 do not extend over the entire thickness of the reinforcement blocks 40, 41, but only over part of it. In addition, a blind hole 44 is provided on the bottom of the recess 43, while a lug 45 configured to engage in the blind hole 44 protrudes from the lower side of the protrusion 42, the lug 45 in turn potentially having slightly larger dimensions than the blind hole 44 so that the lug 45 is accommodated in the blind hole 44 in an elastically tensioned manner. With this design of the reinforcement blocks 40, 41, a better interlock of the reinforcement blocks 40, 41 and a more stable formation the assembled puzzle pad 30 can be achieved.

Corresponding reinforcement blocks or reinforcing elements may be formed in a wide variety of different shapes, whereat, for example, also profiles such as, for example, L- or T-profiles having a corresponding stiffness due to their profile shape can be used instead of blocks.

FIG. 12 shows another embodiment of the puzzle pad 30 according to the invention including the arrangement of a frame 46. In the embodiment shown, the frame includes a plurality of frame segments 47 which are clipped on top of the reinforcement blocks 33, 34, 37. To this end, the frame segments 47 may include a corresponding groove which can accommodate the reinforcement blocks 33, 34, 37 in a clamping manner on their lower side. To this end, the width of the groove may have slightly smaller dimensions than the width or end side length of the reinforcement blocks 33, 34, 37 so that a clamping arrangement is possible. The frame segments 47 have, accordingly, a larger width than the reinforcement blocks 33, 34, 37 so that they also slightly overlap and thereby hold the puzzle accommodated in the puzzle section 32. Since the puzzle section 32 may be dimensioned so that the puzzle to be laid completely fills the puzzle section and abuts on the reinforcement blocks 33, 34, 37 at the edge a safe and stable accommodation of the puzzle in the frame can be ensured thereby. Accordingly, the puzzle pad 30 may not only be used to lay a puzzle, but it may then concurrently serve as part of a frame in which the puzzle may, for example, be hanged on a wall.

By a specifically matched use of a puzzle pad 30 for a specific puzzle to be laid, the frame 46 may also be appropriately tailored to the puzzle. For example, the frame may also be designed in the style of puzzle pieces. This may also be also advantageous since then corresponding separation lines between the individual frame segments 47 will be unobtrusive. However, this may also be concealed by a suitable surface design of the frame segments 47, or the frame segments 47 are selected so that respectively one frame segment 47 is provided for one side, i.e. the longitudinal sides and the end sides as it is likewise the case in common, known picture frame strips.

When the puzzle pad 30 in combination with the frame 46 serves to permanently keep the puzzle and to present it the puzzle accommodated in the puzzle section 32 may also be glued to the puzzle pad 30 or the sheet 31. To this end, liquid adhesive is applied to the puzzle and spread on the puzzle, the adhesive penetrating the gaps between the puzzle pieces and reaching the sheet 31 so that, after the solidification of the adhesive, the puzzle pieces are adhesively bonded to both each other and the sheet 31 of the puzzle pad 30.

The puzzle pad 30 may, in the puzzle section 32, also be designed so that the corresponding puzzle cutting pattern of the puzzle to be laid is printed thereon to facilitate placing the puzzle. The motif of the puzzle may also be printed on the puzzle pad or the sheet 31 in the puzzle section 32 to facilitate laying the puzzle.

Although the present invention was described in detail based on the embodiments it is evident to the person skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to these embodiments, but that rather modifications are possible in a way in which individual features are omitted or other combinations of features can be realised without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In particular, the present disclosure includes all combinations of the individual features shown in the various embodiments so that individual features which are only described in connection with one embodiment can also be used in other embodiments or in not explicitly illustrated combinations of individual features.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

• 1 Puzzle pad
• 2 Sheet
• 3 Reinforcement rod
• 4 Reinforcement rod
• 5 Reinforcement rod
• 6 Reinforcement rod
• 7 Puzzle section
• 8 Tube
• 9 Tube
• 10 Tube
• 11 Tube
• 12 Bushing
• 13 Rod segment
• 14 Rod segment
• 15 Rod segment
• 16 Sleeve
• 17 Elastic string
• 18 Pin
• 20 Puzzle pad
• 21 Fabric
• 22 Puzzle section
• 23 Tube
• 24 Reinforcement ring
• 25 Catch
• 30 Puzzle pad
• 31 Sheet
• 32 Puzzle section
• 33 Reinforcement block
• 34 Reinforcement block
• 35 Protrusion
• 36 Gap
• 37 Reinforcement block
• 38 Recess
• 39 Mounting clamp
• 40 Reinforcement block
• 41 Reinforcement block
• 42 Protrusion
• 43 Recess
• 44 Blind hole
• 45 Lug
• 46 Frame
• 47 Frame segment

Claims

1. A device for accommodating a puzzle comprising a flexible, particularly rollable surface element serving to store the puzzle, and at least one reinforcing element which can be assembled together with the surface element so that the device is converted from a disassembled state with the surface element flexibly deformable to a plate-like stabilised state of the surface element, the at least one reinforcing element elements serving to stabilise the surface element in a planar, flat shape.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the at least one reinforcing element is fixedly arranged on the surface element and/or at least part of the at least one reinforcing element can be arranged in accommodation elements of the surface element.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one reinforcing element is positively and/or non-positively connectable to one or more other of the at least one reinforcing element and/or two ends of the at least one reinforcing element are positively and/or non-positively connectable.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one reinforcing element are neither fixedly arranged on the surface element nor disposed in accommodation elements of the surface element but can only be attached to one or more adjacent ones of the at least one reinforcing element.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one reinforcing element comprises a plurality of or exclusively identical reinforcing elements and/or different reinforcing elements.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is dismountable from a plate-like stabilised state to a disassembled state with the surface element flexibly deformable.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is in a plate-like stabilised state when the at least one reinforcing element comprises a plurality of reinforcement elements that are positively and/or non-positively connected to each other.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the surface element is formed of at least one of the components of the group comprising planar-shaped textile structures of natural and synthetic fibres and metals, fabric, knitted fabric, crocheted fabric, braids, stitch-bonded fabric, non-woven fabric, felts, meshes, sheets of metal and plastic, as well as paper.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the surface element is elastically stretchable.

10. The device according to claim 2, wherein the accommodation elements of the surface element are selected from at least one component of the group comprising eyes, flaps, tubes, push buttons, rivets, hooks, buttons, slits, orifices, button holes and the like.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one reinforcing element is selected from the group comprising rods, telescopic rods, rods with threaded ends and/or threaded holes, sleeves, threaded sleeves, blocks, cuboidal members with complementary protrusions and recesses, strips and the like.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one reinforcing element is circumferentially arranged on an edge of the surface element.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one reinforcing element comprises positive engagement and/or force-fitting elements, particularly at least one element from the group comprising hooks, eyes, clamping members, clip members, protrusions, recesses, undercuts, pins, lugs, blind holes, sleeves, combinations thereof and the like for mutual connection.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one reinforcing element comprises spaced-apart cuboidal or strip-shaped or angularly configured reinforcing elements including protrusions protruding along a circumferential direction attached on one side of the surface element and complementary cuboidal or strip-shaped reinforcing elements including recesses oriented in a circumferential direction which are insertable into gaps between the spaced-apart cuboidal or strip-shaped or angularly configured reinforcing elements attached to the surface element, so that the surface element is flexibly rollable or foldable without the complementary cuboidal or strip-shaped reinforcing elements inserted into the gaps and in the plate-like stabilised state with the reinforcing elements inserted.

15. The device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one frame element, preferably a plurality of frame elements, which is connectable to the surface element and/or the at least one reinforcing element and cover an edge of the surface element.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the at least one frame element is formed so that the at least one frame element can be clipped onto the at least one reinforcing element in a clamping manner.

17. A picture frame for a puzzle comprising a puzzle pad designed for laying the puzzle, particularly the device according to claim 1, wherein the puzzle pad is further configured so that the puzzle pad is connectable to a frame.

18. The picture frame according to claim 17, wherein the frame or the puzzle pad comprises suspension members to hang the picture frame on the wall or a stand.