This invention relates generally to puzzles, and more particularly to flat sheet puzzles wherein individual pieces of the puzzle interfit with one another in a crossword type pattern.
A typical crossword type pattern puzzle includes a plurality of individual pieces in the form of rectangular blocks, which are assembled using interlocking tabs, grooves, notches, and the like to form a flat pattern. Correct placement of the pieces of the puzzle is accomplished by matching distinctive indicia among the commonly connected pieces. Many of the known puzzles are assembled in one particular configuration wherein all of the pieces interlock in a single predetermined pattern to form a single puzzle solution.
According to the present invention, a piece is provided for a puzzle. The puzzle piece comprises an elongated member having a longitudinal axis, a first surface and an opposite second surface. A plurality of symbols are longitudinally spaced along the first surface or the second surface. Engaging means are also disposed on at least one of the first and second surfaces, the engaging means associated with at least one of the symbols.
Also according to the present invention, a puzzle comprising a plurality of pieces is provided. Each piece comprises an elongated member having a longitudinal axis, a first surface and an opposite second surface. A plurality of symbols are longitudinally spaced along the first surface or the second surface. Engaging means are also disposed on at least one of the first and second surfaces, the engaging means associated with at least one of the symbols. The pieces connect to one another at the engaging means associated with symbols which share a common characteristic.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference should now be had to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings and described below. In the drawings:
Certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and is not to be taken as a limitation on the invention. For example, words such as “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “right,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “upward,” and “downward” merely describe the configuration shown in the FIGS. Indeed, the components may be oriented in any direction and the terminology, therefore, should be understood as encompassing such variations unless specified otherwise.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding or similar elements throughout the several views, a puzzle according to the present invention is shown in
Representative pieces 22 of the puzzle 20 are shown in
The puzzle pieces 22 can be made from any suitable material, which may include wood, fiberboard, cardboard, metal, ceramic and the like. The puzzle pieces 22 may also be molded from suitable plastic materials, such as ABS, acrylic plastic, polystyrene, or polypropylene. Other synthetic materials may also be used, such as rubber foam, polyurethane, and the like. The puzzle pieces 22 can also be made of, or include magnetic material that can attach to a moving or stationary metallic surface. A thinner, flatter puzzle piece 22 is also possible, which would allow the use of woven and non-woven fabric, paper products, and the like for forming the puzzle pieces 22. Given the many possibilities for the material of construction, it is understood that the scope of my invention is not intended to be limited by the materials listed here, but may be carried out using any material which allows the construction of the puzzle pieces 22 and use of the puzzle 20 described herein.
According to the present invention, the puzzle pieces 22 are provided with symbols 32, or combinations of symbols, longitudinally spaced along at least one of the upper face 24 or lower face 26 of each piece 22. The symbols 32 may be a graphic symbol, such as a character representing a letter of the alphabet or number (an alphanumeric character), complimentary marks, tokens, signs, flags, pictures, and the like. The symbols 32 can also be colors or shades of colors.
The symbols 32 may be applied to the upper face 24 or lower face 26 of the puzzle pieces 22 by printing, stamping, stenciling or other similar means. Alternatively, the symbols 32 can be marked on paper, or similar material, and the paper applied to the puzzle pieces 22 using adhesive. If plastic or other moldable material is used to form the puzzle pieces 22, the symbols 32 may be molded onto the pieces. The symbols 32 may be impressed or raised. The latter adapts the puzzle 20 for use by blind persons since they would be able to feel the raised individual symbols 32.
In keeping with the present invention, the symbols 32 are chosen so that all of the pieces 22 of the puzzle 20 share a common characteristic or relate to a common subject. In one embodiment, the symbols 32 are letters of the alphabet, and the letters comprise a word or words which relate to a common subject. For example, the common subject can be a geographic location, such as a continent, a country, or a state, and the word on each puzzle piece 22 is a name of a geographic portion of the location, such as countries of the continent, states or provinces of the country, or counties of the state, respectively. One example of this embodiment of the present invention is shown in the FIGS., wherein the common geographic subject of the puzzle 20 is the United States, and the letters on each piece 22 spell state names. In this embodiment, each piece 22 of the puzzle 20 has different lengths depending on the number of letters in a word. The puzzle 20 may also include a piece identifying the common subject of the puzzle 20. This is shown in the example in
It is understood that the common subject of the puzzle 20 may relate to other than geographic locations, as long as the pieces 22 share the common subject or a common characteristic. Moreover, if the symbols 32 are letters of the alphabet and the letters comprise words, the subjects of the puzzle 20 are virtually limitless. A few examples includes puzzles whose common subject is actors and actresses, quotes and familiar sayings, political figures, foreign words, animals, flowers, trees, monuments, and the like. Other subjects for the symbols include, but are not limited to, mathematical propositions, chemical formula for equations, Morse code, the periodic table of elements, National Parks, lighthouses, etc.
The pieces 22 of the puzzle 20 are provided with engaging means for connecting the individual pieces 22 of the puzzle 20 to one another. In the embodiment of the present invention shown in the FIGS., wherein the puzzle pieces 22 are rectangular blocks (
Engaging means are associated with at least one symbol 32 on either the upper face 24 or the lower face 26 of the puzzle pieces 22. Where two or more symbols 32 are on a face of the piece 22, engaging means may be associated with each symbol 32, or selected symbols 32 at spaced intervals along the length of the piece 22 such that the engaging means on a face of the piece 22 are separated by at least one symbol 32.
According to the embodiment of the present invention shown in the FIGS., each piece 22 of the puzzle 20 is divided into segments of equal length. Each symbol 32 corresponds to one of the segments. When letters which spell words are used as the symbols 32, a blank between words on a piece 22 is considered a symbol 32. A blank segment not having any symbol 32 is included as the first segment or the last segment on each piece 22. More specifically, when a word or words spelled by the symbols 32 on a piece 22 requires an odd number of symbols 32, a blank segment is provided as both the first and last segment on the piece 22. When a word or words spelled by the symbols 32 on a piece 22 requires an even number of symbols 32, a blank segment is provided as either the first or last segment on the piece 22.
Further according to this embodiment of the present invention, the length of each notch 36 is equal to one segment. Notches 36 will not be associated with the first or last segment. Moreover, since the depth of each notch 36 can be equal to one-half of the height of the piece 22, the notches 36 in the opposite faces 24, 26 must be formed no closer than every other segment. As best seen in
Any convenient flat work surface can be used to build the puzzle 20. To complete the puzzle 20 according to the present invention, a puzzler connects the pieces 22 based on a relationship between the pieces 22. An example of a connection point between two pieces 22 is a common symbol 32, with each symbol having an associated engaging means. In one embodiment, the symbols 32 on the pieces must also represent a shared common characteristic based on the common subject of the puzzle 20. The user thus manipulates the puzzle pieces 22 searching for common symbols 32 among pieces sharing this common characteristic and, when found, connects the pieces 22 in an interlocking arrangement with the pieces 22 joined at their respective engaging means associated with the common symbol 32. It is understood that the pieces 22 may be connected at more than one location if the pieces 22 share more than one common symbol 32. As seen in
Further, in the embodiment described above wherein the pieces 22 are rectangular solids and the engaging means are notches 36, the pieces 22 are connected by joining a notch 36 in an upper piece with a notch 36 in a lower piece (
To solve the puzzle 20, the correlation of connected pieces 22 must be known to the puzzler. The puzzler may then assemble the puzzle 20 by either learning or assuming the connection point for joining the pieces 22 based on the symbols on the correlated pieces 22. However, as noted above, a piece 22 can potentially connect with another piece 22 at more than one point. Thus, the connection point is not mandated. In the embodiment shown in the FIGS., the arrangement of alternating notches 36 on the upper and lower faces 24, 26 of the pieces 22 allows manipulation of the choices and direction for joining the pieces 22. If correct connection points are chosen, the solution will be affirmed when all of the pieces 22 fit together in a crossword-type arrangement on the flat work surface and the puzzler's learning experience will be rewarded. However, a stage in assembling the puzzle pieces 22 may be reached where no further puzzle pieces 22 can connected while laying flat on the work surface. The puzzler must then at least partially disassemble an assembled portion of the puzzle 20 and rearrange the pieces 22. This process results in the puzzle 20 being worked several times. The puzzler also must be assured that all of the contiguous pieces are indeed complimentary, if necessary, with reference to an answer sheet or reviewed by an instructor. When the puzzle 20 is correctly assembled, the puzzler will have self-taught or self-reinforced the proper correlation between the complimentary pieces 22 of the puzzle 20. Moreover, because of the unique design of the puzzle 20 according to the present invention, there is more than one possible solution. Accordingly, there is no limit, other than the number of puzzle pieces 22 available, to the size of the crossword that can be formed. The more difficult solution is to assemble the pieces 22 such that the geometric area utilized by the completed puzzle 20 is minimized. Therefore, the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular orientation of the pieces 22.
An example solution of one embodiment of the puzzle 20 according to the present invention, wherein the common subject of the puzzle 20 is the United States and the symbols 32 on the pieces 22 are letters spelling state names, is shown in
In another embodiment of the present invention, a timer (not shown) may be used to provide an indication of the time lapsed in solving the puzzle 20, for example, for competitive puzzlers or to signify the completion of a pre-set time period. One example is a miniature music-generating device having a built in timer. The device is activated upon commencement of the working of the puzzle 20 and is played continuously for a set period, and the puzzler attempts to complete assembly of the puzzle 20 before the music stops.
The present invention provides an entertaining and educational puzzle useful for teaching memorization and recognition skills in a puzzler. Unlike totally interlocking puzzles, which may cause puzzlers to concentrate on solving the puzzle rather than learning the underlying lesson, the present invention is unique in that the puzzle 20 will accommodate and suggest different solutions, and thus will not restrict the puzzler to formulate only one correct construction. The puzzle 20 necessitates that the puzzler employ deductive reasoning in its construction.
It should be noted that in addition to a physical manifestation of the puzzle and pieces, the invention as contemplated can include computerized or virtual manifestations in which the puzzle pieces are rendered on a computer display or video monitor, and the pieces can be manipulated by a user using an input device or input devices. In such cases a personal computer system, for example system 100 of
In any of the above cases, it should be noted that a computer program product including computer software program instructions can control a processor to carry out embodiments of the invention. The computer programs can reside on any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with any type of computing platform or game system. Such a computer readable medium may be for example, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system or device, for example, CD-ROM 108, which can be loaded into computer system 100 via slot 110. Computer program instructions, which implement the invention, may also be embodied in a stream of information being retrieved over a network such as the Internet. Note that the computer usable or computer readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured via, for instance, an optical scan, then complied and interpreted, or otherwise processed in a suitable manner.
Although the present invention has been shown and described in considerable detail with respect to only a few exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that I do not intend to limit the invention to the embodiments since various modifications, omissions and additions may be made to the disclosed embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the invention, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings. For example, the engaging means could be on only one side of a puzzle piece. As discussed above, the puzzle pieces can be substantially flat in which case the engaging means for connecting the pieces, such as velcro, can be associated with the surface of the pieces. In addition, where symbols are placed on both sides of the puzzle pieces, opposed symbols can differ from one another. For example, the symbols on the one surface of a piece could be in reverse order with respect to the symbols on the other surface of the piece. Accordingly, I intend to cover all such modifications, omission, additions and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Thus, although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together, whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
1542148 | Kramariuk | Jun 1925 | A |
3728800 | Magram | Apr 1973 | A |
3813841 | Tsurumi | Jun 1974 | A |
3836150 | Forgrave | Sep 1974 | A |
4044476 | Marsh | Aug 1977 | A |
4299578 | Wayman | Nov 1981 | A |
4360347 | Ghaznavi | Nov 1982 | A |
4361328 | Stein et al. | Nov 1982 | A |
4613309 | McCloskey | Sep 1986 | A |
4676762 | Ballard | Jun 1987 | A |
4690410 | Berton | Sep 1987 | A |
4880238 | Derouin | Nov 1989 | A |
4950165 | Machaalani | Aug 1990 | A |
5040797 | Dykstra | Aug 1991 | A |
5282631 | Baker | Feb 1994 | A |
5337501 | Amanze | Aug 1994 | A |
5554062 | Goldsen | Sep 1996 | A |
5685120 | Sihra | Nov 1997 | A |
5702105 | Glikmann | Dec 1997 | A |
5799943 | Morgan | Sep 1998 | A |
6146232 | Robbins | Nov 2000 | A |
6511073 | Simonds | Jan 2003 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20050156379 A1 | Jul 2005 | US |