Patent Application
20070236001
The characteristic features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the description, provided hereinbelow, of an example of embodiment thereof, provided by way of a non-limiting illustration with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
The set of
With reference to these Figures,
As already mentioned, these sheets are usually made of cardboard, paperboard, plastic, wood or other similar material so that, apart from thickness and rigidity, a perfectly flat arrangement is also ensured.
Alternatively, the sheets may also be made of non-rigid material (for example fabric) with which a stiffening element is combined.
Advantageously, the sheets 1a to 1g comprise respective first portions 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 which have partial or complete forms of sections of a subject (a frog in the particular case of
The first and the second portions are physically connected and belong to a single sheet, although they have different and independent forms.
More generally, according to the invention, the first portions 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 may represent partially or completely, both with their form and the image displayed, animals or alternatively, they may represent partially or completely other types of subjects.
The images reproduced on the first portions of the various sheets represent different sections of a complete three-dimensional figure, such as that of a frog shown in
We can imagine that the frog has been ideally sectioned along several parallel planes, in the direction A-A, shown in
In particular, the portion 12 of the sheet 1a shows a plan view of a section closest to the top of the frog's body, which is also that with the smallest area. The successive first portions 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 show plan views of other sections of the frog, parallel to the portion 12 of the sheet 1a, obtained as one gradually moves away from the top of the frog's body towards its feet.
Sections formed along planes situated gradually further away from the top of the frog's body correspond, in the case of the first portions, to increasingly broader shapes and increasingly bigger surfaces.
The particular shapes and surfaces of the first portions 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 of the sheets 1a to 1g are such that the sheets can be arranged on top of each in any order, but allow a correct overall view of the frog in three dimensions and a continuity of the drawings reproduced on the visible surfaces of the said sheets, while keeping the first portion 24 of the sheet 1g in the bottom position and gradually arranging on top the portions 22, 20, 18, 16, 14, 12 of the sheets 1f to 1a.
In general, the same applies to the case where the images reproduced on the first portions relate to other subjects.
The first portions differ in terms of shape and size for example because they may have protuberances which represent features of parts of the subjects shown; these peculiar features of the images shown help the child to find the correct order for positioning of the sheets and construct the correct final three-dimensional image.
The various shapes, dimensions and any protuberances of the first portions 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 help the child with visual learning by means of observation and recognition of the image reproduced, encouraging him or her to try to understand the correct position of the sheet within the set of sheets 1a to 1g. The child is thus stimulated to try to arrange the sheets on top of each other so as to obtain an overall visual effect which simulates the three-dimensional appearance of the subject.
The second portions 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36 and 38, on the other hand, although they may also have images, are mainly provided with text having a narrative or informative content, such as messages and/or information and/or short stories and/or questions or quiz games and have the function of stimulating learning on the part of the child, if necessary by means of the guided reading of the image shown on the first portions 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24.
The contour of these second portions is usually polygonal, in particular rectangular;
alternatively, however, it could also have a substantially circular form in the view of the visual effect which the first and second portions may ensure in combination.
According to the invention the sheets may be provided with graphic motifs or text on both the sides; the graphic motifs present essentially on the first portion on one side may differ from those present on the other side, for example as regards colour or specific details, while obviously having to maintain the same shape as the subject represented.
Differently, the graphic symbols reproduced on the second portions may vary from one side to the other, the second portions being not bound to any one particular shape.
Modifications and variations which are conceptually and/or structurally equivalent are possible and may be envisaged, albeit remaining within the scope of the invention.
For example, the first and the second portion could be joined together in a non-permanent manner, namely removably, so as to allow interchangeability between the subjects shown on the first portions and the graphic symbols reproduced on the second portions.
Alternatively, the second portion could comprise a plurality of sheets with the same design as a note pad or a block of so-called “post-it” stickers, allowing the user to write comments or answers to questions and the like.
By way of a further alternative, the set of sheets could have the structure described in the already mentioned European patent No. 1057508, namely with a three-dimensional effect which can be obtained when observing the set of sheets from both ends. In other words, the set of sheets comprises a first set of sheets increasing in size from a first end towards the midway point of the said set and a second set of sheets decreasing in size from this midway point towards a second end.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| MI2006U000107 | Mar 2006 | IT | national |
