Patent Application
20100289215
The present invention relates generally to an improved and enhanced means enabling formation of illustrations wherein the overall illustration formed may comprise differing desired heights to show depth or three dimensional effect of illustrations formed by employing a plurality of stacker units in combination with puzzle units to enhance the height desired, said stacker unit comprising a holed head configured to have a central downward burrow or depression and a leg for lodgment onto a substrate member having a plurality of holes of compatible dimension for complementary and snug abutment leaving the holed head of the stacker unit above the substrate member (now acting as an elevated substrate member) for accommodating the leg of a puzzle unit thus enhancing the height of the puzzle unit.
There is currently in the market a means for formation of illustrations using puzzle units that promote stimulation of one's creativity besides having a purposeful usage subsequent to being assembled and formed as disclosed in Malaysian Patent PI 20064463. The said invention involves attaching a plurality of puzzle units comprising a hexagonal head and a leg located at the bottom side of the head configured to have a shape and dimension which substantially fits into the receiving holes of a substrate member (which acts as a base) to create a desired picture instead of merely mechanically inter-fitting pieces of jigsaw together which provides a more stimulating, creative and independent act. The said invention also minimises the inherent limitation in formation of a smooth contour or a curve which tends to restrict or compromise the aesthetical details of designs or creations as found in conventional puzzles or building blocks wherein the colours of the building blocks are limited to primary colours and the stereotype shapes such as rectangular, square, triangular or diamond. The said invention therefore combines the merits of the conventional models by allowing a colour expressive effect as provided by jigsaw puzzles and the stimulating, imaginative, creative and independent act of the user as provided by the building blocks mentioned above.
However there is a disadvantage in that in the event the formation is to be created to have depth or three-dimensional effect by employing puzzle units of differing head-thickness, the puzzle units would have to be fabricated having differing head-thickness for instance 3 millimetre, 6 millimetre, 9 millimetre, 12 millimetre and etcetera. This would mean many different dimensions of puzzle units would have to be fabricated to cater for the differing heights required which entails use of differing moulds thus escalating cost whilst limiting versatility.
Therefore to solve or at least significantly alleviate the above setbacks, an improved means for formation of illustrations wherein a stacker unit is employed to enhance the head-thickness of the puzzle unit by having the said stacker unit comprising a holed head configured to have a central downward burrow or depression and a leg; said leg of the stacker unit fits onto a substrate member having a plurality of holes of compatible dimension for complementary and snug abutment (as in the case of a known puzzle unit disclosed in Malaysian Patent PI 20064463) leaving said holed head of the stacker unit above the substrate member (which then acts as an elevated substrate member) for accommodating the leg of a puzzle unit thus enhancing the height of the puzzle unit.
Accordingly, it is the primary aim of the present invention to provide a means for enhancing the height of puzzle units that are employed to form illustrations by mounting a puzzle unit onto the head of a stacker unit configured to receive the leg of a puzzle unit.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a means for enhancing the height of puzzle units that are employed to form illustrations which is simple and easy to install and uninstall.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a means for enhancing the height of puzzle units that are employed to form illustrations which is capable of allowing differing heights to be achieved thus creating illustrations with depth and having three-dimensional protrusion-depression effect.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a means for enhancing the height of puzzle units that are employed to form illustrations which is cost effective as there is no necessity to provide puzzle units having differing head thickness to achieve differing heights.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a means for enhancing the height of puzzle units that are employed to form illustrations wherein there is no usage of adhesives to maintain the said puzzle units intact in the holed head of the stacker unit.
Other further objects of the invention will become apparent with an understanding of the following detailed description of the invention or upon employment of the invention in practice.
These and other objects are achieved by the present invention, which in its preferred embodiment provides,
A means for enhancing the height of puzzle units (12) that are employed to form illustrations comprising a stacker unit (2) provided with a head (4) configured to have a central inwardly burrow (5) and an outwardly protruding leg (6); said leg (6) being lodged into a plurality of receiving holes (8) of compatible dimension provided on a substantially planar substrate member (10) for complementary and snug abutment leaving the holed head (4) of the stacker unit (2) above the substrate member (10) for accommodating the leg of a puzzle unit (12).
Other aspect of the present invention and their advantages will be discerned after studying the Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of the embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings which are not drawn to scale.
Referring now to
When the hexagonal stacker units (2) are plugged and pressed into its respective receiving holes (8) of the substrate member (10) they not only plug up the receiving holes (8) of the substrate member (10) but also substantially covers up all gaps. Further as the hexagonal stacker units (2) are also made of resilient or rubbery material and the resilient nature also helps to ensure that the sides (4B) of the head (4) is capable of adapting to some uneven contours when two heads (4) are arranged side by side in contact with each other so that gaps between the contacting sides of the heads (4) will be minimised or eliminated. The use of materials of a resilient or rubbery nature in the manufacture of the substrate member (10) and the stacker unit (2) has afforded good surface contact and grip between the contacting sides (4B) of said stacker unit (2); the contacting surfaces of the leg (6) of the said stacker unit (2) and the receiving holes (8) of the substrate member (10); and the inwardly burrow (5) and the leg of the puzzle unit (12) hence preventing the said stacker unit (2) from being easily dislodged even without any application of adhesive agent or fastener. In fact the grip is so effective that the individual stacker unit (2) of a completed assembly as the puzzle unit (12) disclosed in Malaysian Patent PI 20064463 will not be easily dislodged even if the substrate member (10) is positioned in a vertical orientation. In such vertical orientation only the substrate member (10) is required to be adhered or fastened to the vertical surface.
Non-use of adhesive agents or known fasteners to secure the hexagonal stacker units (2) [as in the puzzle units of Malaysian Patent PI 20064463] to the receiving holes (8) of the substrate member (10) is advantageous as its non-permanent fixation enables the learner to unplug the wrongly fixed hexagonal stacker units (2). As the hexagonal stacker units (2) are also not permanently fixed and are easily attachable to or detachable from the said receiving holes (8) of the substrate member (10) or another stacker unit (2) via its holed had (4), it provides great versatility to the user. The user will also have the opportunity to cultivate his or her creativity and be self organized and independent by having the chance to try out various combinations of hexagonal stacker units (2) with hexagonal stud puzzle units (12) to produce his or her desired picture, design or pattern having differing heights, depth and three dimensional effect. The non-permanent feature has also allowed the user to easily and conveniently change the impact of a picture, design or pattern from time to time by merely rearranging the hexagonal stacker units (2) in combination with another stacker unit (2) or puzzle units (12) of various colours. In this manner there is versatility and non-wastage as the installed hexagonal stacker units (2) and puzzle units (12) can be easily uninstalled and re-used.
While the preferred embodiment of the present invention and their advantages have been disclosed in the above Detailed Description, the invention is not limited thereto but only by the spirit and scope of the appended claim.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PI 20072209 | Dec 2007 | MY | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/MY2009/000024 | 2/10/2009 | WO | 00 | 6/9/2010 |
