Amusement devices: games – Puzzles – Take-aparts and put-togethers
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-14
2003-09-23
Nguyen, Kien T. (Department: 3712)
Amusement devices: games
Puzzles
Take-aparts and put-togethers
C273S15300J, C446S108000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06623007
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In general, the present invention relates to multi-piece ornamental, educational, and puzzle-type arrangements that can be assembled into three-dimensional (3-D) configurations. More particularly, the invention relates to unique 3-D structures that represent an image arranged from elements having a top surface, an undersurface, and a wall-surface around each element's perimeter, wherein the elements yielding the imaged are generally shaped to represent components of the image. These novel elements, as designed, allow for an initial arrangement wherein a juxtaposed wall-surface of each adjacent element comprises a beveled plane. The elements can be further manually arranged into novel 3-D structure(s) wherein at least a portion of the juxtaposed beveled planes are in releasable friction-interlock and the top surfaces of adjacent elements are tiered. Also, the invention relates to a method of arranging relatively rigid elements into such 3-D structures by slidably positioning the elements along their juxtaposed beveled planes into a releasable frictional-interlock; thereafter, the frictional-interlock may be manually released so adjacent elements can be returned to an initial ‘loose’ arrangement where the beveled planes are frictionally unlocked, and further separated as desired.
Multi-piece puzzles have been around preoccupying human beings for centuries. By far the most common is the picture puzzle containing dovetailed-type jointed members, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,086,067 and 5,860,650 interconnected into a 3-D castle. More often, dovetailed-type jointed picture puzzles are assembled atop a flat surface such as a coffee table. Quite different from the traditional picture puzzle is the instant invention. According to the invention, the releasable friction-interlock feature of juxtaposed beveled planes allows elements shaped into components (that yield, when arranged, an image) to be slid into a tiered 3-D structure of that image. Though at first glance, the images assembled using the elements of the invention appear to have visual similarities to those found in wooden mosaic-like intarsia plaques created using a scroll-saw to cut out shapes from wood which are permanently glued together in ornamental fashion, a closer look reveals that the unique elements of the invention assembled into the 3-D structures disclosed herein are dramatically different. Traditionally, intarsia pieces are cut from different types of wood of differing thicknesses selected according to its final thickness within the finished, glued-together plaque. Intarsia plaques are merely wooden 3-D mosaic-like inlays that are permanently glued for ornamental use. Another type of inlaid ornamental plaques is referred to as ‘marquetry’ created by slightly tilting a scrollsaw table to saw a taper between inlay pieces which are then press-fit together with adhesive therebetween to form permanent bonds between the pieces. The end product scrollsawn marquetry is an image permanently inlaid in mosaic-fashion planed flat on top. Plaques constructed into intarsia or as marquetry are not meant to be disassembled.
As one can see, unlike conventional puzzles and educational toys, the innovative elements adapted for arrangement into frictionally-interlocked 3-D structures of pre-selected images, as well as the associated technique of so arranging according to the invention, provide for continued assembly and disassembly of the elements in a visually appealing manner. In the spirit of design goals contemplated hereby, many different types of materials, fabrication/molding/machining techniques, and many different image patterns representing inanimate objects (vehicles, buildings, bikes, and so on), celestial bodies (planets, comets, stars, and the like), maps (street-city, country, state, world, topographic, etc.), mammals, plants, and their bio-components (skeletons, cell structure, etc.), and a whole host of miscellaneous graphic designs (including abstract designs), can be incorporated to create applicant's unique 3-D structures, as will be further appreciated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of this invention to provide a plurality of elements for temporary arrangement into a 3-D structure that represents an image, each element having a wall-surface around its perimeter. Elements are adapted to be initially arranged adjacent one another into a pattern of the image such that certain of the wall-surfaces are juxtaposed but not in friction-interlock. These juxtaposed wall-surfaces each comprise a beveled plane such that, to create a 3-D structure of the invention, at least a portion of the beveled planes of juxtaposed wall-surfaces are in releasable friction-interlock. When arranged in a 3-D structure according to the invention, the top surfaces of the frictionally-interlocked adjacent elements are tiered with respect to each other. The 3-D structures can be disassembled by releasing frictionally-interlocked beveled planes allowing the elements to return to an initial arrangement. The loosely arranged elements within an initial unlocked arrangement can be further separated for subsequent reassembly and/or storage.
Elements of the invention can be of a multitude of shapes and sizes so that when arranged, the elements yield any of a variety of images; these images may be of a recognizable shape as well as of abstract images. One or more of the elements may be composed of integral sub-pieces ornamentally inlaid, affixed/glued, hot-melded/thermally bonded, or otherwise adhered in mosaic fashion to yield a component of the overall image.
The advantages of providing the new elements and technique for arranging into 3-D structures of the invention include: (a) simplicity of design; (b) ease of assembly and disassembly; (c) flexibility of use—assembled 3-D structures can be used in an ornamental manner, or a kit comprising several elements can be used as a puzzle for recreational and educational purposes (e.g., to sharpen fine motor skills or for image recognition); (d) relative ease of, and reproducibility in, fabricating elements which can lead to cost-effective bulk manufacture and assembly of elements into kits for their distribution and sale; (e) ease of adapting a multitude of familiar images into 3-D structures of the invention by first breaking down a selected image into components of the image and fabricating elements into shapes that represent those components; and (f) versatility in design—kits can be assembled containing certain elements ‘common’ to several different creatable images along with elements shaped to be interchangeable—i.e., ‘core’ elements common to several image designs, can be used in combination with alternate elements to create different overall images when arranged with the interchangeable elements. These and other advantages plus a better understanding of the distinguishing features of the instant invention, as described and supported by this disclosure, will be readily appreciated.
Briefly described, once again, the invention includes a plurality of elements for arrangement into a three-dimensional (3-D) structure that represents an image. Each of the elements has a base-thickness and comprises a top surface, an undersurface, and a wall-surface around its perimeter. The perimeter of each of the elements yielding the image, is shaped to represent a component thereof. The elements are adapted for initial arrangement wherein a juxtaposed wall-surface of each adjacent element comprises a beveled plane. In the initial arrangement, the undersurface of each element can be arranged in a pattern of the image atop a generally planar surface such that beveled planes of juxtaposed wall-surfaces are frictionally-unlocked. The elements, being preferably relatively rigid, are also adapted for positioning into the 3-D structure wherein at least a portion of juxtaposed beveled planes are in releasable friction-interlock and top surfaces of each element is tiered with respect to any adjacent element(s).
Images for the 3-D structures can be selected
Macheledt Bales LLP
Nguyen Kien T.
LandOfFree
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