SYSTEM FOR STORING PUZZLE PIECES, SELLING UNIT OF A PUZZLE AND METHOD FOR CREATING A PUZZLE

Abstract

A sales unit of a puzzle with a puzzle which comprises a plurality of puzzle pieces which together form a picture with one or more motifs, as well as a storage container for the puzzle pieces, wherein the puzzle pieces of one picture are assembled into at least two or more groups with two or more puzzle pieces respectively, irrespective of the motif or motifs, wherein the groups of puzzle pieces are arranged separately from one another in the storage container. A method for manufacturing the puzzle as well as a system for storage of a puzzle with a storage container and two or more dimensionally stable smaller storage containers can include each smaller storage container receiving a group of puzzle pieces with two or more puzzle pieces.

Claims

1. Sales unit comprising a puzzle comprising a plurality of puzzle pieces which together form a picture, as well as a storage container for the puzzle pieces, wherein the puzzle pieces of the picture can be assembled into two or more groups with two or more of the puzzle pieces respectively, wherein the groups of puzzle pieces are arranged in the storage container separately from one another, and two or more smaller storage containers which are arranged in the storage container, wherein each of the smaller storage containers receives a group of the puzzle pieces, wherein each of the smaller storage containers is designed in such a manner that through the design of the smaller storage containers and the puzzle pieces the completeness of the puzzle pieces of each group of puzzle pieces can be ascertained through the interaction of the puzzle pieces and of the smaller storage containers.

2. The sales unit according to claim 1, wherein the dimensions of the puzzle pieces of a group and the dimensions of the related smaller storage container are matched to one another in such a manner that exactly a certain number of puzzle pieces, corresponding to the number of puzzle pieces of the group, fits into the related smaller storage container, and/or that the related smaller storage container has a visible marking which shows the number or completeness of the puzzle pieces in the related smaller storage container when the related smaller storage container is filled with the puzzle pieces till marking.

3. The sales unit according to claim 1, wherein the number of puzzle pieces is identical in each group.

4. The sales unit according to claim 1, wherein the number of puzzle pieces per group is lesser than or equal to 250 puzzle pieces, especially lesser than or equal to 100 puzzle pieces/preferably lesser than or equal to 50 puzzle pieces (3) or lesser than or equal to 25 or 10 puzzle pieces.

5. The sales unit according to claim 1, wherein the puzzle pieces of each group of the puzzle pieces represent a clearly defined partial segment of a complete puzzle.

6. The sales unit according to claim 5, wherein the partial segment is defined by at least one characteristic of the puzzle pieces selected from a number of characteristics comprising the relation to one or more rows of the puzzle, the relation to a part of one or more rows of the puzzle, the relation to one or more columns of the puzzle, the relation to a part of one or more columns of the puzzle, the relation to any local area of the puzzle, one or more basic colors or color elements of the puzzle pieces, boundary pieces of the puzzle, number of recesses or protrusions of the puzzle pieces, and combinations thereof.

7. The sales unit according to claim 1, wherein the puzzle pieces are sorted into a group and/or are stacked.

8. The sales unit according to claim 7, wherein the smaller storage container is designed in such a manner that it defines a storage space which has the exact dimensions so that a stack of a certain number of puzzle pieces are wedged in the storage space or closes flush with an upper edge of the storage space and/or that the storage space has a marking which functions as a measure for the number of puzzle pieces received in the smaller storage container.

9. A system for storage of a puzzle comprising a plurality of puzzle pieces, which together form a picture, and a storage container for storage of the puzzle pieces, wherein the system comprises of two or more smaller storage containers, wherein each smaller storage container can receive a group of puzzle pieces with two or more puzzle pieces, wherein each smaller storage container has a measure so that the completeness of the puzzle pieces of each group of puzzle pieces in the smaller storage containers can be ascertained by using the measure when they are arranged in the smaller storage container.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the smaller storage container is designed to be dimensionally stable in at least one dimension in such a manner that the dimensionally stable dimension of the smaller storage container forms the measure, and/or the smaller storage container has a marking which functions as the measure.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the smaller storage containers are separate individual containers and/or trays or sections of a common container for several groups.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein the smaller storage containers are designed in such a manner that exactly one stack of puzzle pieces can be received in the smaller storage container.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein the smaller storage container is designed especially as closable tubes or tubs and preferably has a circular cross-section whose diameter is selected in such a manner that the puzzle piece with the largest dimension, among the puzzle pieces to be received, can be received with some gap.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein the storage container is formed especially by a two-piece, cube-shaped carton with preferably a cover and a lower part.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein the smaller storage containers are formed preferably by a one-piece insert for the storage container with a plurality of pockets for storing groups of puzzle pieces or that the storage container has an insert element with a plurality of pockets for keeping the smaller storage containers.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the insert and/or the insert element are imprinted, especially with the representation or the motif of the puzzle.

17. The system according to claim 9, wherein the system furthermore comprises of an intermediate layer element which is arranged between the storage container, and the smaller storage containers in order to securely hold and/or to close the smaller storage containers, wherein the intermediate layer element is especially elastically deformable.

18. A method for manufacturing a puzzle for a sales unit according to claim 1, wherein a picture is separated into a plurality of puzzle pieces in the method and the separated puzzle pieces of the picture are assembled in two or more groups of puzzle pieces and are separated from one another in groups, wherein the separated groups of puzzle pieces are stored in a separate smaller storage container.

19. A The method according to claim 18, wherein the puzzle pieces of each group of separated puzzle pieces represents a clearly defined partial segment of the entire puzzle, wherein especially the partial segment is defined by at least one characteristic of the puzzle pieces of a group selected from a number of characteristics comprising the relation to one or more rows of the puzzle, the relation to a part of one or more rows of the puzzle, the relation to one or more columns of the puzzle, the relation to a part of one or more columns of the puzzle, the relation to any local area of the puzzle, one or more basic colors or color elements of the puzzle pieces, boundary pieces of the puzzle, number of recesses or protrusions of the puzzle pieces, and combinations thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0024] The attached drawings show in purely schematic manner

[0025] FIG. 1 a representation of a puzzle according to the most recent background art,

[0026] FIG. 2 a representation of a system for storage of puzzles according to the invention,

[0027] FIG. 3 a representation of a stack of puzzle pieces which are stored in a smaller storage container according to the invention,

[0028] FIG. 4 a top view of a separate smaller storage container containing a stack of puzzle pieces,

[0029] FIG. 5 a perspective view of the smaller storage container from FIG. 4,

[0030] FIG. 6 a perspective view of another smaller storage container with a cap,

[0031] FIG. 7 a perspective exploded view of a storage container with an intermediate layer element and an insert element with a plurality of separate smaller storage containers and in

[0032] FIG. 8 a sectional view through the bottom part of the storage container from FIG. 7 with a smaller storage container wedged into the insert part.

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0033] Further advantages, features and characteristics of the present invention will be evident from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments. However, the invention is not limited to these exemplary embodiments.

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a standard puzzle 1, which represents a picture 2 in the assembled state, which is represented using a carrier, for example, a cardboard carton, and a representation of a motif printed on it. The picture 2, as is standard for puzzle 1, can be separated into a plurality of individual pieces, the so-called puzzle pieces 3, wherein a sales unit of puzzle 1 comprises of the separated puzzle pieces 3 usually in a storage container and the user assembles the puzzles pieces 3 into the picture 2.

[0035] The puzzle pieces 3 have these protrusions 4 and recesses 5 for assembling them, which can be designed in various ways, wherein at least one protrusion 4 matches a recess 5, so that the corresponding puzzle pieces 3 can be assembled. The protrusions 4 and recesses 5 of a plurality of puzzle pieces 3 can be designed differently from all or at least a large part of these puzzle pieces, so that a unique arrangement of the puzzle pieces 3 to one another can be produced at least in conjunction with the edges of the puzzle pieces 3 to one another which can similarly vary between the various puzzle pieces.

[0036] Often, the puzzle pieces 3 are arranged in 16 to 20 rows and 10 to 15 columns, so that the unique position of each of the puzzle pieces 3 can be defined by specifying the corresponding row 16 to 20 and the column 10 to 15. For example, the puzzle piece 3 located in the upper left corner of puzzle 1 in FIG. 1 can be defined by row 16 and column 10, so that the specification of the row and column, e.g. (16;10), uniquely defines the position of the puzzle piece 3. However, there are also puzzles whose puzzle pieces 3 can be designed and arranged in a completely random manner. Such puzzles are known as so-called random—cut— puzzles.

[0037] In case of puzzles constructed in rows and columns as well as random—cut— puzzles, clearly defined partial segments of the puzzle 1 can be specified depending on or irrespective of a motif. According to the present invention, these partial segments can be assembled into groups in the manufacturing process and the groups can be separated. For example, in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the puzzle pieces 3 from the individual rows 16 to 20 or in the individual columns 10 to 15 can be defined into one group respectively. Or groups can be formed from a certain number of puzzle pieces 3, for example, groups of 6 puzzle pieces respectively, like for example the puzzle pieces 3 of the rows 16, 17 and 18 as well as of the columns 10 and 11, the puzzle pieces 3 of the rows 19 and 20 and of the columns 10, 11 and 12, the puzzle pieces 3 of the rows 16, 17 and 18 and of the columns 12 and 13 as well as the puzzle pieces 3 of the rows 16, 17 and 18 as well as of the columns 14 and 15 and the puzzle pieces 3 of the rows 19 and 20 and of the columns 13, 14 and 15. Thus, irrespective of the motif of the picture 2, groups of puzzle pieces 3 can be formed which can be assembled individually from one another and separated if, in the manufacturing process of the puzzle, they have been detached and separated from one another after the picture 2 has been cut into the individual puzzle pieces 3.

[0038] The respective groups of puzzle pieces 3 can be stored in the corresponding smaller storage containers 9, as shown as an example in FIG. 2, so that the corresponding groups of puzzle pieces 3 are received in different smaller storage containers in a sales unit of a puzzle 1 and a user can assemble parts of the puzzle according to the groups of puzzle pieces 3. Naturally, a user can disassemble a completed puzzle 1 again into groups of puzzle pieces 3 depending on how he wants to separate them, wherein the individual groups can be stored in the smaller storage containers 9 separately from one another.

[0039] FIG. 2 shows an example for a system for storage of puzzle pieces 3 separated according to groups of puzzle pieces 3, as described above. FIG. 2 shows a storage container with a bottom part 6 and a cover part 7, which together form a cube-shaped carton in which the puzzle pieces 3 can be stored. For separate storage of individual groups of puzzle pieces 3, an insert 8 is provided in the storage container 6, 7 or in the bottom part 6. Similar to the bottom part 6, the insert is formed by an open-top, cube-shaped box or tub, which however has multiple separating walls 21 parallel to the outer sides, so that this form multiple smaller storage containers 9 with an open top in which the individual groups of puzzle pieces 3 can be kept. For example, if the number of puzzle pieces 3 in each group is the same and/or have the same size, which can be easily seen, then this makes it easy to check whether the puzzle pieces 3 of the puzzle 1 received in the storage container 6, 7 or in the smaller storage containers 9 are complete.

[0040] This can be easy especially in case of a larger number of puzzle pieces 3 per group, if the puzzle pieces 3 can be stacked in a smaller storage container 9, so that a single or multiple stacks of puzzle pieces 3 can be received in the smaller storage container 9. This is shown for example in FIG. 3 for a stack of puzzle pieces 3, wherein FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of one of the several smaller storage containers arranged adjacent to one another and several puzzle pieces 3 are stacked in one of the smaller storage containers 9. However, the stack of puzzle pieces in the shown exemplary embodiment are not arranged standing on the lowest puzzle piece but horizontally, so that the stack of puzzle pieces 3 in the storage state is horizontal to the bottom of the smaller storage container 9. As shown in FIG. 3, the stack of puzzle pieces 3 has a height equal to the length of the smaller storage container 9 or a bordering separating wall 21, so that the upper- and lower side of the stack lies flat on the separating walls 21 running parallel to the upper- or lower side of the stack and the stack is wedged in between the separating walls 21. If the smaller storage container 9 contains the correct number of puzzle pieces 3, then the stack is wedged in tightly in the smaller storage container 9, whereas the stack cannot be held in the smaller storage container 9 if puzzle pieces 3 are missing.

[0041] FIG. 3 shows this for one of the multiple smaller storage containers 9 of the insert 8. The FIGS. 4 and 5 show the same storage principle for a smaller storage container 9, which is designed separately. Multiple open-top, cube-shaped smaller storage containers 9, as shown in top view with puzzle pieces 3 wedged therein in FIG. 4 and in perspective view in FIG. 5, can be arranged in a storage container for the puzzle, for example in a cube-shaped box.

[0042] Another embodiment of a smaller storage container 9 is shown in FIG. 6. The smaller storage container 9 of the FIG. 6 is formed by a tub or a one-sided or double-sided closable tube with a circular cross-section, wherein the diameter of the circular cross-section is somewhat larger than the largest dimension of the puzzle pieces 3 to be stored in it, so that a stack of puzzle pieces 3 can be received in the smaller storage container, wherein in this case the puzzle pieces 3 will be received loosely. However, the maximum diameter of the circular cross-section of the tub—or tube-shaped smaller storage container is dimensioned so that individual puzzle pieces 3 of the stack cannot slip out of the stack and, for example, fall in a gap between the stack and the smaller storage container 9.

[0043] Moreover, the embodiment of a smaller storage container 9 from the FIG. 6 shows that a corresponding smaller storage container 9 can have a cap 22 in order to prevent the puzzle pieces 3 from falling out.

[0044] Furthermore, a marking 26 is provided in FIG. 6 on the upper edge of the smaller storage container 9, using which the correct number of puzzle pieces 3 in the smaller storage container 9 can be easily ascertained. Thus, in this case, the stack of puzzle pieces 3 need not close flush with the upper side of the smaller storage container 9, rather the upper side of the stack must match the marking 26 of the smaller storage container.

[0045] However, it is also possible to consider the height of the smaller storage container 9 as a measure for the number and completeness of the puzzle pieces 3 instead of the marking 26. In this case, the puzzle pieces 3 or the upper side of the stack closes flush with the upper boundary of the tub- or tube-shaped smaller storage container 9, if the correct number of puzzle pieces 3 are to be contained in the smaller storage container 9. If the smaller storage container 9 closes its upper side of the edge flush with the puzzle pieces 3, then it contains the correct number of puzzle pieces 3, while this is not the case if a puzzle piece 3 is missing and the shortage of the puzzle piece/s 3 can be easily and quickly identified.

[0046] The individual smaller storage containers 9 can be received according to the exemplary embodiments of FIG. 7 into a cube-shaped storage container 6, 7 in the form of a 2-piece box. As shown in FIG. 7, an insert element 23 with a plurality of pockets 24 is arranged in the bottom part 6, wherein the smaller storage containers 9 can be inserted in the pockets 24. Here, the diameter of the pockets 24 can be somewhat smaller than the outer diameter of the smaller storage containers 9, so that a smaller storage container 9 fits tightly in the pocket 24 of the insert element 23.

[0047] The smaller storage containers 9 can be unclosed on the top, since an intermediate layer element 25 is inserted between the smaller storage containers 9 and the cover part 7, so that this closes the upper sides of the smaller storage containers 9. Preferably the intermediate layer element 25 can be elastically deformable, so that it can be pressed against the smaller storage containers 9 with the cover part 7, so that the smaller storage containers 9 are closed securely.

[0048] In this exemplary embodiment, the user can at will remove and separately empty the individual smaller storage containers 9 after opening the storage container 6, 7 by removing the cover part 7 and removing the intermediate layer element 25. However, the user can at least partly leave the smaller storage containers 9 in the insert element 23 and jointly empty the smaller storage containers 9 kept in the insert element 23 by simply turning over the bottom part 6. Accordingly, the user can himself ascertain the difficulty level of the puzzle 1 by either only assembling individual or multiple partial segments of the puzzle 1 according to the groups in the smaller storage containers 9 or assembling the entire puzzle 1 with all partial segments by tipping together all the puzzle pieces from the smaller storage containers 9. Moreover, the user can identify if the respective smaller storage containers 9 contain the correct number of puzzle pieces 3 at a glance, since the puzzle pieces 3 stacked in the smaller storage container 9 must be arranged flush either with a marking or with a specified limit of the smaller storage container 9.

[0049] FIG. 8 shows a sectional view through the bottom part 6 of the storage container 6, 7 of the FIG. 7. FIG. 8 shows a smaller storage container 9 which is wedged in the insert element 23. The smaller storage container 9 has a strengthened edge 27 in order to make it easier for the user to easily grip the smaller storage container 9 and remove it from the insert element 23.

[0050] Although the present invention is described in detail using the exemplary embodiments, it is evident to the expert that the invention is not limited to these exemplary embodiments. Rather variations are possible in that individual characteristics are left out or other combinations of characteristics can be achieved without leaving the scope of protection of the enclosed claims. The present disclosure especially includes all combinations of the individual characteristics shown in the various exemplary embodiments, so that individual characteristics described only in relation to one exemplary embodiment can also be used in other exemplary embodiments or in combinations of individual characteristics not shown explicitly.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0051] 1 Puzzle [0052] 2 Picture [0053] 3 Puzzle piece [0054] 4 Protrusion [0055] 5 Recess [0056] 6 Bottom part [0057] 7 Cover part [0058] 8 Insert [0059] 9 Smaller storage container [0060] 10,11,12,13,14,15 Columns [0061] 16,17,18,19,20 Rows [0062] 21 Separating wall [0063] 22 Cap [0064] 23 Insert element [0065] 24 Pocket [0066] 25 Intermediate layer element [0067] 26 Marking [0068] 27 Strengthened edge