FRAMELESS PUZZLE

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a jigsaw puzzle, especially to a puzzle without any frame.

2. Description of the Prior Arts

A jigsaw puzzle is one of the brain games and includes a plurality of puzzle pieces, and these puzzle pieces can be interlocked and form a pattern together. The conventional jigsaw puzzle can be mounted in a frame after the pattern is formed via being interlocked completely and clamped between a backboard and a transparent board. Subsequently, a frameless puzzle has been invented. The thickness of the outmost puzzle pieces of the frameless puzzle is larger than usual so that side surfaces of said puzzle pieces have larger areas, and thus these puzzle pieces can be utilized as a frame. Therefore, the frameless puzzle may not comprise another frame. Besides, because the side surfaces of the outmost puzzle pieces have a certain area, the pattern can be printed on said side surfaces, and thereby the pattern can extend to sides of the frameless puzzle.

Precisely, each of said outmost puzzle pieces includes a top section, a side section, and a bottom section. The top section has a connecting portion protruding downward from a bottom surface of the top section. A side of the side section is connected to a side of the top section, and the side section is capable of being tilted. A side of the bottom section is connected to another side of the side section. The bottom section is opposite to the top section and capable of being tilted with respect to the side section.

However, as the side section is tilted and perpendicular to the top section, a portion between the side section and the top section forms a right angle so that the portion is easily snapped. Similarly, as the bottom section is tilted and perpendicular to the side section, a portion between the bottom section and the side section forms a right angle so that said portion is easily snapped.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a frameless puzzle to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a frameless puzzle.

The frameless puzzle has a fixing structure and a puzzle main body. The fixing structure comprises an upper engaged groove and an arced surface. The upper engaged groove is concaved on a top surface of the fixing structure. The arced surface is formed between the top surface of the fixing structure and a side surface of the fixing structure.

The puzzle main body comprises multiple outer puzzle pieces and multiple inner puzzle pieces. The outer puzzle pieces are mounted on the fixing structure and connected with each other as a loop, thereby enclosing an inner space. The inner puzzle pieces are mounted within the inner space enclosed by the outer puzzle pieces. The inner puzzle pieces are interlocked to each other and some of the inner puzzle pieces are interlocked to the outer puzzle pieces

Each one of the outer puzzle pieces comprises a top section, an upper engaging portion, at least one bendable body, and at least one side section. The top section comprises at least one upper mating portion. The upper mating portion is on a verge of the top section. Each two of the adjacent top sections of the outer puzzle pieces are interlocked to each other via the upper mating portions. The upper engaging portion protrudes from a bottom surface of the top section. The upper engaging portion is mounted and interlocked into the upper engaged groove of the fixing structure. The bendable body is connected to the verge of the top section.

The side section is connected to a verge of the bendable body and comprises at least one side mating portion, an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface. The side mating portion is on a verge of the side section. Each two of the adjacent side sections of the outer puzzle pieces are interlocked to each other via the side mating portions. The inner wall surface and the outer wall surface are opposite each other. The side section is capable of being tilted via the bendable body, such that the outer wall surface of the side section is parallel to a top surface of the top section or the inner wall surface of the side section abuts the side surface of the fixing structure. When the inner wall surface of the side section abuts the side surface of the fixing structure, the bendable body is bended and fits the arced surface.

The benefit of the present invention is that the side section is tilted via the bendable body. When the bendable body is bended, the bendable body fits the arced surface. In other words, the bendable body is supported by the fixing structure as bended and would not be folded. Therefore, the outer puzzle piece cannot be snapped easily.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a frameless puzzle in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the frameless puzzle in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a linear component of the frameless puzzle in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a fixing structure of the frameless puzzle in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the fixing structure of the frameless puzzle in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a connecting component of the frameless puzzle in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the connecting component of the frameless puzzle in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a corner component of the frameless puzzle in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the frameless puzzle in FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a puzzle main body of the frameless puzzle in FIG. 2;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a side outer puzzle piece of the frameless puzzle in FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is another perspective view of the side outer puzzle piece of the frameless puzzle in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a corner outer puzzle piece of the frameless puzzle in FIG. 1;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a corner outer puzzle piece of the frameless puzzle in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view of the frameless puzzle in FIG. 9;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view of the frameless puzzle in FIGS. 1; and

FIG. 17 is another sectional view of the frameless puzzle in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 first, a frameless puzzle in accordance with the present invention comprises a fixing structure 10 and a puzzle main body.

The fixing structure 10 comprises an upper engaged groove 11, an arced surface 12, a first engaged portion 13, a pressing groove 14 and a side engaged groove 15. The upper engaged groove 11 is concaved on a top surface of the fixing structure 10. The arced surface 12 is formed between the top surface of the fixing structure 10 and a side surface of the fixing structure 10. The first engaged portion 13 is formed and protrudes downwards on the side surface of the fixing structure 10. The pressing groove 14 is on the side surface of the fixing structure 10 and adjacent to the first engaged portion 13. The pressing groove 14 is concaved above the first engaged portion 13. The side engaged groove 15 is concaved on the side surface of the fixing structure 10. The fixing structure 10 is loop-shaped and thereby the arced surface 12 is loop-shaped.

With reference to FIG. 2 to FIG. 5, the fixing structure 10 further comprises multiple linear components 16 and multiple connecting components 17. Each of the linear components 16 has the upper engaged groove 11, the arced surface 12, the first engaged portion 13, the pressing groove 14 and the side engaged groove 15 mentioned above. Each of the connecting components 17 has the upper engaged groove 11 and the arced surface 12 mentioned above. Each of the linear components 16 comprises a connecting groove 161 and a first arced portion 162. The connecting groove 161 is concaved on a bottom surface of the linear component 16. The first arced portion 162 is a part of the arced surface 12 of the fixing structure 10.

With reference to FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, each of the connecting components 17 comprises a pedestal 171, a corner component 173 and a second arced portion 176. Two adjacent side surfaces of the pedestal 171 each connect a respective one of the linear components 16. The pedestal 171 comprises a connecting dent 172 on a bottom surface of the pedestal 171. The corner component 173 fixes one of the pedestals 171 and two of the linear components 16 to each other. The corner component 173 comprises a first connecting portion 174 and two second connecting portions 175. The first connecting portion 174 is mounted into the connecting dent 172 of the pedestal 171. Each one of the second connecting portions 175 is mounted into the connecting groove 161 of a respective one of the two of the linear components 16. The second arced portion 176 is a part of the arced surface 12 of the fixing structure 10 and formed on the pedestal 171. The connecting components 17 and the linear components 16 are arranged staggered and form a loop, and thereby the first arced portions 162 of the connecting components 17 and the second arced portions 176 of linear components 16 are also arranged staggered and form another loop.

With reference to FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, the puzzle main body comprises multiple outer puzzle pieces 20 and multiple inner puzzle pieces 30. The outer puzzle pieces 20 are mounted on the fixing structure 10 and connected with each other as a loop, thereby enclosing an inner space.

With reference to FIG. 11 to FIG. 15, each one of the outer puzzle pieces 20 comprises a top section 21, an upper engaging portion 22, at least one bendable body 23, at least one side section 24, a second engaged portion 25 and a side engaging portion 26.

The top section 21 comprises at least one upper mating portion 211. The upper mating portion 211 is on a verge of the top section 21. Each two of the adjacent top sections 21 are interlocked to each other via the upper mating portion 211. The top section 21 is interlocked to the inner puzzle piece 30 via the upper mating portion 211. The upper engaging portion 22 is a tab and protrudes from a bottom surface of the top section 21. The upper engaging portion 22 is mounted and interlocked into the upper engaged groove 11 of the fixing structure 10. The bendable body 23 is connected to the verge of the top section 21 and the upper engaging portion 22 may be located from the bendable body 23 by two times, three times, or more of a thickness of the upper engaging portion 22 itself. In this embodiment, the upper engaging portion 22 may be located at a geometric center of a bottom surface of the top section 21.

The side section 24 is connected to a verge of the bendable body 23 such that the bendable body 23 is located between the side section 24 and the top section 21. In this embodiment, the bendable body 23 is a sheet and two opposite sides thereof respectively are connected to the side section 24 and the top section 21. The side section 24 comprises at least one side mating portion 241, an inner wall surface 242 and an outer wall surface 243. The side mating portion 241 is on a verge of the side section 24. Each two of the adjacent side sections 24 are interlocked to each other via the side mating portions 241. The inner wall surface 242 and the outer wall surface 243 are opposite each other. The side section 24 is capable of being tilted via the bendable body 23 such that the outer wall surface 243 of the side section 24 is parallel to a top surface of the top section 21 or the inner wall surface 242 of the side section 24 abuts the side surface of the fixing structure 10. The second engaged portion 25 protrudes upwards on a verge of the side section 24 and is opposite to the top section 21. In this embodiment, the second engaged portion 25 is hook-shaped and located at a distal end of the side section 24 that is remote from the top section 21. The side engaging portion 26 protrudes from the inner wall surface 242 of the side section 24.

With reference to FIG. 1, the inner puzzle pieces 30 are mounted within the inner space enclosed by the outer puzzle pieces 20. The inner puzzle pieces 30 are interlocked to each other and some of the inner puzzle pieces 30 are interlocked to the outer puzzle pieces 20.

With reference to FIG. 16 and FIG. 17, when the side section 24 is tilted via the bendable body 23 such that the inner wall surface 242 of the side section 24 abuts the side surface of the fixing structure 10, the bendable body 23 is bended and fits the arced surface 12, and the side engaging portion 26 is mounted into the side engaged groove 15. At the same time, the pressing groove 14 can be narrowed because the first engaged portion 13 is compressed and thus tilted upwards by the second engaged portion 25, so that the first engaged portion 13 and the second engaged portion 25 can be embedded to each other.

The benefit of the present invention is that the side section 24 is tilted via the bendable body 23. When the bendable body 23 is bended, the bendable body 23 fits the arced surface 12. In other words, the bendable body 23 is supported by the fixing structure 10 as bended and would not be folded. Therefore, the outer puzzle piece cannot be snapped easily. Second, since the second engaged portion 25 is located opposite the top section 21, the outer puzzle piece can be firmly fixed on the fixing structure 10 when the inner wall surface 242 of the side section 24 of the outer puzzle piece abuts the side surface of the fixing structure 10, which makes the first engaged portion 13 and the second engaged portion 25 embedded to each other at the same time. Third, with the upper mating portion 211 spaced apart from the bendable body 23 and the side section 24, when the upper mating portion 211 is interlocked into the upper engaged groove 11 of the fixing structure 10, the torque generated by the upper mating portion 211 is larger and thus the top section 21 of the outer puzzle piece can be firmly fixed on the fixing structure 10.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.