Carrier for jigsaw puzzle

Abstract

A carrier for use with a jigsaw puzzle that includes an outer cover repositionable between closed and open positions and having first and second flaps. A sidewall structure extends about a substantial portion of the first and second flaps. The carrier also includes an assembly panel and at least one sorting panel. Registration of alignment surfaces on the assembly and sorting panels positions the sorting panel relative to the assembly panel whereby puzzle pieces on the assembly panel are engaged between the assembly and sorting panels. When the outer cover is open, the assembly and sorting panels are positionable in a side-by-side configuration within the sidewall structure. When the outer cover closed, a first portion of the puzzle pieces are securely engageable between assembly and sorting panels and a second portion of the puzzle pieces are securely engageable between the sorting panel and one of the flaps.

1 . A carrier for use with a jigsaw puzzle having a plurality of jigsaw puzzle pieces defining a puzzle thickness, said carrier comprising:
 an outer cover having first and second flaps, said outer cover being repositionable between a closed configuration and an open configuration, said first and second flaps being substantially disposed in a common plane when said outer cover is in said open configuration, said outer cover further including a sidewall structure extending about a substantial portion of an outer perimeter of each of said first and second flaps and wherein, when said outer cover is in said open configuration, said sidewall structure projects in a common direction from said first and second flaps;   an assembly panel, said assembly panel defining a substantially planar assembly surface and having a first alignment surface;   at least one sorting panel, said at least one sorting panel defining a substantially planar sorting surface and having a second alignment surface, registration of said first and second alignment surfaces overlayingly positioning said at least one sorting panel relative to said assembly panel whereby puzzle pieces positioned on said assembly surface are engaged between said assembly surface and said at least one sorting panel;   wherein, when said outer cover is in said open configuration, said assembly panel and said at least one sorting panel are positionable in a side-by-side configuration within an area bounded by said sidewall structure; and   wherein, when said outer cover is in said closed configuration, said assembly panel, said at least one sorting panel and the plurality of puzzle pieces are enclosable within said outer cover between said first and second flaps with said first and second alignment surfaces being in registration and a first portion of the plurality of puzzle pieces being securely engageable between said assembly surface and said at least one sorting panel and a second portion of the plurality of puzzle pieces being securely engageable between said sorting surface and one of said first and second flaps.   
   
   
       2 . The carrier of  claim 1  wherein when said outer cover is positioned in said open configuration, said assembly panel and said assembly panel and said at least one sorting panel substantially fill the entirety of said area bounded by said sidewall structure when said assembly panel and said at least one sorting panel are positioned in said side-by-side configuration. 
   
   
       3 . The carrier of  claim 2  wherein said at least one sorting panel comprises two sorting panels, each of said sorting panels having a sorting surface defining an area that is approximately one half of an area defined by said assembly surface. 
   
   
       4 . The carrier of  claim 1  wherein one of said first and second flaps has an inward facing surface defined by a layer of compressible material, said layer of compressible material being engageable with said second portion of the plurality of puzzle pieces disposed on said sorting surface when said outer cover is in said closed configuration enclosing said assembly panel, said at least one sorting panel and the plurality of puzzle pieces. 
   
   
       5 . The carrier of  claim 1  wherein each of said at least one sorting panels further comprises a layer of compressible material disposed opposite said sorting surface and engageable with said first portion of the plurality of puzzle pieces disposed on said assembly surface when said first and second alignment surfaces are in registration. 
   
   
       6 . The carrier of  claim 5  wherein one of said first and second flaps has an inward facing surface defined by a second layer of compressible material, said second layer of compressible material being engageable with said second portion of the plurality of puzzle pieces disposed on said sorting surface when said outer cover is in said closed configuration enclosing said assembly panel, said at least one sorting panel and the plurality of puzzle pieces and wherein said layer of compressible material disposed on each of said sorting panels and said second layer of compressible material each define a compressible layer thickness that is less than the puzzle thickness. 
   
   
       7 . The carrier of  claim 1  wherein one of said first and second alignment surfaces is disposed on a projecting alignment member and the other of said first and second alignment surfaces defines a panel void shaped to receive said alignment member. 
   
   
       8 . The carrier of  claim 7  wherein registration of said first and second alignment surfaces aligns said at least one sorting panel within a plane substantially parallel to said assembly surface while allowing relative movement between said at least one sorting panel and said assembly panel in a direction substantially perpendicular to said assembly surface. 
   
   
       9 . The carrier of  claim 1  wherein said first alignment surface comprises a plurality of first alignment surfaces, said assembly panel including at least four projecting alignment members, each of said alignment members being positioned proximate a corner of said assembly panel and defining at least one of said plurality of first alignment surfaces; and
 wherein said second alignment surface comprises a plurality of second alignment surfaces and said at least one sorting panel comprises two sorting panels, each of said sorting panels defining four corners, each of said sorting panels further including at least two panel voids, each of said panel voids being positioned proximate a first pair said four corners and wherein each of said panel voids is defined by at least one of said second alignment surfaces and is shaped to receive a corresponding one of said alignment members.   
   
   
       10 . The carrier of  claim 9  wherein said each of said panel voids is formed by a notch in an edge of a respective one of said sorting panels, said notches partially circumscribing said alignment members when said respective first and second alignment surfaces are in registration, each of said sorting panels further comprising an alignment edge extending between a second pair of said four corners wherein when each of said first and second alignment surfaces are in registration, said alignment edges are mutually adjacently positioned and inhibit disengagement of said notches and said alignment members. 
   
   
       11 . The carrier of  claim 1  further comprising at least one lower spacer element, said at least one sorting panel defining a substantially planar engagement surface disposed opposite said sorting surface, said engagement surface being engageable with the first portion of puzzle pieces located on said assembly surface when said first and second alignment surfaces are in registration, and wherein said lower spacer element is operably disposed between said assembly panel and said at least one sorting panel wherein, when said first and second alignment surfaces are in registration, said at least one lower spacer element spaces said engagement surface from said assembly surface in the absence of puzzle pieces located on said assembly surface. 
   
   
       12 . The carrier of  claim 1  further comprising at least one upper spacer element and wherein one of said first and second flaps has an inward facing surface that is engageable with the second portion of puzzle pieces located on said sorting surface when said outer cover is in said closed configuration and encloses said assembly panel, said at least one sorting panel and the plurality of puzzle pieces, and wherein said upper spacer element is operably disposed between said inward facing surface and said sorting panel wherein, when said outer cover is in said closed configuration and encloses said assembly panel and said at least one sorting panel, said at least one upper spacer element spaces said sorting surface from said inward facing surface in the absence of puzzle pieces located on said sorting surface. 
   
   
       13 . The carrier of  claim 12  further comprising at least one lower spacer element, said at least one sorting panel defining a substantially planar engagement surface disposed opposite said sorting surface, said engagement surface being engageable with the first portion of puzzle pieces located on said assembly surface when said first and second alignment surfaces are in registration, and wherein said lower spacer element is operably disposed between said assembly panel and said at least one sorting panel wherein, when said first and second alignment surfaces are in registration, said at least one lower spacer element spaces said engagement surface from said assembly surface in the absence of puzzle pieces located on said assembly surface; and
 wherein said at least one lower spacer element spaces said engagement surface from said assembly surface by a first distance and said at least one upper spacer element spaces said sorting surface from said inward facing surface by a second distance, each of said first and second distances being at least about 50% of the puzzle thickness and no greater than said puzzle thickness and wherein said carrier is adapted to hold puzzle pieces having a nominal thickness of ¼ inch.   
   
   
       14 . A carrier for use with a jigsaw puzzle having a plurality of jigsaw puzzle pieces defining a puzzle thickness, said carrier comprising:
 an outer cover having first and second flaps, said outer cover being repositionable between a closed configuration and an open configuration, said first and second flaps being substantially disposed in a common plane when said outer cover is in said open configuration, said outer cover further including a sidewall structure extending about a substantial portion of an outer perimeter of each of said first and second flaps and wherein, when said outer cover is in said open configuration, said sidewall structure projects in a common direction from said first and second flaps;   an assembly panel, said assembly panel defining a substantially planar assembly surface and having a plurality of projecting alignment members;   first and second sorting panels, each of said first and second sorting panels defining a substantially planar sorting surface and defining at least one panel void shaped to receive one of said plurality of alignment members, registration of respective pairs of said panel voids and said alignment members overlayingly positioning said first and second sorting panels relative to said assembly panel whereby puzzle pieces positioned on said assembly surface are engaged between said assembly surface and said first and second sorting panels;   wherein, when said outer cover is in said open configuration, said assembly panel and said first and second sorting panels are positionable in a side-by-side configuration within an area bounded by said sidewall structure and wherein, when said assembly panel and said first and second sorting panels are positioned in said side-by-side configuration within said area bounded by said sidewall structure, said assembly panel and said first and second sorting panels substantially fill said area bounded by said sidewall structure and said sidewall structure substantially surrounds and projects upwardly of said assembly surface and said sorting surfaces to thereby retain slidable puzzle pieces on said assembly surface and said sorting surfaces; and   wherein, when said outer cover is in said closed configuration, said assembly panel, said first and second sorting panels and the plurality of puzzle pieces are enclosable within said outer cover between said first and second flaps with respective pairs of said panel voids and said alignment members being in registration and a first portion of the plurality of puzzle pieces being securely engageable between said assembly surface and said first and second sorting panels and a second portion of the plurality of puzzle pieces being securely engageable between said sorting surfaces of said first and second sorting panels and one of said first and second flaps.   
   
   
       15 . The carrier of  claim 14  wherein each of said first and second sorting panels further comprises a first layer of compressible material disposed opposite said sorting surfaces and engageable with said first portion of the plurality of puzzle pieces disposed on said assembly surface when said panel voids and said alignment members are in registration;
 wherein one of said first and second flaps has an inward facing surface defined by a second layer of compressible material, said second layer of compressible material being engageable with said second portion of the plurality of puzzle pieces disposed on said sorting surfaces when said outer cover is in said closed configuration enclosing said assembly panel, said first and second sorting panels and the plurality of puzzle pieces; and   wherein said first layers of compressible material disposed on said first and second sorting panels and said second layer of compressible material each define a compressible layer thickness that is less than the puzzle thickness.   
   
   
       16 . The carrier of  claim 15  further comprising at least one upper spacer element operably disposed between said inward facing surface and each of said first and second sorting panels wherein, when said outer cover is in said closed configuration and encloses said assembly panel and said first and second sorting panels, said at least one upper spacer element spaces said sorting surface of each of said first and second sorting panels away from said inward facing surface in the absence of puzzle pieces located on said respective sorting surfaces. 
   
   
       17 . The carrier of  claim 16  further comprising at least one lower spacer element, each of said first and second sorting panels defining a substantially planar engagement surface disposed opposite said respective sorting surfaces, each of said engagement surfaces being engageable with the first portion of puzzle pieces located on said assembly surface under said respective first and second sorting panels when said panel voids and said alignment members are in registration, and wherein said lower spacer element is operably disposed between said assembly panel and said at least one sorting panel wherein, when said panel voids and said alignment members are in registration, said at least one lower spacer element spaces each of said engagement surfaces from said assembly surface in the absence of puzzle pieces located on said assembly surface. 
   
   
       18 . The carrier of  claim 17  wherein said at least one upper spacer element comprises a plurality of upper spacer elements, at least one of said plurality being disposed on each of said first and second sorting panels and forming grips by which said first and second sorting panels may be manually grasped for repositioning. 
   
   
       19 . The carrier of  claim 18  wherein said at least one lower spacer element comprises a pair of elongate spacer elements disposed on said assembly panel and extending along a pair of parallel edges of said assembly panel. 
   
   
       20 . The carrier of  claim 19  wherein said plurality of lower spacer elements spaces each of said engagement surfaces from said assembly surface by a first distance and said plurality of upper spacer elements spaces each of said sorting surfaces from said inward facing surface by a second distance, each of said first and second distances being at least about 50% of the puzzle thickness and no greater than said puzzle thickness and wherein said carrier is adapted to hold puzzle pieces having a nominal thickness of ¼ inch.