US 12491430

Analysis of U.S. Patent 12,491,430: Puzzle Platform

Date of Analysis: 2026-05-13

A review of U.S. Patent 12,491,430, titled "Puzzle platform," has been conducted. As of this date, no records of litigation involving this patent have been identified in the 2026 dockets of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC).

I. Key Patent Information

• Title: Puzzle platform
• Patent Number: 12,491,430 (also cited as US12491430B2)
• Assignee: Individual
• Inventor: Xiaoling CHE
• Filing Date: January 7, 2025
• Issue Date: December 9, 2025
• Priority Date: The patent claims priority to multiple earlier applications, with the earliest listed as September 26, 2021.
• Abstract: The patent describes a puzzle platform for use on a playing surface. It includes a puzzle board with a puzzle plate for puzzle pieces and at least one drawer underneath. A kickstand supports the board at an incline, during which the rotating device is in a non-working state. When the kickstand is not in use, the puzzle board can be rotated on the playing surface using a rotating device, at which point the kickstand is in a non-working state. This dual-functionality aims to make playing with puzzles more convenient.

II. Overview of Independent Claims

The patent includes one or more independent claims which define the core scope of the invention. A plain-language summary of the primary independent claim is provided below.

Independent Claim 1 (Implicit): The primary invention described is a puzzle platform that offers two distinct modes of operation for user convenience.

1. Tilted Mode: The platform features a puzzle board, which has a main surface (a puzzle plate) for assembling a jigsaw puzzle and at least one puzzle drawer stored beneath it. A kickstand is attached to the board. When the user deploys the kickstand, it props the entire puzzle board up at an angle on a table or floor ("playing place"). In this tilted position, a separate rotating device (like a lazy Susan) attached to the bottom of the board is lifted off the surface and is considered non-operational.
2. Rotating Mode: When the user is not using the kickstand (i.e., it is folded away), the puzzle board rests on the rotating device. This allows the user to spin the entire board 360 degrees, making it easier to reach different sections of the puzzle without changing their own position. In this mode, the kickstand is folded up and considered non-operational.

In essence, the claim protects the combination of a puzzle board that can be either propped up at a fixed angle with a kickstand or laid flat to rotate via a turntable-like mechanism, with the two support systems (kickstand and rotating device) being separate components and intended for use one at a time.