Hangman game apparatus

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates, generally, to games and, more particularly, to an electronic hangman word game.

2. Description of the Related Art

The game of hangman has been known for decades. It is typically played with writing instrument and paper. Generally, it is a word guessing game, in which a first player selects a secret word that a second player tries to determine by guessing its letters. During play, the first player draws a line or creates a space for each of the letters in the word. The second player takes turns guessing one letter that the second player believes is in the word. If the word contains a guessed letter, then the first player writes the letter on a respective line or space positioned where the letter is in the word. If the word does not contain the guessed letter, then the first player draws one body part of a person (typically, a head, torso, arm, hand, leg and foot) and that is depicted hanging from a gallows. If the second player guesses all of the letters in the word before the first player completes a depiction of an entire person hanging from the gallows, then the second player wins. Otherwise, the first player wins.

In addition to the typical paper/pencil version, there are various prior art embodiments of hangman games. In one example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,044 discloses a three-dimensional miniature gallows is included with a trap door. Magnetic body parts (e.g., head, torso, arm, hand, leg and foot) are connected to form a human representation. A rack of letter blocks is used to construct words.

Another example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,948,526 shows a game apparatus that includes a row of holes adapted to receive letter pegs. A pair of scaffolds are mounted to the apparatus, and body part pieces form figures on the scaffolds. The top of the playing surface includes containers for storing body part pieces and score cards, and apertures are provided for holding paper on which the secret word is written.

In yet another version of the game shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,734,506, a first player writes a word in a space between parallel rows of cavities on the rear face of a block and slides a cover over the word. A second player chooses letters in an attempt to complete the hidden word. The first player rotates appropriate wheels from the back of the apparatus to expose chosen correct letters of a word in proper sequence in the bottom row or to expose improper unused chosen letters in the top row. Openings in an upper row on a game apparatus form portions of representations of a human figure which is progressively completed from one row end to the other, the end representation being a complete human figure suspended above a representation of a hangman\'s platform.

In still another version, U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,935 discloses a game of hangman including a picture puzzle having removable and replaceable segments. As a player incorrectly guesses letters of a word, individual segments of the picture puzzle are placed on a playing board. When the puzzle is completed before the player guesses the word, the player guessing the letters loses.

Prior hangman games may not produce sufficient excitement compared with the excitement electronic games produce and that consumers have come to expect.

There is a need, therefore, for an innovative hangman game that is more interesting to play and produces sufficient excitement by including electronic components.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hangman game that introduces new elements of excitement into the game.

In a preferred embodiment, a game apparatus for playing hangman is provided that includes a game body and a plurality of letter elements each carrying a letter which is to be guessed by a player. The letter elements may be formatted in various ways, such as in letter blocks. During play, the letter elements are either hidden from a player or exposed to a player\'s view.

Further, a display coupled to the game body is operable to depict progress of the hangman game as it is being played. A plurality of display elements are provided in the display. The display elements collectively define a representation of a human figure in a gallows. Individual display elements are activated to become visible to players, including being illuminated, to indicate the progress of the hangman game while it is being played. Moreover, a control may be provided for selectively activating the display elements as the game progresses.

Also in a preferred exemplary embodiment, the game apparatus is made of a suitable plastic material, and a display and one or more game activators are further provided. The display may also be made of a suitable material, such as plastic, and hold the display elements.

Alternatively, the display may be formed as a cathode ray tube display, a liquid crystal display (“LCD”) or other suitable electronic display. Moreover, the display elements provided in the display may take various forms, including light emitting diodes (“LEDs”), liquid crystals, light bulbs, picture elements (“pixels”) or other known display element that can be activated or illuminated. At least some of the display elements are activated in a sequence to depict a progressively more complete representation of a human figure including, for example, head, torso, arms, hands, legs and feet, also elements defining a gallows. These elements together will show the character being “hung” and the gallows. At least some of the display elements are further illuminated in a sequence to depict a representation of gallows, a noose or both.

In another embodiment, a counter may be provided to record a player\'s score, such as to represent the number of game rounds won by a player.

In yet another embodiment, a counter is provided that is operable to track a number of remaining turns for at least one player while the game is being played. In this alternative embodiment, the counter is further operable to pre-set a number of wrong guesses that the at least one player may make.

An activator may operate the counter such that the activator increases or decreases a value displayed in the counter. A second activator may reset the counter to a preset value, preferably zero.

The apparatus may include an audio component, which may be activated by a third activator or a plurality of third activators.

The activator(s) may be formatted as buttons, switches or other manual controls operable by a user. Alternatively, the activator(s) may be formatted as internal controls that operate automatically in response to a user control, such as a button.

In another embodiment, a letter support is provided for removably carrying the plurality of letter elements. The letter support may be formatted in various ways, including as a letter block rack. The letter elements carried in the letter support are adjustable in the support, between a first position in which the letters are hidden from a player, and a second position, in which the letters are exposed to the player.