| Board game with gyroscopic top timer -> Monitor Keywords |
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Board game with gyroscopic top timerRelated Patent Categories: Amusement Devices: Games, Board Games, Pieces, Or Boards Therefor, Piece Moves Over Board Having PatternBoard game with gyroscopic top timer description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060061035, Board game with gyroscopic top timer. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] A new board game is shown and described. Further, the disclosed board game also includes a unique timing element for determining the length of time a player has to carry out his/her turn. The timing element includes a gyroscopic or top device enclosed within a cubical shell. A rip cord is used to spin the top within the cubical shell and the shell, when placed on one of its corners that supports the central axis of the top, also spins and the duration of the player's turn extends from the time at which the player places the cubical shell on its corner, with the top spinning inside, until the time the cubical shell stops spinning as a result of the top slowing down or ceasing spinning inside the shell as the shell falls on one of its six sides. BACKGROUND OF THE ART [0002] Board games are well known in the art. One type of board game is a "start to finish" or a "race-type" board game where the board is printed with at least one primary pathway extending from a start to a finish. Players are typically assigned a single token and move around the pathway with the length of each advance be determined by the roll of one or more die, a spinner element or the drawing of one or more cards. These games rely upon an inherent excitement found in racing from a start to a finish. Often, the typical start to finish or race-type board games include detours or side pathways. Often the decision to take a side passageway or side pathway adds certain decision making requirements to the game instead of players simply rolling the dice or spinning the wheel. [0003] One variation of the start to finish or race-type game are the games which involve multiple laps around an endless pathway with the winner being the player who has accumulated the most money, points, tokens or the like. These games are better suited for older children as younger children and toddlers often do not understand or appreciate games where players must accumulate money or points or which involve decision making skills during the play of the game. [0004] One advantage to the simple start to finish or race-type games is that the pace of play tends to proceed at a relatively rapid pace. Each player simply rolls the dice or spins the wheel and moves his or her token the appropriate number of steps before another player takes a turn. The only exception to this general rule may be those situations where a player rolls a "double" or a spinner, wheel or card indicates that a player is entitled to one or more additional turns. [0005] One disadvantage with board games with side pathways, detours and additional decision making requirements is that the pace of play may be rather slow. Players are forced to strategize and therefore think and the time in which one player has to complete his or her turn may be undefined or limitless. While one player is taking his or her turn, the other players may become bored or distracted. One solution to this problem is the use of a timer. While timers with spring-loaded timing elements or hour glasses have been used, these types of devices are also relatively boring and do not necessarily add any excitement to the game. [0006] Therefore, there is a need for an improved timing element for a board game that adds an element of excitement to the game. [0007] Further, it would also be beneficial if new board games were designed with timing elements or timing devices that, in addition to providing an element of excitement to the game, also performs a function in addition to determining the length of a player or a team's turn. In other words, it would be desirable to have a board game with a timing element or a timing device that actually affects the outcome of a player's turn and therefore the game in addition to defining the length of time a player or a team has to complete a turn. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE [0008] In satisfaction of the aforenoted needs, an improved board game is disclosed which comprises a board with a plurality of indicia printed thereon. In addition to other things, the indicia may define one or more pathways to be followed during the course of a game. The board game also includes a timing device that defines an amount of time for a single turn. The timing device comprises a cubical shell, a top and a rip cord. The shell comprises two bearings disposed in diagonally opposite corners inside the shell. The bearings support opposite ends of an axial shaft of the top. The shell also comprises two openings for passing the rip cord through the shell. The top comprises the aforementioned shaft which extends through a wheel and a gear. The rip cord comprises a set of linear teeth along the cord and the rip cord passes through the openings of the shell with the teeth of the rip cord being enmeshed with the gear of the top. To start the timing device, the player inserts the rip cord through the openings of the shell with the teeth enmeshed with the gear at the top. When fully inserted, the player then pulls the rip cord swiftly through the cubical shell thereby causing the top to spin about its axis as defined by the shaft of the top. As the top is spinning and being supported by the bearings, the player places the shell on one of its corners that houses a bearing and the spinning top causes the shell to spin on said corner for an amount of time that can be used to determine the length of time for the player or team's turn. [0009] In an embodiment, indicia are printed on each of the six outer faces of the cubical shell. Therefore, when the top begins to slow down and the cubical shell eventually stops spinning and eventually lands on one of its faces with an opposite face being directed upwardly, the indicia on the upwardly directed face can be used to affect the outcome of the player or team's turn, such as the award of bonus points, the imposition of a penalty, the return of the player's token to a start point, etc. [0010] In an embodiment, the board game also includes a base that rests on top of the board. The base includes an upper surface having a recess for accommodating a corner of the shell so that the shell can spin on top of the base and be confined to the recess while the shell is spinning. In a further refinement, the recess is circular. In yet another further refinement, the base has a truncated pyramidal shape. [0011] In a related refinement, the board comprises a square center or base section with four outer edges hingedly connected to triangular panels that enable the board to be folded into a hollow pyramid that houses the other parts of the game. [0012] In a refinement, the rip cord includes a handle. [0013] In yet another refinement, the board game comprises a plurality of tokens, at least one die, and the indicia printed on the board define at least one pathway. To start a turn, the player pulls the rip cord through the shell thereby causing the top to spin. The player then places the shell on one of its corners which houses one of the bearings thereby allowing the shell to spin on said corner as discussed above. This event denotes the start of a player's turn and thereafter the player rolls the die or dice and moves his/her token repeatedly until the shell stops spinning and rests on one of its six faces with an opposite face directed upward. In a further refinement, indicia printed on the upwardly directed face alters the outcome of the player's turn. [0014] In another refinement, the shell also houses a plate secured within the shell. The plate comprises an aperture through which the shaft and gear of the top extend. The plate is connected to a bracket through which the rip cord slides. The bracket has a shaped cross-sectional profile that matches a cross-sectional profile of the rip cord. The-bracket is positioned within the shell so that insertion of the rip cord through the openings of the shell results in the rip cord extending through the bracket and with the teeth of the rip cord enmeshing with the gear of the top. In short, the shape of the openings of the shell and the cross-sectional profile of the bracket along with the cross-sectional profile of the rip cord are all matched so that the rip cord and be inserted only one way which results in the teeth of the rip cord being enmeshed with the gear of the top. In a refinement, the plate is fastened to an interior of the shell. In a further refinement, the bracket is integrally connected to the plate. [0015] In yet another refinement, the shaft of the top also passes through and is connected to a hub. The hub is connected to the wheel by a plurality of spokes. [0016] In an embodiment, an improved timing device is disclosed for use on board games and other games of chance that includes the cubical shell, top and rip cord as described above. [0017] In another embodiment, a method for determining the time of a player's term during play of the game is disclosed. The method comprises providing a timing device as described above, inserting the rip cord through the openings of the shell and enmeshing the teeth of the rip cord with the gear of the top, pulling the rip cord back through the shell at a rate sufficient to cause the top to spin within the shell, placing the shell on one of its corners that houses one of its bearings while the top is spinning thereby causing the shell to spin on its corner and designating the start of the turn, declaring an end to the turn when the shell stops spinning and falls to a resting position on one of its six outer faces. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] The disclosed board game, timing device and method for determining the time of a player's turn during play of a board game are described more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein: [0019] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a board game for use in playing a disclosed board game; [0020] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the various parts or tokens used to play the disclosed board game including treasure tokens, timing device (aka "timing cube"), dice, rip cord, base for supporting the spinning timing cube, player tokens, mummy token (aka "mummy pawn") and treasure bag cards (aka "explorer pawns") for collecting treasure tokens; Continue reading about Board game with gyroscopic top timer... Full patent description for Board game with gyroscopic top timer Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Board game with gyroscopic top timer patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Board game with gyroscopic top timer or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Game scoring kit Next Patent Application: Card game Industry Class: Amusement devices: games ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Board game with gyroscopic top timer patent info. 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