| Interchangeable game pieces and method of game play -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
  Interchangeable game pieces and method of game playThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070075485. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/718,161 entitled "INTERCHANGEABLE GAME PIECES AND METHOD OF GAME PLAY," filed Sep. 16, 2005, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND [0002] This disclosure relates generally to table top board games having resilient barriers and movable game pieces. Games incorporating such components are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 742,250, 800,741, 1,051,613, 1,599,188, 1,980,105, 2,990,180, 3,174,752, 3,206,210, 3,219,349, 3,403,911, 3,762,711, 3,907,294, 3,929,336, 4,017,078, 4,502,686, 5,011,147, 5,362,045, 5,516,102, 5,733,213, 5,755,439, 5,893,791, 5,976,042, 6,357,745, 6,435,929, D285,943, D370,699, D472,584, and D476,697, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. SUMMARY [0003] The present disclosure relates generally to a board game that incorporates a board having resilient barriers and movable game pieces. More specifically, it relates to a game in which players may select game piece components and maneuver their game pieces between regions of the board. [0004] The advantages of the disclosed board game may be understood more readily after a consideration of the drawings and the Detailed Description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary game including a game board with barriers and movable player pieces. [0006] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another exemplary game including a game board and movable player pieces. [0007] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary movable game piece in which a character portion is coupled to a movement portion using a press-fit configuration. [0008] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a press fit configuration suitable for use with the game piece of FIG. 3. [0009] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another press fit configuration suitable for use with the game piece of FIG. 3. [0010] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary movable game piece in which a character portion is coupled to a movement portion via protrusions. [0011] FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary movable game piece in which a character portion slides relative to a movement portion to couple the character and movement portions together. [0012] FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary movable game piece in which a character portion is coupled to a movement portion using a hook-and-loop connection. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0013] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a game 10 that includes a game board or table 12 and player pieces 14. The game may be played by one or more players by maneuvering the player pieces relative to board 12 to score points. The game components may be used in table games, such as hockey, tennis, shuffle board, and the like, or with traditional board games. [0014] Board 12 and player pieces 14 may be fabricated from any suitable material, or combination of materials, such as plastic, foamed plastic, wood, cardboard, pressed paper, metal, or the like. A suitable material may be selected to provide a desirable combination of weight, strength, durability, cost, manufacturability, appearance, safety, and the like. Suitable plastics may include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), or the like. Suitable foamed plastics may include expanded or extruded polystyrene, expanded or extruded polypropylene, EVA foam, or the like. [0015] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, board 12 may include a playing surface 16. Surface 16 may be made of, or coated with, a material having a suitable coefficient of friction to produce a desired amount of movement of player pieces 14. In some configurations, the playing surface may be formed from a variety of materials having different coefficients of friction, depending on the intended uses of the game components. [0016] As shown in FIG. 1, playing surface 16 may at least partially be bounded by barriers 18. Barriers 18 may be formed from a substantially rigid material, a substantially soft material to dampen motion of player pieces 14, a resilient material to provide a rebound effect when a player piece 14 contacts the barrier, or a combination thereof. Barriers 18 may therefore be configured to affect movement options of the player pieces. [0017] Board 12 may be marked with a variety of board indicia 20 or may include a washable surface so that a user may apply his or her own indicia. For example, board indicia 20 may indicate a start position 22, upon or behind which players must place their player pieces 14 before maneuvering the player pieces along surface 16. Indicia 20 may indicate an end position or point region 24 to which players attempt to maneuver their player piece in order to attain points. The indicia imprinted on the board in point region 24 may include numbers that directly display point values, pictures that indirectly correspond to point values, or a combination thereof. In configurations in which the indicia are pictures, the pictures may be related to point values in a particular way, such as provided in a look-up chart. In some versions of the game, players may begin the game by assigning point values to each picture, either randomly, such as through a dice roll, or by agreement. The indicia may provide instructions regarding calculating a point value, such as through a combination of dice rolls. [0018] Board 12 may include one or more depressed regions 26 at the end of either or both halves of the board. For example, a depressed region may be provided on the right side (or starting in exemplary board 12) of the board to provide a storage region for player pieces 14. A depressed region may be provided on the left side (or exemplary finish side) of the board in place of a barrier. In such a configuration, a player piece with too much momentum will slide off point region 24 into depressed region 26. [0019] Board 12 may include score counters 28, as shown in FIG. 1. For a game involving two players or teams, each player or team may record the corresponding score by moving a counter along a side of the board. Score indicia 30, such as text or pictures, may be imprinted or formed on the edges of the board adjacent the counters. The score indicia may be affixed in a point region by any suitable means, such as printing directly on the board, removable and interchangeable sheets, or variations in the surface structure of the board, such as raised segments or ribs. For example, the sides of board 12 may include lines, against which a player may align counter 28. Score indicia 30 may take any suitable form including, but not limited to, ridges, text, graphics, or a combination thereof. Continue reading... Full patent description for Interchangeable game pieces and method of game play Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Interchangeable game pieces and method of game play 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 Interchangeable game pieces and method of game play or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Sheet detecting device for image recording apparatus Next Patent Application: Game table and method of making the same Industry Class: Amusement devices: games ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Interchangeable game pieces and method of game play patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.54612 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Tyco , Unilever , Warner-lambert , 3m |
||
