Amusement devices: games – Card or tile games – cards or tiles therefor
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-17
2001-12-11
Layno, Benjamin H. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Card or tile games, cards or tiles therefor
C273S293000, C273S14800B, C273S459000, C283S117000, C281S031000, C040S124060, C446S147000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328307
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a children's game, and more particularly relates to a game which enables children to secretively express their thoughts and desires.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A fundamental human trait is the expression of wishes, hopes and desires relating to future eventualities. It is often sought to enhance the fulfillment of the mentally conceived wish by way of physical actions. Such actions include for example vocalization in words, prayers or song, ritualistic gestures, dances and ceremonies, and the use of objects believed to have sacred, magical, or supernatural powers.
Some commonly accepted ritualistic traditions concerning the fruition of wishes include: blowing out candles on a birthday cake; crossing of the fingers; throwing coins into a wishing well; rubbing a rabbit's foot; lighting of candles; payment to a religious organization; throwing rice at a wedding; the breaking of a wish-bone; and a “toast” involving the contacting of upraised beverage-filled drinking glasses.
Children are often apprehensive as to what the future holds for them. Since their societal experience is short in comparison with their future expectations, children find solace in wishing and in superstitious activities wherein their interaction may bolster the success of their wish. In many instances the child may want to keep a particular wish secret as part of his or her private dream world of fears an joys.
Dolls, figurines and statues having animal or human features have long been used in ritualistic activities concerning wishes or prayers. For example, voodoo dolls believed to have magical powers have been used in the Caribbean Area,and totem poles have been popular in Hawaii and Alaska. Some of such dolls and figurines have functional characteristics which are interactive with the user. One particular interactive feature relates to the ability of the doll or figurine to hold or conceal an object by way of an internal compartment. Examples of such features are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. D249,982; 4,174,059; 4,197,670; 4,372,077; 4,832,648; 4,874,340; and 5,059,149.
However, no prior art is known wherein a doll or figurine has an internal compartment which serves as one aspect of a ritualistic children's game for making wishes.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a ritualistic children's game for making wishes and keeping said wishes secret.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a game as in the foregoing object which involves the use of a figurine having an internal compartment.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a game of the aforesaid nature wherein said compartment can be locked by the child playing the game.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a game of the aforesaid nature wherein the child player can describe in writing or drawings a multitude of desired wishes.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a game of the aforesaid nature of simple, durable construction amenable to low cost manufacture and packaging.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above and other beneficial objects and advantages are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by a children's wishing game comprising:
1) a figurine having a compartment for receiving flat objects, said compartment having a single opening and being otherwise closed, said opening having lockable closure means,
2) a lock for engaging said closure means,
3) at least one card of adequate rigidity, size and shape to be slideably inserted into said compartment, said card having at least one surface which can receive and display written indicia, and
4) instruction information concerning the significance and playing of the game.
For the purposes of the present invention, the expression “figurine” is intended to denote a structure which is ornamental by way of indicia and/or structural features to represent something familiar to children, such as people, animals, plants or places. The figurine may be a conventional doll or other toy object, but is preferably a substantially flat envelope-like structure ornamented on at least one side by way of shape, printed indicia and/or add-on appendages. In another embodiment of the game of this invention, at least one erasable marking device is included.
In playing with, the aforesaid game components, the child holds a card and makes a wish. The “wish” may be expressed graphically in words or pictures drawn onto the card, or may merely be a thought associated with the card. The child then inserts the card into the compartment, and locks the closure means. The child has earlier been informed, either by way of said instructions or verbally by an adult, that such ritualistic action enhances the fulfillment of the wish. If alternatively, someone else were to learn what the child wished for, then the wish surely would not come true. Regardless of the effect of secrecy on the success of the wish, the child is also led to understand that he or she can enjoy privacy in their lives, particularly with respect to their thoughts or wishes.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 249982 (1978-10-01), Kubusheski
patent: 515275 (1894-02-01), Bishoprick
patent: 4174059 (1979-11-01), Maunder
patent: 4187703 (1980-02-01), Ippoliti et al.
patent: 4197670 (1980-04-01), Cox
patent: 4372077 (1983-02-01), Balbuena
patent: 4832648 (1989-05-01), Theobald et al.
patent: 4874340 (1989-10-01), Smallwood
patent: 5059149 (1991-10-01), Stone
patent: 6103332 (2000-08-01), McDonald
Layno Benjamin H.
Rainer Norman B.
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