Amusement devices: games – Puzzles – Jumping movement
Patent
1990-08-29
1992-02-25
Coven, Edward M.
Amusement devices: games
Puzzles
Jumping movement
273109, A63F 906
Patent
active
050907000
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a game comprising a substantially planar playing board divided into playing squares; a dome at least partially transparent and fastened to the playing board so as to define a closed space together with the board; cubes of the same size positioned in the closed space, the number of the cubes being smaller than that of the squares of the playing board; and interlocking means provided in each square and in the sides of the cubes for detachably fastening the cubes to the square.
In a game known from the prior art, the playing board comprises a grid of 4.times.4 squares, on which grid e.g. fifteen cubes of the same size are positioned. The sides of each cube comprise various symbols of which patterns are to be formed by turning the cubes alternately by hands through 90.degree. around their edge. The symbols are usually colours.
A drawback of this prior art game is that the cubes are unfixed, so that they can be turned and moved against the rules either by accident by pushing, for instance, or deliberately. For correcting the mistake the game often has to be restarted.
U.S. Pat. Specification No. 4,373,732 discloses a game in which the playing board comprises pegs which fit into holes in the cubes for fastening the cubes in place. In this case, too, the cubes are moved and turned by hands.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a game in which accidental or deliberate moving of the cubes against the rules is prevented. The game according to the invention is characterized in that the interlocking means of the squares of the playing board and the cubes are shaped so as to prevent the cubes from sliding along the board while allowing the cubes to be turned around their edge when the playing board is tilted.
In the game according to the invention the cubes are not turned by hands for revealing the desired symbol; instead, the cubes are turned by tilting the playing board. Therefore the cubes can be positioned within a closed space which cannot be reached from the outside, so that moves against the rules cannot be made, which is of vital importance for the meaningfulness of the game.
On the basis of experience or experiments, it is not difficult for one skilled in the art to provide the playing board and the cubes with interlocking means which meet the above-mentioned requirements. At their simplest, these means may be formed by a projection provided in the playing board and a recess or hole provided in the cube.
In order that the cubes could be turned from one peg to another as easily as possible, it is advisable that the projection is a substantially conical peg. The peg thereby preferably has the shape of an elliptical parabolic.
In order to ascertain that the cubes cannot be moved against the rules, it is advisable to fasten the dome to the playing board in an undetachable manner.
One preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the height of the closed space in a direction perpendicular to the playing board is greater than the diagonal of the side of the cube and smaller than the sum of the height of the cube and that of the peg. Such a height of the closed space enables the cubes to be turned around their edge while preventing the cubes from changing places when the game is, for instance, turned upside down. These features thus decisively promote the achievement of the object of the invention. A suitable height of the closed space is about 1.5 times the length of the edge of the cube.
In the invention, it is preferable that the cubes are supported in the sideward direction as well as possible. Therefore it is preferable that the cross-sectional area of the dome in a plane parallel with the playing board corresponds in shape and size to the playing board area comprising the squares.
In order to prevent two or more cubes from turning simultaneously when the playing board is tilted, it is to be preferred in the invention that the surfaces of at least some of the squares are at a small angle with r
REFERENCES:
patent: 537168 (1895-04-01), Ormsby
patent: 1251400 (1917-12-01), Mees
patent: 1541680 (1925-06-01), Berqquist
patent: 2524548 (1950-10-01), Speirs
patent: 3625514 (1971-12-01), Haaland
patent: 4036503 (1977-07-01), Golick
Coven Edward M.
Pierce William M.
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