Amusement devices: games – Puzzles – Take-aparts and put-togethers
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-29
2001-02-27
Wong, Steven (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Puzzles
Take-aparts and put-togethers
Reexamination Certificate
active
06193234
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to jigsaw puzzle games and, more particularly, to a method of playing a jigsaw puzzle game in which multiple players take turns attempting to assemble the puzzle game.
2. Description of Related Art
Various forms of board games have been devised over the years. Also, numerous form of jigsaw puzzles have been created. Board games are games typically played by two or more people. On the other hand, a jigsaw puzzle is typically assembled by a single person. Both board games and jigsaw puzzles present challenges to those who play them. Each may vary from the very simple to the incredibly complex. Each can provide minutes and hours of fun, enjoyment, and intrigue. But the attributes and capabilities associated with each has never been combined into a useful and fun puzzle game where two or more players can compete against each other under timed and scored conditions.
Several patents disclose puzzle games involving two or more players competing to complete a puzzle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,558,136, issued on Jan. 26, 1971 to McFarland discloses a jigsaw puzzle game played by two opposing players or teams, each having identically cut and illustrated, but differently colored, pieces of a scene. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,637, issued on Nov. 5, 1991 to Bianchi discloses a method of playing a jigsaw board game with two players, wherein each player has a board, and all game pieces are piled on a playing table. However, neither patent discloses using a stopwatch or similar device for measuring how much time is used for placing puzzle pieces.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,637 does not disclose a method of scoring for measuring a player's performance in placing puzzle pieces.
Additionally, few known U.S. patents anticipate use of a chance device with a conventional puzzle game. One such patent which does disclose use of a chance device is U.S. Pat. No. 3,542,368, issued on Nov. 24, 1979 to James N. Ashley. The Ashley patent discloses combining a jigsaw puzzle and bingo game that utilizes a chance device. However, a drawback of this patent is the absence of teaching regarding teams when playing the puzzle game. Another drawback is that this patent does not anticipate using a stopwatch for timing a player's performance in placing puzzle pieces.
A drawback of the known puzzle games is an absence of teams for fostering competition when playing a puzzle game. Another drawback of known puzzle games is an absence of time limits used in playing the game for tracking how much time is used to appropriately place puzzle pieces. Still another drawback of several puzzle games is an absence of scoring for tracking player performances in placing puzzle pieces. Yet another drawback of some common puzzle games is a failure to use chance devices for introducing chance into a puzzle game. Therefore, none of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a method of playing a puzzle game. The first step of the method is to jointly place outer puzzle pieces inside of a puzzle frame. Next, a single player may spin a spinner to randomly define how many inner puzzle pieces that player may take to complete an inner region of a puzzle. Afterwards, a stopwatch may be used to time how long the player takes to place as many inner puzzle pieces inside the puzzle frame as possible.
After the player has completed an attempt at placing as many inner puzzle pieces as possible, the player's performance for the round is recorded on a score sheet for tracking that players performance during the life of the game.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a puzzle game that is played with two or more players. It is another object of the invention to provide a puzzle game played in teams. Still another object of the invention is to provide a puzzle game that is played with teams for introducing competition to the puzzle game. Yet another object of the invention is to provide a puzzle game involving use of a stopwatch for measuring the elapsed time used to place inner puzzle pieces.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2482109 (1949-09-01), Grace
patent: 3010723 (1961-11-01), Moss
patent: 3542368 (1979-11-01), Ashley
patent: 3558136 (1971-01-01), McFarland
patent: 3909003 (1975-09-01), Rabinovich
patent: 4133538 (1979-01-01), Ambrose
patent: 4219194 (1980-08-01), Power
patent: 4669734 (1987-06-01), Watkins
patent: 4756533 (1988-07-01), Hopkins
patent: 4792138 (1988-12-01), Watkins
patent: 5062637 (1991-11-01), Bianchi
patent: 5123846 (1992-06-01), Lewis
patent: 5149098 (1992-09-01), Bianchi
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patent: 2 167 672 (1986-06-01), None
patent: WO 86/04513 (1986-08-01), None
Litman Richard C.
Wong Steven
LandOfFree
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