Amusement devices: games – Aerial projectile game; game element or accessory therefor... – Upwardly facing projectile-bounce surface
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-03
2001-07-31
Chiu, Raleigh W. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Aerial projectile game; game element or accessory therefor...
Upwardly facing projectile-bounce surface
C273S353000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267378
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to games in which each player seeks to propel a play piece toward a goal by bouncing the piece on a playing surface, and more particularly to a game of this type in which the play piece is an annular collar that only bounces when an edge of the collar strikes the playing surface at an acute angle thereto.
2. Status of Prior Art
It is known to provide a game in which a player seeks to propel a play piece toward a game by bouncing the piece on a playing surface, so that the piece then travels toward a goal or target.
In a simple version of this game, the play pieces are small rubber balls, and the target or goal is a large open can placed on the floor. The player is required from a home base position to hurl this ball so that it bounces on the floor and then travels in a trajectory leading into the can. In this game, the player scores a point only if the ball falls into the can and remains therein. Should the ball not fall into the can or should it fall into the can and then bounce out, the player does not score a point.
A piece-bouncing game is more challenging than a game in which a player is required to toss a ball or other play piece into a raised receptacle, such as a basketball hoop. It is far easier for a player to judge how best to throw his play piece to reach and fall into the hoop, than for a player to figure out where to bounce his play piece and how hard to throw it so that the resultant trajectory will lead the piece toward its goal.
On the other hand, if the bouncing pieces are spherical balls, a player can usually predict its trajectory it will take when the ball strikes a planar playing surface, for the angle of bounce is exactly the opposite of the incoming angle at which the ball strikes the playing surface. Hence a bouncing piece game using spherical play pieces cannot sustain the interest of players who find it too easy to score points.
Moreover, a bouncing ball game requires a fairly large room in which to play the game, for to bounce the ball on a floor, one must place the goal to receive the ball a fairly long distance from the point of bounce. A bouncing piece game in accordance with the invention which uses non-spherical play pieces requires little space to play, and therefore can use a table or a disk as the playing surface.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, the main object of this invention is to provide a piece-bouncing game in which each player seeks to propel a non-spherical play piece to make it bounce off a planar playing surface and then travel in a trajectory causing the piece to land and remain on a platform.
The advantage of a game of this type over a bouncing-piece game using ball-like play pieces is that it can be played on a table or desk, or in a small region on the floor, for the game takes relatively little room to play.
More particularly, an object of this invention is to provide a game of the above type in which each play piece is in the form of a circular collar which bounces only when an edge of the collar strikes the playing surface at an acute angle thereto. Consequently, for a player to succeed, he must acquire the skill necessary to launch the play piece with a proper degree of force and at an angle at which the resultant bounce will cause the play piece to land on the platform.
A significant feature of a game in accordance with the invention is that it includes a dish which provides the platform and also acts as a storage bin for the several play pieces, so that no play piece is lost.
Briefly stated, these objects are attained by a piece-bouncing game wherein each player seeks to propel a play piece to make it bounce on a playing surface and then travel in a trajectory which causes the piece to land on a flat platform. The player scores a point in the game only if the piece lands and remains on the platform.
The game consists of a cylinder having a flat base on which is anchored an array of plugs, the play pieces being mountable on the plugs. Each play piece is formed by a circular collar having a membrane lying across its central plane and provided with a center hole. In the storage mode of the game, in which the pieces are stored within the dish, each plug is plugged into the center hole of the piece mounted thereon. In the active mode of the game, the pieces are taken off the plugs and the dish is then inverted and placed on the playing surface whereby the base of the dish is then raised above the playing surface to serve as the platform.
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patent: 5619815 (1997-04-01), Greene
patent: 1077712 (1967-08-01), None
Chiu Raleigh W.
Hopgood, Calimafde Judlowe & Mondolino
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