Amusement devices: games – Board games – pieces – or boards therefor – Piece moves over board having pattern
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-03
2003-12-02
Layno, Benjamin H. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Board games, pieces, or boards therefor
Piece moves over board having pattern
C273S292000, C273S429000, C273S440000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06655686
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates generally to a recreational game which allows game players to incorporate an olfactory response into game play, through the selection and identification of scented game pieces, and more particularly to a board game for teaching, promoting and reinforcing the benefits and importance of recycling in children and others.
As is common knowledge, games can be used to instruct as well as to entertain. It would be a benefit, therefore, to have a board game that could heighten awareness of environmental issues, and promote the benefits of recycling, especially to young children, while at the same time providing entertainment to the players. It would be a further benefit to have such a board game which incorporates an olfactory response into game play, so as to create a unique gaming experience.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Numerous board games have been provided which have been adapted to entertain the game players by challenging them, so that they may utilize skill in playing the game, while at the same time providing an element of chance which adds a bit of adventure and luck to the game. Fewer still, are board games which combine the above-noted elements, while at the same time providing a board game in which the reactions and responses of any of the human senses can be incorporated into game play. U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,882, for example, proposes a game for testing the acuity of the senses. However, this board game merely provides questions relating to the senses of touch, taste, hearing and smell for each of the game players to be answered, and there is no recognition of, or suggested incorporation of, olfactory responses of the players which can be incorporated into game play. Accordingly, it would be beneficial and entertaining to have a board game which incorporates the elements of skill and chance, while providing the opportunity to incorporate olfactory responses of the players into game play.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a unique board game in which the players utilize and acquire symbolic recyclable items such as, for example, tin cans, aluminum and cardboard, when playing the game, so as to promote and heighten the awareness of the importance of recycling.
Another object is to provide a board game in which the players may incorporate olfactory responses into game play, so as to provide a balance between skill and chance when playing the game, in a manner which can entertain and challenge all of the players.
One aspect of the present invention provides a board game for a plurality of players, comprising a game board having a playing path; said playing path being divided into a plurality of playing spaces therealong, the playing path beginning with a start space and terminating with an end space; each of said playing spaces requiring a player to accept a reward, a penalty, or perform an action; a plurality of individual player position markers; a quantity of game money or other reward token for distribution of a part thereof to the players during play of said board game; random number generation means for determining successive movements of each of said markers to a particular space in the playing path on said game board; a plurality of reward cards, whereby when a side of the random number generation means lands head side up, the player will select a reward card and follow instruction thereon; a plurality of penalty cards, whereby when another side of the random number generation means lands head side up, the player will select a penalty card and follow instruction thereon; a plurality of scented game pieces, whereby when one of said player position markers lands on a particular action space in the playing path, the player is required to attempt to identify a scent within one of the scented game pieces, whereby, if the player is correct in identifying the scent, a quantity of game money or reward tokens is distributed to the player; and a plurality of miniature recyclable game pieces, each of the recyclable game pieces identifying a recyclable item and having a corresponding game money or token value, whereby when a player position marker lands on an action space in the playing path, the player is able to obtain the recyclable game piece indicated on the said action space.
Another particular aspect of the present invention provides a method of playing a board game comprising the steps of providing a game board having a playing path divided into a plurality of playing spaces therealong, the playing path beginning with a start space and terminating with an end space; each of said playing spaces requiring a player to accept a reward, a penalty, or perform an action, said game board further including a first location for holding reward cards and a second location for holding penalty cards; providing a plurality of individual player position markers; providing a specialized die for determining successive movements of each of said plurality of individual player position markers to a particular space in the playing path on said game board; providing a quantity of game money or other reward token for distribution of a part thereof to the players during play of said board game; providing a plurality of reward cards, whereby when a side of the specialized die lands head side up, the player will select a reward card and follow instruction thereon; providing a plurality of penalty cards, whereby when another side of the specialized die lands head side up, the player will select a penalty card and follow instruction thereon; providing a plurality of scented game pieces, whereby when one of said player position markers lands on a particular action space in the playing path on the game board, the player is required to attempt to identify a scent within one of the scented game pieces, whereby, if the player is correct in identifying the scent, a quantity of game money or reward tokens are distributed to the player; providing a plurality of miniature recyclable game pieces, each of the recyclable game pieces identifying a recyclable item and having a corresponding game money or token value, whereby when a player position marker lands on an action space in the playing path, the player is able to obtain the recyclable game piece indicated on the said action space; positioning the plurality of individual player position markers onto the start space for each player to play; each player sequentially tossing the specialized die onto a surface of the game board; each player moving a respective individual player position marker along the playing path a number of playing spaces away from the start space that corresponds to the number of the specialized die that lands head side up; each player circumnavigating the game board, by alternating movement of respective individual player position markers along the playing path, through to said end space; awarding bonus game money or reward tokens to the player moving a respective individual player position marker into said end space first, whereby the game ends; and declaring as winner the player with the highest accumulated total of game money value or reward tokens.
The recycling board game of the present invention preferably includes a game board including a triangular shaped playing path, so as to represent a recycling symbol, comprising a clockwise oriented sequence of playing spaces, the sequence beginning with a start space and terminating in an end space. Preferably, the playing path consists of 40 consecutive playing spaces. Alternatively, the triangular playing path can comprise a counterclockwise oriented sequence of playing spaces, with as many playing spaces as is required. In addition, the playing path can be any other designed configuration, including, for example, square, polygonal, circular, oval or serpentine.
The playing spaces include penalty indicia spaces, reward indicia spaces, and “Nose” indicia spaces, which require a player landing thereon to select from one of 20 scented game pieces, in the form of a barrel, to try to identify the scent therein.
Hzosea Holdings, Inc.
Layno Benjamin H.
Mendiratta Vishu
Schmeiser Olsen & Watts
LandOfFree
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