U.S. patent application number 09/760140 was filed with the patent office on 2002-07-11 for football game using a triangular game piece with numerical values.
Invention is credited to Castellanos, Ruben.
Application Number | 20020089116 09/760140 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25058203 |
Filed Date | 2002-07-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020089116 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Castellanos, Ruben |
July 11, 2002 |
FOOTBALL GAME USING A TRIANGULAR GAME PIECE WITH NUMERICAL
VALUES
Abstract
A game apparatus and method of play by a pair of opponents, uses
a game board on a level surface or field. A game board indicia
resembles an American-Football field with two spaced apart and
opposing end zone front lines. A triangularly shaped and flatly
formed game piece provides numerical values to its three corners.
The game piece is suitable for sliding on the game board, and is
thrust back and forth on the board by the contestants or opponents,
with game piece generally in contact with the game board, until the
game piece is positioned on one of the end zone front lines. Values
or scores are assigned to the opponents corresponding to how the
game piece is situated on the end zone front lines. Additional
points may be acquired through aerial thrusts of the game piece
through an upright goal situated at or in the end zones of the game
board.
Inventors: |
Castellanos, Ruben; (Los
Angeles, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GENE SCOTT
PATENT LAW & VENTURE GROUP ITTT
3151 AIRWAY AVE
SUITE K 105
COSTA MESA
CA
92626
US
|
Family ID: |
25058203 |
Appl. No.: |
09/760140 |
Filed: |
January 11, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/108.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 7/06 20130101; A63F
2003/00766 20130101; A63F 7/0668 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
273/108.1 |
International
Class: |
A63F 007/07; A63F
007/20 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A game apparatus comprising: a game board for placement on a
level surface, the game board providing a game board indicia
resembling a field game; a flatly formed game piece having plural
corners, the game piece suitable for sliding on the game board, the
game piece providing a game piece indicia indicating unique
numerical values, one of the numerical values associated with each
one of the plural corners of the game piece.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one self
standing goal having a pair of spaced apart uprights extending
vertically from a cross bar.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one pair of
end zone pieces, each of the end zone pieces providing an indicia
defining a team name.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the unique numerical values
associated with each of the plural corners of the game piece are
the numerical values of 6, 3 and 2.
5. A method of game play by a first and a second opponents,
comprising: providing a game board for placement on a level
surface, the game board providing a game board indicia resembling
field game including spaced apart and opposing zone lines;
providing a flatly formed game piece having plural corners, the
game piece suitable for sliding on the game board, the game piece
providing a game piece indicia indicating unique numerical values,
one of the numerical values associated with each one of the plural
comers of the game piece, thrusting the game piece in contact with
the game board by each of the opponents, alternately, until the
game piece is positioned on one of the zone lines; and assigning a
value in game points corresponding to how the game piece is
situated on said zone line.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising assigning a game point
value of 2 points when only the 2 point game piece comer is
positioned on a zone line.
7. The method of claim 5 further comprising assigning a game point
value of 3 points when only the 3 point game piece comer is
positioned on a zone line.
8. The method of claim 5 further comprising assigning a game point
value of 6 points when only the 6 point game piece comer is
positioned on a zone line.
9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of thrusting
the game piece through the air toward a field goal and assigning a
game point value of 1 point when the game piece passes through the
field goal.
10. The method of claim 5 further comprising assigning a game point
value of one-half the sum of the values assigned to two opposing
comers of the game piece when the two game piece comers are
positioned on a zone line.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates generally to board or street games
using a field of play and a set of opposing goals and more
particularly to a specific game of this type with particular
methods of play and scoring simulating that of American
Football.
[0003] 2. Description of Description of related Art
[0004] The following art defines the present state of this
field:
[0005] Reynolds, U.S. D315,279 describes a projectile game
piece.
[0006] Roberts, U.S. D323,011 describes a football game piece.
[0007] Dozier, U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,114 describes a puck for use in
a parlor game played on a table top or the like in which the
principal object is to flip the puck with a finger and lag it to
overhang the opposite edge of the table; the puck comprises a body
of foam material with vertical sides with a low density of
approximately three pounds per cubic foot and in the shape of an
acute triangle having sides somewhat more than two inches; comers
of said triangle are rounded to a radius of about one-quarter inch;
the puck is about one-half inch thick and has a bottom surface
layer of non-woven nylon fabric with a coefficient of sliding
friction on clean, dry glass of approximately 0.8. The top of the
foam body has adhered thereto a triangular piece of plastic sheet
material on which advertising or other indicia may be printed.
[0008] Blagg, U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,323 describes a board game
representing a sport, such as football. The game has a playing
board, which represents the playing field. Player disks represent
players, and a ball disk represents the football. The ball disk has
beveled edges, so that it will slide over the player piece when the
ball disk is propelled across the playing board. The ball disk is
propelled by thumping the ball disk with a finger.
[0009] Hinkes, U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,858 describes a system and
process for forming an instant, fixedly attached but removable game
court on any type of concrete, black-top, asphalt, or like outdoor
hard surface, which allows a game involving frictional contact of
the players with the hard surface to be played on the game court
without the removal of the game court, and the subsequent easy
removal of the game court by rinsing of the hard surface with water
from a conventional garden hose or by natural rainwater.
[0010] Stites, U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,095 describes a game board with
an elongated rectangular shaped member having a top side. At each
end, a series of axial scoring numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and a series of
lateral scoring numbers 1, 2, 3 are formed on the top side.
[0011] Robinson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,888 describes a
football game and football game apparatus in which a simulated
football is thumped by the finger of a player to place the football
in play and move the football to various locations on a board
provided with the game. The football apparatus includes a game
board has a planar playing surface, yard lines and goal lines
marked thereon, movable goal posts, and a trough adjacent to the
goal lines to catch the simulated football. The game board may be
supported by legs, or placed on the top of a table.
[0012] Bonk, U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,912 describes a table football
game which comprises a table football having a flat configuration.
The table football game further comprises a table which comprises a
first table edge and a second table edge. The first table edge and
the second table edge are positioned on opposing sides of the
table. The table football game further comprises at least one first
player performing an action selected from a group consisting of
first player's kick, first player's goal, first player's palm,
first player's finger shooting, and first player's palm shooting.
The table football game further comprises at least one second
player performing an action selected from a group consisting of
second player's kick, second player's goal, second player's palm,
second player's finger shooting, and second player's palm shooting.
A result occurs from the action performed by the at least one first
player and the at least one second player. The result is selected
from a group consisting of table football touchdown having table
football touchdown points associated therewith, table football
extra point, table football two-point conversion, table football
field goal having table football field goal points associated
therewith, table football bonk having table football bonk points
associated therewith, and winning points.
[0013] Barnhart et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,996 describes A
football game piece in the form of a triangular shaped, relatively
flat playing piece having equal length side edges and a longer side
edge, and with the comers formed by the side edges being relatively
rounded and squared-off for safety purposes. In addition, the
squared-off comer prevents the game piece from sliding when the
game piece is in an upright position on the squared-off comer. The
game piece is formed by a core section made of lightweight foam
material, and first and second woven fabric veneers having
relatively slick outer surfaces, to allow game piece to slide
across a table, game board or other non-porous surface.
[0014] The prior art teaches the use of games and game pieces for
use in finger and foot manipulated games and indeed game pieces for
such games as in Reynolds and Roberts as defined above, but does
not teach a game with game structure and rules of play as defined
herein in simulating American Football. The present invention
fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as
described in the following summary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The present invention teaches certain benefits in
construction and use which give rise to the objectives described
below.
[0016] A game apparatus and method of play by a pair of opponents,
uses a game board on a level surface or field. A game board indicia
resembles an American-Football field with two spaced apart and
opposing end zone front lines. A triangularly shaped and flatly
formed game piece provides numerical values at its three comers.
The game piece is suitable for sliding on the game board, and is
thrust back and forth on the board by the contestants or opponents,
with game piece generally in contact with the game board, until the
game piece is positioned on one of the end zone front lines. Values
or scores are assigned to the opponents corresponding to how the
game piece is situated on the end zone front lines. Additional
points may be acquired through aerial thrusts of the game piece
through an upright goal situated in each of the end zones of the
game board.
[0017] A primary objective of the present invention is to provide
an apparatus and method of use of such apparatus that provides
advantages not taught by the prior art.
[0018] Another objective is to provide such an invention capable of
simulating American Football play with only as few as two
individual opponents.
[0019] A further objective is to provide such an invention capable
of being played through hand or foot manipulation of a game
piece.
[0020] A still further objective is to provide such an invention
capable of simulating the scoring process found in American
Football play.
[0021] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by
way of example, the principles of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention.
In such drawings:
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of
the invention;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a further perspective view thereof.
[0025] FIG. 3 is a plan view of an end zone thereof showing three
possible positions of a game piece in play; and
[0026] FIG. 4 is a similar plan view thereof showing alternate
positions of the game piece.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] The above described drawing figures illustrate the invention
in at least one of its preferred embodiments, which is further
defined in detail in the following description.
[0028] A game apparatus of the invention comprises a game board 10
for placement on any level surface. The game board 10 may be
constructed of plastic or paper sheet stock and may be flexible or
rigid. In this embodiment the game board 10 may be placed on a
table or similar object for support. Alternately, the game board 10
may be drawn in the street or on a sidewalk with chalk or similar
materials (not shown). Preferably, the game board 10 provides a
game board indicia 12 resembling an American-football field as
shown in the figures. A triangularly shaped and flatly formed game
piece 20 has three corners 22, 24, 26. The game piece 20 is
suitable, by its construction and surface finish, for sliding on
the game board 10. The game piece 20 provides a game piece indicia
28 indicating unique numerical values associated with each of the
three comers 22, 24, 26 of the game piece 20, as shown in FIG. 4.
These values are preferably 6, 3 and 2 respectively as will become
clear in the description of use and method of play in the
following. Preferably, the game apparatus further comprises at
least one self standing field goal 30 having a pair of spaced apart
uprights 32 extending vertically from a cross bar 34 as shown in
FIG. 1. Still further the apparatus preferably comprises at least
one pair of end zone pieces 40, 42, where each of the end zone
pieces provides an indicia defining a team name as most clearly is
shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The purpose of the end zone pieces 40, 42
is to enable a player to more closely associate with a professional
or other actual team of choice while playing the game of the
present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the end zone pieces
are fitted, like puzzle parts into tight fitting depressions
defining the end zone areas of the playing board or field.
[0029] A preferred method of game play is carried out by a first
and a second opponents who's hands are depicted in FIG. 2.
Alternately, teams of two pairs of players may enter into the play
of the invention. However, only one individual may enter into play
at one time as will be described below.
[0030] The method comprises providing the game board 10 and
triangularly shaped game piece 20 previously defined above. Play is
defined by a process of thrusting the game piece 20 in contact with
the game board 10 by each of the opponents or their seconds,
alternately, until the game piece 20 is positioned on one of a pair
of spaced apart end zone front lines 14 (FIGS. 3 and 4). When this
occurs a value, in game points, corresponding to how the game piece
20 is situated on the end zone front line 14 is assigned to the
opponent making the thrust. In a table-top sized version of the
present invention the game piece 20 is of a size and weight, as
shown in the figures so as to be manipulated by flicking a finger
to thrust the game piece in a desired directions. This type of
finger flicking is well known to youngsters in games using marbles
and soda bottle caps where these objects are projected through the
use of a finger thrust. Alternately, when the game is enlarged on
the sidewalk, for instance, the game piece may be much larger and
heavier and may be thrust by kicking. It should be clear that the
following description of play and scoring may easily be applied to
the game as played in any practical scale.
[0031] The method of scoring corresponds roughly to that of
American football and includes a game point value of 2 points when
only the 2 point game piece comer is positioned in an end zone, a
game point value of 3 points when only the 3 point game piece comer
is positioned in an end zone, and a game point value of 6 points
when only the 6 point game piece comer is positioned in an end
zone. This is clearly shown by the center, right side and left side
game pieces in FIG. 3 and corresponds to a safety, field goal and
touchdown in American Football play. Notice that only the
individual comer of the game piece 20 is positioned within the end
zone of the playing board, while the remainder of the game piece 20
must be positioned on the playing field in order to award points.
If no portion of the game piece 20 protrudes into the end zone then
a thrust does not generate any points. Also, if a thrust places the
game piece fully within the end zone or beyond, no points are
generated.
[0032] To simulate an attempt to achieve an "extra-point" after a
touchdown (6 point score), the method of the present invention,
further comprises the step of thrusting the game piece 20 through
the air toward the opponent's field goal 30 and assigning a game
point value of 1 point when the game piece passes through the
uprights of the field goal 30. This is best seen in FIG. 2. If the
game piece 20 does not pass through the goal 30 prior to touching
the surface, then zero points are awarded. Please notice that, as
in FIG. 2, the goal 30 may be replaced by the hands of ones
opponent.
[0033] In the process of thrusting the game piece 20 toward the end
zone front line 14 it is possible that the game piece may come to
rest on the line 14 in a manner as shown at the left in FIG. 4. In
this case, a game point value of one-half of the sum of the values
assigned to the two opposing comers of the game piece which lay
within the end zone is awarded. In the present case a value of
1/2(6+2) is awarded, or 4. Clearly further rules of play may be
added to the game in order to make it more closely correspond to
the game of American Football. For instance a set of two "halves"
or four "quarters" may be used to gauge the duration of a single
game, wherein a timer may be used to control playing duration.
However, the primary distinct and novel aspect of the present
invention is the use of value assignments to the comers of the
triangular game piece and the method of assignment of scores
related to the movement of the game piece relative to features of
the board and its associated accessories.
[0034] While the invention has been described with reference to at
least one preferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by
those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto.
Rather, the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in
conjunction with the appended claims.
* * * * *