GB2422326A

GB2422326A - Toy conker with hit strength sensor.

Info

Publication number: GB2422326A
Application number: GB0524995A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Neal Jameson Scott
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-12-11
Filing date: 2005-12-08
Publication date: 2006-07-26
Also published as: GB0524995D0; GB0427187D0; WO2006061621A1

Abstract

A toy conker comprises a substantially spherical main body 1, a handset 2 and a flexible element 2 connecting the main body to the handset. Means for sensing the strength of a hit are provided in the main body and the handset contains a controller and a power source. The controller and sensing means are connected. The means for sensing the strength of a hit may comprise a microphone, a tug sensor 7 or piezoelectric sensors. The handset preferably comprises a display 5. The controller may include means for determining the lifespan of the conker and when the lifespan value is reduced to zero by appropriate strikes on the conker, the controller provides a visual or audio alert.

Description

Toy Conker

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a toy conker, more particularly to an electronic toy conker which is used to play a game similar to the traditional game of conkcrs.

Background of the Invention

The game of conkers is traditionally pL'tycd by two players, each using a horse-chestnut threaded onto a string. Both players take it in turns to hit their opponent's conker until one of the conkers is destroyed. I.he player whose conker remains intact is declared the winner.

The winning player earns the right to add one to the value of his conker. If however the conker that was defeated was already a winner, then the winning player also adds the defeated conker's score to his conker's score.

For example, if a conker has never been used before and succeeds in defeating another unused conker, it scores one and becomes a one-er'. If, in the next game it defeats another new conker, it becomes a two-er' and SO Ofl. But, if this two-er loses a game, its score is added to the other person's conker. So if they used a new conker on a two-cr, it becomes a three-er and so on.

A disadvantage of the traditional game is that at least one of the conkers is destroyed dunng the course of a game. There is a risk that players can be injured by debris flying from a conker as it is bit. Several schools have banned children from playing the trac.litional game of conkers for this reason, and other schools insist that children wear protective goggles to protect their eyes when playing the game.

A further disadvantage of the traditional game is that the losing player whose conker has been destroyed must find himself a new horse-chestnut if he wishes to play further games.

A further disadvantage of the traditional game is that horse-chestnuts are only available in the autumn, SC) playing the game is limited to the time of year.

A further disadvantage of the traditional game is the method of scoring. Scoring relies upon each player remembering, and dlscl( )sing to the other player, how many games they have won with that particular conker.

Attempts have been made to provide a mechanical alternative to the traditional horse- chestnut for playing a game similar to the traditional conkers game.

US 6,332,851 describes a reusable toy conker that has a plurality of segments which can be struck from the main body of the toy during a game of conkers. The segments can be refitted to allow the conker to be reused. This toy does not address the issue of potential injury to players as the removable segments could still cause injury during a game. The problem of keeping score accurately is also not addressed here.

GB 2,143,142 describes a mechanical conker that has an indicator to show when a winning bit has been struck by another mechanical conker. The indicator mechanism is released when a trigger device on the body of the conker is hit during the game. A game of conkers played with this toy is not a realistic game as each conker must be struck in one particuhir place in order to win the game. The number of hits sustained by a conker has no effect on the outcome of the game.

It would be desirable to provide an improved toy conker.

Summary of the Invention

One aspect of the invention provides a toy conker as specified in Claim 1.

Preferred aspects of the invention ate specified in the claims dependent on Claim 1.

The invention provides an improved toy conker which is durable and minimises risk of injury to players. The invention provides an exciting game which closely mimics the traditional game of conkers with the added advantages of bemg available all year round, providing electronic scoring means and a reusable conker.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention: Figure 1 shows one embodiment of a toy conker; Figure 2 and Figure 3 show two players playing a game of conkcrs with the toy conker of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows two toy conker handsets connected together to transfer score data; Figure 5 shows a carry case for the toy conker in a closed configuration; and Figure 6 shows the carry case of Figure 5 in an open configuration, showing internal compartments for housing the toy conker.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

With reference to Figure 1, a toy conker 10 comprises a substantially spherical main body 1 symbolismg a conker. Preferably the conker 1 resembles a traditional conker.

Preferably the conker I is made from a durable material such that it can withstand the force of many hits without becoming damaged. The conker I is attached to one end of a cord 2. The opposite end of the cord 2 is attached to a handset 3. The cord 2 may be detachable from the handset 3 to allow the conker I to be replaced.

ilie handset 3 includes a socket or data port 6 for connecting the handset to a second handset in order to transfer data between the two handsets.

The handset 3 is preferably a plastic housing containing a power source and a controller or microcontroller.

The handset 3 may include a display screen 5 for displaying score information or information relating to the conker 1. The display screen 5 may be an LCD or similar display.

The handset 3 also includes a reset button 4.

In a preferred embodiment, conker I is substantially hollow and there is a microphone present inside the conker 1. The microphone is used to sense the strength of a bit during a game. In this ctnbodiment, the cord 2 comprises an electrical wire to connect the microphone within the conker 1 to the controller in the handset 3.

Alternatively, the conker toy 10 may have a tug sensor 7 at the end of the cord 2. Ihe tug sensor 7 senses the cord 2 being pulled during a hit and this is used to sense the strength of a hit during a game. The tug sensor 7 is connected to the controller in the handset 3.

In a further alternative embodiment, there are a number of piezoelectric sensors mounted on the surface of the conker 1. These sensors sense the strength of a bit during a game by producing a voltage that is proportional to the strength of the impact. By placing the piczoclectric sensors in different locations, it is possible to provide a number of different csweet spots' that produce a better hit. In this embodiment, the cord 2 comprises an electrical wire to connect the piezoclectric sensors on the conker 1 to the controller in the handset 3.

When the toy conker 10 is first used, the reset button 4 is pressed. Pressing the reset button 4 activates the controller within the handset 3 to generate a lifespan value for the conker 1. The lifespan is a randomly generated number chosen from a pre-selected range. For example the lifespan may be any number between 20 and 70. This randomly generated lifespan value is stored within the memory of the controller in the handset 3.

This lifespan value may be displayed Ofl the display screen 5. In an alternative embodiment the lifespan of the conker may be displayed graphically on the display screen. In a further alternative embodiment, the lifespan of the conker may not be displayed Ofl the screen 5 at all.

Figures 2 and 3 illustrate two toy conkers 10 being used to play a game of conkers. The challenger or bitter shown in Figure 2 wraps the cord 2 around their index and middle fingers whilst grasping the handset 3. The opponent or player being hit shown in figure 3 grasps their handset 3' and allows their conker 1' and cord 2' to dangle freely. I'he hitter strikes the opponents conker 1' with his conker 1.

In a preferred embodiment the microphone within each conker 1, 1' picks up the sound of the hit. the controller within each handset 3, 3' analyses the strength of the bit according to the volume of sound picked up by each microphone. The hit is then assigned an arbitrary value by software in the controller in the handset 3.

The output signal from the microphone within the conker I is a voltage pulse. The microcontroller measures this pulse and the highest voltage measured is considered to be the hit strength. This maximum value of the pulse is compared to a number of set ranges and is assigned a value, for example between one and five, five being the highest hit value.

lot example, with a 9V supply to the microphone, hits give a voltage pulse of approximately 0 to 250mV. A maximum detected voltage of 50 to lOOmV is assigned a hit value of one, a maximum of 100 to I 5OmV is assigned a hit value of two, a maximum value of 150 to 200mV is assigned a hit value of three, and a maximum of greater than 200mV is assigned a hit value of five.

This hit value is then deducted from the lifespan value of that conker. In a preferred embodiment, the hitter's conker and the opponent's conker both detect a hit value. The hit value recorded by each conker may well be different. The orientation of the microphone within each conker is random, so it is possible that both microphones will record different hit values during the same hit.

In an alternative embodiment, the handsets may be provided with an on/off switch so that the hitter can switch off his conker during the hit. In this embodiment, only the opponent's handset would register a hit value.

1he normal procedure of playmg the game of conkers is the fillowed until the lifespan of one of the conkers falls to a value of zero or less. A visual alert or a sound is activated by the controller to make the players aware that one conker has been eliminated. The player whose conker is not eliminated is declared the winner of that game, and a value of one is added to their conker's core.

The two handsets 3, 3' are now connected together via connectors 6 as shown in Figure 4. The losing conker's previous score is transferred to the winning conker. As with the traditional game, a conker's score is the number of thnes it has beaten another conker without itself being eliminated. The score may be displayed on display screen 5. The winning conker retains the remaining hfespan value from the end of the previous game and can go on to challenge another player.

In an alternative embodiment, the score may be transferred from one handset to another via a wireless connection, for example via an infrared or radio based connection.

The player with the losing conker can play another game after pressing the reset button 4 on his handset 3. Pressing the reset button 4 resets the score of the conker to zero and generates a new randomly generated lifespan value for that conker.

When a player has finished playmg with his toy conker 10, there is provided a carry case 11 as shown in Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 shows the case in a closed position. Figure 6 shows the case in an open position and shows in detail the internal components 12 and 13 that house the conker I and handset 3 of the toy conker 10.

Claims

Claims 1. A toy conker comprising a substantially spherical main body, a

handset, a flexible element for attaching the main body to the handset, and means for sensing the strength of a hit to the main body, wherein the handset COiSCS a controller and a power source and the toy conker comprises means for connecting the controller to the means for sensing the strength of a hit.
2. A toy conker as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a random number generator for generating a lifespan value.
3. A toy conker as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lifespan value is in the range 20 to 200.
4. A toy conker as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the flexible element is selected from the group comprising: a string, a rope, a chain, a cord and an electncal wire.
5. A toy conker as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the main body is substantially hollow.
6. A toy conker as claimed in claim 5, wherein the means for sensing the strength of a hit comprises a microphone.
7. A toy conker as claimed in claim 6, wherein the microphone is situated inside the main body.
8. A toy conker as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the flexible element comprises an electrical wire connecting the microphone to the controller
9. A toy conker as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the means for sensing the strength of a hit comprises a tug sensor attached to the end of the flexible element.
10. A toy conker as claimed in any of claims I to 5, wherein the means for sensing the strength of a hit comprises a plurality of piezoelectric sensors on the surface of the main body.
11. A toy conker as claimed in claim 10, wherein the piezoelectric sensors are positioned non-uniformJy on the surface of the main body to provide at least one sweet spot'.
12. A toy conker as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein the flexible element comprises an electrical wire connecting the piezoelectric sensors to the controller.
13. A toy conker as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein when the main body received a bit, the controller receives an input from the means for sensing the strength of a bit, and the controller then assigns a bit value to that hit.
14. A toy conker as claimed in any of claims 2 to 13, wherein the controller deducts the hit value from the lifespan value.
15. A toy conker as claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein the hit value is in the range 0 to 5.
16. A toy conker as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the handset comprises a display screen.
17. A toy conker as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the handset comprises means for connecting to another similar handset.
18. A toy conker as claimed in claim 17, wherein the means for connecting to another handset comprises a socket on the handset
19. A toy conker as claimed in claim 17, wherein the means for connecting to another handset comprises a wireless infra-red connection.
20. A toy conker as claimed m any preceding cIim, wherein the controller provides a visual or audio alert when the lifespan value is less than or equal to zero.
21. A toy conker substantially as shown in and described with reference to the drawings. I0