US3753562A

US3753562A - Pattern recognition board game structure

Info

Publication number: US3753562A
Application number: US00172469A
Authority: US
Inventors: K Knowlton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-08-17
Filing date: 1971-08-17
Publication date: 1973-08-21
Anticipated expiration: 1990-08-21

Abstract

A structure for playing a pattern recognition game. The structure includes a playing board with apertures that are symmetrically distributed in a grid and are interconnected by guide marks. The overall outline of the grid is a six-sided geometric figure with its corners eliminated. Playing pieces such as marbles are placed in selected apertures of the board to form equilateral triangles that are outlined by the guide marks and capture opposing playing pieces that are included in and within triangles thus formed. The elimination of the corner apertures of the six-sided grid prevents any player from easily establishing a dominant position on the board.

Description

United States Patent 11 1 Knowiton 1 Aug. 21, 1973 PATTERN RECOGNITION BOARD GAME [21] Appl. No.: 172,469

[52] US. Cl. 273/130 F, 273/131 B, 273/136 E,

273/136 K [51] Int. Cl. A63f 3/00 [58] Field of Search 273/130, 131, 132,

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 929,814 7/1947 France 273/!30 R Primary Examiner-Delbert B. Lowe Attorney-George E. Kersey [57] ABSTRACT A structure for playing a pattern recognition game. The structure includes a playing board with apertures that are symmetrically distributed in a grid and are interconnected by guide marks. The overall outline of the grid is a six-sided geometric figure with its corners eliminated. Playing pieces such as marbles are placed in selected apertures of the board to form equilateral trian- [56] References Cited gles that are outlined by the guide marks and capture UNITED STATES PATENTS opposing playing pieces that are included in and within 2,273,009 2/1942 Fisher 273 134 B "males thus The the 942,984 2/1909 Underhm 273/130 R ertures of the s1x-s1ded g r1d prevents any player from 947,603 1/1910 Stcacy 273/136 0 estabhshmg a dmmam 3,462,150 8/1969 Eriksson 273/13l B 3,356,369 12/1967 Stubbmann 273/136 E x 3 Drawing Figure 262,066 8/1882 Linton 273/135 R A 3A 7 ,1 R4 tag/M) Q A Q Q (-13 Patented Aug. 21, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet I FIG. IA

FIG. /8

lNl/E/VTOR By KENNETH C. KNOWLTON [M a K y A T TORNE V Patented Aug. 21, 1973 3353562 2 Shoots-Sheet 2 F IG. 2

\ Q Q Q Q Q Q QQMQYQW! 2 2 i PATTERN RECOGNITION BOARD GAME STRUCTURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a pattern recognition game structure and more particularly to a game structure for triangular pattern recognition.

A game structure typically includes a game board and playing pieces which are manipulated in accordance with a specified set of rules. Where the board and playing pieces are complex, the game can be too difficult for ordinary players. On the other hand, if the board and playing pieces are simple, the game may be too easily mastered.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a game structure in which the concepts are easily mastered and yet there is challenge to players with wide varieties of skills. A related object is to realize a game in which the strategies can have an unlimited degree of complexity, using basic rules which are straightforward and simple. Another related object is to realize a challenging game that is playable with a simply configured game board using a relatively small number of standard playing pieces.

In addition to being a source of amusement it is advantageous for a game to have teaching value as well. Games have been devised to illustrate various mathematical concepts, and it is desirable to demonstrate pattern recognition relationships and concepts as well.

Another object of the invention therefore is to provide a teaching game which is concerned with pattern recognition. A related object is to provide for pattern recognition by a game structure in which the patterns may be of varying sizes and relationships.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accomplishing the foregoing and related objects, the invention provides a game board with uniformly distributed apertures that form a grid which is optimally rounded in the sense that the overall outline of the grid apertures is a symmetric geometric figure with its corners eliminated. One consequence of such a grid is that the largest triangular pattern formed on the board by playing pieces such as marbles has vertices which are capturable, in accordance with one set of rules for use of the grid, by the playing pieces of an opponent. Another consequence is that any player is prevented from easily establishing a dominant position on the game board.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the apertures are interconnected by guide marks to provide visual assistance to the formation of permitted patterns. Each such mark can be a part of a multiplicity of permitted patterns. The marks are advantageously molded into the game board.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the game board is provided with two pockets for each player, one being for the playing pieces of that player and the other being for playing pieces captured from an opponent.

In using the game structure in accordance with the invention, the players take turns in positioning their playing pieces, e.g., marbles, in selected, unoccupied apertures of the game board. The object is to form equilateral triangles along the guide marks which capture the playing pieces of an opposing player within the triangles thus formed. The first player who cannot make a play is the loser. To further prevent any player A from easily establishing a dominant or non-vulnerable position on the board, the rules may provide, for example, that no two adjacent positions at the outer edge of the grid may be occupied by the same player.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other aspects of the invention will become apparent in considering several illustrative embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a game board of a game structure in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 1B is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the game board of FIG. 1A, showing illustrative playing pieces in the form of marbles; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an alternative game structure in accordance with the invention showing an illustrative pattern of apertures being used in forming triangular playing patterns.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT Turning to the drawings, a game structure 10 in accordance with the invention is formed by a game board 11 and various playing pieces 12 which are selectively inserted into apertures 13 of an optimally rounded grid to realize desired playing patterns. The realization of the patterns is facilitated by guide marks 14 between apertures. The particular game board of FIG. 1A is intended for the use of two players and provides respective pockets 151 and 15-2 for respective playing pieces.

A cross section of the game board 11 is shown in FIG. 1B. The board 11 is desirably formed by vacuum or injection molding of a plastic material. The inter-guide lines 14 of the grid are desirably in the form of depressions in order to simplify the manufacture and eliminate the need for marking the face of the board after it is removed from the mold. As illustrated in FIG. 1B, the apertures 13 are semispherical depressions which are adapted to receive playing pieces 12 in the form of marbles. The playing pieces 12 fit into the apertures 13 of the board 11 to a depth of approximately one-fourth of their diameter to provide secure seating in specified positions and ease of removal. To facilitate molding and to obtain a uniform margin for the board 11, the center-to-center distance of seven of the apertures 13 is made equal to 10 marble diameters.

Details of the grid configuration of FIG. 1A are set forth in FIG. 2. The grid G illustratively has 55 apertures which are arranged for optimal rounding. For that purpose the overall outline of the grid of FIG. 2 forms a hexagon withits comers removed.

The grid G includes a center row R of apertures and a plurality of pairs of adjoining rows R R',; R R g; R R';,; and R, R, on opposite sides of the center row.

In the case of the SS-aperture grid of FIG. 2 the number of apertures per row is given by Table I.

TABLE I Row Number of Apertures Rhd 0 7 R,, R, 8 R2 7 s 6 R41 R( 3 In general the number of apertures 13 in the first pair of adjoining rows R,, R, is one greater than the numher of apertures in the center now R and each row of each succeeding pair R R',; R;,, R, and R R, has at least one less aperture than the preceding row, with each outermost row (illustratively the rows R and R,) having three fewer apertures than the row that it adjoins. Consequently, a grid with a center row of nine apertures could have successive pairs of rows of IO, nine, eight and seven apertures each, and a fifth, outermost pair of rows of four apertures per row.

Where the game patterns to be formed are equilateral triangles, the centers of the apertures 13 in each succeeding row, for example, the first outer row R are staggered with respect to those of each preceding row, for example the center row R and the guide marks 14 are of equal lengths between adjoining apertures along a row and between rows.

Another relationship that can be applied is that the number of pairs of adjoining rows in three less than the number of apertures in the center row R and the number of apertures in each of the outermost rows, for example R, and R,, is given by the number of apertures in the center row R minus the row number of the outermost row.

, In the particular grid arrangement of FIG. 2, it is possible to form 136 different equilateral triangles, each having a side that includes at least two guide marks.

In the game structure of FIG. 2, the game board 11 has two sets of pockets and 16 for each of two players. The subscripts identify the particular player. Pockets 15-1 and 15-2 are for playing pieces, i.e., marbles 12, of the first and second players. Similarly the pockets 16-1 and 16-2 are for the playing pieces captured by the respective players.

Illustratively, the marbles of the first player are red R and those of the second player are blue B. After a succession of individual plays, the marbles have'the configuration shown in FIG. 2, with the large equilateral triangle T-l including within it, and therefore capable of capturing, the vertex marble 12-1 of an equilateral triangle T-2 formed by the second player and the blue marble 12-2 within the first triangle T-l. A marble along the edge of a triangle is considered to be within the triangle and capturable by it.

A representative set of rules for playing a triangles game using the game structure is:

1. Players R (red) and B (blue) start with equal numbers of marbles (16) in pockets 15-1 and 15-2, respectively. Players play alternately and the first one who cannot play loses.

2. A play consists of (a) placement of a player of one of his marbles on an unoccupied aperture 13 on the board 11, provided a player may not play in two adjacent outer edge positions, or alternatively, occupy more than six outer edge positions at one time, or (b) capture or harvest of an equilateral triangle, defined by the guide markers 14 on the board, provided that his own marbles define its three vertices and at least one of the opponents marbles lies inside of the triangle, e.g., marbles 12-1 and 12-2 within triangle T-l of FIG. 2. In harvesting a triangle, all of the marbles within the triangles are removed, including the three vertex marbles. The opponents marbles are permanently captured; the players own are returned to his supply pocket 15-1 or 15-2, to be used again.

The game configuration of FIG. 2 further illustrates the foregoing rules in that (a) the blue player, during his turn, may not capture the blue" triangle T-2 since it does not contain a red marble, (b) blue may not play in aperture 13-1, (c) on "reds" turn, he can play in aperture 13-2 because aperture 13-3 is not considered to be an outer edge position.

While various aspects of the invention have been set forth by the drawings and the specification, the foregoing detailed description is for illustration only, and it will be apparent that various changes in parts as well as the substitution of equivalent constituents for those shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A game structure comprising a game board with a plurality of apertures therein;

said apertures being symmetrically distributed on said game board to form, in overall outline, a geometric figure having six sides with its corners eliminated;

thereby to provide a game board for triangular pattern recognition.

2. A game structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the apertures of said game board are interconnected by guide marks to provide visual assistance for the formation of desired triangular patterns.

3. A game structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said apertures include a center row of apertures and a plurality of pairs of adjoining rows of apertures; and

each outermost row has three fewer apertures than the row that it immediately adjoins.

4. A game structure as defined in claim 3 wherein the number of pairs of adjoining rows is three less than the number of apertures in said center row and each succeeding adjoining row has one fewer aperture than the preceding adjoining row.

5. A game structure as defined in claim 3 wherein the number of apertures in each outermost row is given by the number of apertures in said center row minus the row number of said outermost row.

6. A game structure as defined in claim 3 further including playing pieces in the form of marbles for selective insertion into said apertures in accordance with a prescribed set of rules.

7. A game structure as defined in claim 6 wherein the center-to-center distance of seven of said apertures is equal to 10 marble diameters and each marble has a depth of insertion that is one-quarter of its diameter.-

8. A game structure as defined in claim 6 wherein three of said marbles are of a specified color and are positioned on said game board in vertex apertures of an equilateral triangle defined by guide marks between apertures.

9. A game structure as defined in claim 6 wherein said game board includes two sets of pockets for each player, one for the playing pieces of said player and the other for the playing pieces captured from an opponent.

10. A game structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said game board is molded from plastic with 55 apertures therein and a storage pocket for the playing pieces of each player; the center row has seven apertures, the rows immediately adjoining said center row have eight apertures each, and the succeeding pairs of adjoining rows have seven, six and three apertures in each row.

I k F i t

Claims

1. A game structure comprising a game board with a plurality of apertures therein; said apertures being symmetrically distributed on said game board to form, in overall outline, a geometric figure having six sides with its corners eliminated; thereby to provide a game board for triangular pattern recognition.

3. A game structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said apertures include a center row of apertures and a plurality of pairs of adjoining rows of apertures; and each outermost row has three fewer apertures than the row that it immediately adjoins.

7. A game structure as defined in claim 6 wherein the center-to-center distance of seven of said apertures is equal to 10 marble diameters and each marble has a depth of insertion that is one-quarter of its diameter.