CA3125598A1 - Game apparatus and method - Google Patents

Abstract

A game apparatus kit comprising a mat and a game object, the mat having a front surface and a rear surface, the rear surface having disposed thereon an adhesive for adhering the mat to a wall, the adhesive being a non-residue-forming adhesive permitting selective removal of the mat from the wall without leaving adhesive residue thereon, the front surface comprising at least one target region, the target region comprising an attachment element for attaching the game object thereto when the game object contacts the target region.

Description

CANADA
PATENT APPLICATION
PIASETZKI NENNIGER KVAS LLP
File No.: WALL0003/SPS
Title: Game Apparatus and Method Inventor(s): Brian Schiffman Date Recue/Date Received 2021-07-21 Title: Game Apparatus and Method FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[001] This invention is directed to the field of field of games and toys.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[002] Recently, the Covid-19 pandemic has forced people, including children, to stay at home, when they might otherwise have been in school or playing with friends. There have been resulting challenges to the children, including boredom.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[003] It is therefore desirable to provide a means of entertainment, amusement and engagement for children which can be enjoyed at home, even without friends present.

[004] According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a game apparatus kit comprising a mat and a game object, the mat having a front surface and a rear surface, the rear surface having disposed thereon an adhesive for adhering the mat to a wall, the adhesive being a non-residue-forming adhesive permitting selective removal of the mat from the wall leaving the wall free of adhesive residue thereon, the front surface comprising at least one target region, the target region comprising an attachment element for attaching the game object thereto when the game object contacts the target region.

[005] The mat may be comprised of vinyl. The kit may include a game object driver such as a hockey stick or a golf club. The game object may comprise a spherical ball (approximately the size of a baseball or a tennis ball), an American football (usually a prolate spheroid), a long narrow shaft (to mimic an arrow shot by a bow, but without an arrowhead), or a soccer ball. The target region may comprise hook elements, and the game object Date Recue/Date Received 2021-07-21 may comprise loop elements, wherein the hook elements and loop elements attach to one another to attach the game object to the target region when they contact one another. The adhesive may comprise a non-residue forming glue such that upon removal of the mat from the wall, the wall is unsoiled by glue residue. The mat may further comprise a removable backing layer covering the adhesive.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[006] Reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the figures which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention, and in which:

[007] Figure 1 shows a football version of the mat;

[008] Figure 2 shows a hockey version of the mat;

[009] Figure 3 shows a partial view of the game kit;

[0010] Figure 4 shows a version of the game kit assembled and in use;

[0011] Figure 5 shows a soccer version of the game (optionally including a pump for a ball);

[0012] Figure 6 shows a checkers and/or chess version of the game;

[0013] Figure 7 shows a baseball version of the game;

[0014] Figure 8 shows a golf version of the game;

[0015] Figure 9 shows a bow and arrow version of the game; and

[0016] Figure 10 shows a mat with a removal backing layer partially removed therefrom.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Referring now to the figures, a game kit 10 is shown removed from its packaging. The kit includes a mat 12, and a game object 14. The game object may be a ball, whether spherical or in the shape of an American football. It may be sized approximately as a soccer ball or as a baseball.
The game object may also be an imitation arrow without a real arrowhead (shot with a bow), or chess or checkers pieces, or some other game object.

[0018] The kit may also include a game object driver 16, such as a hockey Date Recue/Date Received 2021-07-21 stick, or golf club, or a bow. Alternatively, in playing the game, the game object may be driven by the user without any kind of driver. For example, the user can throw a ball, or kick a ball, or place checker and chess pieces by hand.

[0019] The balls used in the baseball and hockey versions of the game are preferably slightly larger than tennis balls, and more compressible than regular tennis balls. This greater compressibility assists with attachment to the mat (discussed below) and also makes the balls less likely to break objects in a home or otherwise cause damage. In general, the game objects used herein ¨ especially the ones intended to be thrown, kicked or otherwise driven through the air ¨ are configured when applicable to be soft and blunt, so as not to, for example, damage walls or furniture (though the possibility of damage cannot be completely eliminated).

[0020] Mat 12 has rear surface 18 and front surface 20. Front surface 20 preferably includes at least one target region 22 and at least one non-target region 24. The target region 22 is generally intended as the region to which the game object should be thrown, kicked or otherwise driven to for attachment. In some embodiments, the game objects are placed at the target region (e.g. checkers, chess). The target region may include numbers 26 indicating a number of points for accurately projecting the game object on to the target region.

[0021] The non-target region 24 may be an image region, bearing an image relevant to the game. For example, the hockey version may show a hockey goalie, the golf version a golf course, the football version a receiver, or the baseball version a catcher positioned to receive a pitch. Other examples are shown in the figures.

[0022] The rear surface preferably includes a non-residue-forming adhesive thereon permitting selective removal of the mat from the wall 13 without leaving adhesive residue thereon. The adhesive, typically a glue, attached the mat to the wall so the game can be played.

[0023] The mat may include a removable backing layer 28 covering the rear Date Recue/Date Received 2021-07-21 surface and the adhesive. The backing layer 28 is peeled off of the mat and the mat attached to the wall to facilitate playing the game.

[0024] The mat is preferably composed of vinyl. It is preferably thin and flexible, permitting ease of manipulation and attachment to the wall. It is also preferably very light, and because of its composition and flexibility, can be rolled into a cylindrical shape and easily (and compactly) packaged for shipping. For example, a hockey version of the mat can preferably be rolled up and packaged for shipping in a box measuring 62 cm by 12 cm by 12 cm.
Because of its preferred thin and flexible characteristics, this rolling up of the mat does not damage it or prevent it from being unrolled and mounted to the wall for use. Because of its light weight, the adhesive is sufficient to keep the mat mounted to the wall indefinitely.

[0025] The target regions and game objects are preferably configured for mutual attachment. In the preferred embodiment, the game object has on its surface a loop pile and the target region a hook pile for mechanical hook and loop pile fastening. Thus, when the game object is propelled toward the target region, or placed thereon, and contacts the target region, the game object attaches to the target region. Thus, for example, when the ball in shot toward the "net" in the hockey version of the game (Figure 3), and contacts a target region (say, in the top left corner of the mat), the ball attaches to that target region. That region is marked as being worth 20 points, and the user might use that number in the game as a way of assigning points. This same idea applies mutatis mutandis to the other games.

[0026] In the chess or checkers game, the game objects might instead be used simply to play checkers and chess, but those games still have target regions (namely, the chess or checker board) to which the game objects (checkers or chess pieces) attach.

[0027] To use the apparatus, the user might have a kit as described above.
The user might remove the mat from packaging, remove the backing layer, and attach the mat to a wall. Then, the user might propel the game object toward a target region (or place them there) according to the specific version Date Recue/Date Received 2021-07-21 of the game being played.

[0028] The user might later detach the mat from the wall, and reattach it to a wall at a different location, with the game then being played at the new location. Preferably, the wall from which the mat is removed does not leave adhesive residue, and the wall is not otherwise dirtied or soiled by the mat upon the mat being removed.

[0029] In an alternative embodiment, the chess and checkers game may comprise a magnetic mat, and the game objects may attach to the mat magnetically.

[0030] In another alternative embodiment, in the archery game, the imitation arrows may attach to the mat using suction cups.

[0031] While the foregoing preferred embodiments of the present invention have been set forth in considerable detail for the purpose of making a complete disclosure of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other embodiments described herein are comprehended by the broad scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-07-21

Claims (9)

CLAIMS:

1. A game apparatus kit comprising:
a mat;
a game object;
the mat having a front surface and a rear surface, the rear surface having disposed thereon an adhesive for adhering the mat to a wall, the adhesive being a non-residue-forming adhesive permitting selective removal of the mat from the wall without leaving adhesive residue thereon, the front surface comprising at least one target region, the target region comprising an attachment element for attaching the game object thereto when the game object contacts the target region.

2. A game apparatus kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mat is comprised of vinyl.

3. A game apparatus kit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a game object driver for propelling the game object.

4. A game apparatus kit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the game object comprises a ball, and the game object driver comprises a hockey stick.

5. A game apparatus kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the game object comprises a spherical ball, an American football, a long narrow shaft, or a soccer ball.

6. A game kit apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the target region comprises hook elements, and the game object comprises loop elements wherein the hook elements and loop elements attach to one another to attach the game object to the target region.

Date Recue/Date Received 202 1-07-2 1

7. A game kit apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adhesive comprises a non-residue forming glue such that upon removal of the mat from the wall, the wall is unsoiled by glue residue.

8. A game kit as claimed in claim 1, the mat further comprising a removable backing layer covering the adhesive.

9. A method of assembling and using a game, comprising:
providing a game kit as claimed in claim 8;
removing the backing layer;
attaching the mat to the wall by means of the adhesive;
propel the game object toward the target region such that it contacts the target region and attaches thereto.

Date Recue/Date Received 202 1-07-2 1