GB2122098A - Collapsible playing card holder - Google Patents

Abstract

The holder (10) comprises a plurality of panels (11) interconnected by hinges (18) and has a plurality of playing card locating tapes (14, 15) on a surface of the holder, retained in place by fasteners (13, 16), and may have a thread (19) extending on the opposite side of the holder between apertures (22, 23). The surfaces of the holder may be of waterproof material and the tapes or threads may be arranged other than as shown. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Collapsible/foldhg playing card surface This invention relates to playing card surfaces and is particularly concerned with a foldable or collapsible playing card surface for portable use and which is adapted to assist in the retention of playing cards placed upon the surface under outdoor conditions or when the board is subject to disturbance. Positioning of the cards is important in many games and sudden disruption or disturbance can disrupt or even ruin the progress of a particular game. Such disturbance may dislodge cards from particular areas where their positioning is significant and/or may expose them to the unintended view of other players, affording undue advantage contrary to the rules of the game.However, it is desirable that any positioning or locating means for cards should not unduly inhibit the movement of cards to or from the surface or indeed around the surface and yet should be sufficiently secure to inhibit the ready removal or dislodgement of cards under conditions of portable use, particular outdoors where the light-weight cards are exposed to transient air currents.

It is further necessary that any locating or securing means for cards upon the playing surface be such as to allow folding or collapsing of the surface or a board forming the surface and also allow stability in the folded condition and in the operative unfolded condition. These constraints must be fulfilled without making the board unduly bulky or cumbersome, consistent with its collapsible and portable nature.

According to the invention there is provided a collapsible or foldable playing card surface comprising a plurality of edge inter-connected generally planar panels with a flexible or resilient binding hinge therebetween at selected edges thereof and incorporating a plurality of securing, fastening or binding threads penetrating the board thickness and being selectively exposed on at least one side of the board in a configuration adapted to locate unobtrusively a playing card or other fabric sliver upon the board surface locally, the number of retaining points for the thread being such as to maximise the surface area usage of the individual panels and yet provide a reasonable number of securing lines or points thereupon.

Preferably the panels are fabricated from cardboard, hardboard or metal and are optionally covered by a suitable playing card surface material, for example, vinyl, adhesively bonded to the board material. Such a covering may advantageously be extended to form the interconnecting flexible or resilient panel edge hinge as a peripheral lateral extension from the panel proper forming an overhanging hinged spine.

Desirably, the panels are provided with cooperative sets of opposed apertures for optional threading with a locating cord, whereby the configuration of cords may be changed at will according to the intended use of the board. Thus, for example, when columns of cards are required to be located, a series of parallel thread rows is desirable, in this way the game of Solo or Patience may be played by one person utilising the entire playing surface area, no other players being directly involved.

Alternatively, where a plurality of players are involved, each player may have a generally designated or allocated area on the board for that person's cards and the locating threads are arranged or disposed accordingly to accommodate a collection of cards in that area; there may also have to be provision for one or more central storage piles from which cards are taken or upturned according to the particular game being played.

There now follows a description of a particular embodiment of the invention, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of a collapsible outdoor playing card surface: Figure 2 shows a side elevation of the board shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows an opposite plan view to that shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, a collapsible or foldable outdoor playing card surface is provided upon a board 10 made up of a series of four interconnected rectangular, and in particular square, panels 11, with hinged edge inter-connections selectively arranged so that the panels may be folded over one another to form a stack one upon another in the collapsed condition, thereby affording a more compact overall shape and size.

Each panel is formed of suitably stiff board material which is thin in depth relative to its overall area and suitable board material may comprise cardboard, hardboard, plywood or even metal sheet, desirably alloy to minimise weight.

Metal sheet may be corrugated to provide stiffening and corrugations may also provide the ancillary function of promoting or assisting card location, for example with respect to the locating means described later.

The board panels 11 may be covered with a facing material, for example a smooth, stippled, ribbed or otherwise corrugated vinyl fabric adhesively bonded to afford the required surface properties, in particular to allow the cards to be moved about without undue difficulty and yet assist in their retention in situ in the desired positions on the board. Taking account of the requirement, for outdoor use, the covering if any, should desirably be weatherproof and in particular waterproof, at least against external splashing if not total immersion.

The configuration of retaining tapes or cords upon the playing surface is such that there are two, inner and outer, peripheral rings, secured by spaced fasteners. Specifically, a generally octagonal outer tape ring 1 5 secured at the corners of the octagon by fasteners 16, which may suitably comprise press-studs or eyelets, crimping the tape run between the corners 1 6 is closely 10, imparting suitable tape tension thereto so that the tape run between the corners 1 6 is closed adjacent the surface of the board 10, but without being unduly tight, so as to allow folding of the individual panels 11 of the board 10 for the folded or collapsed condition as described later. For this purpose the tape itself it desirably somewhat resilient or elastic.

The inner tape loop 14 is of square configuration and is symmetrically disposed within the outer octagonal tape loop 15, the tape 14 being fastened at its corners by simitar fastenings 13 to the fastenings 16.

It will thus be appreciated that playing cards can be tucked under the spaced tapes 14 and 1 5, either singly or in two parallel rows, to form a part or complete ring of cards on the board 10.

Moreover, cards can be stacked one upon another in marginally opposite relationship still being retained by the co-operative tapes 14 and 15.

When the individual panels 11 are folded over at their hinged edge connections 18, the tapes 14 and 1 5 are alternatively slackened or tensioned along their length running transversely across the hinge or fold line. A suitable folding sequence for the panels 11 of the board 10 is as follows: Firstly two adjacent panels 11 are folded over along a common hinge axis and secondly the folded double thickness is folded over once again about a single common spine to form a stack for superimposed panels 11.

Along opposed edges of the board 10 are disposed a series of apertures 22 and 23 through which can be threaded additional tapes 1 9 for locating playing cards in a row, for example in a manner suitable for playing Solo or Patience.

Optionally, a series of parallel threads may be arranged at one side of the board 10 and another configuration such as that illustrated in Figure 1 arranged on the opposite side thereof.

If desired, a different panel shape and configuration can be employed and the number of inter-connected panels may be changed to suit the particular requirements of the game to be played.

It will also be appreciated that insignia may be incorporated on the surface of the panels 11 and the game may be one which relies on cards as an ancillary feature in addition to other playing pieces which may be removed around the surface of the board 10 during the course of the game - that is to say the card location feature may be incorporated as a subsidiary part of the game to be played upon a permanent or removable. surface upon the board 10 and incorporating, for example, a playing piece routing map.

The width and nature of the tapes may be varied so as to provide a secure retention of playing cards without obscuring unduly the designating characters and legends upon the cards. The tapes may be replaced by threads of much smaller overall section.

Claims (4)

1. A foldable playing card surface, comprising a plurality of inter-connected panels with one or more hinged edge inter-connections therebetween and provided with a plurality of playing card locating tapes or threads drawn across the surface thereof between fastening or connecting points.

2. A collapsible playing card surface as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the tapes are threaded through apertures in the playing surface.

3. A collapsible playing card surface as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the tapes are secured by fastening studs crimped through the thickness of the board forming the playing card surface.

4. A collapsible playing card surface substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.