GB2185413A

GB2185413A - Game apparatus e.g. as lottery ticket

Info

Publication number: GB2185413A
Application number: GB08530292A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Terence Arthur Bubear
Original assignee: Clark Bubear Hill & Partners L
Current assignee: Clark Bubear Hill & Partners L
Priority date: 1985-12-09
Filing date: 1985-12-09
Publication date: 1987-07-22
Also published as: GB2185413B; GB8530292D0

Abstract

Game apparatus comprising a substrate (10) having symbols thereon, respective detachable means (12) covering and obscuring one or a group of said symbols, each said detachable means having thereon in a concealed manner a symbol or symbols the same as or systematically related to the respective symbol or symbols of the substrate concealed by the detachable means, and a respective symbol displayed in association with each detachable means. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Game apparatus The present invention relates to game apparatus and in particular to apparatus suitable for use in a game associated with a product or service promotion campaign.

There is a constant need for fresh games.

Games such as bingo have been used extensively in product and service promotion campaigns. There is a constant need for fresh and original themes for such promotional exercises and a need for alternative games suitable for use in such promotional activities.

The present invention provides in a first aspect game apparatus comprising a substrate having symbols thereon, respective detachable means covering and obscuring one or a group of said symbols, each said detachable means having thereon in a concealed manner a symbol or symbols the same as or systematically related to the respective symbol or symbols of the substrate concealed by the detachable means, and a respective symbol displayed in association with each detachable means.

Typically, the substrate may be provided by a sheet or card.

Preferably, such a sheet or card comprises an under sheet portion and an over sheet portion held in face to face relation, e.g. by adhesive or by edge crimping in such a way that symbols on the under sheet are concealed.

Preferably, the over sheet is provided with windows serving as said detachable means and overlying a respective symbol or group of symbols on the under sheet.

Preferably, said windows are demarcated by creases, cuts and/or lines of weakness enabling the windows readily to be partially detached and folded back to reveal the area of the under sheet immediately behind them or enabling the windows readily to be entirely detached.

The windows may in a particularly preferred arrangement be demarcated by a cut line along one side of each window and a perforated line along three other sides defining the window.

Preferably, the symbols present in a concealed manner on the detachable means are printed on the reverse of such windows so as to be seen only when the window is opened or detached.

Preferably, the symbols displayed in association with the detachable means are dates or names of days weeks or months. These may be displayed on the detachable means itself or on an adjacent area of the substrate. For instance they may be printed on the over sheet portion of a sheet or card adjacent and/or on a respective window. Preferably, the said displayed symbol is provided on the respective window.

There may be any desired number of detachable means on the substrate but preferably there are either thirty or sixty such detachable means.

The substrate may further include a detachable portion adapted to serve, optionally after folding, as a posting envelope or as a post card in which or on which detached ones of said detachable means may be returned to an authority running a game involving the game apparatus to claim a prize.

The substrate may further include a detachable portion upon which a claimant may write their name and address. One or more positions may be marked on the sheet where winning detachable members may be attached for return to a games organising authority.

The game apparatus may further comprise at least one win indicator comprising a display of a first and a second symbol in association.

Generally, a win will be indicated in the game by matching to the symbols of the win indicator one of the concealed symbols of a respective detachable means in combination with the associated displayed symbol of the same detachable means.

The win indicator may be on public display.

In a second aspect, the invention provides game apparatus comprising a multiplicity of playing pieces, each comprising a substrate having symbols thereon constituting first and second sets of symbols, each symbol in the first set being associated with a symbol in the second set, and at least one win indicator on public display showing a first and a second symbol in association.

There may be a multitude of such playing pieces. Each may preferably be game apparatus incorporating detachable means as described above. In that case, the first set of symbols is constituted by the concealed symbol of the detachable means and the second set by the displayed symbol of the detachable means.

The win indicator on public display may for instance be published in a newspaper or other periodical, shown in an advertisement either in the press or on television, displayed by description in an audio broadcast or displayed in some other form of advertisement, for instance at a point of sale of goods or services.

Preferably, there are a plurality of different win indicators which are displayed in accordance with the rules of the game sequentially at spaced time intervals, for instance a different win indicator may be displayed each day.

The invention will be illustrated by the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawing in which the figure shows an example of game apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention.

The figures shows a corner portion of a multi-layer card constituting the substrate required according to the invention. The card comprises an under sheet 10 and an over sheet 11 which overlies the under sheet 10 and is attached thereto, e.g. by spots of adhesive distributed over the surface so that the two sheets are firmly held together or by crimping of the edges of the sheets together.

The over sheet 10 is provided with an array of windows 12 each of which is demarcated from the remainder of the over sheet by lines of perforation extending around three sides of each window. The fourth side may also optionally be perforated or may be cut through entirely or may be left unperforated.

As can be seen by virtue of the over sheet being shown cut away, the under sheet is provided at each window location with a symbol, in this case a letter of the alphabet. Each window has printed thereon an indication of a day to which that window relates. This indication could suitably be an actual date assigned to each window. To assist the player in keeping track of events after the windows have been removed, the same day indication is printed on the over sheet 11 below the window area.

On the underside of the over sheet 11 each window is printed with a symbol which corresponds to the corresponding symbol on the under sheet 10. Thus, in the lower leftmost window which is shown open, one can see the symbol "C" printed on the underside of the window and on the under sheet below the window.

The array of windows may suitably include thirty or more windows, for instance 60 windows or 90 windows.

Naturally, the sheet may be printed with various attractive visual symbols both for filling the functional requirement required by the invention and providing decoration.

The apparatus may further comprise a win indicator which might for instance in the case of this example take the form of a display of the letter "C" in conjunction with "Day 20".

The game apparatus may be employed in playing a game as follows. A multitude of cards similar to that shown may be distributed in conjunction with or incorporating advertising material relating to a product or to services.

The symbols concealed by the windows may also relate to the goods and/or services in question.

Commencing from the day on which the game starts, a respective win indicator is displayed in some manner where it is publicly accessible, a different indicator being displayed each day. The win indicator may be displayed by being published in a newspaper, by being displayed in one or more shops or other points of sale, by being distributed to players or shown in any form of advertisement. The aim of a player is to have in their possession a card having a window combining the day indicator symbol and the concealed symbol which appear in combination in the respective day's win indicator.

A great deal of control is conferred upon the game organisers as to the number of winners, their geographical spread and the times at which wins are made.

At the choice of the organisers, the cards distributed may all be the same or may all be different. They may all be the same except for a few cards which are potentially winning cards. The combinations displayed on the win indicator on any day may be chosen such that no card can win or that all cards win or that a few cards win.

The game has the advantages that it is easy to play and provides a daily opportunity of winning. In the context of an advertising promotion game, this implies that the players will frequently look at the card and hence at the advertising material provided on or with it, thus obtaining a high impact for the advertising in question. If winning combinations are shown in advertisements for the product or service in question, those playing the game will pay a lot of attention to such advertising thus increasing its impact.

It will be appreciated that whilst the invention has been described with reference to the characteristics of a specific embodiment, many modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Game apparatus comprising a substrate having symbols thereon, respective detachable means covering and obscuring one or a group of said symbols, each said detachable means having thereon in a concealed manner a symbol or symbols the same as or systematically related to the respective symbol or symbols of the substrate concealed by the detachable means, and a respective symbol displayed in association with each detachable means.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the substrate is provided by a sheet or card.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the sheet or card comprises an under sheet portion and an over sheet portion held in face to face relation.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the over sheet is provided with windows serving as said detachable means and overlying a respective symbol or group of symbols on the under sheet.

5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, wherein said windows are demarcated by creases, cuts and/or lines of weakness enables the windows readily to be partially detached and folded back to reveal the area of the under sheet immediately behind them or enabling the windows readily to be entirely detached.

6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the the windows are each demarcated by a cut line along one side of each window and a perforated line along three other sides defining the window.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 6, wherein the symbols present in a concealed manner on the detachable means are printed on the reverse of the windows so as to be seen only when the respective window is opened or detached.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the symbols displayed in association with the detachable means are dates or names of days weeks or months.

9. Game apparatus comprising a muitiplicity of playing pieces, each comprising a substrate having symbols thereon constituting first and second sets of symbols, each symbol in the first set being associated with a symbol in the second set, and at least one win indicator on public display showing a first and a second symbol in association.

10. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 9 wherein each playing piece is game apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8.

11. Game apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.