GB2220144A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Game apparatus (2) comprising a plurality of balls (4), first marker means (6) for marking at least the start of a ball scoring area (8), and second marker means (10) for marking a start position (12) from which the balls (10) are rolled into the scoring area (8), the balls (10) being such that they are magnetic balls, and each ball (10) being such that it has a first portion of a first colour and a second portion of a different colour which is different from the first colour. <IMAGE>

Description

GAME APPARATUS This invention relates to game apparatus and, more especially, this invention relates to game apparatus comprising a plurality of balls.

There are many known types of game apparatus which have a plurality of balls. Such game apparatus is always popular because players are able to show and develop skills in throwing or rolling the balls as may be required by the rules of the various known pieces of game apparatus.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide new game apparatus which can be played by players rolling a plurality of balls, the game apparatus being simple to play with whilst requiring skills from the players, so maintaining their playing interest.

Accordingly, this invention provides game apparatus comprising a plurality of balls, first marker means for marking at least the start of a ball scoring area, and second marker means for marking a start position from which the balls are rolled into the scoring area, the balls being magnetic balls, and each ball being such that it has a first portion of a first colour and a second portion of a second colour which is different from the first colour.

Games played with the game apparatus may be played by one or more players. The game apparatus can be used indoors or outdoors and' it can be played on a variety of surfaces.

Thus, for example, if the game apparatus is used indoors, a game can be played on carpet or floor covering surfaces.

If the game apparatus is used outdoors, then a game can be played on grass, sand or paving stones, depending upon where the game is being played. The scoring area can be adjusted in size to suit the skills of the player or players playing a game, and also to suit the-area available in which to play a game.

The use of the first and second colours enables the baUs easily to be indentified. This increases player excitement because the players can easily see and identify a ball or balls which should form a target for subsequently rolled balls. The identification by means of colour is superior to identification of the balls by numbers since numbered balls could confuse scoring during a game played with the game apparatus.

Preferably, the game apparatus is one in which the first colour on each ball is the same on all of the balls, and in which the second colour on all of the balls is a different colour to the other second colours on the other balls. Such a colour scheme enables all of the balls to look visually exciting whilst having a single common colour which is the first colour and which can be used to identify a similar magnetic pole in each of the balls. For example, the first colour can indicate a north magnetic pole. Since it is known that like magnetic poles repel and unlike magnetic poles attract, players can attempt to roll their balls such that they come to rest adjacent unlike magnetic poles in other balls. The magnets in the adjacent balls will then attract each other and the balls will stick together.

This will give players an increased chance of making contact with previously rolled balls, as opposed to haphazardly rolling the balls when like poles might become adjacent to each other, in which case the magnets will repel the balls.

The first colour is 'preferably white but it can be of any other desired colour. The colour can be a single colour such as white or it can be a plurality of colours such as might be achieved with spots, lines or other designs.

Preferably, there are ten balls. More or less than ten balls may however be employed.

The balls will usually be made of a plastics material since such balls can easily be formed to be hollow and light. Other materials can however be employed.

Advantageously, each ball contains a pair of the magnets, there being one magnet located at each end of a locating sleeve. The use of two small magnets in each ball may be preferable to employing one large magnet stretching across the diameter of each ball.

The magnets may be made of any desired material so that the magnets may be ceramic magnets or metal magnets.

Ceramic magnets are presently preferred. Usually, the magnets will be provided inside the balls by having each ball in two halves which is subsequently stuck together when the magnet is placed in the ball.

If desired, more than one magnet may be placed in a ball to give that ball two or more north magnetic poles and two or more south magnetic poles.

When the game apparatus is for indoor play, then the balls are preferably 2.5-3cm in diameter. When the game apparatus is for outdoor use, then the balls are preferably 4.5-6cm in diameter. Other sizes of balls may of course be employed. Especially when the game apparatus is for indoor use, the balls are advantageously relatively small so that they can all be held in a player's hand. Thus each player can then start his or her turn with a handful of balls.

The first marker means may comprise one or more pieces of material for laying on the ground or floor and for defining at least the start of the scoring area.

Preferably, the first marker means is a pair of right angled members, each right angled member having a first arm for defining the start of the scoring area and a second arm for defining one side of the scoring area. If four such right angled members are used, then a square or a rectangular scoring area can be defined. Alternatively, the far end of the scoring area can be defined by a wall, or by a skirting board on a wall.

The second marker means may comprise one or more pieces of material for laying on the ground or floor and for defining the start position.

The second marker means may be just a single strip of material. The second marker means may have the same shape as the first marker means.

The first and the second marker means may be made of any desired and appropriate materials. Preferably they are made of a plastics material. The first and the second marker means may be of any colour so that they may be for example, white. The first and the second marker means can be coloured to be the same or different from each other.

The first and the second marker means may be 2.5-3cm wide.

The game apparatus may include back stop means for stopping balls going past or too far past the scoring area.

The back stop means may be any upstanding device so that it may be,for example, an upstanding board. The use of back stop means may be especially advantageous when the game apparatus is being used outdoors and when a wall is not readily available to act as back stop means.

The game apparatus may be attractively packaged in a plastics bubble pack. The first and/or the second marker means may be employed to define the perimeter of the pack.

The game apparatus may be packaged such that eight balls are held in place by the construction of the pack, whilst two balls are free to roll and link up with lines formed by the other eight balls. Thus potential purchasers of the game apparatus can pick up the pack and shake it about to experience briefly how the game apparatus can be used and played, before they actually purchase the game apparatus.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows first game apparatus in use; Figure 2 shows second game apparatus; Figure 3 shows third game apparatus; Figure 4 shows fourth game apparatus; Figure 5 shows fifth game apparatus; and Figure 6 shows sixth game apparatus.

-RéfEerring to Figure 1, there is shown game apparatus 2 comprising ten balls 4, first marker means in the form of two right angled members 6 for defining the start of a scoring area 8, and second marker means in the form of two right angled members 10 for marking a start position 12 from which the balls 10 are rolled into the scoring area 8.

As can be seen from Figure 1, the end of the scoring area 8 is defined by a wall 14.

The size of the scoring area 8 may be varied to suit the skill of players playing with the game apparatus 2, and it may also be varied to suit the available space.

By way of example, it is mentioned that the members 6 may be placed one metre from the wall 14, and the members 10 may be placed two metres from the members 6.

A game is played with the game apparatus 2 by the players taking it in turn to roll the balls 10 from the start position 12 into the scoring area 8. Only balls in the scoring area 8 can score. Any ball which touches the wall 14 is regarded as a dead ball which cannot score.

Similarly, any ball which is outside the scoring area 8 is also a dead ball which cannot score.

Games may be played such that each player has a turn consisting of two goes. The player's first go may be to roll all ten balls 14 from the start position 12 towards the scoring area 8. The players second go may then involve removing any or all of the scoring balls 14 from the scoring area 8 and rolling these balls again in the second go.

Any balls 14 which are outside the scoring area 8 may be subsequently knocked back into the scoring area 8 by other rolled balls, in which case the previously dead balls can then become scoring balls.

The game may be played such that the players use strategy to get good groupings of balls together to present as large a target as possible for their second go in each turn. At the end of the second go in each players turn the points can be calculated. The points gained can be marked on a scoring device such for example as a scoring pad.

The winner of a game will be the player with the most points. A game can be played for a predetermined number of turns of the players, or the game may be played with a time limit.

Points may be scored as follows.

One ball = 1 point (1 x 1) Two touching balls = 4 points (2 x 2) Three touching balls = 9 points (3 x 3) Four touching balls = 16 points (4 x 4) Five touching balls = 25 points (5 x 5) Six touching balls = 36 points ( 6 x 6) Seven touching balls = 49 points (7 x 7) Eight touching balls = 64 points (8 x 8) Nine touching balls = 81 points (9 x 9) Ten touching balls = 100 points (10x10) Figure 2 shows second game apparatus in which the balls 4 are in a different position in the scoring area 8. Also, the members 10 have been replaced by a single second marker means in the form of a strip 16.

In Figure 3, the members 6 have been replaced by first marker means in the form of a strip 18.

In Figure 4, the strips 16, 18 are both employed instead of the members 10, 6 respectively.

In Figures 5 and 6, extra members 20 are employed as shown to further define the scoring area 8.

In Figures 1 - 6,the balls 14-are magnetic balls and each ball is such that it has a first portion of a first colour and this first colour is the same on all of the balls.

Preferably the first colour is white but other colours may be employed. The balls 14 also have a second portion of a second colour and the second colour is different from the first colour and the second colour on all of the balls is preferably a different colour to the second colours on the other balls. Usually the first and the second colours will each occupy one half of the balls. The first colour is advantageously used to indicate the magnetic north pole on each ball.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the first and the second marker means may be shaped differently than shown in the drawings. Also, the first colour could indicate the magnetic south poles of the balls instead of the magnetic north poles. Furthermore, the first and the second colours can easily be combinations of colours including spots and lines and other designs. Also, if desired, especially for use of the game apparatus outdoors where a wall 14 may not be available, back stop means may be provided. If desired, the points awarded for scoring can be different than given above. For example, treble points could be given for touching balls in the scoring area 8 whilst single points could be given for balls which are in the scoring area 8 but which are not touching.

Claims (16)

1. Game apparatus comprising a plurality of balls, first marker means for marking at least the start of a ball scoring area, and second marker means for marking a start position from which the balls are rolled into the scoring area, the balls being magnetic balls, and each ball being such that it has a first portion of a first colour and a second portion of a second colour which is different from the first colour.

2. Game apparatus according to claim 1 in which the first colour on each ball is the same on all of the balls, and in which the second colour on all of the balls is a different colour to the other second colours on the other balls.

3. Game apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which there are ten balls.

4. Game apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the balls are made of a plastics material.

5. Game apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which each ball contains a pair of magnets, there being one magnet located at each end of a locating sleeve.

6. Game apparatus according to claim 5 in which the magnets are ceramic magnets.

7. Game apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first marker means comprises one or more pieces of material for laying on the ground or floor and for defining at least the start of the scoring area.

8. Game apparatus according to claim 7 in which the first marker means is a pair of right angled members, each right angled member having a first arm for defining the start of the scoring area and a second arm for defining one side of the scoring area.

9. Game apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the second marker means comprises one or more pieces of material for laying on the ground or floor and for defining the start position.

10. Game apparatus according to claim 9 in which the second marker means is a single strip of material.

11. Game apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first and the second marker means are made of a plastics material.

12. Game apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and including back stop means for stopping balls going past or too far past the scoring area.

13. Game apparatus according to claim 12 in which the back stop means is an upstanding device.

14. Game apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and which is packaged in a plastics bubble pack, the first and/or the second marker means being employed to define the perimeter of the pack.

15. Game apparatus according to claim 14 in which eight balls are held in place by the construction of the pack, whilst two balls are free to roll and link up with lines formed by the other eight balls.

16. Game apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.