GB2232086A - Game cards - Google Patents

Abstract

Game or instructional apparatus takes the form of a set of cards, with at least one card carrying a win indicator of photoactive material, for example printed in photochromic ink. The win indicator is rendered visible on exposure to UV light. The cards may be used for lottery or question-and-answer games. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN GAME CARDS This invention relates to game or instructional apparatus and more particularly to such apparatus comprising a set of cards.

It has become common to provide cards for lotteries and a wide variety of games of chance, which have a foil or similar coating which is removed by scratching to reveal, in the case of a winning card, a "win representation1,. Other cards may carry no "win representation" or a "win representation" in differing amounts or categories. The precise form of the "win representation" can take a broad variety of forms, examples being a direct statement of a monetary prize or a graphical representation from which by matching or otherwise the player can deduce that he has won.

It is an object of one aspect of this invention to provide a set of game cards, for use in a game of chance, which offer a novel and more appealing form of "win representation".

It is a further object of one aspect of this invention to provide a of or game cards for use in a game of chance which can be produced in generally conventional printing processes without the need for covering layers to be removed by the user.

Accordingly, the present invention consists in one aspect in a set of game cards for use in a game of chance, the game cards being visually indistinguishable under normal conditions and at least one of the cards bearing a win indicator formed of photo-active material so as to be rendered visible or rendered visibly identifiable only on exposure to light of a speciic wavelength or range of wavêlengths.

There are a number of forms of commercially available game apparatus and a wide variety of instructional apparatus utilising cards having a question printed on one side and an answer on the other. In some cases, the question may be replaced by a simple mathematical or other problem with the~answer then taking the form of the solution to the problem. In some cases, each card may bear more than one quesion or problem.

It is an object of a further aspect of this invention to provide an approved set of cards for use in a game or as instructional material in which a representation of the problem or solution is visible from neither side of the card until positive action is taken.

Accordingly the present invention consists in a further aspect in a set of cards for use in a game or as instructional material, each card bearing a representation visible under normal conditions of a question or a problem together with a representation of a corresponding answer or solution which is rendered visible or rendered visibly identifiable only on exposure to light of a specific wavelength or range of wavelengths.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates one card in a set of cards according to this invention; and Figure 2 is a similar illustration of a modified form of card.

The card illustrated in Figure 1 can be formed in any suitable fashion from, for example, paper, board or a wide range of plastics materials. The card carries promotional, instructional or general design matter such as that shown at 12 which is printed or formed in entirely convention printing procedures. The card also bears three win representations 14. These are all visible under normal conditions. By way of example, the win representations are shown as a specific monetary amount, an unspecified "jackpot" monetary amount and, to be used by customers in a store, a discount level. One of the three win representations is printed not in conventional ink but in ink exhibiting a photo-active effect. That is to say the ink contains a material which undergoes a change of colour on exposure to light of a specific wavelength or range of wavelengths.

Examples of such materials are fulgides and their derivitives, and spiropyrans. Reference is directed in this connection to: US-4,220,708; GB-1 442 268; GB-1 464 603; GB-2 002 752; and GB-2 051 813 although as will be apparent to one skilled in this art, a wide variety of materials are available which exhibit a photochromic or other photo-active effect.

After a card has been sold or otherwise distributed, the recipient offers the card to a light source having an appropriately shaped and shielded opening. The light source may, for example, comprise a commercially available flashgun. On exposure to the light source, the photo-active material undergoes a change of colour thus uniquely identifying one of the three win representations.

In an alternative, illustrated in Figure 2, each card has the capacity to bear one of three win representations but none are visible under normal conditions. One win representation is printed using a photo-active ink which, in one of its coloured forms, is of the same colour as the background. The other spaces on the card may be left blank or may be printed similarly with ink which is of the same colour as the background, but which does not exhibit a photo-active effect.

The latter alternative will be appropriate where the presence of photo-active ink (even in its uncoloured or background coloured form), might be detected by feel or by very close visual inspection. In this case, exposure of a card to an appropriate light source renders one win representation visible.

It should be understood that there are a wide variety of ways in which, according to this invention, a win representation can be depicted. In the case where, as shown in Figure 1, every card bears a plurality of normally visible win representations, a win indicator may be provided in forms other than the described colour change. For example, a graphical device such as an arrow or a border may be printed in photo-active material adjacent one of the three win representations which are then all printed in "normal" ink. In a case such as Figure 2 where no win representation is normally visible, the number of possible win representations can be significantly increased. Some cards in the set of cards may have no win representation; however, a preferred alternative is for every card to have a win indicator with, if necessary, the majority of "win indicators" comprising a zero or other null.

It will often be appropriate for a photo-active material to be selected which undergoes a permanent colour change. This would avoid unauthorised or fraudulent exposure of the cards in order to identify winning cards before sale or distribution. If it is desired for colour or other reasons to utilise for the win indicator a photo-active material which does not undergo a permanent colour change. It would be possible to include a simple "tell-tale" of a photo-active material which did undergo a permanent colour change.

In the forms of the invention described by way of example above, it is clearly important for the game card of the set to be visually indistinguishable under normal conditions. In the case of a lottery, the "set" may be very large. In an alternative form of this invention, the cards are not identical under normal conditions and bear different questions or problems.

In one example, a set of game cards is provided with each card bearing one or more questions. The answer or answers corresponding to those questions are printed or otherwise formed on the card in photo-active material. Once an attempt has been made to answer the question, the card is held against an appropriate light source to render the question visible. The photo-active material is desirably selected so as not to undergo a permanent colour change in order that the card may be re-used as often as desired. The photo-active material is desirably of a form which fades relatively quickly under ambient conditions to its uncoloured or background form. Alternatively, a second light source may be provided which serves to bleach the photo-active material.

The questions can of course take a very wide variety of forms. The described cards can also be used as instructional material with each card, for example, bearing a multiplication table or other mathematical problem. It is believed that the appearance of the solution in a manner which children may regard as "magic", will considerably enhance the appeal of the instructional material.

In further alternatives, the cards bear a single question and a number of Cecsible answers to the question all normally invisible. An indicator of photo-active material is provided which by colour change or the appearance of a suitable graphical device, on exposure to the light source uniquely identifies the correct one of the possible answers.

Still further alternatives will occur to those skilled in the art.

The light source for use with cards according to this invention will to a degree vary with the type of photo-active material employed and thereby the wavelength or range of wavelengths required. In many cases, a simple flashgun will suffice. It will often be desirable to produce a light source into which the card must be inserted for exposure. In this way, a relatively bright source can be used without inconvenience or safety risk. Preferably, the light source is actuated by a microswitch or similar device upon insertion of the card. Where it is necessary to bleach the photo-active material to return it to a colourless form, two separate card entry slots are provided. It will often be possible to employ a single light source for both colouring and bleaching, with appropriate filters positioned adjacent the respective card entry slots.

In some cases, it will be appropriate to use sunlight as the source of light. Thus a set of lottery or other cards may be dispensed from a relatively light free enclosure with the win indicator appearing on exposure of the card to sunlight.

It should be understood that this invention has been described by way of examples only and numerous still further modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (11)

1. A set of game cards for use in a game of chance, the game cards being visually indistinguishable under normal conditions and at least one of the cards bearing a win indicator formed of photo-active material so as to be rendered visible only on exposure to light of a specific wavelength or range of wavelengths.

2. A set of game cards according to Claim 1, wherein every game card has the capacity to bear any one of a plurality of win indicators common to the set of game cards.

3. A set of game cards according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein each card bears an identical plurality of win representations visible under normal conditions and said win indicator comprises a colour change or graphical device uniquely identifying one of the said win reeresentations.

4. A set of game cards according to Claim 3, wherein every card in the set bears a win indicator, there being for each of the plurality of win representations, at least one card in the set which bears a win indicator uniquely identifying that win representation.

5. A set of game cards according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said photo-active material undergoes a substantially irreversible colour change on exposure to said light.

6. Game apparatus comprising a set of game cards in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, in combination with a source of light of said specific wavelength or wavelength range.

7. A set of cards for use in a game or as instructional material, each card bearing a representation visible under normal conditions of a question or a problem together with a representation of a corresponding answer or solution which is rendered visible or rendered visibly identifiable only on exposure to light of a specific wavelength or range of wavelengths.

8. A set of cards according to Claim 7, wherein the said representation on each card of an answer or solution is printed or otherwise formed in photo-active material.

9. A set of cards according to Claim 7, wherein each card bears a plurality of representations of answers or solutions, one only of which corresponds with said representation on the card of a question or problem and wherein there is provided an identifier of photo-active material which when rendered visible on exposure to light of said specific wavelength or range of wavelengths serves uniquely to Fientify said one of said plurality of representations.

10. A set of cards according to Claim 8 or Claim 9, wherein said photo-active material undergoes a reversible colour change on exposure to said light.

11. Game or instructional apparatus comprising a set of cards according to any one of Claims 7 to 10 J- combination with a source of light of said specific wavelength or range of wavelengths.