GB2239609A - Game of identifying smells - Google Patents

Abstract

A game comprises bottles 1 each containing a substance with a distinctive smell. The bottles are mounted in compartments 3 of a rotary container 2. Each bottle has a letter of the alphabet 4 which identifies the substance with an answer device. Pads 5 of tear-off sheets are also provided for recording the answers to the substances identified from the smells in the bottles. The answer device comprises a cardboard disc 8 with cut-out portions which is mounted to rotate on a support panel 10 printed with the letters of the alphabet 11 and information. By rotating the disc 8 in line with the selected letter 11 the correct substance is shown in a window 13 and relevant information about the substance in a window 14. Alternatively, the substances may be encapsulated in a card or cards with the smell being released on breaking a seal. <IMAGE>

Description

A GAME APPARATUS This invention relates to a game apparatus more particularly to a game for identifying the smells of different substances.

An aim of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus which is simple to use and provides an interesting and challenging pastime.

According to the present invention there is provided a game apparatus comprising a plurality of containers or other means containing substances each having a different smell, a plurality of recording means to record the identity of the different substances and an answer list of the correct substances, wherein the containers or other means containing the substances are identified by a character or characters unrelated to the contents, the or each character or characters being shown against the substances on the answer list.

Preferably, the recording means are in the form of a pad of removable sheets printed with the character or characters and with a space beside the or each character or characters to insert the name of the substance, and a space for the competitors name.

Conveniently, the answer list is in the form of a disc with apertures mounted to rotate on a support panel printed with the list of correct substances, the or each character or characters identifying the container for the substance being aligned to appear selectively through the apertures in the rotatable disc.

An embodiment of the invention will now be discribed by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the game apparatus according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a recording pad, and Figure 3 is a plan view of one embodiment of an answer device.

The game apparatus comprises a plurality of containers such as small bottles 1 only one of which is shown, each bottle containing a substance with a distinctive smell. The number of containers may vary from five to twenty and are mounted in a box or a plastics tray 2 having a number of compartments 3 to form a carousel.

The bottles of substances are located in the compartments 3, each bottle being identified with a character, i.e. a letter of the alphabet 4, which is unrelated to the substance in the bottle.

The game apparatus also includes a recording means comprising a pad 5 of tear-off sheets of paper printed with a line 6 for the name of the participating contestant and a series of boxes 7 adjacent the letters of the alphabet 4 in which the contestant records the names of substances they believe to be contained in each bottle 1.

The game apparatus is completed by an answer device containing a correct list of the substances identified by the letters of the alphabet. This device comprises a cardboard disc 8 with cut-out portions which is mounted to rotate about a pin 9 on a support panel 10 printed with the list of correct substances, the letters of the alphabet 11 and information about the respective substance. By rotating the disc 8 to place the arrow 12 in line with the required letter of the alphabet 11 the correct substance is shown in the window aperture 13 and relevant information about the substance appears in the window aperture 14.

CONTENTS OF THE GAME 20 Bottles of substances with different smells.

1 Recording pad with tear-off sheets.

1 Answer Device 1 Container for the game pieces 10 Pencils.

RULES OF THE GAME The game is played by two to twenty players the ideal number being five, and the object of the game is to identify well known smells of substances without the assistance of colour, shape, taste and texture, the player or players correctly identifying all or the largest number of substances being the winner.

Each contestant is provided with a sheet from the answer pad to record their answers.

Each bottle of substance is taken in turn from the carousel container and passed to each player to smell the contents of the bottle. The player then writes the name of the substance which they believe corresponds to the smell against the appropriate letter on their answer sheet.

The bottles are passed among the players until all substances have been smelt and the answers recorded on the answer sheets. The correct answers are then read out from the answer device and the scores of each player tallied to determine the winner or winners.

The unique appeal of the game is that most people's ego leads them to believe that they would be able to easily identify well known smells of substances.

The substance the smell of which has to be identified may be visually disguised so that only the smell gives a clue to its identity, for example, tomato essence would not be coloured red but would be distilled to make it colourless or have its colour changed by adding a non-smelling pigment.

The game would most appropriately have twenty different smelling substances but the number may vary between a minimum of five to twenty.

The smells would encompass fruits, flowers, culinary ingrediants as well as everyday substances such as 'tar'.

The smells of the substances can be restricted to groups of substances and for different age groups, for example, as follows: a) A gardener's version would have smells of fruits, flowers and vegetables; b) A cooks 8 version would be made up of culinary ingredients; c) A children's version would have smells of sweets or fruits.

d) A whiskey drinker's version would contain the smells of different malt whiskeys;.

e) A ladies version would be made up of different brands of perfumes currently available in the shops; f) An extrovert's version would be made up of body smells or sickly smells.

Various modifications may be made to the game apparatus discribed and illustrated, for example, instead of a rotatable carousel for storing and displaying the bottles of substances, they can instead be mounted in apertures or compartments in a rectangular shaped box closed by a lid.

Although the substances with a distinctive smell have been described as being contained in small bottles, they could instead be incorporated in a card or cards in encapsulated areas, the smell being released into the atmosphere by breaking the seal containing the encapsulated substance. In a modified construction the substance would be encapsulated in areas which can be separated from the card or cards by tearing along perforated zones.

Claims (11)

1. A game apparatus comnprising a plurality of containers or other means containing substances each having a different smell, a plurality of recording means to record the identity of the different substances and an answer list of the correct substances, wherein the containers or other means containing the substances are identified by a charcter or characters unrelated to the contents, the or each character or characters being shown against the substances on the answer list.

2. A game apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the recording means are in the form of a pad of removable sheets printed with the character or characters and with a space beside the or each character or characters to insert the name of the substance, and a space for the competitors name.

3. A game apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the answer list is in the form of a disc with apertures mounted to rotate on a support panel printed with the list of correct substances, the or each character or characters identifying the container for the substance and information about the substance being aligned to appear selectively through the apertures in the rotatable disc.

4. A game apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the game apparatus is stored, when not in use, in a box having compartments containing the substances, which is closed by a lid.

5. A game apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the containers or other means containing the substances are each stored in a compartment in a rotatable store in the form of a carousel.

6. A game apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the other means for containing the substasnces are one or more cards incorporating encapsulated areas containing the different smelling substances, the smell being released into the atmosphere by breaking the seal for the encapsulated substance.

7. A game apparatus as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the substance is encapsulated in areas which can be separated from the card or cards by tearing along perforated zones.

8. A game apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the appearance of the original smelling substance is disguised.

9. A game apparatus as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the substance is disguised by adding colour.

10. A game apparatus as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the substance is disguised by distillation to remove its original colour.

11. A game apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown by the accompanying drawings.