GB2290406A

GB2290406A - Cube and tray game set

Info

Publication number: GB2290406A
Application number: GB9512080A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wai Man Chan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-06-14
Filing date: 1995-06-14
Publication date: 1995-12-20
Also published as: CN2202948Y; GB9512080D0

Abstract

A games set comprising cubes and a partition matrix tray 102 having a base plate 103. The six sides of the cubes 101 all contain patterns and letters, such as Chinese characters, Chinese character components, Chinese phonetic alphabets, words, terms or phrases and letters, words and terms of other languages, punctuation marks, Arabic numbers, symbols, colours or any combination. The size of length and width of each partition opening is just sufficient for holding a said cube placed inside. The cubes 101 may be extracted from the tray by a suction device, tweezers, a magnetic device or via holes in the bottom of the base plate 103. <IMAGE>

Description

CUBES AND TRAY GAMES SET This invention relates to board game in the area of intellectual games and intellectual training technique for purposes of recreation entertainment and education. This invention involves a partition matrix tray means and a display means.

Present board games comprise pieces with only one side of each piece containing information or containing no information but are capable of forming various patterns or geometric shapes by arranging them together. The characteristics of such a design are; I.The single-side design greatly reduces. the amount of letters words, characters, colours, patterns or pictures (hereinafter collectively called, 'information-'). 2. The thin and light nature of said pieces made themselves prone to wind blow, sway movement vibration, inclination or movement of game player's fingers while laying down said pieces on game -board, resulted in said pieces being moved out of place or dropped from said game board and therefore not convenient for use.

The Announcement of Application for Patent for Utility Model numbered CN 87204948U reveals a kind af intellectual game with pieces contained in a box. The partition in the box partitions the interior space of said box into a matrix of small and square partitions in which each partition can be contained with multiple pieces and each piece is coded on both sides for purpose of piecing pictures. The amount of information stored is substantially large.

As there are many pieces that stacked together in layers, it is not convenient to locate a desired piece. If the pieces are to be taken out from the partitions for searching, the pieces may be messed up or dropped.Hence the pieces are coded to ease the locating work.

Although a player can piece up a picture with the aid of the code, it leaves no room for independent thought and will do no good in intellectual training. Bosides, baying busy in looking up for the desired code makes the game uninterest ng.

An object of the present invention is providing a novel solution. to overcome said disadvantages firstly by means of a Partition Matrix Tray that is providing large storage of information and it is easy in locating information. Said Partition Matrix Tray means when encountering swaying and vibration dose not result in messy condition or causing dropping of pieces. The second object of said present invention is based on said Partition Matrix Tray, providing in addition a kind of display means that is allowing a player to see all sides of said pieces. making locating work faster.

In order to achieve said first object, said partition matrix tray of the present invention is comprising of cubes and. partition matrix tray and said partition matrix tray is made up of partition matrix tray and base plate. The six(6) sides of said cubes all preferably contain patterns and letters (hereinafter referred to as including Chinese characters, Chinese character components, Chinese phonetic alphabets, words, terms or phrases and letters, words and terms of other languages, punctuation marks, Arabic numbers) symbols, colours or any combination of said. items. Said partition matrix divides the entire said Tray into a matrix of partition openings by means of its mutually perpendicular partition walls. The size of length and width of each partition opening is just sufficient for holding a said cube placed inside.

In order to achieve said second object a-preferred embodiment of said partition matrix tray of present invention is comprising of cubes, partition matrix tray and display means and said partition matrix tray is made up of partition matrix and base plate. The six(6) sides of said cubes all comprise said information and their any combination. Said partition matrix divides the entire said tray into a matrix of partition openings by means of its mutually perpendicular partition walls.

The size of length and width of each said partition opening is just sufficient ft'r holding a said cube placed inside. Said Baseplate is fixed at bottom of said partition matrix and it is preferably provided with holes that allow human finger to go through. Said holes are arranged in a matrix with each hole's location corresponding to that of said small partitions. Said display means comprises a reflective base plate that is generally rectangular in shape with its upper side surface made reflective a reflective back plate fixed perpendicular to and along back edge of said reflective base with its upper half of front side surface made reflective and a holder plate that is fixed at about half height of said reflective back plate and parallel-to said reflective base plate.Said holder plate if made of non-transparent material shall be made with a through slot along its length which allows the- bottom side of any said cube that is placed into said slot to,- face directly said reflective side of said reflective base plate. Said holder means if made of transparent material can be made without a through slot along its length but to provide adequate means for locating said cubes.

This invention is providing the following advantages over existing similar games.

1. High capacity for information. This invention is containing as much as six times of said information than said existing games that come with one sided pieces 2. Multifunctions- This invention is providing many intellectual games in the area of hanyupinyin, construction of words, terms and pharses, learning words through pictures, chemical elements and formulas mathematics, languages, music, jigsaw, board games, riddles and others. This invention is suitable for children, teenagers, youths, adults and even old folks and achieving positive results in education, training as well as in recreation.

3. The pieces used in this invention do not get moved out of place or dropped from the 'board'. (said partition matrix) when encountering wind, swaying, vibration or when said 'board' is placed aslant. Therefore this invention is convenient use.

4. Construction of the invention is simple and it is easy to fabricate.

Comparing the present invention to said china utility model of intellectual game with pieces contained in a box, the present invention is more convenient in locating a desired piece based on the design that a square cube with six sides is used instead of stacked pieces. A player of the present invention constructs something on his own will rather than follows printed codes and therefore it provides genuine and meaningful intellectual training without the need of looking for dull codes that make the game uninteresting and thus raises the interest of the player. This is even so by the use of said display means as the bottom side and back sides of said cubes that are placed onto said holder plate can be shown to the player through reflection on said reflective sides of said reflective base plate and reflective back plate. Without turning said cube by the player all six sides of said cube (placed diagonally on the holder plate with respect to said player) or four sides of said cube (placed on the holder plate with its front side facing said player) can be seen from said player making it very convenient for player to search and pick his desired information and achieving double fold effect an intellectual training and recreation The structure features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent through the following detailed description. of the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an illustration in exploded perspective of said cube partition matrix and base plate of the present invention; Fig. 2 (a) depicts the cross-sectional view of said partition matrix with separable base plate;; Fig 2(b) depicts the cross-sectional view of said partition matrix with inseparable base plate; Fig. 3(a) depicts extraction means for said cube by means of miniature suction means; Fig. 3(b) depicts extraction means for said cube by means of special purpose tweezers; Fig. 3(c) depicts extraction means for said cube by means of bar magnet.

Fig. 4 is an illustration in perspective of said display means; Fig. 5(a) is an illustration in exploded perspective of said display means shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 5(b) is a plan view of:holder. plate. shown in Fig. 5(a); Fig. 5(c) is a plan view of holder plate holding seven cubes placed diagonally with respect-to player; Fig . 5(d) is a cross-sedion view at "AA" of Fig. 5(c); Fig. 5(e) is a plan view of holder plate holding seven cubes 101 placed with their front sides facing player; Fig. 5(f) is a cross-section view at "BB" of Fig. 5(e) Figs. 6(a), 6(b) and 6(c) are three further views of the display means.

As shown in Fig. 1, cube 101, partition matrix 102 and base plate 103 are made of plastic but the present invention is not restricted by this wood or other material may also be used.

In this embodiment there is a total of 100 square cubes and six sides of each square cube bearing English words or symbols. But the present invention is not restricted by these and 225 of other quantity of square cubes may be used and in addition, the quantity of said cubes is not direct referred to the number of said partition openings and may bear other languages, pictures, symbols, colours, et cetera.

The partition matrix 102 is a square object with 10 x 10 square partition openings 102a and the size of each partition opening 102a is just right for cube 101 to be placed inside. Said cube is flush with top edge of said partition matrix after said cube is placed inside partition opening 102a. It is so designed in order to conceal five sides of cube 101 for showing only its top side. Cubes 101 are placed inside partition openings 102a side by side to display words, symbols, patterns- or colour or any combination of these.

The number of said partition matrix of AxB is preferably be 10x10, totalled 100 partitions or be 15x15, totalled 225 partitions.

However;other matrix and opening number may be used for creation of various intellectual training. Overall shape -of said partition matrix can be rectangular or other shapes like pentagon, hexagon, et cetera.

The planar size of base plate 103 is about the same as that of partition matrix 102. Preferred material of said base plate is plastic or wood though other material. may also be used. The function of base plate 103 is to hold all cubes 101 that are placed inside partition openings 102a when base plate 103 is placed under partition matrix 102.

In this embodiment partition matrix 102 and base plate 103 are separable and can be assembled together. The method of extracting a said cube placed inside a said partition opening 102a is by lifting up said partition matrix while holding said base plate in place, Said cube that is left on said base plate is then removed by hand. Said cube that is left or stuck in said partition opening can be removed by pushing said cube through said partition opening with player's fiar. Said partition matrix is then placed back on said base plate.

In said embodiment,partition matrix 102 and base plate 103 are separable and can be assembled together for extraction. ease of cube 101.Partition matrix 102 and base plate 103 can be made nonseparable as one single object depicted in Fig.2(b)and that base plate 103' is perforated with holes 103'a arrange in a matrix with its position corresponding to partition matrix 102 and each hole 103'a to allow one human finger to go through so as to push cube 101 out of partition opening 102a from below base plate 103.

In the case that partition matrix 102 and base plate 103 are nonseparable and base plate 103 has no hole on it, the three means for extracting-a said cube from said partition matrix are described in the following with reference to Fig. 3.

The first preferred means is a miniature suction means 301 in hemispheric or spherics appearance made of rubber. To remove a said cube from a said partition opening is to hold said partition matrix in place, press suction means 301 on the top side of said. cube to squeeze out air in said suction means Lift up said suction means and said cube will also be lifted by effect of vacuum suction.

The second preferred means is a pair of special tweezers 302 with each of its working end preferably made of metal sheet, resembling human's hand with two and three fingers at two sides respectively.

To remove a said cube from a said partition opening is to hold said partition matrix in place, allow each said hand of said tweezers to go through the space between said cube and said partition well.

Push said tweezers down until they cannot go further. Said metallic sheet finger of said tweezers will bend and extend towards each other and overlap at the bottom of Said cube. said cube is extracted by pulling out said tweezers.

The third preferred weans is to r' a small piece of soft iron in each cube and to use a magnet 303. To remove a said cube from a said partition opening 102a is to place one end of said magnet closed to the top side of said cube and to extract said cube from said partition opening by lifting magnet upward.

In summary the present invention is enlisting cubes and appropriate combination of partition matrix and base plate to perform an intellectual game that has high information storage capacity and is convenient to use.

In order to help players in locating desired information in a more convenient way the present invention is providing a display means depicted in Fig. 4.5 and 6. Without the need of a player to turn said cube, all six sides of said cube are clear at a glance.

Fig. 4 and 5 shows an embodiment of display means. As shown in said figures, display means 400 is made of plastic and its rectangularreflective base plate 410 is coated with light reflective material so as to form the first reflective surface M1. Reflective back plate 420 is fixed perpendicular to and along the back edge of said reflective base plate. At about half height of front side of said reflective back plate, a holder plate 430 is fixed and is parallel to said reflective base plate. Said front side of upper portion said reflective back plate 420 is above the holder plate 430 is light reflective material so as to form the second reflective surface M2. Along the length of holder plate 430 there exists a through long slot 431 and along the parallel front and back edges 432a and 432b of the through long slot 431 there are disposed 7 pairs of right-angle notch 433 spaced apart at a set distance and opposite in front and behind for orientation of the cube 101. The included angles of two right-angle edges of each right-angle orienting notch 433 with slot edges of adjacent long slot are all 1350,and 4 out side right-angle edges of the 4 right-angle orienting notches at the two right and left ends of the long slot extend outward and intersect two by two to form right-angle orienting end angles 434a,434b.In addition, as depicted in Fig.5(b),(c),(d),(e),(f),all lower edges the slot 431 inclusive of in the front and behind parallel slot edges 432a,432b and the lower right-angle edges of the right-angle notches disposed at the top and the right-angle end angles, are provided with protrusions inwardly protruding in the slot. And, the distance D between top angles of a pair of right-angle orienting notches 433 opposite in the front and behind is approximately equal to the length of the diagonal of the cube 101 side surface while the distance d between the parallel slot edges 432a, 432b opposite in the front and behind is approximately equal to the edge length of the cube 101 side surface.

When using said tray for intellectual game it may, as shown in Fig.5(c) place 7 cubes 101 in the long slot 431 in a diagonal position respectively to the player, i.e. allow cubes 101 be placed in the long- slot -431 in a state with. two right-angle edges perpendicular to the same side surface but not adjacent to be inserted into a pair of right-angle notche top angles; and allow the lower protrusions of the long slot edges hold the cubes 101,i.e. allow the bottom of cubes 101 rest on the top surface of the protrusions.With said orientation said player not only can see the top side and its adjacent two sides in direct view, through reflection at the first reflection side Mi at reflective base plat 410, the bottom side of said cube can also be seen .In-addition to this, the two back sides of said cube can be seen through reflection at the second reflection side M2 at reflective back plate 420. Therefore, said viewer is clear on all six sides cube, in total 42 sides, at a glance without tuning it. Said player thus able to choose and pick up the desired cube for construction of word or picture quickly and conveniently and it is definitely making game with more fun.

Other than the above orientation, the player can also orientate said cube to align with said parallel edges 432a and 432b and place said cube in hole 431. Said hole can accommodate at most eight cubes in said orientation but present invention is not constrained by this. With the aid of said first and second reflection sides, said orientation allows four sides of each said cube to be seen.

What make the difference is that all of said four sides are orientated without tilt with respect to said player and is therefore providing better visual effect as compared to said other orientation. This orientation is especially helpful for player like children, old folks and others who does not want to or unable to handle higher amount of information, or information not required by the game of interest but are provided by said other orientation.

As the examples shown in Fig.5, the lower portion of edges 432a and 432b of holder means 430 are provided with flanges. Cube 101 is placed into hole 431 and is held by said flange. The bottom side of said cube is parallel with reflective side of reflective base 410. If said flange is not provided transparent means shall be provided to cover said hol-e in order to stop said cube from falling through said hole. Other option for said hole without said flange is providing tilted edge that tilts downwards and inwards or providing said distance D that is shorter than diagonal of a side of said cube or providing said distance d that is shorter than the sedge of said cube; In two latter options, said cube is placed in said hole with its sideat said hole tilted but said cube is not falling through said hole.Same effect of obtaining the view of four or moes sides of said cube can be achieved.

In the above example, said hole 431 is a elongated hole that goes through holder means 430 but present invention is not constrained by this. Said through hole can be replaced by an orientation recess 435 that looks basically the same as the plan illustrated in Fig.5 . With said recess 435, the bottom side of cube 101 can be placed entirely into said recess. The structures of reflective base means 410 reflective back means 420 and holder means 430 are same as those shown in Fig.5. Material used for said holder means with said orientation recess 435 shell be transparent or at least the bottom of recess 435 be made transparent in order to allow the information at the bottom side of said cube be seen through reflection at reflection side of retrectivs base 430.

Another option is that holder means 430 provided without hole 431 or recess 435 but provided with protrusion for orientation purpose.

With cube 101 placed on transparent holder means 430, through reflection sides M1 and M2 the back sides and bottom side cube can also be seen. That is to say, seeing four sides (said cubes are orientated with one side of each cube facing player) or six sides (said cubes are placed tilted and spaced out with each other) of all cubes at a glance. If hole 431 or recess 435 are provide as shown in Fig.5 or 6 and having each said cube placed between said opposing notches 433, the said tilted orientation and spacing between adjacent cubes can be assured which in turn assures that reflection side M2 of reflective back 420 is reflecting two back sides of said cubes that allows the player to see all the six sides of all said cubes at one glance.

In the example shown in Fig.5 and 6, holder means 430 provides seven pairs of right angle orientation notches 433 that can hold seven pieces of cube 101 but present invention is constrained by this. For example, to meet the need provision of six pairs, eight pairs or nine pairs of notches will be made for assembly of six eight or nine cubes.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Cubes and tray games set co-tLslng of square cubes and tray means that is made up of partition matrix and base plate on each side of said cube preferably containing one or more or part of letters, words, characters, punctuation marks, symbols, patterns or colours or any combination of said items; the mutually perpendiculer partition walls of said partition matrix are partitioning the entire said tray into a matrix of smaller partition openings and that the size of each said partition opening is just right for a said cube to be placed inside

2.Cubes and tray games set set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said partition matrix and said base plate are preferably joint as one single object and said base plate is perforated with matrix of hole of which position of each hole corresponds to that of said partition matrix and each hole allows one human finger to go through.

3. Cubes and tray games set set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said partition matrix and said base plate are preferably separable and can be joint.

4. Cubes and tray games set set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the said partition matrix and the said base plate are formed integrally, and that it is also provided with an extraction means extracting the said cubes from the said partition openings.

5. Cubes and tray games set set forth in claim 4, characterized in that the said extraction means is a miniature suction means.

6. Cubes and tray games set set forth in claim 4, characterized in that the said extraction means is a pair of special tweezers means.

7. Cubes and tray games set set forth in claim 4, characterized in that the said extraction means is a magnetic means while a soft iron is enclosed in each said cube.

8. Cubes and tray games set set forth in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the height of said partition matrix is about the same as that of said cube.

9. Cubes and tray games set set forth in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that said cube partition matrix and base plate are preferably made of plastic.

10. cube and tray games set set forth in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that said cube partition matrix and base plate are preferably made of wood.

11. Cubes and tray games set set forth in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that said partition matrix is preferable be 10x10 totalled 100 partition openings.

12. Cubes and tray- games set set forth in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that said partition matrix is preferably be 15x15, totalled 225 partition openings.

13. Cubes and tray games set comprising of square cubes, tray means that is made up of partition matrix and base plate and display means; on each side of said cube preferably containing one or more or part of letters, words, characters, punctuation marks, symbols, patterns or colours or any combination of said items; the mutually perpendicular partition walls of said partition matrix are partitioning the entire said tray into a matrix of smaller partition openings and that the size of each said partition opening is just right for a said cube to be placed inside, the height of said partition matrix is about the same as that of said cube; said display means comprising of reflective base plate that is generally rectangular in shape with its upper side made reflective, reflective back plate fixed perpendicular to and along back edge of said reflective base plate with its upper front side made reflective and holder that is fixed at about half height of said reflective back plate and parallel to said reflective base plate; said holder plate is providing orientation means for said cubes.

14. Cubes and tray games set set forth in claim 13, characterized in that said base plate is preferably joint at the bottom of said partition matrix and said base plate is perforated with matrix opening of which position of each opening corresponds to that of said partition matrix and each opening allows one human finger to go through.

15. Cubes and tray games set set forth in claim 13, characterized in that said orientation means for said cubes is a through hole located along the length of said holder means and along the parallel front and back edges of said through hole there exists many pairs of opposing right angled notches for orientation purpose; two perpendicular edges of every notch of every said pairs except the pair at each end of said parallel edges and one inner edge of the notch at each end of said parallel edges meet adjacent said parallel edges at an angle of about 135 ; in addition, the four outer edges of four notches located at left and right ends of said parallel edges extend outward to meet one another and becoming two orientation notches.

16. Cubes and tray games set set forth in claim 13, characterized in that said holder plate is preferably made of transparent plastic; along the length of said holder plate there exists recess for orientation of said cubes; along the parallel front and back edges and from each end of said slat, spaced at fixed length there exists many pairs of opposing right angled orientation notches; two perpendicular edges of every notch of every said pairs except the pair at each end of said parallel edges and one inner edge of the notch at each end of said parallel edges meet adjacent said edges at an angle of about 135 ; in addition the four outer edges of four notches located at left and right ends of said parallel edges extend outward to meet one another and becoming two orientation notches.

17. Cubes and tray games set set forth in claim 15 or 16, characterized in that seven pairs of said right angled orientation notches are located along said parallel front and back edges of said through hole or said recess.

18. Cubes and tray games set set forth in claim 13, characterized in that said reflective back reflective base plate and holder plate of said display means are separable and can be joint together.

19. Cubes and tray games set forth in claim 13, characterized in that said square cubes tray means and display means are preferably made of plastic.

20. A cubes and tray games set constructed and arranged substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.